Piano Boy

3

• Yoongi •

"What did you think of Jimin?"

I glance at Hoseok, leaning back into my seat, giving a slight shrug. "The new bartender."

"Yeah." Hoseok lifts his coffee cup, taking a small sip of the beverage. "Think he'll fit in?"

"He flirts a lot."

Hoseok grins. "So did I."

"No," I pause, gathering my thoughts. "He flirted with college girls. Then he - flirted with me, I guess."

Hoseok's eyebrows raise. "He flirted with you?"

I shrug. "Seemed like it."

"I would have paid to see that." Hoseok grins as I give him an unimpressed look, and he shrugs. "The guy's flirty, so what? He's got a great smile, he's a damn good bartender, and I can actually manage instead of being behind that bar."

"True." I reach for my Americano, taking a long drink. "He'll be fine working there."

"I knew you'd like him." Hoseok grins, leaning his elbow on the edge of the table. "So, he flirted with you, huh?"

"He was flirting with everyone."

Hoseok grins at my unamused look, shrugging. "You never know. He seems like a great guy, and I'd assume he's bi if he's flirting with you and girls."

"You just met him yesterday."

"And I already know he's cute, and he flirted with you."

"You're funny."

Hoseok laughs. "Loosen up, Yoongs, you're twenty-four. You should be clubbing or something, picking up guys, not hanging out at my family's stupid blues bar."

"I don't see you clubbing." I take a long drink of my Americano, the bitter taste of coffee lingering after I swallow. "I hang out at your family's bar because I'm paid to play there."

Hoseok laughs. "I'm not clubbing because I don't need to pick up a guy. And you're right on everything else."

"I don't need a guy either." I frown, taking another drink of my Americano. "It's a waste of time."

"Come on, love's never a waste of time." Hoseok gives me a smile, leaning on the table. "I have no idea what I'd do without Taehyung. It's the most amazing feeling."

"Don't go soft." I give him an annoyed look and he laughs.

"Sorry. I'm serious, though, we should just go out sometime and find you a couple guys."

"I don't have time for that kind of thing," I shrug, checking my watch. "I barely have time for coffee with you. I work at the diner in half an hour."

"You work too much." Hoseok shakes his head at me. "This is exactly why you need someone, to make you not work yourself to death."

"I have you and Jae." I stand, draining the rest of my espresso. "Are you still giving me a ride to the diner?"

"Yeah. Taehyung said he's almost here, he has the car."

I nod, and Hoseok stands too, tossing his cup in the teach, leading the way outside to where the small car idles on the curb and Hoseok gets in the passenger side as I climb into the backseat.

"Hey, babe." Hoseok leans over to kiss Taehyung, and Taehyung grins, pulling him closer, his tongue visibly making its way into Hoseok's mouth, and I roll my eyes, looking away, out the window. They're so affectionate, always, and it's stifling at times.

"Hey, Yoongi," Taehyung turns to shoot me a grin after he's done kissing Hoseok senseless, his hair messy, lips swollen. "How are you?"

"Could have done without seeing that. But I'm alive."

Hoseok laughs breathily, grimacing, and Taehyung just grins, pulling away from the curb. "Which diner job is today?"

"The one off main." I stare out the window, watching the buildings flash by.

"It's the one Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, remember?" Hoseok reaches over to link his fingers with Taehyung's. "The other one is Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays."

Taehyung grins. "I don't have his schedule memorized like you do, Seokie." He shoots me a grin in the rearview mirror. "No offense, Yoongi, I just know you work a bunch of different day jobs and the bar at night."

"That's about right." I shrug, and Hoseok glances at me over his shoulder.

"About the bar, by the way, I was wondering if you'd be open to having someone else take a couple nights."

I blink at him, unsure what to say, and he shrugs. "It's just an idea. You need more than three hours of sleep a night, Yoongs."

"Treat me like an employee, not your friend," I say bluntly, and he nods, frowning a bit.

"I'd do this for any other employee too, Yoongi."

"I'm fine."

Hoseok shrugs reluctantly. "All right. Just let me know if you ever feel like all the jobs you're working right now are too much, you know I'll understand."

"Okay."

We pull up to the diner and I open my door, turning to speak to Taehyung and Hoseok again. "Thanks for the ride."

"Anytime!" Taehyung grins brightly and Hoseok nods agreement, shooting me a bright grin.

"See you at seven?"

I nod and he gives me a smile as I close the door, turning away to walk into the diner.

"You're lucky you weren't late." Woojin frowns at me, busy folding napkins as he glances around the empty tables. "Get right on unstacking the chairs as soon as you're in uniform."

I nod, heading into the back room, slipping on my black shirt and removing the earrings from my ears, smoothing my hair as I let out a breath, staring at my reflection in the small, warped mirror of the break room.

It's always strange, how different I look very time I look in the mirror. The lack of jewelry makes me plainer than ever, my bare face slightly puffy from early rising, and I sigh, flattening my hair again. It's not me, this guy in the mirror, this plain, overworked, exhausted man.

It's no wonder I can't pick up guys like Hoseok, or no doubt Jimin, can.

I tilt my chin up, turning away from the mirror to walk out the door, setting out chairs as Woojin continues with the napkins, shooting me the occasional look, finally yelling across the room. "Go help in the kitchen."

"Chairs?"

"Kitchen, Yoongi. They need you more."

I nod, letting out a breath as I slip through the double doors, mindlessly following the same routine as every other day.

~

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