Deal With The Pain | Namgi

Chapter 3

"How's Seoul's favorite baker doing this afternoon?"

I chuckle at the sound of my friend's voice, handing the young boy and his father their pastries before glancing over to Hoseok.

"Still being a big softy and running himself ragged. Nothing's changed in the last forty eight hours, hyung." Jungkook answers for me with a chuckle of his own. I roll my eyes at the younger, shaking my head at him as I pick up a rag to clean my hands off. Hoseok thankfully tends to pick our slower hours to stop by, meaning I can actually take the time to talk with him and catch up.

"Jungkook, you can take your break now if you want. It's pretty slow at the moment, and I can handle what we've got if you want to go relax a bit." I inform the youngest with a gentle nudge. He smiles over at me, shaking his head as he moves to go take his break.

"You know, I always see you giving the others a break, but I haven't heard the last time you gave yourself one." Hobi teases gently with a small smile as he leans up against the edge of the display case. I just smile at him, shaking my head.

"Who ever said owners got to take breaks?" I joke with my gummy smile. He scoffs at this, giving me a look.

"Yoongi, you are twenty four years old. You're supposed to be going out and having fun and doing stupid shit with your friends. Not wasting yourself away without a single break your entire life." Hoseok argues with a small frown. I just smile, shrugging a bit.

"So now its a crime that I love what I do and don't mind dedicating my life towards it?" I counter lightly. He sighs at this, knowing my point.

"We both know what I'm saying, Yoongi. You do way too much." Hoseok says gently, giving me a small smile. I just shrug at this again though.

"I won't be once I've finished my degree. I'm happy with my life, Hobi. Just the same as you're happy with your life and your degree of dancing." I tell him, pushing myself away from the display case as a mother walks in carrying a little girl and holding the hand of a young boy.

I smile to three as I move to the register, beginning to take their order. However, as the little boy begins telling me what he'd like, the front door to the shop flies open, catching nearly everyone's attention. I frown when I spot Namjoon entering, hair dyed a pitch black color, cigarette between his lips, and the wrap of what's probably covering a tattoo on the lower side of his neck. He's got a couple guys who don't look much better than him that walk in with him, the three in casual conversation.

"Namjoon, what have I told you about smoking in my shop?" I speak up, my attention fully taken by the three boys, noticing the kids clinging tightly to their mother in front of me. He scoffs at me, rolling his eyes.

"Fuck off and ease up a bit for once, Yoongi. It's just a damn cigarette." Namjoon responds coldly. I frown at this, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Namjoon, I've told you before and I'll tell you again. You're not supposed to be swearing or smoking in here. Especially considering we've got little ones in here." I argue, not at all happy with any of this.

"Then that's their fucking problem, Yoongi. Fuck, man, loosen up a bit. Go drink and get laid or something. You're too uptight." Joon says with a small frown.

"You're friends with this little bitch?" One of the guys at his side speaks up, pointing at me as he looks to Namjoon. Joon just chuckles at this, shrugging a bit.

"Not exactly. He's more of a pain in the ass than anything anymore. Used to be close, got too damn uptight for me though." Namjoon says with a small smile, smirking when he glances over at me.

I feel my heart shatter into smithereens, not having expected him to be so harsh and cold.

"The three of you need to leave right now. I'm not going to say it again. I really don't want to have to use force just to get you all to go." I growl out, trying to hide my pain.

"Oh no, the big bad baker is gonna get us if we don't leave, guys. I'm 'terrified'. What're you gonna do? Come cuddle us if we don't leave? Bake us dozens of pastries if we don't go?" The second guy challenges sarcastically.

"I'm not telling you again." I repeat, looking at the three of them unamused. Namjoon just rolls his eyes, tapping both boys.

"Let's get out of here. We don't need to waste our time on someone who cares more about food than the people around him." Joon jabs before the three of them head towards the exit.

"Hey, and Namjoon?" Hoseok speaks up as they begin exiting. Joon stops, looking over to Hoseok with a quirked eyebrow.

"Don't bother ever coming back here. You're not welcome here." Hoseok tells the younger. Joon just scoffs, rolling his eyes as he leaves with the other two.

Taking a deep breath once the door is shut, I wipe my forearm over my face before forcing a smile as I return my attention to the family in front of me.

"What was that you want, honey?"