“I was drunk that’s why I said crazy things!” Chen exclaimed

Xiumin closed his eyes and curled himself to rest his chin in his bent knees “I just don’t know if I can leave you. Throughout our lives, we’ve been together like brothers. We take on anything we want. together... and now, my heart can’t be settled because I know I’ll leave you lost and still doesn’t know what to do with your life.”

They are now both resting as they watch the Han River glisten because of the sunlight.

Chen also closed his eyes and let out a sigh “What will I ever do with my life without Minseok?”

Xiumin hit Chen’s arm and said “YAH KIM JONGDAE! Does this mean you’re joining me to China?” both of them smiled. “Maybe you’ll find your dream there.”

“Yeah maybe...” Chen sighs and loosens his tie “AISH! Focus Kim Jongdae” he was talking to himself in front of a mirror.

“YAH!” something hit him on his head, “FOCUS! Shift’s about to start.”

Chen was rubbing his head “YAAAH! KIM MINSEOK! That hurt a lot”

Xiumin showed him Chen’s phone that has been ringing for a while “Who’s Lee Chaerin” he with a smile.

“Ahhhh! Give me that.. Yoboseyo?”

“Do you have work today?” Chaerin didn’t bother to greet him on the other side of the line.

“Yes, until 5PM.”

Chaerin gave a long pause “...fine then, I’ll just come over later and you’ll help me celebrate. Any clothes will do, just not your barista uniform” she quickly hang up.

Xiumin was just beside Chen giving him a teasing look “ahh.. so she finally has a name. It’s been a month since that Korean girl has been calling you. So tell me, does she like you? Is she pretty? When did you meet?”

Chen hit Xiumin in his arm “She’s just a Korean girl who’s in China that’s been asking me any good place to stop by while she’s here”

“Eh? So there’s nothing going on between you two? Too bad...” Xiumin fixed his uniform while looking at the mirror. He then looked at the wall clock in their staff’s room and said “Opening time!”

Chen tidied up his uniform and followed Xiumin in the door to prepare in serving customers with his sweetest and most welcoming smiles.

“One Café au lait for Chaerin” Xiumin served Chaerin’s order on the counter. “Will there be anything else?”

She wandered her eyes on the counter and said “Ahh.. is Chen here?”

Xiumin’s eyes widened “Ahhh! You’re Lee Chaerin.” he smiles “Yes, he’s just at the back. I thought he was preparing to go home... but I guess he’s got other plans than home.”

Chaerin shook her head “Ahh.. There is nothing going on between us. I just invited him today to help me celebrate”

“Celebrate?”

“Yeah. If you’d like, you can join us. We will just go and have a few drinks”

Xiumin shook his head with dissatisfaction “Eyy, Jongdae really doesn’t know how to entertain his guest well... If you’re going to celebrate, why just have a few drinks? You must have known that Koreans has their special way in celebrating... fine, I’ll be out in six.”

Chaerin nods “Ok, I’ll be just waiting over that table”

Chen was fixing his uniform that he just took off. He was fixing his hair in front of his mirror when Xiumin came up to him. “Kim Jongdae, do you like that Korean girl, Chaerin?”

“Stop it or I’ll just hit you again”

Xiumin nods “Are you going on a date with her tonight? And would like to be alone with her?”

Chen was smiling because he thought Xiumin sounded like a big brother who’s trying to check up on him. “I. Don’t. Like. Her. We’re just friends”

Xiumins claps his hands and give him an amazed look “I can’t believe it! How can you not fall for a girl that is as cool as her? Do you know that she exudes charisma that could kill men? She’s so cool that she just invited me over to join you two in celebrating.”

Chen’s eyes widen “What? You’ve met her and you already found time to be weird and friendly?”

Xiumin laughs “well... I’m guessing you’ve been weird and friendly the moment you first met.”

“Yah, that’s not it. She invited you?”

Xiumin smiles and ruffles Chen’s hair “So I guess you’ll be waiting until 6PM so that we can celebrate together”

Xiumin chose a karaoke place where they can celebrate. They rented a room and ordered some drinks and snacks.

“So what are we celebrating?” Xiumin was going over the song list.

“Ahh. Some university offered my dad to teach. He’ll be trying it for a semester since the offer is nice” Chaerin took the glass where Chen poured some beer

“Really? Which university in Beijing?” Chen was smiling because he can’t help but be happy for her.

“in South Korea” Chaerin didn’t seem like she happy nor sad. She drank a little and continued “Some colleague of his introduced him to Korean professors who offered him a job. He didn’t know if he would accept it at first.. but I guess the months of dinner meetings finally convinced him that it’s time to go back to Korea”

“To your home” Chen poured another glass of beer for himself and lifted it “I guess this will be the last time I’ll be seeing you”

“It’s not like you two have been seeing each other this past month. You were just talking on the phone” Xiumin teased Chen will he was entering the number of the song in the karaoke machine

“We’re not dating” Chen took another drink

“I didn’t say dating.. I meant seeing. I’m guessing that all you did was calling each other but didn’t meet up.”

“Well he’s been texting and talking with me about some things” Chaerin replied

Xiumin’s eyes widened and smiles “What kind of things”

“About China, his dreams, and how he found that lake”

“Oh,” Xiumin turned his back looked at the karaoke machine “GANGNAM STYLE!” he began singing like a fool.

Chen laughed and said to Chaerin “Minseok has short attention span.. just let him be.. Soo... are you happy?”

“No” she just coolly replied

“But you’re going home”

“If you’re talking about going back to South Korea.. I’m not even sure if it is right to call it home. I’m not going to be there for a trip, we might be there for permanent.” She put down her drink and continued “And after hearing your stories about how staying in Korea didn’t felt welcoming and home to you... it made me think that it’d be worst for me.”

“Shh” he put his forefinger in his lips and looked at Xiumin “He doesn’t know that I get all emotional about home and stuff”

Chaerin nods “Do think it can be worst for me?”

Chen shook his head “You’re more of a fighter compared to me. Even though people bother you, you don’t let them get under your skin. You put on the bravest mask that no one can see right through you”

“Except for you” she was just looking ahead “I don’t know why and how, but you were able to tap to me and made me open up to you. Even though we are worlds apart different.. it’s just so easy to be around you”

“When are you leaving?”

“Two days from now”

They were now watching Xiumin who was making a fool of himself. “Just,” Chen had second thoughts if he would say it, but he just decided to tell her. “Just learn to smile. Don’t be scared in making some people see right through you.”

Before Chaerin got to say anything, Xiumin pulls Chen out of the chair and hands him the microphone “YAH JONGDAE! It’s your turn. I already chose a song for you”

The song “I miss you by Kim Bumsoo” began to play. Chen smiles “Ahh.. so cheesy. This doesn’t even look like this is her type of song—Ok. Ok. This song is dedicated to our... celebrant for this evening, Lee Chaerin. May you enjoy your stay in Korea”

(If you want to listen and watch it. Go here –> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEhTm5CEJGY )

When Chen began to sing the first lines of the song, Chaerin’s jaw dropped. His voice is not sweet like one of those spring songs; instead it is pure of soul that would make you want to listen to it in your room as the snow falls. Rather than just singing, he is telling the story of song.

“He may be or may not be a lot of things in your eyes... but once Jongdae sings, he will be the only person in your eyes.” Xiumin smiled as he watches Chen. Then, he stood up and excused himself.

The celebration ended where Xiumin just hogged up the karaoke machine while Chen and Chaerin enjoyed watching him. After Chaerin headed home, Xiumin and Chen were left walking on the streets. They haven’t said a word when Xiumin suddenly stopped walking beside Chen.

“Yah Kim Jongdae.. why won’t you just go home.”

Chen laughs as he continues walking “Minseok-hyunggg~arre you drunk? Welive on thesameapartment. Whytheheck wouldI headbackalone”

“Because you should,” Chen faced Xiumin who had a sad yet serious expression on. “Minseok...”

                                                    - - - - - END - - - - -

A/N:

Readers annyeong! Ahh I haven't posted forawhile~mianhae! I realized that there is nothing much going on with this story.. again~mianhae. I'm thinking of ending it once I get to write them in korea... what do you think? are you still enjoying what I'm writing? aigoo...

Leave out some comments to give me your ideas and if you liked this story, an upvote would bring rainbows for me. THANK YOU~♥

(シ_ _)シ