Day: 6

The hood of my red raincoat was pulled up over my head as I ran to make my way into La France Café & Crepes. It was a lot colder than the usual for a mid-November in Seoul, and I couldn’t wait to get inside and out of the cold. Eugene’s amazing hot cocoa sounded more than appealing at the moment.

I supposed you could say that I was being like wonder woman out and on a mission.

I hadn’t seen Sehun since our rather unpleasant lunch yesterday, and because it was the weekend right before finals. This further only meant that after next week, I wouldn’t be able to see him at school since our winter break will start. I couldn’t afford not to see him that right there would only certify my failure. So I more or less had to get over my nerves and go look for him. I really needed to start making up an excuse to be able to see him over the break.

Geez… I was really starting to feel like such a stalker.

My first and only thought as to where I could see him was in his family café. It was perfectly obvious that he didn’t hang out with anyone outside of school, and he had two younger siblings right? Maybe he was now babysitting or something alike. This was just the shot I was willing to take if it meant that I would be able to get closer to him.

Oh Eugene was at the front counter, as I opened the café door. The café was pretty much empty, and just had a lady in a booth enjoying her coffee and crepes. The fireplace really warms up the place and I was more than grateful to be out of the cold.

“Jennie!” Eugene said in surprise as I approached the front counter. “I haven’t seen you in a while!”

I did my best to smile as I took off my raincoat. “It is nice to see you again Mrs. Oh”

“Oh, please, ” Eugene, laughed, holding up a hand. “Call me Eugene. Mrs. Oh just makes me feel so old.”

I tried not to be awkward, so I smiled back in return.

“So what can I do for you, Jennie?” Eugene asked conversationally. “Are you here for Sehun?”

I forced myself not to blush, dropping my gaze to my feet. “Yeah, I am actually.”

“Well I’m afraid he’s at work, he won’t be back until a couple of hours.”

“I didn’t know he worked at the school library on weekends.” I blurted out.

“Oh, no Sehun works across the street at the Ice Skating Club.

“I didn’t know he had another job.” I said in a flat tone.

“Yeah, he works as an assistant coach for the head coach of the Youth Boy National Hockey Team, on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings, and sometimes Friday afternoons.”

“Oh” I said in surprise. “Sehun plays hockey?”
 

And that is when I noticed Eugene smile vanished. I guess my question made her uncomfortable.

“Please excuse my curiosity, I really shouldn’t be asking so many questions. Sorry, for intruding, but I better go.”

I was ready to leave the café but Eugene called me back with a bit of a frantic shout.

“Wait, Jennie why don’t we chat over a cup of hot cocoa or something? It’s pretty cold outside and you look a little frostbitten in all honesty.”

Okay, so a cup of hot cocoa didn’t sound so bad. It actually sounded pretty amazing, but with Sehun’s mother? Wouldn’t that be a little awkward?

Well, you can always ask her a few questions, a tiny voice in my mind reasoned. Who would know Sehun better than his own mother?

“Okay” I said slowly turning back around. “That sounds lovely.” I smiled.

Eugene smiled warmly, looking pleased. “Great. This gives me a chance to get to know you!”

I wasn’t expecting her to say that, but it was nice to hear it. Having, an adult, actually say that they wanted to get to know me was definitely more than my own parents could account for.

“But don’t you have to work?” I asked.

Eugene laughed, as she was determined on making a fresh batch of hot cocoa. “Oh, this place is always dead in the early afternoon. The mornings and after five are our busiest hours.”

That made sense.

“Okay” I said again with a bit more confidence. “Perfect.”

I looked inside my wallet and came up with a bill that I quickly drop on the tip jar. Judging by the look Eugene was giving the money, I figured Sehun have been right in saying that my money wasn’t welcome here.

I took a seat in the middle of the café at a small table meant for two people. Eugene bustled over with two mugs of steaming, delicious hot cocoa.

“There we are.” She said happily, as she sat down.

“Sehun used to play hockey until the end of freshman year. He played for a national youth team at the same club across the street. The coach of my younger brother, used to trained him since Sehun was three years old.” She suddenly said. “Not to brag or anything, but Sehun was the best player in his team for all the years he played. Luckily, because he was the best player all his expenses and training were paid and sponsored by the donors of the club.”

“Why did he stop?”

“He suddenly lost interest.” Eugene said with a bit of double meaning. I could tell that talking about this subject hurts her. So instead I decided to change it, however, I got the feeling that deep inside Oh Sehun wants to get back on the ice not as an assistant coach, but as a player. But how was I going to prove this statement?

“This smells amazing!” I said, referring to the hot cocoa.

“Family recipe.” Eugene replied with a soft smile. “Our drinks and crepes are the only reason this place stays in business. That and we own the building."

“Have you always lived here?” I asked before taking a careful sip of hot cocoa.

“My mother, Sehun, my two younger ones, and I all live in the apartment above the café. I’ve always lived here.”
 

“It’s a nice place, I like it.” I said.

Eugene smiled “Thank you, Jennie. So do you have a crush on my son or something?”

I spit out a mouthful of hot cocoa and stared at Eugene like she just asked me if I would give her my firstborn child as a grandchild.

“Excuse me?” I croaked, while grabbing a napkin.

There was a knowing glint in her brown eyes, as Eugene took a sip of her hot cocoa and she wasn’t doing a good job hiding her smirk.

“I thought that might be the case.” She said, setting her mug down on the table. “Sehun is really not the type to have friends.”

I decided that I was neither going to confirm or deny that statement, about having a crush on Sehun. Because I obviously felt something for him, I just didn’t know what it was yet.

“What is his deal?” I demanded to know before I could stop myself.

Even Eugene looked surprised that I have asked her that, she sighed, taking a sip of her mug before answering.

“There were things in Sehun’s past that he shouldn’t have to deal with.” She said in a soft tone, I could clearly hear the pain in her voice. “I blame myself mostly. He’s been the ‘man of the house’ ever since he was young. He takes care of his siblings, his grandmother, and me. The lord only knows that’s not easy.”

I kept my head down I was beginning to get the feeling that Eugene didn’t often talk about the things that they had gone through, and I wasn’t about to interrupt.

Part of me was afraid to know just what had happened exactly. With the way life works especially towards good people I could sen