Give him some time.

‘Until when should I give him some time to think?’ Seyoon asked herself.

Two days had already passed and the longer it took, the more awkward their situation had become. It was on the first day where she skipped lunch and spent the whole lunch time with Kai. And then, they bumped to Luhan on their way back to their class but Luhan refused to talk to her.

On the second day, she saw Luhan at the entrance gate where he used to wait every morning. But as usual, he avoided having eye contact with her. Instead, he continued talking to some of his fan girls. He joined their lunch that day but everyone – except for Xiumin and Lay, who still didn’t seem to know a thing – knew how terribly awkward the ambience was. Luhan sat where he usually sits, beside Chanyeol. But unlike his talkative self, Luhan remained silent the whole time. If it weren’t for Chanyeol and Baekhyun, who tried on making the atmosphere livelier, it would totally be a silent, eerie lunch. What Seyoon was bothered more was that Luhan also stopped talking to her friends even though they really had nothing to do with this whole problem. She felt guilty that their whole friendship was affected by this.

But what was surprising and at the same time, Seyoon was thankful for was that Kai was with her the whole time, consoling her that everything would be alright.

 

~.*.~

“Hey, are you doing something after school?” Kai asked Seyoon after they saw each other on their way to their class after lunch.

“No, none that I think of. Why?”

“Ahh...” Seyoon looked at Kai. Even Chanyeol looked at him, waiting for what he was going to say. He seemed hesitant to say it.

“Yah, we still have our next class. Tell us what you’re going to tell us,” Chanyeol said to him.

“Hmm. Whatever. I’ll just see you after class,” Kai said to Seyoon.

“Eh? What are you going to do with Seyoon?” Chanyeol asked him. “What about me?” Chanyeol pleaded, pouting his lips which made Kai cringed because of its gawkiness.

“Don’t make that face. It doesn’t really look cute. I think bawdy is the right term,” Kai said to him. Chanyeol heard Seyoon chuckled on the corner.

“Hmpf!” Chanyeol snorted.

“Besides, it’s none of your business,” Kai said.

“None of my business? Yah, whatever Seyoon does with you is my concern. So, whatever it is, I should know,” Chanyeol replied.

“Huh? Since when has it been your concern?” Kai asked.

“Since always!”

“Yah, yah, yah,” Seyoon couldn’t help but interfere between the two of them. If she wouldn’t do anything, the two would surely crash their heads any second. “Kai, whatever it is that you are planning to do, I think there’s nothing wrong bringing Chanyeol over, right?” she asked Kai. Chanyeol had the biggest grin he could pull of which made Kai irritated somehow but he had no choice.

“Alright,” Kai said before giving Chanyeol a death glare which Chanyeol replied with sticking his tongue out.

---

Kai waited outside the school patiently. He didn’t know if what he was planning would work but somehow he was sure this as for now, this was the best thing he could help. He smiled when he saw Seyoon coming out, but it turned into a scowl when Chanyeol came after her. And he could see the taller boy’s smile extending beyond his ears as he talked to Seyoon. Chanyeol even put his arm on Seyoon’s shoulder as they walked.

“Aish…” Kai grunted.

 “You should learn how to play the…Oh Kai!” Chanyeol shouted as he saw Kai looking at them. “We are just talking about –”

“Let’s go,” Kai said as he pulled Seyoon from Chanyeol’s arm, totally ignoring the taller guy.

“Yah, wait for me!” Chanyeol shouted.

---

“Seriously, where exactly are we going? We’ve been walking for who knows how long,” Chanyeol complained.

“Then, you shouldn’t come in the first place,” Kai said to him.

“Ei! Seyoon, did you hear that? Kai is teasing me again,” Chanyeol said as he went behind Seyoon’s back and pointed his finger to Kai who was obviously pissed off.

“Whatever. We’re here if that’s what you want,” Kai said to them.

Chanyeol and Seyoon lifted their heads to see a small building. With its red-bricked walls, green vines that covered a part of it, and the tables and chairs outside, Chanyeol and Seyoon would guess that it was definitely a restaurant or a chic café.

“I’ve never been to this place before,” Chanyeol said.

“Is this a café?” Seyoon asked Kai.

“Hmm…you’ll see. Let’s go,” he replied as he put his hands on Seyoon’s back and pushed her inside the mysterious whatever-it-may-be establishment.

---

“A pet shop?” asked Chanyeol and Seyoon as they entered and saw dogs of different breed, sizes, and color inside.

“It’s not just an ordinary pet shop,” Kai said to them.

“It’s a pet café,” said a woman who Chanyeol and Seyoon assumed was on her mid-twenties. She was wearing a fashionable white polo, tight-fitted pastel-colored pants, and whooping high heels. But above it all was a white coat which, Chanyeol knew, was only worn by doctors. “I see you bring your friends here,” she said to Kai.

“Ah yes. These are Seyoon and Chanyeol. She is Jessica-noona. She is the assigned manager of this café. And she is also a veterinarian,” Kai said to them.

“Nice to meet you,” Chanyeol and Seyoon greeted.

“Take your seat. I’ll bring your drinks. What do you want?” she asked.

“Ahh…tea is fine for me,” said Seyoon.

“Me too,” said Chanyeol.

“Orange juice,” said Kai. Jessica nodded as she left the three of them.

“Woah, there are a lot of puppies here,” Seyoon exclaimed.

“I know. They just started this café a week ago. The best thing about this café is that you could play with –”

“Look Seyoon! Does that puppy look like Baekhyun?!” Chanyeol shouted as he grabbed one of the puppies with curly golden fur and small eyes.

‘How many times does he have to interrupt every time I’ll talk?’ Kai asked as he looked at Chanyeol, frowning. Then he saw Seyoon approached Chanyeol and played with the puppy. Kai heaved a sigh. ‘Whatever. As long as she’s enjoying it,’ he thought.

“He’s cute,” Seyoon said. Both Chanyeol and Seyoon started playing with puppies that they sat on the floor with them, totally forgetting their drinks.

“That’s a miniature poodle. We also have pug, coonhound, dachshund, terrier, retriever, Chihuahua. We have a lot of breeds here,” Jessica said to them.

Kai approached Seyoon who seemed to enjoy playing with a particular puppy. “That’s a teacup poodle,” Kai said to her.

“Wow. You sure know a lot about dogs,” she said to Kai.

“Well, not really. It’s just that –”

“Seyoon! This dog looks like you,” Chanyeol went to them, carrying a Yorkshire terrier.

“One more time and I’m going to kill this giraffe,” Kai whispered.

“What? What are you saying Kai?” asked Chanyeol.

“Nothing. I’m glad you’re enjoying playing with the puppies,” Kai replied with a fake smile.

“Jessica-noona, do they have names?” Chanyeol asked Jessica.

“Well, some of them already have names. But since some are just new-born puppies, we let our customers name them. The one you’re holding doesn’t have a name,” she said.

Suddenly, Chanyeol’s face brightened. “Seyoon…”

“Hmm?”

“Do you want me to name this Yorkshire terrier for you?” he asked Seyoon.

“Sure! Are you going to name it after me?” she asked.

“Hmm…I have a better name in mind,” Chanyeol replied with a smile.

“What is it?” she asked.

“YoonYeol!”

“YoonYeol?” Seyoon asked.

“Yes! YoonYeol! You know, it’s the combination of –”

“What a terrible name!” Kai said to him. Chanyeol glared at him and went back to Seyoon.

“It’s a good name Seyoon, right? Tell me. Besides, I am the first one to find it so I’ll be the one giving it a name,” Chanyeol pouted.

“I think it’s a cute name,” Seyoon said to Chanyeol as she patted the dog’s head. “From now on, you are YoonYeol,” she said to the puppy. Chanyeol and Seyoon continued playing with the dog as if it was their baby which disgusted Kai for some reason.

“Hmpf. YoonYeol…what a lame name,” he mumbled.

“Look! This dog has wide eyes like Kyungsoo and dark fur like,” Seyoon and Chanyeol looked at Kai and they were not sure if they’re going to say it or not.

“What are you looking at? Dark fur like Kai’s dark skin is that what you’re implying?” he asked them.

“Very clever Kkamjong!” Chanyeol replied with a thumb up.

“I think I know the perfect name for it,” Seyoon said, holding her chin as she looked at Chanyeol. “Do you want us to say it together?” she asked. Chanyeol nodded with a smile. “One, two…”

“KaiSoo!” both shouted but somehow they also heard Kai’s voice which brought the three into tears of laughter.

“Haha! Naming puppies is surely fun,” Seyoon said.

“I’m happy you like it here,” Kai said to her.

Time had passed and the three seemed to enjoy their play with the dogs. Chanyeol and Kai kept on playing with the dog as they let them raced and see who would approach the finish line first. Seyoon, on the other hand, was playing with some dogs at the corner but one dog caught her attention.

“This one looks like…”

“That looks like Kai, right?” Jessica said as she approached her. Seyoon nodded at her as she kept playing with the dog.

“It actually has a name,” Jessica continued.

“Really? What is it?” Seyoon asked her.

“SooIn,” Jessica replied.

“SooIn?” Seyoon asked. Jessica nodded.

“Yes, SooIn. My sister and Kai named it when she brought Kai here for the first time,” she said to her.

“Your sister?”

“Soo Jung. I believe she used Krystal as her nickname in school,” Jessica said to her.

Seyoon’s smile suddenly faded upon hearing Krystal’s name. ‘Maybe that’s the reason why Kai is suddenly into dogs. I never see him being interested to dogs before. Krystal must be the reason,’ she thought.

“Those two really look close. By any chance, do you have an idea if they are dating or not?” Jessica asked her. “Because when I asked my sister about it, she would never tell a thing so I thought that maybe you knew.”

“Ahh…I actually don’t know,” Seyoon replied.

“Ohh, alright. Or, are you, by any chance, Kai’s girlfriend? Because you also looked close to each other and the way he stares at you…”

“No! No. No, we’re not. Please don’t misunderstand it. We’re just close friends. That’s all,” Seyoon replied nervously.

“Sorry. I think I am just thinking too much. Kai seems to be close to the girls he’s bringing here.”

“Ah…He’s just naturally friendly,” Seyoon said, hoping that she covered it perfectly for Kai.

Suddenly, she heard Kai calling her name as he approached her while carrying another teacup poodle with him. This time, the poodle has wide eyes and white curly furs. Jessica already left the two and went to Chanyeol to talk.

“This poodle looks cute, isn’t it?” Kai said with a smile tugged on his face. Seyoon noticed how Kai looked like a child as he happily played with the puppy.

‘He must really like puppies because of Krystal,’ she thought. “Yes, that looks cute,” she said to Kai, forcing a smile on her face.

“I wanted to give it a name but I want to ask you first,” Kai said to her.

“Hmm? What is it?”

Seyoon noticed that Kai’s face started to blush but he started to take a deep breath as he spoke. “KaiYoon…” he said with his head lowered down.

“KaiYoon? Oh!”

“Why? Do you know what it means?” Kai asked her, nervous but glad at the same time, hoping that Seyoon would know it but also hoping that she wouldn’t misunderstand and it was just a friendly name.

“Of course I know what it means. It’s the combination of your name and…” Kai looked at her keenly as he held his breath. “Yoona-unnie of SNSD. I knew it! I know you’re a big fan of Yoona of SNSD. And naming a dog after your name and hers? Brilliant!”

Kai looked at her with his mouth gaping. ‘She totally misunderstood it,’ he shouted inside his head. “No! It’s not what it is!” Kai said to her. He didn’t know if what he felt was irritation and frustration and a dash of disappointment. ‘Did you just become airheaded like Chanyeol?’ he thought.

“Don’t be shy. I know that was it. I always hear you playing their song while you’re in your room.”

“No. It’s actually my name and –”

“Seyoon! Look at this puppy. He has Baekhyun’s eyes and has ears as huge as mine. What do you think is his name?” Chanyeol said, suddenly popped out of nowhere.

“BaekYeol!” Chanyeol and Seyoon both shouted happily. Seyoon stood up as she went to Chanyeol to play with the rest of the puppy.

“It’s the combination of Kai and Seyoon,” Kai mumbled on the corner.

~.*.~

 

It was already the third day and Seyoon felt that she couldn’t take it anymore. So, she decided to talk to Luhan after school whether he liked it or not.

---

After school, Luhan was already on his way out of their classroom door when someone grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to whoever-knew-where-that-was place. Some of the girls started whispering to each other.

Kai wasn’t able to see the reason for some of the squealing girls or Luhan’s sudden disappearance, but somehow he already had a hint of who it was or she was. ‘Seyoon…’

---

Although Seyoon was a bit shy for the sudden attention she was getting for grabbing Luhan’s hand and walking to the room she intended to bring him, she had no choice but to do it. It was just this lunch time that Luhan started to skip lunch again and Xiumin even mentioned that he was also skipping dinner in their dorm. Seyoon didn’t want to be the reason for Luhan’s decline of health and she really couldn’t take the awkwardness of the whole situation so she was doing it as if it was a matter of now-or-never situation.

When there were no any other students in sight anymore, she brought Luhan to a hallway leading to another room. Seyoon opened the door to the student council room which was empty at that time because they didn’t have any meeting whatsoever and pushed Luhan inside as she closed the door. She hoped that no one had seen them going inside or if ever there were, she hoped that they wouldn’t misunderstand her intention.

As she was about to turn and faced Luhan, she suddenly felt Luhan’s arms encircling her, pulling her into a tight embrace.