Destin Savoureux

It was quite a small establishment; a coffee place. Every piece of furniture was a different shade of either chestnut or crimson and the aromas that wafted through the air would make one picture the soft glows of a New York apartment owned by a striving artist.

It was small, but it was captivating, whoever entered through its embossed glass doors would return time and time again. It was the most addicting of places though it never experienced any changes in its menu, interior or even employees.

Time appeared to be frozen at Destin Savoureux, as if it were open to remind its clients that the world outside was much too harsh, that they needed a place where the paces of moments, minutes, seconds, hours were never an issue. They needed a place to escape their frighteningly mundane destinies, if only for a little while.

Regular customers, although scarce in the hustle and bustle of the city, stayed regulars. Including a certain group of six individuals, each with a story to tell and each with a life they wished they could change.

“Looks like rain.” Kris, a college student who worked at a local diner, stated dully, staring out at the accumulating gray clouds in the world above as he puffed on his cigarette.

“Dammit.” Chanyeol cursed in a low voice, noting the bad weather. He grabbed his phone and other belongings and shoved them in his brief case. He was a young business associate, an intern at his father’s company. They handled stocks and other boring effects Kris never bothered to listen to. “I have to get back to the damn office, that new intern is there ing up and I’ll be damned if I’m driving there in the rain with the mood I’m in right now.”

“Hey, you mind taking me with you?” Jong In asked lazily, leaning back into the cushiony seats and putting his legs on Kyungsoo’s lap. He was a runaway of some sort; he managed to make it big in the dancing industry despite his lack of training. He was a theatre type so no one in this side of the city recognized him but he enjoyed that kind of life, it fit his personality a bit more than just distinction. “I gotta get back to the flat or else Joon-Myeon is going to throw a fit. I’m serious. That motherer will not shut up for a minute to let me explain where I’ve been.”

“He worries about you.” Kyungsoo said simply, quietly, sipping his mug of warm, steaming coffee. His maroon sweater sleeves were stretched over his hands so he didn’t burn himself; the cup was hot. From what Kris could understand but Kyungsoo never actually offered as a fact, he was a huge dreamer. He was a singer at some point, but because he was too timid and had severe stage fright, he decided to just let the safer side of life take things over. He gave up singing and instead worked a small, but beneficial day job. He had a good enough apartment that was immaculate but he never had anyone to clean up after so it was probably understandable.

“I’m not dragging your back home.” Chanyeol said, hurriedly as he straightened his tie and grabbed his suitcase. “Your place is on the other side of town and as much as I love Joon-Myeon, you will ing deal with the ing because I’m running late and am about to get my lit on fire.”

“Jesus…” Jong In muttered, letting his hair fall over his eyes. “Hey, Luhan, what about you? You got time?”

The dirty blond-haired beauty shook his head. “I got a late shift at the bar tonight, I’m going there directly after.”

Jong In smirked, childishly. “Then take me to the bar, I can probably stay, have fun for a while and find someone to take me home.”

Kyungsoo was uncomfortable, Kris noted, as he studied him with knowing eyes. “You aren’t going to a ing bar, man, you’re underage.” Kris scolded, stretching out his sore limbs.

“Is everyone on their period today?” Jong In scoffed. “I was joking.”

“I can take you home.” Kyungsoo stated finally, staring emptily into his mug at the swirling foam.

“I owe you one.”

“Like you’d ever return the favor,” Luhan joked, tapping on the buttons of his phone.

“Oh yeah?” Jong In egged, irritably. “How’s that high school student you’re doing by the way? Do his parents know about you yet?”

Luhan’s eyes sparkled with devilish playfulness, yet his face still showed the innocent expression he wore day after day, like a mask. “When have the parents ever known about me?”

Luhan was one of Kris’s oldest friends. They were roommates as teenagers after Luhan’s folks kicked him out for coming out of the closet and Kris just couldn’t stand sponging off his financially troubled parents. They moved in together and they started a little life all their own.

Luhan was always an indecisive lover and it annoyed the hell out of Kris. He always looked so innocent and endearing, but underneath it all, Kris knew he was one of the biggest s on the planet, but he loved him when he wasn't acting the part.

He was now in the midst of screwing some kid, a senior in high school. He went by Sehun and no one in the group besides Kyungsoo had ever met him, after an incident involving Kyungsoo having to help sneak the kid back into his bedroom when he was passed out drinking at Luhan’s place.

“Dangerous you’re getting into, Lulu.” Chanyeol said worriedly. God only knew why, but Chanyeol only seemed to talk pleasantly to Luhan. He was a er for cute faces, they all guessed.

“Oh, he’s legal.” Luhan said, waving it off.

“Yeah, too bad he’s easy…” MinSeok said, downing an espresso shot.

Luhan scoffed. “You say that about everyone I date.”

“I say that about everyone you’ve ed.” MinSeok corrected with a smile. “And you’ve basically screwed everyone you say you dated, dear Lulu.”

Luhan rolled his eyes. “Atleast I have fun. How’s your monogamous two year relationship with that guy I’ve never even met?”

“You’ve met him.”MinSeok exclaimed, eyeing him as he downed another shot.

Luhan raised an eyebrow, inquisitively. Kris leaned forward and said, quietly into Luhan’s ear, “You were hammered that day.”

Luhan’s lips formed an ‘o’, he suddenly looked guilty as he scratched the back of his head with sheepishness.

“Yeah, Jong-Dae never wants to meet you again.” MinSeok said simply and sweetly.

MinSeok was one of the only ‘put-together’ people, as Kris called it, of their little group. He was a librarian at some old, ancient place. Apparently a landmark, ergo he got paid a good amount. He had his own place, he had his life on track, not to mention a steady boyfriend. His squeeze, as Kris liked to say, was a talented singer at a bar not too far off from Destin Savoureux.

They never brought it up before because it seemed an awkward topic, but Kris knew for a fact that Min-Seok and Luhan had the entire ‘friends with benefits’ deal back when they were in high school and due to that, Kris never actually liked him until they all started college, when Min-Seok broke it off after meeting the, in his own words, amiable Jong-Dae, i.e. a person he actually had to have dinner with and converse with as opposed to him and Luhan’s relationship, which was, at best, irrelevant and devoid even if a little fun.

Min-Seok was structured. He knew exactly where he was going be five years from now. He knew when and where to deal with things. He seemed out of place in a group of low-lives like the others, who all were too scared to pursue anything they wanted. He was smart, calculative and sincere, something that everyone grew to be enviable of despite their constant attacks on his supposedly ‘boring’ and ‘controlled’. What he did, according to himself and obviously, Jong-Dae, was what he considered fun.

“That’s all that matters don’t it…?” Kris muttered, in a low voice that no one paid any mind to.

Luhan’s ears perked up. He heard Kris, but decided not to question his secluded roommate, but he did look at him, inquisitively, before slowly turning his attention back to his busy phone conversations.

“Seeya,” Chanyeol grunted as he rushed out the door.

“Yeah,” Jong In said, stretching. “We might as well leave, too.”

He tapped Kyungsoo on the arm and nudged his head, signaling it was time to leave even though Kyungsoo had not yet finished his mug. He desolately set down the cup and followed behind Jong In. The way he was walking, you might as well have drawn a little rain cloud over his head.

Min-Seok glanced at his leather wrist watch. “Oh! I gotta get back; Jong-Dae and I were planning to go out for dinner.”

“Your other half.” Luhan said, in sickly sweet tone, while batting his eyelashes and putting his fists to his cheeks.

“ off, Lulu.” Min-Seok replied, in a sing-song voice while zipping his messenger bag shut and slinging it over his shoulder. “See you guys.”

Kris raised his hand in response and Luhan distractedly blurted a farewell while rapidly tapping the buttons of his mobile, as he’d been doing for the entire two hours they’d been here.

Luhan jumped up with a pleasantly surprised look at his phone. “Looks like my shifts pushed forward to a couple hours from now!”

“You could’ve taken Jong-In home instead of sticking him with Kyungsoo then.” Kris replied, aloofly.

Luhan’s was taken back. “Huh? When did that happen?”

“Couple minutes ago. You know, phones do cause brain cancer maybe your memory loss is the cause of a tumor.” Kris retorted.

“I hope Kyungsoo is alright…” Luhan said, putting his head in his land and leaning his elbow on the table.

“No one ever died from being around a person they were…partial to.”

“For a prolonged amount of time, it could happen, man.” Luhan replied, forebodingly. “He’s probably dead right now.”

Kris sipped from Kyungsoo’s abandoned mug, noting the money left under it to pay for the drink. An immediate sweet and foamy flavor attacked his taste buds and he set the mug down, quickly, rubbing his mouth on his arm. At least Kyungsoo left some money for it; Kris sure as hell wasn’t going to pay for that disgusting beverage. 

“Anyways, I got a few hours.” Luhan said, mischievously, grabbing his coat. “I think I’ll drop by a friend’s house.”

“Say hi to him for me.” Kris said, nonchalantly. “Just make sure to leave before he goes beddy-bye.”

“Oh, for ’s sake, he’s an eighteen year old about to graduate in six months, not a kindergartner.”

“Okay.” Kris replied. “Just remember to bring a binky with you.”

“ you.”

Luhan shoved his arms through the sleeves of his chic black jacket. “Don’t spend too much time alone here.”

Kris nudged his head upwards and lifted Kyungsoo’s mug as if making a toast. “Don’t be so late coming home tonight.”

Luhan through his thick, wavy hair and smiled roguishly. He affectionately gave Kris a small peck on the cheek before retreating. Kris rubbed the spot petulantly.

Kris sat alone, now, in the corner of the aromatic coffee shop where this little pity party was formed five years back, albeit with less members.

Kris took one long drag of his cigarette and expelled the smoke, watching it shape itself into little swirls, tongues at the ceiling and walls. He breathed deeply, feeling the euphoria from the inhalation make its own way to his mind and stomach, the tingling sensation calming him down.

His eyes made their way to the window once again, to stare at the onslaught of busy city-goers trying to make their way home after long day shifts; too many people, too suffocating.

It wasn’t the tall frame that nearly matched his own that had caught Kris’s gaze. Nor was it the brooding posture or the depressing air in the surroundings, but it was the two sharp, dark eyes that looked sinister and threatening, but yet upon closer gaze seemed so sad and pitiful. They were defined; they were complimented by the little dark swellings under them, making them look more innocent than they intended to be. They belonged to a face Kris had never seen, an enthralling pale complexion, and an aquiline nose with cat-like lips that added a delicate y look to the rest of his angular face.

His hair, like the rest of his outfit, was jet black. His captivating onyx eyes met Kris’s for but a moment, seeming locked and intent on them, only to continue down the street along with bustling crowd;

Disappearing like the faces in a dream after waking up.