Last day of detention…

Finally.

“I hope to never see you for detention again. Swear to me that you two will not be caught in trouble again. Please.” Ms. Hong spoke as she looked up at me and Changmin standing in front of her desk.

We nodded in unison.

She waved her hand, signaling for us to leave.

As we left her office, I took out my phone and checked the message from Jaejoong.

JaeJae

Won’t be at Constellation again. Don’t wait.

I sighed and shoved my phone back inside my pocket. I haven't seen him in days...

“JinAh-sshi…” I heard Changmin call me. So I stopped and turned around.

“Are you going to Constellation today?” he asked.

There was a soft and likeable stir in my tummy that made me nod reluctantly.

“I was thinking… uh… would you mind if we walk together?”

That soft stir became a whole earthquake in my system, “No, I don’t mind! S-sure!” I replied.

The walk out the gate was quiet, but it wasn’t awkward at all.

I dug my face deeper into the thick scarf I was wearing and placed my gloved hands together.

“Aren’t you cold, Changmin-sshi?” I turned to him.

He also had half his face covered by his scarf, “just a little” he spoke amusingly.

We stared at each other for a moment and then burst into laughter.

None of us were comfortable walking in the cold almost-winter air but we still pursued the 30 minute torture of a walk towards the café.

“I don’t think we should do this again…” Changmin breathed out.

I turned my head towards him, “which?”

“Walking from school to the café… when it’s THIS cold” he shivered as he spoke.

I skipped ahead of him before facing him again, “I think we should, especially when it starts to snow.”

“You do it alone.” He shook.

I couldn’t help but smile at his pink cheeks and slightly shivering figure. Turning around, I quickened my pace and jogged towards the café.

“Hey wait up!” he followed.

I pushed the door and the bell rang. The warm air and relaxing aroma of coffee surrounded us.

After waving to the barista, I quickly went to the locker room to change. Changmin, on the other hand took his seat at his usual place.

Something in me felt different. I felt happy, relieved and just a tad bit bouncy. The regular customers said I had a different sparkle in my eye today while others found it just good service.

“JinAh-sshi.” Yui-unnie stood beside me with her hands clapped together right in front of her face, “JinAh-sshi… could you please close up tonight? Jaejoong left the key with me but he didn’t even ask me if I could close up, I have to stay with my little brother tonight because he’s in the hospital and my other sister has to work at night-“

“I’ll close up.” I nodded.

She shoved the keys into my hands and hugged me tight, “Thank you! Thank you! I owe you.” After saying that, she left for the locker room.

The sun was setting and the number of customers was decreasing.

“Aren’t you going home yet?” I called to the guy sitting beside the window.

He didn’t look at me and continued to slide his fingers on the screen of his phone.

“Changmin-sshi!” I yelled.

Still didn’t look at me.

“Changmin-ah! Aren’t you going home yet?!” I spoke even louder.

He rested his chin on his hand and faced me, “I’ll go home when you do.”

My heart stopped for a moment.

No one ever offered to stay until I left. They’ve had me close up the shop a two, three times but that only happened because Jae had to attend something urgent. They’d all leave while I pack up my things then I’d lock up, walk to the car and wake the driver up to get me home.

“Why? You don’t get free drinks when you stay late.” I told him.

He let out a chuckle and shook his head. Then he turned his attention back to his phone.

The remaining staff began to shuffle out after cleaning up and checking all the necessary things. Changmin bowed and greeted them goodnight as they went out the door.

“I thought you didn’t have manners…” I grumbled at him as I went towards the door.

He raised an eyebrow at me, “what gave you that idea?”

“School. First day. You and Eunmi.”

I dug my hand in my bag, searching for the keys.

“I never meant that, I was having a bad day…” he sighed.

“Mhm, okay.” I nodded as I placed my hand in my pocket, I felt the keys and immediately pulled them out.

I lifted my bag towards Changmin and he took it, “She didn’t hate me for it…”

The lock clicked and I pulled the key from the hole, “She didn’t, but I did.”

Turning to him to get my bag, I caught sight of his face.

“I figured that much.” He coldly replied, shoving my bag in my hands.

The key clinked as it hit the ground.

We both bent down to pick it up and ended up bumping our heads.

I stood straight and rubbed my head while he continued to get the key.

“I thought you were just like the other guys in our class. Haughty, egoistic, rich douche bags-“ Changmin looked at me as he stood straight, his hand extending towards me as I spoke, “but then you apologized. And I realized you were still that guy who sat beside the window, drinking Caramel macchiato”

His features softened as I took the keys from his hands. But that soft look in his eyes quickly transitioned to an arrogant stare, “So… you’ve been watching me all this time?” he smirked.

“Ya!” I swung my bag at him, hitting his arm.

He laughed and his eyes were uneven again. Something about it made me feel like smiling too.

“Changmin-sshi, your mother’s here. It’s time to go home.”

A deep voice halted our laughter.

I turned to where the sound came from and saw a buff tan-skinned man dressed in a tux.

“Let me walk her to the car.” Changmin’s voice was cold and a little cautious. He was hiding the fear in his voice but it was still mildly evident.

I walked ahead, Changmin just a bit behind me. I could feel the gaze of his driver or bodyguard or whatever that big man was to him, burning the back of my head.

“T-thanks for accompanying me today… uh… see you tomorrow.” I hesitantly spoke.

He nodded at me and left, his footsteps heavy as he walked towards the big man.

The backseat window rolled down and I saw a woman, she looked like your stereotype chaebol mom from the k-dramas. She gave a smile at Changmin before the big man ushered him in. Her smile wasn’t the warm kind a mother gives to her child when they come home. It was different and it gave me goosebumps.

Or maybe that’s just the cold air?

Changmin looked back at me and softly smiled as his car moved forward.