Ch. 1- Left Alone With Coffee Beans

                A coffee shop is bustling in the evening. The sounds of soft conversation and an espresso machine fill the evening air. Two employees clean up bit by bit and the clock ticks by. A show intro plays and is all but ignored by the two workers as one heads to the back.

“Thank you everyone, for inviting me here today. I hope we can have fun together.” A familiar voice chirps from the T.V. perched in the upper right corner. Minseok looked up to see wide gleaming eyes staring into the camera.

                He stops wiping down the counter to head towards the T.V. Hoping to turn it down but, probably to change the channel completely. He reaches up on his tiptoes before he hears screeches of anger. Turning to see a group of teens glaring daggers at him. Like it wasn’t his damn café in the first place.

                “Please Minseok-sshi. You always turn it off everytime something good. Lu Han is almost never on T.V. Please let it stay on. I don’t want to miss it this time.” One of the girls pipes up. He sighs and throws his hands up. He’ll take pity for the girl this time. Simply because she’s a regular.

                He walks over to complete the cleaning process. It is, after all, after eight o’clock on a Monday and he should really be closing up soon.

                “Hyung, you can just turn it off if you’re uncomfortable.” He sees Jongdae looking at him. Half of his body hidden by the backrooms door. He takes a glance at the T.V. before leaning over it and resting on his forearms.

                “He said he wouldn’t be coming to Korea for two weeks now.” He says to no one in particular. Jongdae figures the statement must be to him. However, it feels like it’s more to himself.

                “Maybe it was filmed earlier.”

                “It’s a live broadcast.” The older simply refutes the optimism thrown his way.

                “Maybe he’s here to surprise you?”

                “When was the last time he did something like that?” Even Jongdae couldn’t recall the last time he had seen, let alone heard them on the phone together.

                Instead of waiting on his response, he continued to sweep up and turn everything off for the night. After a while the show was off and the group of girls long gone. The only evidence of their time there was a few discarded napkins. Minseok walked slowly to the armchair and collapsed into it. Business had picked up, but it took a toll on him.

                “Hyung, you’ve been working longer hours now. More than me and I’m full-time.” Jongdae had appeared beside him. Concern was evident in his tone.

                “I like being occupied. Helps me forget.” The words drenched in sadness. His almond eyes floating up to look at the dark screen off the powered off T.V.

                “Forget what?”

                “That we even know each other. That I’m still supposed to be connected to him.” He’s hunched over now. Chin resting in his palms while his eyes close up. Like he’s trying to will the sorrowful confession away.

                Jongdae and ofcourse their other friends had been aware of the strained relationship the two had. One a superstar and the other a coffeemaker yet, for some years it worked. Then, one day it seemed that nothing was right and Minseok was by himself.

                “Your going to break up with him? After all this time?” Jongdae said. His curiousness had won over his thoughtfulness. After over six years, he was dying to know why the glue was falling away now.

                “I don’t want to. God knows I don’t. But nothing seems to get better. Everything is harder. It’ll be easier if we just let go of it this this. I don’t want to keep pining after him and waiting on phone calls that never come. Promises that aren’t kept and impending infidelity.” The tiredness creeping up in his bones, showing itself through his limp body.

                “Hyung,…I…” He started but couldn’t seem to pull together his words in time to comfort the haggard man.

                “Don’t worry about it Jongdae. Thank you for staying so late. I’ll turn off the lights now.” He jumped out the armchair and headed for the back. The younger knew that when his hyung did that, the conversation was over and done. No more commentary was welcome. The 21-year old grabbing his before heading out the door and waiting for Minseok to join him.

                He waited and seen the lights cut off but, he never stepped out of the shop. He stepped back in to his Minseok in the armchair again, in the dark. Silent tears race down his face and quiet sobs barely escape him. Jongdae places a soft hand on his shoulder to let him know he hasn’t left him alone again.

                “Let’s head home, hyung.”