“Wonsik? You okay?”

Jaehwan's voice breaks the bartender from his thoughts. What had he been doing? Oh, right, shaking a drink. Luckily it's for Jaehwan and not a paying customer. The froth from the excess shaking spills the alcoholic drink over the glass.

“Yeah, sorry,” Wonsik mutters. His eyes have trouble leaving the server in the bar area. Today is the first day he and Hongbin have worked together since that night. The night Wonsik confessed and the night Hongbin rejected him.

He had thought he was ready for that night. Of course, he thought that Hongbin was ready, too.

“Wonsikkie...” Jaehwan groans into his glass, “please stop staring at him like a lost puppy. It's sad.”

Wonsik straightens his posture and goes back to cleaning his shaker, “I'm not staring, it's fine. It's just the first time I've seen him since Monday.”

“And pathetic.”

“Ouch. Rude.”

“I'm just trying to help you, I told-”

“Don't say it, don't say it. I know. You told me this would happen.”

And he did tell Wonsik this would happen. Jaehwan was right. Once Wonsik told Jaehwan how... close... he and Hongbin have become over the past year his hyung has been less than obvious about his feelings on the relationship. He warned Wonsik that it's hard to go back to being just friends once physical intimacy gets involved. Emotional intimacy even harder. Wonsik had pushed all his worries aside, reassuring Jaehwan that the two both knew what they were doing, both felt the same way about their unspoken agreement.

Which is why Wonsik thought making their unspoken agreement a spoken one wouldn't be an issue. He did think the two were on the same page. He thought they were enjoying themselves, each others company. It was only natural for Wonsik to think the next step would be commitment. Why wouldn't it be?

“You knew what you were getting yourself into,” Jaehwan tries to drink through the froth on top of his drink, but ends up getting some up his nose, “it wasn't healthy, you know.”

Wonsik hates hearing things like this, but knows Jaehwan is right. He sneaks another glance at Hongbin. His smile is as bright as ever, he's got a table full of older ladies smiling along with him, a few with blushes dusting their cheeks. It's crowded tonight, causing the temperature in the building to raise to an almost uncomfortable heat. Hongbin's shirt sleeves are perfectly rolled to three-quarter length. Crisp folds to match the crisp white of his shirt.

He can tell it's been a while since Hongbin's last haircut. His normally perfectly groomed cut is threatening to curl at the nape of his neck. When Hongbin listens politely to another table, most likely telling a story he's internally cringing at, he's trying to brush the pieces of hair on his neck down. Trying to make the strands behave.

Has he lost weight recently? Wonsik could have sworn that Hongbin's apron tied in the front, but it looks like it's tied in the back, now. Could it be that he forgot his apron again and he had to borrow one from the back room? Hongbin tends to forget his apron when--

“You're staring again.”

Wonsik wills his eyes back to his friend, “sorry.”

“Again.”

“Sorry, again.”

Luckily, a couple walks up to the bar and orders drinks while they wait for an open table. Another single sits a few seats away from Jaehwan, most likely just getting off of a shift of their own. When he makes it back to Jaehwan the older boy's glass is empty and ready for a refill. Wonsik is glad to be working the closing shift, more drinks to make and take his mind off of his best friend.

Until his best friend is standing at the bar, right in front of him.

Wonsik sets Jaehwan's new drink (no froth this time) in front of Jaehwan when Hongbin walks up to the duo. He has a few drink orders for Wonsik to make, strictly business.

“Hey, hyung. How are you?” Hongbin greets Jaehwan. He hands Wonsik his list written in his horrible handwriting that only Wonsik seems to be able to decipher.

“Good, thanks, what's new with you?” Wonsik knows Jaehwan will be on his best behavior in front of Hongbin.

Hongbin blows a few stray hairs out of his face, “it's pretty busy out there, but it looks like you're pretty busy too, huh Wonsik?”

Wonsik realizes the two boys are waiting for him to answer. He has Hongbin's order list in his hand, but hasn't done anything to complete the order.

“It's been pretty busy since I've been here, right Wonsik?” Jaehwan tries to help the frozen bartender.

There's nothing about Hongbin's face that shows he's been in any sort of distress. No signs of regret or remorse. Just that smile he gives everyone. Is he acting like nothing happened between the two of them? That he didn't break Wonsik's heart earlier in the week?

“Yeah.. the bar has been pretty busy since I started my shift at least,” Hongbin tries, too.

Wonsik is blatantly staring at Hongbin. It feels like just yesterday they were so close, yet at the same time years ago that they've spoken. If Hongbin would just give the smallest hint that he had been affected by what happened the other night...

Nothing, just his 100 watt smile. Like always.

Jaehwan was right. How pathetic.

Wonsik clears his throat and starts working on the list in his hand, “right, it's pretty busy for a Thursday.” Thankfully, his voice doesn't crack or give away how upset he really is.

Jaehwan leaves after his second drink, only offering an encouraging smile. Hongbin visits the bar a few more times before his shift ends, his list of drinks for Wonsik to make increasing as the night goes on. By the end of the night, Wonsik is too busy to worry about his feelings for Hongbin. They're actually getting along great, like Monday never happened. Hongbin gives Wonsik sass and Wonsik gives back wit.

But then the dining area is closing and Wonsik is back to watching Hongbin from afar. He's cleaning off tables and talking with the other servers. The empty bar mirrors the feeling in his heart when he watches Hongbin leave with the other servers, not bothering to stop at the bar like he used to. Instead, he stops at the edge of the entrance to the back room, gives Wonsik that bright smile, and waves.

Wonsik waves back, rag in hand. He's wiping off the bar for lack of something better to do. Usually when the dining area closes there aren't many guests that stop in just for the bar. Not when there are so many actual bars to choose from around here.

“Are you still serving?”

Wonsik is startled by the customer. He hadn't seen him come in or take a seat at the bar. Probably because he was too busy watching Hongbin. Again.

“Of course, what can I get you?” Wonsik turns, expecting to force a smile, but oddly enough, it comes naturally. He's never seen this customer before. Wonsik can tell he's tall even though he's sitting. Slim, but not scrawny. Haircut a lot like Hongbin's when it's kept trimmed. But unlike Hongbin, the customer sitting in front of him gives Wonsik a smile that is truly amazing.

One could argue that Hongbin's smile is amazing, which Wonsik can't really argue. Where Hongbin's smile is blatantly amazing the customer in front of Wonsik brings another meaning to the word amazing. It's not as big or contagious as Hongbin's smile, but there's a feeling of warmth that it gives Wonsik that he can't quite place. Something that Hongbin's smiles lack.

“What do you suggest?” The customer's smile grows and so does the warmth in Wonsik's chest. It's not just his lips; his eyes are smiling at Wonsik. The customer places his elbows on the bar that Wonsik just cleaned, but he doesn't mind in the slightest.

Wonsik knows his smile doesn't compare but he can't help but show his own while making the drink for his only customer. The customer's eyes and smile never leave Wonsik.

Wonsik sets the drink down and the customer speaks, not wasting any time.

“What's your name?”

“Kim Wonsik.”

“Cha Hakyeon.” The customer offers his hand to Wonsik and on contact Wonsik knows the difference between Hongbin's smile and the man's sitting before him.

Hakyeon's smile is genuine.

“And so it is

Just like you said it should be

We'll both forget the breeze

Most of the time...

I can't take my eyes off of you

I can't take my eyes off of you

I can't take my eyes off of you...

I can't take my mind off of you...

Till I find somebody new”

The Blower's Daughter, Damien Rice

AN I haven't abandoned this, I fell into Haikyuu hell and pumped out like five stories that I couldn't get out of my head. Thanks to anyone still reading! A little nervous about this one..