Boy Meets Girl (NCT Taeyong)

13- Roller Coaster

Your POV

You finished your shift at the convenience store and were on your way back to your dorm when you hear your phone ping with a new message.  Checking, you couldn't help but smile.

Taeyong: Hey, princess ;) Go to the cafe after you are done with your shift.  There is someone here to meet you.  

Walking into the campus cafe, you wasted about 5 seconds inhaling the aroma of coffee before looking around for Taeyong.  It was easy to find him because of his red hair, which made you laugh and then gasp when you saw the boy that sat across from him.

The boy looked up with a grin as he spotted you, and you stared, not wanting to blink in case this was a dream.

"Daniel? Is that really you?" You asked in shock.

"Who else could it be?" He said before giving you a giant bear hug, "I'm here to return a favor." 

The last time that you had ever seen Kang Daniel was in high school.  In fact, you had met him because he had stopped Jina from bullying you after class one day and you had become the best of friends ever since.  Daniel was a part of the mafia, but you knew that already and didn't seem to mind as long as he wasn't killing people, not that he probably didn't, yet you would never know.  It was old news to everyone, anyways.  He had been in Wanna One since as long as you could remember, and it was the one thing that you knew about him when you had first met.  

"Hey, are you okay? I'm sorry about my sister.  She's always like that. I'm Kang Daniel, by the way- from Wanna One."

"Y-you mean the mob group...?"

"Yep."

Then, two summers ago, he had gotten into a fight and miraculously showed up at your door, where you had let him stay and rest while he healed because he had gotten hit by a bullet.  It was then that Daniel had promised that he would return the favor for your kindness.  

"So, what can I do for you?" He asked as you sat down at the table.  You glanced at Taeyong, who nodded his head in your direction in encouragement.

"I need you to do something about Jina.  She is ruining relationships between Taeyong and his friends and I want him to be able to get them back from her."  For some reason, Taeyong looked surprised.  Perhaps he wasn't expecting that favor.  

Daniel looked from you to Taeyong in mild interest, noticing the awkward tension between both of you, "I can arrange for that to happen," he said, finally after a few seconds, "And I can also arrange for Jina to be taken off campus if you want."

"If I want? Of course, I want her out of here.  She's been making our lives miserable for the past several months!" Daniel laughed when he saw your expression.

"I thought so.  So it will be done."

"Really?"

"I am a man of my promises.  Of course, I will arrange for this to happen."  You almost wanted to hug Daniel, again but restrained yourself as Taeyong was busy watching you from the corner of his eye.  So, instead, you simply thanked him.  

"Anything for a friend of mine is possible," he winked.

The bells over the cafe door rang, announcing more customers, and you looked up just out of mild curiosity, only to find Mark, Doyoung, and Johnny all starring at you, Taeyong, and your friend in surprise.  You knew that Taeyong had been essentially cut off from his friend group by his own stepsister, but you never realized how serious the cut was until you saw Mark whisper something to Doyoung.  The three of you watched as they exited the cafe with only Johnny turning around to give your group an apologetic smile before disappearing outside.