The bell chimed as Yixing pulled open the café door, covering a yawn. He ended up sleeping in until two in the afternoon, which he knew wasn't going to be fun trying to fix as a school teacher. He had barely gotten rid of the hangover this morning.

Moving to the side to let a group of students exit, he gave another yawn and dinged the bell at the counter. As he waited for his friend to appear, he peeked out into the table area, finding it completely empty. That group of students had to have been the last people to leave.

"Yixing."

He turned and smiled at his friend behind the counter. 

"Joonmyeon, nice to see you."

"Wish I could say the same to you. You look like ."

"I thought I cleaned up pretty well."

"You did, but I know you better than that."

Yixing smiled a little at that. He ordered croissants and a quince drink, making his friend take the money before moving to find a table. A few tabletops had trash or crumbs on them still, so he moved back to the counter, plucked up the spare rag he knew Joonmyeon kept near the boba sealing machine, and wiped down a few of the tables. He was reorganizing the supply table on the side when there was a tap on his shoulder.

"Yixing, you don't work here. You don't have to help me clean up."

"Just because I don't work here doesn't mean I can't help you clean up."

Joonmyeon flicked him on the shoulder and took the rag out of his hands, gesturing at the food he brought over. There was a mug of hot chocolate too, and Joonmyeon sipped at it for a long while before he leaned in at the table.

"Did you fight with Minseok again?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because when you call me at four in the morning drunk out of your mind wailing that he doesn't care, that's what I'm going to assume."

Yixing choked on the bite of croissant and reached for his drink.

"Plus, you're cleaning. You clean when you're upset."

When he washed down the bread, he looked up to see Joonmyeon raising an eyebrow at him, his arms crossed.

"Sorry for interrupting your beauty sleep," Yixing mumbled, then wished that he had said something not as sarcastic sounding. He had a habit of saying sarcastic things but in well-meaning tones, which probably only made him seem more sarcastic, but his friend understood that he meant his words.

"Well, if it was that bad, then I don't care if you wake me up. What'd he do this time?"

Yixing sighed and planted his face into his arms.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." He lifted his head. "You know how close and protective he is of his baby cousin?"

"Yeah."

"And how he didn't want his baby cousin to know about our relationship because he's a student in my class and that could lead to academic suspicions for Jongdae or me?"

"Still think that's an excuse, but yeah."

"So that means we can't really see each other or do anything because between work and keeping it a secret from his cousin and friends there's no time."

"Yeah, I know. You said that you were okay with it though."

"I was. I am. Just... last night I wasn't."

Joonmyeon sipped at his hot chocolate, flicking his gaze at him for Yixing to continue. Yixing poked at one of the croissants on his plate.

"We couldn't do anything for Christmas because he and Jongdae were spending it together. Last time we could because Jongdae had a friendsmas at one of the friends' house a few days before. But this time, we couldn't do anything on, before, or after the holiday because he had work things to do. We couldn't do anything for new years either because of his work again, and then I got scolded by the anatomy teacher for her students not knowing any of the biology they were supposed to learn in my class, and when I texted him about it, he barely responded. One of my students—Jongdae's best friend, actually—even asked me if I was okay after class. And I realized that I really wasn't. So I showed up at Minseok's house on a whim, and he got mad at me because I could've been seen by Jongdae."

Joonmyeon put his mug down. Yixing didn't have the confidence to look up at him and just let out a sigh.

"Is this before or after you drunk-called me?"

"Before. I started drinking when I got home."

Yixing covered his face, feeling the burn of shame and embarrassment again. He didn't mean for things to go so far, and he didn't want to be so needy. 

"You're not needy." He looked up and saw Joonmyeon wag a croissant piece at him. "If you were upset, then he should've been able to put in a little effort in comforting you even if it was a really late text. Knowing you, I'm pretty sure that you're not blaming him at all."

Yixing hesitated before giving a solemn nod at his friend's guess.

"Show me what he texted."

He did, scooting out of the booth, eyeing his friend. He stood in Joonmyeon's way and clamped him in a hug just as he shot up out of his seat.

"Let go so I can go beat his face in."

"We both know that you won't win. Plus, I'm not mad at him."

"Just because you're not mad doesn't mean I'm not."

He gave him a look for using his words back at him, but Joonmyeon sat back down, though not without a huff.

"Who the hell blows off their significant other with a 'Please handle it because my case is taking longer than expected'? I know he has responsibilities and work, but this isn't appropriate, especially with how you explained it to him." He tapped his foot for a bit. "You need to be more angry at him."

"But I'm not. I'm just sad."

Joonmyeon sighed. "Has he called you at all?"

Yixing shook his head, feeling more dejected with every shake, and plopped his forehead into the table.

"I've called him, but he hasn't called back. He's probably working."

"Please let me go beat his face in."

"No. No beating in the face of anyone, especially Minseok."

Joonmyeon clicked his tongue but didn't say anymore. Yixing nibbled on the rest of the croissants and si