Chapter Text
Gray told his friends to stay in front of the Café at first, his head spinning with thoughts.
He was told Stephen would be there, but would he really? What were the chances, after those two years? Would he be the same? Or would he have become someone completely different during that time?
Gray sighed. Regardless of all his worries, he needed to do this. Until now, it was Stephen that reached out first. Because of him, he went to Eunjang and found his new friends. It was only right he repaid the favour and greeted Stephen as cheerfully as he could.
So he pushed the door open.
“Stephen, I think we have a customer.”
“On it.”
That voice.
It was a bit deeper than he remembered, but he supposed it has been a while since they’d seen each other and the other boy obviously matured physically during that time. They both did, since Gray didn’t stay as short and frail as Stephen would remember, either.
He came up to the register with a smile. As the brown haired boy behind the counter looked at him, something flashed in his eyes as he stared for a second.
It was not recognition, though.
Gray faltered, then steeled his expression.
Of course Stephen wouldn’t remember. It should have been an option he considered since the beginning. He had severe brain damage.
“What can I get you?”
He gulped, his heart clenching. It hurt. It hurt to not hear the emotions he used to hear in his voice.
He skimmed over the menu on the wall behind Stephen, quickly trying to salvage his situation.
Gray was usually the type to drink his coffee black, no sugar. But… making espresso didn’t exactly take as much time as he needed if he wanted to even have a chance of Stephen recognising anything about him. Maybe he needed it to kick in, or something. Truthfully, he was getting a bit desperate.
It had been two years since Stephen’s accident and even though he thought he was prepared for this, he didn’t expect it to hurt so much to even think he might not get him back. But… just seeing his face and hearing his voice had him desperately biting his lip to stop tears from forming in his eyes.
Then, he thought of his friends outside. They came with him all this way, he could at least get them some cake, right? They could sit somewhere and eat, buying him even more time.
“A wild berry cheesecake, a carrot cake and a flat white coffee.”
Yet, Stephen’s reaction was nothing he expected (did he just swear?). Meanwhile, from the back he heard the voice that spoke back when he came in.
“Hah! You gotta make the cursed coffee now, loser!” They laughed and Stephen rolled his eyes, sighing.
“Dine in or to go? And can I get your name?” Stephen said, and when Gray didn’t immediately reply, he added. “For the order.”
As if broken out of a trance, Gray blinked a few times before he spoke.
“In. And my name is Gray.” He said, hopeful. Maybe hearing his name would spike a memory in Stephen. Something, anything.
Yet, there was none.
“Like the colour?”
When Gray nodded, Stephen scribbled something onto a piece of paper, then moved to the back, grumbling something to his coworker when he was out of sight.
As he did, Gray went to the door and opened it. Ben and Rowan, who were leaning against it like cartoon characters trying to listen in, nearly fell inside, while the remaining four shook their heads at their behaviour.
“So? How’d it go?” Ben asked from the floor, throwing Rowan off himself to stand up.
“He doesn’t remember.”
At those words, the whole six froze.
“What.” Alex didn't ask, it was more like he stated.
So, Gray explained, his voice steady. Almost as if he was unaffected.
But, well, he wasn’t. And for his friends, who have known him for so long and throughout so many hardships, that was obvious.
Eugene furrowed his eyebrows, Gerard sighed and Teddy dragged a hand across his face in exasperation.
“So, what now, then?”
Gray looked at Gerard as he spoke, and shook his shoulders.
“I’ll try to talk to him more, maybe come here a few more times.”
Ben nodded, watching Alex flick dust off him.
“So, should we, like, stay here? Or should we leave and give you time to talk?” Asked Teddy, and Rowan nodded beside him.
“I ordered cake, so if some of you want to stay, you could."
Thus, the seven of them sat at a table inside, making quite a sight at the small café.
A few minutes into Rowan's and Eugene's banter about the Shuttle, Gray heard his name be called. He stood up and walked up to the counter, where Stephen stood with his order and the sticky note he wrote his order on previously.
"The amount of friends you brought explains the order. I really thought for a second that you were going to eat all that alone." The boy said with a smile, and Gray almost shuddered at the wave of emotions that washed over him at the sight.
Having called Ben to help him carry the plates, he had a look at the note he got along with his order.
“Did he… did he write “Grey”?! That- that’s so funny- HEY GUYS!” Ben shouted to their friends as he looked over Gray’s shoulder at the note.
Gray sighed, pushing down the pain of this message. It didn’t matter Stephen didn’t remember.
It was probably better that way anyway.