black coffee | soonhoon

Thirty Nine

As Jihoon leaves the hospital the next day, rain pours down from the open heavens and the clouds colour the world a lifeless grey. Car headlights flash by in reds as bright and hot as any burning flame.

He stops by the door, standing just outside and off to the left. He lets the rain batter him and penetrate his clothes, feeling the cold seep into his blood.

The music drumming through his headphones eliminates every noise from the world around him. Jihoon feels like he's watching through someone else's eyes; he feels invisible. Until someone runs up to him and shakes him by the shoulder, he can almost convince himself that he is invisible.

Electric blue hair turned dark by the rain, Taeyong grins at him.

The moment Jihoon pulls his headphones from his head is the moment his mind is violently pulled back to reality.

"Taeyong?"

The man grins.

"What are you doing here?" Jihoon asks, still adjusting to the blaring noises around him.

Taeyong shrugs, "I was walking by and when I saw you I realised we've never properly talked. You look cold, shall we go get a drink somewhere?" His inviting smile is too nice to decline, so after a moment, Jihoon nods.

"Do you know anywhere good? I only moved here a while ago and I haven't explored properly yet," Taeyong looks at the younger, who is still rubbing at his eyes with ruffled hair and slightly pouting lips. He scratches his neck with a gloved hand.

"Yeah, I know a place but it's like a half hour walk. I brought my bike but but I don't if you-" he cuts short as Taeyong turns and runs off. Jihoon watched him go, frowning, only to smile again when the blue haired boy came back around the corner wheeling two bikes behind him.

Jihoon gives him a look of surprise, "How did you know which bike was mine?"

Taeyong chuckles, "I just guessed. It was the only kid sized bike there."

And honestly, Jihoon's fatigue is so strong that he doesn't even spare an off glance in Taeyong's direction.

"Lead the way, Sir Woozi."

When the two of them were enveloped by the warmth of the café, it was pure bliss. Jihoon welcomes the familiar aroma drifting through from the back room mixed with the slightly smokey coffee scent. Taeyong looks around in wonder at the strings of golden fairy lights and mismatched furniture.

Kihyun and Changkyun laze behind the counter, bickering back and forth about something or other. When Jihoon rings the bell to catch their attention, Kihyun immediately gives him a questioning look.

Is he alright? To which, Jihoon nods. He sees the relief in the baristas face as he goes to prepare their order.

Changkyun gives him a brief nod and turns around to go to the back room- before he swivels on his heels to face Jihoon again. "Hey," he says, "I was wondering if you wanted to play here this weekend? I mean, if you don't want to... you know, with Soonyoung - it's fine,"

Jihoon smiles, "Yeah, that'd be cool."

As soon as he joins Taeyong at the table, the elder leans forward, "Okay. Tell me what's up."

"Uhh, what do you mean?"

He rolls his eyes, "Why were you at the hospital and what was that little thing over there?" He points back to the empty counter. Taeyong sighs before ruffling his hair as Jihoon sighs.

"Okay, I was at the hospital because my best friend... Soonyoung, was in a car accident a couple of days ago. He -" Jihoon coughs, "He works here." He scratches the name of his neck and drums his fingers against the table.

"Oh shit.." Taeyong murmurs, "I'm Sorry."

Jihoon shakes his head, "It's fine. We're all just worried." he says, also half trying to convince himself.

Taeyong nods.

Kihyun brings their drinks over, setting them down quietly.

As he walks off again, Jihoon desperately changes the subject, "Anyway! You and Jaehyun, tell me what's happening," he takes a long sip of his coffee, watching Taeyong's surprise and blush as he stutters.

"Um.. I mean, I guess it's going ok... I dunno if he likes me though..."

Jihoon coughs, nearly choking on his drink. "I'm sorry..... did you just say..... Jaehyun doesn't like you????"

Taeyong nods, unsure how else to respond.

Jihoon actually finds himself laughing out loud, "Oh my god are you serious? I can barely hang out with him for five minutes without hearing your name at least 20 times! Listen, he is fucking obsessed with you-" he pauses, "-in a good way, I mean."

Taeyong chuckles before going quiet.

"Taeyong, look at me," Jihoon prompts. When Taeyong lifts his head, he continues.

"Do everyone a favour, and ask him. I can't bare his suffering anymore."

Taeyong grins, letting out a giggle. "Alright, fine. What about you, do you like anyone?"

Jihoon hesitates, "Uh, I don't know. I'm not too sure what it's supposed to feel like."

Rolling his eyes, Taeyong sighs, "Oh for gods sake." He leans forward, "When you're with them, it's like... nothing else matters, yeah? Your heart speeds up and their smile can shift your entire mood. You want nothing more than to be with them every day and it's like the world was created so you could meet each other."

"Oh," Jihoon says, his mind a flurry of chaotic thoughts and emotions and memories. He sits back and laughs in disbelief, "Then, yeah, I guess I do... like someone."

Taeyong grins and claps his hands, "Yess, alright tell me about them. Girl or boy?"

Feeling the clamminess of his hands, Jihoon slowly responds with his eyes fixated on his coffee, "Boy."

"Name?"

"Ah come on..." Jihoon rubs his face in his hands, "Do I have to tell you?" He glances quickly at the front of the café on instinct, his mind grinding to a halt when it doesn't see what it expected.

Taeyong follows his eyeline to the till, before it all clicks.

"Damn..." he says, "That's kinda rough."

Jihoon sighs, "Yeah," he says, "It is."

"I've barely slept and I can't stop thinking about what happens if he's not okay, what happens if the doctors are wrong or just said that to keep me hopeful. It wouldn't be the first time."

"Hey," Taeyong draws Jihoon's gaze back to him, "Don't think about that. He will be okay, no matter what. Ok?"

After a minutes thought, Jihoon nods, "Yeah, Okay."