Innisfree GREEN CAFE

Though it was early in the morning, Saeron had to wear her mask and sunglasses and a hat as she walked into the café, she doesn’t want to be trapped between fans taking selfies only to get exposed and questioned by Woohyun why did she go there again.

Sunggyu knew who it was, that girl walked directly towards him, and when she talked, he confirmed it, “Hi.”

“What can I do for you, Mrs Saeron?”

“Can we talk somewhere private?”

“Sure, follow me.”

Sunggyu led her to the back area where he usually smokes; he lights up a cigarette and gestures for her to talk, “I was wrong.”

“Which part?”

“About Woohyun Oppa and your daughter.”

Sunggyu smiled, inhaling the smoke from the cigarette. Usually, Saeron would complain about smokers, but there was something different about this man in front of her, when did smokers look attractive!

“Anything else?”

“Hmm”, Sunggyu looked at her, “s-stay away from him.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I know you like him, I can tell by the way you look at him, but he doesn’t like you.”

“And you concluded that how? Did he tell you?”

“Yes! Look, I don’t want your feelings to get hurt.”

“Thank you, but who are you to protect my feelings?”

Cold, but- “W-Woohyun Oppa’s girlfriend.”

“Cool, and did you by any chance see me standing by your place?”

“W-What-? Ani.”

“And did I ever call him?”

“A-Ani.”

“Wasn’t he the one coming to my café?”

“Y-Yes, but-”

“But what? Do you want me to move my café so that you feel safe beside him?”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“Look, I’m flattered that you see me as a competition, but I don’t have time for this, I have a daughter who needs me, I don’t have time for these games.”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t trying-”

“No need to apologize”, Saeron didn’t know what’s wrong with her heartbeats when Sunggyu suddenly smiled at her, “How about we put all of this behind us, and I invite you for a cup of coffee? On me.”

“Will you join me for coffee?”

That was a weird request, as a café owner Sunggyu learned that customers are always right and that they can’t leave the café unsatisfied so what better way to make her feel better than a free cup of coffee.

“Hmm, sure, you are the café superstar.”

Back at the café, Sungyeol and Myungsoo walked into the café holding hands; things seemed to be okay for them. Dongwoo took notice of the couple walking towards him, “Hey guys.”

Myungsoo hugged Dongwoo, “Where is Hyung?”

“He was here a minute ago, probably smoking at the back”, Dongwoo then asked Sungyeol, the last time he saw him was at Sunggyu’s house “How are you Sungyeol?”

“Been better, where is Hoya Hyung?”

“Dropping Shi-ah to school, he’ll be here soon for coffee before he goes to work.”

At the mention of his name, Hoya walked in dramatically and dropped his head on the counter, “Shi-ah is going to be the end of me.”

Dongnwoo chuckled, he has an idea of what his husband means, “What happened?”  

Hoya looked up to find Myungsoo and his brother standing next to Dongwoo, “Later.”

“How are you, Hyung?”

Hoya didn’t know why was Sungyeol looking at him like that; something looks different as if it wasn’t the same guy who ran from Sunggyu’s house shocked, he didn’t even say a word to him as if he was blaming it all on him.

“What’s going on here?”

“Nothing”, Sungyeol looked at Myungsoo for help, “Why would you say that?”

“Whatever”, Hoya searched for Sunggyu, “Where is Sunggyu?”

“Smoking”, Sungjong answered already prepared Hoya’s coffee, “Here you go, Hyung. Just the way you like it.”

“Aigo~~, thank you Sungjong, you’re the best”, Hoya felt eyes on him that he couldn’t ignore, “What!!”

Sungyeol lowered his eyes then looked back at his brother, “Can we talk?”

“Again!! I thought we talked already!”

“You talked, I didn’t get to say anything.”

“Hmm, because you didn’t want to talk at that time.”

“What was I supposed to do! I was shocked! You put it all on my dead mother! How am I supposed to react!”

“Yeol, calm down.”

“No, Myung, let him say it all”, Hoya rose from the chair holding his coffee, “Let him tell me how I wasn’t fair to him.”

“Honey, let’s stop here, uh?”, Dongwoo doesn’t want things to get worse between the brothers, he thought now that everything is revealed it would be easy for them to get along.

“No, Dongwoo Hyung, let him let it all out, you were bitter when you were a kid and still one. It’s not my fault you weren’t loved when you were young!! And it’s not my mother’s fault; our dad didn’t care too, meaning it’s your fault.”

“Yah, Yeol, stop!!!” Myungsoo couldn’t believe that Sungyeol would say this to his brother.

Dongwoo side hugged his husband worried about him, “That’s too much Sungyeol, you crossed the line.”

Hoya was shocked to hear how his brother thinks of him, he was thankful his husband was holding him otherwise he wouldn’t be able to contain himself, “I guess it’s true, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”

“What is that supposed to mean!” Sungyeol knew what he meant; he just wants to hear it.

“It means you’re like your mother, bitter and full of hate thinking you’re the only victims born in this world.”

“You’re the only one bitter! It’s not my fault either of our parents didn’t want you!”

“Yah! Lee Sungyeol!” Sunggyu made sure the superstar was sitting somewhere private and promised to join her soon before he walked to his friends to say hi. Only he didn’t expect to hear Sungyeol’s words toward Hoya.

“H-Hyung.”

“What the hell!! Hoya is your Hyung, whether you liked it or not. Apologize now.”

Whatever Hoya said to Sungyeol was because his brother provoked him by repeating that he wasn’t wanted by anyone when they were young. The pain in his brother’s eyes was enough to wake him from his anger.

“I’m sorry, Hyung, I didn’t mean it.”

“I have work, Honey, please walk with me.”

“You’re not going anywhere; you’re going to sit down and talk things out with your brother like an adult.”

“Sunggyu~.”

“And you’re doing it alone”, Sunggyu pointed at an empty table at the corner, “Go!!! And you two” he meant Myungsoo and Dongwoo, “Help us until these two are done talking.”

“Yes, Hyung.”

“As if we have a choice!!”

“Hmm, you don’t have a choice Dongwoo so move it!”

“Araso~~, don’t yell at us.”

Sunggyu joined the superstar as he promised with two cups of coffee, and it made her happy that he did join her for coffee.

“I’m sorry.”

“Huh?” he wasn’t sure why she was sorry.

“I lied, Woohyun Oppa and I are not together.”

“It doesn’t matter to me anyway.”

“So, it’s true; you two are not together?”

“Hmm, it’s true.”

“You told me Shi-ah’s mother is dead, right?”

“Hmm.”

“So, you’ve been a single dad all these years?”

“12 years”, Sunggyu smiled looked at the cup of coffee, “And still make mistakes.”

“I met your daughter; you raised her well.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re different from other guys I’ve met.”

“Really? How?”

“You make me angry.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Oh no don’t be sorry”, Saeron chuckled, “It’s because men are all over me all the time, but then there is you, who is cold and treated me as a customer and nothing more.”

“I’m not used to hanging out with celebrities, I apologize.”

“It’s fine; I thought I don’t like it, but I don’t mind at all.”

Sunggyu smiled, and it made Saeron smile as well, “Good to know, so no hard feelings?”

“Hmm, we’re good.”

“And to show you how special you are to our café, you may come before we officially open and drink your coffee quietly away from cameras and fans.”

“Thank you; I’ll make sure to pass by every day.”

“And you’re welcome here any time.”

“Can I call you Oppa?”

“Sure, my name is Sunggyu btw.”

“I remember, Hoya Oppa told me”, Saeron rose from the chair, she doesn’t want to be late, and Sunggyu did the same, “I have to go, thank you for the coffee.”

“No worries, I had fun talking to you.”

“Let’s do this again, Sunggyu Oppa.”

“Sure.”

While on the other side of the café, things weren’t going well for Hoya and Sungyeol. All that they did is stare at each other for a solid 10 minutes, without a word.

Hoya checked the time, “Whatever I’m leaving.”

“Hyung, please don’t leave.”

“Why!!” Hoya rose from the chair, “So that you insult me more?”

“I’m sorry, I was nervous I didn’t mean anything I said”, Sungyeol tried one more time, “Can you please sit again? I’ll make it quick.”

Hoya gave up and sat back “Araso, let’s talk.”

“I know it’s my mother’s fault-”

“Sungyeol, I’m not here to talk badly about your mother.”

“I know, and for that I'm thankful, but Myungsoo told me everything.”

“Brat, I specifically asked him not to do it” Sungyeol smiled, confusing the dancer, “What!!!”

“Though you don’t show it, I know you care about me Hyung.”

“Sungyeol.”

“Our parents did you wrong; both of them had no right.”

“It’s in the past now.”

“Hmm, but this feeling grew with you that I can see it in your eyes”, Sungyeol reached for Hoya’s hand, the latter didn’t pull his hand but stayed still “let me apologize for both of them.”

“Apology accepted, now we can move on with our lives.”

“You still can’t hold my hand; we can’t move on with our lives.”

“I- I can’t do this Sungyeol”, Hoya retrieved his hand back to his lap, “I’m sorry, it’s not your fault, and it was never yours though I blamed it all on you and even punished you for my miserable childhood.”

“Hyung.”

“I can’t do this brothers stuff like Sunggyu and Myungsoo; I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“My face reminded your mother of my dad’s cheating; your face reminds me of her.”

Sungyeol surprised Hoya when he smiled, “We’ll work on that. Eventually, you’ll give in for me.”

“Sungyeol!”

“I don’t hate you, Hyung. I never did though I never knew why you treated me coldly back then and now that I know it makes me happy that I never misunderstood you and always