like never before | beomkai

07 | awkward friends

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It was Kai's last day in the cafe.

He arrived "right on schedule", as Soobin said after witnessing Kai's punctuality for weeks. It didn't faze him anymore when the cafe got busy, even engaging in small conversations with customers he grew familiar to: the short girl who orders her coffee for a bus ride to work, the grandma who borrows the newspaper and magazines with her drink, the office worker that's obviously so sleep deprived—the list goes on and on. Kai welcomes them with a smile and a warm greeting.

Knowing that this was his last day made everything bittersweet. Simple tasks like wiping the tables feel like it's worthy of being written in his journal, and he will.

The pivotal part of the day finally came when Beomgyu stepped in the cafe and to the counter. "Iced Americano for Beomgyu?" Kai prodded, knowing the order by heart.

But Beomgyu shook his head. "It's different today."

Well, thank goodness Soobin was busy in the staff room to not see Beomgyu arrive and prepare the drink like he's programmed to do so. A good Iced Americano would have been wasted.

"Okay. What would that be?"

"A unicorn frappe."

Kai's brows shot up. "Oh."

Right, oh, because Beomgyu didn't look like the type to like sugary drinks. Plus, this was the first time Beomgyu ordered something else and what a coincidence that it's a drink he knew how to do?

Soobin quickly slid to the counter. The look on his face made it obvious that he was aware of the exchange that just happened between the two. "Since when did your Iced Americano addiction stop?"

"It's not an addiction," Beomgyu retorted with a pout.

"Should I type that in?" Kai asked in pure confusion.

The oldest among them held their stares for a few seconds. Soobin wasn't saying anything, but the smirk that grew on his lips made the noisy thoughts of his obvious.

"Of course. You should do the drink for Beomgyu, Hyuka."

Kai was quick to wave his hands around in dismissal. "It took me a couple tries to get it right, hyung. There's no way I'm going to waste so much back there for one drink again."

"This is your last chance to work in a different station than usual. Are you seriously going to just let it go?" Soobin asked for the purpose of persuading the employee. He didn't mind sparing Kai experience and seeing how Beomgyu isn't against the idea—why is it a problem?

"Okay, I'll do it."

And Kai did. With the most determined look on his face, he did.

Soobin didn't miss the chance to see the impressed look on Beomgyu's face. That's right, Soobin thought. I taught him that! He proudly exclaimed with pride in his mind.

Soon, there was a drink sliding on the counter with the prettiest boy holding it. "Unicorn frappe for Beomgyu!" Kai beamed. He turned to Soobin not too long after. "Hyung, let me clean up the station."

Beomgyu took a sip of the drink as Soobin attended to his payment. It took Soobin a lot not to snort when he saw the quick grimace on his friend's face. He's been running the cafe for so long and this was definitely a rare moment.

"You're not as slick as you think you are, Gyu," Soobin chirped. He quickly handed the other his change.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You don't know anything, but I do. And maybe you should start finding out for yourself."

Beomgyu took the change with a hindered laugh. "Stop writing poems when you talk to me. I don't have the time to understand what you mean," He turns to leave with a final word.

A foot away from the counter, Soobin called for him. "Today is Kai's last day working here. He'll probably stop seeing us again until college. What will you do by then?"

Beomgyu shook his head and left without saying anything in return, and Soobin figured that he's probably not visiting the cafe for a few days after that.

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The clothes left spinning in the dryer had Kai wish for a miracle. Frankly speaking, he doesn't know what to do with the clothes Beomgyu lent him a few nights ago.

Maybe he can ask Soobin to return them? But Soobin's busy with the cafe. Taehyun and Yeonjun? But then they'll get suspicious of why he can't do it himself when Beomgyu's a call away. Taehyun did not steal his phone the other day to type in everyone's number for nothing. I'll add you to the GC, so you can talk to them whenever, he said. Then days later, Kai was yet to say anything other than 'hi!!' in the group chat.

Why is it so hard to not be shy?

"Hey, Kai. Doing the laundry?" Right on schedule, Taehyun and Yeonjun arrived after their morning workout. It was Yeonjun who greeted him first, unlike Taehyun who ran for a quick hug before making a beeline to the pantry.

"Yeah. I didn't have anything to do today, so I'm finishing up some chores," Kai stood still by the washing machine and dryer as he spoke. He can't remember the last time he talked to Yeonjun alone.

"Taehyun said you're enrolling in college with him tomorrow. Pol-Sci? I always thought you care so much about Korean Politics. Which is a good thing- by the way. I didn't mean it in a bad way. I just remember the last time you were joining debates and stuff. And your post about current issues and past issues. Yeah.."

It was awkward and Yeonjun rambling is making it worse. Kai didn't know what to say, but it was so easy to laugh when Yeonjun was trying too hard to keep the conversation going. "How about you, hyung? What course are you planning to take?"

A gush of happiness came to Yeonjun when he was asked. "Engineering! My father is one and I always wanted to be like him one day. Beomgyu, too, because we're like peas in a pot. We're together all the time," The excitement in Yeonjun's voice is easy to catch and Kai was all here for it. Seeing passionate people talk about their passion is always beautiful.

The last part made him remember the crisis he was in earlier—Beomgyu's taking engineering; Kai thought he would rather go a music route since he seemed to love music in high school.

The dryer stopped and Kai quickly took the clothes out in an empty laundry bin. Yeonjun watching him do that was oblivious to him, he failed in hiding the shirt and cotton pants Beomgyu let him wear last time.

"Are those Beomgyu's?"

A wave of red came rushing on Kai's cheeks. "I forgot to return them when I saw him in the cafe."

"Should I return them for you?" Yeonjun offered. It made Kai feel like putty as he sighed in relief.

"Yes, please. Let me just put it in a bag-"

Yeonjun chortles. "No need! It's just Beomgyu and it's not like you're not a friend of his."

It was strange to think that Beomgyu considers him as a friend even if it's all they have always been. Kai, on the other hand, wasn't so sure if he sees Beomgyu as a friend like Soobin and Yeonjun. A mere acquaintance? Probably not. Even if he denies it a thousand times over, Beomgyu was not just a stranger he so happens to know.

"Right," Kai said with a faint voice. "Friends."