"Omo, Hyung!" Zelo stared in horror at Hoik, hands still holding his mouth. "I...I didn't know you were in here!"

 

Hoik smiled at him.

 

"Don't worry about it. Everyone already knows."

 

Zelo's eyes widened at those words.

 

"What do you mean 'everyone already knows'?!" His eyes began to fill with tears as he thought about that. If everyone knew, that meant Yongguk knew. "...Does that mean Yongguk-hyung knows too?...Then that means..." The tears began sliding down his cheeks as his face scrunched into a frown. "that means he's been messing with me all this time!" Zelo began sobbing and Hoik didn't know what to do. Knowing that Daehyun had become close with him, he ran to get him, hoping Zelo would stop crying. Instead, he hugged Daehyun and sobbed into his shoulder, as Daehyun patted his back.

 

Daehyun sent Hoik a questioning glance. Hoik shook his head. He didn't think he did anything and didn't understand why the boy suddenly began crying. Suddenly, they heard Yongguk gathering the employees.

 

"Everyone, the boss is here! Get your asses in here!" he shouted and Zelo immediately perked up, pulling himself away from Daehyun and rushing to the front of the cafe, leaving Daehyun confused. He followed after Zelo and froze in place. He couldn't believe it. It was Choi Seunghyun.

 

Zelo ran up to him and, still crying, buried his face into his shoulder.

 

"Hyung~" he whined. Seunghyun frowned as he grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back to look at his face.

 

"Zelo, why are you crying?" he asked before glaring at Yongguk. "What did you do to my little cousin?" Yongguk put his hands out and shook his head.

 

"I didn't do anything! I don't know why he's crying!" Seunghyun was angry.

 

"Well, you had better find out why he is!" he said as his eyes burned through Yongguk's face. "Get everyone in here now," he walked through the swinging door, only to find Daehyun. Daehyun jumped and stared in fear at his former employer's face. 'So he owns this cafe,' he thought to himself. 'Now i'm reallly screwed.' Seunghyun pointed at him.

 

"What are you doing here?"

 

"I...uh...I work here," Daehyun nervously replied. He didn't want to cause any more trouble than he already had. His nervousness made him appear guilty of something so Seunghyun began questioning him.

 

"Was it you? Did you make my cousin cry?"

 

"N-no! I didn't make him cry!"

 

"Right," he scoffed. "Then why is he crying?"

 

"I honestly don't know. Hoik brought me to him to try to calm him down. Maybe you should ask him!"

 

Seunghyun looked like he was about to explode with anger. With eyes narrowed and brow furrowed, he pointed his index finger at Daehyun and prodded his chest.

 

"If I hear that you do anything to hurt my little cousin, you're dead. And you already owe me for last month," he threatened and Daehyun just nodded in understanding as he fought to find the words to respond.

 

"Y-yes sir," he finally managed to stutter. Seunghyun just nodded before walking away to search for Hoik. Daehyun breathed a sigh of relief. He was lucky he really wasn't the one who made Zelo cry, not that he would ever do that. He hated seeing Zelo cry.

 

Daehyun could hear Hoik stumbling over words while trying to explain everything that happened to Seunghyun. He told him about Zelo's little outburst as he locked himself in the room without noticing Hoik's presence and how he told the boy that everyone knew about his little crush on Yongguk and how Zelo, in the end, had made himself cry. Seunghyun threatened him before bursting through the door and walking past everyone, directly to Yongguk.

 

"I--" was all Yongguk managed to get out before he was punched in the face. Seunghyun then dragged him into the office and closed the door behind them. He made sure to keep the volume low so that no one could hear their conversation. He threatened his life if he ever hurt Zelo. Yongguk just nodded while cupping his own face that was now swelling from the impact of Seunghyun's fist. He really didn't want to get hit again. Not much later, Seunghyun gave Zelo a hug and told him to call him if his hyungs were mean to him in any way and then he left.

 

Yongguk stared at the door after he left when suddenly Zelo was in his face. He jumped and almost lost his balance before the maknae caught him.

 

"I'm sorry Hyung," he said as he pouted, cheeks still stained with tears. "It's all my fault he hit you." He lightly touched Yongguk's now bruised cheek, causing him to wince. Yongguk looked at him and couldn't understand why he was hit when he didn't make Zelo cry. As he stared at him, however, he couldn't help but notice how adorable he was. He realized he was thinking about Zelo in more romantic light causing him to blush and he laughed nervously before ruffling Zelo's pink hair.

 

"I'm fine," his voice cracked as he spoke. "Don't worry about me, Zelo. Hyung's fine." He tried to walk away but Zelo pulled him into a tight hug. Yongguk's eyes widened and his face became even redder than it already was. "Z-Zelo...wha--" Zelo didn't let go and shook his head.

 

"Hyung..." Zelo timidly began. He figured he might as well tell him. "I...I l-like you." Zelo felt his own face growing hotter as he felt embarrassed. He was afraid of being rejected. Yongguk's face shifted from shock to worry within seconds of hearing those words.

 

"Z-Zelo, I..." he began as he turned his head to look at the boy. "I...like you, too. But...y-you're too young. And I'm sure that Seunghyun-hyung would not be happy about--" Zelo suddenly pecked him on the lips, effectively silencing Yongguk and causing him to stand there, gawking at him. Zelo then smiled sheepishly and let him go before running away to find Daehyun. Yongguk just stood there and Himchan walked over and began teasing him. He kept calling him names like 'e' and 'cradle-robber' to which Yongguk's only reply was a swift kick in the shin. He would have punched him in the face, only then he'd have to deal with him complaining that he ruined his beautiful face.

 

Once Zelo found Daehyun in the break room, he ran to him and threw his arms around him. Daehyun staggered a bit at the sudden weight on his back.

 

"Uh...Zelo? What now?" he asked as he looked over his shoulder to see pink hair. Zelo was crying again. Daehyun sighed before turning around and making Zelo look at him. Zelo was still smiling with tears streaming down his face.

 

"I...I told Hyung how I f-felt..." he sobbed. "A-and he said he l-liked me t-too." Daehyun was confused for a minute, then he smiled.

 

"Isn't that a good thing though?" he asked and Zelo shook his head.

 

"He said I was too young..." he pouted and Daehyun forced back a laugh. He knew that Yongguk was just trying to protect himself from Seunghyun. He ruffled Zelo's hair and smiled at the boy.

 

"You'll be alright. Now stop crying. If he said he likes you, that means you still have a chance, even if he claims you're too young." Daehyun smiled up at Zelo and gave him a hug. Hoik walked up and apologized for what he said. Zelo immediately forgave him and released himself from Daehyun to throw himself on Hoik who didn't know what to do. Daehyun chuckled before letting everyone know they had to get back to work.

 

The day continued almost as if nothing had happened. Yongguk hid in his office while everyone else took care of the cafe. While Yookwon was waiting on the customers and Himchan and Daehyun handled the register, Zico returned to visit Jaehyo. He apparently was not satisfied with the fact that Jaehyo still hadn't called him. He showed up with another of his friends this time, instead of Kyung. Kyung had decided he didn't want to go back to the cafe ever again, and for some reason, Zico didn't want to go alone. His friend caught site of Yookwon and stood still by one of the tables. Zico walked up to Himchan who rolled his eyes and huffed in annoyance.

 

"Lemme guess...you want to talk to Jaehyo?" he said before Zico could say anything. Zico just smiled and nodded. Himchan sighed before turning and pushing the swinging door halfway open. "Jae, there's someone here for you...and I'm sure I don't have to tell you who it is." Jaehyo looked back from the bowl of batter he was mixing and gave a look of disgust.

 

"Really?" he asked and Himchan nodded before rolling his eyes yet again and turning back to Zico.

 

"He'll be in here in a few minutes. Please, have a seat while you wait." Himchan was completely uninterested in either of the boys. He then reached under the counter and pulled up a new magazine. Zico walked back to his friend who had by now sat down at the table he stopped by minutes before.

 

"Minhyuk," he said, gaining only a hum of acknowledgement from the older male as he continued to watch Yookwon as he talked with customers. "What are you doing?" Zico followed Minhyuk's gaze and found the source of his distraction. He smirked as he turned to look back at Minhyuk's face. He was completely lost in his own world. Zico sighed before looking down at the table.

 

"Can I help you?" Yookwon's voice sounded in front of Minhyuk. He looked up and smirked at him. Yookwon just smiled at him as he did the other customers, thinking nothing of the look Minhyuk was giving him.

 

"You know," he began as he read the boy's name tag. "Yookwon, you have a very beautiful smile." Yookwon's smile disappeared the instant the words left Minhyuk's mouth and he slowly leaned closer to him, their faces just inches apart.

 

"You know what?" he replied as he got even closer.

 

"W-what?" Minhyuk gulped.

 

"I'm not interested," he whispered, causing Minhyuk to blush and look down at the table. Yookwon's cheerful smile returned to his face as he again asked if he could take his order. Minhyuk shook his head before he tried to get up out of the chair. Zico pulled him back into his seat and had him order something anyway. He loved watching people in uncomfortable situations, especially his friends. Once Minhyuk ordered an Americano and a slice of cake, Yookwon took out his tablet and pen and scribbled the order down. He smiled at Minhyuk again before walking back to the register. Minhyuk felt incredibly embarrassed.

 

Suddenly, Minhyuk and Zico heard some of the female customers squealing. They followed their gazes to see that Jaehyo had finally come out of the kitchen. Zico jumped up from the table and began walking toward the counter.

 

Jaehyo walked through the swinging door and took off his apron, hanging it on the hook beside the door. He told Himchan he was taking his lunch break and Himchan just waved him away and hummed a response as he stared at his modeling magazine. As soon as Jaehyo turned away from Himchan, he found Zico standing right in front of him.

 

He didn't have a chance to speak before Zico grabbed his wrist and began dragging him out of the cafe, leaving his friend Minhyuk behind.

 

"Where are we going?" Jaehyo asked Zico as they walked to the edge of the street to catch a cab. "You can let go of my wrist you know."

 

Zico released his wrist and looked at him before a cab finally pulled up to the curb. He smiled as he allowed Jaehyo to get in first. Once in the taxi, Zico grabbed Jaehyo's hand this time.

 

"You'll see," he said as he handed a piece of paper to the driver. Jaehyo looked down at their hands. Why was he holding his hand? He shifted his gaze to Zico's face. He was smiling to himself. Where was he taking him?

 

Back in the kitchen, Daehyun, Hoik, and Baekho were busy finishing Jaehyo's baking when Daehyun's phone rang loudly.

 

"Oh what now?" he groaned with a pout, knowing his mother was about to bug him for money again.

"What?" he answered as soon as he flipped open the phone.

 

"Daehyun, what have I told you about talking to me like that?!" He flinched at her loud voice as she shrieked in his ear. "Anyway, I'm in Seoul." Daehyun's eyes widened. 'Oh ,' he thought to himself.

 

"R-really?" He wasn't expecting a visit from her. He hadn't really seen her in about five years. She had been calling him, constantly asking for money, but had never bothered to pay her son a visit. Hoik noticed Daehyun's face growing red and his hand pulling at the apron as it was held in a death grip. Apparently the conversation was about to take a turn for the worst when the boys could hear his mother screaming. Hoik noticed Daehyun was about to yell back at her and he snatched the phone from him and closed it. Baekho called Zelo into the kitchen. He came running from the bathrooms he was just cleaning and Baekho told him to 'pacify' the angry bull. Zelo looked at Daehyun and frowned before grabbing him and bringing him to the break room. About an hour later, luckily the cafe was close to empty by this time, they emerged from the room and Daehyun was no longer angry.

 

Himchan, looking through his magazine, was all alone in the front of the cafe for the last hour. Everyone else cleaned up and was already headed home. Minhyuk had eventually finished his unwanted coffee and cake and left mumbling about how Zico was an for dragging him along and then leaving him. Yongguk peaked out of the office before deciding it was safe to come out. He handed Himchan the keys and told him to lock up, that he would get the keys from him the next morning, since they always got there at the same time. Jaehyo completely disappeared for the rest of the day after leaving with Zico. Zelo ran to catch up with Yongguk, who avoided him as much as possible.

 

As Himchan sat there with only the lights around the counter still on, the bell on the door jingled, catching Himchan off guard.

 

"We're cl--os--ing," he said as he looked up to find Youngjae staring back at him.

 

.........................

 

A/N:

 

i'm having some issues figuring out how to write the competition scene....wondering if anyone would mind if i canceled it in the story for some reason...?..would anyone miss that if i didn't include it? :/

 

anyway, many couples happening while Jongup is away...and Daehyun becoming a nicer person with Zelo's help :D lol...his mom still annoying as ever..and now she's in town :O

 

2469 words in this chapter :P idk why i include this little fact...i think it's cuz i'm still surprised i'm writing so much more than i EVER used to...*shrugs*

 

but seriously, is there anyone who would rather me leave the scene in the story?...and if i didn't do it, what could cause it to be canceled?..got any ideas anyone? hehe...-_- i have a headache...

 

anyway, i hope you all enjoyed this chapter at least...Jongup should be returning in the next one......