Chapter 9

Chapter NINE

After our stroll in the mall, Suho and I ended up in this small café. Suho came back after paying the orders and we waited for the meal to arrive our table. I roamed my eyes in the restaurant. The place isn’t that crowded and not that deserted either. Coffee and tea were their specialty beverages but they also sell meals.

“This place looks nice,” I said, studying the colorful walls. I gleamed at the view of those shelves where they display cookies and candies. There is a separate corner where you can browse books and magazines. This place is a heaven for children.

Suho intertwined his hands and nodded. “Yeah, I love this place.”

“It’s my first time here.” I said truthfully. I noticed him sighing. “What’s wrong?”

He looked at me and smiled. He shook his head. “Nothing. I just,” he sighed again, “I just remembered something.”

“Don’t tell me you use to visit this place with your girlfriend?” I supposed, observing his reaction.

He eyed me in awe. “How did you know?”

I shrugged. “I supposed it was. So, it’s true then?”

Suho just nodded. “Yeah, you’re right.”

It was silent in the next seconds. I glanced up at him and he was dazing out. He must be thinking of her right now.

I bit my lip. Why do I have to mention about his girlfriend? I should’ve thought twice about the words I was going to say. Urgh, stupid me.

“Do you want to know why I can’t forget about her?” he suddenly asked.

I blinked at him. “Oh. Y-you mean, your girlfriend?”

He nodded, his mind seems so far from this world. “Because until now, even though I told myself that I can live without her,” he paused for a moment and continued. “But I realized I can’t. It was always been her. She’s my… everything.” He hung his head low, his breathing was getting heavy.

I eyed him in pity. “What happened why she forgot about you?”

I saw him groping his hand into a ball. “Because that day…” he sighed, “I was too late to save her. If only I listened to her request, this shouldn’t be happening.”

Right now, I don’t know what to say. It was the first time to see him feeling so down. If he would just let me, I would offer my arms just to comfort him.

I really want to know the whole story, to dig more information about Suho’s past and about this girl whom he really loved so much. Seeing how broken-hearted he looked right now, this girl must be very special to him.

“She must be a lucky girl,” I muttered.

Suho looked up to me, his eyes were teary. A second later I notice him intently staring at me, and I was suddenly aware. He was leaning closer and closer, his hand now touching mine.

With clenched teeth, he spoke out in whisper. “Why can’t you remember me?”

I felt my heart beating so fast. What is he doing?

I winced back and swatted his hand away from me. “I’m not your girlfriend, Suho-shi.”

We were staring eye to eye for few seconds, until he finally snapped back. He leaned back on his seat and sighed out. He hang his head low. “I’m sorry. I was, really… Oh, god.”

Suho touched his forehead and calmed himself down. “It’s okay. I understand your situation. Just don’t lose hope, Suho. I may not know the reason behind it; but if you ever need me, I’ll be a friend you can count on.” I pulled his hand covering his face and hold on it for comfort. “Just think positive. A good guy like you deserves a happy ending. Don’t worry, I’ll be just here.”

He lifted his head and smiled at me. He didn’t say anything in return, but I can see in his eyes that he’s feeling assured now. As a friend, this is the best thing I can give him. You don’t know how much I envy this girl.

Suho drove me home with his car. It was already dark when we reached home.

I got down from the car after he parked in front of my house. He got out of the car too to formally bid his goodbye.

“Thank you for today, Suho. I had fun.” I told him.

He touched his nape. “Yeah, uhm… sorry about earlier back in the café. I suddenly lost in myself.”

“I understand. You better take a rest though. You look like you were stressing yourself.”

He chuckled. “Uh, yeah. I’ll put that in mind.”

I was staring at him for a moment, feeling pity for him. Feeling the hormones raging inside me, I stepped forward and tiptoed so I can hug him by the neck. I felt him stiffening under me. “I know it’s been hard on you. Please, don’t hurt yourself.”

He held out a breath. I felt arms gently wrapping around my waist. I hugged him tighter, rubbing my hand on his back for comfort.

Suho pinned his face on my shoulder. “I miss you.”

I groaned. “I’m not your girlfriend.”

He didn’t say anything but just continued hugging me. At the next moment, I felt something nostalgic. The way he was hugging me right now, it’s as if it was not the first time. It’s very comforting. If only time could stop now.