Jongdae tapped his pen on his notebook. He had been trying to create new building designs. His company called him where he is working as a senior architect and they asked for a new building design that he needs to pass. But after downing two cups of mocha frappe, there’s still no ideas forming in his mind. And all he had come up with were weird sketches of undecipherable things. He was trying to concentrate but all he could think of is Junmyeon’s handsome face smiling at him.

            It has been a week since his hyungs brought him back to Seoul from the Exo Riding Club. It is because their parents came back from Australia which has been their last destination from their around-the-world tour.

            “Oppa, help me.” One of the waitresses at the café bar, Jihye, sat at the vacant chair across him. She gets a face powder from her uniform’s pocket and retouched her face. “This job is so hard. It makes your skin oily. Good thing you survived somehow.”

            “You can always escape from your obligation if you want to.” Jongdae said. “You’re an international supermodel now, aren’t you? When you’re on the tour in other countries.”

            “Well, yeah…”

            Jihye is his childhood friend and neighbor because their parents are close friends living in the same village where most of them are still living until now. And because of their parents’ wish, they are working on The Emperor Café once a month together with their other childhood friends. His hyungs also work there when they are not busy with their companies and just want to relieve their stress.

            “Kim Junmyeon.” Jihye mumbled.

            Jongdae gawked at her. “How did you know Junmyeon?”

            Jihye raised his notebook. There is one name that stood out from his weird drawings–Kim Junmyeon.

            “That’s why I noticed that your mind is off somewhere.” Jihye said. “You’ve been thinking about your guy.”

            Jongdae gets his notebook back and stared at it. “Yeah, I miss him.”

            “Then call him. That’s why cellphones are made for hopeless romantics like you.”

            “I can’t.”

            “Why not?”

            “I just want to forget him for a while. My mind goes haywire if he’s beside me. I don’t really know what I want and I don’t want.”

            “Who told you that being in love is not insane? That’s the reality, oppa.”

            “Do you have a boyfriend?”

            “Yeah, I had a boyfriend before. But now, I think I don’t want to have one. And anyway, I can have a boyfriend anytime I want. There are so many handsome boys around.”

            Jihye pointed to their other childhood friends that are also serving the customers in that café. She also pointed at the few customers. They are all handsome, all right. But Jongdae is ignoring them because he wants to see Junmyeon’s handsome face.

            “You’re not interested.” Jihye said when she noticed his reaction. “Your boyfriend is lucky. You’re not looking at someone else but him.”

            “He’s not my boyfriend.”

            “He’s not? Then who are you thinking about since you stepped in this café?”

            “The man I love.”

            “He’s your boyfriend, then.”

            “No. He doesn’t even know how I felt.”

            “Why didn’t you tell him?”

            “I just want to clear things about myself.”

            “Like?”

            “Honestly, I really don’t have an idea. All I know is that there’s something I really need to straighten out before I face him again.”

            “Hmm. Just hurry up fixing whatever that thing is, okay? Maybe when everything is okay, he will be in someone else’s arms.”

            “Don’t say that, Jihye-ah. Just wish me luck, okay?”

            Jihye nodded and continued applying powder to her face. But Jongdae is worried with what Jihye has said. He himself is confused in what he should fix about himself and what if when he comes back, Junmyeon is with another woman or man? What will he do if that happens?

            Taehyung, the manager of the Emperor Café approached them. He is one of the two sons of the café’s owner.

            “Sorry for disturbing you, Jongdae hyung. Are you busy? There are so many customers today and we’re short of staffs. Our other childhood friends couldn’t make it today. Could you give us for a while?”

            “It’s okay.”

            “Jihye-ah, can’t you do that in the women’s bathroom?”

            “Fine, halabeoji.” She stood up and puts her powder in her pocket. “Am I pretty now?”

            “You’ve always been pretty, Jihye-ah. So, can you please get the customers’ orders?”

            “Well…”

            “Please?”

            “Okay.”

            “You look like you have a school nursery here, Taehyung-ah.”

            “You have no idea, hyung.” He gave Jongdae an apron which serves as the café’s uniform.

            Jongdae picked his notebook up and Taehyung noticed a name that was written there.

            “Kim Junmyeon. Taehyung said, the same with how Jihye said Junmyeon’s name.

            “Are you not going to ask me what this man in my life is?”

            “I don’t have to. Heechul hyung and Ryeowook hyung already told me about him.” Taehyung motioned at someone at the door. “That’s him, right?”

            He saw Junmyeon entering their establishment. And he’s with a woman. Not Hyeyoung. Someone else who is prettier and more sophisticated. Someone that is in the same level as Jongdae. His heart is immediately eaten by jealousy. He remembered Jihye’s words earlier.

            Just hurry up fixing whatever that thing is, okay? Maybe when everything is okay, he will be in someone else’s arms.

            Is he too late?

            “The woman was pretty.” He heard Taehyung said. “But I think she’s nothing like you, hyung. Go get your man.”

Taehyung winked at him and went to Jihye’s direction who’s looking confused while writing a customer’s order. Jongdae feels jealous with Junmyeon and his woman. Does this mean that he’s giving up Junmyeon?

              No! His mind shouted

             Then do something, a little voice in his mind answered.

             Do what?

            Jongdae saw that Junmyeon looked at his direction and smiled at him. And he felt like someone squeezed his heart. He still deeply loves Junmyeon. Jongdae doesn’t want to give him up. But what should he do to get him back? He shouldn’t have stayed away before. Now he has to suffer for his stupidity. Then Jongdae found himself walking towards the table of Junmyeon and his woman. He almost got deaf with his heartbeat when he finally arrived at their table.

            Junmyeon looked even more handsome now than the last time he saw him. And he just missed him so much.           

            “Why did just come now?” The woman asked him harshly. “We were waiting for you.”

            Junmyeon, why did you look for another woman? You really don’t have feelings for me? Jongdae realized that his efforts to protect his heart were useless because now, he is hurt. So much.

            “Brewed coffee. No sugar. Hurry up. You move so slowly.”

            “How about you, Jun–I mean, Sir? What’s your order?”

            “I’ll order later, thanks.”

            Jongdae calmed down when he finally heard Junmyeon’s voice. Talk to me, Junmyeon. Ask me to come back to you. Tell me you love me too.

            “What are you waiting for?” The woman spat at him.          

            But Jongdae let his gaze linger to Junmyeon for a while before he left them. He went to the counter to give their order.

            “What a !” He heard Eunsol said. She also went to the counter to give the order that she took. “I heard how she insults our Jongdae.”

            “Jongdae-ah, you just went to the US, you became meek.” His Soojin noona said. “What happened to you? I remembered you were the one who protected us from the bullies in our village. But now, you just let her treat you like that? Where’s the Kim Jongdae that we know?”

            Jongdae also asked that to himself. What happened to Jongdae that doesn’t agreed to be treated like trash? If he didn’t even know himself anymore, he might as well lose the man that he deeply loves.

            So he had to do something. He will fight until Junmyeon himself will tell in his face that he doesn’t love him. The woman’s coffee is ready. His childhood friends are cheering him on while he is making his way on Junmyeon’s table. But he was busy listening to the woman that he didn’t even throw him a look.

            Why are you not looking at me, Junmyeon? It seems like you didn’t know me. It seems like we didn’t even share any memories at the Exo Riding Club. And it seems like we didn’t kiss. Twice!

            Jongdae secretly kicked Junmyeon. He finally looked at him. It seems like his friends’ encouragement was the reason why he’s smiling at Junmyeon now.

            “Are you ready to order now, Sir?”

            “He said that he doesn’t want to order yet.” The woman answered for Junmyeon. “Can’t you understand that?”

            “Yoonseo, it’s okay. I’m about to order, anyway.” Junmyeon looked over the menu.

            That insolent Yoonseo girl is just glaring at him. But Jongdae feels sorry for her because he is sassier and he’s way nicer than her.

            “Junmyeon, how are you?” Junmyeon looked at him. Jongdae restrained himself for cupping the other man’s face. “Do you still remember me? Because I do. I still don’t forget our memories at the Exo Riding Club. I miss those days. And I… miss you.”

            Jongdae feels like running back to the counter and dig a hole to hide into when he doesn’t get a reaction from Junmyeon. He’s just looking at him in silence.

            You’re not an ordinary man, Jongdae. Show it to Junmyeon. So he stayed put and continued his own version of confession.

            “I always remember the days when we’re always together. Especially the time when you kissed me. Twice.” Okay, that wasn’t all true. But, hey, this was his moment! “I was waiting for your call. And then I remembered, you don’t have my number.”

            “Excuse me.” Yoonseo piped in. Her face is so red and trying to hold in her anger. “Are you talking to my boyfriend?”

            “You’re his girlfriend? Official or nonofficial?”

            “You little–Hey, Junmyeon won’t get himself involved with someone as ugly as you! And he would not definitely kiss someone like you. You’re not his type.”

            Jongdae feels like he was slapped across the face. “You’re not his type.” That words echoed in his mind. I’m not his type. Is that why Junmyeon doesn’t show any interest on him? Then why did he kiss me?

            “My dates kiss me all the time, for no particular reason.” Those were Junmyeon’s own words. Junmyeon would kiss a woman just for the heck of it. So, Junmyeon kissed him because… for no reason at all.

            Jongdae snatched the menu from Junmyeon and faced the woman. “Come on, girl. Junmyeon’s a player. It’s natural for him to kiss someone for no reason.” Jongdae tried to be tough. But on the inside, his heart is breaking into small pieces. “Get used to it.”

            And then he went to the bathroom. He’s ready to pour out all of the pain that he is feeling when his phone ringed. He wasn’t ready to answer it but he saw the name of the caller.

            “Hello, Mom.”

            “Jongdae, my darling baby boy! Your voice is really nice even on the phone. You really inherited Mommy’s beautiful voice, yes?”

            Jongdae’s tears stopped from falling down and he smiled. His mom always makes his day.

            “I’ll just finish my one-hour shift here in Emperor Café, Mom. Then I’ll treat you to lunch.”

            “No, honey. You don’t have to do that. We’ll just have our lunch here at our home. It’s been a while since we had lunch together with your hyungs and father. Be here before lunch, okay?”

            “Yes, Mom.”

            “Is there something wrong, honey?”

            “Why?”

            “You sound a bit…sad. Why? Did something happen to you? You lost in Blackjack?”

            Jongdae chuckled. “I don’t gamble, Mom.”

            “Well, you know–”

            Jongdae doesn’t hear his Mom’s words because he saw Junmyeon entered the bathroom and locked the door. He also doesn’t have time to question Junmyeon when he slammed him to the wall and kissed him hard. It was just a brief kiss but it sent his thoughts to haywire.

            “Sorry.” Junmyeon said but it doesn’t sound like he’s sorry at all. “I just had the urge to kiss you.”

            Jongdae gulped. His heart is beating wildly. “W-why–?”

            “No particular reason.” Junmyeon kissed him again. This time, it was more sweet, and slow. They were both huffing when he ended the kiss. “Get used to it, Jongdae.”

            What?

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Hello everyone! I apologize for the errors and grammar mistakes in this chapter. It's half past one in the morning at my place right now and I am so sleepy. I guess I'll just edit this tomorrow. As you can see, V of BTS made his appearance as the café's manager. Here's a cute V for y'all.

Isn't he a cutiepie? ;) Anyway, we're down to the last two chapters. But don't worry. I'll be posting a new story soon. And the pairing would be... XIUHAN!!!  The baozi Minseok and deer Luhannie. :) I'll just post the teaser for the Xiuhan story on the next chapter. My bed is calling for me. Good night, folks! :)