KYUHYUN'S POV 

----Part 2

Cho Kyuhyun, known to many (a majority, in fact,) as simply Kyuhyun, blinked, hand still fisted around the bills as he watched the woman in the doctor’s coat walk away. She exited smoothly and turned the corner, oblivious to the eyes still watching her through the glass from the coffee shop. Instead, she looked hurried, and he watched in slight amusement as she placed her folded paper bag in like a dog and sprinted out of sight.

            “Kyuhyun-ssi! Yah! Kyuhyun-ssi!” Kyu looked to his left, smiling sheepishly as Park Misun-shi smacked him on the shoulder, ordering him back to work. She took the bills from his hand with a slight grin, counting them out and smiling before placing them in the register.

            “Aigoo, that girl. Memorized the price by heart.” She muttered, her lips quirking up. Kyuhyun went back to serving people, ignoring their attempts to start a conversation by simply flashing a smile at them and reminding them to please keep the line moving.

            “She comes here often?” He said, maybe a little too casually. Park Misun-ssi sent him a suspicious glance, and then went to gather another person’s order.

            “Yes,” She called. “Nayoung-ssi is a regular here. She lives nearby.” The woman stiffened as she handed him the items, and Kyu turned to see that the rude girl from earlier was the one in line. Faced with her idol, her entire face went red and she pouted almost automatically. The inside of Kyu winced, but outwardly he merely smiled, showing off his pearly whites.

            “Oppa, I’ll have this please~” The girl said. Kyu smiled back, mimicking her, “That’s okay, as long as you pay for it customer-ssi~” He answered back in typical Kyuhyun fashion. The girl blinked, before smiling again, nodding and digging out her money. Inwardly, Kyu rolled his eyes. Of course she wouldn’t get understand that he was mocking her.

            “Oppa, I’m not a thief, of course I will pay.” Kyuhyun took the cash, wriggling his hand out of her grip without a change in facial expression, but Misun-ssi, bless her heart, read him well. She hit him, breaking whatever connection the fan was trying to create.

            “Speaking of not paying, how dare you try to give my food away for free, yah!” She hit him again, and he winced, already putting his hands out with a placating expression. From the corner of his eye, he saw the girl huff up, miffed that she was being ignored. He silently thanked Misun-ssi. The woman obviously knew her stuff, having spent enough time with her own son to recognize a celebrity’s discomfort.

            “Did you work tirelessly to cook it? Do you own this store? I’m asking you a question. Yah,yah,yah.” She smacked him a couple of times. “Do you run this store, student?” She grinned at him maliciously, and he frowned.

            “Misun-ssi~” He whined, holding his hands out to try to stop her from whacking him. “I would’ve paid you, I’m sorry~” He grinned a little, trying to appease her, and she backed off, grumbling, yelling at him to stop lolling about and get back to work. He handed the girl her change, successfully cutting her off to ask for the next person in line’s money. He watched the girl slink back, pouting, but his mind was already on other things.

Imagine someone thinking he was a student! But Nayoung-ssi had called him as such, hadn’t she. That was annoying, they had seemed to be about the same age. Then again, she hadn’t seemed to be paying much attention to him in the first place. She definitely hadn’t seemed to identify him as Kyuhyun!

            She’d also looked very tired, he noted with a slight grimace. If she was a regular, she definitely hadn’t been expecting that many people to be hanging around. She’d just wanted to get her food and to get out.

            A depressing thought occurred; Surely, I must be hated.

            He took the other person’s cash, going through the motions for the next couple of hours before very publicly leaving the store with a hug for Park Misun-ssi, and a nod to some of the regulars who worked there. He sent a tweet to the netizens, ensuring that within the next half hour, they would all know he was no longer at Kona Beans.  His ELFs were amazingly efficient with such things.

            He went back to work briefly, making a cameo at an event, mind still on Nayoung-ssi and her expression earlier that day. Though, quite frankly he had admired her wit when dealing with that girl (and wouldn’t he give anything to something like that to his more annoying fans), he’d noticed how exhausted she’d been. Even Misun-ssi had hurried her order to help her along. He thought about that weak smile she’d given him, eyes half-closed and sad.

            She’d looked defeated, he realized a bit later in the middle of a radio talk show.

            By the end of his rounds, he’d begged off any further events from his manager. He claimed he’d left something at the coffee shop. His manager was annoyed, but Kyuhyun was determined to return.

            “Psst! Misun-ssi!” Entering through the back with the key his mother had given him, he called out to the woman, gesturing at her from the employee break room. A quick glance out showed him that the coffee shop was back to normal, just a few people milling around this late in the afternoon. He wasn’t willing to risk being seen though, and Misun-ssi got over her surprise quick enough, gesturing for one of the regulars to take over and again grumbling over his rudeness.

            “What’s wrong? Why did you come back?” She asked, glancing at him with narrowed eyes and a bewildered expression. Kyuhyun let his face relax, dropping into an easy smile.

            “I had some free time, so I decided to return~” He said playfully, and Misun-ssi rolled her eyes.

            “Okay, you stay here and get some sleep, araso?” She motioned to the couch, and he felt a pang of warmth for Leeteuk Hyung’s mother. Of course she would try to get him to sleep, she knew how little free time they had.

            “Araso. When the shop is closed for a bit I’ll come out and we can talk, okay?” On a day like this when neither Sungmin or his Mom were working, he knew it must get boring with just the students working. This suited his own plans perfectly, though. She smiled. “I got it. Go to sleep.” She walked out and he smiled, finding a blanket in the corner and setting an alarm on his phone. It didn’t take long for him to begin to nap.

--

            Kyuhyun grinned at Leeteuk Hyung’s umma as she ordered some regulars around. The other workers were pretty nice, none of them female and consequently a little less inclined to freak out. Once they’d gotten his autograph they were nice enough, bringing him a small coffee to sip at as he lounged on one of the chairs. He’d turned it backwards, hugging the back to himself as he watched them all clean up while the shop was closed momentarily. He sat out of the view of the windows, content now that no one could walk in at random.

            “Misun-ssi, that girl who was part of that scene, earlier.” Misun-ssi looked up from the counter she was wiping down in surprise.

            “Nayoung-ssi?” She asked. Kyuhyun feigned surprise.

            “Was that her name? The one with the bun, on her head, that one.” He said, gesturing to his hair and mimicking the messy hairstyle that girl had worn. Strangely, it had suited her.

            “De. Kim Nayoung. She lives nearby…Ah, the poor thing.” The woman tutted, and Kyuhyun waited. Ahjummas loved to gossip, and Park Misun-ssi was no exception.

            “She seemed tired…” He noted, pretending not to be overly interested. He waited, and sure enough,

            “Oh, Nayoung-ssi is a doctor at the Apgujeong hospital.” Misun-ssi chattered excitedly. Kyuhyun blinked at her enthusiasm. Ah, she must’ve really liked Nayoung-ssi.

            “She works very long hours, the dear. She doesn’t usually come in that late, but she usually walks in at least twice a day, morning and night if she can. Sometimes her hours get messed up though, she didn’t come in last night.” The woman spoke of her with a distinct fondness. Misun-ssi grinned at him.

            “Yah, Kyuhyun-ah.” She said familiarly, and Kyu smiled at her. “Yes?” He asked. She walked up, taking a seat at the table and leaning in. She smiled happily.

            “Nayoung-ssi is a catch, isn’t she? A doctor at 25, so young and talented.” She winked at him, and Kyuhyun felt himself flush. He began to protest but Misun-ssi cut him off, clasping her hands together.

            “Ah, she and my Jung-su would be so perfect together!” Kyuhyun felt the smile slip off his face, gaping at her. Nayoung and his hyung??? Misun-ssi glanced at him, taking his hands in hers. Kyuhyun started as she leaned forward, eyes calculating.

            “Yah, Kyuhyun-ah, you think so too, right? She and my Jung-su would be great together, wouldn’t they?” Misun-ssi didn’t even bother waiting for his answer, instead nodding to herself.

            “Of course, my Jung-su only deserves the best. Nayoung-ssi would be so good for him, and a doctor too!” She clapped her hands in glee, pulling away from him. He let out a small sigh of relief, still watching her with wide eyes.

            “Ah-ah…Misun-ssi.” He said, haltingly. Misun-ssi looked to him, and he swallowed.

            “Nayoung-sii, and…Leeteuk hyung…they’ve…met, already?” He asked, feeling a pit of dread pooling in his stomach. His hyung…dating…

            Misun-ssi’s face dropped, and the dark feeling faded a little.

            “No. I’ve never gotten to introduce them.” She smiled at him though, “But I don’t think she knows Super Junior. Honestly, I think they would be very good for each other. And my Jung-su needs to get married, honestly.” She nodded her head, pursing her lips. Kyuhyun stifled a laugh, still in shock. Leeteuk, married?! No, nonono.

            He was too old for Nayoung-ssi anyway!

            He opened his mouth to say that, then caught himself. Why did he care? And since when was four years too old? What was wrong with him???

            Oblivious to his dilemma, Misun-ssi outlined how she imagined their date would go, laying a glowing review of Nayoung-ssi. She was strange in the way she liked a pro-active girl, claiming it reminded her of her and her husband’s courtship. Kyuhyun stifled a shudder, pretending to listen with a patient smile.

            “Ah, but maybe Kyuhyun-ah can help me!” Kyuhyun snapped to attention, giving her a smile.

            “Mu-muo?” He asked. Misun-ssi gave him the big doe eyes.

            “Kyuhyun-ah~” She asked plaintively, and he felt himself smile despite it all.

“Can you help me set my Jung-su on a date with Nayoung-ssi?” His smile disappeared.

            “M-Muo?!” Misun-ssi waved at his reaction.

            “Ah, you just have to convince him, it’s fine. He won’t listen to his umma, anyway. Please? Come, just do this one thing for me. This one thing.” She nodded at him, and he stuttered, trying to think of a reply when suddenly Misun-ssi glanced down, her phone buzzing in her pocket. She took it out, pressing the touch screen. Her face lit up.

            “Ah! It’s Nayoung-ssi!” Kyuhyun snapped his head towards her. “What…what is it?” Again, he tried to feign disinterest, while in actuality he was wondering how in the world she’d gotten Nayoung-ssi’s phone number. Misun-ssi was too busy looking at the screen to notice his overly-relaxed posture as he draped himself across the chair, lounging back. He craned his neck slightly, trying to get glimpses of her phone.

            “Ah, she wants to know if the coast is clear…She’s coming back, her shift must’ve ended early. Oh, because it was so busy earlier…” Misun-ssi said with sudden clarity, looking over at him. Kyuhyun felt a pang of guilt.

            “Ah…” He said. “Maybe, I could go apologize to her.” Misun-ssi looked at him with a furrowed brow.

            “Wei?” And Kyuhyun realized belatedly that he wasn’t often the type to apologize. He blushed, and worried this time that she caught it as her eyes narrowed.

            “Ah…well, maybe I can talk to her about hyung.” He said hurriedly, reaching to brush a hand through his hair. He glanced up to find Misun-ssi’s eyes turn calculating again, beginning to smirk.

            “That…is a great idea! I will go tell her the coast is clear.” She stood up and started texting rapidly, and Kyuhun let out a sigh of relief.

            Ne, Hyun-ah, put in a good word for my Jung-su, araso? Make sure to tell her how handsome he is, and smart. Make sure to mention he’s very cool, araso?” Kyuhyun smiled and nodded, frozen, while Misun-ssi barked orders at her workers to reopen the shop as the evening rolled around.

--

            Nayoung-ssi arrived 12 minutes later. He knew because he’d been glancing down at his watch, then back at the doors. The shop wasn’t actually open yet, but she didn’t seem to see the ‘closed’ sign, instead wandering in through the recently unlocked door.

            He frowned as he took in her face from behind the counter. He’d changed back into the black shirt, shamefully unsure whether she’d recognize him as the cashier-student without it.

            She seemed even tired than earlier, if that possible. She trudged in, looking a little lost, and softly murmured her order to one of the regulars before stumbling towards the table. She sank into the chair, immediately placing her head in her hands.

            Kyuhyun frowned deeper as she looked up, lacing her fingers and contemplating the wall. He approached despite this, noting as he got closer that her eyes were rimmed with red, and her whole body almost seemed to tremble. She blinked slowly, as if coming out of a long sleep, not even registering his presence as he approached.

            If anything, she looked even more defeated than before.

            When he stood right next to her, she registered his pants, glancing at what was at her eye level before slowly following the trail upwards to his face, no change in her facial expression but another slow blink.

            There were so many things he had figured on saying. So many things that he’d decided on, a cool opener, or a witty one. Even just a casual, lady-killer grin to start things off.

            Instead, he found himself swallowing, stammering his way through the simple line that escaped his lips.

            “Ah…can I buy you a drink?”