quintessential [nomin]

three

[Jaemin] 7:45 am. Monday.

—

I enter the agency lobby Monday morning and blindly walk over to get in line for the small in-building cafe that we have. I stand in line, closing my eyes, trying not to fall asleep right then and there. I rub my eyes with my hands, begging myself to hang in there until I am able to get my coffee.  I hear someone else get in line behind me, and the line moves forward a bit. 

"Hey Jaemin," a voice croaks behind me. I turn very slowly, opening my eyes to see an equally as exhausted Donghyuck in line behind me. The dark circles around his eyes are more prominent than usual, and it looks like he's been crying. 

"What happened to you?" I yawn, commenting on his obviously unwashed clothes and tangled orange hair. 

"Urgh," he groans, running his hands through his hair in attempt to tame the messy mane on the top of his head.

"I stayed up all night yesterday talking on the phone with mark, and then once we hung up I cried for a good two hours," he responds, and gives me his best attempt at a smile. 

"Oh my gosh babe what happened," I say, my eyebrows creasing in worry. 

He hesitates before he answers. "We were playing twenty questions, and the  very last question he asked was if I liked anyone," he stops, and my hearts stops beating, anticipating what Donghyuck is going to say next. Donghyuck has never told Mark after all the years he's known them that he likes him.

"A-and I told him I d-do like someone because I couldn't lie to him, and he asked who it was but of course I couldn't tell him so I said no one and it got all quiet and—," Donghyuck trails off, putting his head in his hands in obvious misery.

"Why does he have to be so dense?! I'm so obvious but somehow he still doesn't know I've liked him for five years. Five fucking years Jaemin!" Donghyuck yells in frustration, looking up at me with his bloodshot eyes and snotty nose. 

I've seen Hyuck breakdown about mark several timesbefore. But this is the first time where something is different. It's like something in him snapped, and he can't hold himself together. 

"Babe," I pout, my heart breaking for my poor friend. I grab his cold hand and pull him into a big hug. I put my hand on his back and the other on his head rubbing the back of it, trying to calm him down. He lays his head on my shoulder hiccups. I hug him tighter, and he leans more into the hug until his quiet sobs subdue. I continue to rub his hair.

After a few moments he retracts from my hold, wipes his tears, and gives me a small smile. 

"Thanks Jae," he says, not looking at me but instead to the tan tiles of the lobby floor. I pout even more, the sight of my friend this broken really getting to me this early in the morning.

"Anytime babe, I'm always here. You know that." 

He nods and turns away, rubbing his nose with his sleeves. 

"Don't worry babe, it'll be ok," I call after him as he walks away, his shoulders still slumped over.

 I turn back around to the cafe line, almost forgetting about my much needed coffee, and realize I have reached the front.

"One large black coffee please," I tell the cashier. She nods.

—

8:16 am

I finally get to our office, coffee in hand. Daehwi barely looks up as he asks,

"What was it this time?" referring as to why I am late today .