Empathy | kmg

Twenty Seven

"Yeah, we're closing."

"I'll be there in a moment, wait for me,"

"Okay, be careful on your way here."

Eunha ended the call and shoved her phone inside her skirt's pocket, then continued to wipe the table until it was clean. She then proceeded to put away the cleaning materials, not forgetting to wash the damp cloth she used for cleaning and putting the apron in her designated locker. 

"Eunha, Mr. Kim is looking for you." A co-worker who had just entered the room, said.

Before she could respond, her other co-workers said, "Again?"

Another hushed that person, Eunha felt uncomfortable because she knew that they were talking about her. She didn't need her empathic abilities, it was fairly obvious because of the whispers. It has been like that for a while, and Eunha isn't going to lie, it's bugging her.

Mentally sighing, she only smiled at her and nodded at the person that called for her. Eunha then closed her locker and slung her back on her shoulder, walking outside their locker room. When she did, she saw the said man's back view standing outside the restaurant, his blazer on his right arm as his white undershirt was rolled up to his elbow.

"Kwannie, I'll be going now." Eunha said as she passed Seungkwan, who was still cleaning the glass windows.

"Alright, be careful."

  °•••°•♤•°•••°

Mingyu was scrolling through his phone while waiting outside the restaurant for a certain black haired girl, after a while, he heard the restaurant's bells jingle, signaling that someone went outside. Turning around, a smile then spread on his lips when he saw the person he was waiting for.

"Hey shortie," He said,

Eunha looked at him, the usual annoyed face she had wasn't present. So in attempt to bring it back, he decided to tease her more.

"Why the long face? You look like a baby who didn't get to watch their favorite show." Mingyu chuckled.

When a small twitch appeared on the side of her lips, he grinned unknowingly. But his grin faded when the her small smile returned to a straight line as she asked him, 

"What do you want?"

"I uh, was wondering if you would like to, uh, have a walk... with me?" Mingyu never thought that he would lose his composure, so his words surprised him a little.

The girl raised a brow, "Why?"

'Oh shit, I didn't think of that.'

The black haired boy looked at her blankly for a few seconds to look for the right answer, he thought that she would agree since they do have some sort of history, all though it wasn't that long. If he were to honestly answer that, it was because he wanted some time alone with her, other than he wanted to take her to a place where her usual sassy self would return. 

Not that he would admit all that.

"I just thought that maybe we could take a breather? You know, just a simple walk to refresh ourselves." Mingyu blurted out.

Eunha looked down at her shoes, breathed a sigh and then looked up at him again. 

"Kim Mingyu, I'm going to ask you a question." 

Mingyu, who didn't know what to do, just said, "Go ahead,"

"What are we?"

It caught him off guard.

That was a good question, what were they? Friends? Unlikely, Mingyu doubted that what they had was something "friendly" since all they did was bicker and insult eachother. Workmates? That would probably be the most practical answer.

Lovers?

'Are we?' , Mingyu questioned himself.

Before Mingyu could further think the situation thoroughly, he heard Eunha laugh. When he was about to be relieved from the hot seat he was in, he looked at the girl and realized that it wasn't a happy kind of laugh. 

"So, we're just strangers that randomly kiss each other?" She asked, the hurt and sarcasm visible in her voice.

"No, of course no-"

"Then what are we?" She asked once again, this time, her eyes conveyed a signal that she needed to know. She needed him to confirm so she can know her place.

And what Mingyu responded?

"..I don't know.."

Eunha somehow knew that he would say that, if he can't tell them what they were, then she is going to.

"Then I'll answer, you are my boss, and I am your employee. Nothing more and nothing less." She said with a straight face.

"Eunha-"

"And no, I will politely decline your offer sir." Eunha bowed and turned her heel to walk away. 

How she wished he would call her again, it doesn't even have to be her name. He just needed to utter a single syllable and she would turn her around and face him again.

But he didn't.