Alone in a Cafe
Your Words
Mina popped some instant mac-n-cheese into the microwave and stretched widely. She felt good. She'd spent all day on the computer, writing, and just finished reading a subscriber's really positive comment on her latest blog post.
Casually, she flipped on the TV, and paused when she realized what she was watching. It was a rerun of the previous night's award show. The camera panned a large auditorium, zooming in on a group of 7 boys dancing on stage.
Her eyes narrowed, and reflexively she searched out the boy with orangey hair. When she found him, she plopped on the couch to watch. She kept thinking to herself that she hated him, and that she should change the channel so she didn't have to keep looking at his dumb face. But somehow, she couldn't tear her eyes from the screen.
Sunggyu sang a small solo right into the camera, and she chuckled. That jerk's not half-bad, she admitted to herself.
Her phone rang, and without checking the caller ID, she flipped it open and held it to her ear while she watched.
"Yoboseyo."
"Yah, Mina. It's Sunggyu."
"What the...?" Quickly, she turned off the TV, as if he'd caught her red-handed. "Why are you calling??"
She could hear him chuckle on the other side. "Meet me at the cafe by the old bridge. I need to talk to you."
"What?! No--" Before she could say more, the line went dead. She squinted. Is it about the hospital bills? Or worse...Did he finally figure out that I'm Ari?
But she shook her head firmly. It was a secret she'd take to her grave. Reluctantly, she downed the rest of her lunch and started getting dressed.
*******
He wasn't difficult to find. The entire coffeeshop was empty except for him. Cautiously, she approached. He grinned up to her, but she held her frown. She hesitated, awkwardly standing by the table.
"What do you want."
He chuckled. "Want to have a seat first?" He stood up, rounded the table, and pulled the chair out for her. She glowered at him until he let go of the chair and backed away with his hands up in surrender, and then she slowly took a seat.
"Why is it so empty in here?" she said, looking around.
"Oh, I booked the place so we could be alone." Though he seemed to shrug it off, Mina shivered, reminded of how loose he was with money and how she was having a hard time buying food.
Sunggyu called the waiter over and ordered coffee for them. Mina watched him as they spoke, taking in his orangey hair, round cheeks, and fashionable clothes. After he finished his order, he turned to Mina, catching her stare. She looked away quickly and cleared .
"Why are we here--"
"How's your writing going?"
She shot him a look of suspicion. "Fine...why do you ask?"
"Just wondering. I wish I could read more sometime." He smiled widely at her, but she only frowned harder. Hell would freeze over before she let him anywhere near her writing.
"So... we're not here to talk about the hospital bill?" she asked.
"No."
"We're not here for any particular reason?"
"Actually, I had something I wanted to give you." He reached into his pocket, pulled out what looked like a ticket, and slid it across the table to her. He chuckled. "I'm actually in a band... have you heard of Infinite?"
"No," she lied, eyeing the ticket.
"Well, we're pretty new. Maybe, if you're free, you want to come to our next concert?" He flashed her another big smile, but she sat, confused.
"Why...why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?" he tried cutely. She threw him a piercing look, and he chuckled, scratching at the back of his neck. "I don't know... I guess I just want to be friends."
She didn't buy it. He tried again. "I know it might not be possible...but an author I really like once said that moments and interactions shouldn't be taken for granted." He leaned forward. "I think there might be a reason I keep bumping into you, whether I like it or not. So, what do you say? Do you want to try to be friends?"
She scrunched up her nose in thought. "Not really." Then suddenly, she stood up and walked out of the cafe without another word.
Sunggyu sat, stunned. It seemed that no matter how nice he was, she really didn't want him to come close. He shook his head to himself. Maybe it was better if he didn't involve himself in her life.
He stared at her empty seat across the table, when finally, he noticed. The ticket he'd given her was gone. She'd taken it.
He grinned to himself, taking another sip of his coffee. See you there, Mina, he thought.
---
I'm going on a trip, so I think I'll just rapid-fire update for a little to make up for it. Besides, this story is kind of long, and there's some drama I'm dying to get out XD Hope you all don't mind!
WOOHH I never thought it would ever happen to me, but this story has reached 100 subscribers!! Thanks for the love everybody :) Mina and Sunggyu forever XD
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