For the next few days JongHyun totally forgot about the incident at the store. He hung out with TaeMin (and some times MinHo), studied, did his college works and continued searching for a job so he could pay his student fees. It was almost like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t found a half beaten Key in that girly shop.

            It would have continued being that way had JongHyun not passed that pink sign on his way back from school. He squinted through his reading glasses to the store across the street. The notebook he held in his hands as he walked and studied closed and everything came back to him in a rush.

            Something inside of JongHyun made him cross the street and enter the bright, little store. He was highly disappointed for some reason to find that Key wasn’t behind the counter reading a magazine like he’d been doing the first time they’d met.

            What are you thinking JongHyun? You just came in here to buy a new… Note book.

            “Hello!”

            The sudden voice made all the books in JongHyun’s hands drop to the floor. The owner of said voice quickly maneuvered around the counter (not without tripping over the corner he noticed) to help him gather up his things.

            “Sorry,” the voice owner apologized. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

            JongHyun merely chuckled and said, “Its okay. This actually reminds me of the first time I came here.”

            The guy gave him a questioningly face as they both straightened up. He passed the books he had over to JongHyun before expressing his confusion.

            “How so?” he questioned.

            “Uhm, well… I kind of somewhat, somehow, knocked down the Hello Kitty display when I first came. It was someone different working here, though,” he explained.

            An all knowing look crossed over this guy’s face. He walked backed to his counter and leaned against the edge before finally talking again.

            “Key was here,” he simply put.

            JongHyun was slightly taken aback by the finality in his voice. There was no question or curious tinge, it was as if he just knew that it was Key and not someone like that Jessica person he’d heard Key screaming at over the phone that one time.

            “Key’s the only one who cleans up messes,” the worker explained when he saw JongHyun’s wary look.

            “Ah…”

            They stood in awkward silence. Unlike when he’d been with Key the air wasn’t hostile, but nonetheless it didn’t’ stop everything from being weird.

            “Uhm, did you come to buy something?”

            “Uh, yes…” JongHyun shuttled off to a random aisle. He wandered aimlessly until he found a section with an assortment of notebooks and grabbed the first one he could see. Great… A pink cover with a cat face made of silver sparkles. He placed it on the counter once he mustered up the last of his dignity to actually go.

            The worker chuckled, watching JongHyun place his item in front of him.

            “Good choice,” he commented, ringing it up.

            A dark blush covered JongHyun’s cheeks as he fished for his wallet. He tried to figure out a way to pose his question while he countered out the amount he owed. When the bills were placed on the counter, JongHyun mustered the courage to ask what he’d been thinking about ever since he’s spotted the store.

            “How’s Key doing?” he asked.

            The worker stopped mid-bagging to stare suspiciously. His already small eyes narrowed while his smile twitched down at the corners, falling upside down into a frown.

            “Why do you want to know?” he asked.

            Not a second was wasted in explaining. The way this guy was looking at him made it seem as if he was thinking he was some sort of stalker wanting information.

            “No, no, no! Don’t think I’m like prying or anything! I just… You see, I’m the one who found him after the robber and I just wanted to know how he was doing… If he was getting better, y’know?”

            Slowly the air went back to the one that had been surrounding the two before. It transitioned from the dark, suffocating aura to the sunshine and butterflies aura that it had originally held.

            That bright smile returned to the worker’s face, stretched so wide that his eyes nearly disappeared.

            “You’re the one that helped Key?” he asked.

            JongHyun nodded, unsure how to react to his sudden change in attitude.

            “Why didn’t you just say so? I’m Onew!” His hand reached out to the short student and they shook a real greeting.

            “I’m JongHyun.”

            Onew dropped his hand, letting it rest on the counter as he expressed his appreciation. “I really can’t thank you enough for helping Key. I mean, I never thought anyone would rob this store; it’s not exactly a hit spot, if you get what I’m saying. And Key’s so stubborn, he wouldn’t have reported it so thank-you, really,” Onew rambled.

            JongHyun started to feel flustered with all the praise. His hand ran through his hair as he tried to process this. He really was making this sound more heroic than it actually was this guy.

            “I didn’t really do much…” he mumbled only to be cut off by Onew’s flailing and waving hands.

            “No, really! Thank-you! And to answer your question, he got out of the hospital yesterday and should be back in a week or two.”

            JongHyun nodded in thanks, reaching for his books that he’d placed on the counter to give a rest to his arms. He hooked them under his arm, ready to head out.

            “Well, you’re welcome… I should head out now. Homework to do, jobs to look for,” he excused himself with a brief bow. Unfortunately he wasn’t able to escape that fast. Onew picked up on a certain detail of his farewell and halted JongHyun in his tracks with his words.

            “You’re looking for a job?” he asked.

            “Yeah, I have to do something to keep my student bill’s paid,” he admitted sheepishly.

            “Why don’t you work here?”

            JongHyun once again completely taken aback by this guy. He hadn’t come here expecting a job. Hell, he hadn’t come here expecting anything at all. He’d come here on a whim and now here he was… Being offered a job.

            Did he really want to work here?” The place was nice, clean and friendly (at least without Key here) but it was full of sparkly, pink items… Definitely not the kind of place he’d expected to work at. And pink was definitely not his color, he added on to his thoughts when he saw Onew wearing the same pink shirt Key had been wearing.

            But then again, JongHyun had applied to over twenty stores already with no luck and his student fees were piling up.

            “You can hire me?” he asked.

            “Of course, I own the shop,” Onew said proudly.

            JongHyun held back his chortles at that and nodded his head.

            “Then I’ll work here if you let me,” he agreed.

            “Great! Swing by tomorrow and I’ll give you a uniform and we can work out a schedule,”

            “All right, I will, thank a lot.”

            “It’s the least I can do,” Onew said, flashing him an even larger smile.

            The infectious smile caught to JongHyun as he made his leave once more. He was a door away from freedom when Onew’s voice once again stopped him.

            “Your notebook,” he called.

            With a reluctant turn, JongHyun turned to take the pink bag from Onew. He mumbled embarrassed thanks before heading out. As he traipsed down the street a smile found its way past the blushing and shame.

            He’d just gotten a job. He had no clue what it paid or what he really had to do but he had something to help him pay his debts. Now he just had to hope that they didn’t’ care that he had no work experience.

---

In comes Onew.