3. Ladies' Brunch

It was 9:45 AM and Seulgi was glad to see that she followed her schedule perfectly when she parked her car in the parking lot of the closest Starbucks she could find. Considering how close it was to Wendy's place, she would definitely reach her destination by 10:00, which was what she had planned all along. She turned off the engine and unbuckled her seatbelt before revising the things she had to do for the day in her head.

Seulgi was wrapped in an oversized sweater with some jeans but she still couldn't help being cold although it was just September and the weather was still nice. There was indeed a cold breeze as the sun had yet to come out behind all the clouds that were threatening to lash out a heavy amount of rain onto the city, but then again Seulgi was never one to handle the cold really well. She ran past many cars and rushed to go inside to get a little warmth.

She was welcomed by the familiar and comforting strong smell of coffee and pastries and she unconsciously smiled at the thought of a nice breakfast in bed.

"Next time," she said. "I'll do that Saturday morning."

She slowly made her way to the counter and waited behind a bunch of people that maybe had the intention of forming a structured line but only got a messy pack of busybodies moving around to get their order.

Busy hours? Seulgi wondered. Shouldn't people be at work or even school by now?

She looked around to see what the commotion was all about until her eyes landed on the pumpkin spice latte's come back advertising sign on the door.

Of course, Seulgi internally sighed.

She got squeezed twice between two tall men trying to pass to get some sugar for their coffee and a woman in her mid-thirties trampling on her foot before reaching the counter. It was war.

"Hi how can I help you?"

"Oh good morning," Seulgi let out with a relieved sigh, glad that she left the slight chaos going on in the shop behind her. "It's a busy morning."

"I'm sorry, I cannot hear you," yelled the young female employee dressed with the famous green apron in front of her over the loud chattering of the customers in the café.

"Never mind," Seulgi quickly dismissed to not become a burden. "I'll take 2 lemon raspberry loafs and a warm salted caramel mocha. Grande," she specified before the woman could ask.

"We are out of lemon raspberry loafs."

"Then 2 cranberry orange scones."

"That too," she said while nervously eyeing the amount of people behind Seulgi.

"Oh then, hm…" Seulgi pondered out loud as her eyes ran over the menu on the black board. "I'll take blueberry scones."

The employee looked at her with a sorry look and Seulgi could only sigh.

A woman with a suit stepped in front and stared at Seulgi impatiently before mumbling a few words that didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Do you have anything?" Seulgi asked now feeling more sorry for the girl who would have to deal with the idiot behind her than being annoyed.

"We have croissants."

Seulgi sighed again but still complied before paying and making her way to the side to wait for her order.

She took out her phone and started texting Wendy.

They only had croissants. And I'll be late, it took more time than I expected to order three things.

9:54 AM

Croissants? Settling for less again, I see.

9:54 AM

Seulgi scoffed as she knew what her friend was referring to.

That was uncalled for, I am blocking you next time.

9:55 AM

You can't. You're weak.

9:55 AM

Don't test me Son Seungwan. I'll leave your mocha on the counter and bring you plain croissants for breakfast.

9:57 AM

It's a brunch Seulgi, we are brunching. And you can't. You wouldn't dare.

9:58 AM

Seulgi was about to retort back but crashed onto another person's back while moving forward and texting at the same time. She wanted to apologize but the person hadn't even realized her presence and continued to mind their own business.

As she recognized some dark strands of hair and a familiar scent of mild soap, Seulgi slowly moved to the side and took a few steps to the front to have a better view of the male she hit.

She contained a loud gasp when she recognized Jongin's side profile and scurried to the side to avoid being seen by him.

WEEEEENDY ALSKDHF

10:01 AM

It's okay Seulgi, you can't always be on time. It's okay to be late Miss Perfectionist.

10:01 AM

THAy'S NOT WHAT IMA TALINF ABIUT.

10:02 AM

What's wrong with you? Feeling suddenly illiterate?

10:02 AM

ISt' A CRISIS! KIMG JONGIN!IS HERE.!

10:02 AM

Jesus, Seulgi. I don't speak keyboard smashing fluently. Call me.

10:03 AM

I can't I am undercover. He doesn't know I am here. I bumped into him while waiting for your coffee.

10:04 AM

Good, then continue being undercover or whatever that is and bring me my coffee while avoiding your ex.

10:05 AM

Seulgi could only do a long eye roll at her friend. Wendy was seriously starting to pick on Chanyeol's personality.

And why is it taking them so long? Did they forget my drink? Seulgi file a complaint.

10:05 AM

Seulgi turned off her phone's screen as she continued to eye Jongin from the back and recounting how many times her luck had failed her in the previous month. She had successfully avoided the three of them for a whole week which seemed like nothing compared to all the years they spent away from each other before the wedding but she guessed Lady Luck wasn't on her side anymore.

If it weren't for Chanyeol's promise of telling her whenever he was hanging out with his friends at home or where to not go as they were near her after he betrayed her for Sehun last week, Seulgi would have probably met them on a regular basis. And that was out of the question.

But here she was, hiding from one of them in a Starbucks of all places, waiting for a coffee that wasn't even hers and that was way long overdue. He was wearing a black turtleneck with some black jeans and a dark brown suede jacket. And some specs.

He's wearing his glasses oh, Seulgi internally screamed. They were both half blind and chose to wore contacts to go out of the house, and that was something they always had in common that made Seulgi feel closer to him. She had a soft spot for this look since there were only a few times she could recall having seen him with them.

She cautiously took a step closer, only to be able to see him better and turned around every time he looked up from his phone to check if his order was ready. He ran his hand through his soft and long dark hair before taking a few steps to the front to stand right in front of the place reserved to people who had already ordered on the counter. Seulgi squealed a bit when he came closer to where she was but still managed to hide herself behind a few people.

He's really going to stand out like this and make me anxious by doing absolutely nothing? Seulgi thought. Unfair, that's so unfair.

She successfully stayed undercover for a while and only realized now that she had been waiting almost 15 minutes for a single cup of coffee.

Are they making the coffee or planning to go all the way to South America to plant some Colombian beans?

Seulgi laughed at her own joke but turned sour the moment she heard her name being yelled all over the loud chattering of the store. She recognized the same employee who took her order before, now holding a cup with her name on it and yelling "Seulgi! Seulgi!" on a steady rhythm.

"You must be kidding me," Seulgi let out while shaking in her spot.

What was the undercover for when there was a person yelling her name all over the shop right in front of Jongin.

"Ah there you are!" the same girl said before breaking into a warm smile after everyone moved aside to see who 'Seulgi' was.

Seulgi forcibly walked to the front and reached the counter in no time, well aware of the curious stare Jongin was giving her from aside.

"I've been calling your name for like ten minutes! Were you hiding?"

"No way," Seulgi awkwardly laughed while taking the cup from the girl's hands. "Thank you. I'm sorry I-I probably missed it the first time you called," she stuttered.

She tried to walk towards the exit with her hands busy with the now lukewarm drink and the sack of croissants by slightly pushing aside the people blocking the way.

"Here let me help you," Jongin said after rushing to open the door for her.

"T-thank you," she stuttered again.

By the time they were out, Seulgi realized that she couldn't just run to her car and leave him like that, which made her feel more unlucky.

He smiled at her, waiting for her to say something.

"How are you?" Seulgi said after debating whether or not to start a conversion she knew she didn't want to have.

"Fine and you?"

"Fine."

They stayed in this awkward silence for a bit and Seulgi took it as a chance to find an excuse and pretend that she really had to go.

"I'm sorry I really—"

"What did you order?" he asked at the same time.

Really? Seulgi thought, feeling like she was definitely wasting her time now. He was trying to keep the conversation going with anything at this point.

"Oh nothing, there wasn't much available."

"You too? I came in and only got some Lemon Raspberry loafs when I asked for chocolate brownies."

Seulgi gaped a bit but regained her composure right away.

Either he was the customer who got the last loafs or the female employee rolled her over to give them to the handsome guy. Honestly, she had a hunch that it was the second option that got her to have plain croissants for brunch.

"Interesting," she nodded, not really paying attention.

"So are you coming?"

"Coming where?" she asked taken aback.

"To Baekhyun's party," he told her with the hint of a smile that probably meant that he had realized she hadn't been listening for a while but still continued to talk.

Seulgi's eyes widened. How did they get to this after talking about pastries?

"Hm, no, I don't think I have the time to, I'm really busy with work," she blurted out while faking a sorry expression.

"But it's Saturday. Do you work on Saturdays?

"No," Seulgi slipped. "I mean yes, I don't know?" she awkwardly lied.

"Chanyeol said you worked in an office though. Aren't you free during the weekend?"

"Well yes, but…" Seulgi rambled, still trying to find an excuse. "I don't think I can."

"Why?" Jongin genuinely asked.

"Because I don't want to," Seulgi said with more confidence.

Wendy was right, she had to step up if she didn't to be called weak or be stepped on. Jongin eyed her with surprise before nodding, accepting what seemed like her final decision.

"Baekhyun hyung is gonna be sad, though," he shrugged before looking back to his car. "He really wanted to invite you but he said he couldn't contact you so I thought I could try."

Seulgi followed his eyes and frowned when she saw Baekhyun sitting in the passenger seat of Jongin's car, playing on his phone. They did hang out together a lot after all.

"That's too bad," Seulgi said absentmindedly while taking a step towards her car.

"Another time maybe?" he smiled at her as he understood the conversation was coming to an end.

"I don't think so," Seulgi mumbled as she walked away.

Seulgi got to her car in a matter of second, opened the door, secured the coffee in the place assigned for it beside her and checked the time after buckling her seat belt.

10:31 AM

"Gosh, I am more than late."

She the engine and started driving to Wendy's apartment that was 5 minutes aways.

. . .

"I told you your undercover stuff was useless," Wendy said before placing a steaming cup of black coffee beside Seulgi's plate on the table.

"No, you told me that whatever it was, I could keep doing it as long as I would bring you your coffee, which I did."

"Same difference: whatever it was means that it was useless."

"Well it doesn't matter because I still had to talk to him and it was awkward," Seulgi said after munching on some bacon. "Can you pass me the strawberries Seungwan?"

"I told you to call me Wendy," the shorter girl complained after handing to Seulgi a plate of nicely cut fruits.

"Just because you studied abroad for a few years doesn't mean I can't call you Seungwan," Seulgi said. "Seungwan, Wendy, same difference," she mimicked.

Wendy scrunched her nose at her friend but let it go at that with a sigh.

"What did you talk about?"

"There's apparently a party."

"Oh, Baekhyun's party?"

"How do you know?" Seulgi frowned.

"That's the only thing Chanyeol talks about nowadays."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Would you be interested?"

"No," Seulgi answered as soon.

"See?" Wendy said before taking a piece of her croissa