interrogation

01 | lies and suspicion

there was a hum in the air that was not noticeable enough to point out if you came across it, but enough to hear if you really stopped to listen. but when you did hear it, something inside, perhaps the last of our animal instinct would scream and claw at it's cage, wanting to have someone to listen to it's warning. but with the busy doings of everyone, no stopped to listen.

the small cafe off the main road also emitted a hum, but of a different kind. a warm, bubbly atmosphere that drew you in immediately. there wasnt exactly a direct source exactly, perhaps it was the open minded and friendly owner who sought to bring comfort to their customers or perhaps the honest but humorous workers who seemed to have a irresistible charisma that made anyone around them dizzy. maybe it was the local customers who made the cafe buzz with chatter and gossip or the way the music carefully selected from the radio surrounded the area. whatever the case, people new or old wouldnt hesitate to visit.

and that was their downfall.

march, the eleventh.

the cafe had opened at eight in the morning, a perfect time for the food they served, a mixture of baked goods and hot drinks. the workers were already there leaning against a wall when the owner walked to open the door, surprise but not really surprise, etched his face.

"what brings you here, so bright and early in the morning?" he called out to them and they both looked up from their phones seemingly cut from a trance as they simultaneously split into a smile, one like a bunny and the other reaching his eyes.

"nothing really, just excited for another day at work!"

"and to get paid." whilst in their short exchange, a black car had pulled up and a man who looked as if he hadn't slept in two weeks, though that was what made him so attractive, climbed out and yawned as he walked to them, his hair of an odd minty colour. "what?" he asked as he notices the many pairs of eyes on him.

one of the workers coughed as he tried to find his voice. "nice hair, yoongi hyung," he finally choked out and yoongi groaned, not looking forward to finding out what colour he had now but for the sake of his remaining reputation and dignity he asked.

"well," the other worker began as he thoroughly examined the older's hair. "it's like, a mixture of light blue and green."

"jimin hyung, thats called mint."

"did i ask, you coconut headass?" jimin shot right back, his stubborn attitude refusing to let a simple banter as such slip and whilst all this happened, the owner watched with fondness at the younger ones bicker.

"ok, ok enough. i didnt pay you to argue." the owner suddenly spoke up and he watched in pride and amusement as they all fell quiet as soon as the last syllables left his mouth. "right, now that that is settled, let's set up for today, alright? we already wasted minutes out here." he lectured and the boys lowered their heads. "yes hyung," but though they acted like they were sincere, it was quite clear that they were grinning like silly.

"alright, in you three." he ushered them in and they all obeyed, scurrying in and setting up everything without an words to. "good lord," the owner murmured to himself. "i really did well finding such workers. good one jin, you earn yourself a pat on the back."

a couple minutes past and the door to the cafe suddenly burst open, a few of the local early customers not even paying an mind as they knew the daily routine and someone of the new ones jumping a couple metres in the air. two men, one with a bright purple pigment on his head and the other with brown. "sorry we're late hyung!" they both cried in unison as they panted, hands on their knees before jin. jin wiped his hands on a tea towel before chucking it back over the counter.

"when will you learn, huh namjoon? hoseok? work isnt a playground and there will be a fine line that i will have to draw one day, you understand?" they smiled sheepishly, dimples appearing before jin sighed and turned around, not wanting them to see how much their smiles won him over. "but today is not that day. alright you two, get in here. hoseok, go serve the customers, namjoon, clean up duty."

"hyung!" one whined as the other punched the air in victory. "yes!"

"dont celebrate yet, hoseok. guess who will have clean up duty tomorrow?" jin was quick to squish the excitement of the younger man and he took pleasure in watching the smile falling off his face. "hyung!"

an amused laugh came out of nowhere and the three turned their heads to the direction to see one of their local customers, a young man who sought to achieve his dream of being a well known artist who sat in his usual sit sipping at his coffee. "beautiful, what a beautiful performance! i always did tell you to get some entertainment up in here so glad you listened."

"tae tae!" at the sound of the customer's voice, a wild jimin barged through the doors of the kitchen to the main waiting area and wrapped his arms around the younger boy as he laughed. "hey hyung!" jimin pulled away as he pouted. "why didnt you tell me you got here? and who served you? why didnt they tell me?" he asked with outrage as he spun around to interrogate the other two waiters.

"you told them not to tell jimin, right?" jin asked in a stage whisper as he leaned in to taehyung's ear. taehyung nodded and shot him a wink. "you know it!"

somewhere in the kitchen, the four men in the waiting area heard a loud, "jungkook!" before being followed up with several "ow, hyung, ow, stop!" the two men creating the noise came out of the door, a jungkook being chased by a jimin with a laxy but annoyed yoongi, not short after."shut up, will you?"

"he started it!"

"dont point fingers at me! you should have told me the truth!"

"then its taehyung's fault!"

"i wanted it to be a surprise!"

"oof, drama!"

"not helping namjoon hyung."

"well why dont we settle this like real adults? calmly and peacefully-"

"shut up, hoseok!" they all cried together before looking at each other and falling into pots of laughter. jin stood off to the side, a smile on his face as he watched his closest friends bicker playfully and laugh together doing what they liked and living the best they could. nothing could possibly effect and break their friendship.

except maybe, lies and suspicion.

a/n: what a nice looking family. it would be a shame if someone was to...