Coffee
It (does)n’t happen - intermediate -
Jinki bowed in a short head nod, surprised to find Minseok dropping by the same café as him one evening. Minho wasn’t with him, not this time. The older Choi smiled at Jinki and asked about getting a table together. Jinki wouldn’t decline.
Minutes later they sat across from each other at a corner table, sipping cups of coffee Minseok paid for in silence. There just seemed to be more silence between the two nowadays – since Minho’s weekend away with friends over a year ago, or was even longer now? Jinki his lips and chewed on them, trying to think of something useful to say. Maybe just ask about college or the side work Minseok had been getting here and there – at least that’s what Minho had been hinting at when they spoke before.
Jinki’s phone buzzed before he could find any words to say. He pulled his cell out, scrolling through it quickly to find a text from a new lady friend he was getting to know. He smiled at it, thinking it was cute and quickly sending back a short reply. Jinki looked up with a quiet laugh, apologizing. “Uh.. a friend. Sorry about that.” He pocketed his phone again, quickly going back to sipping some hot coffee.
Minseok nodded, giving a short, understanding grin. He seemed a bit stiff, but then that also appeared to run in the Choi family, or so Jinki had noted early on.
“How is Minho?” Jinki finally asked, hiding a bit behind his cup.
Minseok forced a smile, eyes falling to the table and fingers tapping at his paper cup. “He’s doing good. He’s.. he’s okay.” He quickly sipped his coffee before adding, “He’s still seeing a doctor too, when it gets bad.”
Jinki nodded. Minho never spoke of his doctor visits, though Jinki was aware they still happened.
“How is he,” Minseok asked quietly, “With you? Is he relaxed?”
“Usually,” Jinki smiled again, not speaking the full truth. But really, what was he supposed to say? He couldn’t let it slip, some of the things they’d done together in private, even if it hadn’t happened as much anymore. “Better,” Jinki added, lips curling into a wider smile.
Minseok ran a hand through his hair, looking tired and older than his age. Maybe they were all aging just a little faster now because of this situation. “Good, I’m glad he’s like that around you. Dad is still—uh, Minho..” Minseok stopped, lips pressed. His head barely shook and he took another drink from his cup, eyes fallen away. Jinki waited for the older to finish, but he never did. Jinki knew from Minho their had been some strain there still with the parents, he could even tell just watching the brothers around their parents now the times he would visit. And judging by Minseok today, it was still the same.
“Is he dating?” Jinki asked, wondering if things ever had really smoothed out after that blind date he set up months back.
“He’s secretive about it, but I can tell when he is,” Minseok answered, head shaking slightly with the tiniest of smiles. “I think he’s been out a couple times, but he won’t really confirm it.” He added in a near whisper, eyes off in thought and smile gone, “It probably won’t last again…”
Jinki sighed, still hiding behind his cup slightly.
Minseok spoke up again in a moment, “Has he talked to you about friends? Anything like that? I’ve tried to get him out of the house and take a break from video games, but he won’t budge very easily. School or scheduled sports seem to be the few ways to get him out now.”
“He doesn’t talk about friends much anymore,” Jinki said, noting that fact now himself even. His brows furrowed. It’s not healthy, what Minho’s doing. And how Jinki had become the ‘social butterfly’ while Minho reverted was still hard to grasp.
“He used to be gone from the house with friends, like he even had more of a social life than me.” Minseok laughed a little with sad smile. His voice dropped, “Always smiling even when I couldn’t..”
Jinki nodded with a small grin, remembering too since the days he got to know Minho as a young boy still.
Minseok sipped his coffee again, looking withdrawn now.
“How..” Jinki hesitated, but real concern quickly pushed him forward. “How are you?”
“Me?” Minseok blink in confusion, like the question was rarely asked. “I’m.. I’m good. Things are good for me right now, actually.” Minseok drank again with a nod. His voice was too heavy for such light words spoken as if nothing was better than life right in this moment.
Jinki mimicked the action with a forced smile, drinking more hot coffee. He didn’t really believe Minseok, but what could Jinki do. The Choi family was still under a stress he had no idea how to fix. He couldn’t even figure himself out, so how could he begin on someone else. In reality, he had probably added to it indirectly with a screwed up confession to someone who wasn’t ready to handle it. Jinki had jumped too soon, hadn’t he..
He couldn’t take it back now though. He didn’t even won’t to, as selfish as it sounded. At least what he had had with Minho, those few moments, they were forever special.
Jinki shook the thoughts because staring at Minho’s family with those thoughts running through his mind didn’t help his anxiety. Not one bit.
There was more silence for several minutes, then Jinki’s phone went off again. He was busy reading another text from a friend when Minseok suddenly stood with his coffee, nodding a quick goodbye and thanking him for his time.
Jinki blinked, confused while watching the older leave the small shop so hurriedly. Out the window, behind people strolling the sidewalk, Jinki noticed Minseok taking out his cell, expression easily read from where Jinki sat still. He was speaking to Minho.
Jinki sipped his coffee, eyes falling as Minseok left sight from the café’s windows. He dropped his cell on the table, debating if he should text Minho or not. He waited, even replied to the young woman’s earlier message, then caved and sent a simple text.
‘Minho-yah~~~ ^0^ the sun is shining today!’
Jinki shook his head at the text he sent, feeling less than clever. He sat alone, still drinking his coffee and gazing off at a wall thoughtlessly, when his phone buzzed with a new text a couple minutes later.
‘All I see are clouds~~ ^^’
Jinki snorted a laugh at the slightly dark humor. He needed to see Minho again soon. His friend should have some sort of soccer meeting coming up he could probably drop by with a smile and a loud, encouraging voice.
For now though, he had to drop by his college and then meet a pretty girl for a casual, friendly dinner.
Comments