Chapter 10

“Hey Yeol! You’re late for your shift man!”

You heard someone shouting from the front counter as you and Chanyeol entered the café.

“Sorry sorry! I’ll work over time tonight then!” He shouted back before looking at you nervously.

“Listen, could you just, wait for me until I finish work? I need to ask you something really important.” He bit his lower lip while stealing a glance at you. He knew it was too much to ask considering how hard it was for you to come to the café again.

“You just told your friend you’ll work over time. How long am I supposed to wait for you? Can’t you just ask me now?” You tapped your foot impatiently.

He had a dejected look on his face and you felt that guilt again. You exhaled exaggeratingly and rolled your eyes.

“Fine, fine, but only because I feel like I owed you for helping me out with my locker. And only just this once.” You told him and his face lit up instantly.

He hurried you towards the table the both of you sat when you first came to the café and smiled at you. “Just wait for me here okay? I’ll be done with work before you know it. Oh, and I’ll get you the Caramel Latte again. You liked it didn’t you?”

Before you could protest, he disappeared behind the counter of the cashier after leaving his school’s blazer and bag with you. You sighed and waited for your drink to arrive.

You were trying your best not to whip out your phone while waiting for your drink because boy, did it take a long time. Right at that moment, the drink was served on your table and you smirked.

“Took you long enough-“ You stopped halfway when you realized someone else instead of Chanyeol was standing in front of you.

Eyeliner douche.

He gave you an obnoxious smirk before casually taking a seat in front of you, folding his arms looking as though he owned the place. You ignored his presence and took a sip of the caramel latte. You heard him scoff and looked up. He had a sardonic look on his face and it was driving you crazy.

Relax Hae Ra…he’s just doing this to piss you off. And you don’t want him to win this.

The two of you continued to sit in silence with him drilling holes on your face with his stare and you, desperately trying to stop yourself from throwing your latte at him. But thankfully, right before you did, he spoke.

“So…what have you done to Yeol huh?” He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table, eyeing you.

You gave him a baffled look. “What do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”

Baekhyun sneered at you and kept a smirk on his face. “Oh yeah? Then could you explain to me why he was being so depressed the whole day yesterday?” He raised his eyebrows.

What the hell is this dude talking about-

Realization hits you and you looked at him. He smiled, knowing that you finally understood what he meant.

“It was a small matter. Nothing serious, besides, I already apologized to him.” You mumbled, looking down at the table.

“Could you tell me what happened then? Since it’s just small matter.” He pressed on.

You gave him a cold look. “Why do you wanna know so much?”

He chuckled and leaned back on his seat. “Well, first of all, I’m his best friend. And second of all, it’s been a while since I’ve seen him so…depressed like that. Ever since-“

He stopped mid-sentence. From the look on his face, you could tell there was something about what he was about to say that you shouldn’t know of. He cleared his throat and waved his hands at you.

“Whatever it is, I’m his best friend and I ought to know.”

“Why don’t you ask him yourself then?”

“He won’t tell me.” Baekhyun said and he looked towards Chanyeol who was manning the register at the front. He was greeting the customers with a wide grin plastered on his face. He glanced towards your direction and gave you a small wave. You ignored him and turned your head back to Baekhyun.

How could a guy like that be depressed? He looks so cheerful and positive all the time. And what is Baekhyun hiding from me? Just what is Chanyeol’s story?

“Well, I don’t think it was such a big deal. All I did was just used him as an excuse to avoid someone. I told that person I was going to the café with Chanyeol even though I didn’t want to and he got pissed and walked away. That’s it.” You shrugged and sipped your drink.

“So you used him?” Baekhyun questioned. He had his elbows propped up on the table and rested his head on his hand, examining you.

You didn’t know why he was doing that but it was making you uncomfortable. And all the questions he was asking you made you feel like you were being cornered.

“Well…yeah you could say that. But like I said it was only because-“

You stopped talking when you noticed how Baekhyun was scoffing and leaned back in his seat.

“Is there something wrong?” You questioned him, suddenly feeling offended by his previous reaction.

He eyed you for a second and sighed before nodding.

“You see Chanyeol..he..doesn’t really like it when people use him. Why? Well, I can’t tell you that but all I can say is that’s it’s due to something similar that happened to him when he was little.”
 

“Something happened to him?” You asked, for an unknown reason you felt interested.

“Like I mentioned earlier, I can’t tell you that. You’d have to ask him yourself of course. Oh and one more thing, Chanyeol really…he really likes you. So don’t do that to him again okay? I’m telling you this not because I like you. It’s because I don’t want to see my best friend getting hurt again. You understand?”

You couldn’t undertsand really. What actually happened to Chanyeol? How can someone as cheerful as him have such… an incident that even his best friend would want to avoid from happening again? Even so, you still nodded since Baekhyun was still waiting for your reply.

After seeing your reply, Baekhyun nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. “Well, glad you understood. Now if you would excuse me, my shift had been over since 15 minutes ago and I’d like to spend the rest of my day off at home.”

He grabbed his stuff, bowed slightly to you and left after giving Chanyeol a small nod. Chanyeol waved good bye to his best friend and turned to look at you. He smiled, showing his pearly whites. You just shrugged and focused on your caramel latte that was getting a little cold.

“Sorry you had to wait for so long. Today was such a busy shift! And I bet that Baekhyun knew this was gonna happen so he took half the day off. That bastard, he’s gonna get it when I see him.” Chanyeol chuckled and shook his head.

You just kept quiet and thought about what Baekhyun had said to you earlier.

Oh and one more thing, Chanyeol really…he really likes you. So don’t do that to him again okay? I’m telling you this not because I like you. It’s because I don’t want to see my best friend getting hurt again.

Again? What does he mean by again? Did something happen to him in the past?

You then remembered what Chanyeol had said to you the day he walked away from you.

I’m not someone that you can use Hae Ra.

Just what the hell happened to this tall freak? Wait a minute…why am I so concerned about this? It’s not my problem anyway.

You shook the thoughts out of your head.

“Hello? Earth to short stuff. Is anyone home?” Chanyeol was waving his gigantic hands in front of your face to get your attention.

“Gosh Hae Ra, I wonder why you keep zoning out. Like, where do you go when you zone out huh?”

My swimming pool.

Your eyes widened and you face palmed yourself.

Didn’t get to swim today either. Great, just great. Two days of not swimming.

You sighed and whipped out your phone to text Mr Lee but a pair of hands stole your phone from you. You sighed for the millionth time that day and placed your hands on your hips.

“Give it back you tall person. I kept my part of the deal. I went to the café with you and even talked to that jerk-face eyeliner dude you call your best friend. Now could you please give me back my phone?”

You extended your arm towards him, signaling him to give you back your phone. But he simply wriggled his forefinger at you and clicked his tongue while shaking his head.

“Only after you answer this important question I have to ask.”

You tried your best not to slap him right then and there cause if you did the impact might’ve been too hard and your phone might drop off from his grip to the concrete floor. So no, you had to endure.

“Fine, what is it?”  You folded your arms.

He cleared his throat and looked at you seriously. For the first time, you actually felt nervous to see how serious he looked because, let’s face it, he was never serious. But at that moment, seeing how intense his facial expression was, you were beginning to feel afraid of what he was about to ask you.

“Hae Ra, what…what happened to you?”

You furrowed your eyebrows with confusion.

“Nothing. What do you mean what’s happened to me?”

“I mean, what made you become like this? So…so depressed and cranky all the time.” He motioned his hands at you.

“For your information, I have always been like this. How would you know if I had changed or not. I just met you. Now could you please stop with the stupid questions and give me back my phone? Thank you.”

With his guard down, you managed to snatch your phone away and started to dial Mr Lee’s number.

“I’m at the café near the school. Could you come and pick me up? Thanks. And make it quick, I really want to go home.”

You shut your phone and shoved it into your pocket, just in case Chanyeol decides to steal it away from you again with his long arms. Chanyeol just looked at you, obviously not satisfied with your answer but he kept quiet anyway. He knew there wasn’t any other way to make you talk.

Uncomfortable with the silence, he rocked back and forth on his heels, humming to a Bruno Mars song. You glanced at him. He was smiling to himself while looking at the road, watching the cars pass by. Occasionally he’d kick the pavement with his shoes.

“What are you doing?” You finally asked him.

He raised his eyebrows and looked at you, confused. “What?”

“Aren’t you going home? It’s already late. Aren’t your parents worried about you?” You asked.

Chanyeol looked at you, and you noticed how his eyes shifted for a moment. Just then a car pulled up beside you and Mr Lee came out from the driver’s side.

“It’s time to go home Young Master. The Madam is really worried about you.” He said with concern in his voice. He noticed Chanyeol who was still standing there looking at you and bowed politely.

You sighed, knowing how your mother would nag at you when you go home and got in the car. Chanyeol’s gaze never left you. You suddenly remembered about him and rolled down the window. Chanyeol knew you were about to say something to him and took a step closer to the car and leaned closer to the window.

You bit your lower lip, knowing that what you were about to say would haunt you for the rest of your life but you had to say it.

“Th-thank you. For helping me with my locker today.” You looked at your hands when you felt a blush creeping on your cheeks.

Chanyeol blinked, surprised by what you said and smiled. You quickly rolled the window back up and signaled Mr Lee to drive. Mr Lee nodded and started the engine.

Chanyeol waved at the moving car before placing both his hands in his pockets.

“No one’s waiting at home for me Hae Ra.” He said to himself.