Chapter 10: Walk On Memories

 

“We demand closure as though our lives were put together as neatly as novels, but the fact of the matter is they’re not. In real life, relationships are messy and poorly written, ending too early or too late, and sometimes; in the middle of a sentence.” -Beau Taplin

 

 

 

 

    Coex Mall was buzzing with activity as natives and foreigners alike, weaved throughout the various stores and stands that were littered about the large plaza.

 

    Amongst the chaos was Kyungsoo, who sat quietly at a table towards the back of Mad for Garlic as he waited for Baekhyun to arrive.

 

    Leave it to Baekhyun to decide on a place that would be more on the expensive side for the chef, but he was grateful that his boss; Suho paid him more than most chefs in his profession since he was the only cook for their restaurant and his regular shifts at Cafe Moonlight proved to be more than enough to splurge here and there.

 

    Fortunately for him, the other didn’t take too long to appear.

 

    What surprised the chef most about the other were the coffee colored strands that were splayed stylishly about his head.

 

    Kyungsoo always thought that Baekhyun was a good looking guy, but the last time he had seen the older, he wore his hair in an inky bowl cut and dressed himself in plain clothing.

 

    He had certainly outdone himself with his current fashion choices that made him resemble a Korean Idol, rather than the casually dressed guy that he once knew.

 

    It was also clear that Kyungsoo wasn’t the only one who noticed his old friend’s charm, either.

 

    Glances from both men and women lingered longer than necessary on the attractive man. Some were curious, while others were flirty, but it was apparent that Baekhyun didn’t go unnoticed.

 

    The brunette glanced around the restaurant thoroughly before spotting the younger with a triumphant smile.

 

    “Wow Kyungsoo, you haven’t changed a bit since college!”

 

    The wide eyed male shrugged.

 

    “Well, I think that this look still suits me. Can’t say the same for you, though. You look great, Baekhyun. Wait, is that eyeliner?”

 

    “It’s not ridiculous, is it? I’m still hesitant about it…”

 

    The older laughed nervously, his darkly rimmed eyes shrinking as he did.

 

    “No. It’s fine, trust me. I wouldn’t lie about that.”

 

    “Well, I suppose not.” The older acknowledged as he ran a hand through his bangs. “So, what’s with the out of the blue call? Not that I regret it or anything, but I am curious about this sudden meetup.”

 

    Kyungsoo flashed a wide smile at the other before turning his attention back to the drink menu.

 

    “Oh um, I just wanted to see what you’ve been up to is all. So, how have you been?”

 

    “I’ve been good.” Baekhyun skimmed the menu as well. “I’m about to start a new job as a manager.”

 

    “Congratulations!”

 

    “Thanks. What about you?”

 

    Just as the chef was about to answer, the waitress appeared and greeted them with a subtle bow.

 

    “Good evening gentlemen, my name is Jiae and I will be serving you, tonight. Might I ask what you’ll both be drinking?”

 

      “I’ll have your La Playa Estate Chardonnay.”

 

    Baekhyun started.

 

    Kyungsoo inwardly rolled his eyes at the other for picking such an expensive drink. The chef knew that he was going to regret this, but he needed answers.

 

    He just hoped that he wouldn’t be spending over one hundred dollars for this.

  

 “And you, sir?”

 

    “I’ll have the Iced Lemon Tea.”

 

    Kyungsoo sat down his menu and quietly sighed.

 

  They had only ordered drinks, but the price was already around twenty dollars and ninety cents, excluding tax.

 

    Jiae scribbled along the sheet of her notepad and walked away.

 

    The black haired man smiled again, although it was a bit more forced this time.

 

    “I’ve been ok, hyung. I’m currently working as the kitchen chef for Cafe Moonlight.”

 

    “Well, I guess I definitely have to go there, now. I’ve heard nothing but good things about that place and now that I know that you’re working there, I practically owe Cafe Moonlight a visit.”

 

    ‘No Baekhyun, you owe me much more than that.’

 

    Kyungsoo couldn’t help thinking as he scanned the menu for anything that caught his eye.

 

    “Mmhmm.”

 

    “I bet that Cafe Moonlight will soon be on the map, since they have you.”

 

    “From what I’ve seen, we certainly are trending. Our cliental grows larger by the day, I kid you not.”

 

    “I’m happy for you, Kyungsoo. You’re in a thriving place where you can do what you love, freely.”

    “Well, it's not necessarily free, but Suho does give me close to free range when it comes to the menu and kitchen. At least for the most part, it’s tolerable.”

 

    Baekhyun laughed.    

 

    “Well, I hope things become more tolerable soon.”

 

    “I hope so, too.” Kyungsoo smiled at the older before looking over the menu. “Wow, it’s crazy how much has changed, hasn’t it?”

 

“It is. Who knew that we’d be here after all those wild college years?” The brunette slid his finger down the handle of his fork. “So much has changed since then. I never expected to find myself here.”

 

“Yeah, a lot has changed since our college days, hasn't it?” Baekhyun agreed.

“I almost miss the wild adventures we’d have on campus...remember our first frat party?”

 

Kyungsoo scoffed.

 

“How could I not? You were sprawled over that one fraternity’s couch in a drunken stupor. It took both Kris and me just to move you!”

 

“Huh, so that’s what happened…”

 

“Were you really so drunk that you still don’t remember?”

 

The older shrugged.

 

“Nope, for the most part, it’s all a blur to me besides what you told me before.”

 

“Well, I remember Kris and me having to haul you into the car because you were comatose at the time, so we took you to the hospital because apparently, you had not only consumed way too much alcohol that night, but you also somehow managed to ingest a dangerous amount of Rohypnol...you know, you really scared us, back then.”

 

Baekhyun offered the other a rueful smile.

 

“I’m sorry that I put you and Kris through that. God, I must’ve been really reckless, wasn’t I?”

 

Kyungsoo nodded his head.

 

“You’re okay now and that’s all that matters. Had you died though, I would’ve cursed you at your own funeral.”

 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

 

The younger man laughed this time.

 

“As if you’d have a say in the matter.”

 

Jiae returned with their drinks and took their orders.

 

Baekhyun ordered the Garlic Carbonara, while Kyungsoo had chosen the Zuppa di Mare.

 

Kyungsoo mentally sighed at the other’s choice. He was relieved that Baekhyun didn’t order the something too outrageous.

 

“Seriously? They have Garlic Steak here? How in the world did I miss that?”

 

‘By the Grace of God, I assure you.’

 

Had he had known that Baekhyun had such an expensive taste in food, he would’ve picked the meeting place, instead.

 

“But you know what I do remember, Kyungsoo? All those pretty foreign women that we've met. A lot of them were really my style! Victoria, Akemi, Brooke, Gina...”

 

“I kind of miss Mercedes.”

 

Any kind of cheer that Baekhyun had previously shown had disappeared as soon as the younger mentioned her name.

 

“Why did you bring her up?”

 

“You knew how much I liked her, Baekhyun. Why is it such a problem when I say that I miss her?” Kyungsoo asked, all playfulness fading from his tone. “While we’re at it, why don’t you tell me about what happened since I couldn’t stay and you talked to her last?”

 

Baekhyun sipped his drink and watched the other.

 

“Well, she was your friend, Kyungsoo. Not mine. How would I know?”

 

Kyungsoo shot a knowing look at the older from his side of the table.

 

Sensing the change in the atmosphere, Baekhyun raised a brow at the younger.

 

“Why does it matter?”

 

Kyungsoo shot a knowing look at the older from the rim of his glass.

 

“I mean, she was a huge part of our college days. I still recall the frequent fights that we would have because of her, don’t you?”

 

“Where are you going with this?”

 

Kyungsoo shrugged.

 

“Just taking a walk down memory lane is all. Why?”

 

It was Baekhyun’s turn to scoff at the other.

 

“Do Kyungsoo, I’ve known you for far too long to know that you aren’t the type to just randomly bring things out of the blue. You always have a reason, always.” It didn’t shock Kyungsoo for Baekhyun to suspect something. In college, the other’s grade point average was higher than a 4.0. “Stop beating around the bush, Kyungsoo. What’s all this really about?”

 

“Old memories, of course.”

 

The older narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

 

“It has to be more than that, you’re toying with me.”

 

“Am I?”

 

“You are. What is it?”

 

“Well, you stayed longer than I did in the States…” The other trailed off, his eyes intently focused on how his fork weaved through the noodles. “Don’t you think that I deserve to know what happened when I was forced to leave after the first semester?”

 

Baekhyun faltered under the younger’s unwavering stare.

 

“H-How would I know that?”

 

The chef laughed at the older.

 

“I figured you would know since you talked to her last. Actually, now that I think about it, I’ve always wondered how my parents found out about Mercedes and me to begin with.”

 

“No idea. She was just a temporary fling, so why does it matter now?” The brunette replied stiffly. “What do you see in black girls anyway? They lack class, intelligence and beauty.”

 

Kyungsoo lifted a brow.

 

“If that’s what you truly believe, then why were you pestering them so much while we were in the States? Ohhh, I get it now. You were repeatedly rejected by them, so you feel the need to speak poorly of them because they hurt your ego. That’s childish.”

 

“And who are you to judge me, Dongsaeng?”

 

“I am a grown man who chooses to judge you however I see fit. This conversation is beyond you and me, anyway. I need to know what happened when I left before our college day rivalry hurts someone else. You owe me that much, at least.”

 

“I owe you nothing.”

 

“Looking back at our past together, I’d have to disagree with you.”

 

“Nothing happened, Kyungsoo-”

 

“That’s not what I heard. Lying won’t get you out of this, Baekhyun.”

 

The brunette threw his fork against the table.

 

“What use would it be if I told you what happened, huh? Exactly what would it do if I told you what happened after you left? Let me tell you, Kyungsoo, absolutely nothing. Do yourself a favor and just keep your memories where they lie.”

 

“As nice as that sounds, you and I no longer have that option. You can either tell me what happened, or I’ll ask Mercedes, myself.” The brunette’s eyes widened. “Should I call her?”

 

To Kyungsoo’s surprise, Baekhyun leaned back in his chair with a smirk.

 

“Go ahead, D.O. Put her on speaker, while you’re at it. I wanna hear her voice, too.”

 

The chef stalled as he pressed random numbers on his phone.

 

“You weren’t lying to me. Were you, Kyungsoo?” The black haired man didn't respond. Grinning, the older man rose from his seat and straightened the wrinkles out of his shirt. “I’m afraid that I won’t be able to help you. Thanks for the dinner, though. Good luck trying to decipher the past. ”

 

Kyungsoo remained seated while he silently fumed over how his plan had backfired. He partly blamed himself for getting cocky and attempting to deceive the other to ensure some information, but Baekhyun’s reaction to his lie informed him that the older clearly had something to hide.

 

Placing the requested amount of bills in the book on the table, Kyungsoo left the restaurant.

 

He was determined more than ever to get answers and whether or not Baekhyun cooperated wouldn’t stop him from learning the truth one way or another.

 

~*~

 

The night ticked by slowly as Mercedes typed up Yifan’s latest schedule on her computer.

If any words could describe her at this moment, it would be lethargic.

Her work space was far too quiet and her assignments sat in an intimidating heap on her desk. Her eyelids closed for longer than usual when she heard a dull thud against her desk.

Before her sat a cup of coffee.

“Café Mocha,” Chen smiled as he returned to his desk. “You look like you could you use an energy boost, so…”

Taking a sip of the sweet liquid, the other secretary smiled.

“God, I needed that. Thanks so much, Chen!”

“Don’t mention it. From the looks of it, both you and I have a long night ahead of us, so a coffee run is essential for progress.” The other slid into his chair and immediately began typing along his keyboard. “Can’t wait until the weekend…this week has been more hectic than usual.”

“Well, we are participating in a forty-million dollar lawsuit against Maxim. It’s all hands on deck, at this point.”​​​

Chen glanced over at the woman for a moment before he resumed the document that he was working on for Luhan.

It was odd.

From what he could see, Mercedes had the capability of becoming a very successful lawyer. She was intelligent, attentive, could easily handle the workload, and had a presence about her that would intimidate most of her staff members. So why was she a secretary?

“Mercedes, why aren’t you a lawyer?”

The woman sighed and took another sip of her coffee.

“At the Wu and Xi Law Firm, one must first have the necessary qualifications for the job, obviously, but an applicant hoping to be a lawyer in this establishment will also have to have the approval of both Mr. Wu and Mr. Xi…You can guess where my problem lies.”

“Luhan.”

It wasn’t very hard to see Luhan’s disdain for Mercedes.

Mercedes nodded.

She had tried to become a lawyer twice since her four years of working for the firm, but both times, she not only failed, but her attempts would spark a series of heated arguments between Yifan and Luhan that would last for days on end.

“It’s not worth the stress, Chen.”

“So, you gave up?”

“I didn’t have much of a choice, but yes. It’s not very progressive when I try. Sometimes, I think that it would’ve been better if I had stayed in the States and pursued a career there; instead, but you know what, Chen? It hasn’t been all bad. I got to meet some pretty amazing people in Seoul as of late, who make it easier to handle.”

Her co-worker smiled at the last part, but he was saddened to hear that. Mercedes had the potential to be a great lawyer and it wasn’t right that Luhan continually stood in the way of her reaching that goal to the point where she had given up on it.

“I’m really sorry to hear that.”

Mercedes shook her head.

“Don’t be. I make enough, and I’m satisfied…at least for the moment.”

The two fell silent once again, allowing themselves to be immersed in their paperwork.
 

~*~

 

“Hey pretty lady, why don’t you come with me tonight? I bet you taste as sweet as you loo-”

 

“Don’t bother finishing that line because I’m not interested.”

 

Mercedes answered bluntly, just barely glancing at the male. She may be a foreigner, but Mercedes was far from blind.

 

The secretary knew how Black women were perceived here. And no, she wasn’t going to give this clown anything.

 

The media was partially to blame for this kind of behavior, but Mercedes still didn’t think that it counted as a valid enough reason for someone to treat another human being like a toy, rather than a person.

 

Mercedes found this mindset disturbing whenever a guy would address her this way. If he thought that he was getting anything from her, he had another thing coming.

 

“Woah,” the blond-haired man raised his arms as he blocked Mercedes from getting to her car. “I’m not going anywhere until you hear me out first.”

 

“I said no, now back off.”

 

The secretary forced her way past the man when she felt herself being pulled back roughly.

 

“I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer, girl.”

 

‘Girl?’

 

Just who does this scum think he is?

 

She yelped as an arm wrapped around her shoulder and gently pulled her backwards until her back hit someone’s torso.

 

Smiling up at the man who came to her aid, Mercedes tenderly moved a couple of dark locks out of his eyes fondly.

 

“Where have you been, Jagiya? I’ve been looking all over for you...Who’s this guy?”

 

Smiling, Mercedes fell in sync with the act seamlessly.

 

“I don’t know, Oppa. He just kinda showed up out of the blue. What were you asking me just now? Didn’t you want me to go home with you tonight?”

 

Mercedes asked the other man snidely.

 

The blonde male took a step back from the couple.

 

The fact that this foreigner was clearly taken was enough to deter him, but what really had him second guessing himself was the other man’s dark eyes that shined dangerously from under the street lights, threatening, no; daring him to try further pestering her again while he was there.

 

His arm on Mercedes’ shoulder slid down to her waist in an almost possessive manner; drawing her into his frame even closer as he rested his head on her shoulder, not breaking eye contact with the stranger for a moment.

 

Mercedes’ breath hitched at the other's bold actions.

 

She understood what he was doing, but this situation hardly called for them to be this close, and yet; she couldn't fool herself. Mercedes absolutely adored the feeling of his arms around her.

 

It had been a while since she felt another’s embrace and she wasn’t going to deny any longer that she didn’t enjoy it either. She felt safe and instinctively, Mercedes let herself relax in the younger’s hold.

 

Getting the very clear message that was given, the man quickly disappeared into the night.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Mercedes nodded her head.

 

She was much too afraid to speak, lest she was certain that the younger would pick up the slight tremor that she was sure to have in her voice.

 

“Good. Also, I was wondering if you’re doing anything this Saturday?”

 

The secretary hesitated for a moment.

 

“Um, no. Why?”

 

The college student smiled at her.

 

“I can fix that, if you’d let me. Would you mind coming with me to a dance workshop this weekend? It’s held at my college and it’s open to the public.”

 

The secretary raised a brow.

 

Dance workshop?

 

Mercedes hadn’t danced since her college years. She wasn’t so sure of just how good she was at dancing, nowadays. Not to mention, was Kai secretly setting up a date?

 

“I don’t know…”

 

“Please?”

 

There was a twinkle in his eyes now. One that had Mercedes backtracking her objections.

 

“Look. I’ll see, okay?”

 

“Alright,” Kai had then released her, much to Mercedes’ disappointment. “Have a safe ride home.”

 

“Oh no you don’t,” Mercedes grabbed the other’s hand and pulled him back. “After what I’ve just been through, I’m not letting you go anywhere by yourself. Hop in and I’ll take you wherever you want to go.”

 

“I’m not ready to go home just yet, though. Let’s stay out a little bit longer.”

 

“And do what?”

 

Kai smiled knowingly.

 

“Ready to see my sisters again?”

 

Mercedes nodded.

 

“I guess so.”

 

“They’ve been asking about you, you know.”

 

“Why? I’ve only met them once…”

 

The college student shrugged.

 

“They’ve taken a liking to you, Mercedes. It’s not a bad thing.”

 

“I guess not, this is just new to me is all. Usually, my presence isn’t exactly welcomed so quickly.”

 

“Well, my sisters won’t stop asking me about you, so…”

 

Kai shrugged and slid into the car.

 

“What exactly do you tell them, Jongin? Why are they so curious about me?”

 

The college student hummed in reply, only provoking the older to playfully punch him in the arm. “That’s not an answer!”

 

“If you’re so curious, why don’t you find out for yourself?”

 

“Why do you want me to be around your family so much?”

 

“Because you look like you could use some sisterly love.” Kai rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. “I know they’re not related to you, but you looked a little homesick when we last talked about family matters...I figured that I’d share my family with you, if you don’t mind…”

 

Mercedes was speechless.

 

“Jongin-”

 

“If you’re not comfortable with it, I understand-”

 

“No, no. That’s very thoughtful of you.” Mercedes smiled at him. “Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it.”

 

“You’re welcome, Noona.”

 

 

~*~

 

 

Wooyoung was surprised at the very tall man standing before his desk with a child at 9:30 pm.

 

His fashion sense was every bit as noticeable as his height and charming looks.

 

Sleek black hair, kohl lined feline eyes, flawless skin...he was quite the looker and there was no doubt about it.

 

Beside him, was a little girl who looked somewhere between five and six years old.

The pigtailed child stared at the other with curious dark eyes and followed the host’s every move.

 

This week was really turning out to be something interesting in the host’s opinion.

 

“Thank you for visiting Cafe Moonlight. How may I help you tonight, sir?”

 

 

The man made a face at the other before he nodded and Wooyoung watched the other closely for an answer.

 

“Is Minseok-hyung here?” The man asked in barely recognizable Korean. Wooyoung should’ve known. Just as he gestured to the bar, the other man suddenly shook his head. “I want to eat here, but I need to see him first.”

 

It took a moment for the host to register exactly what the other had said before he nodded and let the taller pass.

 

“You can also order with the Barista as well, if that suits you.”

 

The tall man smiled before escorting the little girl towards Minseok’s work space.

 

“Dage!”

 

The little girl squealed as she engulfed the other’s leg in a tight hug.

 

“Nice to see you again as well, Jiaying. How are you?”

 

“Dage, Dage!” The child gave a toothy grin, albeit, Jiaying was beginning to lose her baby teeth. “I ate an Octopus!”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Sannakji.” The black-haired man corrected her as he tried to gently pry his niece off the Barista’s leg. “She really wanted that dish when we stopped at one of those food stalls earlier, today. How have you been?”

 

Minseok shooed the other away and bent down to pick the child up.

 

“I’ve been well. How about you?”

 

“Great, actually! Have you seen Bazaar, lately? Guess who made the cover?”

 

With a smile, he pulled out a copy of the magazine.

 

Minseok’s jaw dropped.

 

“Congratulations, Tao!”

 

“Thanks, Hyung. I’m finally earning my spot in the fashion industry and it’s all thanks to you.” The younger said as he remembered all the amateur photoshoots that the older would make him participate in. “Thank you for believing in me.”

 

Minseok shook his head.

 

“All I did was give you a little shove. You were the one that was brave enough to step out on your own and attend the audition.”

 

“Humble, as usual.”

 

The Barista smiled and slid a menu over the counter.

 

“We’re down to soups and salads since we close soon, but I can guarantee you that they’re all delicious.”

 

Zitao looked over the menu before gesturing for Jiaying to help him decide.

 

“Do you see anything, Jiaying?”

 

The little girl squinted at the page for a moment before pointing at a picture of stew.

 

“This one?” Jiaying nodded. “One bowl of Budae Jjigae, please.”

 

Minseok nodded before he tapped the order into the screen and left for a moment to retrieve the requested meal.

 

As Tao sat there, he couldn’t but to let his eyes wonder the nice cafe.

 

It was a stylish and neat place, and from that alone, Tao could tell that Minseok enjoyed working in the quaint setting.

 

“So, how long will you be staying in Seoul, Tao?”

 

“About a week,” The younger answered as he poured some of the soup into a smaller bowl for Jiaying and gave her a spoon. “I’m here for a photoshoot with Ceci Magazine.”

 

The Barista’s eyes widened.

 

“You're kidding!”

 

Zitao shook his head.

 

“It's coming out next month, so be sure to look out for it.”

 

“Will do.”

 

Tao smiled and waved his hand dismissively.

 

“Enough about me, what's been going on with you?”

 

“Nothing much.”

 

Tao glanced over the older.

 

“I wouldn't say that. You've lost some weight since I last saw you. You look great.”

 

The older shrugged with a simper.

 

“These days, I'm feeling pretty great.”

 

“You seem less stressed as well and a lot happier than when I last visited you. Something more must've happened.”

 

Minseok shrugged.

 

He did feel a lot better about himself, he’d even go as far as to say that he felt more confident in himself. He had a nice job that he not only enjoyed, but it paid for more than just his living expenses and he was also surrounded by a group of people who love and care about him.

 

It felt nice to have the support and now he had a new girlfriend who really seemed to genuinely appreciate him for being himself, too.

 

Things were looking up.

 

“I guess you can say that, Tao. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m a lot better than I was a couple of years ago.”

 

Minseok smiled as he poured some juice into a cup for Jiaying while topping off a Green Tea Frappuccino with whipped cream.

 

“We both are. You seem more confident...” The model sipped his drink and stared at the barista suspiciously. “Tell me.”

 

“What?”

 

“What’s got you so happy?”

 

“Nothing.” The younger pouted, earning a raised eyebrow from the older. “You’ll find out later, I promise.”

 

Tao let the subject drop as Minseok started to wipe down his sink and counters.

 

Even if he didn’t have all the details, he was happy that the older was doing better in terms of confidence and for the moment, the bright smile on his face was enough for Zitao.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Author’s Note: I know that I said that I wouldn’t do previews anymore, but this makes it easier and pushes me to continue writing, which is something that I desperately need right now. Not to mention, with all the stuff I have going on right now, I have no time nor effort to waste teasing anyone on this story. This is my writing style, and I’m more comfortable with this, than I am putting out entire chapters at once and also, I just wanted to give you guys something to look forward too since I’ve been gone for so long. Thanks for waiting and thanks for all of the encouraging messages. You guys are the best.

 

Oh my God, I am finally back after the South recently decided to thaw out! We've been battling some snow days and the flu is running rampant down here. I spent most of my time not trying to go to the hospital...the Northerners can have their weather back!