“That guy, Ricky’s boss, what does he want from you?”

 “Okay, now you are being weird. What’s wrong with him anyway?” it’s not like Mr.  Choi had done anything weird (unless if you count in the fact that he was being friendly and hasn’t scold Niel or anything yet as weird).

“Nothing. Just, if he tries to do anything, or harass you in any way, call me, okay? And I really mean it.” Byunghun said and his eyes were serious, like he somehow was preparing for a battle.

“Oh my God! Byunghun what was that for?!”

~~~

Though it was regrettable that half of Daniel’s face was covered with mask, denying him the privilege to see the beauty behind it, Jonghyun was happy enough to meet that guy again.

And that happiness had cause him to make fool of himself in front Daniel.

‘Can I have you?’

Who use that kind of pickup line these days? That was the lamest pickup line in the history of the lamest pickup lines ever. He even internally cringed at the failure of his mouth to brain filter. To make it worse, that L.Joe guy kept giving him the shinigami’s stare like Jonghyun had offended him in some ways.

Should Jonghyun be wary of him? Had Jonghyun been too obvious in his advances toward Daniel that L.Joe was jealous of him? Why would L.Joe be jealous in the first place, it’s not like the other guy has any interest in Daniel, or did he? Jonghyun definitely need to step up his game.

Next time he goes to Café DaNi, he shall bring something with him.

A tribute from the north or something like that.

~~~

Choi Jonghyun is weird, Niel decided. He didn’t want to agree with Byunghun at first but as time passed, he could not turn blind eyes anymore. After the second encounter with him at the café, Jonghyun came again the next day, bearing an expensive looking bottle of herbal drinks. Initially it’s not Niel’s business, but when Jonghyun handed him the bottle, he could not quite decipher the other guy’s intention.

“What is this for?” Niel asked, confused.

“You doesn’t look well yesterday.”  Jonghyun answered, but that did not explain at all why he needs to get Niel herbal drinks when he’s not feeling well. Niel definitely is not his responsibility.

“You don’t have to do this. I really appreciate your kindness but please take this back.” He said while pushing the bottle back into Jonghyun’s hand only to have the other guy grasping his hands in return.

Wow, that was just- how should he say this? Unpredictable?

“Please, I insist.”

Niel is not good in denying people and Jonghyun’s puppy eyes can be quite convincing, is he still the same monstrous guy that Ricky keep telling him? Because at the moment, he sure doesn’t look like one.

“Okay… thank you.” And Jonghyun look certainly satisfied with the answer.

Albeit the confusion, Niel took the bottle, however with Byunghun’s advice, it was left on the kitchen’s shelf, untouched.

He didn’t know Jonghyun, they are not even friend and he surely didn’t know what the other guy’s intention was. Till they are better acquaintance, Niel will not let his guard easily down. He might seem to take Byunghun’s warning in passing, but it didn’t mean he’s careless or ignorant.

But that didn’t stop Jonghyun from coming to his café every day, in the morning and after office hour or after morning jogs in the weekend until somehow, Jonghyun had become a constant presence in Niel’s daily life.

~~~

Since the promotional team (Niel and his very reliable 7 years old laptop) had diligently done the promotion to endorse Café DaNi online, there are many teenagers had been dropping by Café DaNi lately, especially students from nearby colleges and high schools. Well, in business term, it can be categorized as a good news since the number of customers also had propitiously increased. Besides, those teenage kids are gluttons, they eat like there’s no tomorrow so the leftovers are basically scarce nowadays. However, the downside of it is that, these teenagers are also hormonal as .

They hit on each other, on his hard-working waitress Sun-mi, sometimes on Byunghun which is hilarious to watch especially when the said guy was pulling his exasperated expression every time a high school girl enthusiastically present him with love letter or gift. Mind you, kids nowadays are direct and bold in their approaches. While Byunghun was unwillingly hogging all the ladies, Niel who somehow openly out of closet was swiftly found himself surrounded by dozens of fan boys.

Based on limited experience and observation on these boys, Niel concluded that there are several types of fanboys.

First, there are shy boys who would blush scarlet every time Niel noticed them sneaking a look at him. Who would pushed at each other to say their orders when Niel patiently waiting behind the counter. It’s not like Niel will eat them alive, he doesn’t know why it was so difficult for the boys to just open up and approach him. Niel would never accept high school boy as a boyfriend, he’s not a lolicon for God sake, but these kids sometimes can be quite adorable so he doesn’t mind them being friend or so whatever. Until the kids gather their courage, Niel will patiently wait for them.

Secondly, there are also those boys who basically walking scanners. They would openly stare at him like he is some kind of prey for their starving carnivores’ impulses. At first, he was bothered by the prying looks, contemplating whether he should wear more layers of clothing since the boys practically strip him with their eyes or he should just remain behind the counter or stay inside the safety of his kitchen. However, through times he just gets used to the kids’ antics, it’s not that they are hurting him or anything. Besides, in his lack of better judgment, Niel thinks himself as merely all bones and sharp joints, and the boys can stare all they want and Niel sure they will get bored one day and leave him alone.

The third one is the worst of all, the thug-sy-I’m-the-alpha-boy type that he just wants to smack in the head and thankfully they normally present at times when the café was quite empty, at least they won’t disturb other customers. They are bold in their advances and they are loud about it, sometimes they would catcall him or some other times when they are feeling physical they can be tad…overbearing, but Niel always know how to avoid that situation.  He had banned their existence in the café but these kids are persistent. It’s not like Niel cannot use force against them, he is absolutely capable in enforcing violence when in need but it doesn’t mean he likes it. So while he can endure it he will refrain himself from any aggression.

But unfortunately today is not the day he could refrain himself from any aggression because these kids had crossed the line and Niel’s patience had reached its limit.

It was pretty late and Café DaNi had come close to its closing time so the café was basically empty except for this group of collage boys. Niel was wiping the tables when he was called by one of the three boys, he know it would be better off if he just ignore them because the kids want nothing except to torment him with their futile art of flirting but he also know that those kids will just exacerbate the situation if their wishes was not fulfilled.

“What do you want?” he asked, trying hard to remain polite but his irritation must be showing because those guys obviously getting more excited, mocking Niel’s annoyance with sneers and eating grins.

When the one in stripe shirt was about to grasp his hand, Niel quickly pulled his hand away.

“If you keep doing this kind of behavior I would not hesitate to report your action to the authority. So before I do so, please kindly leave this place now.” He’s trying to be diplomatic, besides he didn’t want to cause a scene but to his despair the kids seem to pay no heed to his warning, instead they just laugh it off like Niel was telling some joke.

“Someone was getting angry.”

“And looking more beautiful with that angry looks too.”

He can tolerate catcalls but today, those kids bravado had folded multiple times because despite Niel’s warning, the kids were not only making fun of him but they also had pushed their luck by trying to get physical.

There was a hand sliding down on his back.

Reaching where it shouldn’t be.

It was gross.

And Niel was pissed.

Clenching his fingers into a tight ball, Niel almost swing his fist to the face of owner of the hand, but before he could do anything, the kid suddenly stumbled from the chair he was sitting on and unceremoniously facepalmed to the floor, right before Niel’s feet.

Apparently someone had kicked his (literally) on Niel’s behalf.

Niel was expecting Byunghun but the guy standing in front of him was no other than Choi Jonghyun, not someone in the top ten list of who Niel would have expected to come to his rescue, but rather a pleasant surprise.

Byunghun however was standing just right beside Jonghyun, both of them were radiating rather apparent angry ambiance and it was comical, if this was some kind of anime, Niel would say that they are currently in the ‘super saiyan’ mode.

Funny thing is, Niel was the one who was harassed but Byunghun and Jonghyun somehow seem angrier than he is. Typical of Byunghun, but Jonghyun..? Niel doesn’t even know this man except for the facts that he is Ricky’s boss and one of his regular customers.

“what the-“ before any of those guys could retaliate Jonghyun had his right hand choking the guy in striped shirt’s jugular and stomp his foot onto the fallen guy’s back, making the third one scrambled off the table with fear. But before he could escape, Byunghun had him by the collar of his shirt.

“Leave.” He said.

This is what happens when Byunghun was unleashed, he would act like a mob boss wannabe despite of his minion size (maybe he was but Niel never knows).

“If I saw any of you I here again or any 20 meters radius from Daniel, I would personally send the condolences letter to your family.” Jonghyun added, to emphasize his seriousness, Jonghyun tightened his grip on the kid’s jugular before shoving him away. Within seconds, the kids scrambled out of the café with tails between their legs.

So much of Niel’s vision of no violence in his café.

So this is the Mr.Choi Ricky was always talking about. If this is how Jonghyun is when he get angry, no wonder why his employee would scare of him. He is just as much as mob boss wannabe as Byunghun is, if not more.

“I could handle them myself you know.” Niel mumbled in self-defense.

“Ugh, I had been watching you playing the rag doll for weeks, I don’t think I can tolerate that anymore.” Byunghun replied with a shrug before moving away into the kitchen. Mumbling something under his breath, probably nagging at Niel for his lack of effort to stand for himself. It’s not like Niel doesn’t want to, it’s just that Byunghun and Jonghyun interfere too early before he could prove his masculinity and kicks some asses.

Nevertheless, they had helped him and Niel owes them gratitude.

“Um, thank you for helping me, Mr. Choi.” Niel said to Jonghyun after watching Byunghun’s back disappear behind the closed kitchen’s door.

To be honest, he’s still feeling awkward around Jonghyun, they are not exactly friends, Niel doesn’t think that he and Jonghyun was at par to be one. Unless if it was Jonghyun who initiates first, Niel doesn’t know how to approach the other guy. But Jonghyun had become a constant present in his life for weeks now by being the loyal customer who would come to his café twice a day (without miss).

They would talk when they can, a short greeting and such but not more than that. Though he heard many frightening stories about Jonghyun from Ricky he never witness Jonghyun’s wrath himself since he knows him, except for today, but it was for reasonable cause, thus it kind of acceptable in Niel’s moral sense. Jonghyun seems friendly enough, normally he was the one who would start a conversation but Niel is not good in social skill so whenever they are at it, he always feels the awkwardness.

Well, he’s not good with people in general. He would suddenly become self-conscious when someone approaches him, whether people can accept him for who he is or whether he could put trust in others like how he did with Byunghun.  People make friends every day, it was supposed to be an easy and natural occurrence but it’s not for Niel. That is one of the most frustrating things in Niel’s life.

“No problem. Those kids are nuisance, if they ever bother you again just… just tell me. I wouldn’t mind to help.” Jonghyun replied with a smile plastered on his handsome face and Niel nods in return, though it’s not like he need constant rescue or something.

“By the way, just call me Jonghyun.” Jonghyun muttered while rubbing the back of his neck.

“Excuse me?”

“I hope you don’t mind if I want to know you better, let be friend or something.”

Niel not sure if he was imagining things, but he saw blushes on Jonghyun cheeks. Why would a cool guy like Jonghyun be embarrassed? Besides, it was just Niel he was talking to, not someone special or anything, right?

Nevertheless, if Jonghyun want to be his friend, Niel is more than happy to accept.

“Sure.”

The thing is, ever since that incident, Niel was quite unsure whether to classify the situation he was caught in as a blessing or a curse, but Niel who is a full grown adult not only found himself stuck under the scrutiny of Lee Byunghun, the assiduous mother-hen of his, but also under close surveillance of Choi Jonghyun, his meticulous newly found watch dog (puppy?) who would intuitively glowered at any one who dares to make moves on him.

Niel has no idea since when both of them had joined forces (against him?) but for God sake, these people need lives and stop treating him like Niel is a freaking damsel in distress! 

tbc.

~~~ 

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