NEFARIOUS - TAEGYU ??

A week has passed since Taehyun discharged from the hospital. He was still feeling the pain in his chest, every time he stretches his arm or moves his shoulders, the pain becomes unbearable. Taehyun didn't attend college, instead Soobin was nice enough to do a video call to him every time a lecture starts, so that Taehyun doesn't miss a thing.

More importantly, Taehyun's starting to doubt whatever Beomgyu said to him at the hospital about making it up to him. The latter hasn't done anything or any favours and recently, Beomgyu hasn't been home in the mansion too. The only time he sees Beomgyu is at college but to hell will they ever greet each other. It feels weird to Taehyun how much he cares, when for all he knows the older could've been lying and actually have no intention to seek his forgiveness.

Not that it bothered him

Although Taehyun was supposed to be on bed rest, he can't help but go out from the house. The Choi's kept their bicycles in the garage and Taehyun got permission to use them. Sir Choi has been nothing but kind to him, always checking on him and always insisting that Taehyun rides with their driver instead if he wanted to go anywhere, or call Beomgyu to help. But Mrs Choi understands how much Taehyun wants to be out on his own, hence how he got the permission to use their bicycles. The suggestion of having Beomgyu drive him here and there spooks him as he imagines how awkward it'd be as usual, especially since Beomgyu isn't around at the mansion lately. Or maybe he just returns late night when Taehyun's already asleep.

Huh...

...

And again, Taehyun shouldn't care.

Taehyun rides the bicycle to town, stopping by a book café he recently discovered. Taehyun has laid his eyes on the book café ever since he found it, way before after he got shot. Soobin showed him around the area and the book café attracted him the most. The day after he was discharged, Taehyun left his resume there hoping he'd get a part time job, and he did.

After classes end, he'll make his way to the book café, working shifts from 3 pm until 9 pm.

Taehyun absolutely loves the vibe the café gave. The café was filled with shelves of books, organized accordingly to their genres, and at one corner, there's a lounge where the computers are and of course, the moment you walk in, you'll see the chairs, tables, bean bags and the counter where the baristas create their magic. Taehyun himself has learned a lot on how to make coffee, his favourite being caramel macchiato. He also the scent of fresh books that circulate the café, mixed with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee beans.

Taehyun thought getting a part time job would widen his scope, since he's lost his memories, he's hoping to create new ones. Sir Choi was reluctant at first, especially when Taehyun's still injured but Mrs Choi persuaded him and Taehyun was determined more than ever for the job, he wants to save up as much as possible to find a place to stay since the pay here is pretty high and he wanted to repay Sir Choi for bringing him in, providing him meals and shelter and clothes instead of abandoning him to die.

Although, technically Beomgyu was the one who saved him. But, meh.

Taehyun is arranging the books in their perspective shelves. His first week working here just ended and he's excited to go back to the mansion, stuffing himself with food. The customers flooded the café this whole week, some he recognized from college.

Just as he was about to close the café, the bell above the door chimes.

"We're closed-"

Beomgyu walks into the café, his eyes observing the insides of the café.

"Cozy." Beomgyu says.

"What are you doing here?" Taehyun asks, eyebrows scrunched.

"You really have a way with your faces. First the eyeroll, now the eyebrows."

Taehyun rolls his eyes, unintentionally. "I haven't seen you at the mansion."

"Miss me?" Beomgyu flashes a cheeky smile.

"Fuck no. You didn't answer the question, hyung."

"Have you eaten?" Beomgyu asks.

Taehyun shook his head. "I'll eat once I return to the mansion."

"Don't."

"Huh?"

"C'mon, I'm treating you to dinner." Beomgyu says, grabbing Taehyun's wrist gently, causing Taehyun's heart to do a flip. Beomgyu has never held his wrist gently.

"Hey, hey, wait. I need to lock the café." Taehyun says, grabbing his bags and proceeding to lock the café with Beomgyu watching his every move.

"I can feel you staring into my soul." Taehyun says.

"I'm surprised you're not running away." Beomgyu tells.

"I would. But I can't turn down food."

"Let's go."

The two boys get into Beomgyu's car before driving off to the nearest diner.

"Ohhh~ I've been wanting to go to this diner!" Taehyun exclaims, eyes in awe.

Beomgyu chuckles. "Then why didn't you?"

"I didn't have the time." Taehyun pauses. Did he just hear Beomgyu laugh? Taehyun shifts his eyes to Beomgyu who looks up at him clueless. "Y'know, you're creepy when you're all nice." Taehyun says.

Beomgyu scoffs. "I'm showing you the real me, if you think it's creepy then get used to it. Get out from the car dumbass, I can't stand the sound of your stomach grumbling."

'I take it back, he's still an asshole.' Taehyun thought.

"What's the occasion? Y'know I can always eat at the mansion, right? The housekeeper cooks the best meals." Taehyun says after they both have ordered their meals.

"I've been thinking. You lost your memories, so I thought you might want to create new ones and experience more. I know you only eat either the food at the mansion or in college. So, I'm treating you to this diner so that you can get a taste of something greasy once in a while."

"I'm surprised you even thought about me."

"You can assume anything you want. How I treated you back then was because my temper got the best of me. The person in front of you right now is the real Beomgyu, you'll be seeing more of the unexpected sides of me."

"Thanks for the heads up, or else I might really report to the cops saying you're not the Beomgyu I know and file a missing person's report."

"You have a way of words. I guess it's because you read a lot."

"You have a problem with that?"

"Taehyun-ah, it sounds like you're trying to start an argument. The only argument we'll be having is if we should get mint chocolate chip ice cream or strawberry ice cream for dessert, araso?"

"STRAWBERRY!" Taehyun's eyes twinkle and Beomgyu swears his heart skipped a beat, it's the cutest thing he's seen. "Mint chocolate chip can ditch." Taehyun says bluntly, earning a small laugh from the latter.

While enjoying their dinner, the two boys talked, and talked. Since, Taehyun didn't have much to tell, he mostly heard stories from Beomgyu. Taehyun asks questions, to the point that half of his food was untouched while Beomgyu dealt with Taehyun patiently, answering as much as he can.

"So, you said something about nightmares?" Beomgyu asks.

Taehyun takes a bite of his burger before answering. "I've been having the same nightmare every day, the image was blurry, maybe because it was a foggy memory, who knows, but the voices were clear."

"What did they say? Those voices?"

Taehyun sits there in silence, his mind drifting off. He lightly shook his head. "I prefer not to talk about it." Taehyun says, before digging into his burger again.

"I'm sorry." Beomgyu says. "I'm here if you want to talk about it."

"Y'know, I'm starting to prefer when your temper took over you."

"Oh please, I only lose my temper when something doesn't go as planned."

"Ahh, no wonder. You being my 'babysitter' wasn't the plan. I get it now-"

"CAN WE GET OUR STRAWBERRY ICE CREAMS NOW?!" Beomgyu calls the waitress.