7: THE NEGOTIATIONS – PART II

Donghae kept his head facing away from Eunhyuk as the two walked as quickly as they could to the café.

Donghae mumbled obscenities to himself the entire way to keep himself from running away because of the cold. The wind nipped violently at his skin now that he no longer had his long hair to block some of it. It literally felt like the wind was slicing his now wholly visible cheeks.

He had completely forgotten the feeling.

The only plus side of the shorter hair was that there was no hair on the sides of his face to weigh down the weightless frame of his glasses.

They now sat perched neatly on the bridge of his nose with minimal movement as he walked quickly along with Eunhyuk.

It was a good thing that they didn't move because Donghae didn't want to remove his hands from the warm cocoon of his coat pockets until he had to.

It was far too cold to be fiddling with anything outside.

Irritated by the weather, Donghae sighed loudly. He watched as his hot breath formed a cloud in front of his face.

The sound caught Eunhyuk’s attention. He turned to look at Donghae to see what was going on but found himself just admiring his blackmailer’s profile.

Donghae caught him studying his features.

There was one other benefit of a shorter cut, Donghae thought happily to himself, and it was that Eunhyuk continuously kept turning his head to look at him and he could tell.

He had been sneakily looking at his own reflection in stores window and in the process, it had allowed him to discover Eunhyuk’s secret glances.

“What are you doing?” he asked, making Eunhyuk flinch and face forward again.

“I was just about to ask you that because you sighed out loud.”

Donghae snickered smugly. Eunhyuk’s reaction to his haircut in the salon had boosted his confidence; he decided to tease the other boy.

“Stop lying. You clearly just wanted to look at the perfect creature walking next to you. Be honest.”

Eunhyuk’s mouth dropped opened as he stopped walking to glare at Donghae. He huffed in annoyance before smirking.

“Perfect?” Eunhyuk began his insult. Donghae stopped in his steps.

For a moment, both boys forgot that this argument could be taking place in the warmth of the Mouse Rabbit Coffee Shop instead of in the middle of the sidewalk in the freezing January afternoon.

“Don’t take what my sister says all that seriously. She thinks any guy I talk to is my type. Besides, you’re short, scrawny and you look like a fish. Perfect is not the word I would use to describe you.”

Donghae’s eyes widened. He’d never been told that he looked like a fish before. Insecurely, he wanted to run to the nearest reflective surface to verify the claim. However, he didn't let Eunhyuk know that what he’d said had affected him.

“Look who’s talking about looking like a fish. You look like a ing anchovy,” Donghae countered, not really understanding how anchovy was the first thing that came to mind.

Eunhyuk’s mouth dropped again. This time he cocked his head to the side and ran his tongue along the bottom of his top row of teeth.

Donghae was hypnotized by the side-to-side motions.

“You’re impossible to talk to.”

“Not impossible, but I’ll give you difficult.”

Eunhyuk shook his head and rolled his eyes as he walked away from Donghae. His shoulders were hunched forward and his fists were clenched at his sides again; it made Donghae laugh.

He hurriedly jogged to catch up to him. Eunhyuk noticed quickly but said nothing.

They walked the next block quickly and practically barreled into the warm café to get out of the cold.

Both boys sighed in relief as all their numbed body parts begin to tingle as they defrosted.

The kitschy café was relatively quiet with only a few people sitting beside the window.

“Let’s get something to drink and then discuss your stupid contract.”

Eunhyuk didn't give Donghae a chance to respond. He was already walking toward the counter, leaving Donghae dazed at the front entrance.

Dumbfounded by the action, Donghae eventually followed in Eunhyuk’s trail. At the counter, Eunhyuk was already paying for his order.

“So you’re not going to pay for me? You’re a bad date,” Donghae jested as he stepped up behind the other boy.

Eunhyuk immediately turned around to find himself face-to-face and thigh-to-thigh with his blackmailer.

Donghae could feel the heat rush to his face at the intimate contact. This was the closest he’d ever been to the boy that’s made residence in his dreams for years.

He kept a straight face even though he could feel just how red his face was—he hoped to all hell that Eunhyuk couldn't tell what depravities were running through his head at the moment.

Donghae was sure they would terrify him.

Eunhyuk’s eyes made a quick excursion between his blackmailer’s eyes and lips before he just huffed and moved aside for Donghae to place his order.

“Donghae!” he was greeted warmly by the barista behind the counter. It managed to shake both boys out of their temporary stupor from exciting bodily contact.

“Hey, Yesung.”

“I didn’t see you come in. Did you come alone?” Yesung asked, slightly tiptoeing to look further out behind Donghae, who laughed at the action.

“No, I came with my friend, Eunhyuk.”

He pointed to the boy on the other side of him. Eunhyuk politely waved.

“Are you a new employee of The Academy?”

Eunhyuk shook his head as Donghae decided to reintroduce him to Yesung.

“Eunhyuk’s my boyfriend; we go to school together.”

Both Eunhyuk and Yesung looked at Donghae with surprised wide-eyed expressions.

“Really?” Yesung probed. There was a disbelieving smile on his face, but it was wiped away when Eunhyuk begrudgingly nodded his head in agreement.

“Oh well, congrats then Donghae. So, I guess you didn’t work today? You’re on a date right?”

Eunhyuk watched and listened to the exchange with a sour expression on his face, mostly because he was irritated by what just transpired.

There was no need for Donghae to reveal they were a couple, albeit a fake one, but also because Yesung had still to take the boy’s order and he’d already placed his a while ago. All he wanted was to get this over with and go home to figure out how to handle the next six months of his life.

“I did work, until three. And before you ask, yes, Kyu is still there. His shift ends at seven.”

Donghae laughed as the barista ducked his head down to hide the flush of his cheeks.

Catching wind of this part of the conversation, Eunhyuk chose to comment.

“Wait, you’re interested in the pest that he works with?”

“Pest?” Yesung agitatedly asked.

“Yeah. The talkative one, right? Super annoying brat?” Eunhyuk insisted.

Donghae observed as Yesung narrowed his eyes at Eunhyuk, who was oblivious to the murderous gaze.

“He’s still young. His personality is part of his charm.”

“Charm?” Eunhyuk scoffed. “I wouldn’t call that charm.”

“Well, frankly speaking—” Yesung began, but Donghae stopped him midway to save Eunhyuk from receiving any more insults from strangers today.

Even though Donghae and Yesung weren't necessarily the closest of people, they’d come to know each other seemingly well since Donghae started working in the area, and especially since Kyuhyun started working at The Academy.

The tension between Kyuhyun and Yesung was intense at times even when all Kyuhyun was doing was ordering a coffee; Donghae felt like he could drown in the attraction between the two.

Their only problem was that Kyuhyun was still a minor, though he agreed with Yesung’s assessment of the younger boy being a fifty-year-old man trapped in a young man’s body. The law didn’t see it that way and Yesung wasn't aware of just how young Kyuhyun was.

He was sure Kyuhyun had told him he was a high school senior when in fact he was only a sophomore.

“Let me just get the usual. We’ll be by the nook in the back.”

Yesung nodded slowly without taking his eyes off Eunhyuk.

“I’ll bring everything up in a few.”

“Thanks, Yesung.”

Donghae paid for his coffee and quickly dragged Eunhyuk away. He smiled as the other boy didn't pull away when Donghae grabbed the excess material of his coat to pull him along.

“What’s up with all your friends being weirdos?” Eunhyuk asked as he shrugged his coat off when they got to the nook. Donghae did the same; the heat of the shop had become too much with his coat on.

“My friends are not ‘weirdos’ besides maybe you’re the weird one since you’re the only one who seems to have a problem with them.”

“Please,” Eunhyuk elongated the word arrogantly. “Your friend over there was trying to burn a hole in my forehead when I called your coworker a pest.”

“Oh, so you noticed?” Donghae chuckled.

“Who wouldn’t?”

“He’s definitely got a skill, but he’s actually really nice. Kind of quiet. Until you piss him off.”

“Like one of those ninja-type people.”

Donghae laughed at the accuracy of the assessment. Yesung did give off that deadly assassin vibe.

Yesung interrupted them a few moments later as he brought their orders to the table.

He didn't say anything but gave Donghae a look that clearly meant that he didn't quite like Eunhyuk. It made Donghae laugh. Eunhyuk looked at him suspiciously.

Eunhyuk commented on the silent exchange once Yesung was out of hearing range.

“What was that?” Donghae asked, not hearing what Eunhyuk had said.

“I said your friend is good with that non-verbal communication.”

Donghae chuckled and nodded his head.

“Yeah, I told you it was a skill. He doesn’t like you.”

Eunhyuk simply shrugged his shoulders as he ate a piece of the muffin he ordered.

“You know that what you’re drinking is pretty childish? Right?” Donghae commented as he took a sip of his iced Americano.

He sighed as the cold caffeine seeped into his tired body. He willed it to work quickly before he fell asleep at the table.

Eunhyuk just rolled his eyes at the comment and ignored the haughty look on Donghae’s face. He blissfully dipped a piece of his muffin in the large mug of hot chocolate.

“I don’t like coffee; it’s bitter.”

“You have the palate of a child,” Donghae remarked. He attempted to steal a piece of the muffin from Eunhyuk, but the other boy quickly hit his hand away.

“I just want to taste it.”

“Lesson number one, Donghae: don’t ever, ever try to take food from my plate. I will stab you with a fork.”

“You can’t be serious?” Donghae asked unbelievingly.

“Just try me.”

“You don’t look like someone who’d be so touchy about food. Had the nerve to call me scrawny,” Donghae chided as he eyed Eunhyuk’s muffin with desire.

“Stop staring at my muffin. You’re not going to taste it.”

Donghae chuckled at the comment. It managed to confuse the boy across the table.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Eunhyuk didn't need to know how Donghae’s mind made a simple sentence something erse.

“Whatever,” Eunhyuk replied. He took another big sip of his hot chocolate and smiled at the taste. He didn't notice as Donghae smiled along with him.

Donghae enjoyed watching Eunhyuk enjoying his drink and treat. Lately, it had been rare to see Eunhyuk smile. He had missed seeing the upturn of his pouty lips.

“Let’s talk about your stupid contract,” Eunhyuk interrupted Donghae’s thoughts.

“I don’t really remember everything I wrote,” Donghae lied. He could practically recite it from memory if he really wanted to.

Eunhyuk rolled his eyes and pulled out a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. When he opened it, Donghae could see that his classmate had printed out a copy of the contract and had made some notes on it.

“You printed it? You know anyone may be able to find that if you lose it.”

“I don’t plan on keeping it after we talk about it. I’ll flush it down the toilet or burn it to a crisp,” Eunhyuk informed.

“Besides, what are you worried about? The person’s whose reputation is about to be decimated is mine—not yours.”

“Nice word.”

“Yeah, well. Ruined didn’t seem like a severe enough word to describe how you’re about to uproot my life.”

Again, Donghae was briefly overwhelmed by guilt, but he ignored it. There were too many benefits to this situation for the guilt to make him forget them.

“What exactly did you want to change?”

Eunhyuk pointed to the “Term of Employment” and “Termination of Employment” section.

“We verbally agreed to that at the store last night. I’m not changing it.”

“Right. We did,” Eunhyuk replied. “But I didn’t realize the date graduation landed on. My flight to Paris leaves the night after graduation.”

“Fine,” Donghae acquiesced. “We can change it to right after graduation.”

Eunhyuk thanked Donghae and quickly crossed out the original date on the contract and changed it to June 23rd.

“Why are you crossing it out if you plan on throwing out the paper?” Donghae enquired.

He was disappointed at how happy Eunhyuk looked crossing out the original date for the new one. It made it more than evident just how unhappy Eunhyuk was about this whole scenario in comparison to Donghae.

“I remember things easier once I write them out.”

“Alright. What was the next thing you wanted to talk about.”

Donghae yawned as he asked about the contract again.

“You seem tired,” Eunhyuk genuinely remarked, taking Donghae by surprise.

He’d been trying to liven up all day. The noise in the salon had kept him up, but the coffee shop was far too quiet, and the coffee was doing nothing to quell his exhaustion. It was all Eunhyuk’s fault as to why Donghae was tired; thoughts about today had kept him up all night.

“I didn’t really sleep last night,” Donghae softly answered. He removed his glasses and tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

When Donghae looked up, he could almost make out Eunhyuk staring at him if he squinted hard enough.

“Don’t take anything from what I’m about to say right now,” Eunhyuk prefaced. “But have you ever thought about getting contacts?”

Donghae shook his head as he slipped his frames back on.

“The possibility and most likely, probability, of poking my eyes out keeps me away from them.”

“You should rethink that.”

Donghae smiled shyly understanding what Eunhyuk has said to be a compliment. Eunhyuk just looked away and took another sip of his drink.

“So, what other things did you want to change?” Donghae steered the conversation back to the contract to get Eunhyuk’s attention.

“The probationary period thing. Like really? Do you really need to go that far?”

Donghae looked down at the paper to read over what Eunhyuk was asking and saw nothing too severe about it.

“What’s so wrong with it? Most things have a trial period and have some sort of punishment for them.”

Eunhyuk rolled his eyes and placed a check mark next to the “Probation” section.

“I guess that makes sense even though all of this is actually stupid.”

“You did try to steal a shirt,” Donghae derisively retorted. The coffee was beginning to work its magic and his naturally sarcastic self was starting to rear its ugly head again.

Eunhyuk chose to ignore the remark and glanced back down at the contract.

“Let’s just talk about Items B, C, D, and G in the ‘Duties and Responsibilities’ section of this piece of .”

Donghae once again took the paper from Eunhyuk to read each item.

After he had read each one, he laughed because he knew these would be the ones Eunhyuk would want to change. He also laughed because beside each one in red pen were the words “HELL NO” in block letters.

It perfectly matched the scowl and glare Eunhyuk was giving Donghae now.

“I don’t see what’s so hard about Item B. Sitting next to me is the easiest thing out of all of these. At least I think so,” Donghae argued.

“All couples, especially at the beginning of a relationship, want to sit next to each other. They want to be with each other all the time. To make it believable, we have to appear all lovey-dovey.”

Eunhyuk his teeth as he shook his head from side to side before quickly scrawling a check mark beside Items B, C and D.

“Why did you check off C and D?”

“They're along the same lines of B. Appearing in public and holding hands and what not. It’s all along the same line,” Eunhyuk reasoned.

“True,” Donghae agreed. “Now what’s your problem with Item G?”

The smug smile on Donghae’s face irritated Eunhyuk—he could tell by how tightly Eunhyuk scrunched his lips.

“I think that one is pretty much obvious.”

“Not really. All couples kiss. I don’t see what’s so difficult to understand about that one.”

“You can’t expect me to kiss you. I rather attach a cinder block to my ankle and jump into the Han River before I ever kiss you,” Eunhyuk vehemently stated, much to Donghae’s amusement.

“And what makes you think I want to kiss you?”

“Because you concocted this whole damn situation. You clearly like me and clearly, want to kiss me. I’m sure you even fantasized about kissing me before. Hell, you’ve probably touched yourself thinking about me.”

Instead of backing down from what Eunhyuk had said, Donghae decided to reply honestly to gauge the other boy’s reaction and mostly because he was sure it would be unexpected.

“And if I have?” Donghae replied and his lips.

“If you have what?”

Eunhyuk’s response was slow and his eyes followed the trajectory of Donghae’s tongue as it made its way around Donghae’s mouth.

“Thought about it. Touched myself.”

“You’ve got some serious issues.”

Donghae smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I refuse to change Item G.”

“Then I suggest just adding, ‘only when people ask’ to it.”

Donghae contemplated whether he should continue arguing in favor of Item G, but he decided to relent and give in to what Eunhyuk wanted. He hoped that it made him look a little more favorably to his classmate.

“Deal. We’ll kiss only when someone asks us. Make sure you own some sort of lip balm, Lee Hyukjae.”

Donghae laughed as Eunhyuk clenched his fists on the table and bit his bottom lip to keep from arguing.

“Was that all?” Donghae asked, sipping the last bits of his Americano.

The ice had changed the taste significantly by now, but he still finished it all.

“No, we have one more stop,” Eunhyuk announced. He stood up and finished the last bite of his muffin before putting his coat back on.

“Where are we going now?”

Donghae started to put his coat on while still seated. He waited for Eunhyuk to answer before he stood up.

“To the PC bang. I have something to give you.”

“Oh, a gift?” Donghae joked as he wrapped his scarf around his neck and followed Eunhyuk to the exit.

“Not really,” Eunhyuk replied as he stepped outside of the shop.

He stopped in his step as the wind blew harder than before. Donghae stepped further into the shop.

“Why is it so ing cold?” Eunhyuk complained as he gripped the side of his hood tighter against his face.

Donghae opted to wrap the scarf further up his neck to cover some part of his face.

“Yah, Donghae. Close the door. You’re making this place cold!” Yesung shouted from behind the register.

Donghae nodded and then waved goodbye to the barista. He shoved Eunhyuk and himself out on to the sidewalk.

“Let’s just run to the PC bang,” Donghae suggested as he started to shake from the cold.

Eunhyuk nodded his head and began to jog the five blocks to the internet café. Donghae followed persistently behind him.

They didn't speak as they moved around other shoppers. They just tried to make themselves as compact as they could in their coats to generate more heat.

When they reached their destination, Eunhyuk quickly ran inside and toward the back. Donghae waited by the entrance, unsure if Eunhyuk wanted him to follow.

It didn't really matter because only moments later, Eunhyuk ran from the back with a bag in his hand to give to him.

“What’s this?” Donghae asked as he stared at the plastic bag Eunhyuk was holding.

“It’s a spare uniform I keep in one of the lockers here. I usually keep it here in case I decide to stay at a friend’s house during the week.”

“Why are you giving me this?”

Eunhyuk merely waved his hand up and down. Donghae had no idea what he was talking about.

“They’re for you to wear. Your clothes are a million sizes too big for you.”

Donghae looked down at the baggy jeans he was wearing. His sweater under his coat was also about two sizes too big for him.

“Ah, so this is where the cliché makeover that happens in all teen movies occurs in our saga.”

Eunhyuk looked around to make sure no one was listening.

“Keep your voice down. And no. I hadn’t planned on you getting a haircut. That just happened because of my sister and because watching you suffer was so much fun for me. But I did plan the uniform because you should at least dress better if we are going to be seen together.”

Donghae scowled as he accepted the bag.

“Do we have to go anywhere else?”

“No. We’re done,” Eunhyuk sternly answered. He was clearly over their little hangout.

“Alright then. I will see you Monday. I’ll text you tomorrow night to see where you want to meet up.”

“Meet up? Can’t we just see each other in the classroom?” Eunhyuk warily asked.

“No, it has to be believable so we have to look like we walked together the whole way.”

“I usually walk with Sungmin in the morning,” Eunhyuk said quietly.

“Well, just text me and we’ll meet up somewhere in between your place and Sungmin’s.”

“Must we?”

“Yes. I’ll see you then.”

“Whatever,” Eunhyuk finally dismissed him and walked toward the back of the PC bang, most likely to play some computer game or surf for .

He didn't say goodbye, but his abrupt exit didn't bother Donghae.

He just smiled to himself as he stepped back outside, immediately regretting leaving the warm PC bang.

He headed off quickly in the direction of his bus stop to head home.

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