To the Next Level [Oh Sehun × Jennie Kim]

|| • Game Over• ||

The smell of brewed coffee lingered my whole system and the sound of flipping pages echoed my ear. This place is my sanctuary. My haven.

I roamed my eyes around the place. It's full of customers, mostly students. They're either chatting with a group or studying alone. I saw some elderly people picking books while a cup of coffee is on their hands.

I can't help but smile.

I'm sitting at one of the couches in the far corner of the cafè when a middle aged woman approached me.

"May I sit with you young lady?". She asked.

I roamed my eyes in the whole cafè again, there were no more seats. Even the tables outside and the high chairs near the counter were already occupied.

"Of course".

She sat at the couch in front of me and placed her cup on the table.

"Well. I'll be going now". I told the woman. She just nodded.

I headed to the book shelves and placed the book I borrowed and proceeded to the counter.

"Jennie". The manager greeted.

We're on first name basis, I don't want anything formal.

"I need to head out Lilein. Just check the inventory for me please".

I've been dreaming this ever since I learned how to read.

A coffee and book cafè owned by me.

Five years have passed since I graduated high school and a year since I graduated college. Taking business management. I asked help from my parents, but it wasn't easy. I had to convince them that this is what I want and not managing and owning one of our hotels.

I already have two branches of my cafè all over the city and one on my hotels. Yes, my parents did help but with one condition and that's owning one of our business.

It was pretty hectic making my business bloom just in a year but I made it.

Lilein and I had a chit-chat before I went out the shop and headed to my car.

I drove to Baekhyun's Restaurant. As I was about to park a familiar car just passed me.

I went out of the car, same with Chanyeol who just arrived.

"I have lots of friends interested in you Jennie. Why don't you date?". No hellos. That's what he greeted me. He's now an Architect by the way.

"You know I don't have time for that". I pointed out while we were walking to the entrance.

It was like a reunion. A party room was reserved inside the restaurant for us. I was hesitant at first because I was a tranferee back then. We were only classmates for a couple of months, but they insisted and forced me to come.

"Are you really that busy or you're just waiting for something?". I blinked at his question. I never asked anything about him to Chanyeol. "Woah they're here".

My eyes landed on a group of people. The room was filled with laughter and conversations about our high school life.

I can't help but reminisce those times. From my first day there, how I hated that guy and how cheezy and over reacting I was with him to when I threw my graduation cap up high and how an undeniable feeling was born.

I saw Baekhyun smiling at me while I was still standing here. Chanyeol was already there with them.

It was wonderful seeing all of us successful.

"You finally arrived!". I heard Aleina. Everyone was looking at my direction. But what confused me was they weren't looking directly at me. Until I felt someone's presence behind me.

I changed my gaze to Chenyeol. He gave me a teasing smile.

I carefully turned around and in that moment, I forgot how to breath and act properly. His eyes were hypnotizing looking through my whole anatomy.

"Dude c'mon". Everyone's voices greeted him.

He lifted his head up and left me standing there, bewildered.

For five year since he left, I never heard anything from Sehun. Not even from Chanyeol nor Baekhyun. There's a lot of questions I want to ask. But do I have the right to question his privacy these past few years.

He went to the our old classmates.

"What are you waiting for?". I didn't even noticed Chan was already beside me.

Right before I could answer. They were all squealing and teasing...me?.

Little did I know that he's already aproaching me.

Damn. During those five years I've been thinking about my reaction and been also practicing my aproach to him. But it seems that all of those thoughts just disintegrated and left my system.

When he's already in front of me, I felt my knees trembling.

I noticed he was looking at my neck. I placed my hand on it and felt a cold thing.

The necklace...

I almost forgot about it. I've been wearing it ever since.

"How are you?." I was lost. Now he's staring right through me.

I saw how his soft smile turned into a grin with my reaction.

He held my hand.

"You're real". I said while my eyes were still popping from my lids.

He's actually here. I'm not imagining, he is not an illusion. My body went stiff.

"Thank you for waiting". He genuinely smiled.

"I made a promise". It's true, I did maid a promise to him five years ago. "You're finally back"

Instead of answering he raised his right arm. I noticed that it had a broad metal band kind of bracelet, it had a white stone shaped like a heart. It looked exquisite. I think I've already seen him with that on his wrist.

Our friends tried to peak and hear us.

My brows met when he gently grabbed my heart key pendant near his bracelet. Until I saw a small key hole on its side.

My eyes widened in awe. As he turned the key, the white heart turned into a royal sapphire blue.

It's beautiful...it's more than that.

My heart is pounding hard, seeing him right in front me. It was surreal. No access to communication, not seeing each other, those are the things I experienced while waiting for him. The only thing I was holding on to was his promise, and the wait was surely worth it.

"You'll always be the key to my heart"

THE END

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