Chapter 8 

The next few days after the wedding, Soyeon had spent the rest of the spring vacation with her grandfather and friends. On days when her grandfather needed to go to the hospital for his regular checkup, Soyeon would spent time with her friends at the theme park, or go shop for clothes with Hyesong and Haerin and would sometimes go to the 24-hour manga cafe with Jong In, a favorite past-time they have in common. 

For the third time that week, Soyeon invited Jong In to the manga cafe in her neighborhood. She decided to finish off the total of 30 volumes of the manga she's been reading. After she was greeted by the familiar smiling ahjussi behind the counter, she made her way to the bookshelves situated at the center of the cafe, all too familiar with the arrangements of the bookshelves.

Jong In wandered off to another row of shelves, grabbing a handful copy of a new mangas that has just been published.

After they have paid the rental fees for the manga they chose, they went to their favourite spot at the back of the cafe. It has a small round, coffee table in the middle of two huge bean bags. Soyeon placed her chosen mangas on the table and practically threw her self on the red bean bag.

"Caramel macchiato?" Jong In asked as he sat his mangas down.

"You know me. Thank you!" Soyeon smiled happily up at him.

Jong In came back  a few minutes later with a mug of hot caramel macchiato and a chocolate milkshake and sat on the blue bean bag opposite of Soyeon. Without averting her eyes from the manga, Soyeon took a sip from her mug. White foam formed on her upper lips.

Jong In was tempted to brush it off of her. On his mind were the cheesy scene of a guy kissing off the foam formed on the girl's lips, which he had always thought as corny and had laugh at. But at this moment, the thought of kissing it off seemed practical and desirable, but Soyeon had it off on her own.

What was I thinking? Jong In was bewildered at his own crazy imagination. He continued to scan the pages of his mange and slipped into the world of historical wars and battles.

---


"Yah, I'm done." Soyeon stifled a yawn as she rubbed the bridge of nose, exhausted from reading. She turned to her wristwatch to see that the time was already one in the morning. She frowned at the thought of her grandfather being alone at home.

Jong In raised her index finger signaling for Soyeon to wait as he finished reading the final line of the manga."Okay, I'm done. Ready to go home?" Jong In closed the final manga he was reading and stood up to collect the remaining comic books scattered on the floor beside him. Soyeon followed suit and they both headed back to the shelves to replace the mangas where it belonged.

It was not unusual for them to come home late into the night from spending their time at this cafe. Like every other time, Jong In would walk Soyeon back to her house, though they live in different direction from each other's house. And as per usual that night, Jong In trailed behind Soyeon as he watch the small back of the girl in front of him walking away.

It took Jong In a few meters of walking to realize that they had taken a different route home than usual.

"Yah, where are you going? Your house is this way." Jong In grabbed Soyeon by the hem of her leather jacket to turn her around.

Soyeon looked confused for a moment at Jong In's abrupt action. But chuckled when she finally understood the situation. "Oh, I thought I've mentioned, I'm living with harabeoji at the moment." Soyeon pulled Jong In back to the direction she was heading.

Now it was Jong In's turn to look confused. "How come you didn't mention it to me?" Jong In raised his brows, searching his memory box for the significant information he never seemed to recall.

"I did, when we met up that day on the train. But you had fallen asleep." Soyeon laughed at Jong In's habit of falling asleep at any place and at any time.

Jong In gave Soyeon a snorty chuckle. "Okay, my bad." Jong In gave in and the two walked home in silent. It wasn't a deafening one, but a peaceful one that would take a few years of relationship to build. Their friendship had come to a stage where there is no need for words to fill in the silence. They had become comfortable just to be with each without uttering a single word.

Every few steps, the back of their hand would brush against each other's. Jong In would observe their shadows formed under the street lamps. With every brush of her smooth skin, sparks would tingle up his skin but he did not retreat his hand, enjoying the sensation.

"Thank you, Jong In. I'll see you in school. Goodnight!" Soyeon hugged him tightly, embracing his warmth as they reached Soyeon's grandfather's house, a 7 minutes walk from the manga cafe. The short embrace was all it took to give Jong In an everlasting happiness - or so he thought.

Jung Kook was walking up the hill when he saw the two embracing each other. He stopped in his track. He knew better then to appear right in front of his schoolmate at Soyeon's grandfather's house. He took several steps back, away from the street light illuminating brightly in the dark night.

How close are those two? Jung Kook can't help but wonder as he watch from afar. Once he was sure Jong In was out of sight, Jung Kook came out of the shadow and walked inside his new home.

"How close are you with him?" Jung Kook startled Soyeon as they both remove their shoes.

Soyeon jumped back a little in surprise. "Ah, you surprised me!" She turned around and thump lightly at her pounding chest, her brows furrowed in annoyance. "You should at least say hello or something."

"Okay, hello." Jung Kook laughed sheepishly as he made his way inside, placing his traveling back on the front step. "You're home early." He smiled at her sarcastically.

"Shut up. I just came back from the manga cafe." Soyeon shoved Jung Kook forward as she walked inside the welcoming home. "And to answer your first question, Jong In is one of my best friends - we're childhood friends."

"Jong In? I thought his name was Kai?" Jung Kook asked with his nose scrunched up cutely.
 

"That's the nickname we gave him," Soyeon turned to the kitchen. "Do you want anything to drink?" She opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water.

"Sure. Whatever you're having."



 

After Soyeon bid goodnight to Jung Kook, she went to check up on her sleeping grandfather. After she was sure he was sleeping soundly, she went to her room to prepare herself for bed while Jung Kook went to his room. Once she was tucked in, sleep did not come to her immediately. She laid still in bed, humming herself to sleep.

At the verge of slipping into her dream, Soyeon found herself listening to the familiar footstep that belongs to Jeon Jung Kook, yet another part of him that she will soon can't live without.