The following morning, Yoojin opened the coffee shop up at 8:00. The manager had given her the key so that he could take care of business affairs before noon. Sungyeol was supposed to be there at 8:00, but there was no sign of him until 8:15, when he practically flung himself through the door.

“I’m here!” He panted, and sprinted to the back room to fetch his apron.

Yoojin couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of him, and when Sungyeol heard her as he returned to his place behind the counter, he glared at her.

“Hey, what’s funny?”

Yoojin covered , still smiling at Sungyeol’s flustered and now disgruntled appearance.

“Sorry,” she said, reminding herself of her manners. Even Sungyeol, who had no sense of humor and seemed to think that most things were childishly below him, deserved respect.

Sungyeol leaned over to pick up a fallen spoon and brushed his hair out of his eyes.

Yoojin’s eyes widened. “You should wash your hands before serving someone.”

“Don’t want to.”

Yoojin knit her eyebrows together and folded her arms. “Lee Sungyeol, you need to at least be sanitary in this job. Do whatever you want at home, but please don’t make other people suffer from it.”

“Fine, fine!” Sungyeol made a dismissive gesture and washed his hands in the kitchen before taking the next customer’s order.

Yoojin looked at the clock and then back to the newly formed line of customers waiting for their morning coffee. Three more hours until her lunch break.

“Ah,” she said, suddenly remembering as she filled an order, “your friend stopped by looking for you yesterday around lunchtime.”

Sungyeol looked at her. “Myungsoo?”

“Mm.” She nodded. “Did he find you?”

Sungyeol rolled his eyes at her. “Yeah, we live in the same apartment. I think he found me.”

Yoojin frowned at his poor manners and resumed her work. “I was just trying to be nice.”

On the other side of the city, Sunggyu and Woohyun were in the process of presenting a report to their bosses.

“So, as you can see, the numbers rose after the merger but eventually returned to equilibrium. This may have-”

Suddenly, Sunggyu was unable to speak. His throat felt dry. “Woohyun,” he whispered, making urgent gestures, “water!”

Woohyun handed Sunggyu a water bottle, watching him curiously as he drank from it.

“-been caused by increased expenses as a result of the merger after the initial rise began to fall.”

After completing the presentation, the two made their way back to their respective cubicles.

“Yah, hyung, what was that? Are you okay?” Woohyun asked with concern.

“Oh, I’m fine. My throat just felt dry. Thanks.”

“Good,” Woohyun said. “I’m always glad to help the elderly. They have more health troubles, so it’s good to help them out when they need it.”

“YAH!” Sunggyu hissed a little too loudly, startling the secretary as they arrived at their floor.

The secretary was young and attractive, and she was watching them in a very obvious manner. Woohyun threw her a single heart on his way to his desk.

As was now the usual, Myungsoo appeared at the coffee shop come lunch hour. Sungyeol was finishing up one final task in the back before his lunch break, and Yoojin was cleaning the counters when his stoic friend walked through the door. Even the ring of the bell sounded distant and impersonal when it was signaling Kim Myungsoo’s arrival. Yoojin put aside her sponge to greet him, though he kept his distance from the counter.

“Ah, Kim Myungsoo-ssi!” Yoojin greeted him. “May I help you?”

Myungsoo shook his head. “I’m here to see Sungyeol.” He immediately looked away.

If Yoojin could have shook her head internally, she would have done so and told herself that she didn’t care that he wouldn’t meet her eyes. She didn’t need to be looking at his, either.

She smiled politely. “He’ll be finished in a moment. We’re still on for next week, right?”

He stared at her blankly. “Why wouldn’t we be?”

Yoojin blushed. “Ah, nothing. I was just making conversation.”

“Hmm,” he replied in a vague tone.

Yoojin caught a glimpse of Sungyeol. “Sungyeol, your friend is here!”

“Oh, Myungsoo-ya!” Sungyeol came out of the back room. “I’m glad to see you. It’s been so stressful. We’re really busy here today, and Gyu hyung was nagging me a lot this morning, too.”

Yoojin pretended not to be listening. Gyu hyung? She vaguely recalled hearing mention of a Sunggyu in one of their previous conversations. But she also thought she had heard Myungsoo mention a Woohyun and a Sungjong. Ordinarily, she would have thought little of it, since they were obviously friends. But it seemed that they were all living together, and that made her curious. Just how many of them were there?

“Sunggyu nagged you?” Myungsoo asked. “Why?”

“Eh, who knows? Does he need a reason?” Sungyeol slipped out from behind the counter.

“Yah, come on, come on. I’m hungry.”

“He better not be sleeping on the job again. At least we’ll be there to wake him up.”

Yoojin stared after the strange pair. Where were they going to eat? They had literally just been standing in a cafe.

Yoojin tried to remind herself that other people’s conversations were none of her business and that she therefore had no right to be confused over them, but something seemed to be drawing her in.

When Myungsoo and Sungyeol arrived at Dongwoo’s family restaurant, they found Dongwoo and Hoya sharing a table near the front. Dongwoo looked tired, as usual, but at least he wasn’t snoring. Hoya looked up as they approached, appearing rather stiff.

“Hey,” Hoya scooted over to make room, startling Dongwoo out of his trance.

Dongwoo grinned sleepily. “Hi, guys.”

Myungsoo nodded.

“It’s like a sauna out there.” Sungyeol fanned himself with a napkin. “I almost passed out on the way here.”

“Is that really something you’d like everyone to know?” Myungsoo quipped.

“Honesty is the best policy, isn’t it?” Sungyeol shot back. “Besides, Howon agrees. Right?”

Hoya nodded vigorously. “Dongwoo-hyung might not know since he’s been inside since dawn, but it’s no joke. I wonder how Sunggyu-hyung and Woohyun are doing. Those poor guys have to wear suits today, don’t they?”

Myungsoo shook his head slowly, maintaining intense eye contact with his glass of water. “They might be in a bad mood tonight. Everyone had better watch out.”

“Hyung, can we order some food?” Sungyeol asked, prodding Dongwoo’s shoulder.

Dongwoo blinked. “Hm? Sure. Hold on.”

When he returned with food for the four to share, he happened to glance out the window. He shuddered. He swore he could almost see the heat in the air, and it gave way to a strangely nauseous feeling in his stomach. He felt like taking a nap.

“Hyung, are you okay?” Myungsoo asked, watching Dongwoo carefully.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.”

But Dongwoo did not feel fine. He drank his glass of ice water, and after that, he drank the rest of Sungyeol’s, too, much to the latter’s chagrin. But the sensation inside him and his drowsiness just wouldn’t seem to go away.