Junsu/Changmin | G

I don’t know what the hell I’m doing walking in the rain on my birthday. I suppose this is a day which you spend with your loved ones, but unfortunately, but my parents couldn’t give a flying about anything other than money and , and my brother was somewhere on the pacific ocean with his girlfriend.

And because of my “charming demeanour”, as my brother so fondly names it, everyone is scared to approach me. Hey, it’s not my fault that this world is so ed up, and there’s nothing to smile or be even remotely contented about. I scowled and stomped my feet along the pavement. I shouldn’t have worn socks when I came out. There was a squelching sound beneath my feet with every heavy step I took. Hell yes, I’m pissed.

I looked at my reflection in the shop windows. I looked like a drowned rat. I stopped outside a cosy-looking café, the exterior and interior decorated in light pastel shades and childish ornaments. I sighed wistfully when I saw a small boy of no more than six-years old eating a wedge of cake joyfully, seated in between his parents.

I stood there for a brief second, just looking. I decided I could use a cup of hot chocolate and pushed open the door, the small bells twinkling.

“Hello! Welcome to Balloons Café!” A tall man greeted me cheerfully, before taking in my “drowned rat” state. “Oh, you’re soaking wet! Let me get you a towel!” The man gasped and rushed behind the counter to grab a pink towel. He passed it to me with a grin and led me to a table.

“What can I get you, sir?” The man smiled again. I wonder what makes him smile like that.

“A hot chocolate, please,” I replied, towelling my hair and patting the water out of my clothes. My eyes darted around the café. Besides that family of three I saw earlier, there was an elderly couple sitting in the corner, just gazing into each other eyes, and a business woman who had gotten caught in the rain, if her damp hair was anything to go by.

A mug was set down in front of me. The mug was large, white, and had a red heart. “Can I get you anything else, sir?” The same man smiled at me. One of his eyes was smaller than the other when he smiled, I noticed.

“Could you just sit down with me?” I asked. He glanced around and nodded, smiling again.

“Who do you smile?” I asked after a few seconds of silence, watching him contemplate my question while taking a sip of my drink.

“I smile because there is so much in this world to be happy for! I smile because I’m lucky to be alive and well. Smiling is a way I express my gratitude,” The man replied earnestly, his eyes twinkling. I nodded slowly, thinking about his words.

“It’s my birthday today,” I told him.

“Is there a reason why you are not with your family and friends?” The man inquired politely, and I could not detect any pity in his voice, only curiosity, and perhaps concern. So I answered.

“My parents don’t care about me, and my brother is away with his girlfriend. I have no friends,” I awaited his reaction. What I did not expect, was that he would reach over that table and hold my hand gently, while sweetly smiling.

“I’ll be your friend.”

I looked at his hand, and then looked up at him. I nodded and retracted my hand to put in on my lap. He pulled back his hand as well, his smile softening.

After a while of silence, he excused himself when another customer came in. The rain outside had reduced into a small drizzle and my drink was nearly finished.

I waved another waiter over and ordered a cup of herbal tea. My eyes followed that man as he grinned and greeted and served every customer with a cheery tone. The café was slowly filling up with people as the time passed and the sun appeared from behind the clouds.

The herbal tea arrived in a ceramic cup. I nodded to the waiter and continued watching that man. I noticed how he gracefully weaved around customers, and how long his legs are. I noticed under his white apron, he was wearing a yellow hoodie and black jeans. I noticed how he always bowed to the customers after serving them their orders with a smile and a sweet, “Enjoy your meal!”

I saw him turn around and look at me with a surprised face, before walking over. “Hello! You’re still here?” I nodded curtly and he gasped.

“It’s not that I do not want you here, I do! I mean, I like having you here, but if you want to go you can, although I would like it if you stay because I like to look at your face. I mean, it would be great if you stay but please don’t feel obligated to! You can stay as long as you wish, oh am I still talking?” The man trailed off with a cute blush.

“I want to stay,” I told him.

He grinned and left to serve another customer. I pondered over what he said and settled back into my chair, silently watching him again.

I waved him over after a while. “What time does your shift end?”

“In about thirty minutes. Why?”

“Could you care for a stroll with me?” I asked. He nodded enthusiastically and his cheeks turned pink. He let out a little squeak and practically bounced away.

I leaned back in my chair and looked outside the window, watching the clouds move and change shapes. Before I knew it, half-an-hour has passed and that man was tapping me on my shoulder with a big grin on his face.

We walked to the park and sat under a tree, with him awkwardly leaning on me, considering how much taller he was. We sat there for a great amount of time, just watching the world go by.

As the sun began to set, I stood up. He clambered up after me.

“I think we should go home,” I told him. “Thank you for spending your day with me.”

“No problem,” He smiled. I smiled back, just a tentative raise of the corners of my lips. I turned, hand in my pockets, and walked down the pavement, back home.

“What’s your name?” He called out.

“Junsu,” I replied without turning back.

“I’m Changmin! Happy birthday, Junsu!”