Chapter 4

Eric grabbed the cup Andy had offered him, thanked him and walked out of the café. He held the suitcase in his hands and stopped on the pedestrian crossing to wait that the lights turned green. When they did finally turn green, he crossed the road and sipped the coffee. It tasted as great as always, Andy was an amazing barista, and he never failed to do wonderful lattes and cappuccinos. It was such a waste that that man had no one in his life.

“Aish!!” Eric suddenly spilled the coffee onto his brand new suit.

“I am sorry.” A tall lad said huskily not really doing anything to wipe the perfectly fancy suit. “I did not look where I was going.”

“I’ll say…” Eric muttered and put the almost empty cup to the nearest rubbish bin, rubbing the burning hot coffee off the white shirt, before he raised his head. “Oh?”

The taller guy blinked his eyes when the CEO seemed to have recognized him, and smiled awkwardly as if going through names in his head. Eric decided it was the best to say something soon so the guy would not totally have any sort of panic attack now.

“You’re Andy’s friend.” He said. “Right?”

The younger lad heaved a relieved sigh and then flashed a smile as he replied, “Aha.”

Eric felt awkward as nothing came into his mind and he could read from Junjin’s face that he was feeling slightly uncomfortable since they’d never really talked or seen each other. Junjin only knew Eric as one of Andy’s buddies.

“So…” the older guy began. “How’re things with you and Andy?”

“Huh?”

Eric laughed, “Don’t pretend like we don’t know!” he slapped the guy’s upper arm. “We all know you totally fancy one another!!”

“Who?” Junjin frowned.

“Everyone!!” Eric yelled as if Junjin had been slow witted.

The younger guy seemed to understand now as he scorned and scowled weirdly and bemused. Eric cackled and had totally forgotten the wet suit, as he tapped Junjin’s shoulder again.

“I have to go now.” The younger man spoke. “It was nice…meeting you.” He added and walked off when Eric said the same.

The CEO grinned and looked over his shoulder how Junjin hurried to the Lee Café and was immediately welcomed warmly, before he turned back towards the huge building and entered it, thinking about the pretty secretary that would sit behind the desk.

                ***

Andy heard the bell above the door tingling as he shifted his head rapidly at it and saw the panting friend at the doorway. He flashed a smile and started scribbling the name to the cup when Junjin advanced him, face pale and terrified.

“What is it?” The younger guy interrogated.

“I met your friend.”

“Oh, you poor thing!!” Andy cupped the face and calmed the man down.

 Junjin exhaled tediously once more, before he was given the warm coffee cup. He leaned over the counter and pecked his friend’s cheek, thanked and then scurried to the door.

“Poor thing.” Andy murmured while chuckling.

                ***

Hyesung stood up, straightened his suit and looked up as soon as he heard the elevator bleeping. It was the sign that their CEO was in the building and everything needed to be in order. When Eric stepped to the hallway, Hyesung grabbed the file on the desk and gave it to the man, briefing him about today’s schedule. It was professional and they managed to work very well together, until Hyesung realised that the man was smiling like an idiot, his eyes nowhere near his.

“Eric-sshi, my eyes are up here.” Hyesung said softly, moving his hand in front of the handsome face.

“Ah, I am sorry, Pil Kyo-sshi, but I just totally love that suit on you.” The CEO said, stepping closer, hands on the upper arms. “It really looks amazing on you.”

Hyesung blushed as red as the tie around the man’s neck as he bowed his head shyly down and murmured something to the taller guy. Soon his face was cupped by the chin and the head was lifted up, their eyes meeting in a weird kind of contact. In a fraction of a second, the thumb of the CEO visited the lips. Hyesung’s cheeks were dark red by now.

“Pil Kyo-sshi,” Eric smiled. “Work hard.”

He is dating your friend too, he is dating your friend too, Hyesung chanted in his mind.

“I will…Mr. Mun.”

                ***

“I’m excited of tomorrow night,” Eric mumbled into the phone. Minwoo leaned to the wall in the break room as he listened to the husky voice and smiled. “I hope we can go a bit further this time.” The CEO spoke.

Minwoo looked at his wristwatch and sighed, as his shift was about to begin in the restaurant, but bit his lower lip when Eric made him imagine what the word further meant in his dictionary. Though, Mr. Mun had possibly suggested and said the same thing to Hyesung as well, and Minwoo knew he had definitely said it hours ago, since they worked at the same damn place. Hyesung had never luck, but this time he was freaking dancing in the stars, as he was near the handsome man from 8 in the morning to very late at night.

“Sounds great, Eric-sshi.” Minwoo murmured.

“We’ll see tomorrow then, Minwoo ya…” The older guy muttered softly and then hung up on Minwoo before he had even opened his mouth.

The break room door opened and the short guy’s good friend stepped inside as she yawned and stretched her arms. Her shift had ended and now it was Minwoo’s showtime. They switched information, she told which table she had started with and gave notes, as Minwoo exited the room, and commenced advancing the great grand hall, seeing all the wealthy people eating their weird expensive foods.

“Minwoo-sshi, you’ll be taking care of the table number 5.” The receptionist informed and gestured with his hand.

The waiter’s gaze landed onto the man and the woman, as he gasped shocked and jumped onto the receptionist’s neck and begged him to switch with someone else. But of course, everyone was too busy to do that teeny tiny thing for the poor Lee Minwoo.

“Go.” The receptions ordered, and the waiter reluctantly proceeded to the table near the window.

Minwoo slipped out his notepad and halted his steps next to the man, as he bowed and introduced himself, telling the lunchtime specialties and drinks. The man, who sat, turned his head up and the look on the face showed so much satisfaction that Minwoo just wanted to pour the ice cold water onto that smug face. But instead he just smiled.

“Here are your menus, Mr. Kim. Please, call me when you have decided.” He spoke pleasantly and walked away from Kim Dongwan and his date.

“Umm…waiter!!” The annoying man yelled with his obnoxiously loud voice.

“Yes?” Minwoo asked politely.

"Which wine do you recommend with this fish?" Dongwan asked, tapping the name of the dish he was interested in.

"Well, actually...I usually recommend the French "-my-balls-and-choke", but with this I would suggest this Australian "eat-my-big-fat " red wine." Minwoo replied.

The girl choked onto the water.

Dongwan just smiled, as he passed the wine list to Minwoo and said, "We take the "balls" one."

                Couple hours later, Minwoo was about to come and clean the table when Dongwan gasped and said, "You only leave this much tip!?" The girl nodded and smiled, not focusing on that thing anymore, as she put the jacket around her upper body and got ready to leave and get back to work. Dongwan scoffed audibly and was not amused.

"Yah! They deserve so much more than that! Aish...let me deal with this." He spoke provoked.

The waiter stood in betwen them and watched accurately how Dongwan dug his small bag and pulled out huge amounts of money - something Minwoo had never seen in his life - and  put them onto the check. Before he put the jacket on, he turned to the short waiter, grinned and then said, "Buy yourself something pretty, ok?"

Then he just casually walked away, keeping the door open to the girl while putting on the horrendously ugly and old - possibly a year old style - jacket. A smile appeared onto Minwoo's face before he shook his head and took the money and slipped them into his pocket.           

***

Hyesung lifted his head up from the pillows when the door gaped and Minwoo stepped inside, yawning and plodding towards the living room. He slumped down to the armchair and took a sip of Hyesung’s calming chamomile tea, when the younger guy sat up on the sofa and switched off the television.

“I’ll go to bed.” He spoke and stood up.

“Hey, wait.” Minwoo suddenly commanded.

“What is it, Minbongie?” Hyesung questioned, rubbing his exhausted eyes.

The older guy bit his lower lip, hesitating a bit, before he ogled at Hyesung’s face and toyed with the loose fabric of the armchair.

“I kept thinking at work…” he started. “…after Eric called.”

Hyesung scowled.

“I am not ready to go further with him yet…” The shorter guy crooned. “I’m still not over my ex…”

“So…what do you want me to do?” The younger guy interrogated, sitting down to the chair beside the doorway. He looked at Minwoo, who sighed.

“I don’t want you to go further with him either…” he whispered.