After he got his drink, Jaemin bid the two employees farewell and headed off. Now that he knew his best friend was safe (because who the hell texts as messily as him? Jaemin’s figured out by now how to decipher his friend’s digital chicken scratches). He still had some places he needed to stop by before going to the library to study. Next, Jaemin went to a bookstore that was a few blocks away from the cafe. It was quite large and the bell echoed as Jaemin entered the shop. All he needed was to buy this Moleskine notebook for Renjun as a gift who was still in China. Going the the counter to pay, he was met with an unfamiliar face.

Her name was Hina. She was cute. Jaemin thought so.

He went to grab some his wallet but he felt the small crumple. Jaemin felt his eye twitch at the reminder.

The note.

The brunet already decided he wasn't going to fuss over it until later. One of his headaches had already been figured out, Jaemin just needs to find out what the hell is happening with Mark.

He exited the store before the conversation with the cashier lasted a little too long.

It was a little bit past 4:30 and the sun had already started to set and the biting started to card through the rows of people on the downtown sidewalks. Jaemin thanks the fact they were experiencing a very early chinook, so that made the air less painful to breath in. He favours the his lukewarm drink and the sweet scent that emanates from the cup in his gloved hands. Walking at a leisurely stroll, he passes many people engrossed in their own lives.

A woman walking her dog; she seemed warm, the dog looked like he wanted to go home. A girls basketball team, at least that’s what their headbands and now dirtied court shoes suggested. They lost their coach from what he could hear. Jaemin recalls being with a relationship with three of the players.

Their time together added up to a week and a half. Not for each, but overall.

They left after he told them he was biual. That was five years ago. Grade eight was one hell of a after the rumor came out.

Ha, how fitting.

Jaemin was promptly shoved out of his thoughts when he nearly ran into a bike rack.

    “,” he muttered under his breath, and brushed off the snow that caught onto his jacket.

He looked down and the snow in the pavement in front of him had splotches of brown and the hot chocolate that dripped onto his gloves told him where it had come from. Jaemin sighed in relief as the notebook in his other hand is still in good condition.

The sun was sinking past the horizon quickly and the large amount of clouds that littered the blue made the sky seem darker.

Jaemin continued to walk briskly to the library where he was planning to stay until about seven. The traffic slowly started to get even busier and he was cautious in crossing the roads, not wanting to end up like the white bunny that camouflaged with the snow, only the redness of the blood that seeped from its stomach giving it away. The sky continued to darken but the rising amount of cars provided too much light for the already bright streets.

The brunet was nearing the library. His drink had been finished some time ago and he felt energized from the chocolate to study. He felt a small twinge from his foot and it reminded him of that he needed to pick up new figure skates from store. 

Jaemin went into an alley as it was his usual shortcut to the place and there was a stairway from the back that led him directly to the second floor of the library where he would usually study. The librarian didn’t really mind, especially since she was the one who showed him the route. She told him she was getting tired of him running through the library to claim his spot first. But whenever Jaemin would come to the library with anyone- whether it be a study date or a group session- he never goes through there. The alleyway wasn’t the widest but it was wide enough for at least three people to stand shoulder to shoulder, and once you were in, there diverges that led to streets, tunnels or stores. A lot of people saw it was sketchy but it was safe (for Jaemin at least).

He went into the alley and the sounds around him seemed to immediately be drowned out by the tall walls that surrounded him. There was little to no light so he took out his phone and  the flashlight.

The ground crunched underneath him and his footsteps were all that he heard, until another came along.