“Dongjun! Someone is looking for you!” Kwanghee, a bubbly barista who worked at the same café as Dongjun told him when he was just back from the restroom and ready to take an order.

Dongjun raised his eyebrows wondering which one between Siwan or Kevin looking for him. “Who? Siwan? Kevin?” he asked the barista who now placing a cup of hot Cappuccino on the counter for him to take.

 “No,” Kwanghee answered as he wiped his hands, “I never met him before, this is his order... That boy!” he said and pointing a table in the far corner of the café.

Dongjun raised his eyebrows even higher, if that’s possible. Wondering who that boy is, he can only see his back from the café’s counter.

“Are you looking for me?” He asked the said boy once he standing beside his table and placing the hot Cappuccino in front of him. His eyes widen when that boy lifted his face and flashing him a really bright smile and said “Yes!”

He tried his best, really, to not roll his eyes when he saw who was looking for him, because however, he was still at work and that person was his customer. “Is there anything I can do for you?” he asked, instead of “What the hell are you doing here? And what do you want from me?” he originally planned to ask.

The other boy chuckled at him before asked him back, “Why so formal?”

 “Junyoung, listen! I’m still at work now, if you have nothing important, I have something else to do.”

Junyoung almost pouted at what he heard, but it was really not Dongjun’s fault. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you. Uh.... the other boys are busy, so I came here to see you.”

 “And?” Dongjun shot him a deadly glare now.

 “Well! Since you’re still at work.... when will your shift ended?”

 “In two hours.” Dongjun almost slapped himself, why did he tell him that?

 “Oh! Okay then!” Junyoung grinned. “Now you can back at work.”

With that, Dongjun rolled his eyes for real before went back to the café’s counter.

When his shift ended, all he wanted to do was just going straight to his home, and sleep. He completely forgot about Junyoung already, let alone expecting the boy to be waiting for him in front of the café leaning against his car door. He silently cursed inside his head when Junyoung spotted him, his plan to take another way to avoid him was useless then. So, without any other choice, he just kept walking, and completely ignoring him. That, before Junyoung decided to approaching him midway.

“Yes?” He asked with the most irritated voice he can manage.

“Uh...... I haven’t had dinner yet... and I’m pretty sure you haven’t had yours too. How about me treat you dinner?”

 “No!” he said and started to walk away, but Junyoung blocked his way making him beyond irritated, “What now?”

Junyoung was trying to think about something, anything, so that the boy in front of him agreed to have a dinner with him. But before he can think of any, there’s this weird sound came to his ears, and later he realized that it was a growling sound from a hungry tummy. If it wasn’t coming from him, that means.................. He lifted his head and greeted with an adorable sight of Dongjun bowing his head deeply with deep red cheeks. He was wondering why someone could leave an adorable boy like this, and it was such a shame that that changed this adorable boy into a cold person. Oh well, maybe he actually wasn’t that cold anyway, just afraid of getting hurt.

He didn’t know how to react, he didn’t think laughing was right, and hugging him because he was too adorable would be inappropriate too. So he just chuckled and grabbed his hands, pulling him to his car and opened the door for him, but instead of entering the car, Dongjun was just standing there.

“Listen,” Junyoung started, “You’re hungry, and it’s freaking cold here, so stop being so stubborn and just go inside already!” with that he pushed the stubborn boy inside, closing the door, and went to the other side of his car.

Junyoung decided to bring him to a small restaurant a few blocks away from Dongjun’s workplace. After ordering their foods, they just sat there, not even talk to each other. Not that Junyoung didn’t want to talk, but he didn’t know what to say.

Dongjun’s eyes wondering around the restaurant, his eyes seemed judging every single imperfection around him. His gaze then caught a sight of a small family in the far corner near the window, a young couple with their son, maybe 8 or 9 years old. His eyes hardened at the sight, remembering a long forgotten memory.

Not even one single move left unnoticed by Junyoung. From how he kept playing with his bracelet, or how he occasionally flipped his hair when his bangs covering his eyes, to the change in his eyes when he saw that family.

Junyoung turned his head to the direction where Dongjun kept her eyes fixed at, and he feels like his heart fell to his feet. A sight of a happy family that would make anyone felt warm inside, but maybe bringing back a lot of painful memory for Dongjun. Because when Dongjun was at the same age as that boy, instead of eating in a restaurant with his family, he had to work, cleaning tables in a restaurant just so he can survive.

He decided to distract Dongjun’s attention. “So. How’s work?”

Dongjun threw him a not-so-happy stare before answering. “It’s just work.” It’s okay, he thought, as long as Dongjun’s attention distracted from some unhappy memories.

 “Oh...” He said in return. He then understand what Siwan meant, Dongjun would only giving him a short answer for his questions and wouldn’t talk for the rest of the time. But he didn’t give up.

 “How long have you been working there?” he asked again.

 “A little less than a year.”

 “That seems like a nice place to work.”

 “It’s not bad.”

Just when he was about to ask another question, their foods came, and they started to eat in silence. Not the kind of uncomfortable silence, but not that totally comfortable silence either. But Junyoung didn’t mind, and Dongjun probably didn’t care.

“Thanks!” was the only word Dongjun said when Junyoung dropped him in front of his house.

Junyoung rolled his window down and said “I’ll pick you up tomorrow!” in wich Dongjun replied with a “Don’t!”

But both of them knew that Junyoung would still do it anyway. Simply because he was stubborn.

 

==========

 

“Didn’t I told you to not come?” Dongjun crossed his arms on his chest, standing in front of Junyoung who was rubbing his neck, “You did? I didn’t hear it.” He grinned sheepishly.

Dongjun for the nth time since the day before rolled his eyes and ready to leave. But, as expected, Junyoung grabbed his wrist preventing him from leaving, “Wait!” he said, “I’m here already, why don’t you just come with me?”

“Listen!” Dongjun snapped, “I don’t like attention, and coming to school with you is just a perfect way to gain attention!”

“But, I think since Siwan and Heechul began dating, the other students are aware that we, technically, in the same group of friends.” Junyoung reasoning.

 “Exactly! That’s why I don’t need more attention!”

Junyoung glanced to his watch, they were almost late already, “Dongjun, we’re almost late now, if you don’t come with me, you’ll late for sure.”

Dongjun tapped his finger on his arm, thinking. Junyoung thought his reason worked, so, without further question he grabbed his hand and dragged him to his car, repeating the scene from the night before.

Meanwhile in school, Siwan, Heechul, Kevin and Minwoo were sitting on the stairs, at the left side of the school building, few meters away from the main entrance, a quite place because there were not much people using it. Siwan and Minwoo were head to head, watching a dance video, with Heechul sitting two stairs higher than Siwan listening to a random song from his phone and Kevin sitting beside Minwoo, reading his book.

Kevin was the one who saw Junyoung’s car entering the main gate, and was about to call him when he saw Dongjun came out from the passenger seat. Instead, he hit Minwoo’s back and said “Look!” as he moved higher beside Heechul to get a better view.

Both Minwoo and Siwan directed their eyes to where Kevin pointing his finger at and Siwan shook Heechul’s thigh to get his attention.

 “Why Dongjun came with Junyoung?” Minwoo asked to no one in particular.

“Maybe because Junyoung picked him up?” Heechul said, more like stating a fact, making the other three can only sighed in desperation.

“That’s not the problem,” Siwan tried to explain, “Dongjun doesn’t really close to Junyoung, if anything, Dongjun always kept his distance from Junyoung.” Siwan fully aware that Junyoung was trying to get close with his friend, but however, it’s too fast, not that he was complaining.

 “With me too!” Minwoo said. Actually, with Heechul too, but the said boy was just too slow to realize.

 “Not that he hates you guys, you know, he just needs time.”

 “And.....?” Heechul still didn’t get it.

Siwan loves Heechul, really, but there are times when he feels like facepalming himself. He nudged at Minwoo quietly asking him to explain.

 “Don’t you think it’s weird that Dongjun who always keep a distance with us suddenly came to school with Junyoung?” Minwoo asked Heechul.

 “Ah.....! Wait! Us? He keeps a distance with me too?”

Siwan and Minwoog gave up and back to watching the dance video from before, while Kevin just patting Heechul’s head.

When the bell rang, Siwan grabbed both his bag and Kevin’ hand, but before he left for class he said to Minwoo and Heechul, “Don’t talk about this at lunch break! Especially you!” He pointed at Minwoo.

Unlike Minwoo who said “I know!” immediately, Heechul asked him “About what?” In which, Minwoo just grabbed the back of Heechul’s collar and said, “I’ll explain later!”

 

==========

 

 “Where’s Junyoung?” asked Siwan as he put down his lunch tray and taking a seat beside Heechul.

 “Restroom.” Heechul answered short, smiling at Siwan and brushing the bangs from his boyfriend’s eyes.

 “Today’s lunch is really good!” Kevin commented on the lunch that day, kimchi fried rice with fried egg and stir fried vegetables, plus a cup of mango pudding for the dessert.

 “Yeah, except the pudding, I don’t really like mango pudding.” Minwoo said pointing at his pudding.

 “Really? That’s Dongjun’s favorite! He loves mango pudding!” Siwan pointing at Dongjun who threw him a don’t-give-too-much-information look.

“Ah! You can have mine then!” Minwoo pushed his pudding to Dongjun.

“No need to.” Dongjun said without even lifting his face from his food.

“He said it’s your favorite, just take it! I’m not going to eat it anyway.” Minwoo insisted , and when Dongjun finally lifted his face, he was greeted with a widely smiling Minwoo, and finally said a small ‘Thanks!” that brought a smile to everyone on that table.

“Sorry I’m late!” Junyoung finally arrived with his lunch and casually sitting in front of Dongjun. Even before he started to eat his lunch, he asked the boy in front of him, “What is your plan after school?”

Kevin, Minwoo, Heechul and Siwan exchanging look with each other before pretending to be busy with something else. Siwan fed Heechul with fried egg from his tray, while Minwoo giving random math tutorial to Kevin, but all of them quietly eavesdropping Junyoung and Dongjun conversation. Well, at least if you can call it a conversation.

 “Work.” As usual, Dongjun only giving him short answer.

 

 

==========

 

 

Dongjun shoved his hands deeper to his coat as he walking home from work, it was a usual night for him, except the familiar car and its owner who was waiting for him in front of his workplace. He ignored the presence of both the car and the boy inside it and walked passed them, only to hear someone calling out his name, making him turning on his heels.

 “What else do you want from me?” he asked.

Junyoung opened the driver’s door and coming out from his car, “Uh.. nothing... Have you eat your dinner yet?” he asked, just like the previous night.

 “I did.” Dongjun answered.

Junyoung knew, there was no use, insisting him for a dinner, but he thought drive him to home is okay, right? “Oh.... What about me driving you home then?”

Dongjun was thinking for a moment, before saying “Ok.” Making Junyoung pleasantly surprised.

On their way to his home, Dongjun started a conversation, but not the kind of conversation Junyoung expected to be. “Did Siwan told you?” he asked.

Junyoung wondering what the question was about, before realized what Dongjun mean, but he decided to play dumb, “About what?”

 “Do not playing dumb with me Junyoung, I know you know something about me.” Dongjun said without looking at him and kept starring at the road outside.

After a long silence that felt like forever, Junyoung finally decided to continue the conversation, “Does it matter though?” he asked.

 “It does matter.” Dongjun answered low.

 “And why does it?”

 “It does matter because I don’t like the way you being all nice to me, and it does matter because I don’t need your pity.”

Junyoung then stopped his car, because he needs to get this thing straight, whatever this thing was, after taking a deep breath, preparing himself from whatever in front of him. He turned a little in his seat to face the other boy beside him, who refused to face him and just kept looking outside.

“Me? Pitying you? What are you talking about now?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

It’s scary to Junyoung, how Dongjun managed to keep his tone flat the whole time. It seems like he has no emotion at all. On the other hand, he feels like he was going to explode with all his feelings.

“What is so obvious?” he was trying his best to keep his voice normal, “What is so obvious to you when you never talked nor listened to me, what is so obvious to you when you never looked into my eyes every time I talked to you? What is so obvious to you when you never give me a chance? Not even once! What Dongjun? What is so obvious to you?” In the end, he found himself raised his voice ever so slightly.

Dongjun finally turned his face to face him, and he realized why Dongjun kept looking outside the whole time, he was fighting his tears back. And now when he finally turned his head to face him, he sent him a deadly glare, hiding something deep down those eyes.

“It’s obvious because no one ever want me in their lives, it’s obvious because even my parents left me like this, and if no one wants me, why would you? So, obviously all of these nice things you did to me either because you are pitying me, or just want me for a while and leave me later. And whichever it is, I still hate it!”

Dongjun finally raised his voice, making Junyoung felt both surprised and, somehow, relieved. Two clear liquid fell down his soft cheeks, no sobbing, no sniffing, nothing.

“Aren’t you being unfair? Because your parents left you, you think everyone else would? What about Siwan and Kevin? Why is it different for me and Minwoo?”

Dongjun starred at him wide eyed, thinking about a respond, because he himself wondering why. But he couldn’t think about anything, instead just more tears came out from his eyes.

“Because you were too afraid of getting hurt, weren’t you?” Junyoung finally answered it for him.

“Because you can’t take the risk of having more people in your life.” Junyoung smiled sadly.

Dongjun was shocked, he wasn’t ready to face the fact about him being laid blatantly before his eyes. He couldn’t say a word, because everything Junyoung just said were true, he couldn’t stop the tears falling from his eyes either. His eyes were blurry from the tears when he felt a pair of hands pulling him into a hug, and that was when he finally lost his entire defense and started sobbing hard.He thought he was okay, maybe he was wrong.

Junyoung hugged him as tight as he could, to make him realized that he was there for him, and whispering a low, “How hurt it was? How hurt it was for you so that you became like this?” to his ear, not expecting a respond.

When his sob slowly became a small sniff, Junyoung released his hug and lowered his head so both of their eyes were at the same level,

 “Listen,” he said, “Not all people are the same as your parents, they were being irresponsible, it’s true, but look, you have Siwan and Kevin, Siwan spent more times with you than he did with his parents, and ever since the beginning, did he ever give up on you?”

Dongjun shook his head a little.

“And Kevin” Junyoung continued, “No matter how many times you called him dumb, he never leave you either, did he?”

Dongjun chuckled a little, making Junyoung’s heart jumped from his ribcage.

“And me, I do like you a lot you know?”

Dongjun opened his eyes even wider if that was possible, “Why?” he asked.

“Well, I don’t know,” Junyoung said as he leaned back to the driver’s door, but not breaking the eye contact, “Maybe because you’re pretty? Maybe because you’re witty? Maybe just because..” He smiled a sweet smile this time.

Dongjun was the first one who broke the eye contact and now playing with his fingers, looking adorable with flushed cheeks and red nose, “Really?” he asked.

“Yeah, Minwoo and Heechul are nice people you know? Heechul might be slow, but he could never hurt anyone, and Minwoo might looks like he’s sugar high all the time, but he’s really just a kid, his life wasn’t that easy either, that’s why he was really happy to add more people to our group, he said that he can have more family. For the three of us, we only have each other, but see, we can always add more to the family isn’t it?”

“Thanks...” was all Dongjun could say.

Junyoung felt his phone vibrated in his pocket, and after he read the text message, he showed it to Dongjun. It was from Minwoo,

            From : MINWOO

            Hey! I won the dance competition! \o/

            I can’t wait to show you guys my trophy! And I’ll treat you all with the prize money~

            Do you think Dongjun would interested with this? I hope he will ><

            Or should I treat him his favorite meals? Siwan should know about this rite?

            Why can’t he like me? :(

            I need to try harder! ‘_’

Dongjun smiled at what he saw. But inside he felt slightly guilty for pushing him away when all he wanted was just to be friend with him.

 

 

==========

 

 

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow!” Junyoung said when he dropped Dongjun in front of his house.

If only he knew, the next morning, Dongjun unconsciously checked himself twice in front of the mirror before he finally grabbed his bag after reading Junyoung’s text telling him he was outside.

Just maybe, this all worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a/n: So, here's the last chapter? How was it? If you read this, comment would be nice ^^; I hope you enjoy the read~ And if you interested, I have a story for Junyoung, but haven't decided who I would couple him with, so, if you want him to get coupled with a member, you can tell me :) I actually have one more sequel to this story, and that one was about Minwoo