Cat Boy

24 | salt & coffee

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

Jeonghan and Vernon glare at each other, daring the other to speak. Jeonghan looks like he's trying to get a point across, which he usually does flawlessly, but today he seems a little more aggressive than usual.

"Well, don't just stand there blabbering like an old fool," Jeonghan snaps, his gaze digging holes in Vernon's skull. "Say something intelligent for once!"

Okay, a lot more aggressive.

Vernon rears back, equal parts surprised and offended. He blinks slowly, as if registering the fact that he's just been insulted, and his face morphs into a scowl. He opens his mouth, no doubt to reduce Jeonghan into a smoking pile of ash by his proficiency in the scathing words of the language.

"Boys, boys," Joshua intervenes, sensing things are about to get ugly. Both the boys' eyes swivel to him instead, and he feels momentarily as if he's about to melt under the collective heat of their death glares. "No fighting within the café."

Jeonghan raises a snowy white eyebrow. Even though it's been a couple of days since the Halloween incident, he hasn't managed to wipe off all of his makeup yet. Specks of glitter stick to the skin around his eyes, making it look like he's throwing off bits of light like a star every time he blinks. "Are you telling us to take it outside?"

"No," Joshua says, horrified. He sighs, setting down the plate he's been wiping with a cloth. "Why are you two still at each other's throats?"

"You know why!" Vernon explodes.

Jeonghan scrunches up his nose, shooting daggers at the blond again. "Don't tell me you think it's my fault you were too much of a coward to ask her out in time."

"I didn't even say anything to you!" Vernon exclaims, looking vaguely upset. The slight pout accompanying his furrowed brow makes Joshua shift uneasily on his feel. He knows how easily Vernon can get upset, and it's never a pretty sight when that happens. There aren't many things in the world that can make Vernon uncomfortable, but Daehyun and Jeonghan together? Bad combination. "You were the one who started going on about how much of a wuss I am!"

"Well, you are!"

"I am not—"

"Boys," Joshua repeats, more sternly this time. They fall silent again, but the tension is palpable, and he isn't sure how long he's going to be able to hold their attention like this. He points at Vernon with the rag, raising his eyebrows. "Tell me what's going on, and do it without being theatrical."

"Look who's talking," Jeonghan says as he leans back against the plastic back of the chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Shut up, Jeonghan."

"Shut up, Jeonghan," Jeonghan mimics.

Wow. He's really wound up about the issue, huh? Joshua ignores him and turns his attention to Vernon instead, who's looking down at his lap and playing with his fingers. "Go on."

"Well, it started after Wonpil said...you know," Vernon says helplessly. "He didn't tell me anything, just Jeonghan—and Jeonghan told me, but I thought he was joking at first. Because that's the kind of thing Jeonghan would do, lie and manipulate people for fun—"

"Hansol," Joshua says patiently, "stick to the point."

Vernon's pouted lips pout a little more. "And then he started telling me I was a coward," he says.

"Well, you are a coward," Jeonghan says immediately. "No harm in stating the obvious, is there?"

Vernon scowls at him. "It isn't my fault! I didn't know if and when he was going to ask her out. I didn't even know if I was going to ask her out!"