COFFEE; changjin [✓]

ONE

ch. 1 — don't stay awake for too long

☕️

changbin heaved out a breath in relief. it was currently four am, and changbin still hadn't closed up his coffee shop.

he cursed under his breath after taking off his apron. his coffee shop usually closed at six to seven pm, but a group of buskers payed him loads of money to perform till two am.

so, how could he say no to that offer?

he definitely regretted it. changbin was exhausted, although that didn't really matter since he knew he wasn't going to sleep when he got home.

before turning off the lights of the shop, he took a glance outside of the glass walls.

"shit, it's raining."

groaning in annoyance, changbin took an umbrella that was stashed in his office. he couldn't help but notice another figure in the rain, though.

a skinny, frail boy was sitting at the sidewalk outside of the shop. he didn't have an umbrella with him, so he looked soaked.

furrowing his brows in concern, changbin went out and held the umbrella over the boy. his shoulders were shaking, so changbin assumed the latter was cold.

but when he got closer, he realized that the boy was sniffling. is he crying? changbin held the umbrella over both of them, nervously looking at the boy. something about him seemed so familiar.

feeling the rain stop, the boy looked up, confused, only to see changbin looking down at him.

both changbin and the boys' eyes widened.

"h-hyunjin?"

hyunjin didn't say a word, still surprised to see changbin. sighing, changbin grabbed hyunjin's wrist and dragged him inside the coffee shop.

years ago, hyunjin and changbin used to be the closest friends in high school over the fact that they both were obsessed with coffee.

that was all until hyunjin left changbin for different friends, though.

. changbin immediately made hyunjin coffee, handing it to the shivering boy. hyunjin accepts it, taking a long sip.

"why?"

hyunjin looked up at the sudden question. tilting his head, he was stumped. "why what?"

"why are you here? why are you drenched in water? why were you crying-"

hyunjin coughed to make changbin come to a halt.

"i'm here because this was the only place with the lights on. i'm drenched in water because it's raining, duh. and, i was crying because.."

hyunjin's voice faltered, as his eyes directed to the ground. changbin sighed, and took a seat next to hyunjin. "i know we aren't close anymore, but you can still tell me."

hyunjin nodded.

"..my parents.. kick..ed me out.."

his voice was muffled, but changbin could still understand what he was saying. changbin frowned, both angry and curious. why would hyunjin's parents kick him out?

"why..? and why do you still live with your parents?"

hyunjin hesitated for a moment, before whispering "fuck it," to himself and gained the courage to look directly into changbin's eyes.

"i live with my parents because the friends i had after ditching you only used me for my money until i had none. so, i was completely broke and couldn't afford living on my own."

changbin looked at hyunjin disappointingly for not answering the more important question, but was still intrigued by the topic they were on currently.

he nodded, listening to every word given to him. "why'd you ditch me.. for them?"

hyunjin ruffled his hair, making water droplets fall to the floor. "i can't say right now. i'm really really sorry, though. i'm serious. but, please understand that i had a reason. it may not be the best reason.. but it's still a reason."

hyunjin looked at changbin with hopeful eyes.

"fine. i'll accept your apology only if you tell me why you got kicked out."

changbin, in all means, wasn't trying to force hyunjin into giving the answer. but, he was just too curious to back out of it now.

hyunjin looked at changbin for a second, before taking a big breath. "i.. i'm gay. and my parents didn't accept that."

hyunjin flinched at changbin's change in expression. he was ready for changbin to yell at him, hit him, or spit venomous words.

but, instead, he gave hyunjin a small hug.

hyunjin stumbled backwards in surprise.

"me too."

hyunjin was in even more surprise now.

"and your parents are fucked up for kicking you out because of that."

hyunjin awkwardly laughed, looking back at the ground. his eyes hid both a flint of sadness and hope, but changbin decided to ignore it.

grabbing the now wet umbrella, he held out his hand to hyunjin's and stood up.

"well.. apology accepted. now, how about we head to my house?"

☕️

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ty for reading !