Finally I get to do this again! After nearly 3 months. =X Decided not to amend further or it'd be another month before I got time to do it.

It was a shock seeing Andy turns into the shop. It is an even greater shock to see Andy coming out and walking towards him, wearing the uniform of a pastry chef, a warm and sincere smile adorning the face. Minwoo’s heart tightens as he tries to shove away resurfacing memories. This is a cruelty he is not ready to face; to relive the memories, yet being drawn to someone who isn’t her, adding fuel to his blazing guilt.

He never should have followed Andy.

“Hyung!” The young man waves at him from across the road, his innocent and cheery voice like a jesting hand, pushing Minwoo further towards what he thought is self-destruction.

Andy turns his head left and right making sure it is safe before crossing the road with the aura of an innocent child. How can Minwoo continue to convince himself that the boy is malignant?

“Hyung! I was so excited when I saw you standing outside the bakery!” The young man who naively thinks it is a coincidence Minwoo is there pushes a white plastic bag into the elder’s hand. “This is for you and Eric hyung. Please don’t let him and noona know I am working. They will be worried sick.”

Minwoo nods mechanically, his lack of expression contrasting the emotion tsunami in his heart as he stares at the younger boy.

Andy fishes out a piece of bread from the bag in Minwoo’s hand and tears a small piece from it. “Hyung, try this! I baked it this morning.” The whiff enters Minwoo’s nostrils engulfing his senses as his past and present merges...

“Minwoo, try this! I baked it this morning.”

Minwoo raised his head to see the girl bouncing over to his side with an eager face. A smile spread across his own. Minwoo opened his mouth to take a bite from the bread in the girl’s outstretch hand. “Mmmm…” It was the tastiest thing he had ever eaten. “Have Eric tried it?”

“Not yet. I want him try the perfect one so you got to try it first.”

Minwoo felt a dip in his heart, a sensation that was unfamiliar to him. He raised his head in confusion when she started laughing.

“You are jealous aren’t you?”

“Jealous?” Minwoo asked puzzled. He heard of that feeling, but it was something he had never experience.

“Your innocence is adorable.” She chuckled and sat down beside him, placing her palm on top of his. “Actually…” Her beautiful face turned a shade rosier, “I just want you to be the first to try something I baked.”

******

Eric’s worrying gaze locks at the entrance as he waits for Minwoo. His heart races in his chest as he contemplates if he should step out and look for his friend. Minwoo will be furious if he does that.

He sighs absentmindedly, eyes still on the entrance, as if lingering on the angel’s spell he cannot see; the spell that defines his physical boundary.

Maybe he has overdone it this time, Eric thought. Maybe he should not have push Minwoo to send Andy back to his dorm the night before. But his heart shatters to see Minwoo wilts away day by day; imprison in guilt and remorse. And his only hope to save his friend is pinned on Andy now, the boy who resembles her.

A forlorn figure sways slowly into sight. “Minwoo-ah!” Eric calls, instantly release from an unknown load he hasn’t realised he was carrying. He hurries over to pull the shorter man into an embrace. “Where have you been the whole night?”

“I…”Minwoo raises his head causing Eric to frown at the swirling emotions in his irises. The taller man cannot read each one of the emotion, but the pain in Minwoo’s eyes is obvious.

“I missed her...” Minwoo murmurs. He had never said it out loud before, not since the angel took her life. Eric squeezes Minwoo’s palm lightly and lowers his head. The bag in his friend’s hand enters his sight. Bread; one of the few connections to the memories they have of her. She loved baking. And she was good at it.

“It had been some time since I had eaten freshly baked bread and pastries.” Eric says, tears welling up in his eyes. But he refuses to let them fall. Eric reaches out for a piece of bread and takes a bite. His eyes widen as the familiar taste reels in his mouth.

Minwoo’s teeth sink into his lip. It is now clear it is not something his mind made up when he thought the bread tastes exactly like what she baked. Andy has managed to throw his mind into a confuse mess again.

“Where did you get it?” Eric asks, his expression still lock in the moment of shock.  

“A bakery near Andy’s dorm.”

“I always know Andy will lead us to something!” Eric exclaims excitedly, his sudden change in mood startling Minwoo. “Did you ask the shop to see who baked it? It could be her!”

“She will never appear in our life again,” Minwoo says quietly. The angel is not one to make empty threats. He wishes he can tell Eric that Andy was the baker, but he does not want the information to further feed on his friend’s false belief.

 “But…” Eric swallows. “But Andy appearing here is still fate.”

“There is no more fate the day cupid fell.” Minwoo snaps.

Eric falls silent as his piercing gaze focuses on his friend, trying to pry into the deepest of Minwoo’s mind. How can anyone live with so much guilt? “You said as if fate is controlled by Cupid. It is not. Fate will continue to unravel and evolve according to how everyone crafts their destiny with their actions.” Eric gives a short pause, trying to access his friend’s reaction to his words. “How do you explain Andy? Why does he keep leading us to things that remind us of her if this is not fate?”

Minwoo’s head jerks up; his pleading eyes begging Eric to stop. “Don’t do this to me Eric.”

“Don’t do this to yourself Minbong.”

If not for the sleek white car that pulls in front of the building, Eric thought he might have finally broken through the walls Minwoo built to fence off redemption. He sighs soundlessly as he turns to the tall slender man that sashays into the building. The said man removes his shades in a suave movement, revealing his pretty face. His eyes narrow when they land on Eric and Minwoo.

“Can I help you?” Eric asks tersely, not liking the way he is being studied. The man is familiar, which is odd given the limited faces Eric had seen while being trapped in the building.

As if realizing his rudeness, Hyesung bows his head apologetically. “I am here to return a phone.” He explains politely, not wanting to appear any ruder. In all his years as an entertainer, he has never come across any pair like the two in front of him. A stunningly handsome tall man and another that emanates such aberrant charm that none of the entertainers Hyesung met can match up to. And that in itself means a lot given Hyesung’s status in the entertainment industry.

Minwoo is thankful for the new stranger’s appearance, until realization of who the man is strikes him. He recognizes almost instantly that Hyesung is an entertainer, but it is not just that, he remembers seeing the fate of the man years ago. Eric was right. Fate is indeed restoring itself after Cupid’s fall. Ignoring his pounding heart, Minwoo quickly grabs Eric’s hand, wanting to lead him away. But the unusual stiffness and the pulsation beating through Eric’s skin indicate he is too late. Eric recognizes Hyesung.

“Eric, don’t do anything please. He is more than who you think he is.” Minwoo whispers into Eric’s ear, his hand continues to wrap around Eric’s stiff one, preventing his friend from setting off.   

The lift chimes and Eunjung walks out of the lift. A wide smile spreads across the singer’s face as he turns over. Minwoo quickly takes the chance and pull Eric to his café.

“Why did you bring me here?! Do you know who he is?” Eric bellows, shaking off his friend’s hand that is still around his wrist. “He is Shin Hyesung! SHIN BLOODY HYESUNG!” The man lifts his hand and points angrily in the directly of his apartment. “And he is now alone with Eunjung!”

“Eric, please try to keep your cool.” Minwoo pleads. “I know you blame him for what happened but what you said is right. Fate is still around and it is fate that brings him here.”

“What fate?” Eric whips around, his heart contracting fearing for Minwoo’s next words.

“His fate with Eunjung…”

Silence drapes itself across the yet to open cafe.

After several long moments, Eric finally found his voice.

“But…but he is the cause of the accident…Don’t you remember what the police brought over?”