Minseok has always hated crowds.  He hated the way a flock of dark suited men followed his every move.  He hated the way rows and rows of shady looking guys bowed as the Chairman passed them in the hallways.  As only a mobster would, the Chairman enjoyed this display of loyalty and never understood how Minseok despised it.  Even now, as the atrium fills with the audience members, Minseok hangs in the shadows, preferring to wait until everyone is done fawning over Jongin to offer Minseok's own congratulations.

When Minseok finally gets to hand Jongin the bouquet he's brought, Jongin's arms are already laden with the many gifts and flowers from his other fans. 

"Hyung!" Jongin greets Minseok brightly.  "Hold these for me please."

Jongin hands Minseok an armful of flowers and letters from others.  Once his arm is free, Jongin takes Minseok's bouquet up to his nose and inhales.

"Mmm... these are beautiful, Hyung.  Thanks for coming."

Minseok smiles, eyes having to look slightly upwards now.  It hadn't been that long since Jongin had outdone Minseok in height and Minseok's still getting used to it.  The other performers around them are breaking off into groups going off to eat or to celebrate on their own.

"Hey Jongin!" another dancer calls from across the hall.  "Great job tonight!  We're heading over to Ashley's!"

"Thanks!  I'll see you on Monday!" Jongin calls back.

Once Jongin turns back to Minseok, Minseok asks, "Don't you want to go celebrate with your friends?"

Jongin's brows furrow, puzzled.

"What are you talking about, Hyung?  Of course I want to celebrate with you!"

Jongin links their arms - a movement that makes Minseok a little embarrassed.  Minseok coughs while Jongin asks, "So, where'd you park?"  But the indulgent smile doesn't really leave Minseok's face.

 

❄❄❄

 

 

Jongin chooses a cafe of all places.   It's a cozy and quiet place and Minseok knows Jongin's picked this place because of Minseok.

"Are you sure you aren't hungry?" Minseok asks for the third time.

Jongin shakes his head firmly.  "Nah, I was too nervous to eat before the recital and now I'm too happy to eat."

Minseok laughs, eyes crinkling into half moons.

"Are you hungry, Hyung?  You know they serve sandwiches and things here too."

Minseok shakes his head.  'If I'm eating, I'm afraid I'll miss a moment with you" is the thought that briefly passes through Minseok's head.  Instead, he says, "I'll leave the ordering to you.  You're the star tonight."

Jongin orders and Minseok pays.

When they settle into their seats at a somewhat secluded table, they fall into an easy and peaceful silence.  Jongin is taking in the music playing over the speakers and Minseok is taking in the bliss that Jongin gives him.

Jongin smiles at Minseok when he catches Minseok's eye.  Minseok smiles back, just as brightly.  They've missed each other.

 

 

"Ah, man and here I was thinking that I forgot your face, Hyung!" Jongin complains playfully.  "We haven't seen each other in weeks!"

Minseok smiles apologetically.  "I've been busy with meetings.  Only just got away tonight.  Sorry, Jongin-ah."

"Nah" Jongin waves his hand like it's nothing.  "I've been busy with prep for the recital too.  I'm just being spoiled."

"You're not spoiled" Minseok laughs.

"Only around you, Hyung."

"..."

Their conversation pauses as the waitress comes to deliver their order - one hot Americano, one lemonade, and one brick toast.

The brick toast is huge, usually meant for two, and the waitress leaves two forks and two knives at the table before she leaves.

"This looks amazing!" Jongin exclaims before whipping out his phone to take a quick photo.  Minseok thinks he gets caught in the frame, so he moves, but he's not quick enough.

"Hey, you didn't - " Minseok wants to complain that he doesn't want to be in the picture, but Jongin cuts him off quickly.

"Hyung, we should do something to make up for lost time" Jongin says before taking a sip of his lemonade.

Minseok doesn't answer right away.  Instead he watches the condensation from Jongin's lemonade slide down the cup and topple over Jongin's fingers.  Jongin's other hand closes around the fork as he picks at the ice cream atop the brick toast.

What jerks Minseok back to reality is the gentle tap tap of Jongin's foot on Minseok's own underneath the table.

"Hyung?  Huh?  Let's make a pact!"

Jongin slides a fork into Minseok's own free hand.  And before Minseok can process what's going on, before Minseok can protest yet again that he's not really hungry, Jongin's working the knife and cutting the toast into bite sized pieces and sliding the plate toward Minseok.

"Hmm?!  Hyung!  Are you even listening to me?"

And it's at that moment that Jongin looks so bright that Minseok can't bring himself to look away.  'I have to protect this kid at all costs' Minseok suddenly thinks.  Minseok doesn't want the blackness of his own world to taint Jongin's.  And though Minseok knows that he can't protect Jongin from everything, that perhaps his wish is a ridiculous one, it reinforces in his mind anyway.

"Hyuuung" Jongin whines.

"Alright, what do you want to do?" Minseok finally concedes.  "I'll try my best to keep the promise."

"Yes!  OK!  You promised, alright Hyung?  No takebacks."

Jongin laughs as he takes a chunk of the toast and eats it.  Minseok sips his coffee, wishing he could always keep that bright smile on Jongin's face.

 

 

The phone rings loudly as Jongin brainstorms aloud.

"How about the cable cars at Namsan?" Jongin's saying.  "And a steak dinner!"

Minseok silences his phone without even looking at the caller ID.

"I've always wanted to go on the Namsan Cable Cars!" Jongin exclaims, getting more and more excited by the idea.

"That's for couples and tourists" chuckles Minseok.

"That's what I want to do" Jongin is obstinate.  "And don't forget a steak dinner!"

"You're getting cheeky for a high schooler" Minseok tells Jongin, playfully squeezing Jongin's cheek.

Jongin frowns for a split second.  "I'm almost nineteen you know."

"How about we do something special for graduation?" 

"OK then, let's raise the stakes!" Jongin declares.  "If I get into ballet school, I get a cable car ride and a steak dinner and!  ... a glass of champagne." 

Jongin's voice gets a little quiet and Minseok can tell he's wondering if he's pushed things too far.  Minseok throws his head back, laughing.

"Alright, alright" Minseok acquieses, "you win.  If you get into ballet school we'll do all those things."

Jongin brightens right away.  "It's a promise Hyung!  You know real men don't back out on promises!"

Minseok's nodding, feeling giddy himself.  But then his phone rings again and when he looks down the caller ID says: 'Do Kyungsoo'.

"Sorry Jongin-ah, hold on for a second.  I have to take this."

Promise already made, Jongin's more than happy to oblige and happily goes back to eating his toast.  Minseok half turns in his seat, bringing the phone to his ear.

"Kyungsoo-yah?  What is it?"

 

 

Minseok doesn't notice, but at the sound of Kyungsoo's name, Jongin's expression hardens as Minseok's face becomes a bit softer.  Unknowingly, Jongin pouts a little because whenever this Kyungsoo person calls, Minseok is more than not, called away on business.

"Mmm... we're near Hongdae right now.  Where are you?"

"..."  Jongin can't hear what Kyungsoo says over the phone, but soon, Minseok is looking around the cafe.

"Minseok-ah" comes Kyungsoo's voice.  Minseok turns just as Kyungsoo brings his own phone down from his ear, ending the call.

Kyungsoo's eyes flicker to where Jongin sits, staring.

"Sorry, Jongin-geun.  I don't mean to interrupt" Kyungsoo addresses Jongin.  

Jongin barely nods a greeting before Kyungsoo immediately turns to Minseok.

"I'm sorry to barge in, Minseok-ah, but this is an urgent matter about the InSeok-dong deal."

"Ah..."

Minseok looks down at Jongin's half finished lemonade and the half eaten toast.  Kyungsoo grips Minseok's shoulder as he leans in to whisper in Minseok's ear.

"The landlord is having second thoughts about the development plans" Kyungsoo tells him.  "We have to move fast."

Minseok looks down at his wrist watch.  It's almost nine at night.  It's almost time to take Jongin home anyway.

"Jongin-ah, I'm - "

But before Minseok can finish, a loud group of teenagers enter the cafe.  They're laughing and joking and one of them is punching another playfully in the stomach.  There's both boys and girls in the group and just as Minseok is about to turn away from them, one of the girls look their way.

"Ah, it's Kim Jongin!" the girl exclaims.

The rest of the group turns and yell their greetings to Jongin.

"Jongin-ah!"

"Kim Jongin!  What're doing here?"

"Oh, well I..." Jongin starts to say.  And his friends start to make their way over to their table, but at last, they notice both Minseok and Kyungsoo.

From afar, both Minseok and Kyungsoo aren't intimidating figures.  But as the teenagers draw closer, they see their crisp black suits and their expressionless faces.  They hesitate to take the final step and it's at the doubtful look in their eyes that Minseok turns to Jongin.

"You don't need me to take you home, do you?" Minseok asks, rising from his seat.

"His friends are here, we should leave him be" Kyungsoo suggests.

Minseok hesitates and looks at his watch again.

"You'll be alright with your friends, right?" Kyungsoo asks, this time to Jongin.

"Ah, Hyung, do you have to go?" Jongin asks, trying to catch Minseok's eye one last time.

"Sorry Jongin.  I really did enjoy your concert.  You were amazing" Minseok says in one breath as he takes his wallet from his jacket pocket and pulls out a few bills.  Placing them next to Jongin's drink, Minseok tells him, "Don't stay out too late with your friends and take a taxi home, OK?"

"Ah..."

Minseok gives Jongin a brief apologetic smile before nodding shortly to his friends and leaving the cafe.  And just as if the whole night had been a dream, Minseok is gone.

Kyungsoo taps on the table, making Jongin look up.

"Don't take it too personal.  Minseok probably didn't want to make you look suspicious in front of your friends.  Take care, kid."

Jongin watches with a furrow in his brow as Kyungsoo too leaves the cafe.  

As soon as the two men are gone, Jongin's classmates crowd around him.

"Who was that?" asks a girl from his class.  "They were so handsome."

"Handsome?!" another boy exclaims incredulously.  "More like scary!"

But the sounds drown out in Jongin's ears and all he can focus on is how Kyungsoo gets into Minseok's passenger seat before they drive away, leaving Jongin behind.