Hospitals were always foreboding to Kyungsoo, he'd only ever received bad news in them since childhood. His grandfather dying suddenly when he was seven years old, his grandmother wasting away slowly in the years after -- even his younger brother had been given an unwanted diagnosis in the constant flow and noise of a hospital. Kyungsoo preferred to avoid meeting the same fate. The instinctive mapping of the halls came with a burdensome realization that he'd been there to often and Kyungsoo tried to shake it every time. Forget a turn on purpose, read a sign in confusion, look around to readjust his path. But it wasn't an easy act to lie to himself and he found the usual door quicker than anyone else would. 

"Kyungsoo-ah, is that you? I haven't seen you in how long... a month now?" A familiar voice greeted him and Kyungsoo glanced around.

Right over the reception desk where there was the constant typing of fingers on keyboards and phones ringing, around over the doctor and nurses pushing the bedded patient past him and finally left, onto a familiar woman. A nurse. Shin Eunji. She'd been in the department since first time Kyungsoo had visited, and she offered him ice cream and sympathy. Three years hadn't changed much

"I've been busy," Kyungsoo lied nervously, his sweaty hands rubbed on his jeans as he spoke. He'd never been that busy.

"My dongsaeng's the same. Never home, always out studying or doing something else. It happens," she said, closing the space from the door she looked like he'd come out of and the one Kyungsoo didn't want to open.

"Ah, yea," Kyungsoo ran out of words quickly.

"I was surprised when another man came and paid the medical bills for the month, usually you come and do that yourself. I even had extra change so we could get an ice cream, I had to eat it on my own," she laughed a little. "My figure can't handle that."

"My family's lawyer," unasked information was given and Kyungsoo wiped his hands again. "The man was my lawyer, I asked him to come in my place and make sure it was paid well."

"Ah, that makes you sound like one of the rich men in the dramas. You're not secretly a first son of some chaebol family, are you?"

"Eunji-ssi, they need you in 358," a new voice came from the reception desk and Kyungsoo saw a younger nurse waving to get Eunji's attention.

"I'm coming," Eunji response eased the panicked look on the younger girl and Kyungsoo felt relieved for the distraction. "I'd say wait for me after, but I don't know when I'll get a break."

"It's okay, we can have an ice cream next time I come," he gave her a brief smile and she nodded.

"I'll hold you to that," were Eunji's last words before she rushed off, calming the younger nurse down before hurrying off in another direction.

Kyungsoo waited to see her back get lost behind a group of people and then he wiped his hands for a third time. He really didn't want to stay in the hospital longer than he needed to. The twenty year old boy drew in a breath as he turned back to the door he'd stood in front of more times than he could remember and he exhaled the knot in his throat. It would be easier if the person on the other side wasn't a source of continuous pain and lifelong scars.

- - -

"Are you sure this amount is satisfactory? It's a little under market value," the male across the desk sounded unsure and Kyungsoo perked his brows, his eyes had been focused on the etches scratched into the edge of the nice desk.

"My eomeoni said they need it," Kyungsoo answered with a nod and leaned forward towards the documents placed before him. "So make sure this money is deposited into that account when we receive it."

"I understand. I'll make sure it happens as soon as possible."

Kyungsoo studied the legal jargon with apprehension. He'd read the same kind of documents quite a few times before and yet, it still rendered into dull and dry text that he was sure was made to sound more confusing than it was. But he would read it thoroughly before he signed. If he didn't, he would sit up all night wondering what he had signed and agreed to. The longer he drew his eyes across the words, the more it began to associate it to Jong-in. The document was written in Korean, Kyungsoo knew the hangul and could file each word to it's meaning. He could grasp enough of the terms and continued amendments. But just like Jong-in. There were parts of the document that he felt he were missing, a discomfort of knowledge in front of him that his mind failed to comprehend. It made him feel unequivocally foolish.

But he still signed his name.

"Thank you, for paying the medical expenses. I was busy," Kyungsoo gave the same lie with more skill from practice. The documents he'd just sign placed on the desk as his eyes fell onto the seal. It was habit the boy picked up to do both.

"I've been your family's lawyer since you were a child, your family is like my own," the man offered sincerely and Kyungsoo nodded, placing the pen and seal aside as he handed back over the documents. "Anything you need help with, I'll do."

"Look into what else is worth selling in this market and proceed with that."

Kyungsoo's abrupt words caused the man to look at him questioning. "Do you need more money quickly?"

"I'd rather be prepared," the boy offered an ambiguous answer before he smiled. "Make sure I pay you well for the work you're doing. I have to go."

- - -

A tired exhale came from Jong-in's lips as he fixed the name tag on the front of his work uniform. The trip to get it from Kyungsoo's the day after he left it had ended with them both in bed together. Not that Jong-in minded that, he would have just preferred it not have been an excuse to avoid the questions that Kyungsoo surely had from the night before. Jong-in was never in favour of using as a way to avoid topics, he never liked to avoid topics, but he didn't know how to explain his sudden claustrophobia without making Kyungsoo panic too. And if Kyungsoo panicked, he'd cling on to Jong-in and that would make it worse. It would be easier if he had space, except, Kyungsoo shot him down twice in row already.

'I'm busy'.

That was Kyungsoo's wording when he lied. Busy. Jong-in had seen the monthly pattern. One or two days a month, Kyungsoo was busy. Doing what? Jong-in had no idea. It was a secret. One that pained Kyungsoo in places Jong-in hadn't realized existed until quite a while after they started their thing. It might have been why Jong-in had even more trouble than usual shaking himself from the hands of this particular boy. He was curious. Kyungsoo's secret made Jong-in curious.

Even more curious was last month when Kyungsoo hadn't been 'busy'. What had changed?

"I need your help out here Jong-in," Jongdae's tone was filled with nervousness.

"Coming!" Jong-in tightened the black apron around his waist and closed his work room locker.

Three steps and he pushed open the door to the sunlight pouring in from the windows. There were a lot of windows, it made the cafe seem brighter and more open than it was. And when it got quiet, Jong-in and Jongdae wasted time scrubbing the windows. Whoever cleaned the window best got to dare the other to do something embarrassing on the sidewalk outside.

Jongdae had been dared to dance one time, and he swiftly used the same dare back to be met with Jong-in being more than pleased to show off what time spent in clubs instead of studying during high school gave him.

"Jong-in, hurry up," something didn't sound right with Jongdae's voice. It sounded discomforting to Jong-in.

"I'm here," Jong-in smiled as he closed the space, coming up to Jongdae's side behind the counter. 

Jongdae shot an uneasy smile at Jong-in before he pulled Jong-in closer, stepping back as he left Jong-in in the placed he'd just been. His fingers let go of the apron's fabric before he let out a nervous laugh.

"I need you to take over for me for a minute," Jongdae explained.

He was being odd. Jong-in had seen him flustered before, but now Jongdae looked.. scared? Jong-in nodded his head as he turned his attention to the customer on the other side of the counter and smiled brightly. 

"Welcome, how can I help you?"

With the customer beginning their order, Jongdae snuck behind Jong-in, nudging the other with his fingers and guiding him with his hands on his hips. The touching from Jongdae had become more casual and easy to initiate for Jong-in. It didn't take long for Jongdae to warm up, and Jong-in was good at the getting people to warm to him. But Jongdae still seemed to put them on opposite schedules. Jong-in wasn't sure if this was purposefully or not, but switching shifts was easy when he smiled at the female workers and promised to going out dancing with them.

Jong-in's eyes followed Jongdae who met someone who seemed to be pacing by the tables and he led the other into the back room that Jong-in had just come from. He'd never seen the guy before. He was dressed nicely, expensive clothes and held himself with the confidence that Jong-in only associated with rich families.

"Excuse me," a pointed and annoyed voice snapped Jong-in's focus to the disgruntled customer. A business woman.

"Sorry, what was your order?" Jong-in gave a warm smile.

After the woman had her order and stepped out of the way, Jong-in gave a polite goodbye and turned to the next customer who seemed to have had too many energy drinks or was nervous. Jong-in couldn't quite read them as they shook their hands a little and bounced on their feet, staring up at the list of drinks on the wall behind Jong-in. They were staring for a moment longer than most people and almost looked completely lost when they saw no one standing in front of them.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" Jong-in said the words swiftly with practice and the usual smile.

The boy stared blankly. Was he okay?

Jong-in watched the customers brow furrow before he leaned forward a little and spoke in slow, unsure Korean. "Speak slowly. I'm not good with hangul."

Ah! He must have been a foreigner. Jong-in laughed a little and nodded his head before he repeated himself slower for the other.

"Welcome, what would you like to order?"

Like a happy child, the others expression brightened before he ordered. "Orange juice and this." His finger eagerly motioned towards a chocolate muffin. 

This was much easier than Jong-in had expected. He fulfilled the boys order, the other seeming to get happier with every piece of their conversation and Jong-in couldn't help but shake his head when the customer turned to leave. It was odd and cute, but mostly odd. But for some reason he felt happier than he had two seconds before the boy stepped towards the counter. He'd have to tell Jongdae about the experience when the other came back.

As the next customer approached, Jong-in smiled again. "Welcome, how can I help you?"

"Jong-in," Jongdae's voice was urgent and Jong-in turned his head to see Jongdae coming behind the counter and moving to grab something as he spoke. "I have to go one break. It's important. Cover for me for a moment."

Jong-in didn't get to answer, Jongdae was stepping back out from behind the counter and after the male he'd been in the back room with.

"Hyung, wait a second." There was something very wrong with the way Jongdae called out after the other.

Jongdae must have caught up with the other, as Jong-in's eyes fell over the next customers shoulder to see the two talking heatedly as the order for a coffee came hit Jong-in's ears. Concern caused Jong-in the fumble a little when he turned to put together to coffee. He even managed to put it in the wrong cup and burn himself on the side of the machine. Hissing a breath as he shook his head and turned to meet the unhappy look of the customers face. It was the first time Jong-in lost concentration. He had impressed Jongdae on his first shift with his skills and now pain seared up the side of his hand.

"Sorry, sorry. This one will be free," Jong-in apologized, smoothing over the stifled air that came from the customer.

Jong-in was glad when the customer left, his view of Jongdae and the other male less obscured by the preppy looking girl who stepped up to order. It looked like the conversation had grown more intense, and Jong-in scratched his hand as he bowed his head a little at the customer.

"I have to go check something, I'll be right back."

- - -

Jongdae nodded his head as his friends voice hit his ears. He hadn't been yelled at in a year at least. Maybe one and a half if he didn't count the time the drunken man had berated him thinking he was his son. The harsh tone made him flinch, although he tried to hide it, biting his lip and keep his eyes lowered. No matter what he said, the other was right. He'd done wrong.

"Mianhae," Jongdae shook his head. "I didn't think--"

"You've been a dongsaeng to me since you were eleven years old. Your mother asked me to look out for you."

Sharp pointed words that made Jongdae's nervously rub his arm. "Mianhae, Hyung."

"I thought I could trust you."

"Hyung, you can trust me. I'll fix it. I won't do it again. I didn't think. When he asked me, I didn't think."

"Jongie, you know everything. You were there. The only reason I put up with him is for you and your mother."

"Mianhae, Hyung." Jongdae apologized again. "I'll fix it."

- - -

Jong-in pushed open the door, stepping out and walking towards Jongdae and the other male. He could hear Jongdae apologize.

"Is everything okay, Jongdae-hyung?"