Café Bisco Chapter 3 (Part 1 of 2)
Finally updating. [Whew] I decided there would be much, much more important things that needed to happen in the next chapter. So for now, just this short chapter.
- Chapter 3 -
“Happiness is not in our circumstances but in ourselves.
It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire.
Happiness is something we are.”
- John B. Sheerin
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Surprises seem to really be living up to their name recently, Yunho thinks, falling forward onto the pavement with a bundle of girl limbs and fuzzy scarf landing atop him soon after.
He came to pick Jihye up from dance school at seven just like he promised. Of course, with an eye on his watch, he didn’t know Jihye would come sneaking up on him from behind, grab him by the stomach and send them both reeling to the ground seconds later. Perhaps this was a sign of something?
Yes, it’s a sign, you idiot. A sign you need to start paying attention more. Wincing, he bites back the sting in his still-sore arm from bumping it into the corner of the kitchen counter this morning.
Damn his clumsiness (and Jihye’s overboard enthusiasm) sometimes.
“Jihye! Please, can you stop doing that?” Yunho groans, barely able to lift his head up. “You’re 15 now. Honestly, I thought you would have grown up a little in this past year in Seoul.”
“But Oppa, you’re such an easy target!” His little sister flashes him a brilliant smile, windswept hair askew and bright yellow nails tugging at her side ponytail. “’Sides, I know you can take it.” She gives his shoulder a solid pat, getting up and smoothing out her skirt and leggings. “You’re a big strong man now, right?”
Yunho sighs, taking the hand offered by Jihye to help him stand. “Sure, big and strong and now injured. For the rest of my life possibly.”
“Aww, don’t be such a big baby.” Jihye beams, rocking back and forth on the soles of her shoes. “So! I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”
Yunho laughs, wearily ruffling the girl’s already unkempt hair. “No ‘hello’ or ‘how was your day’ for me, huh? You’re lucky Dad kept me in a courthouse meeting for the past two hours. …I don’t think I have the energy to argue with you anymore.”
“So let’s go.” She’s already dragging him halfway down the street by the time he nods his head. “We can go stop at a diner or something. I’m in the mood for breakfast food~”
“Breakfast for dinner. Alright.” Jihye giggles, flattening out flyaway strands. “-You’re a real piece of work, you know that? Worrying about food the moment you get out of the place…no guy would want to date you, that’s for sure. You’d eat him out of house and home!”
They walk along the street side path to the nearby diner, making light chit-chat. Yunho knew he was being a bit overprotective of Jihye, walking her to and from home like this. But who knew what kind of crazies were in this city, especially later at night around nine when Jihye would finish class on Friday? It just didn’t seem right to let her walk home alone in a big city like Seoul. Even if it wasn’t far, he didn’t think the same way his father did, thank goodness for that.
“-So how’s life?” Jihye suddenly pipes up after they both get quiet, Yunho’s mind wandering to other things. “Job search a bust so far?”
“You know,” he grins, “If you asked me that a week ago, I would have said yes. I think I must have done something to make God happy.” His eyes slid shut, picking up the pace (Jihye had strong legs; she could catch up to him). “Everything should be ready by next week. Jaejoong-ah told me so.”
Five feet past the stairs leading to the subway, Jihye grabs his arm and pulls him back roughly. “J-Jihye, what are you-?!”
“Oppa. Oppaoppaoppa, look.” Yunho rolls his eyes, following her pointed finger in the opposite direction. “That guy, right there! He’s beautiful.” He sees a lithe form in a gray pressed suit, walking across the street. “Isn’t he cool-looking?”
I’ve seen cooler, he almost says but decides against it. The wrath of Jihye was something to be feared, indeed. “…For a girl that acts like such a tomboy, you’re so boy-crazy it’s ridiculous.”
“You just don’t have a finer appreciation for beauty like I do!” One eyebrow disappears behind brown bangs. Jihye already knows that she’s lost. “Okay. I get it. Sorry I insulted you, Mr. Artist. Jeez.”
“And what’s with that face like you wanna say something, huh?!” He’s already jogging for their destination when Jihye starts running after him. “Go ahead, say it…!”
They reach the diner after a half-sprint down the street, gasping and choking on laughter at the door. Jihye rests on Yunho’s shoulder while they wait for a table to open up, dark lashes fluttering open and closed.
“Tired?”
Jihye makes a noncommittal sound of assent. “Mm. Just a little.”
“We could always do take out, if you want. A little money saved wouldn’t be-” He cuts himself off, noticing a familiar face that just walked in.
“Junsu!” Jihye looks up to a name she doesn’t recognize, wide dark eyes wondering.
Not only Junsu, but Changmin, too. The older of the two scrambles to Yunho’s side, quick to give him a small hug in greeting. “Hyung, what’re you doing here? Min-ah and me were just at the park - but then we both got hungry, so…”
“I just picked up my little sister from dance school,” Yunho explains. Junsu lets him go, making way for Changmin who is decidedly more professional in his hello (a slight bow and a warm smile). “-Which reminds me, I don’t think you’ve met Jihye yet. I told Jaejoong-ah about her, but…”
“We’ve met.” Startled, Yunho glances at Changmin. The younger boy regards Jihye with a slight grin. Jihye, he notices, beams right back, walking closer. “I used to see her at the library a lot. Guess dance keeps you busy nowadays?”
“Dance and school,” she pouts. “Ugh, mid-term exams are such a pain…! I can’t wait ‘til Winter Break.”
“Wait ‘til you get to college,” Changmin chuckles. “You’ll probably want to kill yourself with the amount of cramming you’ll have to do.”
“Don’t remind me, please,” Jihye laughs. “Math’s gonna be the real killer. I’m practically failing as it is!”
“If you need a tutor, I’m always free on weekends.” Changmin shuffles through his pocket, fishing out his cell phone. “Here, give me your number. I figure it’s about time, seeing as how this is the third time we’ve talked. We keep meeting up like this, it’ll be a habit.”
Standing off to the side, Junsu stared at the happily conversing pair, then looked at Yunho. “Umm. Yunho-hyung. Did you know those two knew each other?”
“No idea,” he admits, shaking his head. “Although…I guess I could why they get along so well. Sort of quietly headstrong, food-loving people. They could be brother and sister.” He laughs. “Maybe make my job a bit easier that way. I should ask Min if he wants to take her.”
“I bet if you offered him free dinners for a week, he’d never give her back.” They both laugh at that, looking toward the waiter that approaches them to tell them Yunho’s table is ready.
“You know what? Make it a party of four, please.” He turns to a bewildered Changmin and a grateful-looking Junsu. “We’ll have to go Dutch, but it’s a lot more fun eating with friends.”
“Definitely.” Changmin watches Jihye trot off to follow their server, then looks at Junsu. “-C’mon. We’ll share a hamburger special or something.”
They spend the rest of the night in pleasant company.
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Part 2: http://sakuranbokissx.livejournal.com/3371.html.