-•☆•-

The cafe tables were in their rich deep browns, the dark aroma with its dark aromatic perfume, called Min Dahyun in from the wintry day— the man recruited to be a substitute of Siwoo for the nonce. Dahyun stirred his Doppio vapidly, racking his brain to establish a theory on why would a gangster like Lee Wooshik want to schedule a cafe meeting. 

Dahyun's thoughts were put at rest, when the minute hand nearing 10.00 in the morning, Wooshik showed up— attired in a morose comportment. "G- good morning, sir!?" Dahyun stood up and bowed out of woe, for their first meeting was as afresh and pristine, if he ever walked down through his memory lane. 

"Informal!" Wooshik clenched his teeth, rapping sparsely on the table, "You don't want us to get caught, do you? Idiot!!" He buzzed under his breath. 

"Huh? Oh, alright. You should have told me earlier," Dahyun directed at the crimson Milano slipper chair, "Please take a seat and the meal is on me tod-"

"Dahyun!!!" Wooshik had to slam over the coffee table again. 

Dahyun shrank a little, "Hm?"

"How much money do you think you own to squander??" 

Dahyun's heart skipped a majestic beat, "S- sorry but what?"

With a sigh exaggerating, Wooshik crossed his arms over chest, "Look at your crotch area!" Attesting voice to those words he slouched against the backrest, tapping his feet.

Dahyun wrung his hands before by degrees, lowering his head to take a proper look at his pants— wet.

"P- p- pee! I- I peed m- my p- pants!!" The aforementioned immediately covered his face with hands, immediately thereafter stammering his way to the restroom.

In that moment of recession, Wooshik placed his order of a regular caffè mocha and pulled out his phone, staring at the lock screen; Lee Wooshik, never in his musings anticipated that he would do things like those people who act crazy in love— for example, setting Sehun's Instagram picture at the beach as lock screen wallpaper for his phone.

The blonde stared at it as if in an infatuation, ceasing to let his eyes blink for even a split instant. His mind ran in circles with ineluctable thoughts of Sehun— Sehun's Captain could not even imagine what the facaded Lee Wooshik would say if he saw him being such a Romeo, with quite noticeable diversions. His mind, without his notice, was crucified to the enigma of the concept of love. 

"Si- uh- Wooshik!! I am sorry, it took longer than expected," Dahyun's recurrence was a shock to Wooshik, since he did not reckon how fast the time flew by whenever he submerged into the thoughts about Sehun— which was pretty much always. 

"Oh? You're back already?" Wooshik went over Dahyun's head to toe with eyes, "First thing first Dahyun, don't be afraid of me! Consider me as a friend, or else we won't be able to work with the lack of compatibility," he pointed his hand to refer to the chair, "And even if you're scared, don't be too much that you end up peeing your pants. Anyway, take a seat!" 

The forthcoming tickings, as Dahyun prophesied to be burdened by work-related discussions. However, much to Dahyun's surprise, Wooshik persistently kept talking about love, rendering Dahyun's presence a sceptical and awkward one. 

Dahyun said his say at that— primarily accusing the blonde of making him wait too long, then delivering a cheap disquisition on love. And his disquisition was brought to an end as abruptly as it began with Wooshik's offering of 5 Lakh won for a meagre work of acting as a human CCTV for only a week. 

"Hey, Dahyun!" Wooshik displayed the news article where Toby Jeen has been praised for his ability to remain disguised and turned the phone towards Dahyun, wolf whistling, wiggling his eyebrows once, ending at a smirk. 

"What about this?" Dahyun faced away in indignation, "I already told you I have nothing to do with that anymore!!" 

"Uh-huh, that's what you believe in. Jeen is not going to sacrifice their own lives. Cops are still behind you, do you know that?" Wooshik turned off the phone, "And the only person who can save you now is…me. So, don't try to outsmart me, ever. Alright??" He dived into the chair, his right elbow resting on the coffee table. 

Dahyun sighed, "I will remember," he bowed. 

"Okay. I'll text y-"

Dahyun broke in on, his throat feeling too dry, 
"I- I don't have a phone!" 

On the other hand Wooshik flung a box at him, "Only for calling and texting purposes!! If I ever find you doing anything apart from that then-" he pointed at his own android referring to the same news article featuring Toby Jeen. 

"Okay, Wooshik!!" Dahyun bowed again. 

"So what I was saying is, I will text you a location this evening, with the time when you will be needed. You have to be there just according to the time assigned, an arrival a minute earlier or a minute tardy, wouldn't be entertained, and you'll have to face the consequences, okay Dahyun?"

Dahyun nodded obediently. 

"Here," Wooshik put the cash down in front of Dahyun, "Complete our payments and leave as soon as possible. I will have to seal my bank accounts and pay a visit to June-Way, then go to the police station, so I shall leave now. Bye!" 

"Bye!" For the nth time, Dahyun bowed— while he lost count of what numbered bow it was that he dedicated to his partner. 

"Oh also-"

"Y- yes?"

"Don't pee your pants next time!" With a disgraceful chuckle at Dahyun, Wooshik collected his belongings which contained his satchel and his phone and left whistling— his dark black phoenix tattoo at the right of his neck, right under his earlobe, spying out of Wooshik's red-black flannel. 

-

Chris directed Sehun and Daeseong through what he surmised was the safest road. A road covered with flimsy unwanted plants was not smooth for Sehun's light indigo ankle length chinos, as they kept attending Sehun's feet with such tingling sensations— but Sehun could find no match for his white Hanley shirt.

"Chris hyung, how far are we from the location?" Displeased, the youngest kept cavilling throughout. 

But when they reached their destination, there were labourers, whooping alcohol up— and for a reason, Sehun knew they were not going to leave the place anytime soon.

"Urgh!! What now?? I am already dog-tired from all these walking," Daeseong sat down on the street, discontent, "All these and for nothing?? We are not going to wait here until they leave and prepare to get caught, right?"

Sehun put forth, "No way! Daeseong hyung, do you know any place from where we can maybe rent motorbikes?" 

"There is a place nearby where we can rent bikes and motorbikes within our budget. However, what are you planning, Eve?" Daeseong’s overbearing coy smile was indeed unsettling, "I am in no position to ride a motorbike by myself now. And Chris is not skilled, he knows the basics but he never has been on roads, so…" Daeseong sighed, "But I also don't want to walk back five metres. Ughhh!" He squeezed his hairs, yelping with no purpose. 

"Ah no, none of you need to ride it!! We don't even have the money to rent 3 seperate motorbikes anyway, so just rent one and I'll drive. You both can sit behind me."

"Really?? Are you for real??" With a gleaning tint of hope, Daeseong sprang up from the street, "I'll go and rent it immediately! Thank you so much, bro!" He hugged crushing as if all of Sehun's bones, while Chris stood at a distance and clapped. 

Daeseong left to acquire a bike for them, leaving Sehun and Chris at somewhere which put them out of sight— a place which safeguarded them.

"Uhm, Eve," Chris played with his hoodie's drawstring threaders, "Aren't we…"

"Shh! We are!" 

Around sixteen minutes later, Daeseong returned with a model he envisaged Sehun might like— Yamaha. 

"You paid with cash right, Daeseong?"

"Yes, of course, Eve!! I leave no scope for mistakes, not even mistakenly." 

Sehun patted on Daeseong’s shoulder, "That is why you are Minnie's assistant!" He further, took a proper look at the bike and was impressed,

"Chris, may I borrow your phone for a while? Those idiot goons, on the day of the caravan ceremony, either destroyed or threw away all the hostages' phones…mine too,'' Sehun shrugged, folding his lips in— shamming that it was a rather impertinent thing to talk about. 

"Here you go," Chris bubbled with enthusiasm as he noticed Sehun dialling Kiara.

-

-On the call-

 "Hello! This is Kiara speaking. How are you?"

"Ahh! Look at who is lovesick again??"

"Geez! What are you doing with Chris's phone?"

"Let me guess, you have saved Chris hyung's name as 'baby', correct me if I'm wrong!!"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why have you called me from his number??"

"Well…come over!! To June-Way. Your baby is waiting for you, in fact is eager to meet you!"

"Stop calling him baby. And, I can't come."

"Kiara!!!! Come. Over. Now!"

"I CAN'T YOU MADAFAKAR! I'M IN A REUNION!!"
 

Sehun paused at that sudden outburst from the other side,

"Huh? Why do you sound so pressed?? And what kind of reunion??"

"College reunion. Because you left the course mid-way, they probably haven't included you in the list of guests."

"And about the first question?"

"WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF NANI WAS WITH YOU RIGHT NOW??"

"Bro…"

"Right?? RIGHT?? I KNOW RIGHT??"

"Can I hang up? I will get a haemorrhage from your constant yelling, or else."

"Hold on, hold on! Pass the phone to Chris."

Sehun put the device down from his ear, his ear still itching from Kiara's shrill yells- "Chris hy-"

"SEHUNNNN OPPPPAAA!!! WHERE ARE YOU??? I WILL COME OVER RIGHT NOW, WITH KIARA EONNIE AND DAHLIA, OKAY??"
 

Realising it could be none other than Nani, the human siren, Sehun immediately handed the phone over to Chris and went into depression for some time.

"Hel-hello Kiara!! This is Chris speaking!"

"Oh baby! I'm so sorry for how Nani behaved earlier. She's now packing her belongings. She hollered over the phone, as soon as she knew I was talking to Sehun, and then returned to pack her bags. I guess we really have to be wherever you idiots are, Nani is not easily manageable. Text me the location, but don't make it June-Way, since my other friends will be accompanying me."

"Okay, baby! I'll choose a really nice place for us, come here soon. Can't wait to see you!" 

-Ending of the call-

-

Chris, with flushed cheeks, pertained to stare at the blank black screen of his phone, his shy smile fighting in a warfare to be let out— against Chris's own wills. Love can indeed make people do unexpected things, and that also without any hunch of it happening. 

"Chris hyung!! Hop on!!" Sehun kicked the motorbike off to a start, after both Chris and Daeseong had found themselves comfortable at the backseats. 

Some time elapsed, and they arrived at the open air restaurant— EMERALD: EAT & ENJOY.

"Kiara!!!" Sehun could press the break, Chris leaped off before that, vulnerable to the word named 'love'. 

"What the-!!!" Sehun stared at that blackish-brown headed boy in awe, "We could have fallen off!!" 

Daeseong sniggered, getting off of the same, "Love really does things to you, doesn't it?? Especially absurd things!!"

Sehun lumbered past Daeseong, finding an efficient place to park their vehicle, "Absurd as in?" 

"It differs from person to person. But usually, the absurdity begins with unruly thoughts of that person."

"O- oh! Is it so??" His steps faltered after he had already parked the bike and prepared to return. 

-

Kiara smiled softly when she noticed Chris claiming the space beside her as his, her cheeks turning a shade redder— she fixed her hair looking away from the immigrant, tugging the long cascading black locks behind her ear. Chris sat, engrossed, barely noticing the refreshment that failed to make it to his slack mouth. The world seemed to fade around them— it was only him, and his Kiara at that moment. 

Kiara's heart arose in an inchmeal, like the sun rising at the horizon; she knew if she couldn't stop it, it might as well explode amidst everyone— thanks to Sehun, who was on her left and pinched her elbow just at the correct time. 

"Huhhh???" Kiara blenched and struggled to regain her composure. 

Sheathing his face behind his Champagne flute, he pointed at the men sitting across the table, facing them directly. Kiara, confused, brought up her eyes to discern Daeseong and Jihyo— Daeseong was grilling the porks, in correspondence with Dahlia, but Kiara couldn't understand what Jihyo was doing. 

Jihyo’s eyes would not be disrupted from being on Daeseong, not for a moment. His pupils were so diluted that none had ever seen before. The loquacious man, Park Jihyo who would never stop blabbering— was not breathing a word on that day, other than staring at the black haired boy sitting beside him. 

"J- Jihyo??" 

Whether Kiara uttered Jihyo's name, before the person mentioned could verify that, the human siren among them began screeching,

"SEHUNNNN OPPPPAAA, WOULD YOU LIKE SOME WEED?"

"HUH??"

"Seaweed, she means seaweed soup!" Dahlia offered a clarification. 

"HEYY DAHLIA, WHY ARE YOU INTERRUPTING US?? CAN'T YOU SEE WE ARE TALKING? AND SEHUNNNN OPPPPAAA, WHY ARE YOU AVOIDING ME SO MUCH THESE DAYS? YOU WERE FRIENDLIER WHEN WE STUDIED BIOCHEMISTRY TOGETHER!"

Kiara shook her head, "Oh God, this girl will seriously be the death of me," she murmured before turning to Nani, "Nani! This is the last time I am telling you we were B.A. students, not B.sc. We never studied biochemistry, we studied literature. Do you remember now??" 

Daeseong was baffled, "Eh? If you studied literature, why would she repeatedly mention biochemistry then??" 

"Well, let me have the fortune to explain," Dahlia put some broth and gulped before speaking, "So, Nani has grown up in a really unsupportive family. She has always wanted to study Arts, but because her family did not permit it and she did not do well in arts in her high school finals, she was in a way forced to opt for biochemistry. She became lonely as she was alienated from all her friends, and because of her somewhat weird nature she was treated as an outcast there. Back in school, she liked her senior," Dahlia pointed at the boy sitting across her, at the very corner, 

"Sehun oppa. She liked him only because of his altruism, as she felt Sehun oppa was probably one of them who did not judge her or treat her as any outcast. She got separated from him too, and with that obviously there was an unnecessary workload of a syllabus she did not admire, which ultimately led to her to fall into the pit of depression. For a long time she was on steroids. As a result of the side effects of steroids, she began to hallucinate. Thus, she hallucinates about things and persons which makes her happy, for example she finds solace in Sehun oppa. Or that we all studied with her in the B.sc department makes her happy."

"That is sad indeed. I personally feel like Nani shouldn't leave her condition untreated," Daeseong commented. 

"She is undergoing therapy now. Her doctor has said it will take some years for her to fully heal, but she is better than before now."

"I see."

"Well, Dahlia?" The brown fringes squinted his eyes at the 5'4" girl who was vigorously trying to cut a piece from their Mexican Chicken Fajita Pizza. 

"Yes?"

"How many times have I told you to pronounce my name correctly, though?" He crossed his legs, fidgeting with the fork held in between his fingers, "It's not Sehoon. It is Se-Hun, the Korean spelling would be Sae-Han, got it?? Se- and for the Hun, it is like when you say run in English? Replace that 'r' with 'h', and there you have the correct pronunciation of my name! No mistakes from now on, promise?"

"Aishh! Okay, okay. Serun oppa!"

"Do you want me to address you as Dalgona again? If not, you better not mess with me!" 

-

Sehun's heartbeats aligned with the back of his head— the former was refractory, the latter ungovernable, for the selfsame reason. 

Once when they were back at the foxhole, Sehun's feet shuddered a little— a sprinkle of anxiety fused with undiscovered excitement. 
However with such shuddering arms he dared to open the door to their drawing.

He had to come across the sight of what he exactly did not want to come across; Lee Wooshik in a purely dark black satin shirt, the topmost buttons left unbuttoned, exposing his tempting collarbone as his silver chain dangled from there. The rimless glasses, his messy blonde strands, the phoenix tattoo right at the beginning of his ending tip of the earlobe, the olive cargo pants were a perfect fit for Sehun's heart to leap out of his mouth.

As Wooshik bent over while standing to scan through the laptop screen, talking to someone on phone in an intimidating manner, the phone held by his left ear— the watch on his wrist, complemented by the 'akinator' tattoo seemed impressive; especially to Sehun, since he could not explain but he said he had a thing for men who could appear seductive when working, and obviously readily.

Sehun stood at their ingress, narrowing his eyes and biting his lower lip, all without his notice. 

He was chucked back to reality once he felt a slam over his shoulder, the black haired leader was staring at him with his eyes widened, 

"Uh- are you okay, Eve?" 

-•☆•-