Love Notes | JC

Chapter 24: Sort out with icecream

"Thank you," Seungcheol said to the waiter, who nodded and placed the frappe and cheesecake on the table before walking away. He was sitting in a cafe, waiting for Jeonghan to show up so they could talk. To be honest, Seungcheol was surprised, shocked, and also a little relieved when Jeonghan texted him asking if they could talk things out.

When Jeonghan ran away like that in the garden, Seungcheol thought he had lost Jeonghan forever. Wonwoo had patted him on the shoulder, comforting him with the thought that what's done is done; at least Seungcheol had been brave enough to confess.

"If you guys are meant to be together, then nothing can stop that."

Seungcheol stared at his phone, checking the time again. Jeonghan was running late, but Seungcheol tried to stay calm, sipping his frappe to distract himself. The cafe's soft music and the murmur of other patrons provided a comforting background noise, but his mind was focused on the impending conversation.

Finally, the door opened, and Jeonghan walked in, scanning the room until his eyes met Seungcheol's. A tentative smile appeared on Jeonghan's face as he approached the table.

"Hey," Jeonghan said softly, taking a seat across from Seungcheol. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay," Seungcheol replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "I'm just glad you came."

They sat in awkward silence for a moment before Jeonghan took a deep breath. "I've been thinking a lot about what you said in the garden," he began. "It caught me off guard, and I didn't know how to react. But I realized running away wasn't fair to either of us."

"It's okay," Seungcheol said, playing with the spoon as he kept his gaze fixed on Jeonghan's hand, too awkward and afraid to even look at his face. "I understand that it might have shocked you, so that reaction was justified."

Jeonghan nodded as he stared at Seungcheol. He didn't know what would happen, but at least he could hear Seungcheol's side and clear things up, regardless of whether they remained friends or not.

"So..." Jeonghan began, "the one behind those notes was you?" His tone was unsure, and Seungcheol nodded.

"Yes," Seungcheol confirmed, and Jeonghan nodded, licking his dry lips.

"Why did you do it?" Jeonghan's curiosity got the better of him. Seungcheol leaned in, placing his hands on the table in a steady manner.

"I just wanted a way to befriend you," Seungcheol said, his eyes wandering around the cafe interior as he struggled to focus. "You—you were just so perfect that it made me nervous to even approach you. What if you thought I was weird? What if you thought I was just a nobody? I didn't want to embarrass myself, so I started leaving those notes, hoping to catch your attention, which I did."

Jeonghan listened intently, sensing the turmoil in Seungcheol's voice.

"I never actually expected us to become friends," Seungcheol continued, his voice tinged with disbelief. "That just seemed so unreal, to be honest. You are pretty, like so pretty, and anyone would be on their knees for you. And I was... just a math-obsessed boy. It made me nervous even to think about approaching you. But then, when you started smiling while reading those notes, it made me happy. Eventually, through so many unreal moments, we became friends, and suddenly I felt like I was on cloud nine."

Seungcheol paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Then you told me about those notes. You said you were worried about it, and that made me worried too. That's why I decided to confess."

He looked directly at Jeonghan, his eyes filled with earnestness. "I knew it would shock you to find out it was me behind those notes, but I still did it because seeing you stressed and worried hurt me. I hated it. I had to be honest, even if it meant risking everything."