Name of my Love | on hold

twenty

One step closer

I sip my strawberry milkshake noisily as I focus on the whitish froth formed in my mug. Jungkook speaks to someone on his phone in a muffled voice, Korean anyway is indistinct for my understanding.

It has been fifteen minutes since we reached this spot, which has a name called misty-flakes café. It's open, wide and without any shelter if we ignore the huge tricolour umbrellas over the tables blocking out the sun for the customers like us. Tables are scattered over this concrete stretch and it's more like a rejuvenated outdoor restaurant, or something, from where you can enjoy the view of pedestrians walking across the sidewalk.

It's terrifying to be here, on a date, and weird for our case considering the fact that we see each other at home almost everyday. I'm repeating this thing for a few minutes now: this isn't real, this isn't real.

This isn't supposed to be real, I'll have to remember this and not get excited. Although coming out is so mood-lifting and fresh.

"Sky, I'm so sorry," Jungkook's voice pulls me out of my thoughts, he slides his phone into his trousers pocket while stretching his leg, "it was an important call."

"No, it's alright." I smile at him.

"Hyung and his date would join us here soon."

"Who? Taehyung?"

"No, Hoseok hyung. Remember the doctor I took you to when you fainted?"

"How would I remember, I was unconscious."

He starts to laugh, then after sipping and gulping down mouthful of his banana milkshake, he says, "I mentioned about him once."

I nod at him, and of course I remember, after all, my brain has so little information to, of memories hardly as old as a month.

"So tell me, where do you wanna go first, for a boat ride, in an amusement park or for a movie?" He asks, an engaging smile on his face. It's hard to contain the sequels within me.

"Amusement park?" I suggest.

"Ok, Ms Skies."

"Ya, Jungkookie." A stranger's voice pries in, along with a hand that lands flat on Kook's shoulder from behind him. A tall, lithe guy who has brown locks with blonde finishings out on his parietal strands of hair stands here with a bright toothy smile on his face. Sunlight puts a stunning luminousity on his slightly tanned skin. Full sleeves of his white shirt are folded and tucked neatly close to his elbows and an expensive wristwatch strikes my gaze. I gawk. He must be the Hoseok guy.

"Hi!" He gestures to me.

"Hey."

"Ya, hyung, 당신은 늦었 어
[you're late.]" It's Jungkook who speaks.

Seeing Jungkook speak so casually to him, I conclude Hoseok must be very close to him, instead of being a little older. Anyways, I've hardly seen Jungkook interacting with people apart from Taehyung and his boss (on the phone,) and a few times with his mother on his phone again.

"I know, was arranging my date. You have one so it doesn't mean everyone would do either." He rolls his eyes and slaps the younger on his arm. He comfortably collapses on the seat besides Jungkook occupying the second-last empty one. The last one, besides me, is for Hoseok's date, and I'm excited to finally meet a girl. I guess I'd be more comfortable around her, after all, it's a girl. Yeah, I'm feeling so energised by this thought alone.

My hope crashes down to nothing at all when a guy with fleecy casual, orange t-shirt sprawls next to me with a bored expression after awhile. His skin pale and spotless, hair contrastingly dark and lustrous, eyes small, icy and sparingly sharp at the corners reminding me of the first nurse I encountered when I woke up, and lips thin and soft. He joined us just a minute ago and haven't spoken a word, neither greetings nor farewells. It's pretty obvious he didn't want to come here but had to, on a demand or perhaps a lost bet.