The Coffee Shop (Scoups)

𝟹𝟹 - sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇ, sᴜʀᴘʀɪsᴇ!

Silence surrounding us is so thick that even if you would try to cut it with a knife, you would be unable to cut through all of it. 

We, Seungcheol and I, are sitting next to each other while Jeonghan and Emily are sitting across from us, next to each other of course. 

No one has spoken a word for the past five minutes and now the silence is starting to stick to our skin like a leech. 

I'm still recovering from the initial shock my brain and body had put through me while I can Seungcheol had recovered from his shock a long time ago and more looked like he is deeply contemplating. At least Emily does look apologetic and slightly afraid and as for Jeonghan, well. . .Jeonghan looks as if he couldn't give a shit. 

"How long. . .have you. . .are. . .has this been going on?" I ask, struggling to form the correct words. 

"Since last month. Actually since May. But we met in March," Emily blabbered. 

I just stared at her. 

"We've been officially together since last month," Emily answered. 

"Officially?" I question. 

"We met. . properly in March. Then we started hanging out a bit last semester and then. . ." Emily trailed off towards the end. She didn't need to finish her sentence because the rest is pretty obvious. 

I frown. I still don't understand why the two have been sneaking behind our backs? It's not like we would have stoned them to death or have kept them apart like Romeo and Juliet. It is very unlike Emily to hide something like this away from us. 

"What are you doing in town by the way," Emily asked, chuckling nervously a bit, as if to ease the tension, "Soyeon said you had no plans at all."

"I was tutoring. Then we met up for dinner," I explain. Emily nods and I remember she knew about our argument the other night. And the fact we really hadn't been talking this morning either. Maybe she is as surprised as I am. 

I look at Seungcheol and catch him exchanging a look with Jeonghan which can't help but make me wonder if he already knew from before. 

"So. . .how long were you going to keep it as a secret?" Seungcheol spoke up for the first, as if hearing my thoughts and answering my question. 

So he did not know either. I know it shouldn't make me feel comforted but it does. At least I'm not the only one feeling like an idiot right now. 

"It was never a secret," Jeonghan said, speaking up for the first time as well. He is looking directly at Seungcheol, his face having a knowing expression which I know only Seungcheol could probably read. 

"Doesn't seem like it," Seungcheol said, crossing his arms across his chest. 

"It was never a secret," Jeonghan emphasized, "We just decided to keep it to ourselves for now. It was growing great until you two found us." 

Seungcheol scoffed a bit and said, "Dining in a public restaurant is definitely keeping to yourselves."

Jeonghan didn't fall into Seungcheol's bait for an argument and instead just narrowed his eyes and stared ahead. 

"Well. . .what happened, happened. You two found out so there is nothing we all can do about that," Emily said, surely feeling the animosity in the air as well, "We didn't meant to keep this away from anyone. We just wanted to spend some time with only each other before telling you guys. It's already hard enough. . ."

I couldn't help but sigh at Emily's words. As much as I hated to admit, I have to cut her some slack. It really has been only a month since Jeonghan and Emily claim to have begun seeing each other and are pretty fresh in their relationship. Emily has a very busy like and schedule now that she is on the national team, always in and out of the National training center while juggling university work. She barely has time for us and herself, so it must be really difficult dating. When I see things from her perspective, I realize she must have wanted to cherish the privacy of her relationship for a bit more longer.