Bus Stop
Title: Bus Stop
Author: flow19
Pairing: Sooyoung/Luhan
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Length: One shot
He would see her in the bus stop every night.
She was a tall, slender lady with shiny chocolate brown hair and bright similarly coloured eyes that shone even in the darkness. She rode that same bus stop around the same time every night, that same bus stop that was on the corner of the street where the bookstore he and his friends owned was. He saw her every night heading home just as he was about to do so himself; he in his Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster and she in the passenger bus.
In every night that he saw her head home, he felt like he was witnessing bits and pieces of her life. Sometimes, he’d see her so happy that her eyes glowed along with the bright smile on her face. Sometimes, he’d see her so tired that he worried that she could reach home before she fell fast asleep. And there were times that he saw tears fall from her normally bright eyes as she walked past his office. As rare as those nights were, they weren’t easily forgotten.
Luhan was never one to believe at love at first sight and despite his fascination with this brunette beauty, he still didn’t. What he felt about her wasn’t love… well, not yet. It was still a simple crush. He was certain of at least that much. Did he want it to become more than that? Hell, yes. It was just a matter of time, good luck and a lot of effort.
“Hyung, snap out of it.” Sehun elbowed him not so kindly in the ribs, causing him to snap out of his thoughts.
“Sorry about that.” He offered a sheepish smile to his best friend. “I was just thinking about something.”
“I know, I know.” The younger man waved it off nonchalantly. “I know you were thinking about her again.”
His ears tinged pink. “Who ‘her’?”
“That tall, brown haired beautiful noona who passes here every time she goes home.” Sehun rolled his eyes at the stunned expression that crossed Luhan’s face. “There’s not much you can hide from me, you know. I’m your best friend for a reason.”
“What makes you think I was thinking about her?”
“You’re blushing.”
His hands immediately flew to his cheeks. “I’m not!”
Sehun rolled his eyes good naturedly. “Why don’t you just approach her and say hi? It wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“Uh… No.” Luhan made a face. “I don’t want to freak her out.”
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged; the two best friends roaming around their bookstore to see if everything was in order. “You might run out of chances.”
o-o-o-o-o
It was one of those nights that Luhan decided to stay behind and help his staff close up the bookstore. It also was one of those nights when the rain poured so hard as if it’d never rain anymore after that. His staff had worried about not being able to go home on time because of the rain and he had let them go early, saying that he could close down the store on his own. He had a car anyway, safely tucked inside the indoor parking behind the store. It really was much harder to ride public transport when it was raining. Luhan suddenly stilled and his attention from the books on the counter to the entrance of the bookstore, watching as the rain pelted the floor to ceiling glass windows.
Does she have an umbrella?
Luhan worriedly chewed on his lip as he glanced at the nearby clock. It was that time of the night when he’d usually see her walk past by the store on her way to the bus stop. Did she pass by already? Was she stranded somewhere? Did someone offer her a ride home? Luhan moved away from the counter towards the window, squinting his eyes to get a better look outside. There wasn’t much that he could see thanks to the rain and the evening sky.
Before he could turn away, a flash of blue, red and brown caught his eye.
He pressed himself against the window, muttering under his breath as he tried to get a better look. It was her and she was running under the heavy rain to get to the bus stop. Luhan suddenly became frazzled, not knowing what to do. Should he offer to drive her home? But that might freak her out. Should he offer her shelter in the bookstore? But what if she really needed to come home already? Looking around, Luhan found an umbrella by the door, hurriedly grabbing it before he ran out of the door.
Struggling to open the umbrella thanks to the strong winds, he ran after her, hoping that neither of them would slip as they went. Luhan could see that she merely had her bag to cover her head but that was pointless thanks to the wind. Finally opening the umbrella and shielding himself from the rain, Luhan slowed down as she came to a halt by the bus stop, craning her neck in vain to see if the next scheduled bus was arriving.
His heart beat wildly in his chest as he moved closer and closer to her, stopping when he was close enough. With his shaking free hand, he reached out to tap her shoulder; his breath hitching in his throat when she turned around. It awed him how beautiful she was even when she was soaked thanks to the rain. Offering the best smile he could, he handed her the umbrella, running off back to the bookstore before she could say anything.
o-o-o-o-o
“Hyung!” Sehun appeared from the children’s section. “This area’s all set already.”
“Same here!” Chanyeol chirped from his spot among the cookbooks.
“Here too.” Lay added, placing the last biography book in his hand in its rightful shelf.
Luhan grinned, turning his attention to the entrance. “Heechul hyung, we can open the shop now.”
The store’s general manager nodded, flipping the sign from closed to open. It was a brand new day and needless to say, everyone was happy to see the sun again. Business had been slow thanks to the bad weather and now that the weather was perfect, they could definitely expect an increase for the day’s sales. Luhan nodded to himself, finishing arranging the books on the table of new arrivals when Lay approached him.
“What are you going to be up to today?”
Luhan paused for a moment in thought. “It’s my turn to pick the books we’ll feature for next month… and I have to do my rounds in the publishing houses assigned to me.”
“You want me to come with you?” He asked.
“I’ll manage.” The taller of the two men grinned. “And isn’t it your day off today?”
Lay shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t have anything to do at home anyway.”
“Hyung! Hyung!” Sehun came running towards them before he could even say anything. “Luhan hyung!”
“What? What?” He asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Look!”
Luhan turned towards the direction his best friend was pointing at; his eyes widening and his jaw nearly hitting the floor when he saw her. Even in the simple way she dressed she had managed to take his breath away like she usually did. He was about to question why she was there when he noticed the familiar object in her hand. The umbrella he lent her last night.
“Er… I’ll be at the back if you need me.”
“You chicken.” Sehun hooked a finger on his collar before Luhan could leave, keeping him in place. “Here’s your chance to talk to her. What the hell are you waiting for?”
He looked at him with wide eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
Lay rolled his eyes, leaving the two to approach the mystery woman and offering her a polite smile in greeting. “Good morning. How may I help you?”
“Uh… Hi.” She stammered in her reply. “I’m looking for this guy… I’m pretty sure he works here. Tall, Chinese, light brown hair… I, uh, need to return something to him.”
He pointed to where Luhan and Sehun stood. “Are you talking about him?”
Luhan had wanted to run off but Sehun had promptly stepped on his foot; the older of the two barely containing his yelp of pain. But as much as he was shy enough to run, the shy yet relieved smile on her face kept him where he was… Well, aside from Sehun’s hold on his collar. Bowing in gratitude at Lay, the tall brunette beauty made her way over; Sehun removing Luhan from his hold when she was close enough.
Sehun cleared his throat, offering a smile. “Excuse me.”
Luhan inwardly cursed his best friend as the younger man left, offering a shy smile at the lady before him. “H-How may I help you?”
“I…” With her cheeks turning bright red, she held out the umbrella. I’m here to return this.”
“Oh… You can keep it.” He silently yelled at himself to calm down. “It might rain again tonight.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I have my umbrella now. I accidently forgot it yesterday even when the weather guy on TV said there was a high chance it was going to rain and…” Trailing off, her cheeks turned redder. “I’m sorry. I have this tendency to ramble.”
Luhan laughed softly. God, she was cute. “It’s okay.”
“So, yeah… Here’s your umbrella.” A shy smile crossed her face as he accepted the object. “Thank you for helping me out last night. I really appreciate it.”
“It’s nothing.” He rubbed the back of his neck timidly with his free hand. “Are you sure you don’t wanna keep it?”
“I’m sure.” Checking her watch, a slight frown appeared on her beautiful. “I’m sorry but I have to go. I can’t be late for work.”
Luhan fought to keep the disappointment from showing on his face. “Take care of yourself.
“You too.” She waved her goodbye, before turning around and heading for the exit.
The Chinese native let out an inaudible sigh, mumbling under his breath as he, too, left and headed for the storage room. “That went well…”
“Hey!”
Luhan straightened up, turning around himself to find the tall woman still in the bookstore. “Yeah?”
“I didn’t get your name.” The brunette said sheepishly.
“Luhan.” He managed to say despite the distraction that his rapidly beating heart was being. “My name is Luhan.”
“Choi Sooyoung.” She introduced, waving goodbye once more before she did leave.
o-o-o-o-o
Luhan let out a sigh of relief as he placed the last book out of place back in its shelf, more than thankful that he was alone to close down the store. As much as Sehun and Chanyeol were supportive, they had been annoyingly pestering him about Choi Sooyoung. Luhan was eternally grateful that Lay had more sense than the two; the latter managing to convince Chanyeol and Sehun to buy ice cream so that Luhan could get his peace and quiet. Speaking of Choi Sooyoung… Luhan was about to check his watch when a knock on the window caught his attention.
It was Sooyoung.
Half curious and half elated about the fact that she was there, Luhan made his way to the front, opening the door for her. “Hi…”
“Hey.” She grinned. “Do you mind if I come in?”
He shook his head, moving aside to let her in. “Your work’s done?”
“Yep. Finally.” Sooyoung took one good around from where she stood. “You really do work here?”
The Chinese native closed the door. “Sort of.”
She immediately realized her mistake. “You own this place, don’t you?”
“Well, yeah…” Luhan admitted, scratching the back of his head.
“That’s really cool.” The brunette grinned as she walked towards one of the shelves. “But why a bookstore?”
“Why not?” He answered, chuckling when she stuck her tongue out at him. “My friends and I like to read and that’s where it started.”
Sooyoung nodded, absently skimming the titles of the books before her. “What’s your favourite book?”
“Les Misérables.” The answer really was as easy as one plus one. “Yours?”
“I don’t get to buy that many books because of my pay but…” She trailed off for a moment. “My favourite is Gone with The Wind.”
“Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler?” His eyebrows rose in interest. “Wow.”
Sooyoung giggled. “You sound like I just did magic or something.
“It’s not that. It’s just that most of the girls these days always answer Twilight or…” He wrinkled his nose in disgust. “50 Shades of Grey.”
She rolled her eyes. “I like to read Literature… those two are anything but.”
“Point.” Luhan conceded easily. “Why did you drop by? Is there something I can help you with?”
“No, nothing like that… I was on my way to the bus stop when I saw you packing up. I thought I’d come and say hi” Sooyoung glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I have to get going. I don’t want to get home so late.”
He grabbed the keys from the counter. “I’ll bring you to the bus stop.”
“No, it’s okay.” The brunette shook her head. “It’s not too far of a walk.”
“Humor me.” A smile made its way to his face and Sooyoung couldn’t help but find him cute. “Besides, I’m about to lock up the place and head home myself.”
“Suit yourself.” She grinned appreciatively.
Waiting until Luhan had the bookstore locked and secure, the pair silently made their way to the bus stop. Luhan wondered how his luck had changed and now he was walking with Sooyoung instead of him watching her do it alone. They weren’t exactly friends yet but they were at least acquaintances now. Did that mean he’d get to speak with her more often? He hoped so.
“Oh! Just in time.” Sooyoung commented as the bus slowed down in front of them before she turned to Luhan. “Thanks for walking with me.”
“No problem.” He smiled easily. “Take care of yourself on your way home, okay?”
“You too.” A beat passed. “Good night, Luhan.”
“Good night, Sooyoung.”
o-o-o-o-o
That was how their daily routine began. Since then, Sooyoung would always make it a point to pass by the bookstore before and after work, prompting Luhan to volunteer himself to be the one to close the store in the evening. Every time Sooyoung had dropped by after work, she always ended up staying in the bookstore with Luhan; the pair chatting animatedly about books and anything that came to mind. Each night always ended the same with Luhan walking Sooyoung to the bus stop and watching her head home.
“Hyung!” Sehun whined. “You guys have been doing this… bus stop routine for how many weeks now! Can’t you ask her out on a date, already?”
“What? No!” He exclaimed as he picked up a Geronimo Stilton book from the floor and returned it to the shelf. “I don’t wanna freak her out.”
“But you love her, hyung.” Chanyeol spoke from his other side. “I’m pretty sure she’s in love you with you already too.”
“I don’t want to assume.” Luhan shook his head as they joined Lay by the cashier. “What if she doesn’t?”
Lay looked up from the counter, shaking his head before he clamped a hand on Luhan’s shoulder. “You, my friend, are blind.”
o-o-o-o-o
“Luhan?” Sooyoung poked her head inside the bookstore, hesitating to fully step in. “Luhan? Are you here?”
“I’m here!” He answered; the Chinese native standing between two rows of shelves.
The brunette stepped inside. “Are you busy? Do you want me to go ahead?”
“No, no. I’m finishing up.” Satisfied that everything was in order, he stepped out of the aisle. “Ready to head home?”
A look of confusion crossed her face. Weren’t they going to chat a bit before heading home. “Are you in a hurry?”
“Not really.” He shook his head, grabbing his bag from where he left it. “I thought of riding the bus with you today.”
Her eyes went wide. “But… But what about your car?”
“I lent it to Chanyeol for tonight. He’s trying to impress this girl and well, I think I’d help.” Luhan grinned. “Shall we go?”
“Have you ridden the bus before?”
“Uh… No.” He admitted sheepishly. “But Heechul hyung taught me how to. He gave me directions.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure? I don’t want you getting lost in the middle of the night.”
“I’m sure. Don’t worry.” Luhan grinned, slinging the bag on his shoulder before offering her his free arm. “Shall we go?”
Sooyoung blushed crimson but looped her hand around his arm nonetheless as they left the bookstore. Though she had to let go of him as he locked up, Luhan had offered his arm again to her as they silently made their way to the bus stop. It had only between a minute or two when it arrived and Sooyoung had gone through the process of teaching him how to properly pay the fare. Settling on a two-seater in the front row, his eyes were round and wide as he paid attention to everything around him, wanting to savor his first public bus ride.
Luhan had realized how much he was missing in life. He had been born and raised in a well off family and he always had a car to his disposal all his life. But he was certain that nothing compared to the feeling he had as he toured the city like it was his first time; Sooyoung pointing out interesting things they passed by that he never noticed when he was driving.
“I’m going down in the next stop.” Sooyoung forced a smile on her face, not wanting to part from him just yet. “You’ll go down two stops after mine, okay? Don’t forget.”
“I won’t.” He nodded solemnly, suddenly reaching for his bag. “Wait. I nearly forgot to give you something.”
The brunette waited patiently; a look of curiosity crossing her beautiful face when he placed a wrapped item in her hands. “What’s this?”
“Open it on your way home.” Luhan replied vaguely. “It’s a book and I think you’ll like it. There was something I wanted to explain to you but I think the book would do a better job.”
“I’m sure I’d like it already.” She grinned. “Thanks, Luhan.”
The bus slowed down, signalling that they had reached her stop. “Take care of yourself, alright?”
“I should say the same to you.” Startling the Chinese native, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Good night.”
“G-Good night.”
Sooyoung stood from her seat, waving goodbye before she got off the bus. She laughed when Luhan waved at her through the window and she waved again, keeping her hand up until the bus began to move and he had disappeared from sight. A sigh escaped her lips as she began to walk towards the direction of her house; her attention falling on the wrapped book in her hand. What was it that he wanted to say but couldn’t? What was it that he had to say but he was using a book to say it? With her curiosity getting the best of her, she torn open the wrapper; her eyes falling on the title of the Cecelia Ahern novel.
P.S. I Love You
Author: flow19
Pairing: Sooyoung/Luhan
Genre: Romance
Rating: G
Length: One shot
He would see her in the bus stop every night.
She was a tall, slender lady with shiny chocolate brown hair and bright similarly coloured eyes that shone even in the darkness. She rode that same bus stop around the same time every night, that same bus stop that was on the corner of the street where the bookstore he and his friends owned was. He saw her every night heading home just as he was about to do so himself; he in his Mercedes-Benz SL Roadster and she in the passenger bus.
In every night that he saw her head home, he felt like he was witnessing bits and pieces of her life. Sometimes, he’d see her so happy that her eyes glowed along with the bright smile on her face. Sometimes, he’d see her so tired that he worried that she could reach home before she fell fast asleep. And there were times that he saw tears fall from her normally bright eyes as she walked past his office. As rare as those nights were, they weren’t easily forgotten.
Luhan was never one to believe at love at first sight and despite his fascination with this brunette beauty, he still didn’t. What he felt about her wasn’t love… well, not yet. It was still a simple crush. He was certain of at least that much. Did he want it to become more than that? Hell, yes. It was just a matter of time, good luck and a lot of effort.
“Hyung, snap out of it.” Sehun elbowed him not so kindly in the ribs, causing him to snap out of his thoughts.
“Sorry about that.” He offered a sheepish smile to his best friend. “I was just thinking about something.”
“I know, I know.” The younger man waved it off nonchalantly. “I know you were thinking about her again.”
His ears tinged pink. “Who ‘her’?”
“That tall, brown haired beautiful noona who passes here every time she goes home.” Sehun rolled his eyes at the stunned expression that crossed Luhan’s face. “There’s not much you can hide from me, you know. I’m your best friend for a reason.”
“What makes you think I was thinking about her?”
“You’re blushing.”
His hands immediately flew to his cheeks. “I’m not!”
Sehun rolled his eyes good naturedly. “Why don’t you just approach her and say hi? It wouldn’t hurt to try.”
“Uh… No.” Luhan made a face. “I don’t want to freak her out.”
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged; the two best friends roaming around their bookstore to see if everything was in order. “You might run out of chances.”
o-o-o-o-o
It was one of those nights that Luhan decided to stay behind and help his staff close up the bookstore. It also was one of those nights when the rain poured so hard as if it’d never rain anymore after that. His staff had worried about not being able to go home on time because of the rain and he had let them go early, saying that he could close down the store on his own. He had a car anyway, safely tucked inside the indoor parking behind the store. It really was much harder to ride public transport when it was raining. Luhan suddenly stilled and his attention from the books on the counter to the entrance of the bookstore, watching as the rain pelted the floor to ceiling glass windows.
Does she have an umbrella?
Luhan worriedly chewed on his lip as he glanced at the nearby clock. It was that time of the night when he’d usually see her walk past by the store on her way to the bus stop. Did she pass by already? Was she stranded somewhere? Did someone offer her a ride home? Luhan moved away from the counter towards the window, squinting his eyes to get a better look outside. There wasn’t much that he could see thanks to the rain and the evening sky.
Before he could turn away, a flash of blue, red and brown caught his eye.
He pressed himself against the window, muttering under his breath as he tried to get a better look. It was her and she was running under the heavy rain to get to the bus stop. Luhan suddenly became frazzled, not knowing what to do. Should he offer to drive her home? But that might freak her out. Should he offer her shelter in the bookstore? But what if she really needed to come home already? Looking around, Luhan found an umbrella by the door, hurriedly grabbing it before he ran out of the door.
Struggling to open the umbrella thanks to the strong winds, he ran after her, hoping that neither of them would slip as they went. Luhan could see that she merely had her bag to cover her head but that was pointless thanks to the wind. Finally opening the umbrella and shielding himself from the rain, Luhan slowed down as she came to a halt by the bus stop, craning her neck in vain to see if the next scheduled bus was arriving.
His heart beat wildly in his chest as he moved closer and closer to her, stopping when he was close enough. With his shaking free hand, he reached out to tap her shoulder; his breath hitching in his throat when she turned around. It awed him how beautiful she was even when she was soaked thanks to the rain. Offering the best smile he could, he handed her the umbrella, running off back to the bookstore before she could say anything.
o-o-o-o-o
“Hyung!” Sehun appeared from the children’s section. “This area’s all set already.”
“Same here!” Chanyeol chirped from his spot among the cookbooks.
“Here too.” Lay added, placing the last biography book in his hand in its rightful shelf.
Luhan grinned, turning his attention to the entrance. “Heechul hyung, we can open the shop now.”
The store’s general manager nodded, flipping the sign from closed to open. It was a brand new day and needless to say, everyone was happy to see the sun again. Business had been slow thanks to the bad weather and now that the weather was perfect, they could definitely expect an increase for the day’s sales. Luhan nodded to himself, finishing arranging the books on the table of new arrivals when Lay approached him.
“What are you going to be up to today?”
Luhan paused for a moment in thought. “It’s my turn to pick the books we’ll feature for next month… and I have to do my rounds in the publishing houses assigned to me.”
“You want me to come with you?” He asked.
“I’ll manage.” The taller of the two men grinned. “And isn’t it your day off today?”
Lay shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t have anything to do at home anyway.”
“Hyung! Hyung!” Sehun came running towards them before he could even say anything. “Luhan hyung!”
“What? What?” He asked. “What’s wrong?”
“Look!”
Luhan turned towards the direction his best friend was pointing at; his eyes widening and his jaw nearly hitting the floor when he saw her. Even in the simple way she dressed she had managed to take his breath away like she usually did. He was about to question why she was there when he noticed the familiar object in her hand. The umbrella he lent her last night.
“Er… I’ll be at the back if you need me.”
“You chicken.” Sehun hooked a finger on his collar before Luhan could leave, keeping him in place. “Here’s your chance to talk to her. What the hell are you waiting for?”
He looked at him with wide eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
Lay rolled his eyes, leaving the two to approach the mystery woman and offering her a polite smile in greeting. “Good morning. How may I help you?”
“Uh… Hi.” She stammered in her reply. “I’m looking for this guy… I’m pretty sure he works here. Tall, Chinese, light brown hair… I, uh, need to return something to him.”
He pointed to where Luhan and Sehun stood. “Are you talking about him?”
Luhan had wanted to run off but Sehun had promptly stepped on his foot; the older of the two barely containing his yelp of pain. But as much as he was shy enough to run, the shy yet relieved smile on her face kept him where he was… Well, aside from Sehun’s hold on his collar. Bowing in gratitude at Lay, the tall brunette beauty made her way over; Sehun removing Luhan from his hold when she was close enough.
Sehun cleared his throat, offering a smile. “Excuse me.”
Luhan inwardly cursed his best friend as the younger man left, offering a shy smile at the lady before him. “H-How may I help you?”
“I…” With her cheeks turning bright red, she held out the umbrella. I’m here to return this.”
“Oh… You can keep it.” He silently yelled at himself to calm down. “It might rain again tonight.”
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I have my umbrella now. I accidently forgot it yesterday even when the weather guy on TV said there was a high chance it was going to rain and…” Trailing off, her cheeks turned redder. “I’m sorry. I have this tendency to ramble.”
Luhan laughed softly. God, she was cute. “It’s okay.”
“So, yeah… Here’s your umbrella.” A shy smile crossed her face as he accepted the object. “Thank you for helping me out last night. I really appreciate it.”
“It’s nothing.” He rubbed the back of his neck timidly with his free hand. “Are you sure you don’t wanna keep it?”
“I’m sure.” Checking her watch, a slight frown appeared on her beautiful. “I’m sorry but I have to go. I can’t be late for work.”
Luhan fought to keep the disappointment from showing on his face. “Take care of yourself.
“You too.” She waved her goodbye, before turning around and heading for the exit.
The Chinese native let out an inaudible sigh, mumbling under his breath as he, too, left and headed for the storage room. “That went well…”
“Hey!”
Luhan straightened up, turning around himself to find the tall woman still in the bookstore. “Yeah?”
“I didn’t get your name.” The brunette said sheepishly.
“Luhan.” He managed to say despite the distraction that his rapidly beating heart was being. “My name is Luhan.”
“Choi Sooyoung.” She introduced, waving goodbye once more before she did leave.
o-o-o-o-o
Luhan let out a sigh of relief as he placed the last book out of place back in its shelf, more than thankful that he was alone to close down the store. As much as Sehun and Chanyeol were supportive, they had been annoyingly pestering him about Choi Sooyoung. Luhan was eternally grateful that Lay had more sense than the two; the latter managing to convince Chanyeol and Sehun to buy ice cream so that Luhan could get his peace and quiet. Speaking of Choi Sooyoung… Luhan was about to check his watch when a knock on the window caught his attention.
It was Sooyoung.
Half curious and half elated about the fact that she was there, Luhan made his way to the front, opening the door for her. “Hi…”
“Hey.” She grinned. “Do you mind if I come in?”
He shook his head, moving aside to let her in. “Your work’s done?”
“Yep. Finally.” Sooyoung took one good around from where she stood. “You really do work here?”
The Chinese native closed the door. “Sort of.”
She immediately realized her mistake. “You own this place, don’t you?”
“Well, yeah…” Luhan admitted, scratching the back of his head.
“That’s really cool.” The brunette grinned as she walked towards one of the shelves. “But why a bookstore?”
“Why not?” He answered, chuckling when she stuck her tongue out at him. “My friends and I like to read and that’s where it started.”
Sooyoung nodded, absently skimming the titles of the books before her. “What’s your favourite book?”
“Les Misérables.” The answer really was as easy as one plus one. “Yours?”
“I don’t get to buy that many books because of my pay but…” She trailed off for a moment. “My favourite is Gone with The Wind.”
“Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler?” His eyebrows rose in interest. “Wow.”
Sooyoung giggled. “You sound like I just did magic or something.
“It’s not that. It’s just that most of the girls these days always answer Twilight or…” He wrinkled his nose in disgust. “50 Shades of Grey.”
She rolled her eyes. “I like to read Literature… those two are anything but.”
“Point.” Luhan conceded easily. “Why did you drop by? Is there something I can help you with?”
“No, nothing like that… I was on my way to the bus stop when I saw you packing up. I thought I’d come and say hi” Sooyoung glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I have to get going. I don’t want to get home so late.”
He grabbed the keys from the counter. “I’ll bring you to the bus stop.”
“No, it’s okay.” The brunette shook her head. “It’s not too far of a walk.”
“Humor me.” A smile made its way to his face and Sooyoung couldn’t help but find him cute. “Besides, I’m about to lock up the place and head home myself.”
“Suit yourself.” She grinned appreciatively.
Waiting until Luhan had the bookstore locked and secure, the pair silently made their way to the bus stop. Luhan wondered how his luck had changed and now he was walking with Sooyoung instead of him watching her do it alone. They weren’t exactly friends yet but they were at least acquaintances now. Did that mean he’d get to speak with her more often? He hoped so.
“Oh! Just in time.” Sooyoung commented as the bus slowed down in front of them before she turned to Luhan. “Thanks for walking with me.”
“No problem.” He smiled easily. “Take care of yourself on your way home, okay?”
“You too.” A beat passed. “Good night, Luhan.”
“Good night, Sooyoung.”
o-o-o-o-o
That was how their daily routine began. Since then, Sooyoung would always make it a point to pass by the bookstore before and after work, prompting Luhan to volunteer himself to be the one to close the store in the evening. Every time Sooyoung had dropped by after work, she always ended up staying in the bookstore with Luhan; the pair chatting animatedly about books and anything that came to mind. Each night always ended the same with Luhan walking Sooyoung to the bus stop and watching her head home.
“Hyung!” Sehun whined. “You guys have been doing this… bus stop routine for how many weeks now! Can’t you ask her out on a date, already?”
“What? No!” He exclaimed as he picked up a Geronimo Stilton book from the floor and returned it to the shelf. “I don’t wanna freak her out.”
“But you love her, hyung.” Chanyeol spoke from his other side. “I’m pretty sure she’s in love you with you already too.”
“I don’t want to assume.” Luhan shook his head as they joined Lay by the cashier. “What if she doesn’t?”
Lay looked up from the counter, shaking his head before he clamped a hand on Luhan’s shoulder. “You, my friend, are blind.”
o-o-o-o-o
“Luhan?” Sooyoung poked her head inside the bookstore, hesitating to fully step in. “Luhan? Are you here?”
“I’m here!” He answered; the Chinese native standing between two rows of shelves.
The brunette stepped inside. “Are you busy? Do you want me to go ahead?”
“No, no. I’m finishing up.” Satisfied that everything was in order, he stepped out of the aisle. “Ready to head home?”
A look of confusion crossed her face. Weren’t they going to chat a bit before heading home. “Are you in a hurry?”
“Not really.” He shook his head, grabbing his bag from where he left it. “I thought of riding the bus with you today.”
Her eyes went wide. “But… But what about your car?”
“I lent it to Chanyeol for tonight. He’s trying to impress this girl and well, I think I’d help.” Luhan grinned. “Shall we go?”
“Have you ridden the bus before?”
“Uh… No.” He admitted sheepishly. “But Heechul hyung taught me how to. He gave me directions.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure? I don’t want you getting lost in the middle of the night.”
“I’m sure. Don’t worry.” Luhan grinned, slinging the bag on his shoulder before offering her his free arm. “Shall we go?”
Sooyoung blushed crimson but looped her hand around his arm nonetheless as they left the bookstore. Though she had to let go of him as he locked up, Luhan had offered his arm again to her as they silently made their way to the bus stop. It had only between a minute or two when it arrived and Sooyoung had gone through the process of teaching him how to properly pay the fare. Settling on a two-seater in the front row, his eyes were round and wide as he paid attention to everything around him, wanting to savor his first public bus ride.
Luhan had realized how much he was missing in life. He had been born and raised in a well off family and he always had a car to his disposal all his life. But he was certain that nothing compared to the feeling he had as he toured the city like it was his first time; Sooyoung pointing out interesting things they passed by that he never noticed when he was driving.
“I’m going down in the next stop.” Sooyoung forced a smile on her face, not wanting to part from him just yet. “You’ll go down two stops after mine, okay? Don’t forget.”
“I won’t.” He nodded solemnly, suddenly reaching for his bag. “Wait. I nearly forgot to give you something.”
The brunette waited patiently; a look of curiosity crossing her beautiful face when he placed a wrapped item in her hands. “What’s this?”
“Open it on your way home.” Luhan replied vaguely. “It’s a book and I think you’ll like it. There was something I wanted to explain to you but I think the book would do a better job.”
“I’m sure I’d like it already.” She grinned. “Thanks, Luhan.”
The bus slowed down, signalling that they had reached her stop. “Take care of yourself, alright?”
“I should say the same to you.” Startling the Chinese native, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss on his cheek. “Good night.”
“G-Good night.”
Sooyoung stood from her seat, waving goodbye before she got off the bus. She laughed when Luhan waved at her through the window and she waved again, keeping her hand up until the bus began to move and he had disappeared from sight. A sigh escaped her lips as she began to walk towards the direction of her house; her attention falling on the wrapped book in her hand. What was it that he wanted to say but couldn’t? What was it that he had to say but he was using a book to say it? With her curiosity getting the best of her, she torn open the wrapper; her eyes falling on the title of the Cecelia Ahern novel.
P.S. I Love You