SOMEHOW - TAEGYU ??

Beomgyu takes a deep breath in as he stands in front of the parlour, nearing closing time. He peeks through the windows and sees Taehyun cleaning up the counters and there's no sign of Kai, just the red hair boy.

He's alone and that's great, just what Beomgyu needs. If they were to argue, he wouldn't want anyone to hear it.

Beomgyu stands up straight, slightly rolling his shoulder back and forth before walking towards the door and pushes it to enter the parlour.

"We're closed-" Taehyun says and when he looks at Beomgyu, he can't help but smile faintly.

Beomgyu notices it and immensely feels guilty. He doesn't deserve that smile, especially what he's going to tell him.

"Can I just have a Caramel Macchiato, please?" Beomgyu asks, his tone sounding slightly pessimistic.

Taehyun nods and goes straight to the coffee machine. He realizes Beomgyu's slight change in voice and he wonders why, so he doesn't question and does what the latter needs. Once he's done, he hands the cup to Beomgyu.

"Can you write something on it? It's for my crush." Beomgyu says.

"What do you want me to write?"

Beomgyu inhales and exhales. He tells what Taehyun should write and Taehyun grabs a marker to write it on the cup sleeve as soon as Beomgyu speaks.

"If nothing lasts forever, would you be my nothing?" Beomgyu says.

"That's all?" Taehyun asks.

"By-" Beomgyu continues.

Taehyun puts a dash. "Mhmm."

"Pickup Line Guy."

Taehyun was about to write it when he realizes what the latter had just said. He stops in his tracks, his whole body freezes under the words and his eyes widen in shock. He feels his heart beating faster and faster as that name rings in his head.

Taehyun looks up at Beomgyu, in disbelief. "What did you just say?" Taehyun asks.

"I-"

"It's you??" Taehyun raises his voice.

"Taehyun..." Beomgyu reaches to hold the younger's shoulder only to be slapped away.

Taehyun takes a step back and Beomgyu can see the hurt in the younger's eyes, all because of the damage he had done.

"You're him?" Taehyun asks again. "Hyung, you're lying, tell me it's not true. You're not-"

"It's me. I'm the pickup line guy."

"Bullshit! This isn't funny, don't play with me!"

"Then call me. That should be enough proof."

Taehyun immediately grabs his phone from the counter top and dials the number, his fingers trembling. Suddenly Beomgyu's phone rings and Beomgyu fishes it out from his pocket and shows the caller ID to Taehyun that has the red hair boy's name on it.

"Taehyun-"

"You can't be him! You're not even gay?!"

"Taehyun-"

"How could you do this?? You used Wooyoung as an alias. You HUMILIATED me!!"

"I was scared!!" Beomgyu says and Taehyun feels taken aback by the sudden statement. Beomgyu restraints himself from sobbing as Taehyun's eyes are already turning glossy.

"People don't know I'm gay! If anyone knew, it'd ruin me. My parents might disown me! I was scared! That's why I approached you through Wooyoung!"

"You're a coward hyung!!" Taehyun raises his voice, mad. "Tell me, do you really like me? Or was it all a game to you?"

Beomgyu clasps the younger's hand in his and even though Taehyun tries to let go of his grip by struggling his hand away and pushing the latter away but, Beomgyu's grip on his is way stronger.

"I like you! I really do." Beomgyu says, his voice coming out shaky.

Taehyun sniffles, his next words taste icky. "Then you shouldn't be ashamed to come to me as yourself."

It hit Beomgyu hard. He was never ashamed of liking Taehyun, he fell for him, Taehyun has his whole heart but he was ashamed of coming out. But guess everyone's opinions doesn't matter at this point. He couldn't believe that all it took for him to realize it was for him to confess to Taehyun;

And in such worse way possible.

"I'm sorry, Taehyun-"

"Y'know, you could've been honest. But, I was stupid as well for not realising. I can't belive I fell for two people only to find out it was you and only you."

Beomgyu's eyes widen. 'He likes me?' He thought.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry." Beomgyu bows a perfect 90 degree in front of Taehyun, only to get a harsh reply back.

"Get out." Taehyun says bluntly, eyes still on the ground, not daring to look at the older.

Beomgyu reaches out for the younger's hand but Taehyun quickly pulls his hand away and when they lock eyes, Beomgyu's heart instantly shatters as he sees the younger's skin pale, his eyes filled with tears of disappointment and pain, but he didn't dare to let a single one escape.

"Please. Give me time." Taehyun pleads.

And Beomgyu did. He nodded and apologized once again before leaving the parlour as asked by Taehyun.

Taehyun slumps onto the ground, this time his tears fall uncontrollably.

It hurts.

He was lied to, his feelings were played, those feelings made Taehyun guilty on who he liked and who he should choose, he fell for two people, only to find out it was Beomgyu all along.

"I like you! I really do."

Those words recall in Taehyun's mind and Beomgyu's expression remains carved in his mind. He can tell that Beomgyu was also hurting but it couldn't compare to how Taehyun's feeling. He can't let himself be selfless and be affected by Beomgyu just like that.

Taehyun let his guard down.

Taehyun reminisces the time where Beomgyu took him out, told him all those sweet words that moved him, that made him flushed but at the same time, confused as he had Wooyoung during the time too.

He knew there were similarities between Beomgyu and Wooyoung. How could he not have guessed it? Beomgyu broke through his icy facade, the walls he had built around himself. He showed him that he could love again, that he could trust, even if it was only a short period of time.

If anything, Taehyun wouldn't forgive Beomgyu for what he did, but at the same time, Taehyun's heart aches for him, he wants to give him another chance to redeem himself-

Because he really likes him. He really likes Beomgyu.

But, not now. He needs time to heal. It was way too much for him to take in. And, although he knows that Beomgyu's deeply sorry, he needs time to compose himself, he needs to distant himself from the latter or he'll crumble again. But, can he even call that healing?

In all honesty?

That's all his brains. His heart?

He doesn't know what to do.