Jonghyun looked at Niel with alarm. Niel looked very tired, as though he hadn’t slept much or slept well at all. The rings around his eyes attested to that.

“Niel! Are you okay? Did something happen?” Jonghyun said, jumping up and pulling out the chair for him.

“I’m okay. Sort of. Thanks, and so sorry to call you on such short notice.”

“It’s all right. I’m sorry the concert tour didn’t end a week earlier, if you’re looking like this now. What’s wrong? Tell me.”

“Shouldn’t we order first?”

Jonghyun grinned. “I took the liberty of ordering your favourite ice-cream for you before you came.”

“Aw… That’s so nice of you.”

“No problem. I’m glad I did anyhow. This way we can talk more. And you look like you really need to talk.”

Niel sighed and closed his eyes. “It’s a rather long story.”

“And we have all day to talk. It’s Saturday, after all.”

Niel told him what he’d overheard the week before at LJOE’s comeback party. When Niel finished his story, Jonghyun wisely kept silent. Niel took a spoonful of ice-cream and then continued, saying, “I don’t know… I’m just…  Just… Argh. I don’t know.”

“Furious with Byunghun?” Jonghyun suggested.

“Oh, I am indeed. But… I’m also – sad, I guess.”

Jonghyun looked at him questioningly. Niel dug his spoon listlessly into the ice-cream that had been served a short while before and ate another spoonful.

“Whatever hope I had that there was a possibility Minsoo cared for me… It’s gone now.”

Given the words Niel had heard, Jonghyun could understand his thoughts. But he still felt that Minsoo did care and Niel had misunderstood it. He had no proof, of course. Minsoo had always been rather tight-lipped about his feelings, especially when it came to Niel.

“You don’t know for sure that’s what he meant, Niel,” said Jonghyun, trying to reassure Niel.

“Perhaps. But how many reasons can there be for something like ‘You presume too much of my intentions’?” Niel pushed the ice-cream cup aside and leaned back in his chair, hand over his eyes. It was some moments before Niel spoke again. “You know, angry though I am at that Jerk Byunghun (now I think I know why Chanhee calls him that)…”

Jonghyun had to chuckle. Jerk? That was a new one. He had never heard anyone call LJOE a jerk before.

“… I think I’m actually more disappointed.” Niel sat straight again and rested his head in one hand, staring at the table top. “Disappointed. Yea, I think that’s the right word.”

Niel fell silent again. Jonghyun waited a bit, then prompted him to continue. “Disappointed…? In Minsoo?”

“A bit. No, not really. I think… Maybe I’m disappointed that my hopes came to nothing. That Minsoo doesn’t seem to care that way. Disappointed and annoyed at myself too, for being so stupid.” Niel let out a bitter laugh. “I am stupid, aren’t I? Wishing and hoping like that. Probably I’m also stupid for being so upset over it. I should have known…”

“Daniel,” began Jonghyun, but then he stopped. A tear was running down Niel’s cheek. Jonghyun didn’t know what to say and decided that saying nothing was best.

Niel blinked hard, trying to keep back anymore traitorous tears. “But, you know, Jonghyun… It hurts to be disappointed. It hurts - so much.” Niel’s voice trembled slightly at the last two words.

Jonghyun could only watch Neil, pained that his friend was hurting. Niel was certainly very angry with Byunghun – the tone with which Niel referred to him indicated as much – but at the same time, Niel was heartbroken. Jonghyun wished he could assure Niel that it wasn’t as he thought, that Minsoo did care, but he knew he couldn’t give Niel proof of it. It would just be a gut feeling. And that would not be enough at this time. It made him highly annoyed with Byunghun for interfering, and also regretful that Minsoo had not actually spoken up so far. Jonghyun had known them since in High School @ TOP Academy and he immediately became close with Niel.  How long did he need to decide that they cared for each other?

Neil dabbed his eyes with a tissue. “This is silly. I shouldn’t be crying…” Niel hated it when he lost control of himself like that.

It took Jonghyun all of three seconds to move his chair closer to Niel and put an arm around Niel shoulders. “It’s okay,” he said, softly. “It’s not silly. Don’t worry about it.” Jonghyun ruffled Neil brown bob hair slightly.

“Don’t do that,” Niel chided, jokingly. “It’s as if I’m a little kid. I’m older than you are, you know.”

“Yeah.. Yea.. But I’m more matured than you,” countered Jonghyun.

Niel shut his eyes once more and leaned on Jonghyun. “Thanks,” Niel whispered.

“Anytime,” Jonghyun said. Then Jonghyun ruffled Niel’s hair again. Niel half-smiled in spite of himself.

*** 

After seeing Niel safely off to work, Jonghyun took out his hand phone and dialled a number. Niel had told him expressly not to do anything to Byunghun. “I’ll handle LJOE myself. Don’t you try anything,” Niel had said, and he had agreed.

But Niel didn’t say anything about Minsoo, Jonghyun thought, smiling to himself. Maybe it was time he gave Minsoo a little push. That could wait a bit, though. First, perhaps a little more cheer and distraction for Niel wouldn’t hurt. Jonghyun raised his phone to his ear and listened for the dial tone.

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A/N:

Yey.. I back again......

I hope so like my short update.. Actually I had my net book reformatted and I lost most of my files were there and so as my pending works.. T_T that's why I had a hard time doing an update.. and Niel's MV help me to be inspired again to write.. weeeeeeee!! LOVEKILLER DAEBAK!!!!!

AFFOGATO is So NAP!!!! 

and here I am still waiting for CHUNJOE collabrating.. When will this gonna happen??

Anyway, ThanKYU and don't forget to comment... 

-------> CHANHEE's EOMMA