One Shot To My Heart

Chapter Five

I ran into the loading bay and all six doors were open. Five had trucks in them and only one was open to let in the outside air. I peeked outside first and didn't see Jongup anywhere. I started looking into the trucks and after the third truck I was starting to lose hope. When I looked into the fourth truck I was about to move on to the next when I saw a flash of pink amongst the stacked pallets.

"Jongup Oppa? Is that you?" I asked hopefully. I all but dived into the dark interior of the truck, pulling out my phone in the process. There was some light coming in from the loading bay but it was uncertain and the last thing I wanted to do was trip and fall.

"Gwen?" His voice was close to me as I fumbled for my flashlight app on my phone.

"I'm over here, Jongup! Come towards the door." I got my flashlight on and swept it's bright beam around the inside of the truck. I found Jongup, half behind a pallet of spaghetti sauce and took a hold of his arm, gently pulling him free of the truck. "I'm so glad I found you. We were worried."

"I couldn't find the hyungs. I got scared." I still had ahold of his arm so I could feel the small tremors that were shaking his whole body. He was scared.

I dropped his arm but was surprised when he took ahold of my wrist, keeping us linked. I could understand his fear so I didn't pull away. I walked us quickly out of the back room and ignored the stares that some of the boys were giving us.

Cinna, Yongguk, and the others were still waiting where I'd left them and they let out shouts of surprise and recognition to Jongup. Upon seeing his hyungs, he dropped my wrist, a small blush on his cheeks, and quickly rejoined them. Zelo was the first to hug him and then he was passed around the group. 

Yongguk and Himchan both gave him stern looks and Yongguk said something to him in Korean but then they both smiled and Jongup bowed his head to Yongguk. Everything seemed like it was squared away so I took a hold of the cart that Yongguk had been pushing earlier and lead the procession to the front of the store.

All the boys helped put everything up on the belt and I smiled at the cashier who I had never seen before. She must have been new and from the other school in the county. I told her I could bag the groceries for her as Cinna pulled the cart around next to me.

The girl looked uncertain but still slid a few things down to me. When she realized that I could handle bagging my own groceries she started to send them down more quickly. I was a pretty good bagger if I was appraising myself. It was something you got good at after three years of work...

When I finished loading one cart, with practiced ease, Cinna slid the second one into place next to me so I could load that one as I filled bags. I chattered away with Cinna as I worked and became increasingly aware of a pair of eyes on me.

I looked up and found Jorge standing at my side, watching not only me. He was surreptitiously stealing peeks at Yongguk, Himchan, Daehyun, Youngjae, Jongup, and Zelo. "I take it you found him then?" Jorge asked, nudging me with his elbow as he waggled his eyebrows. "You didn't tell me there were six of them." Thankfully he was whispering and I didn't think that they could hear him.

"Shh," I giggled none the less, shooting him an elbow to the ribs. "They're just visiting." I said, answering his unspoken question. "Can I just call you later?" I asked, still bagging the groceries as I talked. It was a very special cashier talent to be able to bag groceries and talk at the same time while barely paying any attention at all.

"You better! I miss you, Gwen! Why don't you come back? I still have your name tag..." I was just finishing up bagging the groceries so Jorge pulled me into a quick hug.

"That's creepy, honey. I told you to get rid of that not keep it." I brushed a hand through my hair and watched as he walked away back to the courtesy desk. He waved in goodbye and I returned it before I stepped up to the pin pad to pay for the groceries.

"No, no, no." Yongguk and the rest of the boys all pushed my hand away from my wallet. 

"No what? They're my groceries..." I reached for my wallet again and Yongguk's hand on my wrist stopped me.

"They are our groceries too. Besides, a lady never pays," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "TS sent us here with plenty of money and I cannot allow you to pay." He pulled out his own wallet and swiped a gray and black credit card with the letters TS on it.

Cinna and I shared a look and nodded our heads. We were both strongly opinionated young women.  While it was nice to see that chivalry was not dead we both believed in pulling your own weight. We'd hide some money in their suitcases later.

 After we got our receipt we went out to the parking lot and packed all of the groceries into the back of the SUV. It was a tight fit because we'd had two full carts but it all fit. I took both of the carts back up to the porch and Yongguk drove up to pick me up from the front of the store. 

"They had a cart return you know? It was closer," Daehyun commented trying to lean away from Himchan who was playing with his hair.

"I know. I just prefer to take them back always. I've had to chase carts through the parking lot so I feel bad for the boys who have to come out and get them." I  thought back to the days when I was allowed to go out and gather all the carts. It was one of my favorite things to do because I go to be outside and walking around. Sometimes it sucked though because it wasn't uncommon to find carts at the furthest corners of the parking lot...

"Why would you have to go and chase carts?" Himchan asked, clearly confused.

"Because she used to work here," Cinna answered, looking out of her window as we pulled out of the parking lot. "Three long years."

I nodded my head to what she said and Yongguk pulled out onto the road, needing no directions as he drove us home.

Chapter five. Done.

Well, that took longer than I had originally anticipated.  I'm sorry it took so long, and thank you for being patient. I've been working nine hour days at work and today was the first day all month that I've been scheduled anything less than nine hours. It was only eight! 

And in case anyone is wondering, I work in a grocery store. That's where this chapter kind of took place because I spend all day there I feel inspired by it. And yes, I really do work with Jorge and I love him. He's my bilingual genius. 

So, let me know what you think and I'll try and have the next chapter up sooner! And in other news, I've been writing a lot of future chapters that I can't wait to use. I know, I have to get the beginning done before I do the middle but I can't help it. When the inspiration hits I just start writing. I even spend time at work writing on receipt paper...

So yeah. This is another really long author's note. Just tell me what you think. I love talking so PM me some time? 

*** IMPORTANT***

Which cover do you like more? The original one (side) or the new one (currently being used)? I'm curious because I like them both...♥

Comment!

Vote?

Fan!?