“Just eat the damn eggs!”

 

“How can I eat eggs when my soul is on fire?!”

 

“You won't have a soul if you don't eat!” you yelled at Nina.

 

“Agh! Just let me die!” Nina yelled back as she laid her head on the table. You pushed the plate to her until it hit the side of her ear. The finale of her latest drama was really messing with her. You started picking at your eggs while Nina turned her head and tried to inhale the eggs (literally trying to them into ) from her awkward position. The stupid face she was making made you laugh. And the laugh made you choke. And your chocking made Nina laugh. And suddenly the two of you were laughing while a mess of eggs was being made.

 

A week had gone by since the club incident. You hadn't put any thought to it; you were waiting on Minseok. Your cut was healing as fast as it could. Work at the dance studio was going as well as you could make it. Most of your clients were very understanding and they simply perfected what the already knew. You could walk better by now. There was a nasty purple and blue bruise and any movement too fast would break the scab. But it was finally Saturday and you needed the day off. Nina was there for the first half of the day to keep you company before she had her late shift at the convenience store.

 

“Let's start another drama,” she suggested after the laughing had subsided.

 

“Oh my god!!” You threw your hands in the air and gave up. “Which one?”

 

~୪~

 

Minseok didn't even know where to begin with Charlotte. She's been his friend almost as long as he's been friends with Luhan. Her crush on him was always obvious. He wasn't blind. He had been hoping it would pass on it’s own as she went through high school. But it didn’t. At one point he had thought that he could like her back. He even tried to like her. His heart was just never in it. He just couldn’t see her past a little sister. Once she started college he had told her to move on; there are plenty of guys to meet in college. But she was stubborn and refused. Their relationship had only survived this long because he had never had a girl he was seriously interested in. But suddenly Tylar was there. He just didn’t know what to do. He took a chance and openly flirted with her. And to his surprise (and pleasure) she had flirted back! Talking to Yoora, she had concluded that Tylar may like him too. So he took another chance and asked her to the party. And things were going so well! All the little touches, the side glances, the closeness was just confirming that, yes, he really does like her. He had talked to Charlotte earlier about giving up on him. There was someone he really wanted to get to know. He had hoped that since time had passed, she would’ve matured enough to see that it was hopeless with him.

 

The friends circle was straining. While everyone agreed that Charlotte was definitely in the wrong, familiar bonds were also in play. Yoora, Junmyeon, Jenni, Channie, and Sehun were completely torn. This was two of their closest friends. On one hand, everyone knew Minseok has never, would never, like Charlotte the way she likes him. On the other hand, Charlotte’s heart was being broken in a rather cruel manner. Junmyeon, Jenni, and Channie were thinking that there could’ve been a better way to get Charlotte to give up on Minseok. Yoora and Sehun thought the best way was the most blunt and direct.

 

Luhan was taking this the hardest. This was his sister. He loved her dearly and never minded the fact that she had a crush on his best friend. But, at the same time, he was happy for Minseok. Minseok was completely in-like with this girl. He wanted his best friend to be free to date anyone he wanted. He also wanted to believe that his sister wasn’t a person to harm someone like that. But he, and the rest of the friend circle, was slowly coming to realize that this just wasn’t a crush anymore. This was infatuation turned obsession with extreme possession. How was Luhan supposed to confront his own sister about this?

 

୪

 

It was the Wednesday after the incident and Minseok was closing up shop by himself. The past three days working by himself were really hard. It was definitely way too much work for one person. He thought about Tylar every single day. How did things get so out of hand? He just wanted to get to know her. Why was that so difficult? He was angry as hell. Just who the hell did Charlotte think she was? When did she get this bad? How was he supposed to face Tylar again?

 

After finishing everything, he sat down at one of his tables. He pulled his phone out and looked at the contact. Quickly, before he could change his mind, he sent her a text:

 

We need to talk. You know where to meet me.

 

Her response was fast, as though her phone had already been in her hand:

 

I’ll be there in 20mins.

 

Minseok rubbed his eyes and sighed as he got up. There were a few outcomes of tonight, all of which would shatter their friend group. Either she was leaving, or he was.

 

୪

 

Charlotte was at the park before he was. She was sitting on the swings swaying back and forth on her heels. Without looking at her, Minseok sat on the swing next to her. The silence was suffocating.

 

“Charlotte--” he started quietly.

 

“--I don’t want to hear it,” she interrupted. He looked at her for the first time.

 

“I think you need to,” his voice was stronger. “You have some explaining to do so start.”

 

“What’s there to explain, Minnie?!” She yelled, finally returning his gaze.

 

“Everything!” Minseok yelled back, standing up. “You have everything to explain!”

 

“Minnie--”

 

“--Don’t call me that anymore,” he spat viciously. A lump formed in Charlotte’s throat and her eyes began to water. She looked at the sand at her feet.

 

“... I- I love you…” she said quietly.

 

“No.” His voice was strong and definite. “You don’t love me.” Charlotte looked back up with tears falling from her eyes.

 

“How could you say that?” she croaked.

 

“This is not what love is Charlotte!”

 

“But I do love you!”

 

“No! You’re obsessed with me! I’ve always treated you like my own sister, Charlotte! You were my family when I didn’t have any! I thought you could see that!”

 

“I want to be more than family, Minseok! Why can’t you see that? Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you!”

 

“You kicked out her knee Charlotte! Your heel cut her calf! She’s a dancer and you knew that! You purposely meant to hurt her in more ways than just physical! How the hell was any of that for me?!”

 

“You’re meant to be with me!!”

 

“Do you even hear yourself right now?!” Charlotte stood from the swing and stood directly in front of Minseok.

 

“I was there for you when no one else was,” she said quietly. “I’ve always been the one to support you, to help you, love you. I was your only shoulder to cry on.”

 

“No,” Minseok said trying to read her eyes, ones that he thought he knew so well. “You weren’t the only one.” Charlotte took a shaky breath and stepped back. Minseok continued:

 

“I had your brother before you. I had Junmyeon and Channie before you. I have Yoora, Jenni and Sehun now… I want to have Tylar now. I was hoping you would make room for her. You should’ve been the person I thought you were.”

 

Charlotte’s tears ran down her cheek and she made no move to wipe them. Minseok’s heart ached to see her cry. But it wasn’t enough to forgive her. And Charlotte knew that. She swallowed and took a breath, looking at the ground before returning to his eyes.

 

“What am I supposed to do?” she asked, her voice cracking. Minseok felt tears pricking at the corner of his eyes. For all the trouble that she’s caused, it was true that she was one of his best friends. She had been there for him. She was important to him. But she was taking things too far and ruining his life rather than helping it. He stared at her, both of them knowing the answer but both needed him to say it. He blinked away the tears, looking at the sky before back to her.

 

“Don’t come back to the coffee shop,” he started. “Erase my number.” Tears rolled softly down his cheeks as her’s blurred her vision. “Don’t talk to me anymore,” he finished trying to catch his breath. He swallowed the lump in his throat and turned his back on her and began walking away.

 

“So that’s it?!” Charlotte yelled at his back. “All the years, all the things we’ve been through together for some girl you barely know?! She’ll never love you like I love you! You can’t leave me like this!” Minseok stopped walking.

 

“I’m sorry,” he added quietly so she couldn’t hear and continued walking.

 

~୪~

 

You woke up late Sunday morning to the back of your knee throbbing. You lifted your blanket to see that the scab had been peeled off while you had slept. Nina was already up and watching the new drama ahead of you. You grabbed your phone and noticed you had a new text message.

The coast is clear. Coffee?