A/N: I'm dedicating this chapter to melidin for making me smile. :)

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From the moment it was announced that I am to debut as a solo artist, my schedule has been ridiculously tight! We were insanely busy as Teen Top but I couldn’t ever imagine that I can become even busier when I go solo. With the team, we can squeeze in a few rest periods for when the other members are recording their parts. But because I’m on my own now, there are no other members to record their parts that could allow me to rest and breathe even for a short while. This time, it’s all me.

Two years ago, if someone told me that I would go solo, I would’ve laughed at his face. Me? Solo? I don’t think I’m famous enough to take that bold step yet. I may be the top search when you type “the boy with the thick lips” on Naver, but that doesn’t mean that people will really buy my albums, watch my live performances, and even vote for me for the number one spot. Everything felt so surreal. Too good to be true.

But they are true!

I can’t believe that I could actually become successful as a solo artist. Oh wait, winning number one on music shows is too early to call a success, but it’s a good sign. I’m truly thankful to all of my fans who I know are Teen Top fans generally. I know that there are a lot of them who bought my solo album even if I’m not their bias. Angels are awesome like that. I know that they support me because my members asked them to. Heh. You’re too obedient Angels. You’re so cute. *kissy face*

I’m not complaining about the busy schedule. Through the years of preparing for albums, concerts, comebacks, and live performances, I sort of got used to it. It’s not the busy schedule I’m complaining about. It’s the lost of time in my hands to do the things I like and be with people I love.

Before, whenever I miss my mom or simply want to break the monotony of my everyday life, I would sneak in to Café Dani and dine there. Maybe even serve orders if I feel like it. I couldn’t do that now. Although thinking about it, I couldn’t even dine with the members anymore. I miss our silly conversations and fights over food. How Ricky would always eat our side dishes, how L.Joe hyung would reprimand him about it, how Changjo tolerates him and gives him his side dishes every time, and how Chunji hyung would nag like a mother when we create a lot of mess on the dining table, or the floor, wherever we decided to eat.

But you know what I miss the most? It’s C.A.P hyung telling me to eat more but snatch my meat when I’m not looking. He would always do that. If I don’t keep an eye on my food, I would later see it on his chopsticks, traveling fast into his mouth. I often make a fuss about that but now, I miss it.

I’m alone in the waiting room right now. My schedule has ended but manager hyung is still working out with something so we couldn’t leave yet. I’m eating instant ramen which, oddly enough, tastes different. How come it tastes great when I’m eating it with C.A.P hyung? I wonder.

I was almost done with the ramen when the door cracked open. I finished the noodles with one huge gulp, thinking it was manager hyung and it was now time to go. I nearly choked on my food when I heard that familiar deep baritone voice that’s dear to my ear.

“Easy. Why are you eating in such a rush? It’s not like I’m going to snatch your food away.” He laughs. Oh I love the sound of that laugh.

“What are you doing here?”

“Woah! No hello for me? I’m hurt. And to think I come here willingly to pick you up.”

“Why, where’s manager hyung?”

“He called me and said that he had to go to another place and he’s taking the car.”

“What about me?”

“Stupid! That’s why I’m here. I’ll take you home. Come on.” He smiled and I feel happy although I wouldn’t show it more than a simple smile.

“That’s what I’m worried about! You’re driving? Oh no, hyung, I have a schedule tomorrow. I can’t die yet!” I whined but am definitely delighted with the idea of being inside the car alone with him.

“You worry about your schedule but not about the people who would be so damn sad if you die.”

“What?” He’s blabbering again, it’s difficult to understand what he just said.

“Nothing. Are you coming?” He asked as he made his way to the door.

“Of course! But please drive more carefully.”  I pleaded with my life. Although he finally got his license (which I deeply prayed he wouldn’t), C.A.P hyung is still C.A.P hyung. He still tends to step on the gas when normal people, aka me, would’ve stepped on the brakes. I’m feeling frustrated just by thinking about it.

“Hey Niel.”

“Huh?”

“What do you say, we stop by a café or something before going home?” He suddenly asked after we secured our seatbelts.

“Why, you hungry?”

“You’re not?”

“Well, I just had a ramen.”

“Come on, don’t kid yourself. We both know that didn’t even reach your esophagus.”

“You’re right.” I agreed, feeling the monster inside my belly growling so loud.

“Okay.” C.A.P said and we finally drove off. Thankfully, he was driving really smooth tonight. Maybe he finally understood the importance of driving like a civilized citizen and not as some barbarian let out in the city.

Not long after, we reached the restaurant close to the dorm. This is one of our favorite restaurants because they give ample servings of samgyeopsal. We are frequent customers here that the ahjussi and ahjumma know us more as the 6 rowdy kids who eat a lot of pork meat than us being Teen Top. It’s funny when they finally realized that we are celebrities when our music video for Miss Right was played on the overhead TV.

“Wah, we’re eating here? You must be really hungry, hyung.” I commented before going out of the car.

“You bet.”

“Are you paying?” I teased. He heaved a sigh and made for the door. “Yes! C.A.P hyung is paying! Woohoo!” I almost jumped in glee at the thought of free food.

“You’re so noisy.” C.A.P commented but I just stuck my tongue out at him. He shook his head before leading us to the seat at the far corner of the restaurant.

“Good thing there are really few customers now, no?” I stopped to look around us. “Yah! Give my meat back!” I yelled when I saw C.A.P took all of my meat and put it on his bowl. When I move to take them back, he moved his bowl away, his tongue sticking out. He’s even making the annoying sound of “nye-nye-nye”. So mature.  I rolled my eyes but laughed not soon after. I miss this.

“You thief!”

“What? I’m paying!”

“You’re unbelievable!” I rolled my eyes once more before finishing what’s left on my bowl.

“Let’s have ice cream next. You pay.” C.A.P said after he came back from paying the bill.

“I should’ve predicted it! You buy the meat and so I have to buy the dessert! I should’ve seen it before.”

“You whine too much. Won’t you just nod and say yes?”

“Hah! You wish!”

“Hah! I wish!”

We laughed at our silliness.

The ice cream parlor is a few blocks away from the restaurant. Upon arrival, C.A.P went to our spot at the far end of the ice cream parlor while I go to the counter to order our dessert – Coffee Crumble for me, Chocolate for him. I joined him on the table and hand him his cone.

“Thanks!” He smiled like a little boy. Although C.A.P hyung look all tough on the outside, he really is a cute little boy on the inside. He prefers milk or chocolate over coffee, and would rather drink juice than beer or soju, for that matter. He love ballad songs and likes watching drama. He never cry though, not like L.Joe hyung and the rest. He would watch the movie and comment later on what the character should’ve done to make the situation better. It’s really nice to hear his thoughts on matters since he rarely speak out loud.

“What are you thinking?” His words cut my thoughts. I looked at him and smiled before getting back on my ice cream.

Silence enveloped the two of us for a short while until C.A.P hyung broke it with a silly smile.

“Congrats, Niel! You’re doing great.”

“Aish! I know you all have been rallying votes for me on social media. I even caught Ricky and Changjo voting like mad.” I laughed at the silliness and the happiness I feel inside my heart. It’s so warm.

“But of course! We can’t have your solo album failing because we’re going to have our comeback soon! We can’t let you off tarnishing the name of Teen Top!”

“Yeah right.” I smiled and finished my ice cream.

“You done?” C.A.P asked. I nodded. “Leggo.”

We were walking back to the car when I noticed that the street is almost deserted. I looked at my phone to check the time and was surprised to see that it’s almost 11 pm.

“Woah! I didn’t realize it was this late already.”

“It is? Oh sorry, Niel. You have an early schedule tomorrow. We should hurry.”

“No. Let’s just walk slowly. My stomach still feels heavy, I couldn’t go to sleep like this anyway.”

“You sure?”

I nodded.

“Okay.”

Silence. It’s not an awkward silence but a welcomed one. I like it.

“Hey hyung.”

“Huh?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For the meat?” We laughed, his shoulders shuddering up and down as he do so.

“I miss this.”

“What?”

“Walking on the street like this without people swarming around us.”

“Don’t you like it? The fans swarming around you?” I asked him.

“I like it. I’m thankful for the attention. But from time to time, it’s great to feel ordinary.”

“Hmm… I miss this too.” I smiled afterwards.

“Yeah?”

“Uh-huh.”

We walked to the car. I was about to open the door when I heard C.A.P say, “I miss us.”

I smiled and nodded my head. 

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A/N: I miss my N.A.P couple too! >_< Comment how much you miss N.A.P too! ^0^