Kibum’s POV

“Key! Clean up table no.5!” Se Kyung called from across the café as she was cleaning up a table herself.

“Right away,” I hollered back as I made my way over to the table no.5.

I cannot believe I actually survived yesterday’s work with the whole guy customer transforming into a female worker. Nobody even noticed that I went missing, leaving behind my cup of untouched coffee and like, five minutes later, Key miraculously stepped out of the girls’ changing room when no one saw her enter the café at all. I really am almighty.

Today was the third day of work for me and already, it was my busiest day yet. This must be the hundredth time I am going to clean a table. My arm muscles have gone sore from carrying all those heavy dirty dishes and wiping tables. Customers kept flooding into the café even when there were already so many people waiting for a table to clear up. It was a good thing I wore flats today or I would be limping by now. I wonder how these two used to manage when the three of us can’t, right now.

I spared a glance at Choi Minho confidently serving tables carrying plates of dishes in one arm and a tray of drinks in another. How long did it take him to muster that? I bet it didn’t take long. Se Kyung told me that this idiot was in fact a genius. I was just curious about this arrogant bastard’s personality and pried for information from Se Kyung so that I would know how to deal with him next time he decided to have another verbal battle. Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree and she gushed everything positive about that guy which I don’t need, by the way. She practically made him sound like an angel from heaven. Sigh…Let’s just say that Se Kyung is a bad choice to ask if you want to know anything bad about Choi Minho.

Speaking of that guy, I wonder why he wasn’t at work yesterday. If my terrible source of information was right, he’s supposed to be an extremely responsible and hardworking (can you see me rolling my eyes right now?) person. It seems he has never missed a single shift even when he was sick.

My eyes followed his movements as he dropped a pile of dirty dishes into a basin, speed walked to the counter to relay more orders and grabbed a few more plates of food to serve. There wasn’t even a hint of annoyance and exhaustion at the workload. Hmm…maybe he isn’t as bad as I make him out to be.

Just when that thought came up in my mind, Choi Minho swivelled around as if he noticed someone watching him and his eyes locked with mine. There was a three seconds freeze as neither of us moved and there was this sudden flash of emotion in his eyes that I couldn’t quite catch. It was there for like one second and gone the next making me think that it might be a figment of my imagination. Then, the corner of his lips pulled up in a cocky smirk and I could almost see the words are you checking me out? forming in that thick skull of his. I rolled my eyes in response.

“Excuse me, miss. Are you done cleaning the table?”

I startled and straightened up in a hurry not noticing my surrounding and bumped against the guy who was standing behind me. He gave me a glare and I felt a shiver travel down my spine. It was completely scary.

I swallowed hard and bowed to the guy. “I’m so so sorry, sir.”

“Whatever. I’m only letting you off because you’re pretty and I’m in a good mood,” he said intimidatingly and exited the café.

“Miss, are you or are you not done with cleaning up this table?”

Oh, god! I totally forgot about my job. “I’m so sorry! Just give me a minute.”

I wiped the table one last time, swept the dishes into my arms and walked off. On my way to the kitchen, I caught Choi Minho in the corner of my eye, chuckling in mocked amusement at me. I mentally cursed myself for thinking that he might not be that bad a guy.

By the end of my shift, my whole body was aching. I swear, every time I moved a limb, I could hear them creaking like they were connected by rusty old hinges. To avoid further bodily damage, I sat down on one of the tables. I had to wait for everyone else to leave before I change back to being the guy me and so, like the past two days, I offered to close the shop by myself again.

 I think I must have been too exhausted as I fell asleep waiting for them to leave. Well, I think I fell asleep. I’m not so sure because I was…I don’t know. Could it be that I was having a dream? Or was it a past memory? Because it felt so familiar to me. It felt like I’ve been there. The images felt too close to home for my comfort. At first, it showed that I was at a park…laughing as I skipped along the walkway…there was someone behind me…he was following me…I couldn’t see his face…but he was happy…and I was happy when I see him happy…he was lagging behind…I waved for him to come faster…I was impatient…then, I looked back and he disappeared…he just vanished…I was scared…I was so scared…he left me all alone…where is he? I have to find him! I have to-

“Hey, Key! Wake up!” a sharp voice penetrated into my dream and I felt my shoulders being shook roughly.

I gasped aloud as my eyes opened and absorbed my surroundings, reassuring me that I was safe. That it was just a bad dream. A nightmare. I looked up at the person whose hands were still on my shoulders and I instantly wished that I was dreaming about punching his face.

“Why are you still here?” I said it rudely. He being here was actually a good distraction from the dream.

The barely there yet haughty smirk surfaced again as he leaned lazily against the table in front of me. “Well, I thought I might as well help you close the shop since I’m, out of the ordinary, feeling kind. Besides, I don’t really trust you after witnessing your quality of work today.”

If only I can sew his lips together, then I wouldn’t have to see that stupid smirk on his face again.

“I don’t need your help. I was fine the last two days so I’ll be fine today and the rest of the days to come. So go home and leave me the hell alone.”

“Can’t,” he said simply.

I glared daggers at him. “Can’t or won’t?”

“Both?”

“Just get lost, will you!” I screamed in frustration.

He mocked a thoughtful face before saying, “If I get what I want, I’ll leave you alone.”

I snorted. “You’re not getting anything from me. Period. Now, buzz off.”

Choi Minho tilted his head sideways at me. “You’re rude as a girl. Are you sure you’re not just pretending to be one when in fact, you’re a guy?”

My entire body froze. My pupils dilated with fear. My heart went twice the usual speed. Did he found me out? Did his genius brain figure me out? He knows? He really knows? But how? It’s only been two days! He couldn’t be that good a genius right? And my makeup skill is flawless! So how? How did he know? When did he know?

No. I had to confirm that I heard the right thing. “What did you say?”

“What?  You’re getting a shock because I said you’re such a tomboy?” he chuckled.

I laughed nervously as I heaved a sigh of relief. My secret was safe. At least for now. I have to be extra careful around him next time.

“Anyway, do you have a boyfriend?” he asked out of nowhere.

What?!

A fox smile lifted my lips. ”Why? You wanna be it?”

‘I’d rather be with a donkey. I’m only asking for my friend.”

“Obviously I don’t have one,” I said with a roll of my eyes. Why would a guy date another guy, anyway? It sounds so wrong.

“Is that so?” his eyes seemed to see through me. “Not even an ex?”

I huffed in impatience. Why won’t he give up? “No. I’ve never had a boyfriend. Ever. Are you happy now?”

He was silent as he studied me? Well, at least it looked that way to me. I was suddenly feeling protective of myself. I forced my mind to go blank. I willed myself to think about nothing except stabbing him with a kitchen knife. He was not going to read me and get away with it. I won’t allow it.

“Where were you yesterday before you came in for work?” it sounded like an interrogation.

“I was just walking around. What’s it to you what I do?” I decided to stick to the truth as much as I can. I don’t want him noticing something fishy about my expression and such.

“Se Kyung told me you were early. Why?”

“Why do you need to know? You weren’t even here yesterday. Mind telling me why that is?”

He did not answer my question but watched me in silence. Suddenly, he moved away from the table he was leaning on and walked towards the door. “Well, I’ll be leaving now. Have fun closing the shop by yourself.”

“Wait! You’re not closing the shop with me?”

He looked over his shoulders. “I‘ve changed my mind. Oh, one more thing, this place is crawling with drunkards and drug addicts by this time. So stay safe.” And he left just like that.

He must have thought that he could scare me with that. Huh. Tough luck. “Man, I pity whoever it is that becomes his girlfriend,” I said to myself as I changed.

Minho’s POV

I was hiding behind the same pillar again, waiting for him to change and come out. He should take a few minutes. I took the opportunity to go over our conversation. He said he didn’t have any boyfriend and he said it from a guy’s point of view and not as the girl he was being at the time. Yet, I could tell he was being truthful and honest. Straight forward. There was not a hint of hesitation in his voice. But how can that be? Could he have gotten over the break up with Jonghyun? No. He was exceptionally blissful when he was with Jonghyun. It was not possible that the break up did not affect him at all. If he so much as thought of Jonghyun or anything relating to him, it would have showed up in his eyes. He would have thought about it even if it was only for a moment and I would have caught him at it. He even saw Jonghyun on his first day of work and even encountered him head on. Yet, there was nothing in his expression at that time that suggested that they have met and have loved each other for a year. I would never have thought that Jonghyun could recognize him. I could have stopped him easily but I had wanted to see what would happen so I only intervened when Se Kyung started freaking out at me. Even then, Kibum’s face only showed hatred and irritation at what Jonghyun had done to his hair. It was as clear as water. There’s no doubt that he knew he has never been in a relationship with anyone. Not with girls and definitely not with guys. I saw the momentary flash of disgust when he said he didn’t have a boyfriend. Yet, my memory of Kibum tells me he has been gay all his life and proud of it.

Something wrong must have happened.  No one can so utterly and completely forget someone. There must be a lingering memory of the hardest or the happiest moments of everything one has gone through in life and the relationship Kibum had with Jonghyun had been a rollercoaster ride full of emotion. So there was just no way that he never thought about Jonghyun at all. No one can be that good an actor and Jonghyun, being the drunk that he was yesterday, had indeed saw Kibum. He must have been walking around here when Jonghyun co-incidentally looked around and saw him. He was telling the truth. Too bad I couldn’t tell him that. Not yet.

A small movement caught in the corner of my eye and I looked towards the café where a skinny boy had appeared out of. Kibum hummed to himself as he locked the door. I watched as he pulled down and locked the shutters. I continued observing him as he walked home. I contemplated following him but thought better against it. I came out of hiding and took in his appearance from head to foot from the back. He hasn’t changed one bit. His height and built. His fashion sense. His way of speech. His personality. Nothing has changed except for him being oblivious towards Jonghyun. And me.

It took all my will power to stay focused in getting answers out of him when all I wanted was to grab him into my arms and demand a full explanation from him. I sighed in exasperation as I ran a hand through my hair. Keep a cool head, Minho. You still have to check on Jonghyun after this.

Having thought that, I turned away from Kibum and went down the road towards Jonghyun's house.

Kim Kibum…when are you going to tell me what happened?

Jonghyun’s POV

 “Jonghyun?”

“Jjong?”

“Jjong, wake up.”

I groaned as I turned towards my left and pulled the covers over my head in an attempt to drown out the morning call and get myself more sleep. A sigh sounded under the covers with me followed by a light feathery kiss on my lips a few seconds later. I grinned as I curved my mouth around those soft plump lips and pulled him closer to me by his neck for a longer, wilder kiss.

Kibum pushed me away when he had to come up for air after our ferocious tongue battle (which I won, of course) and his breathless voice sounded annoyed as he said, “Honestly, Jjong. Is there any other way to wake you up besides kissing?”

I yawned aloud, stretching my limbs before opening my eyes and taking in the beautiful view in front of me. The view of Kim Kibum with his lips slightly bruised, his blonde hair messy wearing my plain white dress shirt that was too big for him and the bright sunlight touching his flawlessly pale face was just so utterly heartbreakingly beautiful.

I smiled as I trailed one finger across his forehead down to his nose and traced the perfect curves of his lips which had turned up in my favourite barely there fox smile.

“Can’t get enough of me?”

I smiled wider at his flirt. “Come here, silly.”

I pulled him into my arms, tucking his head under my chin as I let out a sigh of content. “I can never get enough of you. Now, stay like this for five minutes. School can wait.”

“We’re gonna be in detention for this again, you know?” his muffled voice sounded against my chest.

“Well, isn’t that a good thing? There’s so much more we can do when no one’s around,” I said mischievously.

Kibum chuckled into my chest as he snuggled closer. I could hear him breathing in my scent and his body relaxed considerably after that like he felt so much more secured.

I sighed another happy sigh as I closed my eyes, enjoying the blissful moment with the love of my life for the millionth time.

“Jonghyun…”

“Jonghyun?”

“Hyung!”

Kibum vanished from within my arms. The warm sunlight faded into darkness. Everything was suddenly empty and cold.

“Jonghyun hyung! Wake up!”

I sat up with a gasp and looked wildly around me. I was in my bed. The sun was just rising outside my room. And Kibum…Kibum was nowhere to be found. All there is in front of me is Minho. I huffed in frustration as I fell back into my bed. One more relived memory. One more cut through my already bleeding heart.

“Another nightmare?”

I considered not answering him at first. I was not in a mood for it and my head was hurting like hell. Stupid hangover. But I needed something to distract me from the pain in my head. So why not talk to Minho? He always manages to get on my nerves every time he opens his goddamn witty mouth and I could use that kind of distraction now.

“That’s an understatement.”

Minho backed away from my bedside to lean against the wall behind him as he kept his eyes on me. “How’s the hangover?”

“Like my brain’s full of on a blender.”

“Can’t you describe it in a better way?”

“Does it look like I can, right now?”

Minho ignored my question and went silent for a minute. Then, he asked “Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

I scrunched my forehead as I thought back on yesterday’s memories. I was at school…in detention, as always…we skipped and went to a club…I drank too much…

“Damn it!” I said through gritted teeth as I pressed a finger to my temple. The headache was surging all of a sudden when I tried to recall anything past getting drunk. “I only remember having too much to drink and then…I was here. You two took me home.”

Minho was silent again. “You don’t remember what happened after getting drunk and before being back in your house?”

I turned my head to the side to look at him. “Should I?”

He shook his head. “It isn’t anything important. I just want to check how you’re doing.”

I looked sceptically at him. Something else happened in between the two gaps he had said. He was hiding it from me. I can tell. He doesn’t show it on his face but I can tell, anyway. It was something like a telepathy link I share with him after knowing him for almost all my life. I don’t always get it right, though. It only happens when I have a small clue of what he was trying to do. That was when I know what to look for in him to know something was fishy. Well, I will just have to figure it out later when this headache has cleared. Besides, there seemed to be more pressing matters right now.

I sat up on my bed and looked straight into his eyes. “Tell me why you’re here.”

Minho met my gaze steadily. “I said I would help you with the answers you gave me yesterday. Do you remember?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

“I want you to come to the café after school, today.”

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