It was 3.50PM and I had about 40 minutes to get dressed and get my to that café Heejin proposed we go to but I was still lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, somehow fascinated with it. Then again 40 minutes was more than enough time considering the place was a mere three blocks down. And who knows if she didn’t turn up again so I didn’t see the reason to be early.

Fifteen minutes later I found myself staring at the mirror, fixing my hair and attempting to smooth the creases on my shirt with my own hands. Not exactly pleased with the guy that was staring back at me, I grabbed a red flannel from my wardrobe hoping that I’d look slightly more decent for a coffee date.

“So… who’s the unlucky girl this time, hyung?” Seungri jokingly asked. We dote on him a lot for he’s the youngest but sometimes I can’t help but feel the need to kick his face because this little doesn’t know how to mind his own business. “You can tell me anything, hyung, you know I care the most for you, right?” he said one time to Jiyong but we all know he’s just being nosy. “Hyuuuuuuuung, remember to introduce me to so-” I left the apartment before he could even finish his mindless bugging.

4.42PM and my face instantly lit up when I saw her alone in the café, looking really cute while being so engrossed in her phone. Playing a racing game, I assumed. I mentally slapped myself when I realized the huge grin plastered on my face and changed my expression before walking in.

“Hey.”

HeeJin's POV

“Hey.”

I can’t resurrect anymore. But I’m close to beating the high score. This is har- ALMOST LUCKY THERE JIN PLEASE a little bit more and-

“Heejin, Hey.”

“WHAT?? …oh. . Seunghyun. Sorry. Hey. I didn’t notice you were standing there sorry hmm take a seat let me get you something sorry I ordered first I was thirsty and I don’t know what you’d usually-“

“You know I find it really adorable that you tend to stutter and ramble when you’re nervous.”

“Pfft, I’m not nervous,” I protested but still couldn’t help but to smile at the guy. I smiled even wider when he unknowingly ordered the same drink as mine from the waitress. I’ve got to give him credit today. He looked good, effortlessly good. He always does but today was a little more.

“What are you smiling at?” he asked teasingly and just like that his eyes sparkled even more. He nodded when the same waitress delivered his drink and a plate of raspberry cheesecake. 

“Vanilla latte with two pumps of caramel?” I took a sip from my coffee and placed the mug back on the table. “It’s the only thing I drink, and I didn’t know there’s someone else who would order something that sweet too.”

“Let’s just say I really like my things sweet,” Seunghyun smirked and took a big bite of his cheesecake.

The soft mellow music hummed in the background as we discussed, and playfully argued, on governmental politics to Hollywood politics over diabetic coffees and too-sweet cheesecakes. Truth to be told, he didn’t feel like the Seunghyun I thought I knew. He was a whole lot different person. Someone down to earth, someone I could converse with easily. And this was oddly comfortable yet utterly frightening.

“Let’s go!” I stood up, picking up my bag and grabbing his arm soon after. He looked surprised and confused, possibly due to the sudden physical contact and my abrupt excitement. “I hope you didn’t think I was just asking you out for coffee? Come on now, let’s go!”

I glanced at my watch, close to 6.30PM. We had about two hours before the place I wanted to bring him next closes. We both walked in silence this time, and we knew it wasn’t one of those awkward silences. We talked enough back in the café.

20 minutes of walking and we finally reached one of my favourite places. Somewhere I would frequent if I needed to relieve some stress if late night partying wouldn’t suffice. I rarely brought anyone there with me. I would consider it a hideout. And to think I was bringing Seunghyun along made me slightly dizzy. Was I trying to open up to him? Was I forgetting the purpose of trying to get him?

I brushed the thoughts aside and dashed in, feeling exceptionally excited until I realized Seunghyun wasn’t anywhere near me. When I turned, he was still standing at the entrance, glancing the whole area and looking even more thrilled than when I brought him out of the café earlier on.

“What? Don’t tell me you have never been to an arcade?” I asked, hands on my hips, prepared to hear an answer I already assumed.

“No way, you have just met a strong opponent and you’re going down, sugar,” With that, Seunghyun rushed in, immediately choosing all the different games to play. I giggled at his childish behaviour which was weirdly… attractive.

“Right, and you said you were a strong opponent,” I made a remark as I was again winning to the few rounds of Street Fighter. I laughed at how he was losing in almost every game we have played so far. My comment had probably ignited the spark of intensive competition as his eyes were suddenly burning with the desire to win.

“Do you live here or what? It’s not possible that you win me in every game! You’re secretly cheating, I know you are cheating!” He complained after each time I managed to beat him in a game. Then he would proceed to stare at the screen for ten seconds and started pouting after the reality of him losing sank in.

“Final round, whoever loses has to fulfill the winner’s wish. Deal?” Seunghyun proposed, and I scoffed at his suggestion. This boy was asking for trouble. I nodded confidently, though, since he had been losing. The final round of Chun-Li and Bison started, and we were so immersed in the game that we lost track of time.

“WAIT, NO, HOW DID YOU… WHAT THE , SEUNGHYUN???” I shrieked, pointing at the screen and staring at him in disbelief. Seven rounds of winning on a streak and I had to lose in the final one?

“Ah… I should consider being an actor since I’m that good in acting,” he smirked arrogantly with his arms crossed.

“It was all a lie?! How dare you?! You cheater! Fine, dinner’s on you!” I nudged his arm and stomped off the arcade. Before my foot was out of the door, I spinned around and with my finger pointing at him, “and I’m going to order everything on the menu!” I finally walked out, cheeks all puffed out and gave out a long devastating sigh. Of course I was bitter that he lied throughout the whole game but I felt even more embarrassed at how I thought I was a better player than him. It wasn’t helping that he couldn’t stop his stupid laughter at the back.

The table was filled with food. I made him order pretty much everything on the menu. Finishing it all up was another question but considering I had to fulfill his god knows what wish later, I might as well execute a simple punishment for what he had done in the arcade.

I was busy shoving down the pizza down my throat when I heard a familiar voice from my side. “Heejin? Is that you?” I slowly turned to the direction of the voice and when I saw who it was, the pizza suddenly didn’t seem anywhere near appetizing. Yonghwa. My ex-boyfriend. Or ex-date. To be honest, even I didn’t know what he was to me.

“Still as gorgeous. Oh, who do we have here? Your new play toy, hmm?” He sneered. ing . Things ended rather awfully between us but that didn’t give him the consent for his downright stupid attitude. Despite it all, I gave a reluctant smile, trying my upmost best to tolerate him in hopes that he would leave. “What did you buy for her? Designer bags? Drinks when she’s out partying? Managed to her yet? She played so hard to get then when I tried to…” Yonghwa abruptly stopped his sentence with a sinister laughter. “Oh no, lover boy doesn’t know anything about you, does he? Poor boy, probably don’t know what he has gotten himself into,” I slammed my fist on the table and left the scene immediately, afraid he would continue spurting out more words I didn’t need to hear.

I felt so stupid. I knew he was going to spoil everything for me. ing life-ruiner. After the break up, he continued harassing me every now and then, telling me that I would regret all the things I had done to him. Seunghyun would know the truth and suddenly I felt a strange tightening in my chest. It was just a game, anyway. Right? He was bound to know. But if that was the case, what was the reason for these unexpected tears that were slowly falling involuntarily?

I felt somebody grabbing my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

"Why leave so soon, sweetheart?" His tone was sarcastic. I tried shaking my hands off his grip but not only did I fail in doing so, it became tighter and he spun me around to face him. "Look at me, Heejin. I'm not done with you yet. Believe me when I say you’re gonna regret everything. I'm here to make sure you can never experience happiness, at least not without me," he said lowly, staring at me with eyes so cold and harsh.

"Let go of her." We both turned to see Seunghyun glaring at Yonghwa fiercely. I looked away immediately, not having the courage to face him after knowing that he was possibly aware of what I had done.

“Still blinded, I see? Aww, lover’s boy really into you, baby,” I tried pulling away but his grip still wouldn’t loosen. Witnessing this scene was the last thing I needed.

"I said let go of her now before I-“

“Before what? Let me tell you one thing. She’s a player. She’ll entertain you and then make you believe that she’s really in love with you. Once she gets the fun, she will dump you. Easy. Consider this as me being nice enough to tell you what’s up.”

He loosened the grip and left Seunghyun and I there but I was still rooted to the ground, shaken over what had just happened.