GENRES || Best Friends to Lovers AU, Bartender!Taemin, Humour
SUMMARY || After your last relationship failed, you turned towards your best friend, Taemin, for comfort. Only that he too was hiding something, something he could not disclose unless he wanted to become your ex too.
Or, in which Lee Taemin tries not to sour up his status as a best friend.
WORD COUNT || 3.1k
WARNINGS || Mentions of breakup
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"What are you doing here again?"
The woman in question just smiled at him as she sat on the stool opposite him, causing him to sigh. It wasn't that he was irritated by her because no way the woman across from him could ever irritate him, but rather, he was worried about her. Worried about what would become of her if she kept on living like this.
"Can I not visit my best friend?" She asked.
"You aren't visiting me. You've booked for overnight again, haven't you?" He grumbled, getting ready to make her drink.
"Ah, Lee Taemin. You know me so well."
He ignored the sarcasm in her voice and continued with his work. Of course, he knew her well. He was her best friend, and that position came with the heavy responsibility of having to know almost everything about the said person.
"What do you want?"
"The usual, of course."
"No I mean, what do you want from me?" He asked, placing her drink in front of her.
"You are so mean." She pouted and took the glass in her hand, swirling the liquid content slowly. Taemin sighed once more and rubbed his temples, feeling that consoling her today would take much longer than other days. Then, in a much sadder voice, she added, "When did you become so mean? When did everyone become so mean?"
At this, Taemin felt his heart clench painfully. Seeing her down like this was already painful, but when she talked like that...he felt like it was all his fault that he couldn't protect her. After all, the two of them met each other because of him.
"Don't- don't say that." He said, reaching out to hold her hand. He clasped her fingers in his and she looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes once more. "You know I'll always love you right?" His statement held double meanings but he doubted she could even see through it, especially in her given state.
Y/N took in a shaking breath and forced a smile at him, leaning closer to him. "Yeah, yeah I know I've always got you. Which is why I always come here!"
"Really?" Taemin faked a gasp. "Not for some other reason?"
"Hmm, maybe it's mostly because the beds here are really comfortable?"
"Y/N!" He pouted at her, looking visibly upset while deep inside he was glad that she was not thinking about her breakup anymore. Even though he doubted this was the right coping mechanism, he wanted her to let go on her own. "How can you choose something materialistic over me!"
