A Little Braver

PROLOGUE

Mashiho settled down in one the tables in his coffee shop- a placed he used as a solitary and undisturbed place to complete his work during the night when it had closed for the day. He had not even really started when he heard a noise outside, followed by some shuffling before he saw the silhouette of a large frame crashing onto the front glass door of the shop.

He looked at the silhouette figure warily from his place, a little freaked out. When he realized the figure did not move, he slowly approached the blinds behind which the glass wall of the shop was hidden. Taking a deep breath, he slowly pushed the blinds open.

A boy sat beside the threshold, his head between his knees. Mashiho tipped his head to the side immediately recognizing the person. He turned on the lights and opened the door.

The guy was whining about how it was getting worse for him by every minute.

"Junkyu?" Mashiho called, looking down at the Junkyu at the floor.

Junkyu immediately straightened up and turned to Mashiho in a flash, his earlier frustrated face easing into a small smile.

"Oh it's just you. Hi Mashiho!" He said with added enthusiasm.

............

"I'm calling your parents." Mashiho told Junkyu seated at his seat earlier. He put a pain removal spray on the table.

"No Mashiho! Please don't! I already told you what happened. I don't wanna make anything worse." Junkyu frantically requested.

"Then what? Are you gonna stay here?" Mashiho scoffed unbelievably, staring at Junkyu dead in the eyes.

"Well......... Can't I?" Junkyu asked tentatively. "I mean since i cant go back home, and Hyunsuk's place is quite far and I can't really walk and you're apparently a very nice person?" He blinked for effect with a pleading look.

Mashiho looked at him in disbelief and shook his head.

"I can't believe I have to do this." He said to himself. "We haven't ever had one proper conversation and he wants me to suddenly help him."

"Yes exactly!" Junkyu exclaimed, and shot up. A scream followed.

"Idiot. Sit down quietly and stop jumping. I get your point. Also, no need to scream." Mashiho chided.

"Okay, okay! All I wanted to say is that this could be a start? You know, behave like we exist?" Junkyu said with a rather guilty look.

............

(The next day)

"Junkyu." Mashiho slammed down Junkyu's table furiously.

"What the-what's with so much anger?" Junkyu asked, definitely surprised.

"Listen. Please tell your girlfriend, your ex, whatever, to leave my friends alone and stop thinking they have anything to do with you. Leave my friends alone!"

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