Act 4

Sangyeon found himself making breakfast once more. He wondered if it would become habitual as he's never really bothered to before. "You've been really strange these past months. Before, it took hours to convince you to do something. Now? You're ready to do it in a heartbeat. What's changed? Did someone propose to you? Did you win the lottery?" "Nah. I just found a reason to keep living, well, reasons." She crossed her arms and felt plenty thankful for whatever had started to occupy her brother's mind with positivity. "I'm going to be out all day, but I'll be home in time to cook. Are you coming home early today?" "I'll try since you said you'd cook." "Duly noted." Yonghi couldn't help but smile at her now radiant brother. "You're more attractive when smiling..."

Changmin slowed to a stop at his usual spot in the plaza. He spotted the regulars, new regulars, some new faces and his pupil. "Today..." Changmin chuckled to himself then briefly looked at Sangyeon. "Today, I'll be changing things up!" Everyone had started murmuring and that only fueled him further. "Today, Sangyeon will be joining me!" Changmin jogged over to him and pulled Sangyeon up and out of his seat. There was clapping filled with encouragement and he could see the nervousness in his eyes. They screamed "I'm not ready", but Changmin knew he was. "I can't do-" "Yes you can. We've practiced everyday since we started, excluding a few." Sangyeon suddenly felt the nervousness leave his body as Changmin flashed him a smile. "Your smile...just became my number one reason..."

The audience clapped as they finished their last dance routine. Sangyeon felt that his lungs could collapse at any moment due to how often he smoked. He looked at Changmin and wondered why he looked just as tired as him. As usual, people left money then went on their way. He watched Changmin count it all then hand him some of it. "I can't take this." "It wasn't just me, it was both of us. You deserve half." He felt Changmin shove it into his pocket then pat it. "Treat yourself to something nice." Sangyeon saw that Changmin had started to leave, and reached out to him. "I really, and I mean really, don't like to be touched." He immediately drew back as he remembered Changmin's words from back then. "Wait."

Changmin found himself stopping at the sound of Sangyeon's voice. He didn't understand why. He was always able to keep moving despite Sangyeon calling after him about random things like "Should I wear a specific shirt or sweats?" or "Would wearing a headband make me look cooler?" For a guy that was clearly older than him, he sure acted like a child. "What is it?" "Want to go out? To have dinner. Dinner. Just dinner." He wanted to refuse, to go back home and binge watch a new show he recently got into. He was also afraid of suddenly falling asleep in public. Changmin had noticed a pattern with it and that it usually happened a half hour after Youngjae gets home. "I...I can't...Sorry." "Ah, worth a shot..." Changmin felt that he was being selfish and decided to change his mind. "Actually, I'll go. Wouldn't hurt to...spend time with you." Sangyeon had flashed him a smile and caused a disturbance in his hollow body.

Changmin felt surprised that Sangyeon had taken them to where he worked. He wasn't keen on interacting with his coworkers twice in a day. "I sometimes come here to draw a waiter." "Oh. Can you show me one?" Changmin hadn't expected Sangyeon to start sharing personal things and wondered if he expected him to do the same. "Here. There's 10 pages." He carefully took the book in his hands as Sangyeon went to confirm whatever was needed. "They feel familiar..." He gently ran his fingertips over one page then realized why they looked familiar. "This is me...but..." He noticed that they were all drawings of his backside. "He's never seen my face all the times he's come here?" He looked up and saw Sangyeon walking back over to him. The disturbance grew and it was slightly painful, yet it was also warm and fuzzy.

"May I hold onto your sketchbook? I haven't looked at all of them yet." "Sure, just give it back before we split ways." Sangyeon watched as Changmin gently flipped through his drawings. He figured they'd look better if he had at least seen the guy's face just once. "Hey, Sangyeon." "Hm?" "What if...just hypothetically, this waiter you're drawing is me, how would you react? Would you keep drawing?" Sangyeon wondered where such an idea came from, but nevertheless gave him his honest opinion. "If hypothetically it was you, I wouldn't stop, it would actually make me want to draw more. Draw you in different scenarios in different poses that capture your image perfectly." He hoped that would get a smile out of Changmin, but was surprised to see tears instead. "D-Did I say something wrong...?" "No, it's just...whoever it is should feel lucky..." Sangyeon looked away and hoped his embarrassment couldn't been seen.

"What are you looking around for?" Changmin couldn't help but feel like Sangyeon wasn't here mentally with him. "I hoped to see the waiter, but I guess he only works around that time..." Changmin internally sighed as there was no way Sangyeon would see his mysterious waiter. In fact, he was literally sitting right in front of him. Changmin debated on whether or not to tell Sangyeon. It's not like he had anything to lose, especially after what he said earlier. "Sangyeon." "Need salt?" "N-Actually, yes, but that's not what I wanted to say." He took the salt shaker from him then cleared his throat. "I'm the waiter you come to see every morning." "Ah, so y-Wait, what."

Sangyeon had dropped his fork and stared at Changmin in disbelief. "You...and I...perfect..." "Take you're time." Changmin jumped at Sangyeon's sudden touch, but couldn't find the strength to pull away. Was it finally kicking in or was he finally okay with being touched? He shuddered at the memories that resurfaced then snapped back to reality when he felt Sangyeon touching his face. Changmin swatted his hand away and tried to cause as little of a scene as possible. Unfortunately, his body had given out on him and he ended up knocking almost everything over. "I can barely move...I should've gone straight home." "Changmin, are you okay?" He couldn't think straight. All he could hear was jeering as people stared.

"They're judging you for being different." "They're wondering what the fuck is wrong with you." "I bet they're laughing at how you ruined your clothes." "Sangyeon doesn't actually care about you. He just doesn't want to look bad because he's with you."

Changmin wondered how he had managed to keep his thoughts at bay and his body in check this entire time. What had changed that caused it so suddenly? He could barely keep his eyes open and eventually shut them.

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