JongHyun came in the next day after his class. He had his glasses on still since he always forgot to take them off and his books hooked under his arms once again. The door let off that familiar tune as he stepped into the store. Onew was behind the counter, smiling brightly at him.

            “Hello!” he greeted enthusiastically when he saw who was walking towards him.

            “Hi,” JongHyun greeted back a bit timidly.

            Onew waved the shorter guy over, leading him to the back room where he began to rifle through a bunch of shelves and boxes. He pulled out a pink shirt and passed it to JongHyun before walking out back to the front room again. All the while he did this he explained details of the job and store.

            “I’m always willing to work around your schedule if you have school or work which I can see you do.” Onew gave him a grin and leaned against the counter. “And I may be a small business but I don’t go cheap when it comes to paying my workers.”

            At this one of JongHyun’s eyebrows rose. Did that mean the pay was good?

            “You start with twelve dollars an hour.”

            JongHyun had a heart attack. Literally. His jaw hung open while his eyes widened like saucers.

            “Twelve dollars an hour?” he asked, just to make sure he wasn’t imagining things.

            His heart attack got accompanied by a when Onew nodded.

            “Jeez! You spoil your workers don’t you?” JongHyun asked.

            Twelve dollars. Usually people only got nine fifty an hour when they started working. This was officially the best job ever. Suddenly the pink short and sparkles didn’t matter at all to him. Twelve dollars an hour!

            Onew’ slaugh clamed JongHyun’s spazztic heart.

            “We’re like a family here, y’know?” he asked. He didn’t’ wait for an answer, instead switching the topic from the salary to the schedule. Nearly an hour later everything was settled. JongHyun had his hours worked out with Onew, gotten his uniform and exchanged all his contact information so they could reach each other when needed.

            It all went rather smoothly, but JongHyun had to leave eventually since he had two big exams to prepare for.

            “I’ll see you Friday,” he called over his shoulder as he headed out with his books.

            Wait until he told TaeMin about this. For months he’d been searching for a job and now he finally got one. It took everything he had to not squeal as he walked down the street.

            On his way to TaeMin’s the wind rustled JongHyun’s hair. He kept his head up as he walked to feel the breeze brush against his flushed cheeks. This day was freaking great!

~

            JongHyun ran up TaeMin’s step, the empty driveway giving him the confidence to run through the house. He took the stairs two at a time, not caring that he might trip and fall since – let’s face it – he was short and his legs weren’t that long. All the noise he was making attracted TaeMin’s attention and the young boy met him at the top of the stair case.

            “JongHyun hyung?” he asked confusion clear on his face.

            The shorter guy pushed past his friend, racing to the room that they so often hung out in. His books got dumped on the bed right before he childishly jumped on after them.

            TaeMin followed after his hyung, his innocent face stretched out in a wide smile and laughs bubbling out of his stomach. JongHyun’s excited energy was rubbing off on him.

            “Yah! Hyung! What’s gotten into you?” he questioned and hopped onto the bed beside his friend.

            They both had grins on their faces like a pair of school girls giggling over the latest idol hottie.

            “Guess what?” JongHyun began.

            “What?”

            “I got a job!”

            “You did? Finally! Where?!”

            “That shop where we went together.” In his excitement over his employment JongHyun had totally forgotten about TaeMin’s ever lasting grudge against the store. He was quickly reminded of it, though, when the smile slowly fell from the other’s face. His lips pursed into a tight line giving his face an unusual look. He was clearly unhappy…

            “What’s wrong, TaeMinnie?” JongHyun asked, already knowing the answer.

            “I can’t believe you’re working there! Don’t you remember how you were treated when you went there?!” TaeMin yelled. He got up and began to pace the length of the room. His skinny legs took long strides and his arms waved around like they were performing a synchronized dance rather than a rant.

            “Hyung! The people are jerks!” TaeMin concluded. He veered around to glare at the shorter male, stomping his foot to add emphasis to his words.

            JongHyun bit his lip, torn between amusement and annoyance. He couldn’t deny how cut angry TaeMin was, but he knew if he laughed then it would only further bother TaeMin and he didn’t want his happy day to be ruined by a petty argument.

            “Yah, TaeMinnie, you only met Key… Onew’s really nice. He runs the shop and we both know I need the money,” JongHyun defended.

            “I don’t care if Onew is nice or not! We got treated horribly hyung!” TaeMin continued to wail.

            JongHyun felt anger nipping at his ankles. Who was TaeMin to judge? He’d only been there once and he hadn’t even met Onew! With that in mind, JongHyun expressed his annoyance to his friend.

            One thing led to another and soon the two boys were yelling at each other. Stupidities were launched and dumb insults were exchanged.

            “Why don’t you try paying your own bills! It’s not easy, TaeMin!” JongHyun yelled right in TaeMin’s face. “I need this job! It pays freaking great!”

            “If you hadn’t gotten fired at your last job you wouldn’t need this job!” TaeMin screamed back.

            JongHyun stiffened, recalling the memory and everything that had happened around that time. For a year he’d successfully managed to shove all that to the back of his mind only to have TaeMin dig it up and bring it back to the surface again.

            He had gone way too far with this.

            “I’m going home,” the shorter boy spat, grabbing his text books off the bed. He ignored TaeMin’s desperate calls from behind him and stormed out of the house.

            Well great, JongHyun thought bitterly. There goes my good day.