27.

Two weeks later
 
As I push the remaining chair into its proper place, I take a minute to scan over my shoulder to watch Grandpa flip over the ‘Closed’ sign, to signal that the café is officially open. His right calloused hand pushes on the bridge of his glasses to make sure they stay firm on his face. His face flashes a bright smile at the world, through the glass door, before turning around to head back to his proper place behind the counter at his coffee station. 
 
Catching my attention is the sound of Won’s phone dinging with the arrival of a random notification. Without glancing away from his phone, Won’s hand rises with a stack of napkins, clutched in between his fingers.
 
“Aya, can you put the napkins over there for me?”
 
“Or Won, you could just do it yourself,” Hyun chimes in as he appears from the kitchen, with a tray of slices of chocolate mousse cake in his hands.
 
“I’m slightly busy right now,” Won says as he finally looks up from his phone. “I think this company wants me to model for them.”
 
My right eyebrow raises and I look over to Hyun. He looks back at me and shrugs. 
 
“What company?” Hyun questions. 
 
“I don’t know. I’m trying to figure that--.” 
 
Interrupting the conversation is the sound of the front door bell chiming as it opens and our first customer walks in. Hyun and Won simultaneously say, “Welcome” and we all bow before we recognize who it is.
 
Minseok.
 
If I told you I wasn’t avoiding Minseok, that would be a lie…
 
“Oh, Minseok-ssi, it’s been a little while. How have you been?” Hyun enthusiastically asks.
 
My head drops and I begin to inspect my hands, patiently waiting on his answer. I peek back up once he began to speak.
 
“I’ve been well. Just busy that’s all,” Minseok replies while glancing over at me. I instantly look away and amble over to Won. I hastily grab the napkins out of his hand and walk over to the trash can and napkin dispenser. 
 
The thuds of Minseok’s footsteps get louder as he approaches from behind. 
 
“Hey.”
 
I nonchalantly glance over at him, momentarily smile and gaze at the napkin dispenser.
 
“Aya …”, he exhales before he continues, “I was serious about talking to you before I left to go on that tour, almost two weeks ago. Please stop avoiding me,” he pleads.
 
I look back at him.
 
“Don’t think I didn’t know you were avoiding me. I can tell. It was pretty obvious,” he scoffs as he runs a hand through his air. 
 
A sigh escapes my lips and I turn to sit down at the nearest table. Minseok pulls out the chair closest to me and sit down with his entire body facing mine and his hands grab mine into his lap. His eyes capture mine. 
 
“Aya, I know you care about being seen with me, in case something happens, like a scandal breaking out of some sorts. I know something like that could happen. It comes with the job. Yeah it , but I don’t care. Especially if you’re involved. If something happens, we can take care of it.”
 
“Trust me when I say, I won’t let anything happen to you. You mean a lot to me.”
 
I pull my hands away from his and reach into my apron and pull out my marker and notepad. 
 
“You mean a lot to me too…”
 
“I’m glad…. I might as well say this too while I’m letting it all out right now… “
 
“?”
 
He takes the notepad and marker out of my hands and sets them on the table. He scoots in closer. Our knees are fully touching. 
 
“God, I like you, Aya. I am serious about you. I want you to know that. I want to be with you. If you don’t feel the same way…. It’ll hurt, but I understand and I’ll leave you alone… if that’s what you want,” Minseok desperately looks in my eyes.
 
I look down at our intertwined hands. I shake my head. 
 
His hands feel warm… safe… like they belong in mine…
 
I reach for the marker and begin to write.
 
“No, I like you too...”
 
“Are you serious?”
 
I shyly nod and beam at him. 
 
“About damn time…” I hear Won mumble in the background.
 
Minseok quickly leans in and pecks me on the lips. My eyes fly open in shock and I smack him on the arm, with an embarrassed smile plastered on my face.
 
“Sorry, I got carried away,” he laughs to himself. 
 
My hand cover my face and he quickly pulls my hands back down, into his. He pauses for a moment to gaze at my face. I quietly hum, catching his attention.
 
“Oh, nothing. Just looking at you,” his voice getting quieter, with each word as his eyes carefully scan over my facial features. His eyes linger for a moment at my lips before finding my eyes once again and a soft smile appears on his face.
 
“Let’s make this official. How about I take you on a date?”
 
A smirk appears on my face.
 
“Haha, yes a date. Are you free tomorrow night?”
 
I take a moment to pretend as if I’m thinking before nodding, my smile getting slowly getting brighter. I reach for the marker once more. 
 
“I would love that.”

 
 
“Grandma, Grandpa, Aya’s going on her first date tomorrow,” Won and Hyun yell towards the kitchen. 
 
Oh goodness…I cannot…
 
Grandma pops out from behind the black curtain with a metal mixing bowl in one hand and a whisk in the other and Grandpa follows with clean mugs in his hands.
 
“OMO, Aya, is that true?” Grandma asks.
 
“Grandpa, Grandma, I’m sorry for not asking earlier. But I would like to take Aya out, if that’s okay with you two,” Minseok swiftly stands and asks.
 
“It’s perfectly fine with us, especially if it’s fine with Aya,” Grandpa responds. 
 
“It is,” Minseok replies looking back at me. 

Author's Note:

Hi! :3

Oh lawd, I'm sorry for taking so long to update. This story is frequently on my mind, so when I can't write (happens too often, for months at a time), I feel so bad. But so many things have been happening, ugh life, but I'm here. 

P.S Briefly went to Korea, saw Xiumin's Birthday ad in the subway. Fans be going hard lol