[CF03] The Next Cup of Coffee

Title: The Next Cup of Coffee
Pairing: Donghae/Eunhyuk, Tablo/Eunhyuk, slight!Eunhyuk/Hyoyeon, slight!Donghae/Yoona. Side: Kyuhyun/Sungmin, Kangin/Eeteuk.
Rating: G
Word Count: 3,780
Summary: It’s already fifth cup of coffee. Walking through time. Memory within the black aroma, it touches my hardened tongue but not my heart. The cup that once held my habit, Became a drawer of memory that unfolds like a photo album, and drifted away like leaves.
A/N: I didn't forget about this actually, but something'd come up and I didn't have enough courage to continue this. Don't know if people still read this,,sorry because, yeah, 'words' left me. :p Enjoy! ^o^


Third Cup: A Daily Routine

I miss the warm lips, so I drink a cup of coffee
Alcohol is hard on my body, so I drink second cup of coffee
To keep my empty hands warm, I drink third cup of coffee
Coffee became part of a daily routine.
Walking through time.
Memories of wandering through long dark night might be painful,
so I poured another cup of coffee.

May 17, Seoul

There’s a big difference of coffee and alcohol, eventhough those liquids could keep you warm, but the effect to your mind would be different. They said that if you want to get rid of your problems, just drink alcohol and it would go temporarily. But Donghae didn’t want that, did he? He didn’t want the problem to just go and then come the next morning the effect of alcohol vanished. There’s nothing could make the problem go away but coffee. Eventhough the coffee itself stored a millions of memory, at least it could make you stay a little far away from the memory that always seemed to come when the nights come and you’re alone. For the problem itself was those memories and nothing else.

Donghae was still in his study room, in front of his computer with a cup of coffee on his hand. His eyes were scanning the file on the computer screen but it wouldn’t come to his mind, the concentration he always had seemed to lose itself in the deepest part of his heart where the love seemed to take a lead.

He’s thinking about Hyukjae, about how he could approach him someday, when the time permitted him to do so. Donghae couldn’t help his longing anymore, he wanted to meet Hyukjae so bad, it hurts. Because no matter how he tried to meet face to face with Hyukjae, he couldn’t do that. Not when everyone know that he’s going to meet him. Then he thought about the possibility to do that stealthily. Yeah, he would do that, as long as he could meet his Hyukjae even only for a minute, but enough to just say ‘I love you’, for it was the last sentence he didn’t tell Hyukjae before he went for good and not coming back until now.

***

May 18, New York

He saw Daniel leaning on the wall at the train station, wearing black as usual. It was still fifteen to two and Eunhyuk thought he would be late so he prepared early, but apparently Daniel was earlier, made him felt like he always late in any kind of occasion.

Finally Daniel waved as he approached him, “ready?” he asked still grinning.

Eunhyuk replied with a smile and nodded slightly. Then without any more words, Daniel led them to the half full subway and found a seat for them both soon after. They didn’t chat much, just enjoying each other’s companion was comfortable enough. Eventhough Eunhyuk kept wandering, how a rapper could be this quiet, he thought they even a blabbermouth, but it was fair enough. Because although they just met for a couple of days, they seemed to have this silent agreement to not involve too much in each other’s world or privacy, but the result was far from that without Eunhyuk realizing it, he was the one who gave Daniel a way to slip in. Drop by drop Daniel had come into his untouched world what he himself ignored years ago. Daniel seemed know where exactly the entrance was more than anyone else, without had to presume Hyukjae from his cover, and Hyukjae thought, is it safe to be like that? Because he had used to people read him like an open book, and this Daniel, was he really couldn’t read Hyukjae?

“Ah! Eunhyuk, I have to tell you this!” Daniel exclaimed suddenly. Hyukjae gave him a side glance first before turning completely to him.

“What?”

“My friends there, don’t call me Daniel. They know me as Tablo, so... try to call me by that name,” Tablo asked then waiting for Eunhyuk to say it.

Eunhyuk thought a little before managing to hold his laughter and Daniel frowned when he heard Eunhyuk chuckled lightly and let out a soft laugh after since he couldn’t hold it any longer. Daniel didn’t know what the other’s thinking and just chuckled from Eunhyuk’s cuteness.

“What’s wrong?”

Eunhyuk stopped his laughter and turned to Daniel, “no, it’s just... I thought, would that name feel funny in my mouth?” he said, smiling, and then come that stare again. The one that made Eunhyuk’s heartbeat went faster than necessary and his face red as tomato.

“Why you always stare at me like—“ he managed to say but was cut off when he felt a warm lips on his cheek, just a few inches from his own lips. Eunhyuk widened his eyes in shock even after Daniel pulled away 2 seconds later. He couldn’t find a word to say because he could still feel Daniel’s hot breath on his skin and it made him as if a flame had burned his body, the feeling he hadn’t got in years and it’s enough to made his mouth dry.

But Daniel suddenly asked – in his face didn’t show any regret or something like sorry-i-had-kissed-you-without-permission – “try say my name,” he smiled as he kept a firm gaze to Eunhyuk’s eyes.

Eunhyuk, as if hypnotized, just do what Daniel said, “Da-Daniel...”

“No, the other one!”

“T-Tablo...?”

Daniel smiled even wider, “now... was that funny?” and pulled his gaze away.

“Eh??” Eunhyuk finally could managed to stand on his right mind again. He mumbled “Tablo...”once again and seconds later, the both of them burst into laughter, and Eunhyuk never felt this light in years.

***

The place looked like an abandoned garage with pilox writing allover the wall, but not dirty at all. There’s seemed to be no one living in that place, but as soon as you went in then you’d surrounded by a crowd. People were dancing everywhere, boys and girls, with perfect choreography, not just grinding each other’s body like you always see in the club. There was also live hip-hop music on the stage by this chubby guy with brown blazer and a black cap.

“That’s Mithra.” Daniel said right beside his ear because the music was too loud.

However Eunhyuk didn’t pay much attention to the hiphopper on the stage but the people dancing around him. He admitted it, he’s really tempted by all of their moves. The desire to dance again like the old him kept bugging his mind right now. Daniel saw it. He saw everything in those dark orbs, hard for him to not notice what was inside the beautiful eyes he’s got drowned to. But from the first time Daniel got to see them, something was missing, something like a half of his soul was somewhere and he got lost because of it. Then Daniel decided that he would do whatever it was to bring that thing to Eunhyuk again.

“You wanna dance?” Daniel asked Eunhyuk who still absorbed into the dancers.

Eunhyuk turned to him with a smile, “yeah, I would love to, but how...?”

Daniel brought Eunhyuk to the side of the dancefloor and made him met someone, “this is Sol... Sol, this is Eunhyuk,” Sol offered a hand to Eunhyuk to shake. The mohawked hair boy that shorter than Eunhyuk smiled with his little eyes, but you could see that he had muscles everywhere despite his cute face.

“Oh, hi Sol!” Eunhyuk greeted cheerfully.

They soon became close. Even when Daniel off to his so called ‘office’, they could chat comfortably, although Eunhyuk had to reminisce some of terms Sol use about dance in their conversation, because it’s been a really long time since Eunhyuk heard those. Sol brought him to the crew that consist of 20 peoples or so and they started their routine. Eunhyuk left to watch but Sol said that he could join anytime. So he just stood between an afro-america girl and this fat guy with hoody who started screaming when the music change and Sol stepped forward to show his skills. The music was live, by the way, this Mithra guy that Daniel mentioned still singing and rapping with 2 other guys and 1 girl, plus the DJ which also kept playing in the background.

Eventhough Eunhyuk still awkward with the place, soon he started to sway with the music and found himself smiling watching everyone dance. It was like finding his old self and it was great actually. Suddenly, Sol beckoned him to try the dancefloor and he found it hard to refuse, so with one confidence left, Eunhyuk stepped forward and started to move his body, do some popping or hiphop dance, jump to the air or spin on the ground, and he felt as if he was the lightest person in the world.

Eunhyuk didn’t know that Daniel had been watching him this entire time. Standing in the corner as he sipped on his black coffee, staring at Eunhyuk with such intensity and drowning into his happiness as always. He didn’t know why he always taken along by this boy’s expressions. Eunhyuk always had his expression easy to read, he notice that. Whenever he sad despite his smile, Daniel always knew it all and couldn’t help but sucked up into those.

“Looks like you got lost,” someone stated beside Daniel. He knew who it was, because the guy had been his friend for 10 years, “got the fresh one?”

“He’s Korean, Mithra,” Daniel said as he took another sip from the paper cup.

Mithra ‘tsk’ by the answer and shook his head, “just go to that country if you’re so obsessed!” he offered and laugh right after.

Daniel only smiled to himself, “I knew it’s silly of me.”

“Good. Just so you know, this guy looks innocent yet tough, don’t do stupid things,” Mithra said as he ready to leave.

“I know, right,” Daniel answered, “we’ll see...” he finished his coffee hurriedly and walked towards Eunhyuk when Mithra just shook his head with an amused smile.

***

May 18, Seoul

A knock was heard when Donghae just started scanning the fourth document that day in his office. He said come in without bothering to look up who’s coming inside, until his secretary spoke to him.

“Sir, here is the information you wanted,”

Donghae looked up from his work, “whose you got?”

“I can’t find the detail about Lee Sungmin, but I found an almost complete information about Jo Kyuhyun,” she answered as she handed over the document.

“...and who is this guy?” Donghae asked as he flipped through the document, he found the photo of this Kyuhyun guy.

“He happens to be close to Lee Sungmin, perhaps, I’m not sure,”

Donghae dismiss her and then sighed heavily as he slumped down on his leather chair. When he told his secretary to find any information about Lee Hyukjae who live in New York, he got no results at all. How come Eeteuk and Kangin found out about him was still a mystery to him. But in whatever circumstances, Donghae would never asked Eeteuk about it or he would be scolded for not being true with himself, again.

Donghae even came to a conclusion that Eeteuk was lying when he told about Hyukjae was in New York, but then he remembered Sungmin from their highschool, Hyukjae was very close to him whenever Donghae wasn’t around. So he started to search for Lee Sungmin but it turned out that Sungmin was also in New York. Was it coincidence or Lee Sungmin had something to do with Hyukjae being in New York? Donghae was so frustated, because he couldn’t even contact Hyukjae’s family because they had argument years ago concerning Hyukjae’s departure and they blamed him for it. They sure wouldn’t let Donghae know where their son was.

But this Jo Kyuhyun, he hope this was the last clue for him to find his love and the most accurate one, for he’s already tired of all this and if he didn’t get anything, he sure would go alone without any information whatsoever to New York and search for Hyukjae by himself.

***

“Donghae, your coffee!” he heard Yoona called from outside his study room that night. It was already 10 pm in Seoul city.

He still busy with works in front of him, so without tore his eyes from it, he answered Yoona, “yes, just bring it here.”

Yoona came in and sighed first before approaching his husband’s desk. She had to admit it, that she kind of tired about Donghae’s attitude this past week. She had no strange feeling to Donghae’s coldness, for it had been like that since the first time they meet, and he only kind towards her just as friend, or if they had to be intimate that’s just because of demand. Donghae and Yoona were the first and only heir to their parents, so she, as a fillial daughter she used to be, just accept when her father forced her to marry their choice, and it turned out to be Donghae, her idol, since she always saw him in the magazine where his father would be. There was no love between them, or so Donghae thought, but Yoona had her own feeling.

Being together in the same house for 2 years, doing what a spouse should did, how come you couldn’t grow some feeling. However, Yoona couldn’t be sure whether Donghae felt the same or not. He’s kind for sure, despite the coldness and how ignorance he is to Yoona, but she had been told that Donghae was like that indeed even to his family, as long as Donghae didn’t harsh to her and show to her face that he didn’t like her. But that’s the thing now, Donghae’s ignorance had been out of limit. They barely talk, Donghae never sleep in their room again, and the most annoying one was he never had breakfast in the morning. He just busied himself with work, in the office or even at home, and Yoona, as his wife, got suspicious about it.

Putting the red cup on the desk beside a pile of documents, Yoona then sat on the couch and cleaned the table with books in it, “oppa...” she started, and Donghae just hummed in acknowledgement that she’s there. Yoona, sensing that his husband didn’t want to be disturbed more, just continued talking without expecting for any response, “I got an offer from entertaintment industry,” she said as she put the books on the right place, “they want me to model again.”

Yoona waited for what Donghae’s answer would be. He ever said that he didn’t like exposure, despite he’s always being in magazine for a long time now as a succcessful excecutive, and because Yoona knew that, she left modelling before marrying Donghae. Now she just wanna know how Donghae would response.

“That’s good,” he said, and Yoona was sure about her suspicion. With that she left the room after said thank you to her husband.

Believe it or not, Yoona never knew about Donghae’s detail in life. She only knew about it all from his parents, but it wasn’t corcerning Donghae himself. She never knew if Donghae had girlfriend before. Yes, that’s what going on in her mind. Donghae had been in this behavior because of someone, she was sure of that. Did Donghae cheated on her with another woman, or he found his old girlfriend? She had to know about her husband eventhough not from her husband himself.

***

May 20, New York

Eunhyuk buried his head in the soft pillow, annoyed by the sound of bell ringing in this early morning. The person didn’t stop even when Eunhyuk decided to ignore it for 15 minutes already. Grumbling, he sat upright before walking to the door, and he didn’t surprise when the person entered his apartment was Sungmin. After letting Sungmin in, he walked back to his room and continued his slumber.

He could hear Sungmin sighed and almost saw the shook of his head, “wake up, you lazy bum!” Sungmin yelled.

“Let me sleep, Min!” he said as he pulled the cover over his head.

“I know it would be like this!” Sungmin walked towards Eunhyuk’s bed and sat beside him, “wake up, will ya! I wanna talk with you!” he groaned in frustation.

“Talk.” Eunhyuk answered lowly, still tried to sleep again.

“Where have you been in two days?” Sungmin asked.

Eunhyuk sighed, “that’s not talking, that’s asking,” he pinpointed.

“Yah Lee Hyukjae! Why are you like this? are you ‘drunk’ with coffee again?!” Sungmin pulled the cover off Eunhyuk’s body in annoyance, “you promised me!”

Eunhyuk sat on his bed, his back on the headboard, lips pouting, “are you here early in the morning just to scold me?”

“It’s not my fault that you born only to be scolded everyday!” Sungmin huffed, “anyway, you’re not answering my questions.”

“I don’t drink coffee 10 cups a day anymore, Min, believe me!”

“Not that question! That I do believe, anyway. But where have you been yesterday and the day before that? I couldn’t contact you at all,” Sungmin said in a worried expression.

Eunhyuk opened up his eyes to that question and thought about what he should say to his bestfriend, he never lied to Sungmin, but this thing could become a twist in his live and he didn’t know whether that could be healthy or not to suddenly involve in something you tried so hard to avoid.

“I’ve been with a friend.” Eunhyuk finally answered as he get up from his bed and walked to the bathroom to wash his face. He could heard Sungmin’s gasp from behind and sighed softly before grabbing his toothbrush.

The next thing he knew Sungmin was leaning in his bathroom doorway, watching him with a frown, “is it that girl I saw with you in my shop?”

“No! it’s a guy.” Eunhyuk stated and then being answered by Sungmin’s shriek.

“WOW! You’ve finally got yourself a guy!!” he said, Eunhyuk just rolled his eyes, “..and you’re not even denying it.” Sungmin’s smirk got wider as he stared at his best friend through the mirror, “I’m going to tell Kyuhyun that our lovely Hyukjae got himself a boyfriend already.”

“Yah,Minnie! Don’t do that, I didn’t get a boyfriend!” he explained after washing his face and before Sungmin could hold his cellphone.

“So... care to tell me who this guy is?” pestered Sungmin.

“Can we talk this over breakfast? I’m starving, and since I’ve lost my job, you better feed me.” Eunhyuk said as he put on some t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

“Let’s go to my shop, so we can talk about your ‘boyfriend’ with Kyu also!”

“I don’t have a boyfriend!” Eunhyuk stomped his foot as he grabbed his coat.

“Okay, as you wish.” Sungmin stated in the end, but didn’t leave the grin plastered on his face because of Eunhyuk’s red face this entire time.

***

So Eunhyuk actually told them about Daniel and where they usually hang out. He also told them about his feeling towards Daniel. He smiled, that’s the very important thing to tell, because two of his bestfriend here always told him about Eunhyuk never smile despite the thought that he always smile whenever he met people.

“You smile everytime, but not this kind of smile..” Kyuhyun stated just as Eunhyuk sipped at his latte.

Eunhyuk put his cup and frowned at Kyuhyun, “what smile are you talking about, really? Because Daniel said the same thing too.”

“Great that he’s also realized it, it proves that he could see the real you.” Sungmin said, carrying a plate of fettucini for Eunhyuk.

Eunhyuk sighed after receiving the pasta for his breakfast, “didn’t everyone can easily to see the real me?”

“I think it’s that something inside your eyes that if someone sees them, they could see through your soul or something like that.” Kyuhyun said before sipping his coffee. Eunhyuk stared at him for seconds and then to the cup he just put. Black coffee. Tempting.

“Why does it sounds romantic to me,” Sungmin stated, glaring at Kyuhyun who cringed at his boyfriend’s tone, that showed that he’s jealous over something, but Sungmin averted his gaze to Eunhyuk quickly, “hey, Hyuk, do you plan to always seeing this man?”

Eunhyuk jerked from his trance before turning his head toward Sungmin, “eh, ehmm, maybe.. he always come to that coffee shop under my apartment though in the evening, and we always talked and I know where he’s always hang out, and I like that place, I can dance there...”

“You dance again?!” Sungmin widened his eyes in surprise, Eunhyuk nodded, “wow! This guy changes you a lot. It’s a good thing, though.”

Eunhyuk smiled wider, the situation seemed got a lot better. His heart felt healed eventhough it wasn’t whole yet, but he should accept this feeling once again if he really wanted to move on. After more than 3 years scared about killing his own heart, maybe this time was finally the moment it would come, his life, his reason to really breathe again.

***

May 23, Airport

He told Yoona he wouldn’t be home for 2 weeks yesterday. Made work as an excuse. He caught a flight to New York at 3 am in the morning, leaving his wife still fast asleep in their bedroom. Gone with a little information he had to get a chance to see his beloved person. Just to see and said ‘I love you’ because he still was. He didn’t even know if the other still remember him or not, still love him or not, but it didn’t matter, as long as he could see that face again, could touch that cheek again, and mouthing those three words in front of him. Then he’ll do everything the other wanted him to do, even went to hell because he has been asked to by the one he hurt the heart of. We wouldn’t regret anything anymore if this really happen, but he worried about something. What if he couldn’t take his eyes away from him after this, what if the thought of runaway with him come to his mind and he couldn’t chase that away, and what if he wanted more than just what he intended to. Maybe it really better if Hyukjae did forget about him after all. Eventhough he couldn’t, wouldn’t forget him. Never.

“Hyukjae, please let me find you...” he looked at the grey sky as he stepped out from the airport, grabbed a cab and go to .

Fourth Cup: Meeting Face to Face