A few days later the construction of the café is going according to plan and it won’t be long before it’s ready. While the boys wait for it to get done Minhyuk, Peniel and Eunkwang keep working at their current jobs. Eunkwang works at a pool house, Peniel is waiter at a restaurant and Minhyuk works at a bar. And right now I’m actually heading for that bar.

It’s Sunday afternoon and Minhyuk has been working for about an hour now. I decided I would come and visit him at work and he was actually happy when I told him I would stop by today. Maybe there’re not that many costumers on Sundays? When I reach the bar I walk inside and see a couple of people inside. Not many though and I guess it’s regular costumers that come on Sundays. I walk up to the bar and sit down. The bartender turns around and smiles when he sees me.

“You came,” Minhyuk says and I return his smile. “I said I would, so here I am,” I say and he nods. “What can I get you?” he asks and I just say soda. “You know you’re old enough to drink right?” he says while finding a coke for me. “I know, but I’m a lightweight,” I admit, as I place my elbows on the table and rest my head in my hands, “if I drink I will most likely fall asleep or just get really tired. The few times I’ve had alcohol, Ilhoon had to carry me home on his back.”

Minhyuk chuckles as he places my soda in front of me. “We can’t have that. Though I wouldn’t mind carrying you home,” he says and I snort. “You won’t say that after carrying me a few steps. I’m heavier than I look,” I say and Minhyuk shakes his head while smiling. I take a sip from my soda and then look at Minhyuk again.

“Are you gonna miss this job?” I ask and he says definitely not. “Only business men and depressed people come here to drink. But working at a café means I get to see a lot of pretty young girls,” he says and I roll my eyes. “You disgust me,” I say and he ruffles my hair. Just then a man sits down by the bar and Minhyuk walks over to hear what he wants to drink. I watch him and can’t help but smile slightly. His face is quite handsome. One moment he looks y with a piercing gaze, but as soon as he smiles he looks adorable and cute. His body is well proportioned too with broad shoulders and muscular upper arms. I also know that his chest is no joke. I have seen him in a tank top so I know what I’m talking about. Though I haven’t seen his abs yet, I know that they’re there. He has been wearing tight t-shirts and his abs where slightly visible through the fabric. I make myself sound like a stalker, having made all these observations of his body. And maybe I am a bit of a stalker ‘cause I have been around Minhyuk quite a lot these past few days. It’s mostly out of curiosity. To find out if our meeting was fated or just a coincidence. But the more time I spend with him, the more interested I get. If this continues, I might end up falling in love with him.

My thoughts are interrupted when Minhyuk comes back after serving a drink to the man at the bar.

“What were you thinking about?” he asks and I blush a little. “Stuff,” I say and he smiles as if my answer is very funny. “Important stuff?” he asks and I shrug. “Time will show.”

It’s the day of the opening of my new café. The guys are lined up in front of me, all wearing the uniform Ji Min designed for the workers of my café. Ji Min, Ji Hyun and Sehun are here too. There’s only one person missing, and that’s Minhyuk. Changsub told me he had something to take care of before coming, but right now he’s in the locker room, changing into his uniform. The locker room is located in the basement next to their practice room. We all wait for Minhyuk to get ready and finally we hear running footsteps on the stairs. He appears and runs over to the rest of the boys wearing his uniform. The uniform is simple with a white shirt, black pants and an apron tied around the hips. Even though it’s very simple, he looks surprisingly good in it. But there’s something else about him that catches my attention more than the clothes. I stare at his hair and tilt my head a bit. I saw him yesterday and at some point after I left, he must have done it. He has dyed his hair light brown. The red is gone. The link between us is gone. I keep staring at his hair until Ji Hyun pinches my arm. I realize everyone is waiting for me to say something and I quickly clear my throat.

“Let’s work hard together and make this the best café in the area,” I say and smile, “now let’s open the doors and start this business.”

The boys nod and spread out while Eunkwang opens the front door. Ji Hyun, Ji Min and Sehun sit down by a table and act as our first customers. The boys practiced making different things during the last couple of days. The usual drinks that are sold at a café. Drinks like coffee, tea, and bubble tea. Changsub is good at making waffles so he’s in charge of that. Since I won’t be able to be at the café very much because of school, I leave Ilhoon in charge. He takes the decisions when I’m not here and instructs the workers. And as soon as the store closes, the boys will practice in the basement. From now on they’ll work during the day and practice at night. But it looks like there won’t be many customers today so we can probably close a little earlier. And today I don’t have any classes so I can stay the entire day. And because of the lack of customers, I decide to sit down by the table with my friends.

“It’s looking good,” Ji Hyun says and Ji Min scoffs. “And empty,” she says and her sister glares at her. “They just opened and no one knows about the café yet. It’ll get better,” she says to reassure me and I smile gratefully. “Yeah with that many hot guys working here I would come even if the coffee ,” Ji Min says while looking at Minhyuk who is leaning against the desk. I tilt my head while I also gaze at him. He laughs about something that Ilhoon said and it’s like his face lights up. Like he has an inner glow that shines through his skin. He’s just so gorgeous. I shake my head and turn my eyes away. Ji Hyun catches my attention and signals for me to follow her. We both get up and she leads me to a corner where the others can’t hear us.

“Is something going on between you and Minhyuk?” she asks and I shake my head, “then what’s with the way you look at him?”

I turn my head to look at Minhyuk and then sigh. “I honestly don’t know,” I say and look at Ji Hyun again, “I’m trying to figure out if there’s supposed to be something between us. But today our only connection got cut and now I’m not sure what he’s supposed to be in my life. Or if he even belongs in my life.”

Ji Hyun quickly looks at Minhyuk before her eyes return to me. “You mean the hair color?” she asks and I nod, “the fortune teller only said the color red would be present when you met. She said nothing about it being what keeps you together.”

I bite my lip and ask her if she thinks Minhyuk and I really are fated. “I know you are! I still don’t believe that you guys meeting is a coincidence. Coincidences don’t just happen. Just like accidents don’t happen accidently,” she says and I raise an eyebrow, “you know what I mean.”

I chuckle and she can’t help but join me. “I get it,” I say and take a deep breath, “I guess I just have to wait and see what happens.”

Ji Hyun nods and we go back to the table. Ji Min and Sehun look at us with curious expressions and ask what we talked about.

“It’s our little secret,” Ji Hyun says and winks at me. I smile and Sehun changes topic. “By the way Heejin I have a question,” he says and I look at him, “why did you decide to call your café Gabriel?”

I look at table which has the name Gabriel written on it. I smile slightly and say: “Because Gabriel is an angel.”

Sehun sounds confused when he asks what that has to do with anything. I raise my gaze and look at my brother.

“The word angel is special to me and has a lot of meaning,” I say and then glance at Minhyuk, “and I still have to find out just how special it is.”

I know that they won’t understand, and actually I don’t want them to. I need to understand it myself first. What kind of connection there is between Minhyuk and me. If the wings really symbolize an angel. But I won’t think about that now. Instead I look around in the café. The boys fool around with each other and it seems like they’re having a lot of fun. Even Changsub, who has looked troubled since Taekwoon’s arrival, seems brighter. And now that Changsub works here, I promised I would help him take care of Taekwoon whenever I can. I drive him to kindergarten before going to school and pick him up after my last class. From now on I’m going to bring him to the café where Changsub will get off and spend some time with his son until the band is going to practice. Changsub also has one more day off than the rest of the members for the sake of his son. His ex-girlfriend even agreed to take Taekwoon when BTOB has a gig. I really hope that things will get better for Changsub now that he works here. He will be able to break free from his parents and be a good example for his son.

I smile and suddenly I realize that Ilhoon is looking at me. I return his gaze and he smiles widely. Ilhoon was able to break away from our parents and though he has struggled, and still struggles, he managed to pull through. He made it on his own for two years. I would never be able to do that. I’m too used to the life I have been living till now. I’m too caught up in the thought of being the perfect daughter. I wonder if I’ll ever be able to break free. Or if I’ll be a prisoner in my own pathetic life forever.

A couple of days later the guys have a gig at Sungjae’s mother’s nightclub. They play there regularly and their fans are always there. Normally they just show up and perform, but Ji Min said they should look good for their fans and the audience. So she acquired a lot of men’s clothes, asked her sister to bring her hair kit and then bring all of it to my apartment. Then we would turn my apartment into a salon for the boys to get ready in. They will have hair and make-up done while Ji Min picks their stage outfits like a stylist. So now the band has a hair and make-up stylist as well as someone to manage their fashion on stage. It’s almost like they’re real idols. And they love it.

Three hours before the boys go on stage, everyone gathers in my apartment. In my living room everything has been pushed aside except for three chairs. They’re lined up next to each other and three members take a seat while the other three get their outfit from Ji Min and change in my room, Ilhoon’s room or the bathroom. The members seated in the chairs are Changsub, Eunkwang and Minhyuk. Ji Hyun starts doing Changsub’s hair while I put make-up on Minhyuk. While I’m working, Minhyuk stares at me and I can’t help but feel a little bothered by it.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?” he asks and I shake my head, “you look troubled.”

“It’s the first time I do a guy’s make-up,” I admit and Minhyuk smiles. “I’m honored to be your first,” he says and I feel my face turn hot. “Please don’t say something like that,” I say and he chuckles. “You don’t have to be so formal Heejin. How many times do we have to tell you?”

“I’m talking like this because I’m flustered,” I mumble and Minhyuk chuckles again. “Am I making you flustered?” he asks and I nod. He suddenly leans a little forward and brings his face very close to mine. I can feel his breath on my skin and I’m too shocked to move away. I just keep staring into his beautiful brown doe eyes and it’s like they’re filling up my entire vision. It’s almost like they’re me in.

“Then how are you feeling now?” he asks and I swallow. “Like my heart’s gonna explode,” I admit with a shaky voice. Minhyuk smiles and leans back in his chair. “That’s all I need to know,” he says and I ask what he means. But he just shakes his head and says he’ll tell me some other time. I look at him while trying to calm myself down. After about a minute or two, my heartbeat is back to normal and I finish his make-up.

When I’m done with Minhyuk I continue to Eunkwang and then Changsub. When their hair and make-up is done, they walk over to Ji Min to get their outfits. While preparing for Peniel’s make-up I hear Ji Min’s voice.

“Do you need help changing your clothes?” she asks flirtatious and I bet she’s talking to Minhyuk. She’s always trying to seduce him but every time she’s turned down. I don’t understand why though. Ji Min is a very pretty girl and even though she can be rude at times, she has a good personality. I bet that Minhyuk at some point is going to give in to her.

“Yeah sure,” Minhyuk says and I can imagine Ji Min is smiling widely, “Heejin-ah! Will you help me put on my clothes?”

I turn around and look at him with a raised eyebrow. “What are you, five?” I ask and he shrugs. “If I say yes, will you help me?” he asks and I shake my head, “it was worth a try.”

He shrugs and enters the bathroom. Ji Min glares at me with a very unpleasant look on her face. Every time Ji Min tries to get Minhyuk’s attention, he always ends up giving me attention. I have no idea why, but I know that Ji Min must hate me by now. Though I don’t ask for Minhyuk’s attention. I just get it.

An hour before the band has to stand on stage, we’re finally done with the preparations. The only thing left now is for us girls to get changed. I enter my room and look in my oversized wardrobe. I have lots of dresses from all the times I have attended a party with my parents. I have only worn most of them once, which is a shame because they’re very pretty. And I actually have a favorite. I take out a slim black dress. It’s a knee length dress with one shoulder. I feel good in black and wearing this dress makes me feel beautiful. So I quickly change into it and decide to wear flat shoes. I also put my hair up in a ponytail so I won’t seem too formal. Then I go back to the living room and get some compliments from the boys. Especially Sungjae can’t seem to take his eyes off of my visible legs.

“Sungjae stop drooling over my sister!” Ilhoon says and walks over to me. He stands in front of me as if he wants to protect me from something dangerous. Which in his head might be exactly what he’s doing. Just then Ji Min and Ji Hyun come out and everyone praises them. Ji Hyun is wearing light blue jeans and a white lace top. It’s a very rare sight to see her in a dress so I’m not surprised by her choice of wardrobe. And she’s a strong contrast to her twin sister. Ji Min is wearing a very short very tight dress that shows of her beautiful figure. On her feet is a pair of killer high heels that only compliments her already long thin legs. I know that a lot of boys are going to approach her when we get to the club. But I also know that she won’t mind at all. Whenever I have been out with the twins, Ji Min is the one who gets attention from guys. She enjoys the admiring looks she gets from guys and the jealous looks she gets from girls. I have never wanted attention from anyone in my life. But for some reason I now have someone whose attention I want. I don’t know how or when it happened. But I suddenly realize that the only admiring look that I’m interested in, is Minhyuk’s. As long as he notices me I don’t care about other guys. But I’m also afraid of what that means. The possibility that I’m falling in love. And not just with anyone. But with a member of my brother’s band. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I want to thank all of you who have subscribed to my fanfic. It means a lot to me and I hope you will stay with me through the coming chapters. Feel free to comment and upvote as well :)