CHAPTERFIVE

"Xing Hyung! Is there cakes for me?" Jongin shouted to the kitchen as he walked in. A spot of brown hair stay crouched under the baking table, quickly stood up, not forgetting to wipe some flour off his face. Yixing smiled at the younger, welcoming him to his kingdom aka the kitchen. 

"Jongin! There's some cakes I left in the fridge for you, so go have that," Yixing said while clearing up before popping the next batch of New York Cheesecakes into the oven, "Have you heard about your partner yet?" Jongin nodded, while making his way to the refrigerator. 

"Great, he's at the sink washing the dishes." Yixing said while he closed the oven door, and Jongin nodded again before going to the sink. As he walked through the door and to the washing area, his eyes caught sight of the boy in front of the sink. The boy's frame was petite, although it still looked quite strong. He was quietly washing the dishes, where only the clanking of glasses and ceramics could be heard. As Jongin went a little closer, he could remotely hear the boy hum a familiar tune, which Jongin could not quite place where did he hear it from.

Without realising, Jongin had been staring at the backview for god knew how long. As the flowing of the tap was shut off, he woke up in the midst of his daze where his new partner's humming merged with the background. The petite back turned around, while wiping his hands absent-mindedly.

'Plop!' Jongin dropped both bottles, and both rolled on the ground, hitting the other's feet. The smaller male bent down to pick up the bottles and handed to Jongin. Jongin snapped out of his daze and slammed his open mouth shut.

I found him.

Holy krisus... 

I actually found him!

I found him!

Those owl eyes, those heart shaped lips, that fair complexion. It is him!

"K-Ky--" Jongin could barely even fit his rest of the sentence in before Yixing came into the washing area out of nowhere (like he always do). "Oh, Jongin! This is your partner, Darren!" Yixing gestured to the same exact smaller male right in front of his eyes.

Darren...?

You mean, he's not Kyungsoo?

Darren stepped closer to Jongin, extending his hands with his lips pulled to the heart-shaped smile. "Hi, you must be Jongin, I am Darren, but you can just call me Ren." Jongin hesitantly extended his hand out for a polite handshake, unable to shake off the weary feeling that the boy in front of him was just Ren, not Kyungsoo.

"Ren was studying in Australia for a period of time, but have returned to Korea for good this time." Yixing introduced with his usual chirpy voice, completely unaware the inner turmoil Jongin was facing with himself.

He's not Kyungsoo. Oh my god. 

He's Ren. Oh my god.

I almost made a fool out of myself.

But he's not Kyungsoo!

Then where's Kyungsoo?

Then why does Ren look like Kyungsoo? Ugh!

Jongin rubbed his eyes and looked at the male before him again. But what he saw previously still remained the same. The owl eyes with heart shaped lips. The porcelain skin with the petite frame. The only difference was his hair was dyed in a bright red colour, enough to accentuate his white flawless skin. Ren also wore a pair of dark, wide-framed spectacles to hide his owl eyes. Other than that, Ren was just like Kyungsoo, except that Ren was like a more badass version of Kyungsoo.

Not sure what he had to say about the changes, but Jongin might decide that he may actually just like it. 

But it's Ren, Jongin. The brain in Jongin reminded him, but Jongin just pushed that nagging thought away.

If this is how close I can get to Kyungsoo, I will take it. I will take any chance I get. Even though he's Ren. I guess I will just have to make a clear line between the two.

"Jongin? Jongin!" Yixing's scream again made Jongin snap out of his daze for the nth time of the day. Just as he was awake, Joonmyun's head pop out of the door. Jongin looked at the clock, it was a quarter past three in the afternoon. Time for his shift to start.

"Are you guys ready?" Joonmyun asked gently to the two baristas.

"Ready!" Both baristas shouted back with enthusiasm, before sharing a mutual smile with each other and walked to the counter, indeed ready to start a new day.

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(Food)note: sorry that this chapter was short. uh so about the question of the day in the previous chapter, some like eightymighty and maxoxo guessed it was Xiumin, because both Jongin and the mystery boy were baristas, and some like sourapple54 guessed it was kyungsoo! i have also some who very interestingly guessed it was Do Kangwoo, the guy that had a similar name with Kyungsoo! thank you guys for your response! i guessed now everyone knows who Jongin's partner is right now :D anyways i have my national exams in 4 days and im hella scared >< please wish me luck! and this is why this chapter is kinda short >< anyways, comment, upvote and subscribe! silent readers, im watching you! have a great day/night! xoxo