"What the fuck?!" Mingi exclaimed, taking a step back from where Yunho was sliding down his living room wall and burying his face in his hands.

"I know. It sounds even more crazy now that I'm the one saying it out loud." Yunho's voice was muffled by his hands, and he was grateful for it. Maybe Mingi wouldn't pick out how much it trembled.

"So... What you're saying... is that he's basically the perfect guy for you!"

Yunho's head snapped up and he saw a wonderous look on Mingi's face that always spelled trouble. It meant he was getting an idea that would usually result in something bad happening.

"No, that's not what I'm saying at all Min." Yunho stressed. "Wipe that stupid look off your face!"

"But don't you see??" Mingi rushed forward and crouched down to grab Yunho's hands. "You said he's your type, so you can go see him, have your fun, then you don't have to worry about him trying to stalk you or constantly bugging you like some of the other guys have!"

The older couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure, what Mingi was saying made sense, but it felt so... evil.

"I can't take advantage of him like that!" Yunho pulled his hands back so he could shove his friend away, but that only resulted in Mingi falling back on his ass, still staring at Yunho like he'd just discovered the cure for cancer.

"You wouldn't be! You can show him a good time, help him have a great day, then you can continue your life without any worries!"

"Would you do this to Hongjoong if the rolls were reversed?" Yunho asked, arching an eyebrow.

Mingi snorted and shook his head. "Are you kidding? I probably wouldn't have given him a second glance."

"You are such an asshole!" Yunho said, but he couldn't help but laugh at the same time because he knew that Mingi didn't really mean it. He was so smitten with Hongjoong it was disgusting.

But that thought just dragged his mind back to how enchanting Wooyoung had been yesterday and how, deep down, Yunho had been truly excited to get to know him more.

He'd never felt that way about anyone else, which made this new revelation feel that much more devastating...

"What am I supposed to do, Min?" He asked after a few minutes, voice softer to try and hide his inner turmoil.

His friend's face shifted into one of a more serious nature before he answered. "That's up to you. I can't tell you what to do. But I know that... if it were me... I'd do what I could to move on. If he's never going to remember who I am? I don't know if I could live with that kind of heartache..."

The rare moment of complete honesty from his best friend had Yunho crumbling a little. It broke down enough walls that Yunho found himself telling Mingi about his job offer. He'd expected to see the sadness, but he wasn't prepared for what Mingi said next.

"Well, I guess Joong and I will have work on getting our passports then. We've always talked about taking a vacation together overseas."

With all the emotion building inside him, Yunho couldn't help the small sob that escaped the next time he opened his mouth. "I haven't decided if I want to take it or not."

"Don't let me hold you back. I don't see how you can say no, Yunho. Opportunities like this don't come around every day."

Yunho nodded a couple times and looked down at the floor between his knees. He couldn't tell Mingi right now that there was a small voice in his head telling him there was one other reason he could say no. But Yunho also didn't know if he wanted to listen to that voice...

Yet, he did, because the next day he found himself back on the road and driving an hour to get to that damn café.

And the entire drive he kept telling himself to turn around and go home. That he was crazy. That this was pointless.

"What are you doing here?" Eunji hissed the second she saw Yunho step through the front door. She had been standing behind the counter like the first morning he'd gone there, so she was able to pounce on him immediately.

Yunho's eyes flicked to the booth in the corner, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw Wooyoung sitting there, bent over his bowl of eggs. "I-"

"No. You need to leave." She moved toward him and started shooing him with flicks of her hands.

"Please." Yunho planted himself in front of the door. "I just... I can't explain it. Please? I just need to see him again."

Eunji hesitated at the tone of his voice, then crossed her arms. "I don't want him getting hurt. There is a very precarious balance we have to keep for him, and I don't need some love sick puppy coming in and triggering him."

Yunho flinched at the harsh words and took a deep breath. "I promise, I don't want to hurt him. I just... I want to get to know him."

"Why? What's in it for you?"

His eyes drifted back to the booth in the corner, and he felt a soft smile curling his lips. "Honestly? I have absolutely no idea." He answered softly.

There was a long moment where Eunji just watched him, but then she relaxed her stance and stepped aside. "If you do anything I don't like, your ass will be outside faster than you can say 'sorry'. Got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Yunho said right away.

He waited for her to walk away before he went to sit at a table close to Wooyoung. The boy didn't even look up, still focused on peeling his egg with his tongue poking out the corner of his mouth.

Yunho watched him for a few minutes before he stood up and walked over. "You look like you're struggling, can I help you?" He asked, trying to remain respectful and not sit down like he did last time.

Wooyoung looked up at him in surprise and blinked a couple of times. Then he started speaking in what Yunho thought might be Japanese.

"Oh... you don't... speak Korean..." He said, taken aback when Wooyoung continued to speak in the foreign language.

With a sharp exhale through his nose, he just nodded and left like a dog with its tail between its legs.

It soon became an obsession for him, though.

Much to Eunji's displeasure, Yunho went back every day for the next few days, ignoring how much gas he was wasting each time he was rejected.

The next day, Wooyoung pretended to take a phone call the second he saw Yunho walking toward him.

The day after, he told Yunho it was rude to interrupt someone when they were eating their breakfast.

And after that he said he was waiting for his boyfriend.

Eunji literally laughed him out of the café after that one.

Even if Yunho had to skip a few days because of his job, he'd always make sure to go back to the café whenever he could.

But nothing changed. For some reason he couldn't get Wooyoung to humor him for more than a couple of minutes at most no matter how hard he tried.

Yunho knew he needed to take a different approach after that, so when returned once again, earning a huge eye roll from Eunji, he told himself he needed to just stay at his table and get Wooyoung to talk to him.

But how the fuck was he supposed to do that?

He hadn't actually thought that far ahead, so he ended up sitting at the table just staring at the menu for a long time.

What a stupid thing to do...

Why was he even doing this??

Mingi was right. Wooyoung couldn't give two shits about him. Why was he so desperate to even just talk to him again?

"What do you want today?" Eunji asked with a slightly irritated tone.

Yunho couldn't be upset with her for it. He probably deserved it after the pathetic show he'd been putting on.

"Maybe just some spam, rice, and soft-boiled eggs. Please?"

Eunji hummed and walked back to the kitchen without another word.

Growing anxiety made Yunho start to fidget. He tapped the table with his fingers, his leg bounced repeatedly, and he had to resist the urge to look over at Wooyoung every two seconds.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid.

He was so in his head, that Wooyoung ended up leaving some time later and all Yunho could do was watch him with pathetic, round eyes.

With a long sigh, he picked at his food, not having much of an appetite but not really wanting to leave either. Something had to change, he just didn't know what.

He faintly registered the door opening, though it didn't matter to him, so he just ignored it.

Or... he tried to.

Until the chair across from him was yanked out with a hard screech against the floor.

Yunho looked up in shock and watched as an incredibly handsome man sat down across from him with a stern look on his face square, perfectly defined face.

"Um, can I help you?" Yunho asked, ready to get up and leave.

"Yeah. You can tell me why you keep coming back here to bother my friend." His deep voice was harsh and demanding. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down his annoyingly perfect nose at Yunho like he was nothing more than a disgusting pest.

"Excuse me? I don't-"

"Eunji-noona called me. Said you've been coming several times a week to try and talk to Wooyoung." The man narrowed his eyes. "He isn't some toy for you to try and mess with. He is a person with real feelings."

Yunho was startled by the accusation for a moment. His forehead furrowed and he shook his head. "I know that. I don't know who you think you are, but I- "

"I am the one who has been taking care of Wooyoung since his accident. I have known him for years. And I will not have some, some lovesick puppy come in and ruin everything. He's had enough pain in his life, he doesn't need you coming in and ruining things."

Yunho ground his teeth together, annoyed that the same phrase to describe him was used as an insult. "You know nothing about me."

"You're right, I don't. And I don't want to." The man stood and leaned on the table to leer over Yunho. "Stay away from this café. I don't want to hear that you've been coming around here anymore. Got it?"

He left before Yunho even had a chance to answer, which made him grind his teeth together harder in frustration. And his anger only grew when he noticed Eunji watching him from the kitchen doorway.

Not wanting to be a complete ass, he pulled out some money and left it on the table before storming from the café.

If he wasn't allowed back at the café, he'd just need to find a different way to see Wooyoung... because he could tell that he would be miserable if he couldn't see the man slowly becoming a permanent light in his life.

He spent the next three days figuring out what he needed to do. He knew what time Wooyoung got to the café every day, and the tentative time he would leave... So... maybe he could figure out a way to see him after he left!

With that plan in mind, Yunho drove back to the city the following morning and parked a block away from the café so Eunji wouldn't see him. Then he walked over and waited out front.

He'd arrived early enough so he could survey the area, looking for other shops he could maybe use as an excuse to bump into Wooyoung or something else he could use.

When Wooyoung finally stepped outside, Yunho watched him walk down the sidewalk a little ways to an old, beat-up white car. He was worried he might have lost his chance for the day, though now he knew what Wooyoung's car was, when Wooyoung tilted his head back and groaned.

He was having a hard time getting in his car.

This was perfect!

Yunho tried to reign in his excitement and bounded over to Wooyoung. When he got closer, he slowed down and tried to act like a casual passerby, then paused to say, "Do you need some help?"

Wooyoung jumped and looked up at Yunho with wide eyes, then immediately gave a bashful smile. "My car can be so stubborn sometimes... It doesn't always want to open for me."

"May I try?" Yunho held out his hand and smiled as sweetly as he could.

He watched Wooyoung's eyes flick down to his lips then back up. "S-Sure!"

Yunho walked around the front of his car and took the keys. At first look, he could tell the lock was old and very worn, just like the rest of his car. He inserted the key and jiggled it back and forth a little to get a feel for the lock. It was definitely tight.

"You may need to see about getting a new lock. Or maybe a new car?" Yunho glanced over his shoulder with a teasing smile, hoping Wooyoung would take the bait.

Thankfully he did and gave a small laugh. "That would be so nice. But that also involves money that I don't have. Plus, this car was my parents."

Yunho stopped what he was doing so he could give Wooyoung his full attention. He knew he had to be careful with his words, but he still wanted to say something to show he cared. "It must mean a lot to you then."

Wooyoung's eyes sparkled with emotion, and he brought his hands to his chest.

It looked like he was struggling with finding words, so Yunho just looked back at his car and gently turned the key.

A satisfying click came right away, and Yunho beamed as he opened the door. "There we go!"

Wooyoung stared at him for another moment, then gave a delightful giggle. "My hero!" He stepped forward and slid into the driver's seat, then looked up at Yunho to say, "Thank you for your help..."

"Yunho."

"Thank you for your help, Yunho. Have a nice day."

As hard as it was, Yunho let Wooyoung close his door and stepped aside, watching him drive away while repeating the way his voice sounded saying his name over and over and over...

Yunho couldn't make it back every day still, his wallet wouldn't realistically let him even though he knew he could probably afford it... but he made sure to still make the drive as often as he could.

One day he got there just in time to see Wooyoung stop outside of a floral shop to bend over and smell some lilies. He spoke with the girl working there for a few minutes, then got in his car and left.

That gave Yunho the idea to arrive early the next time he drove into the city and by a single lily. Once Wooyoung started walking toward his car, Yunho approached him and said, "For you."

Wooyoung paused and tentatively reached for the flower, his eyes lighting up as he did. "What's this for?" He asked.

Yunho smiled fondly. "Just because. A beautiful man deserves a flower almost as beautiful sometimes."

He waited long enough to see the blush coloring Wooyoung's face before he turned and walked away, a wide smile on his face the entire time.

A few days later, Yunho crouched down next to Wooyoung's car as soon as the younger appeared and did his best to look worried while rubbing at a spot near the front tire with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Can I help you...?" Wooyoung asked hesitantly when he got closer.

Yunho jumped and stood up. "Is this your car?" Wooyoung just nodded. "I am so sorry. I wasn't paying attention and I tripped and accidentally fell into your car. I didn't mean to I swear! I don't think there are any marks or- "

Wooyoung waved a hand in front of him and smiled. "Don't worry about it. Accidents happen! My car isn't exactly a looker anyway."

"Still, it looks like it's very special, so I felt horrible that I might have damaged it."

"Oh," Wooyoung breathed softly, "You're so sweet. I promise it's okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. Just be careful walking from now on, alright?" Wooyoung giggled and walked around his car to get in.

Yunho waited and waved to him as he drove away, then sighed happily. He loved it when he could make Wooyoung laugh like that.

The next time he went back, he causally bumped into Wooyoung walking down the sidewalk. "Oops! I'm so sorry!" He said, acting like he hadn't been paying attention at all.

"No, no, that was my fault." Wooyoung said quickly, immediately turning to brush Yunho off.

"We can both take the blame then." Yunho chuckled and returned the favor, fighting the urge to do more than simple brush a hand over Wooyoung's arm. "You look like you just had breakfast."

"I do??"

Yunho nodded. "You have this satisfied glow about you. Was it good?"

Wooyoung looked shocked, but it quickly changed to one of slight amusement. "It was delicious. I went to that little café right back there."

The taller makes a show of craning his neck like he's trying to figure out where it is. "What do you like to get?"

"A little bit of everything! But the owner has some of the best kimchi and rice in my opinion."

"I love having soft-boiled eggs with mine. I like to try and peel the shell all in one piece."

Wooyoung's gaze softened, eyes growing adorably round, and he whispered, "Really?"

Yunho felt his heart melt and it was so hard for him to not break the character he was in.

As the days progressed, he was getting better and better at getting Wooyoung to talk to him naturally and he was having so much fun seeing the different ways he could get the younger to light up.

He knew it was such a foolish thing to do. And he still couldn't explain why he kept doing it.

Well... he could... but he wasn't ready to admit it to himself. Not yet. Not when there was still so much mystery around whatever this was.

Especially when one day he got a different kind of surprise...

In the form of two men approaching him the second he stepped out of is car with a book in his hand, his next attempt to find out what Wooyoung liked to read.

He recognized one of them as the man who had not so subtly told him to buzz off in the café. The other one was just as unfairly gorgeous and somehow even more intimidating with how big his arms were. Though the birthmark under his left eye lessened the intimidation a little.

"This is him?" The second man said with what felt like an unnaturally deep voice.

"Yes." The other snapped, then rounded on Yunho. "I thought I told you to leave him alone!"

"No, you told me to stay away from the café." Yunho can't help but smirk a little bit as he revealed the loophole he'd discovered.

The taller man glared at him but didn't seem to have an argument. Instead, he closed his eyes, locked his jaw, then appeared to force himself to speak. "When you're done playing your little game... Come to this address." He held out a card.

Yunho hesitated to take it. "Why?"

"Because we want to show you something." The shorter man, which Yunho noticed he had a slight lisp when he spoke, nodded toward the card. "Wait about an hour before you come. Please."

As much as he wanted to be defiant and say no, Yunho took the card and slipped it into his pocket. "Fine. Do I get to know who you are now since you obviously know me?"

The two men exchanged looks, and then the taller one, the one who approached Yunho in the café, said, "My name is Seonghwa. This is Yeosang. We have both known Wooyoung for a long time."

"You're the friends who helped him when his parents died..." Yunho said softly, wanting to know if his suspicion was correct.

He watched them both exchange shocked looks, then Yeosang whispered, "He told you about them?"

"Only because I mentioned my parents dying in a car accident." As sad as the topic was, Yunho couldn't help but smile a little at the memory. "I know he told me so I would understand that he knows what I'm feeling."

"That's our Wooyoung." Seonghwa said softly. His hard exterior was slowly crumbling and... he had tears in his eyes.

Yunho felt something tug at his heart and he lost all will to try and fight back. "I'll see you in an hour or so." He promised.

Wooyoung's friends both nodded and quickly slipped away. Which was perfect timing because Wooyoung left the café only minutes later.

He had to hurry to get across the street in time to find the little decorative bench he wanted to sit on, then opened his book to a random page. It didn't really matter, though, because he wasn't actually reading.

Instead, he was watching Wooyoung from the corner of his eye. Once the younger was close enough, he stretched out his legs as if he were getting ready to cross them and hooked his foot around Wooyoung's ankle.

Because he was prepared for it, he was able to reach out and grab Wooyoung as he let out a squawk and started to fall. With perfect, elegant motions, Yunho stood up, looped an arm around Wooyoung, and was able to spin him around and catch him with both of their bodies tilted toward the ground.

"Are you alright?" Yunho asked, feigning surprise. He kept Wooyoung wrapped securely in his arms and slowly stood up straight, steadying both of them with ease.

"I-I think so." Wooyoung's eyes were wide, and he was shaking a little.

"I am so sorry; I didn't see you."

The younger blinked a couple of times, then his eyes flicked to the book tossed carelessly on the bench. "Must be quite the book."

Yunho laughed and felt himself blush a little, both reactions truly genuine. "It is. I just can't put it down."

"What's it about?" Wooyoung asked, seemingly not phased at all by how he was still wrapped in Yunho's arms.

And Yunho was not about to say anything, so he jumped right into explaining the fantasy adventure story, because he had at least been smart enough to pick a book he'd read before.

They naturally pulled apart as they spoke, Wooyoung soaking in every one of Yunho's words and even making a note in his phone to get the book himself after he revealed that he also liked those kinds of books.

The best part was when they both shared their love for Harry Potter and Yunho was thrilled to have yet another piece of vital information.

Eventually Wooyoung said he needed to go, and he thanked Yunho for the wonderful chat before walking to his car with a slight spring in his step.

Cute. Yunho watched him go with the biggest smile on his face.

The next hour was agonizingly long, and he actually ended up reading his book just to pass the time.

When he arrived at the address, he noticed right away that it was a higher-end complex, probably bigger apartments or maybe condos on the inside. It had its own private parking lot and a what looked to be a fancy entrance.

"Damn..." Yunho breathed as he parked. "What are you getting yourself into Yunho..."

He glanced at the card one more time to get the apartment number, then walked inside and took the elevator up to the eleventh floor. Once he found the door labeled '17', he gave a tentative knock and stepped back.

About fifteen or so seconds passed before the door opened and Yeosang peeked around it with a finger to his lips.

He motioned for Yunho to come inside, guiding him to the kitchen. Then he pointed with one finger and Yunho looked through an opening above the sink into the living room.

An angel stole his breath within the very next second.

Wooyoung was dancing in the open area to a song Yunho was very familiar with and moving with such beautiful, graceful motions.

'Let me tell a little story about the star that couldn't shine or blink. Out of a million, billion. Felt like an alien, alien.'

Tears came to Yunho's eyes. He watched as Wooyoung slowed down in just the right places, extending his arms and legs to spin while curving his back in a beautiful arch.

'Then that little star was surely going to become the biggest thing. Making a fantasy family. Beautiful galaxy, galaxy.'

"He does this every day." Yeosang whispered so softly that Yunho almost didn't hear him. But he did, and he had to force himself to tear his eyes away from the vision in front of him to look at Yeosang. He had tears running down his cheeks, one rolling by the edge of the birthmark. "He used to pick a different song each time. But recently that started to change."

"What do you mean?" Yunho breathed.

Yeosang's lip wobbled a little even as he tried to smile while looking up at Yunho. "It took me a few days to figure it out... but he picks this song on the days he meets you."

Yunho felt like he could feint.

Could... Could that mean that... Wooyoung remembered him?

Yeosang seemed to sense the confusion swirling because he gently grabbed Yunho's wrist and led him back into the hallway in front of their apartment.

The taller clutched at his chest and started breathing heavily.

"I know what you're thinking." Yeosang said gently once the door was closed. "I don't know what the connection is, but... he doesn't know who you are."

"You just said he picks the same song on the days he meets me!" Yunho rounded on him, shaking his head.

"I know, and I can't explain it. This is all new to me."

"Then why show me?!"

Yeosang closed his eyes, then asked, "What do you get out of all this? Why do you keep coming back even though you know what his condition is?"

Yunho knew he should have anticipated that question, yet it still caught him off guard. He looked back at the door, and if he focused, he could barely hear the song still playing on the other side.

"Honestly? I don't know either. But... it's like my day isn't complete without being able to see his face or hear his voice."

He didn't like the frown that Yeosang gave him, but he reminded himself that Yeosang was just trying to protect his friend.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Yeosang's shoulders fell a little in defeat.

"So you set him up to have this perfect day where he can keep believing he's right back to the day of his accident. Over and over and over. What happens five, ten years from now when he looks in the mirror to see that he's aged over night? How are you going to explain that?"

Seonghwa's voice suddenly came from behind him, and he spun around to see the man walking up with a bag of groceries. "I think about that question every damn day."