The ceramic cup touching the glass table made a light clack as he laid it down gently, and you looked up from your folded arms resting on your knees at the boy sitting across from you. He looked concerned, his body angled towards you, hands gripping onto the little round tray standing on his lap. His eyes brimming with worry.
"I'm sorry," you murmured.
The tears wouldn't stop coming, and you wiped them away in embarrassment.
YH: "No, it's okay," he answered gently. "Um..."
He searched through both of his pockets for something.
YH: "Ah," he exclaimed when he found it.
Out came a white handkerchief with pastel pink floral patterns.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
YH: "Please use it. I swear I've never used it before. I keep it in my pocket just in case of emergencies... and well, I consider this one."
He offered it to you with both hands and you took it with thanks.
YH: "You can keep that. Rough week, huh?"
"Yes..."
YH: "Want to see something cool? I think you'll enjoy it."
You mustered up a slight smile in agreement.
YH: "Awesome. Take your cup with you, it might be a bit chilly."
After he locked up, you followed him through the shop as he wove through the tables and couches, grabbing and then swinging his coat on from a hanger behind the counter on his way. He glanced back at you a couple of times to ensure that you were still trailing him. When you both reached a door in the corner of the back of the shop, and you both proceeded to walk up a narrow flight of stairs that wound upwards. This particular door was a mysterious one, as it was always closed during open hours; you simply assumed that it was a storage closet of some sort.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
