Sanghyuk placed the last bit inside the counter before closing the glass lid and dusting off his hands. "And that's the last of it," he beamed, turning towards his companions.

Hongbin nodded. "He's going to be so grateful we took care of closing up for him he'll shower us with money," he stared at the ceiling dreamily.

"That's a bit of a stretch," Sanghyuk pointed out. "But nevertheless, he'll be happy. Perhaps he'll even give us a raise." The youngest then joined the other in daydreaming.

The signature bell rang as the door opened, yet the cafe was closed. Which could only mean...

"He's here!" Jaehwan excitedly said, running out from behind the counter.

The other two also joined him in rushing to greet Hakyeon, head full of ways to tell him how well they'd managed the cafe in his absence, as well as questions as to why he took an off only to come in when the place was closed. However, they paused upon seeing his sour expression.

"Hyung, what's wrong?" The youngest was the first to ask the burning question on everyone's minds.

"We closed up after you," Jaehwan added hopefully. 

"That's great, thanks," Hakyeon mumbled, pushing past the blockade the three had set up to go towards the counters.

Sanghyuk and Jaehwan turned to Hongbin, silently asking him why their boss was acting strangely. Hongbin shrugged, signalling his lack of knowledge about the situation. He was then prompted to go after his roommate and pry some answers out of him, which he reluctantly did.

"Hyung, did something happen?" Hongbin asked Hakyeon, who'd sat himself down on one of the tables.

Hakyeon shook his head. "Nothing, it's nothing."

Hongbin furrowed his brow. "Nothing, my ," he stated. 

While generally Hakyeon would chide him on being disrespectful to elders, he simply ignored him this time, prompting Hongbin's curiosity, and consequently, his worry, to grow.

"Something happened, didn't it?" he asked. 

Sanghyuk, noticing the change in energy, moved to Hakyeon's other side. "What happened, hyung?" the youngest softly asked. "Can we help?"

Hakyeon shook his head. "Nothing you two can do about it," he wearily said. 

"How will we know if you won't tell us?" Hongbin questioned.

"Tell us," Sanghyuk urged.

Hakyeon dismissed the two with a wave of his hand. "I'm tired tonight," he told them. "Thanks for closing up, but I need to be alone for a while. Can you three go on home?"

Hongbin and Sanghyuk shared a look. They'd known Hakyeon for a couple of years now, and he had never acted like this before. Seeing this side of him was unnerving, worrisome, and frankly, scary.

"I'll stay behind," Hongbin decided. "We live together anyway."

"No," Hakyeon stopped him. "Go on home, Hongbin. I'll come by later."

"But-"

"No buts." He was insistent. "Go home, Hongbin."

His final words sounded like an order, in a tone that made Hongbin realize that now was not the time to stick by his friend. So reluctantly, the former Titan turned to the son of Hermes, lightly shaking his head.

They moved away from Hakyeon, who had his head in his hands and was staring off into space.

Stepping away, they found themselves face to face with Jaehwan, who had chosen to hang back, given his lack of personal relationship with Hakyeon.

"Is he-?"

"He'll be fine," Hongbin assured, turning to look at the eldest. "I hope," he added in a voice low enough for them to not hear.

Sanghyuk and Hongbin then walked out of the door. Jaehwan hung back for a moment, casting a worried look at Hakyeon before also leaving.

The sound of the door shutting faded quicker than the ringing of the bell, before even that died down, plunging Hakyeon into a world of silence, where his own thoughts were the loudest.

Why was he feeling this way? He did the right thing. He was happy for his cousin, right?

Wrong.

That was the worst decision he'd ever made, giving up the love of his life like that.

But the marriage would benefit Taekwoon more than him.

That was what he gave her up for? Status? Wasn't this the 21st Century?

Not to mention, she had already rejected him.

Yes, and she also seemed to like him.

The look she had given him, a look full of adoration, trust, and...and...

Love.

The girl he was in love with was in love with someone else.

And Taekwoon also seemed to like her as well.

But did he love her like he did? Like Hakyeon did?

Probably not.

Perhaps he could grow to love her, but could he allow her to sacrifice few years before the man she married loved her unconditionally?

Wait, what was he thinking? 

Hakyeon sat back in order to try and relieve the pain in his chest and churning in his abdomen, however, the thoughts in his head didn't seem to die down, like a record constantly getting louder and louder.

He groaned, running his hands through his hair.

His head was hurting, and not to mention the bubbling feeling in him growing bigger and bigger.

Somehow, every time he closed his eyes, one image came to mind.

The image of Nayoung holding Taekwoon's hand, while turning to look at him.

That should have been him, it should have been his arm she was holding.

The more he thought about it, the more it seemed to echo in his mind.

It should have been him.

It should have been him.

Unconsciously, he tightened his fist, and the more he convinced himself.

He was jealous, very jealous.

Sanghyuk turned and watched the cafe quietly from a distance. 

"Is something wrong?" Hongbin inquired.

"What do you think is going through his mind?" the youngest wondered.

"I don't know," Hongbin admitted. "I've never seen this side of him before."

"You live with him, don't you?"

"Perhaps, but it feels like I'm seeing a whole new person in him." Hongbin followed Sanghyuk's line of sight to the cafe.

"What do you think this means?" Sanghyuk softly asked.

Hongbin took a deep breath. "I think it means the plan is in motion."