chapter seven; 
                  sweater

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Really! Couldn't he have gone to a different bubble tea shop? After the taste of trouble at the fan meeting, I really didn't want any more. If I was seen with them, I’d be a goner for sure! I drop my eyes, studying the tapioca as I tried my best not to catch their eyes or attention.

Bzzzzzzz.

If it was one thing I hated about summer, it was the bugs. That was why I favored winter more where all bugs were dead to the world. And snow. Who doesn't like snow? It's beautiful and the holidays always bring people closer together.

Bzzzzzz.

I frown. The fly was really bothering me. I moved my head aside, making a face. Still, it decided to hover over our heads and drinks, making it more irritating for me to stay quiet. I swatted at it, wanting to kill the pesky thing but the more I swatted at it, the higher it flew. I waved my arms, shooing the bug away when something catches my eye.

"Hey!" Seungcheol eyes brighten up as he waves at me.

"Why is he waving at me?" I whispered from behind my smile as I slid down in my seat, staring straight ahead.

"You waved, smart one," she replied, nonchantly, slurping up her drink.

"No, I was shooing a fly," I hissed, giving a tight smile as the four boys made their way over. God, I felt like I was in one of those movies where one of those cool, popular guys made their way over to a group of girls. My heart pounding in my chest. They can't necessarily be coming over to us. They can see that the booth is way too small for seven people. Besides, they could be going to the booth in front of us or maybe even behind.

Unfortunately, I was wrong.

Seungcheol and Mingyu bound over with Wonwoo whispering to Doyoon not too far behind them. I eye Wonwoo suspiciously when he laughs after Doyoon gives him a look of desperation.

Seungcheol is the first to speak. "Lisa, right?"

I meekly nod as an awkward silence hangs in the air. I study the four. Seungcheol has his hands on the table, glancing around the tea shop as if he was taking in every aspect of the place - the walls, the pictures, the colours. Behind him was Mingyu who had apparently grown bored and taken out his phone, sliding his finger across the screen. He yawns, shutting his eyes and I remember that they were idols and it was tiring going through the day.  Wonwoo stood the furthest, Doyoon by his side. Wonwoo had his hands shoved in his pockets looking unamused as he scanned the menu on the wall. Doyoon eyed the floor.

"So!" Bella piped up. She was never good was silence. "Shouldn't you guys be at your fan meeting? I mean, it is a Seventeen fan meeting and it isn't Seventeen without…" She gestures at the four who look back at her, blinking.

"We're on break," Seungcheol explains.

"In that case, we should get our drinks and head out," Wonwoo said, his eyes not leaving the menu. He nudges Doyoon who glances up, surprised. "I think I'll have the honeydew bubble tea. What about you, hyung?"

"I don't know yet," he mumbles and I raise an eyebrow, cocking my head to the side. He was acting strange. I thought I made it clear that the past was in the past.

Seungcheol slaps his palms together, standing straight. "Well, it was nice seeing you all again."

He walks over to the table, gesturing at the menu and the rest follow, pitching their drink orders. I make a face, turning back to Bella and Jordan who look at me with raised eyebrows. I shrugged, playing with the straw again, poking at the black pearls. Doyoon was acting weird, even around someone he barely knew. Maybe he was shy. No, I'm sure that's not it. He acted fine yesterday and we barely knew him then. I glance back for a second, to see Doyoon laughing at something Mingyu had said before taking a drink from his bubble tea. Once he catches me looking at him, he stops like a deer in headlights and stares down at the ground. I shake my head, frowning. Weird.

"Mango bubble tea with no milk," calls the waitress as she slides the drink across the counter.

Doyoon reaches out to grab it and takes a straw, poking at the plastic wrap as the four make their way towards the door. Seungcheol and Mingyu wave as Wonwoo gives us a slight nod. Doyoon frowns, continuing to poke at the plastic wrap that refused to break. His face lights up when it finally does break through and glances over and lifts a hand to say goodbye when suddenly, Mingyu jolts his arm, causing his drink to fly out of his hands.

And sadly, onto me.

"I'm so sorry!" He exclaims, rushing over and desperately grabbing at napkins before dabbing at my shirts. "Mingyu nudged me and - "

"It's alright, Doyoon-ah," I replied, taking the napkin from him and cleaning at myself. "I just didn't remember ordering another bubble tea," I joked, laughing lightly.

He pauses, staring at me for a moment before sighing with relief. "I'm glad you're not mad. I just feel horrible."

"Oppa, it's alright," I sighed, picking at the shirt. "It just that I'm going to be sticky for the rest of the day." I gave Bella a sad smile, before running a hand through my hair, trying to think straight. What now? I couldn't possibly go out now. The drink had left a large stain on my white tank.

I feel shifting to my side and I glance over at Doyoon who stood up, slipping off his sweater. I spotted his v-line a little but quickly diverted my eyes upwards again, looking over to Mingyu. He must have saw where my eyes landed because he laughs, shaking his head. Embarrassed, I face Doyoon again as he hands his grey sweater to me and gives me an apologetic smile. "Here."

"What am I supposed to do with this?" I asked, frowning.

"Wear it," he says shyly, shrugging. "You can't go out in that."

"Wear it?" I repeated, gawking at him. "What are you going to - "

"It's alright, I was getting pretty hot anyways." He fixes his hair slightly before gesturing at the washroom doors. "Go and try it on to see if it fits."

I blink, holding onto his sweater. "Yah, hurry up. We haven't got all day," Wonwoo shouts from the back. I slowly nod, rushing to the washroom as told. Slipping it on, I inhale the (oddly) familiar scent and step out, shrugging at the group of people who were sitting casually in the booth I was once in.

Doyoon looks at me, amused before standing up and approaching me. He laughs while he tugs on the strings by the hoods. "It's pretty big. Sorry about that. But it'll have to do, huh?"

I meekly nod, slowly. "You really don't need to - "

"Of course I did. I spilled the drink. It's only right." He shrugs before giving me a side smile.

I paused. "How'll I give it back to you?"

"Don't worry about it. I've got other sweaters at home. Just keep it." He waves me off before Mingyu shouts out their break was long over and that they needed to get back or the PD's would get upset. "I gotta go now. Sorry about everything."

"It's alright," I replied, shaking my head as if it was no big deal. He's about to walk away when he laughs again, a smile spreading across his face. I frown, folding my arms across my chest. "What is it?"

"It seems like I'm always apologizing and you're always forgiving."

"Forgive and forget," I exclaim and he laughs again.

He pauses, staring at me again before reaching out and giving me a hug, catching me by surprise. I stare at Bella who wears the same wide eyed expression as his band mates before Doyoon releases me and ruffles my hair before turning around and following his friends out the door, and back to the regular life they lived. As idols.