Exception || Changlix

0.8

"Alright, you wild boars, get out of my car," Minho says while making a waving gesture with his hand. The five of us get out and walk in whatever direction Chan moves in. That's been our system for a while now.

"Hey, can we get something at the pastry shop? It should only be a short ways away and I've been waiting to get some sweets in my tummy." I ask.

"You're like a kid, Felix." Seungmin says, laughing.

"Hey, I'm still older than you."

"Yeah, by seven days."

"Whatever."

"Hey, sorry. I'd rather not go," Minho says. "I'm on a diet and there's no way that I'll be able to survive in there. The smell is too heavenly."

"I'm going to have to say no also. Just not hungry right now." Seungmin shrugs. "Sorry, Lix."

Chan speaks up, "I'll be willing to go with you, but I probably won't eat anything."

I frown at him. "But then I'll feel bad about eating in front of you."

"I could go instead." Changbin volunteers, but I wave my hands in protest.

"You don't have to, It's fine. if no one else is hungry then-"

"No, I actually want to buy some food. I'm starving." Changbin says, cutting me off. I stare at him for half of a second. Is he being serious? "C'mon, let's go, Lixie." Changbin says with a soft smile.

"Uh, sure." I stutter, returning his smiles. "Thanks."

Changbin and I walk for a while until we reach the pastry shop. We enter the building and the first thing I notice is how vintage the decorations are. Everything has an odd sense of nostalgia to it and, along with the warm smell of freshly baked bread, it feels welcoming.

The two of us place our orders and go over to a table for two to sit and wait. We speak of random and insignificant things until our food arrives.

"So Lixie," Changbin says once the waitress walks away. "how does it feel to finally get your sweets?"

I giggle a little and say, "We got this bread." while pointing at the baked good. Changbin laughs and we proceed to chat while stuffing our faces with tasty bread fluff.

A small pause appears somewhere in our conversation. Changbin clears his throat after the silent second, causing me to look up at him.

"Are you okay?" I ask, noticing the troubled look on his face.

"Yeah," he says before soon adding, "So do you have any crushes?"

I drop the bread on my plate. "What?"

"You know, a crush? Like, like-liking someone." Changbin says with the slightest cringe.

"Yeah, I know what a crush is," I say, making a face.

"But do you have one?"

"Uhh," I hesitate in answering. I don't have any crushes.

At least, none other than you.

I scratch the back of my neck. "I don't like anyone at the moment," I say like a liar.

"Oh," Changbin's head droops. I frown at his response.

"'Oh'?"

"That's too bad, I guess."

"What do you mean by that?" I ask.

"Well, it's just that..."

"Is anything wrong?"

A sudden expression of alert appears on Changbin's face. "Well, uh," he stutters. I nod slowly, encouraging him to go on.

The boy in front of me gives up and lets out a strange sigh. "I meant you."

"I'm sorry?"

"I like you."