Summary : Sometimes, you'll find someone who is better and more worth it than the person you were with...

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‘I’m sorry…’ a guy bowed deeply as an apology and judging on his looks, he really meant it.

The other guy took a deep breath before talking with a calm voice, ‘I’ll accept your apology with one condition’

XXX

Ting…

A bell that was hung outside a café called Wonder Café was heard throughout the place indicating a new customer’s arrival but this time it was a couple. They looked around the café and spotted a guy who was sitting alone, secluded from the rest. The couple looked at each other before walking towards the guy.

‘Hyesung-ah…’ the boyfriend called.

The said guy’s body tensed when hearing his name being called. But he tried to keep his emotions and atmosphere under control, so he stood up to give a polite bow to them.

‘Please have a seat…’ Hyesung gestured them to sit opposite him.

Everyone could see that whatever they were talking was serious especially the expression on the couple’s face when Hyesung was talking. Even though Hyesung sounded calm but you can see sometimes that his voice shook.

(On the other hand)

‘Yah, Eric. You’ve been looking at them since just now’ one of the waiters tapped his friend’s shoulder when he saw him looking at the couple and the guy.

‘I just want to know what they are talking about. Seems odd…’ Eric commented lightly.

Actually, he didn’t want to know what was happening because his interest was actually towards the guy who had pretty features. From the moment the guy stepped inside, Eric could sense sadness and hurt from his aura and even though the guy smiled to him when he was taking his orders at the cashier, he knew it was a fake smile.

Flashback…

‘Hello, how can I help you with?’ Eric gave a bright smile at the new customer.

‘One ice Americano please’ the customer mumbled softly.

‘Coming right up!’ he replied cheerfully.

As the guy was giving the money, Eric could sense something odd from the guy’s aura. It was as if the guy was pleading to be save from something and it worked on Eric. If Eric was daring enough, he just wanted to talk to the customer to ask him if he could help him with whatever that was going on his mind. And probably he would also give a tight hug. But he knew his position and one wrong move, he could be called a harasser or even worse, a ert. So, what he can do was to give a post note to him.

*Cheer up okay ^^*

Eric smiled in victory when he finally saw a genuine smile from the guy as he watched him from far. So that was how he started to observe the table. He watched them for a good 10 minutes until the pretty guy stood up and excused himself but Eric could see that he wanted to get out from there immediately. What shocked Eric the most was he perfectly saw a glimpse of tear at the corner of the guy’s eyes. He knew that he shouldn’t be a busybody but he wanted to reach out to the guy that seemed to be in pain.

‘Eric, where are you going?’ his friend called.

‘5 minutes break!’ he shouted and exited the café.

Eric looked to his right and left and couldn’t see the guy anymore. Then, he saw the previous couple walked out from the café with uneasy expression and it made Eric confused as to what just happened between all of them. When he was about to walk back inside, he heard sobbing coming from the alley beside his café. He carefully made his steps towards the sound and was heartache when he saw the guy crying with his back against the wall. Maybe the guy heard Eric’s footsteps that he shot up and saw Eric looking at him.

‘Don’t be scared. I don’t mean harm’ Eric said when he saw the guy who was taking a few steps away from him.

‘Then, what do you want?’ he barely said.

‘Hmm…’ Eric started scratching his head awkwardly and began regretting chasing after the guy because he was bad at consoling people.

‘I’m actually a worker at Wonder Café and I couldn’t help but notice you because you look so sad from the first you came. If you don’t mind, do you want to come inside?’

‘Why would I? I don’t want people to see my crying face!’ he glared at Eric.

‘No, I mean do you want to stay at the office for the time being? We can use the back door’ Eric pointed to the back alley.

Hyesung considered about his words for awhile before nodding. He slowly followed Eric through the backdoor and Hyesung didn’t expect that the office looked nicer than expected.

‘Just sit wherever you want’ Eric smiled. Hyesung looked around and sat at the comfy sofa.

‘Now, I’m going to leave you alone because you look like you really need some personal time’ Eric explained as he excused himself.

‘Wait!’ Hyesung stopped him.

‘Hmm?’ Eric blinked his eyes in confusion.

‘C-Can you stay here with me? I need someone with you especially in times like now’ Hyesung shyly asked.

‘If that’s okay with you’ he replied and sat at another sofa.

‘Yeah, it’s fine’ he nodded.

Eric didn’t know how to act around Hyesung because the guy didn’t say or do anything and it made him feel awkward. So, all he did was playing with his phone.

‘I’m Eric btw’ Eric introduced himself as he forgot to tell his name.

‘I’m Hyesung’

Then, they went silence. Eric was busy surfing the Internet on how to make a sad person feel better and what to say to sad people.

‘Eric-sshi…’ Hyesung called but Eric quickly interrupted him, ‘You can just call me Eric’

Hyesung nodded, ‘Eric… Have you broke up with someone before?’

Then, Eric understood what just happened earlier.

The guy got his heart broke…

‘Yeah, we broke up because we didn’t feel anything towards each other anymore. Then, I found out that the girl actually has someone else’ Eric chuckled lightly.

Hyesung looked at him to see if he was lying or not but all he could see on Eric’s face was the truth.

‘I’m gay…’ Hyesung announced.

‘So, in your case it was because of a guy’ Eric concluded which made Hyesung nodded.

‘But…’ Hyesung took a deep breath before continuing, ‘He left me because of a girl…’

Then, he scoffed lightly, ‘Pathetic huh? I should’ve listen to my friends. They said he was a bad news from the beginning, but I was too dumb to notice’

‘Well, love can make you dumb sometimes. But you’ll learn from it, don’t you’ Eric looked at him.

‘But…’ Hyesung’s voice started to break and it was a breaking point for him.

Hyesung cried his eyes out until he felt a pair of arms wrapped around his body. Eric didn’t say anything as he waited for Hyesung to pour out all his hurt feelings.

‘Wait here okay…’ Eric said as he wanted to get out from the office.

‘Where are you going?’ Hyesung asked in an adorable tone like a cat.

‘I’ll be at the kitchen for awhile. I promise I’ll come back’ Eric smiled.

(Wonder Café)

No one noticed that Eric was at the café again as he was too busy at the kitchen. Dongwan, the chef of the café went inside and was surprised to see Eric taking out some fruits from the fridge.

‘What are you doing?’ Dongwan walked towards him.

‘Nothing, just making a juice’

‘Why?’ Dongwan raised his eyebrows.

‘I don’t know. Because I feel like it’ he lazily shrugged his shoulder and did his own business.

After he was done he smiled proudly at his new creation. He added some fruits and some flavours to it to balance out the sweetness of the fruits. Then, he walked out from the kitchen to go to his office.

‘Yah, Eric Mun! You’ve been out for 30 minutes now!’ another worker said in annoyance.

‘Sorry, but I have a lot of paperworks to do’ Eric playfully winked and walked off before his friend could scold him more.

He knocked on the door before entering so that Hyesung won’t be surprised.

‘Here, I made this for you. It helps to make you relax’ Eric smiled and carefully put the drink on the table.

Hyesung looked at the drink for awhile before taking it, ‘What is it?’

‘Some fruits. I like to call it Calmness Blue’ Eric told him the name that he just created.

Hyesung carefully took a sip but later his eyes widen as he drank more, ‘This is good~’ Hyesung praised.

‘This is the first time that I see you smile genuinely’ Eric remarked making Hyesung shy.

‘I know that I’m in no position to tell you anything but I think that you would find a better guy who will treat you better than him. It might take awhile but it’s going to be worth it, for all you know’ he said encouragingly.

‘Thank you’ he nodded sheepishly.

After finishing his drink, Hyesung excused himself as he got work to do. He really thanked Eric for today because he felt a lot better than earlier.

‘If you feel sad and you just want to cry again, just come to this café and I’ll make something for you to drink’ Eric offered.

‘Is this a café or a therapy?’ Hyesung joked.

‘A therapy is only for VVIP. You’re my first client’ he smiled playfully.

‘I’m honoured’ he chuckled lightly. After they bid goodbye, Eric resumed his work including having to hear Minwoo’s lecture about his skipping. But it wasn’t like he didn’t do anything, he actually helped a guy!

(The following week)

‘HYUNG~’ someone chirped happily with a very loud voice in Wonder Café. All people was stunned by the voice especially the customers while the workers greeted the guy with a warm welcome.

‘Andy-ah~’ everyone smiled widely when they saw their favourite maknae. Eric who was busy in his office heard the noises and decided to go out. He smiled the widest when he saw his baby cousin at the café. Ever since Andy debuted as an actor, he had been busy with work that he didn’t have time to go to the café and spent his time with his boyfriend who was a worker there, Junjin.

‘Junjin hyung~’ Andy went to hug the said guy.

‘As always, Junjin first’ Minwoo pouted.

‘Of course, he is my boyfriend’ he said proudly as he clung on Junjin’s arm.

‘Don’t you have schedules today?’ Junjin asked.

‘I do but I want to talk to Eric hyung for awhile’

‘Me?’ Eric blinked his eyes.

‘Yes, you hyung. Let’s go to the office’ Andy dragged him into the office.

‘What’s up, Andy?’

‘Remember the DJ radio that I always love listening to?!’

‘Yeah, Dream Night right’ Eric tried to remember. He always remembered that Andy talked about it every time they met.

‘YES! The guy is going to be on a reality show and the episode is about Biggest Fans Special. I got to be in it but unfortunately, I have a shooting’ he pouted sadly.

Eric slowly patted his back for comfort, ‘Aww, it’s okay Andy-ah. I’m sure that you can meet him again another time’ he consoled.

Eric didn’t understand why Andy liked the DJ radio so much, maybe because he didn’t listen to radio because he was too busy with work.

‘I know. I’m going to meet him through you’ he smiled widely.

‘E-Excuse me?’

‘You are going to be my substitute. I’ve already told the producers and they said that you can be my replacement. Cool huh’ he grinned wider.

‘What cool?! I don’t want to be on TV. I don’t even know the guy!’ Eric protested.

‘But hyung, I really want you to go on that show. That’s like one in a million chance’ Andy whined.

‘You go! I don’t want!’ he glared at the maknae.

‘Hyung~~’ he whined again. He knew if he kept whining, Eric might say yes.

‘No to the way!’ he stood on his ground.

‘HYUNG~~~~’ he whined loudly.

Eric sighed heavily and loudly, ‘FINE! Just this once!’ he gave up. He knew he couldn’t win an argument with Andy.

‘YESSSS!’ he cheered excitedly.

(NUY Building)

‘What have I gotten myself into?’ Eric sighed for the hundredth time when he was at the basement of NUY Building for a meeting with the producer.

Finally after what it seemed like forever, he got out from his car and went inside.

‘Excuse me, where can I look for entertainment department?’ Eric asked the receptionist. After getting the information he needed, he made his way to the department and when he arrived at the department, he awkwardly looked for the producers.

‘What can I help you with?’ a girl asked when she saw Eric peeping inside the room.

‘I want to look for I.C producers because I have a meeting with them now’ he politely answered.

The girl snapped her fingers and she leaded him to a meeting room, ‘They’re waiting for you inside’ she gestured.

‘Oh, thank you’ Eric smiled before entering inside.

Knock… Knock… Knock…

‘Excuse me… Hi, my name is Eric Mun and I’m Andy’s substitute’ Eric awkwardly introduced himself when he saw several people was inside the room.

‘Oh, come in come in’ one of the producers gestured him to sit.

‘Thank you’ he smiled shyly.

‘No wonder Andy insisted that he wanted you as his substitute. You are a good looking guy! We thought you are an actor just now’ the producer remarked.

‘Ah, I’ll thank my parents for their genes’ he said humbly.

Right away, Eric unconsciously captured their hearts with his charms and humbleness. They told him what was they going to do on the day of recording and thank God, Eric understood all of them.

‘I have a confession to make’ Eric shyly said after they finished explaining everything.

‘What is it?’ the producer smiled.

‘I don’t know the DJ radio. I don’t keep up with the world’ he sheepishly admitted causing the producers to chuckle.

‘I understand… His name is Shin Hyesung and he is a DJ radio for 3 years now and fortunately for him, he has his own radio show called Dream Night’ the producer told Eric some information about the said guy.

Eric felt like he had heard the name before but he couldn’t recall, so he just shrugged it off. The producers and him bid goodbye as they finished their discussions.

(Filming day)

Eric had to wake up early since he had to wait for the DJ guy at a café and when he recommended his own café, the producer agreed to it.

On the other hand…

‘Good morning~’ Hyesung bowed politely to the camera when he walked outside from his apartment.

‘Hello, my name is Shin Hyesung and I’m a DJ radio for Dream Night for 2 years now’ Hyesung introduced himself as he knew he wasn’t a famous person in the industry.

‘Hello…’ Hyesung smiled once he was inside the van. The producers have told him that he and his fans are going to do some missions and they rented a van for him.

Silence…

‘Gosh, I’m so sorry! I’m awkward with camera, so I don’t know what to talk about’ he chuckled awkwardly.

‘Did you sleep last night?’ the producer asked.

‘I tried but I can’t, I keep overthinking about today’s filming. Plus, this is my first variety show!’ Hyesung exclaimed.

Hyesung tried talking to the camera that he didn’t realised he arrived at a café to pick up his first van.

‘We’re here?’ Hyesung questioned when the van stopped moving. His eyes widen when he saw the café and he didn’t know his heart was beating fast. Suddenly, he remembered about the incident when he broke up with his ex and the meeting with Eric. Ever since the incident, he had been wondering how Eric was doing and actually he was really thankful that the café worker was with him when he needed comfort. Even though it was hard for Hyesung after the broke up, but he could still manage to be strong and move on. Hyesung’s heart was beating nervously as he was more nervous than he was when he was doing the filming. Would Eric still remember him if he saw him there? Or would he just ignore him?

Hyesung cautiously made his way inside the café and he felt the time stopped when he made eye-contact with Eric. Eric who was making art coffee smiled comfortably at Hyesung. Actually, he was shocked to know that Hyesung was a DJ announcer especially when Andy was his biggest fan. He decided to make a research on the announcer the night before and that was when he knew about Hyesung. Ever since the incident, Eric didn’t know why but constantly thought about the announcer. How he was coping. Was he struggling after the breakup. Eric really wanted Hyesung to come by the café again so that he can make some drinks for Hyesung but maybe the said guy was busy with his work as DJ had unpredictable schedules.

‘Welcome~’ he greeted with a friendly manner.

‘Ah, hello…’ Hyesung bowed politely.

‘I’m here to look for my fan. The producer told me he is here’ Hyesung explained as he tried hard not to look at Eric’s charming eyes.

‘Well, you’re in front of him…’ Eric chuckled lightly and put down the mug he was holding before making his way outside the bar.

‘Y-You’re my fan?!’ Hyesung’s eyes widen.

‘Yup’ Eric smiled awkwardly.

‘Hello, I’m Eric Mun. It’s nice to finally meet you’ Eric officially introduced himself as a courtesy.

‘Ah, hello…’ Hyesung bowed.

Eric and Hyesung both knew that they couldn’t talk about personal stuffs when the cameras were rolling, so they just bid hello and went to pick up other fans of Hyesung’s. During the opening show, everyone including the other celebrities’ fans were mesmerised by Eric’s handsome face.

‘Now, let’s go to Shin Hyesung’s fans’ the MC announced excitedly which caused the said fans to cheer loudly.

‘Who is Eric Mun?’

Eric shyly raised up his hands and some girls even squealed when he stood up.

‘Hello, my name is Eric Mun~’ he politely introduced himself and the crowd went wild with claps.

‘What do you do for a living?’ the MC asked.

‘I own a café with my friend called Wonder Café. If you guys have some free time, do come by’ he used the chance to promote his café.

‘I’m sure that you have heard this before. But do you know that you look like the actor, Mun Junghyuk’

‘Omg, yes!!’ some of the girls nodded in agreement as to what the MC just said.

‘I’m sure that I don’t look exactly like him but yeah, a little bit’ he smiled sheepishly.

Hyesung found it cute to see Eric’s expression when the older guy smiled shyly and just nodded when the people praised him. It was so different than the Eric he met the first time. Hyesung wanted to talk to Eric, to see how he had been doing but knowing the cameras and productions were around, he kept his professionalism even when the cameras were off. Nonetheless, he was happy that he could spend his time with his fans. Eric on the other hand was grateful and thankful that he joined the programme as he got to know more about Hyesung and made new friends.

(After the filming)

It that they couldn’t have 2 days 1 night with the fans because some other celebrities were too busy with their schedule. After they wrapped up everything, all the fans took the time to take autographs and take pictures with their favourite artist. Eric wanted to ask for Hyesung’s signature because that was why he came in the first place since Andy forced him. So, he waited until everyone was gone and slowly followed Hyesung who was going into his car.

‘Hyesung-sshi!’ Eric said quietly, not wanting people to hear him.

‘Oh, Eric!’ Hyesung smiled brightly. He didn’t expect that Eric was still there and to be honest, he was happy that Eric wanted to see him because he wanted to have a light chat with the café owner.

‘I’m sorry for disturbing you this late but if you don’t mind…’ Eric awkwardly scratched his head and gave him a poster that Andy gave. The poster was a picture of Andy when he modelled for a CF.

‘Could you give me your signature please?’ he smiled nervously.

Hyesung felt uneasy when he looked at the poster. He actually knew the person from the poster as he debuted as an actor and was doing very well in the industry.

‘Are you a fan of him?’ Hyesung asked and somehow it sounded bitter.

‘Who? Andy? No! He is in fact my cousin. I don’t mean this in a rude way but he was supposed to be your fan for this show but he couldn’t make it, so he asked me to be his substitute’ Eric explained, he didn’t want Hyesung to misunderstand him.

‘Ah, I see…’ Hyesung nodded in understanding and he took the marker that was in Eric’s hand and signed it.

‘But I’m grateful that I came because I got to see you again’ Eric gave a warm smile that made Hyesung’s heart fluttered.

‘But, I don’t know if you still remember me but we met once at my café’ Eroc immediately changed his words as he was worried if Hyesung didn’t remember him.

‘Why would I forget you? Thanks to you, I felt a lot better. And even though it’s hard at first, but I’m learning to move on now’ Hyesung sincerely said.

Eric smiled as understanding, ‘Well, if you have some time, drop by at the café. I can make you something to drink’

‘Just like the other day?’ Hyesung beamed.

‘Just like the other day’ Eric nodded.

‘Alright, I’ll definitely drop by’ he smiled.

‘Then, I’ll wait for you. Goodnight, Hyesung-sshi’

‘Just drop the –sshi, we already familiar with each other. And how are you going to go back?’

‘By bike’

‘Oh okay. I’ll see you around then’ Hyesung bid goodbye.

‘Yeah, see you…’ Eric waved his hands.