Looking up from his current task of preparing a complicated cappuccino order, Kris almost let out a sigh at spotting two familiar figures wandering into the shop and giving him a look which clearly said that they wanted to talk. Glancing up at the clock, he signalled that he had five minutes and they nodded before disappearing to the back staff room. Part of his heart broke a little because he knew what this whole conversation would revolve around but strangely he found himself being just a little bit happy at the idea that they were going to at least talk to him.

It had been a very lonely time for the past few years.

Typically there was a sudden rush of customers and even though he was on the tables, Kris got trapped behind the counter for ten minutes longer than he should have and when he was finally able to break away it was only because he virtually begged for it.

Thankfully Kyungsoo and Lay were used to how the shop worked and were idly chatting to pass the time.

They looked up when he finally got in and for a few seconds there was a tense silence between them before Kyungsoo suddenly stood up, took two steps forward and embraced him in a tight hug, “God, Kris, I’m so sorry.”

Kris blinked, completely caught off guard and looked at Lay in surprise, “What?”

“First time he’s actually taken a look at you,” Lay shrugged casually, shrugging his shoulders, “Since you’re not as skinny as a rake I guess you got to eat the survival food packages I left in your locker right?”

The taller man nodded, “Yeah...thanks. Sometimes it was the only thing that...”

“Figured,” Lay said with a sigh, before shaking his head, “Though I guess that I should say sorry too. We haven’t exactly been the best of friends lately.”

“You’ve been protecting Chanyeol,” Kris said absently, “It’s understandable.”

Kyungsoo pulled back with a sigh, “But that doesn’t give us the right to ignore you. Geeze Kris, if I had known what was going on...”

Kris shook his head, “Don’t. There’s no point. What did you want to say to me anyway?”

For a second the pair looked at one another, trying to work out who was going to admit their fears for this whole situation but not they were actually looking at their friend it was clear that they had been way too over protective for one and under protective for the other. Kyungsoo broke, “I was going to tell you to be careful with Chanyeol, to not lead him on and all of the usual stuff...but I think that would be wrong.”

“Yeah,” Lay sighed, shaking his head again gently, “I think we’ve just got so caught up in protecting Chanyeol that we forgot about everything else.”

A sort of half smile crossed Kris’s face as he gently shook his head, “Don’t worry, I know. I remember everything that we promised and I do intend to stick by it but...I just wanted to be selfish for a little while. Even if he doesn’t remember me...it’s nice to pretend occasionally.”

Lay nodded, “Yeah. Though...if he does start remembering...I’m all for it.”

“What?” Kris raised his head in surprise.

“Seconded,” Kyungsoo said and then looked shocked, “Wait, what?”

“Chanyeol deserves to make his own choices and he really loves that book,” Lay sighed gently, “It’s the one you gave him all those years ago and he treasures it as if it’s the most important thing in the world. I’m thinking that maybe it’s a sign that you need to be back in his life and we’ve been far too cruel in keeping the pair of you apart.”

“For good reason,” Kris said, taking on a slightly different tone, “I’m still in that situation Lay, I’m not out of it...” a deep sigh escaped him, “Hell I haven’t even been able to fulfil my promise to Tao yet...”

Kyungsoo rewrapped his arms around the taller man and squeezed him tightly, “Maybe doing this will allow you to keep that promise.”

A half-bark of laughter escaped from Kris’s throat, “I think that’s the nicest thing that anyone has said to me for a real long time.”

Lay chuckled, “Well get used to it cause I think we’re going back to being friends once again.”

“No think about it,” Kyungsoo said, “We shouldn’t have turned our backs on you and if tonight goes well then I’m sure we can sort something out.”

“And even if it doesn’t, you know what Chanyeol’s like,” Lay grinned cheekily, “Show him some of those bruises and he’ll be demanding that we mother you just as much as we have done with him over the last couple of years.”

Kris didn’t know if he should break out into the biggest, brightest smile or into floods of tears because it felt as though it had been so long since he had this sort of connection to anyone. He understood why they did it, why they had to protect Chanyeol from the truth but he had thought that just maybe he would have been able to get out of his situation. Naturally he had been wrong because he had somehow managed to ignore just how stubborn a man his father really was and he was still paying the price for everything that had happened on that accursed night all of those years ago.

Kyungsoo gently increased his grip on the other and felt the guilt flowing through him and Lay joined in with a very tight hug as if he was trying to prove that he was really genuinely sorry, when they noticed that tears were threatening to fall from Kris’s eyes. For a while they remained together, letting the taller man crumple for a bit and just let go of the ‘ice prince’ mask that he had to wear constantly.

After the tears settled down into nothing more than occasional hiccups, the trio broke apart and Kyungsoo immediately became a fussy mother with the tissue, “Oh look at the state you’re in Krissy,” he said with a tease and wiped at the trails of water running down the elders cheek, “Can’t have you being all...”

The tissue was suddenly covered in cheap foundation and Kyungsoo looked up in horror towards his friend but before he could say anything, Kris just shook his head, “Don’t think on it. You best go now, my breaks almost over.”

Kyungsoo opened his mouth to say more but Lay made a quick grab for his arm and tugged him roughly to the side, “Okay. We’ll more than likely have to come and pick Chanyeol up after everything so we’ll see you later.”

Kris nodded, “That sounds good to me and thank you.”

“Hey don’t get all soppy on me, that’s the last thing I need,” Lay grinned cheekily towards the other before virtually hauling Kyungsoo out of the door. Things were going to get interesting and both boys could only hope that the date went good and didn’t crash and burn into hundreds of flames.  

Kris let out a long sigh, opened the door to his locker to drag the necessary supplies and hurried into the bathroom to wash his face and put back on the mask that he wore. For a second he caught his real reflection in the mirror and tilted his head slightly to the right, observing a huge black bruise which had been delivered to him the night before. He was lucky that the punch was drunkenly swung as it would have more than likely taken his eye out and there was no money left in the funds to cover anymore visits to the hospital.

Closing his eyes, he turned away from the image and pushed it out of his mind. Tonight he had to focus on Chanyeol, had to enjoy at least one thing that wouldn’t explode back into his face and then just maybe he would find some form of peace. Gently he started humming to himself, an old tune that his baby brother Tao had liked and hoped that the younger would be cheering him on. If he hadn’t already lost his panda plush of course but that was a risk that Kris knew he had to take. 

Authors babbling

Oh, mg, gosh, I have been so unbelieveably busy the last few weeks with Christmas Meet ups, work being busy as anything and then coming down with a massive cold which really knocked me for six that updating has been next to impossible. Thankfully I got this written a little while ago and got it editied up today and finally uploaded so count it as a bit of a Christmas gift for you all. Hope you enjoy and that some things are pointing to overall plot points but hopefully you're still interested enough in this crazy fic of mine. 

But anyway, a big MERRY CHRISTMAS to you all, even if it's a bit belated, and I hope that you all had a good time, got spoilt and returned the favour to those that you love and cherish. 

Now I'm going to go and sort out other stuffs. Catch you soon hopefully