Youngjae cringed as he slipped the emerald lollipop out from between his lips with a pop, eyes trained distastefully down on the apple-flavored sweet held between his two fingers. Green things always seemed to taste terrible to this fourteen-year-old, like vegetables and too-fresh mint gum. He discarded the candy carelessly into the trash bin next to him as he exited the classroom, immediately spotting his friend waiting down the hall.

                “Hey Youngjae, wanna try out the new bakery down the street?” his friend asked him excitedly, loosening the olive tie around his neck now that school was over. “I heard it’s really good. And apparently one of our classmates is the owner’s son, so maybe we could get a discount!”

                Youngjae pursed his lips, hesitant. His tongue kissed the roof of his mouth, and his face morphed into one of repugnance. He could still taste the sour apple lingering on his taste buds. “I don’t know Himchan hyung,” he fished for an excuse, “I have a lot to do once I get home…”

                “Oh, come on!” the other pleaded, tugging on the sleeve of the younger’s uniform. “It’s Friday and we literally just finished an exam. Don’t you think we deserve this?”

                Youngjae merely shrugged, slowly strolling down the hall. “I don’t even have any money on me,” he confessed, sighing as he stuck a hand in his pocket to confirm his premonitions. He shook his head when he came out empty-handed.

                “I’ll share with you then,” Himchan persuaded, grabbing the younger’s arm and pulling him down the hall at a faster pace. “Come on, just this once? I promise I won’t drag you anywhere else ever again.”

                “That’s what you said last time.”

                “Yeah, but this is the last time.” Himchan laughed heartily as he dragged the other boy down the stairs and to the open grassy fields outside of school, blabbering on about how great everyone thinks the new bakery is and how they absolutely had to try anything and everything they had to offer. Youngjae only smiled feebly back, gazing aimlessly ahead at a bright green tree whispering playfully with the wind amongst the silk sea of grass.

-

                Youngjae’s mouth watered in awe, eyes wide as he ogled the pastel cakes and cupcakes and pastries and rolls and sweets and all the good stuff displayed behind a sleek barrier of glass. The boy pawed at the display case with an almost pathetic whimper, stomach grumbling with desire. His hyung behind him laughed, sweeping the boy aside softly as he contemplated on what to order.

                Himchan turned to the younger. “What would you like?”

                Youngjae bit his lip as his eyes traced the various selection of baked goods laid out for all eyes to drool over. It was all just too much. He wanted it all in his stomach but all he had to his name was some lint and a day spa coupon.

                Youngjae’s eyes scanned over the teasing case again before he let out a sigh of surrender. He simply couldn’t find it in him to choose between all the fluffy breads and creamy, frosty desserts. “Anything, hyung, just anything,” he answered breathlessly, not noticing the way a boy on the other side of the counter watched him.

                Himchan chuckled before scanning over the cupcakes briefly, pointing at a couple of them and glancing over at Youngjae for approval. Youngjae didn’t even have to look as he vigorously nodded back, running off to find an empty table for the two to sit at.

                Youngjae could barely keep still in his seat as he waited for his hyung to come back. He could practically taste the scrumptious cupcake roll around his tongue, a moist, fluffy goodness well-deserved after a long and tiring week. Oh, how the sweet would mingle with his taste buds, dissolving in his mouth in a state of pure, toothsome brilliancy, a taste so tender it’s enough to leave him desperate for more. A bit dramatic, but the thought alone was enchanting, Youngjae could already feel his mouth water.

                Once Himchan finally appeared with two cupcakes in his hands, Youngjae nearly pounced on him. He would have, if it weren’t for the fact that he was holding onto the sacred gems of the earth. The boy instead opted to bouncing in uncontrollable excitement and anticipation where he was seated.                                                            

                Himchan eyed the younger in amusement as he set the two cupcakes down onto the small table. “Well, aren’t you excited?” he teased grin, taking the empty seat across from the other, already peeling the paper from his own cupcake. “Fifteen minutes ago, you didn’t even want to come.”

                Youngjae practically ripped the wrapping off and bit into the soft bread, icing lining his upper lip as he hummed in pure delight. The taste danced around his tongue in little batches of exquisite flavor, melting in his mouth. At that very moment he could have sworn he had never tasted anything so good in his life. It was everything he wanted and more. “The past is in the past, hyung,” he lazily drawled, eyes closed in ecstasy. There were sparkles in his lashes. Youngjae let out a few more moans of bliss. “Thank you for inviting me, by the way.”

                Himchan hummed, part of his icing away and smacking his lips together, his own taste buds enchanted by the sugary treat. “I’ll be coming here every week.”

                “Me too—” Youngjae agreed, but was cut off by the sound of a small, rectangular plate dropping not-so carefully onto their table, presented directly in front of Youngjae. The boy blinked dumbly at the swirly, fuzzy green cake roll with a creamy white filling displayed picturesquely in front of him. He took note of the three even sticks of brilliant brown chocolate placed delicately on top of the dessert, complimented by dashes of velvety green crumbs that glittered the plate tastefully, and a small swirl of snowy whipped cream in the corner to top it all off. Youngjae stared down in confusion at the random desert that seemingly popped out of nowhere before finally noticing the presence of another person. He glanced up to see who had disturbed them.

                He was greeted by a young boy just his age, tousled brown hair swept lazily to the side, an awkward expression plastered onto his tanned face as he held a notepad in one hand and twirled a colorful pen in the other. The smock he wore reached a down a bit below the knee, adorning the store’s logo and showing that he was indeed a worker here. Youngjae frowned, however, confused, studying the boy before him. He looked very familiar, kind of like someone he’d encounter on a bus ride home every day.

                Youngjae glanced back down at the fluffy cake placed in front of him and eyed Himchan across from him questioningly, only to receive an equally confused shrug.

                The sound of someone clearing their throat was heard, and Youngjae’s attention was once again on this familiar stranger. Perhaps he was the classmate Himchan mentioned. The name escaped him.  

                “Hi – uh, uhm…” the boy began a bit blandly. He quickly shook his head at himself, as if snapping himself out of some sort of trance, twirling the pen in his hands a bit more quickly and swallowing as if he were nervous. Youngjae heard him curse a little