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Chapter 7

On Monday, Euntaek and Fuji had no classes in the afternoon, and because Fuji was looking for a job, the two of them decided to spend the rest of the day job hunting.

There really wasn't a reason for Fuji to work. He came from a pretty wealthy family, and he always had everything he needed whenever he needed it. He liked helping other people, though, and that's why he wanted to get a job.

The first place they went to was the same café Euntaek had seen his sister at a couple days ago. It was a homey place with pretty good business and nice reviews, and they were currently looking for more waiters, too. What really caught their attention, though, was its name: Espresso Yourself. It was cute but also quite meaningful, and their catchphrase was "never bean better."

When they got inside, Euntaek saw the same brown haired waiter standing behind the counter. When he noticed them walking in, he smiled warmly. It was a polite kind of smile, but, somehow, he made it seem so natural and so genuine.

"Hello," he said in a nice, welcoming voice, "how can I help you two today?"

"I'm here for a job interview," Fuji explained. There was a certain charm to the way he spoke, no matter which language it was.

"Oh, you must be Fuji, then?" He said it more like a question rather than a statement.

"I am."

The waiter looked around, probably counting how many customers there were, "I'll go get the owner. I'll be right back."

He returned momentarily with a girl who was a little shorter than him. She was probably in her early 20's with beautiful dark hair that reached just above her waist. Her hair was the kind of color that might be considered black but was actually a beautiful brown in the sunlight.

She smiled politely, "I'm the owner, Erina. You must be Yamanaka Fuji. You called in yesterday, yes?"

Fuji smiled back, "I did."

"Well, you can follow me, and I'll give you a short interview," she said, motioning towards the staff room.

"Good luck," Euntaek whispered, giving him two thumbs up. Fuji would be fine. He was polite but firm when he needed to be. Everyone loved him.

After the two of them had gone, the brown haired barista asked in a hesitant voice, "You're Eunbi's brother, right?"

He nodded, "My name's Euntaek."

He smiled that warm yet sad smile, "Nice to meet you, Euntaek. I'm Minsoo. Your sister babysits my little brother."

There was something about the brown haired boy that made him extremely charming. Perhaps it was the way he smiled or just him in general. Whatever it was, it made Euntaek feel very small whenever he looked at him.

He placed his hands in his pockets, avoiding Minsoo's gaze, "Do you work here often?"

"I do," he said, "Monday though Saturday."

Euntaek hesitated, "You... went to school with us, right?"

He nodded.

"Do you—" he paused, trying to work the words out in his head, "Do you know someone by the name Park Hyojin?"

He gestured to the door, "Here he comes."

When Hyojin saw them staring at him, he gave them a dirty look. His cold, blue eyes made him even more intimidating.

Euntaek flushed and immediately turned away, "I-I mean, um, did you know him from school?"

Minsoo thought for a moment, "Now that you mention it... I'm not sure." He began making Hyojin's Iced Americano. "He may seem pretty scary, but he talked to my brother. I'm sure he'd talk to you, too. You could ask him about it if you really want to."

Somehow, during this conversation, he had grown extremely self-conscious and was now beginning to shrink away, "I... don't think he'd want to talk to someone like me..."

But before Minsoo could reply, someone else walked in the door. The little bell jingled as Euntaek stepped away from the counter, giving room for the boy to order. He had silky blonde hair with pretty pink ends and a handsome face. Just by a glance, you could tell he was rich.

The brown-haired waiter smiled politely, "Nice to see you again, Oseong."

Rich boy— Oseong— seemed a little surprised by this, "You remembered my name."

"Of course," Minsoo said, his smile growing warmer, "it's hard to forget someone who left you a little note, don't you think?"

He flushed, "Y-You saw that?"

"I did." His smile was so pure and so innocent that Oseong didn't know how to react.

"And your answer...?"

He nodded, "I can sing."

Oseong smiled brightly, "Then would you be interested in singing a song I wrote?" He quickly added, "I can pay you, too."

Minsoo's smile faltered as he recalled his little brother's words from Sunday. But I think you could do it, Hyung. If God gave you this talent, then shouldn't you show it to the world?

He thought for a moment longer, "Let's... try it then." He needed another job anyway, and singing would make Minwoo happy, so there was no harm in giving it a shot. Hopefully this works out.

Oseong beamed, "Great. When are you free?"

For a moment, he said nothing. His gaze dropped to the counter as he spoke, "I'll... have to get back to you on that."

"Well, you have my number, so let me know when you figure it out." He didn't quite understand the depth of the sadness on Minsoo's face, but seeing that he was usually smiling despite what was on his mind, he knew it was serious. He checked his fancy, expensive-looking watch and said, "I have to get going now. I'll see you tomorrow."

Minsoo gave him a confused look, "You're not going to get anything?"

He smiled his charming, confident smile, "Not today. I have an appointment to attend."

After that, Euntaek just zoned out and waited patiently for Fuji to finish his interview. He snuck a glance back at Hyojin, but the black haired boy was focused on the world outside the window. He had sharp features and cold eyes, but something about him was awfully... lonely.

Park Hyojin...

Who are you?