Coffee Idol / kim taehyung (#29)

십

Taehyung

I crossed my arms sitting down at my favourite table, looking for the person that I have been waiting for. I told her to come to work as usual since it is a Saturday and there are going to have a lot of customers during the peak periods, DaeYeon and I alone is not enough to face the crowds without messing up.

She has to come before the peak period or there is not enough time, that is why I hated college students, they have all the money to study because they have rich parents that can pay for all of their expenses, they don't even need to worry about any financial problems. They are only working part-time because they have nothing to do and they totally have no commitment to anything at all, thus only wanted to waste time outside meaningfully and they get to earn money at the same time.

"DaeYeon, how is it going?" I called for my friend who is more like a brother to me, he was the only one that stayed with me after I have left the group a year ago. "Is she still not replying?"

DaeYeon comes over to my table, giving me my usual drink, hot chocolate. "No, I think that she is busy with school, I heard that they are having examinations right now."

"Oh really? But exams should be done right now, I saw some students walking past the café earlier." I pointed it out. "Continue to call her, I wouldn't want to go all the way to her class to pick her up. I will even be willing to go to her house straight just to make her go to work."

She can't back out right now, she has already worked for more than one week and she would have to pay a termination fee if she still doesn't turn up for work after her work shift. It is not like she works full-time like DaeYeon, she only works 5 hours and she is already complaining.

DaeYeon took out his phone. "She is calling me right now." He notified me.

"Put it on speaker, I am going to listen to whatever nonsense that she is going to say." He sits next to me and answers her call. "Try whatever you can to make her come at all costs no matter what."

He nodded. "Hello?" She sounded very normal, she isn't sick or anything, she is very healthy.

"You finally picked up! Have you read all of my messages?"

"Yes, I did. But I can't come to work today." Is she going to quit?

"Is there any reason why? Boss has been asking about you for the past 15 minutes."

"It is like this... I really love this job a lot and this job is very meaningful to me but I have to quit." I was right, she was indeed going to quit. Why did I even allow her to be in our territory if she is going to leave anyway?

"Why? May I ask?"

"My family, I hadn't told them that I have worked part-time and they scolded me hard for it. They have now grounded me and I am unable to go to work, so I have to quit." She paused for a while. Especially my older brother, he is very protective and he demands that--" The line suddenly got all fuzzy and we looked at each other, wondering what had happened.

A male voice took over and he sounded very angry. "Who the heck are you? Why are you calling my sister?"

I didn't know that she had an older brother, she only has an older sister according to the application form that she filled in. DaeYeon looked at me, signalling to me that I should talk. "I am the employer of Yang DongMi and I want to know the reason why you wouldn't allow her to work here at my café."

"Because I said so! Because I am her older brother and I get to decide what's good for her and she shouldn't work at all!"

"May I know the reason behind it? I heard from DongMi ssi that you are very protective of her."

Can he stop screaming unto my ears for a moment? "Of course I should be! She is my younger sister and it is my job to protect her like an older brother."

Now that she is an official employee of this café, I can't let her go just like that. And she had seen what she shouldn't be seeing, she saw me with HoSeok hyung outside the café yesterday and that had already revealed a huge part of my life, my relation to Jung HoSeok and it would affect the rest of them as well if I let her go.

Even if she isn't interested in K-pop idols or she doesn't know any idols, there is still a very high chance of her knowing who I am and that is going to  make her expose me once I let her go, she will take advantage of my kindness and tell everyone that she knows that I am a K-pop idol and I am indeed the Kim Taehyung who took a year-long hiatus and disappeared from the industry without any news of ever coming back.

"Can I meet you in person so that I can convince you that there is nothing wrong with your younger sister working part-time in my café?" DaeYeon looks at me with an astonished look on his face. "She is a very valuable employee in my café and I can't let go of her just like that."

"You are going to scam me?" I shook my head.

"No, of course. I want to personally invite you to have a talk with me that you should be allowing your younger sister at this age, I'm sure that you wouldn't regret your decision at all if you would come down and have a talk with me after work hours if you are free. I will be waiting at the café for you if you are willing to meet me."

The line was silent for quite a while and we were waiting on the other side of the line in silence as well, DaeYeon simply sat down in silence just staring at the phone. "Do you think that he is willing to see you? What if he kills you?"

He won't... Or maybe he will... "Fine, I will meet you just this once. I will still not allow her to work here unless there is a reason that I could be convinced with."

"Alright. What time would you be available?"

"Your Café's closing hours, I will be there sharp." He hung up and I let out a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing to do, Taehyung hyung?" DaeYeon asks.

"To make sure that Yang DongMi doesn't tell anyone about me, I can't let anyone know about it." I will make sure that she doesn't breathe a word about me to anyone.