His curious hands playing with the fabric of the soft covers and his eyes, big and round, focused on his tiny fingers.
"Why do you want to know?" was Minho's question. He had been a little shocked by Jisung's sudden curiosity. The boy had never asked about his parents before.
Jisung turned his head to look at Minho with shiny eyes. "Because I don't want them to pick me up. I want to be with you forever and I'm scared they will come and take me." his voice shook as tears made a wet path through his chubby cheeks, but Minho was quick to wrap him up in his arms again.
"Don't listen to Jina noona. You'll stay with me, don't worry. I won't leave you."
Jisung sobbed in his chest. "But- but Jina noona said that your- that your mommy and daddy will pick you up soon too."
Minho rubbed soothing circles in the younger's back, calming his little sobs and telling himself that he needed to talk to Noona about the girl that was setting fears in his Jisunggie's head. "I won't leave your side, I promise, Sung." he assured once again.
"Then- then I promise that I won't let mommy and daddy pick me up either."
●●●●●
Chan calls me earlier today. He needs help setting up the café before opening.
Today is a big day for him, his dad finally allowed him to play his own music at the family business.
I know he needs me there and I don't mind waking up earlier, though I don't call Felix too and let him rest until our actual shift starts. Besides, I'm aware that as much as Chan absolutely adores Felix, he needs some calmness and the boy is the exact opposite of that.
Chan is probably the only older friend I've ever had. He's in his second year of university, a music Major that has enough money to be a lazy ass all day and live off his parents but insists on working as hard as he can to own everything he gets and not just take it for granted. He's always been someone I can look up to and I'm glad we work together.
Sometimes he likes acting like mine and Felix's dad and I never know how to act then, but it's okay. It doesn't happen that often.
A few months ago, Chan had spoken to his father. He requested to play some of his own music at the café and Mr. Bang said that he could as long as Chan managed to ace all his school stuff.
I remember how excited he was when he told me he did it, how proud I was to hear it after watching how hard my friend had worked for it.
The little bell rings as I open the door and Chan's eyes fall on me. He's anxious, I can easily see it. His usually calm demeanor is now all over the place. The first thing I do is hug him, even if I'm not really on the touchy side. My friend needs it right now and I let him cling onto me for as long as he wishes.
He sighs and embraces me tighter. "It's gonna be fine." I tell him, trying my best to soothe his nerves. I don't really know if I'm doing it the right way, though.
"What if the tracks glitch or, worse, what if people hate my music? What if someone walks up to me and tells me to turn it off?"
I shake my head. That's not going to happen because his songs are always amazing. I let go of him and force him to look me in the eye. Aggressive comfort is the only comfort I know, so I squeeze his cheeks with both hands and keep his face in place, just in front of mine where he can see how I mean every word I'm about to say.
"Chan, you've worked so hard for this. Everyone's going to absolutely adore your music just like Felix and I do. I get that you're worried, but there's no need to. Everything's gonna go smoothly, I promise."
Even if his eyes are still hesitant, he smiles and nods, hugging me again. I let him. "Thanks, Min. You're a good friend."
"I know, I'm amazing." I joke. I don't expect him to agree, but he does and finally lets go of my body.
We start setting up everything. There's still an hour until opening up the business so we try to work as meticulously as possible as we connect Chan's computer to the café's speakers and do some tests to check how the music sounds.
I do all the technological side while Chan takes care the food and the menu. He doesn't trust his shaky hands with his computer, so he leaves that job up to me.
"You still dance?" he asks out of the blue. I don't take my eyes off the screen.
"Mhm." with one last click, I'm finally done and the music is already playing with a playlist of all the tracks Chan chose. "Felix and I go sometimes. He goes more than me."
Chan doesn't get to answer. Felix is swinging the door open while he pants.
"Why didn't you wake me up?" he says, gaze accusing me of a crime I haven't committed.
I tilt my head with confusion. "I let you a note next to your breakfast, dimwit. I needed to come in earlier. You aren't late."
Felix relaxes but then tenses up again. "Next to my breakfast or on my breakfast?" he asks and I don't know why he wants to know.
"I don't remember? What is it with you?"
"I may have eaten that paper by accident."
My face contorts in a lot of emotions, but when Chan starts laughing next to me I can't help but burst out too. My freckled friend is just so stupid. He stands there, red as a tomato and then walks towards us and playfully chokes us one at a time.
When he tries to defend himself by saying 'he was in a rush thinking he was late', Chan only starts laughing harder.
It takes us some time to calm down and then Felix notices right away.
"Chan! That's your music on the speakers!"
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