"So are you still going to deny that you know them?" Taeyeon asked Taemin as she came out of hiding. Taemin only turned around and took an audible gulp in his throat. "No," he sighed. "yeah, I know them. They're my friends." he said checking his watch and headed towards the door. Taemin flipped the "closed" sign over to "open" as he listened to Taeyeon's next words. "Seems like some of them didn't really care for you; no offense." she said tapping her finger lightly to her lips, feeling butterflies in the pit of her stomach. "I noticed when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. One of Key's specialties is intimidating stares. But I have no idea why they hate me so much. Maybe because of last summer but-" Taemin stopped himself from rambling on.

Taeyeon's ears perked up when she heard the words "last summer" floating in the air. "Last summer? What happened last summer with them?" Of course she had an idea, but it's not good to assume. Taemin swore he saw little horns forming on her head. Again with the questions? Taemin thought as he tried to think of a way to get out of this. "Hello? I still need to be trained here!" Kyuhyun making wild gesticulations above his head to catch attention coming in from the kitchen. "Oh yeah, let's get started then!" Taemin said brightly, thinking, Thank god you're here Kyuhyun. "Yah! I asked you a question!" she yelled slapping a hand against the glass box covering the pastries. "So first you want to grab the milk, which we keep over here-" Taemin started teaching Kyuhyun loudly and obnoxiously to drown out Taeyeon's fit.

Finally after about a full minute of unsuccessful threats, Taeyeon gave up with an angered huff. Lee Taemin, I will find out sooner or later. Don't under estimate me. She thought with a scrunched forehead and a menacing glare. "Yah, Taeyeon! I hope you plan on re-cleaning that glass, I don't think you guests would like to see fingerprints covering their view." Siwon said passing her from behind. "Yeah, yeah. I'll get to it." she said sitting her flat on a chair in the corner of the store and fished her cell phone from her pocket.

Sent at 8:08 AM
Taeyeon: Baby, are you going to come by tonight ^^?

Sent at 8:10
Minho: Of course I will babe. Kibum wanted to come
by anyway. ^^

Sent at 8:12
Minho: Oh, I'll be dropping by again soon. I think I
dropped my only pencil back in the shop.

Damn it, why did I choose to work Monday mornings? I could have been with Minho in class right now. She thought making a frown. Being in a corner all alone, staring at a screen, and frowning made her seem like a loser to Kyuhyun. "Hey, why is she all in your business and stuff? She should be working on her own life instead of butting into yours." Kyuhyun giggled quietly, interrupting Taemin's lesson on how to drizzle chocolate syrup. It was definitely not the right moment to say that while Taemin was squeezing the bottle, because the outcome was a bit of a sticky situation.

In the midst of laughing out loud about Kyuhyun's comment, Taemin squished the bottle, causing the loose cap to swivel off. The dark mocha oozed slowly onto the worker's fingers and coated it gently like a flawless chocolate dipped strawberry seen on TV commercials. "Ah, Kyuhyun." Taemin cursed out of habit, then looked up around the shop to find that he was in luck with no customers around to hear. "Aish, I'm sorry Taemin. Let me help you with that." Kyuhyun offered. "Thanks- Wait what're you-?" Taemin wasn't sure what to say after the older man slipped a single sugary finger into his mouth.

Pleasure jolted through his body. The younger one was speechless as he met with Kyuhyun's innocent eyes. Kyuhyun didn't seem to care that he was doing this sort of thing in public. It wasn't embarrassing at all to him, but on the other hand, Taemin was burning hot and bright red. "U-Uh, Kyuhyun...." he said looking away towards the door to find the first customer of the day standing in shock. Nevermind, he wasn't a customer; just Minho. M-Minho?! 

There was no way of hiding his emotions; Minho stood there astonished by the couple in front of him. So as soon as I leave they start getting intimate with each other?! Minho bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep his temper from reaching it's maximum, and punching this guy in his face. How could Taemin let him to that? He wouldn't even let me do that last summer. It dawned on the man that he was being absurd comparing this. Taemin was nothing to him, right? So ing what. Then Minho ignored the two, greeted his girlfriend, and examined the ground for his utencil.

Taemin peeked over the counter to glance at the man, wondering what he was up to. Taemin barely got to see the side of Minho's face before his swollen fingers were released and Kyuhyun tugged Taemin's wrist forward, tripping him into the older's chest. Taemin released an "Ah!" out of surprise as he fell forward. It was truly something seen in an anime. Reacting to Taemin's tone of voice, Minho popped up due to his natural defensiveness. (Which he wishes he had never aquired as a personality trait, because right now, it shows that he cares even the slightest bit for Taemin)

Taemin easily found Minho's large, circular eyes watching him fall into another man's arms. Falling into another man's arms. This was his chance to show Minho that he was doing great without him in his life.

Right as he fell into Kyuhyun's arms, Taemin's shocked feelings turned into those of enjoyment. The younger smiled and laughed into his hyung's chest, and eventually let his arms wrap around Kyuhyun's waist, locking him into a tight hold. The tight hold from Taemin sent a warm surge up the older worker's spine, making him smile under the amazing sensation he felt. All was going great, and could even get better than this as Kyuhyun found another opportunity of flirting with his attractive dongsaeng. The older loosened his grip on the boy and pushed him back a bit.

"Omo, Taemin. You have some mocha on your face from earlier!" he exclaimed, then slowly made bent down to aid the messy boy. His slippery tongue cleaned the surface of Taemin's cheek that hadn't contacted Kyuhyun's apron in only a single swipe. Then, lips as smooth as butter gently pecked the spot in a caring kiss, sending the younger's head spinning through the roof. Taemin was really enjoying this attention, he heard firecrackers ringing in his ears, almost the same feeling he felt with Minho. Kyuhyun smirked and looked towards Minho who was seemingly frozen.

No, absolutely not. There was not a chance in the world that Minho was actually jealous. Offer him up three million won for an honest answer, and he still wouldn't admit it. The man spoke to himself in his mind, repeating the sentence, I am not jealous, over and over again until he was positive that he's be taking these words into his sleep. Although he repeated those words, there was a voice telling him, You are, following each denial. Yes, the devil was definitely eating him from the inside, out. There is positively no way he could ever love Taemin again after what he'd been through.

I am not jealous. (Yes you are) I don't need Taemin. (Yes you do) I'm going crazy. (Crazy for that boy) At that moment, Minho has had enough of this. Without a word to the workers, even to his own girlfriend, he stormed out of the shop without his belonging in hand. What a crappy day to turn into a lunatic. There was a 100 point test to be done that period.

"Well that was quite a show, don't you think?" Kyuhyun's laugh was a bit unsteady for a confusing reason: he couldn't figure out why there was a mini electrical surge whenever he touched the boy. Especially holding him in his arms. This thing has never happened before, even with helping others with relationship problems. Looks like he has his own now.

This is totally wrong. Could it be that.... Minho was the boy at the beach?

~~~~~

Usually Taemin would have been just getting off of his break right now, but ever since the coffee spill incident last Friday, Siwon didn't want to risk another screw up during rush hour. He was alone in the break room at 6:05 PM, watching the clock slowly tick by, waiting for the next 25 minutes to pass so that he could return to his job. It was only two minutes later that Taemin got a visitor. Just like he said earlier, Key showed up with his unusually solemn face. Taemin offered a drink, but Key refused, saying he wanted to get right down to his business.

"Taemin. Are you dating that guy?" he asked clasping his ands together and putting them on the table between them. "Who, Kyuhyun? Oh no, we barely just met today. Kind of." Taemin stated the truth. "What do you mean kind of? I heard he your fingers, what do you make of that?" Key said getting a bit testy thinking that Taemin was lying. "I spilled chocolate on myself, and when he offered to help me, I thought he meant with a towel. I swear." Taemin said while using hand gestures to act out what happened.

A voice in Kibum's head instructed him to be patient with the younger. The interrogation wouldn't get anywhere with flared tempers. Key took a deep breath and proceeded with the questions he planned out in his head earlier. Then, he asked the vague question of "Why?", expecting Taemin to know what he was talking about. "Uh, why what?" Taemin questioned back. "You ing know exactly why!" Kibum bursted out of no where, even standing up from his chair to point his finger only an inch away from the tip of Taemin's nose. "I don't know what the you're talking about!" Taemin screamed back, slamming his hands down on the table.

Watching his dongsaeng act like this, made Key realize that this was exactly what his grandma told him not to do. Damn temperament. Kibum rubbing and clawed at his own face, apologized briefly, and sat back down. "Let's try this again. Why did you abandon Minho and the rest of us?" although he asked calmly, there were shards of fire set ablaze in his eyes. "I never abandoned Minho. He was the one who abandoned me. So I don't understand why you hate me." Again, the hatred for Taemin had died down, and Kibum was on a tolerance level with this kid. "This isn't making sense right now. Okay, explain your side of the story, starting from when you and Minho stopped talking."

"I left my phone at home, and after a long day at work I come home to find out about this scheduled move I had planned carelessly a year before. You know, Jongin-" Taemin had taken up ten to fifteen minutes to finish his whole side of the story, all the way from his cell phone, to thinking about Minho everyday of the past year. By the end, guilt was beating Key right on the head.

"Holy Taemin, I'm so sorry for acting like such an before! I thought- we all thought that you had cheated on Minho!" Kibum exclaimed springing out of his seat and flinging himself on Taemin across the table. "Oh , forgive me darling. You know it's really hard to hate you right? Being so adorable and all?" he tried flattering the boy with his words, making it easier to forgive him. "Kibum?" Taemin called. Key answered with a noise in his throat. "I know you well enough to know that you wanted to kill me." Taemin laughed. The two joked about some more and then Kibum began to tell about Minho's past year.

"It's really been hell for the poor guy. He was so broken hearted and desperate for love that he's been with so many people in the school! The list goes on more than I can count on four peoples fingers and toes!" he said sadly. "So he's been.... Sleeping around?" Taemin asked a bit disappointed and grossed out. "Oh Jesus, no. He's kept his promise of waiting for marriage. The promise he kept you, remember?" Kibum's smile spread from ear to ear, knowing that the younger would be pleased to hear that. And of course, with no doubt about it Taemin was over joyed and let out a relieved sigh. But a litle part of the boy was pissed of that Minho technically did cheat on him. But only because he thought he was cheating. The whole thing was confusing, so Taemin shut out his own thoughts.

"But another thing, that girl he's dating? Taeyeon right? Don't you think you two look alike?" he then asked with a tilt of his head, examining Taemin's face a bit closer. "When we are out together people often ask if we are twins, but I don't really see it." Taemin chuckled. "Well if you don't really see it, the rest of us do. The group almost passed out when we first met Taeyeon, we thought it was you dressed in drag. Ha, she's as flat chested as a man anyway." A bump was heard by the mini kitchen, but the two didn't pay any mind to it.

"Anyways, since you two look alike, I have a feeling that Minho is dating her only for looks. Because hello, she looks like you. The one he really loves, get it?" Key said with much cockiness. "Woah, we don't know that for sure. What if he really likes her? I mean, she has more to offer." Taemin took a change in attitude. "What the hell are you saying? Shut up. Listen to me," Kibum said grabbing Taemin's hand. "you and Minho are meant to be, and that is your fate. I'm going to let the group know about this, except for Minho. He wouldn't believe me. But you, you need to tell him yourself."

"I-I don't know about this. I can't take him away from my best friend, that's such a douchebag move." plus I'm not sure if I still love him anymore. That's what Taemin really wanted to say, he wouldn't give a less about Taeyeon if he could have Minho back, but there's a roadblock: Kyuhyun. And Taemin wasn't very comfortable with the fact that Minho has been around. " her! You and Minho are better together anyway, she's more like a fangirl and a girlfriend." Key laughed. "That's what I was thinking!" Taemin agreed and crowed along. "But i'm telling you, let him know your feelings and explain the truth. It's as easy as that." 

"Ha, easier said than done." Taemin said. "Well, i'll talk to you soon about this. I have to go and make sure Jonghyun didn't burn the house down." Key said zipping up his jacket half way and fishing for his keys in his pocket. "He volunteered to cook again?" Taemin wondered. "Does that every night, shouldn't be much of a surprise." Key replied walking over to exit the room. "See you later, Tae." then the man opened the door and shut it carefully behind him. Sounds great hearing my nickname from him again. Taemin smiled to himself, but here began another problem: conflict of internal feelings for both Minho and Kyuhyun.

Long after Taemin had left the room, Taeyeon creeped out of her little cave under the kitchen counter muttering things to herself. "Lee Taemin, there is no way you're taking my love away from me."

But am I really as flat as a man? she thought looking down the neck hole of her shirt.

A/N: Yay!! Bummie and Taebaby are close again ^^ wah, so much stuff to take in this chapter right? Can't you all tell that things are heating up in the coffee shop? But here comes the internal conflict, and what is Taeyeon planning in the sick little mind of hers? I feel very successful with this chapter, i'm very pleased! I hope you enjoyed~ Until next chapter!
                                  Annyeonghigaseyo!~ S