"i doubt the truth behind any of these rumors. it's impossible kibum would do that. they don't even see eye-to-eye!" jonghyun sighed.

"but it's true!" changmin shook his head a little, "i saw it. kibum was sitting opposite minho, whispering something to him!" .

jonghyun rolled his eyes, the side of his lips tugging down into a frown. "so?" he furrowed his brows, "that doesn't prove anything hyung."

"it does, it proves everything." he grabs onto jonghyun's arm, giving it a light squeeze, "if he's moving on, it's time for you to do so too. i know it's been hard on you, i've known you for a long time and though it's long over between us, i hope you know that i still care about you a lot."

for the second time, jonghyun reconsiders his thought on going out with the barista.


--


"why did you do that?" jonghyun marched into the cafeteria, hands slamming down onto the table without a second hesitation that all the freshman were present.

krystal whines as her fat-free yogurt smoothie spilled all over her freshly manicured nails, but quietens the moment jonghyun shoots a glare in her direction. there had been absolute silence; only the heavy heaving from excited juniors and a enraged jonghyun.

"wha- what do you mean?" kibum blinked his eyes -- a little too fast for jonghyun's liking.

was that nervousness in jonghyun's eyes that kibum detected?

...

or was that hurt?

"you are a prick. a ing selfish prick, kibum." jonghyun stands upright, hands folded right below his chest, teeth gritting the other set, "you knew i still liked minho, so why did you do that?"

"hyung, we can expl-"

"shut up taemin! i don't remember asking for you to speak out."

"you coward." kibum hissed.

jonghyun stared back at kibum, eyes incredulously wide and veiled with anger. "I'm sorry, what?"

"you said you liked minho, but you're doing all you can to avoid him?" he scoffed, "you're nothing but a ing coward.".

"you're all talk but when it comes to the actual doing part, you back out. i don't even see what's so good about you. maybe other than the fact that you look good, you're pretty much nothing. although, i have to admit, jonghyun... i truthfully think i'm better looking than you. it's sad to see just how bad the standards of people are these days, am i right, taemin?"

taemin's eyes were seemingly dead, unable to comprehend the situation.

"you see," kibum continues, "i don't expect you to understand this overnight or something but, sweetie, if you expect something that's such an eye-candy to be loyal and to wait on you, you're better off single. of course, i don't suppose you're that big of a fool, aren't you?" key smirked, the right side of his perfect lips curved up.

kibum had his eyes set on taemin's, hoping jonghyun wouldn't dare do something he'd regret. or maybe he did wished something would've happened. it just proved that jonghyun wasn't ready to give up on minho, and he was ready to forgo his egoistic self to get minho back (even if he had to sacrifice his beautiful self). he waits for the impact.

nothing.

nothing.

he glances to his side, seeing jonghyun with his head turned to the side, eyes tightly shut.

he gives up.

"you're right, kibum." jonghyun utters after a minute of silence, "i shouldn't have kept my hopes high. i shouldn't have wished that he'd still like me after what i've done. i shouldn't have hoped that the both of us would still have a chance. worst of them all, i shouldn't even have been friends with a two-faced hypocrite like you. i believed that we were friends and you had been supporting me. i guess i was wrong." he sniffles, "don't worry, i won't come back again.".

"jonghyun-oppa," krystal tugs on his sleeves, "this isn't ho-"

"krystal, let him be." kibum said through gritted teeth.


--


jonghyun left. 

he ran down a couple of streets till he was panting hard. he didn't want to think of anything that would remind him of the incident back in school. he didn't need that. his legs were sore and tired, about to give in the moment he took another step against the nicely cemented pavement, but he saw it. he saw that very same barista that he had been thinking about the past couple of days.

jonghyun held onto the handle, pushing the tempered-glass door. he smiles bitterly at the warmth. it's been such a long time, he hears the barista say, your usual order? jonghyun nods, lids heavy and puffed from all the crying he did. take a seat, i'll send it over in a few and he took a seat, just like what he was told to do.

never in his life had he felt colder despite the warmth. it was just so contradicting, wasn't it? just like kibum or whomever he called friends. he was disappointed at everything that had happened that he couldn't think straight. he pretty much bailed out on school, didn't he? college, anyway. he didn't really like studying on how he could dig his hands into a person's chest and cut out his heart. yes. if you haven't noticed, jonghyun majors in cardiology. the affairs of the heart. what a dig it had been on his current situation.

"here's your warm caramel latte, and the molten lava chocolate cake." the cute barista says, placing his orders on the worn out wooden table. what a contrast. the table's in such a bad condition but the items are great and... perfect.

"i'm jinki," jonghyun stares up at the barista, looking back into the tiny slits he had for eyes.

"i'm jonghyun." he smiles.


--


the whole table had been in silence after what had happened. the outburst was totally unexpected, and kibum couldn't help but shrink in guilt for what he had said. he knew he was overly mean and harsh. yes, he knew jonghyun was a attractive being. no, he did not think he was better than jonghyun in any way. who was he kidding? jonghyun was kind, friendly and he had those annoyingly adorable looks that hung onto his surprisingly manly facial features.

"you went overboard, kibum." jessica sighed.

"well i'm sor-"

"you'd better tell us that the original plan was to be executed this way." taemin butts in.

"i really didn't mean for things to go this way,"

" you! if this was the way you'd hope things will end up to be, i really hope you'll never be at ease for the rest of your life. we tried so hard to get them back together, so why did you ing do that?"


--


jonghyun had been sitting in the same corner for the past couple of hours, waiting for nine at night to arrive. jinki told him he was closing up for today, so he'd be the last to leave, probably around eleven or so. he held a wide smile when jonghyun asked if he could wait up for him, maybe grab some late-night supper.

he watched the way jinki would smile at every customer, greeting them as if he was obliged to do so (well, maybe he was) and never getting tired. he seemed happy and contented as a barista, there wouldn't be any burden or sorts; everyone just came and left. the only difference between them would be that jinki didn't need to care if his customers came in a happy mood, chatted him up and left afterwards. he sure was a little envious, but jinki probably did have worries weighing in his mind, just not showing them.

by the time it had been half past eight, the shop was almost empty -- save for the one or two pesky loitering high school students who refused to go home. they did leave eventually, at approximately nine fifteen, nine half? jinki grinned when they left, glancing at a sleeping jonghyun. he looked peaceful at that moment, so jinki hadn't bothered to wake him up till he was ready to switch off the main lights and leave for the pre-made supper date.

jinki was a nice guy that had passion in everything he did; no matter how minor it is, he'd give his all for it. even if it meant feeding rabbits, he'd make sure each of them had their fill and no other rabbit would take away their share (namely Mr. Poopyhead and Mdm. Frangipani). he liked cleaning things up, maybe that was the main reason why he'd often got closing duties for the store. you had to be really responsible, too.

"jonghyun-ah," jinki tapped jonghyun on his shoulders, hoping to wake him up.

"jonghyun," he shook him this time, it was really running late, and he was hungry.

as if on cue, jonghyun woke up, eyes stilled puffed and reddened. he stretched out his arms and shivered, doing a slight body wave while so.

"i'm sorry i took such a long time." jinki let out a embarrassed, toothy smile, hands scratching the back of his head, "we can go now.".

jonghyun nodded, smiling as wide as he could before he stopped due to the frosty tingles on the side of his cheeks. frozen cheeks. heh.


--


"jonghyun-hyung's not back yet." taemin fell onto his bed, exhaling a breath he'd held way too long.

"i'm going to talk to minho," kibum grabbed his sweater and left.


--


"you're shivering. here, take my coat." jinki offered.

"it's okay! you'll be cold if i took it."

"no! take it! i'm glad you waited up for me," jinki turned to look at jonghyun, eyes glimmering with appreciation.

"if you say so."


jinki learned that jonghyun had been heartbroken. he felt cheated by his closest friend and that his bicycle had been stolen recently. jonghyun repeated the word 'hussy' thrice in two sentences, linking them with 'kibum' and 'hypocrite'. he didn't like the way kibum treated jonghyun, but he couldn't help but feel something iffy had been going on. what did he knew anyway, he was just a new friend of jonghyun's.

jonghyun liked the way jinki would lean a little closer whenever the cold breeze attacked, messing up his hair. he couldn't lie; he'd really enjoyed jinki's company. he'd nod at everything he say, occasionally saying whatever was on his mind. he'd never expected himself to open up to someone he'd just recently knew that quickly. then again, they weren't exactly strangers-turned-friends, jonghyun had been a regular at that branch for a couple of years -- even back in high school. jinki was the just the cleaner then, he'd wipe the tables and clean the glass windows. it wasn't long before they had started to enjoy the other's silent company.