The Coffee Shop (Scoups)

𝟻𝟶 - ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ

Seungcheol and I sat on a bench outside the laundromat, side by side, as we stared out in the night sky, not really saying much. 

After the rather awkward encounter in the laundromat and sorting things out a bit, Seungcheol and I began to slowly fold away out laundry. Eventually Joshua and Yewon unnie also returned, though the two seemed to be awkward and uncomfortable and in a hurry to get out. In an unspoken agreement, both Joshua and Yewon unnie left the two of us, as well as leaving or laundry behind with us as well. 

Flustered, Seungcheol asked if I wanted a warm cup of coffee and now we're sitting outside a connivence store with two warm cups of coffee in both of our hands. 

I clear my throat and say,"It's getting cold these days, isn't it? I guess it's time to bring out our jackets." 

There was a brief pause before Seungcheol said, "You sounded just like an old lady right now."

I blush brightly and weakly say, "Ya-"

I can feel Seungcheol smile from here and he said, "Don't worry. You'd be a very attractive old lady."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes and breakout into a smile.

"Sorry," I say, "It just...still feels a bit awkward."

"Well. . .things haven't exactly been friendly between us lately, haven't they," Seungcheol said, "I wonder why we reached that point."

"I shouldn't have always pushed you to give me an answer," I admit, "Sometime I don't respect your boundaries. And then I get upset when I hear the answer I didn't want. But I also shouldn't have said all those mean things about your friend."

There is another brief pause before Seungcheol says, "It's not like I didn't say mean things about Emily either. I wasn't every nice about the whole situation."

"But still, it's not like you called her all sort of names like I did," I say. 

"I know but part of what you said is true," Seungcheol said and I look at him in surprise. 

He looked down at me sideways and said, "It is true that Jeonghan can be very cold and stand-offish to others. And I know that his behavior and attitude makes him undesirable as a person. I think he also knows he is very good looking and definitely does use it to his advantage in cunning ways, especially with girls. Who do you think normally deals with the aftermath of his actions."

"But...I've also seen him go through hard times. I've seen his family go nearly bankrupt and I've seen how he's struggled to get back on his feet while people he thought as friends mocked him day and night. Despite all of this, Jeonghan stuck with me through my highs and lows. He always put up a strong front and fought his way through everything life threw at him. Jeonghan wasn't always like this. He used to kinder and friendly and sweet but he's lived a much harder life then you can imagine. I'm not choosing to ignore Jeonghan's rude behavior but its rather that he never behaves that way with me. When I look at Jeonghan, I don't see him as the son of two surgeons, but I see him as the boy who fought against the world in middle school to protect his family's image and reputation. I suppose I use his past to excuse the way he treats others."

"I'm not going to ask you to be friends with him, because I know that is impossible, from both sides, but I just hope you can find a way to not hate him and just somehow peacefully coexist," Seungcheol said. 

For a couple of seconds, I just really sit there and digest Seungcheol's words. Now that my anger and my frustrations have been cleared away, I think I am finally being able to hear him and he is being able to hear me. 

"I don't hate Jeonghan," I finally say, "Hate is a really strong word."

I sigh and put my hands in my lap, looking down at him, "I don't know what I feel about him but I do understand what you mean. I always didn't know I was adopted. My parents didn't tell me until I was nearly in middle school. I had always thought I was their actual kid and being adopted never crossed my mind even once."