Jung Hoseok Imagines

Christmas Reunion

Your eyes widened in surprise as the bell of the café went, glancing up to notice a familiar face stood in the doorway. The beat of your heart immediately picked up as you noticed the smile on Hobi's face grow, relieved to see you still working at the café, despite all of the years that he had been away.

After a few moments of taking in the space, Hobi walked in, slowly approaching the counter which you stood behind. It had been some time since the two of you had seen each other, or spoken to each other, despite how close he used to be.

Whenever he found the time to head home, Hobi made sure to visit the café in search of you. Most of the time these days you were busy and far away, and so when he arrived, the last face that he expected to see working during the holiday season was you.

He didn't even need to speak as you grabbed one of the coffee mugs and placed it underneath the machine, loading it up to make Hobi his favourite vanilla latte. It was one of those useless pieces of information that you never seemed to forget, but as Hobi watched you load up the screen, he was beyond impressed that you had remembered.

There was a silence between the two of you as you waited for the machine to finish making Hobi his drink, placing it down on the counter as soon as it was gone. Hobi reached forward for it once you stepped back, but rather than take a seat, he remained at the counter.

"I wasn't sure if you still worked here, you've not been around much recently," Hobi smiled, "I thought you'd gone away."

Your head shook back at him, glancing out of the large window of the store and onto the street. Whilst Hobi had gone on to travel the world, you had very much remained a homebody, keeping close to those who meant the most to you.

It was nothing less than Hobi expected from you, even when the two of you were kids, you worked at the café to support the old lady who ran it. It was one of the qualities that he adored the most about you, just how much you cared.

"I'm supposed to be finishing my Christmas shopping, but I couldn't resist popping in when I knew I was coming down this way," Hobi continued to tell you.

You weren't quite sure how to react as Hobi spoke, there had been several years between now and your last interaction together. You were sure that Hobi had forgotten about you, but now he was stood right in front of you.

"I always did used to tell you that you made the best hot drinks for the winter," Hobi smiled as he took a small sip from the mug.

"I've had about a decade of practice to perfect things now."

The smile on his face grew in response to hearing your voice, "I'm glad that you're still working here Y/N, this place wouldn't be the same without you."

At times you wondered if there was something better out there for you, but at the same time you never imagined yourself anywhere else. The café was home, even if others left, you always stayed there and kept the business going.

Whilst you began to clean the coffee machine, Hobi remained stood in the same spot. Hearing your voice knotted his stomach tightly, hearing the familiar sounds that he had missed so much, and loved for so many years at the same time.

"Are you working here throughout the entire holidays? Is the old lady giving you some time off," Hobi asked as your back turned to him, "I'm here for a few days after Christmas if you do think you have some time off Y/N."

You smiled weakly back at him with a shake of your head, feeling it was for the best for you to continue to cut your ties with Hobi.

"You've been out of my life for too long Hobi, I think it's best if you just drink your coffee and then go and do your shopping."

In response to your question, Hobi's head shook, placing the half drunken mug back down on he counter. You had no idea how many times he had searched for you when he came home to visit his family, no idea how much he still wished that he was apart of your life and how much he wished that he hadn't been out of it.

His eyes continued to watch everything that you did as you kept the café tidy, making the most of every single second that he got to spend back with you again.

"Christmas is a time for forgiveness," he reminded you, "and I know that I've made several mistakes."

"If it wasn't for your family, you wouldn't be here," you sternly replied to him, "you've not come here once for me really."

His family were the main reason that he visited, but it was still home to him. You were still a huge part of his life, most of his childhood had been spent with you, you were his first friend, and Hobi knew he could never forget about you.

A sigh came from him as you continued to go about your business, "I wouldn't be back here if you still didn't mean something to me Y/N, you were my first love."

Your eyes widened as Hobi spoke, freezing as you placed an empty milk carton into the bin. It was the card that Hobi didn't want to play, but as he felt you beginning to slip away from him, he knew that he was left with no other choice but to truly open up to you and make sure that he found a way to keep you talking to him and not pushing him away.

"You can't just say those things," you frowned, glancing across to look at Hobi, "you can't guilt me about being your first love, about Christmas and about forgiveness when you've spent so long away from me Hobi."

"But it's true Y/N, I wouldn't be still searching for you if I didn't love you and care for you, even in Seoul, I think about you often," he assured you.

"I waited for so long Hobi, and I heard nothing from you."

He smiled apologetically back across at you, "I'm sorry, for everything Y/N."

Your heart was happy as Hobi spoke, remembering the teenage version of yourself that struggled to contain their feelings for Hobi. Back then you would have killed to hear him confess, but things were so different now than they were back then.

"I'm not expecting for the two of us to be the best of friends straight away, but please don't push me away," Hobi asked of you.

The sincerity in his voice was clear, after so many years so close to each other you prided yourself on knowing Hobi so well. He was the closest person to you for so many years of your life, and that was something that you could never forget.

"If you get off soon, I could do with some help doing my Christmas shopping," he offered, "present ideas were always your department."

"And what about everything else that's happened between us Hobi."

His head nodded, understanding that you weren't quite willing to forget so easily. "Why don't we just talk? It's pretty quiet around here right now, why don't you pull up a chair and we can talk, just like how we used to do."

"Can I just ask you one thing before I do sit down?"

Hobi smiled across at you, waiting for you to speak as you untied the apron that was around your waist. Hobi picked up his mug and made his way over to the table as he heard you clearing your throat behind him.

"Did you really mean it when you said that you loved me Hobi."

Instantly, he nodded, glancing back to see you walking towards the table too. "How could I not love you? You were the most important person in my life back then."

"And do you still feel the same way? Do you feel as if I'm someone that you could love again if we tried to talk things out?"

"Truthfully, I don't think I've ever stopped loving you," Hobi confessed, "and I know it might be a bit of a Christmas miracle, but there is nothing that I want more this Christmas than to go back to Seoul knowing that I have my friend back."

Your head nodded as you sat down opposite him, "and would it be a bad thing for you if that friend was your girlfriend on your way home?"

"Is that something that you'd want Y/N?"

You smiled weakly, not giving too much away. "You weren't the only one in our friendship who loved back then Hobi, all those years ago together."

"Then let's see if we can go back to those days again."