Chapter 34

"Your phone is ringing," Sanghyuk's sister said as a matter of fact. She looked up from her meal to see Leo immediately answering his phone, mouthing an 'Excuse me' before he left the table. It was already noon and she invited him for lunch to discuss about his case, but she guessed that Leo already found who he was looking for. 'It's perfect timing if it really is Hakyeon,' Sanghyuk's sister thought. She watched the corners of Leo's lips slightly curling as he listened to the person that he was speaking to on the phone. For all those years that she had known Leo, she never really saw him show such a pleasant expression, so natural, that it was almost unbelievable.

"Was that who I think it is?" Sanghyuk's sister asked as soon as Leo came back.

"Mhm," he answered simply, a small smile still present on his already dandy expression. "Am I permitted?"

Sanghyuk's sister nodded. "We have already spoken about this," she said, a smirk appearing on her lips. "I could accompany you again tomorrow if you have some spare time in the evening. Perhaps we could share another meal."

"Okay," Leo said before he quickly tried to finish off his meal. His lifelong friend just called to inform him that the rest of his day had become vacant because Jaehwan had a fansign to attend to. N invited him to come over at the same old café that they used to hang out at when they would accompany Sanghyuk every afternoon. He said that he wanted to see Hongbin and Sanghyuk because he missed them. Leo felt himself smiling when he remembered how excited his lifelong friend's voice sounded over the phone – but he also caught himself again, realising that he was still with Sanghyuk's sister and not alone.

"How was he? I told you that he would be back," she said. "I have faith on him. Is he back to stay for good or is he back just to visit?"

"Visit. He misses Hyuk," Leo answered, setting the knife and fork to one side. "We still have time right now. I'd rather do it now than tomorrow."

Sanghyuk's sister grinned. "Very well."

"Remove your beanie, Leo," N whined, not ask. Ever since he saw his lifelong friend when he arrived at the café, the first thing that bothered him was the beanie on his head. What's more was that when Leo sat next to him, he was finally able to clearly see his blond locks peaking out. "I want to see your hair! It looks like you bleached it. Come on!" N kept trying to reach out for the latter's beanie but never succeeded once. At some point, he learned to give up but there was of course a pout that came along with settling back down on his seat.

'He never changed.' Hongbin observed the two. It was as if years did not pass and N was still acting the same way as he did before. His hand was on Leo's arm, squeezing it to tease the heck out of the latter. But Hongbin guiltily wished that Leo would just do something to stop his lifelong friend from giving Hongbin second hand embarrassment. Sadly, he already recognised Leo's palpable concern towards N a long time ago. So no matter how many times N would get in his nerves, Hongbin doubted that Leo would actually push N away and hurt him –

"Why the long face, Binnie...?" N asked the high school student as soon as Hongbin sat down on the chair across him and his lifelong friend. His previously smiling face was now replaced with that of a concerned one. Hongbin still recalled the exact same expression from before vividly. "Did something happen?" N extended his hand all the wa