CHAPTER 02

A w k w a r d   a n d   E v e n t f u l

“ChanYeol, my name is ChanYeol. But you can call me Channie.”

“I’m BaekHyun. My friends call me Baek.” Awkward silence ensues as both guys took a sip of their coffee.

ChanYeol was keen to make it up to BaekHyun when he accidentally ran over the latter earlier. Although BaekHyun thought it wasn’t necessary, the taller boy pressed on. And here they were, imbibing in the shrill clumsiness of the situation.

“I haven’t seen you around before,” BaekHyun starts, “are you new here?”

“Ah~ yes. I just moved in a few days ago. I haven’t had the chance to look around because I wanted to finish unpacking and make sure my place was okay.” He quickly surveys the place and sees that there weren’t a lot of people in the small coffee shop. “Slow day huh?”

“Uhm?” Baekhyun seems to have missed the question as he was busy gawking at ChanYeol’s ears. It appears that he has grown a little fondness for that one part of his face that caught his attention earlier. “Uh yeah, well you know its summer and a lot of people have decided to spend it as far away from here as possible.”

“I see.”

“Yep.”

ChanYeol looks as if he has ignored the fact that the guy in front of him was practically gawping at something in his face. He gingerly places his cup on the coaster and stands up.

“Well, I have to run now. I need to get some stuff from the DIY shop.”

“Do you know where it is?” The other boy inquires. To be honest, ChanYeol doesn’t know his way around town yet that’s why he was riding his bike.

“I’ll ask around, I guess.”

“I can bring you there. I can be your personal tour guide around town if you like!” BaekHyun beams.

“I don’t want to impose on you too much BaekHyun, besides I think I’ve already caused you too much trouble by running you over earlier.”

“Nonsense!” He protests. “Besides, I have nothing better to do. Come, we’ll get all the stuff that you need.”

“O~kay. I guess. Thanks.”

“And by the way, call me Baek instead.”

“Okay, Baek.” ChanYeol submits defeat and lets BaekHyun drag him around town. Maybe he needs to know people anyway. And this guy may be that one person to re-introduce him to this place he’s once forgotten.

--

“KyungSoo honey? Where are you?”

KyungSoo didn’t want to be disturbed from his indolent nap but anything must be more interesting than him trying to doze off at 10 in the morning. “Yep umma? What is it?”

“Oh there you are. What are you doing inside your room when you can enjoy the sun outside. Honestly, that’s the reason why we came here in the first place.”

KyungSoo sheepishly shrugs at her mother’s comment.

“So why is it that you were looking for me umma?”

“Oh yeah. Can you please be a dear and pick up a couple of things for our dinner down at the grocery? Your father,” His mother starts to shudder, “left the bag that contained everything I needed to cook.”

“Sure.” He’s handed a small paper that outlined his tasks. “This is the most interesting thing I’ll be doing so far since we arrived,” he utters to himself.

He makes his way to the convenience store with the help of locals telling him what direction to take. The trip was mostly uneventful, but still better than staying at the villa. He’s almost done with the list. He just needs one last item. He spots the last olive oil on the rack and darts to it.

“Hey I saw that first!” Someone practically screeched behind him. He turns around and sees a taller guy who was a few shades darker than him.

“I’m sorry, but what?”

“You heard me. I said I saw that first.” He was pointing at the remaining bottle of olive oil which was now in KyungSoo’s hand.

“I got it first.”

“But I saw it first.”

“How am I to be so sure that you saw it first?”

“Because I said so.”

KyungSoo was baffled at how the other boy was being stubborn. He looks at him with his big eyes, in disbelief, and turns away.

“Yah! Don’t you turn your back away from me! I’m talking to you!” But KyungSoo just continues walking towards the counter.

The nerve, he thinks to himself. He places his groceries down the table for the cashier to punch in. But somebody grabs his shoulders and shoves him aside. He takes the olive oil bottle and looks at KyungSoo incredulously.

“I said I saw this first.”

“Look, what is your problem?” KyungSoo is belittled by their height difference but he isn’t one to back away from this persistent stranger.

“Hey, hey, hey boys play nicely,” The cashier interjects. “We still have some stock of that brand at the back.” She motions the bagger to get one. “In the meantime, JongIn, please give us that bottle so this boy here can go home now.”

Boy? KyungSoo snaps in his head. How dare this cashier pertain to him as a boy in that lofty tone.

“I’m sorry little boy. This JongIn is just stubborn as hell.” She takes the bottle from the riled darker guy and finishes punching in the last of KyungSoo’s groceries into the cash register.

“I’m not a little boy,” KyungSoo squints and tries to read the nameplate on the cashier who was chewing gum wildly, ”Minzy. I’m already 17.”

She gives him a smirk. She looks at the register, “That’d be 112.70 Mr. 17-year old sir.”

--

Never has KyungSoo felt so frustrated with anyone in his entire life. He was inattentively playing around with his food over at dinner when his father notices.

“KyungSoo, if your mother’s cooking isn’t really that good you could at least tell her. Instead of trying to sift your food in your plate.”

“Wha-,“ KyungSoo suddenly nips back apologetically, “no I was just, erm. Thinking. Jwesonghamnida appa, umma.”

They quietly finish dinner. KyungSoo presents himself to clean the dishes but was shun away by his parents telling him to walk around and get some fresh air. He does just that.

“That JongIn punk.” KyungSoo remembers the name of the guy who relentlessly bugged him earlier for that petty bottle of olive oil. He silently wishes to never see him again.