Say I Love U / Chapter 05
Yoona stared at her cellphone's screen for a whole minute, trying to come up with something witty to say that early morning. It was five am, and it was cool out - the early morning sunlight just starting to break into the dark sky. The stark white screen made her eyes water slightly and she sighed, burying her face into her pillow for the nth time.
This would probably not be the last time she did this, but at the moment she didn't care. At the moment, all Yoona cared about is whether she could make up her mind long enough to type a 'Good morning' message to Changmin or to Donghae - seeing as he was back from his business trip and Eunhyuk had just so happened to come by last night to steal her best friend away from her all the while hinting that 'the great fish alien's really sorry for what he did'.
She knows she probably shouldn't forgive him - much less talk to him yet - but this was Lee Donghae… she had loved him for two years. It wasn't something she could just let go in almost two months' time.
And then there was Changmin. Changmin with his tall frame, his dark eyes, his broad shoulders, his warm hands, his uneven smile… In less than two months, he had become such a fixture in her life that it was almost impossible for her to imagine never meeting him that night. Yoona wasn't sure if things were going to fast or if this was just how things progressed in some relationships. She hadn't been in many - Donghae was her first - and so this was new to her. She surprised herself for not feeling uncomfortable around him… sometimes there was awkwardness, but those moments never lasted long. Yoona wondered why it was this way.
"I'm over-thinking this." Yoona murmured to herself, sitting upright on her bed and sighing. She looked around her bedroom, stark-white and unusually neat at the moment, and felt a sense of resignation. She stepped down her bed, padding towards her closet - opening it without thinking and picked out clothes to wear for the day.
She had another one of those fortunate off days from school and she was determined to go about it alone. At least, for the time being, so she could clear her head.
However, it seemed like fate had other plans.
Yoona's eyes strayed over to her dresser - onto the framed photographs standing on top of it and on to those she simply stuck on the wall. There were the photos of her and her sister, her father, her mother… snapshots with Hyoyeon at various events throughout their highschool days, some with of them with Donghae (she strained her eyes away from those)- and then there were the polaroids she took with Changmin's sisters… and of course, Changmin.
Her eyes stayed on one of such polaroid. This one was after he had gotten his haircut and they had gone to the hospital to check on Sooyoung. The sisters had teased him mercilessly - slapping his nape jokingly and laughing. Yoona had tried not to laugh as Changmin decided to mock-wrestle Yuri, pinning her head under his arm while grabbing Sooyoung who tried to wriggle away from his grasp, and instead she took pictures. Somehow Yuri had managed to get away and asked for the camera, demanding that her brother and she sit next to each other for a picture.
He put his arms around her waist and she leaned back against him like it was the most natural thing in the world. She remembered the soothing drum of her heart beat picked up during that soft contact and she felt herself blush. Picking the image up in her hands and she stared down at it, biting her lip from letting a smile creep into her face. Instead, Yoona pursed her lips - tracing the outline of their picture together.
Suddenly, she thought of something to say.
[Good morning. I think it's time you meet my dad… What do you think?] Yoona watched as the little envelope disappeared from the screen. Moments later, a new enveloped appeared on her screen.
[I think I'm ready to meet your father. But somehow I'm nervous. Oh, and good morning to you too.]
Yoona let out a chuckle - picturing his anxious face before typing another message. [Don't be. You'll do fine. You know everything you should know.]
A new envelope. [Mr. Im will be the judge of that.]
[Do you have work until late today?]
[No. The construction site's closed for the day. I'll be at the café instead. Why? Do you miss me already?]
[Not really. ㄱㄱ]
His reply was quick. [I'll see you later then. And I missed you too, Choding. ^^]
There was the soothing drum again. Yoona patted her cheek with one hand and took a deep breath. How would he know when she didn't know for sure herself? [You are a tiresome flirt, Broody. (Also we need better nicknames.)]
[하하하 I think having Hyoyeon around when I visit you at your university has given me that side effect. You like it though. (I think so too.)]
She did. This she had to admit, and she shook her head. [Aigoo. I'll see you later. ^__^ (I'll call you 기린!)]
[YAH. (사슴!)]
[I was kidding! But aren't they in the same animal family? How about 달링~?♥]
She could imagine him shaking his head at her reply and waited patiently for his. When it arrived, her heart skipped a beat.
[여보.♥ See you later.]
Yoona watched her reflection in the mirror, with her flushed cheeks and pursed lips keeping in a smile. They were certainly comfortable with one another; that fact was for certain. Her eyes leapt towards the picture in her hand once again and stuck it on the side of her mirror. She sighed in contentment, shaking her head while smiling.
"Maybe I'm over-thinking this… but, it's nice to feel this again. Even if it is just pretend…"
Moments later, as she finished preparing to go out for the day, the doorbell rang. Curiously, she peeked out of her window and squinted at the person standing at the door. The magnolia tree her family had in their lawn had gotten so big and was blooming - it made it impossible to recognize who the person was. And so she bounded down the stairs, her hair fluttering about her shoulders.
"Who is it?" Yoona asked upon the third doorbell, yanking the door open. She lifted her eyes - and immediately wished she hadn't.
Lee Donghae stood with a small smile, his hand up in greeting. He looked as devastatingly handsome as the last time she saw him - the night he broke her heart and left her to pick up the pieces alone. She opened her mouth and couldn't find her voice to speak.
"Yoona," he said her name softly, "Hello."
Minho was not the type to poke around someone else's business when it didn't involve him, and normally he would have turned a blind eye when a good friend of his starts absentmindedly wiping the café's windows with a faraway and melancholy look in his eyes. But today was no ordinary day (these kinds of days were happening more frequently, he noticed and grinned) and seeing Changmin - Silent sadist Shim Changmin - in an almost dreamlike state was beyond reasonable circumstances.
Shim Changmin was whipped. He was head-over-heels and then some. Minho knew what it looked like (he saw it on his face everyday when he got ready for a date with Yuri), and the grin on his face could only go a little more at cutting his face in half if it were physically possible.
Heck, we're practically brothers! Minho thought, tossing the washcloth into the sink in the back and wiping his hands on a towel. He turned back to look at Changmin starting to wipe the same window for the nth time and grinned, shaking his head as he unfastened his apron. I might as well tell him that he looks like an idiot standing there before any of the customers notice and think he's weird.
"Changmin-hyung." He placed his hand on the older man shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie and wiggled an eyebrow at him. Minho tilted his head towards a door at the back. "Let's go take a break, yeah? Kyu-hyung's got some sandwiches reserved for us at the back."
Changmin looked at him distractedly but nodded nevertheless, turning towards the door. He was able to remove his apron and dispose of the rag he was using just moments ago in one sweep as his long limbs took him past customers, the bar and then to the door. When Minho caught up with him at the back room, he was already half-way done with a ham and cheese sandwich. Cho Kyuhyun, their friend and the manager, stared at him in confusion for a moment before looking back at their silent friend munching away. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, crossing his arms and stood beside the younger man. Minho shrugged as Kyuhyun nudged him with an elbow.
"He's been like that a lot lately."
Kyuhyun frowned, raising an eyebrow at Changmin. He was still, tending to his sandwich with an intense stare, his eyes could have burned a hole thru the paper wrapping. Kyuhyun knew Changmin well enough to know how serious and brooding he could be, but this was beyond what he was used to. This was… He tapped a finger on his chin and narrowed his eyes. "He's got a girl."
Minho grinned, nodding immediately and leaned back against the wall. "You've seen her around. Her name's Im Yoona. She comes to the café every weekday morning, and hyung always serves her coffee. They've been going out for almost two months now-and around a month ago, he started acting this weird."
"So… that would mean that he likes her a little more than he liked the others before." Kyuhyun felt a grin creep into his lips. He quickly glanced at their friend and smirked. "Since Min's never had a girl for more than a week, let alone a month."
At his corner, Changmin continued eating: carefully unwrapping another sandwich just before he finished the last one, painfully oblivious to his surroundings as his friends talked about him.
"Seems like it. Yuri put up a photo wall or something in his room the other day. There were a bunch of photos she took from whenever they visited Sooyoung at the hospital at the same time." Minho wrinkled his nose, smirking. "Judging by the fact that he didn't object Yul's redecorating his room; I'd say he likes his girlfriend a whole lot."
"Why are you enunciating the word 'girlfriend'?"
"No reason. Yoona's the first girl he's introduced to Yuri and Sooyoung… so she's basically the girlfriend."
Kyuhyun nodded, thinking it over and agreeing. The pair continued to watch their friend pick up another sandwich and bite into it. "I guess you're right. Changmin's never really introduced anyone to his sisters before."
"He didn't like them much."
"True. They were just around when we hung out."
Minho sighed, shaking his head. "Changmin-hyung has this magic power. Chicks flock him even when he doesn't speak."
The older man laughed, rolling his eyes at the thought and shrugged. "True. Must be all that brooding he does. He's the King of Melancholy, that Shim Changmin. Anyway, at least Sooyoung likes the girl… that's what's important."
Not a second later he felt a small paper ball hit his forehead and Kyuhyun blinked in confusion. Looking up to see who threw the ball, he saw Changmin staring pointedly at him and holding up his ever-present whiteboard. He tapped on the board's surface and smirked. /You didn't even visit her when she was in the hospital. I'm pretty sure Yuri's hinted that you come for days before we took her home last week. Aren't you supposed to be in love with her?/
"I do… not like her that much."
/Just a lot, right?/
Kyuhyun's ears flared red as he coughed and looked away, squinting to look at the menu he put up next to the door. Minho laughed loudly beside him, shaking his head as he slapped his thigh in mirth. The younger mind paid no attention at the glare he was receiving from his friend and boss, and continued to clutch his stomach. Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and threw the paper ball back at Changmin while at the same time, hitting Minho on the stomach with his elbow.
As Minho yelped in pain, Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes at his silent friend and smirked. "So what's the deal with this Yoona girl?"
With the way Changmin shrugged-the action slightly jerky and tense-it only made him raise an eyebrow and determined to prod the subject on. Throwing a quick glance at his other employees busying themselves at the bar and customers, Kyuhyun took a seat in front of Changmin and snatched the third sandwich he was munching on away; clicking his tongue as the taller man glared at him.
"What's with the secrecy, Shim? Is she paying you to be her boyfriend or something?" He asked, punching him jokingly on the arm and laughing.
But if looks could kill, Cho Kyuhyun would have already dropped dead.
"Woah. Dude, I was kidding. There's no need for the Shim Death Glare." Kyuhyun put his hands up defensively, waving them across his face.
Changmin took a deep breath and closed his eyes, rubbing two fingers against his forehead before leaning back against his chair. Why was he stressing out in the first place? Nothing had gone wrong in the past weeks he's spent with her, and yet somehow it's become more than that. He's become more aware of her: aware of her eyes, her smile, her habit of biting on her lower lip when she's scanning a menu - aware of the way her hand feels a little too at home in his…
This is all Hyoyeon's fault. Changmin frowned, shaking his head more to at himself than to anyone. She's gotten me to think about-("It's okay if you feel something more, Changmin. If you want to like her, then you should." - "When you tell her you love her… say it, don't write it.")-Ugh.
And then there was after his haircut, at that park bench under sunlight and daisies - he kissed her on the forehead! Where the hell did that come from? Sure, it wasn't a real kiss but the action was strange enough as it was. Changmin was always one who knew to control himself, and he didn't go around giving kisses to just anyone. He vaguely remembers when he had kissed his last girlfriend (Her name was Victoria, Kyuhyun's friend, and they had lasted only for four days - no there was no kiss then; let alone a hug)… and yet, he had gone and kissed his pretend girlfriend anyway.
Things began to change after that, although it remained the same all at the same time. Sooyoung was discharged from the hospital and went back to college and her part time job. Yuri was busy with herself and Minho and school. And Yoona was… she lived up to her promise to help pay the hospital bills and he was eternally grateful for that - but somehow, it was more than that now. Changmin found himself wanting to be around her more often - visiting her after class and bringing her coffee; getting to know more about her through night walks in the park or around the hospital when she visited her father. She was there, beautiful and caring all the time, and he…
Then just a few hours earlier… she had called him 달링 (jokingly, Changmin grumbled in his head) and he, in return, called her 여보. What was up with that?
This was getting out of hand. He couldn't risk their plan by feeling something for her. That wasn't part of the deal. She helped him pay for the bills and he paid it back by pretending to be her boyfriend for her father. It was as simple as that! Besides, he was going to meet him soon, Mr. Im, and he knew practically every basic thing he needed to know about her to be her boyfriend but he has to keep control-he has to keep himself at arm's length.
He couldn't like her in that way. And even though a part of him (it was growing everyday, this part) didn't mind the thought - enjoyed it even - it just wasn't right. It isn't real.
At least… it isn't real to her.
Changmin uncapped his pen and started to write slowly, his strokes deliberate on the board, while his friends watched him in silent curiosity.
/This time's different./ The words were bolded against the white expanse of the board when he turned it over to show it them. Changmin knocked his head back lightly against the wall as his friends read, sighing wistfully. /It's only been a few weeks. It shouldn't feel this… serious, right?/
Both Minho and Kyuhyun exchanged looks, blinking at each other before looking back at him. "Serious…" They repeated, letting the word trail off for a moment or two. The thought So it's that serious running through their heads at the same time as matching grins began to form on their lips. Then they burst out laughing, patting their friend happy claps on the shoulder. Changmin stared at them in surprise, his brow furrowed close together.
"Time spent doesn't make how the relationship becomes, hyung," Minho said, grinning. He shook his head as the older man continued to stare at him. "It doesn't necessarily work that way. You could be in a relationship with someone and not be truly in love with them until you've been married fifty years."
"Exactly." Kyuhyun agreed, smirking. "You don't love someone based on the fact that you've known them your whole life. You love them because your heart just knows."
/And I should listen to you because…?/ Changmin tapped his board impatiently, raising an eyebrow at his friend who immediately closed his mouth and scowled at him. He knew very well what Kyuhyun's feelings were for his sister and enjoyed poking fun at it whenever he had the chance. He shot a glance at Minho trying hard not to laugh for the nth time at their boss and grinned. /You're being a hypocrite, don't you think Cho?/
"And you are so not going get your paycheck this week." Kyuhyun retorted, punching him on the shoulder. It probably wasn't as hard as he wanted it to be, but his point was there. "The subject is on you and your girlfriend, Shim. We're dealing with your emotional issues against 'love' and what comes with it. So don't turn this towards Sooyoung and me."
/I probably wouldn't if you'd just tell her already. Honestly and you think I'm the one with emotional issues./
They glared at each other levelly, waiting for the other to break the connection. Minho hit them lightly on the back their heads simultaneously, watching in amusement as they turned their death glares towards him. He pulled up two fingers formed into a V and winked. "You guys do know that there can only be one solution to your problems, right?"
"... Three words, eight letters. Ugh" Kyuhyun groaned, burying his head in his hands. "As if that's possible."
"True, plus Sooyoung-noona keeps talking about some doctor she met back at the hospital."
"That only proves my point!" He exclaimed, hitting himself with his palm. This time the groan was louder, more pained. Changmin winced as his friend punched him again, harder this time and let out a tired sigh. He glanced at the clock and wondered how much longer they were going to sit there talking about… well - they should be working anyway.
/Let's go back to work./ He wrote, patting his friend awkwardly on the shoulder before standing up. They did the same and filed out the door, chatting aimlessly about the slow run of the café that day.
Changmin ran a hand at the back of his nape and breathed in deeply, relishing the quiet of the back room. He caught sight of his reflection on the glass of the door and stared at himself for a while. There was no visible change in his reflection, but he knew there was something different about him lately. He knew people were noticing - his sisters, Hyoyeon, Minho, Kyuhyun - everyone; even he noticed himself. However, it seemed not everyone did… especially Yoona.
His girlfriend. Pretend or not - she was his girlfriend.
And that only complicated things.
Get it together, Shim. He scolded himself, glaring at his reflection and stepped out into the comfortable murmurs of the café with his whiteboard in tow. A familiar vibration ran through his jeans pocket and he fished out the little gadget into his hand. He flipped through the menus quickly before stopping. He turned to his friends standing behind the bar and reached for his board again.
/I have to leave work early. Sooyoung's doctor said there was an anomaly in one of Sooyoung's lab tests. I'm going to check it out./
Kyuhyun nodded, pulling out a few bills from his pocket and handing them over. He pushed it stubbornly in Changmin's palm and shook his head when he tried to return it. "It's just in case you need it. Let me know if there's anything wrong, alright? And don't even think of leaving it in the cash register on the way out - I'll know if you did."
Changmin gave him a grateful look and nodded, grabbing his bag from the back and sprinted towards the exit. There would be bus going round the corner any minute now if he ran for it. Changmin glanced down at his cellphone's screen again: [There's an anomaly in Miss Sooyoung's lab reports. I need to talk to you immediately. Meet me at Room 5110, ASAP.] and wondered what was wrong this time. He considered sending a message to Yoona (that he might not see her if things were worse that the doctor's message sounded) but thought against it - running across the street to catch the bus.
He didn't want to trouble her the way their situation already did. He'll just try to get back early to meet her. Yes, that's the plan.
Changmin stood in the back of the bus, grabbed the handrails overhead and glanced out the window. His gaze fell on all-too-familiar female eyes and his fist clenched unconsciously. She waved at him, mouthing words he didn't have to hear to know what they were and what they meant. He pulled his eyes away as the bus began to move and let out a deep breath.
"My little Changmin, hello."
Author's Note: It's been awhile, hasn't it? Does anyone else smell drama brewing? And of course more fluff! Haha, I hope you guys like this update. I had planned to update yesterday but I forgot to say the .doc and so when my laptop decided to die... the autosave feature did not help. I had to re-type everything! D: Anyway, I managed to remember everything I wanted to be here in this chapter! Let me know what you think!
This would probably not be the last time she did this, but at the moment she didn't care. At the moment, all Yoona cared about is whether she could make up her mind long enough to type a 'Good morning' message to Changmin or to Donghae - seeing as he was back from his business trip and Eunhyuk had just so happened to come by last night to steal her best friend away from her all the while hinting that 'the great fish alien's really sorry for what he did'.
She knows she probably shouldn't forgive him - much less talk to him yet - but this was Lee Donghae… she had loved him for two years. It wasn't something she could just let go in almost two months' time.
And then there was Changmin. Changmin with his tall frame, his dark eyes, his broad shoulders, his warm hands, his uneven smile… In less than two months, he had become such a fixture in her life that it was almost impossible for her to imagine never meeting him that night. Yoona wasn't sure if things were going to fast or if this was just how things progressed in some relationships. She hadn't been in many - Donghae was her first - and so this was new to her. She surprised herself for not feeling uncomfortable around him… sometimes there was awkwardness, but those moments never lasted long. Yoona wondered why it was this way.
"I'm over-thinking this." Yoona murmured to herself, sitting upright on her bed and sighing. She looked around her bedroom, stark-white and unusually neat at the moment, and felt a sense of resignation. She stepped down her bed, padding towards her closet - opening it without thinking and picked out clothes to wear for the day.
She had another one of those fortunate off days from school and she was determined to go about it alone. At least, for the time being, so she could clear her head.
However, it seemed like fate had other plans.
Yoona's eyes strayed over to her dresser - onto the framed photographs standing on top of it and on to those she simply stuck on the wall. There were the photos of her and her sister, her father, her mother… snapshots with Hyoyeon at various events throughout their highschool days, some with of them with Donghae (she strained her eyes away from those)- and then there were the polaroids she took with Changmin's sisters… and of course, Changmin.
Her eyes stayed on one of such polaroid. This one was after he had gotten his haircut and they had gone to the hospital to check on Sooyoung. The sisters had teased him mercilessly - slapping his nape jokingly and laughing. Yoona had tried not to laugh as Changmin decided to mock-wrestle Yuri, pinning her head under his arm while grabbing Sooyoung who tried to wriggle away from his grasp, and instead she took pictures. Somehow Yuri had managed to get away and asked for the camera, demanding that her brother and she sit next to each other for a picture.
He put his arms around her waist and she leaned back against him like it was the most natural thing in the world. She remembered the soothing drum of her heart beat picked up during that soft contact and she felt herself blush. Picking the image up in her hands and she stared down at it, biting her lip from letting a smile creep into her face. Instead, Yoona pursed her lips - tracing the outline of their picture together.
Suddenly, she thought of something to say.
[Good morning. I think it's time you meet my dad… What do you think?] Yoona watched as the little envelope disappeared from the screen. Moments later, a new enveloped appeared on her screen.
[I think I'm ready to meet your father. But somehow I'm nervous. Oh, and good morning to you too.]
Yoona let out a chuckle - picturing his anxious face before typing another message. [Don't be. You'll do fine. You know everything you should know.]
A new envelope. [Mr. Im will be the judge of that.]
[Do you have work until late today?]
[No. The construction site's closed for the day. I'll be at the café instead. Why? Do you miss me already?]
[Not really. ㄱㄱ]
His reply was quick. [I'll see you later then. And I missed you too, Choding. ^^]
There was the soothing drum again. Yoona patted her cheek with one hand and took a deep breath. How would he know when she didn't know for sure herself? [You are a tiresome flirt, Broody. (Also we need better nicknames.)]
[하하하 I think having Hyoyeon around when I visit you at your university has given me that side effect. You like it though. (I think so too.)]
She did. This she had to admit, and she shook her head. [Aigoo. I'll see you later. ^__^ (I'll call you 기린!)]
[YAH. (사슴!)]
[I was kidding! But aren't they in the same animal family? How about 달링~?♥]
She could imagine him shaking his head at her reply and waited patiently for his. When it arrived, her heart skipped a beat.
[여보.♥ See you later.]
Yoona watched her reflection in the mirror, with her flushed cheeks and pursed lips keeping in a smile. They were certainly comfortable with one another; that fact was for certain. Her eyes leapt towards the picture in her hand once again and stuck it on the side of her mirror. She sighed in contentment, shaking her head while smiling.
"Maybe I'm over-thinking this… but, it's nice to feel this again. Even if it is just pretend…"
Moments later, as she finished preparing to go out for the day, the doorbell rang. Curiously, she peeked out of her window and squinted at the person standing at the door. The magnolia tree her family had in their lawn had gotten so big and was blooming - it made it impossible to recognize who the person was. And so she bounded down the stairs, her hair fluttering about her shoulders.
"Who is it?" Yoona asked upon the third doorbell, yanking the door open. She lifted her eyes - and immediately wished she hadn't.
Lee Donghae stood with a small smile, his hand up in greeting. He looked as devastatingly handsome as the last time she saw him - the night he broke her heart and left her to pick up the pieces alone. She opened her mouth and couldn't find her voice to speak.
"Yoona," he said her name softly, "Hello."
Minho was not the type to poke around someone else's business when it didn't involve him, and normally he would have turned a blind eye when a good friend of his starts absentmindedly wiping the café's windows with a faraway and melancholy look in his eyes. But today was no ordinary day (these kinds of days were happening more frequently, he noticed and grinned) and seeing Changmin - Silent sadist Shim Changmin - in an almost dreamlike state was beyond reasonable circumstances.
Shim Changmin was whipped. He was head-over-heels and then some. Minho knew what it looked like (he saw it on his face everyday when he got ready for a date with Yuri), and the grin on his face could only go a little more at cutting his face in half if it were physically possible.
Heck, we're practically brothers! Minho thought, tossing the washcloth into the sink in the back and wiping his hands on a towel. He turned back to look at Changmin starting to wipe the same window for the nth time and grinned, shaking his head as he unfastened his apron. I might as well tell him that he looks like an idiot standing there before any of the customers notice and think he's weird.
"Changmin-hyung." He placed his hand on the older man shoulder, snapping him out of his reverie and wiggled an eyebrow at him. Minho tilted his head towards a door at the back. "Let's go take a break, yeah? Kyu-hyung's got some sandwiches reserved for us at the back."
Changmin looked at him distractedly but nodded nevertheless, turning towards the door. He was able to remove his apron and dispose of the rag he was using just moments ago in one sweep as his long limbs took him past customers, the bar and then to the door. When Minho caught up with him at the back room, he was already half-way done with a ham and cheese sandwich. Cho Kyuhyun, their friend and the manager, stared at him in confusion for a moment before looking back at their silent friend munching away. "What's wrong with him?" he asked, crossing his arms and stood beside the younger man. Minho shrugged as Kyuhyun nudged him with an elbow.
"He's been like that a lot lately."
Kyuhyun frowned, raising an eyebrow at Changmin. He was still, tending to his sandwich with an intense stare, his eyes could have burned a hole thru the paper wrapping. Kyuhyun knew Changmin well enough to know how serious and brooding he could be, but this was beyond what he was used to. This was… He tapped a finger on his chin and narrowed his eyes. "He's got a girl."
Minho grinned, nodding immediately and leaned back against the wall. "You've seen her around. Her name's Im Yoona. She comes to the café every weekday morning, and hyung always serves her coffee. They've been going out for almost two months now-and around a month ago, he started acting this weird."
"So… that would mean that he likes her a little more than he liked the others before." Kyuhyun felt a grin creep into his lips. He quickly glanced at their friend and smirked. "Since Min's never had a girl for more than a week, let alone a month."
At his corner, Changmin continued eating: carefully unwrapping another sandwich just before he finished the last one, painfully oblivious to his surroundings as his friends talked about him.
"Seems like it. Yuri put up a photo wall or something in his room the other day. There were a bunch of photos she took from whenever they visited Sooyoung at the hospital at the same time." Minho wrinkled his nose, smirking. "Judging by the fact that he didn't object Yul's redecorating his room; I'd say he likes his girlfriend a whole lot."
"Why are you enunciating the word 'girlfriend'?"
"No reason. Yoona's the first girl he's introduced to Yuri and Sooyoung… so she's basically the girlfriend."
Kyuhyun nodded, thinking it over and agreeing. The pair continued to watch their friend pick up another sandwich and bite into it. "I guess you're right. Changmin's never really introduced anyone to his sisters before."
"He didn't like them much."
"True. They were just around when we hung out."
Minho sighed, shaking his head. "Changmin-hyung has this magic power. Chicks flock him even when he doesn't speak."
The older man laughed, rolling his eyes at the thought and shrugged. "True. Must be all that brooding he does. He's the King of Melancholy, that Shim Changmin. Anyway, at least Sooyoung likes the girl… that's what's important."
Not a second later he felt a small paper ball hit his forehead and Kyuhyun blinked in confusion. Looking up to see who threw the ball, he saw Changmin staring pointedly at him and holding up his ever-present whiteboard. He tapped on the board's surface and smirked. /You didn't even visit her when she was in the hospital. I'm pretty sure Yuri's hinted that you come for days before we took her home last week. Aren't you supposed to be in love with her?/
"I do… not like her that much."
/Just a lot, right?/
Kyuhyun's ears flared red as he coughed and looked away, squinting to look at the menu he put up next to the door. Minho laughed loudly beside him, shaking his head as he slapped his thigh in mirth. The younger mind paid no attention at the glare he was receiving from his friend and boss, and continued to clutch his stomach. Kyuhyun rolled his eyes and threw the paper ball back at Changmin while at the same time, hitting Minho on the stomach with his elbow.
As Minho yelped in pain, Kyuhyun narrowed his eyes at his silent friend and smirked. "So what's the deal with this Yoona girl?"
With the way Changmin shrugged-the action slightly jerky and tense-it only made him raise an eyebrow and determined to prod the subject on. Throwing a quick glance at his other employees busying themselves at the bar and customers, Kyuhyun took a seat in front of Changmin and snatched the third sandwich he was munching on away; clicking his tongue as the taller man glared at him.
"What's with the secrecy, Shim? Is she paying you to be her boyfriend or something?" He asked, punching him jokingly on the arm and laughing.
But if looks could kill, Cho Kyuhyun would have already dropped dead.
"Woah. Dude, I was kidding. There's no need for the Shim Death Glare." Kyuhyun put his hands up defensively, waving them across his face.
Changmin took a deep breath and closed his eyes, rubbing two fingers against his forehead before leaning back against his chair. Why was he stressing out in the first place? Nothing had gone wrong in the past weeks he's spent with her, and yet somehow it's become more than that. He's become more aware of her: aware of her eyes, her smile, her habit of biting on her lower lip when she's scanning a menu - aware of the way her hand feels a little too at home in his…
This is all Hyoyeon's fault. Changmin frowned, shaking his head more to at himself than to anyone. She's gotten me to think about-("It's okay if you feel something more, Changmin. If you want to like her, then you should." - "When you tell her you love her… say it, don't write it.")-Ugh.
And then there was after his haircut, at that park bench under sunlight and daisies - he kissed her on the forehead! Where the hell did that come from? Sure, it wasn't a real kiss but the action was strange enough as it was. Changmin was always one who knew to control himself, and he didn't go around giving kisses to just anyone. He vaguely remembers when he had kissed his last girlfriend (Her name was Victoria, Kyuhyun's friend, and they had lasted only for four days - no there was no kiss then; let alone a hug)… and yet, he had gone and kissed his pretend girlfriend anyway.
Things began to change after that, although it remained the same all at the same time. Sooyoung was discharged from the hospital and went back to college and her part time job. Yuri was busy with herself and Minho and school. And Yoona was… she lived up to her promise to help pay the hospital bills and he was eternally grateful for that - but somehow, it was more than that now. Changmin found himself wanting to be around her more often - visiting her after class and bringing her coffee; getting to know more about her through night walks in the park or around the hospital when she visited her father. She was there, beautiful and caring all the time, and he…
Then just a few hours earlier… she had called him 달링 (jokingly, Changmin grumbled in his head) and he, in return, called her 여보. What was up with that?
This was getting out of hand. He couldn't risk their plan by feeling something for her. That wasn't part of the deal. She helped him pay for the bills and he paid it back by pretending to be her boyfriend for her father. It was as simple as that! Besides, he was going to meet him soon, Mr. Im, and he knew practically every basic thing he needed to know about her to be her boyfriend but he has to keep control-he has to keep himself at arm's length.
He couldn't like her in that way. And even though a part of him (it was growing everyday, this part) didn't mind the thought - enjoyed it even - it just wasn't right. It isn't real.
At least… it isn't real to her.
Changmin uncapped his pen and started to write slowly, his strokes deliberate on the board, while his friends watched him in silent curiosity.
/This time's different./ The words were bolded against the white expanse of the board when he turned it over to show it them. Changmin knocked his head back lightly against the wall as his friends read, sighing wistfully. /It's only been a few weeks. It shouldn't feel this… serious, right?/
Both Minho and Kyuhyun exchanged looks, blinking at each other before looking back at him. "Serious…" They repeated, letting the word trail off for a moment or two. The thought So it's that serious running through their heads at the same time as matching grins began to form on their lips. Then they burst out laughing, patting their friend happy claps on the shoulder. Changmin stared at them in surprise, his brow furrowed close together.
"Time spent doesn't make how the relationship becomes, hyung," Minho said, grinning. He shook his head as the older man continued to stare at him. "It doesn't necessarily work that way. You could be in a relationship with someone and not be truly in love with them until you've been married fifty years."
"Exactly." Kyuhyun agreed, smirking. "You don't love someone based on the fact that you've known them your whole life. You love them because your heart just knows."
/And I should listen to you because…?/ Changmin tapped his board impatiently, raising an eyebrow at his friend who immediately closed his mouth and scowled at him. He knew very well what Kyuhyun's feelings were for his sister and enjoyed poking fun at it whenever he had the chance. He shot a glance at Minho trying hard not to laugh for the nth time at their boss and grinned. /You're being a hypocrite, don't you think Cho?/
"And you are so not going get your paycheck this week." Kyuhyun retorted, punching him on the shoulder. It probably wasn't as hard as he wanted it to be, but his point was there. "The subject is on you and your girlfriend, Shim. We're dealing with your emotional issues against 'love' and what comes with it. So don't turn this towards Sooyoung and me."
/I probably wouldn't if you'd just tell her already. Honestly and you think I'm the one with emotional issues./
They glared at each other levelly, waiting for the other to break the connection. Minho hit them lightly on the back their heads simultaneously, watching in amusement as they turned their death glares towards him. He pulled up two fingers formed into a V and winked. "You guys do know that there can only be one solution to your problems, right?"
"... Three words, eight letters. Ugh" Kyuhyun groaned, burying his head in his hands. "As if that's possible."
"True, plus Sooyoung-noona keeps talking about some doctor she met back at the hospital."
"That only proves my point!" He exclaimed, hitting himself with his palm. This time the groan was louder, more pained. Changmin winced as his friend punched him again, harder this time and let out a tired sigh. He glanced at the clock and wondered how much longer they were going to sit there talking about… well - they should be working anyway.
/Let's go back to work./ He wrote, patting his friend awkwardly on the shoulder before standing up. They did the same and filed out the door, chatting aimlessly about the slow run of the café that day.
Changmin ran a hand at the back of his nape and breathed in deeply, relishing the quiet of the back room. He caught sight of his reflection on the glass of the door and stared at himself for a while. There was no visible change in his reflection, but he knew there was something different about him lately. He knew people were noticing - his sisters, Hyoyeon, Minho, Kyuhyun - everyone; even he noticed himself. However, it seemed not everyone did… especially Yoona.
His girlfriend. Pretend or not - she was his girlfriend.
And that only complicated things.
Get it together, Shim. He scolded himself, glaring at his reflection and stepped out into the comfortable murmurs of the café with his whiteboard in tow. A familiar vibration ran through his jeans pocket and he fished out the little gadget into his hand. He flipped through the menus quickly before stopping. He turned to his friends standing behind the bar and reached for his board again.
/I have to leave work early. Sooyoung's doctor said there was an anomaly in one of Sooyoung's lab tests. I'm going to check it out./
Kyuhyun nodded, pulling out a few bills from his pocket and handing them over. He pushed it stubbornly in Changmin's palm and shook his head when he tried to return it. "It's just in case you need it. Let me know if there's anything wrong, alright? And don't even think of leaving it in the cash register on the way out - I'll know if you did."
Changmin gave him a grateful look and nodded, grabbing his bag from the back and sprinted towards the exit. There would be bus going round the corner any minute now if he ran for it. Changmin glanced down at his cellphone's screen again: [There's an anomaly in Miss Sooyoung's lab reports. I need to talk to you immediately. Meet me at Room 5110, ASAP.] and wondered what was wrong this time. He considered sending a message to Yoona (that he might not see her if things were worse that the doctor's message sounded) but thought against it - running across the street to catch the bus.
He didn't want to trouble her the way their situation already did. He'll just try to get back early to meet her. Yes, that's the plan.
Changmin stood in the back of the bus, grabbed the handrails overhead and glanced out the window. His gaze fell on all-too-familiar female eyes and his fist clenched unconsciously. She waved at him, mouthing words he didn't have to hear to know what they were and what they meant. He pulled his eyes away as the bus began to move and let out a deep breath.
"My little Changmin, hello."
Author's Note: It's been awhile, hasn't it? Does anyone else smell drama brewing? And of course more fluff! Haha, I hope you guys like this update. I had planned to update yesterday but I forgot to say the .doc and so when my laptop decided to die... the autosave feature did not help. I had to re-type everything! D: Anyway, I managed to remember everything I wanted to be here in this chapter! Let me know what you think!