Zeke hurried to the Cafe's little balcony at the top floor of the building with his basket as he rushed to get the laundry. The weather was now colder that usual since the downpour was massive. As he continued the climb, he smiled at the fact that now he had finally someone he could properly spend time with. He was delighted to have met Rachel and he was happier that now he had company here in this cafe.
Zeke always lived with his mother ever since he was a young boy. His father had an illness and had passed when Zeke was barely a year old so all of his fond memories were of his beloved mother. When he found out about his mother's illness, it absolutely shattered him because he feared being left alone without a sense of comfort again. But meeting Rachel relieved him, at least temporarily.
As he stood by the balcony watching Rachel rapidly trying to get the laundry as the rain got heavier. He covered his mouth as he chuckled at her struggling in the rain like that. His same adorable smile was painted all over his face. His ears were tingling and his face was turning slightly red. For some apparent reason, she always made his heart pound fast as she left trails of memories imprinted in his head.
He stood there for a moment completely forgetting about the laundry that was hanging there drenched in rain water and took a moment to look at her even more. She was an acquaintance that had such a strong persona which completely caught him off guard and into a gaze.
So careless yet mesmerizing.
With his feet nailed to the ground and his heart that pumped louder every second he watched her with so much of joy.
Just then he started to frown as he saw something that he knew he wasn't going to like. An annoyingly familiar looking stranger approaching the front of the cafe.
Henry?
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It felt familiar yet foreign.
The taste of his lips grew stronger on her. She was confused if she was even kissing him back this time because the sound of her heart was so loud her ears were ringing and her hands didn't know what to do. It felt so surreal that the same guy that threw away her gift that she wasted so much of her time on and the same guy that called her a troublemaker was now locking lips with her in the rain?
He pulled away for a second as he realized her hands were slipping away from her initial grip and sliding down.
"What you don't like it?" He asked as he gasped for breath moving his hand on her waist and the other on her face. His eyes looked so numb but intense and at the same time extremely seductive.
She looked at him as the rain dripped down her eyelash.
"That's not it." She replied slowly.
"Then fuck it." He said before sinking in his lips even more.
Her eyes shut closed as she allowed him to slowly kiss her even more. His wet hair and drenched black jumper made this man even harder to read. For some damn reason he can get away with anything by just making out because all hell knows that he was good at his job.
Rachel was confused again not really kissing him back but neither did she want to pull away because he made her feel nailed to the grown willingly.
"Rachel! Rachel!" A voice called out from the back forcing him to finally pull away.
"What the hell?" Henry annoyingly uttered as he looked at the man that stood there.
Zeke walked up to them with umbrellas as he held one for himself.
"Let's go inside alright, you're going to get sick." Zeke said finally after he stood from afar watching what had happen.
Rachel looked at Henry and nodded before she headed in without taking an umbrella with her.
"Are you coming in?" Zeke said softly as he refused to make eye contact with Henry.
Henry only looked at the ground without saying much.
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The three of them sat by the fireplace shivering even after being changed into warm clothes. The awkwardness was so volatile it felt like your skin could shed after remembering it. I mean everything escalated so quickly and nobody had a clue of what had just happened.
They were all ashamed, and completely clueless of anything.
"Why did you come here?" Zeke finally spoke to break the silence as he glanced at Henry and back at the fireplace.
Silence.
"Is everything alright? Did something happen cause you never really react-"
"Nothing's wrong." Henry said before allowing Rachel to come to her own conclusions.
"Very well then, I'll make everyone some hot coco okay?" Rachel said as she got up from her beanbag and headed to the kitchen.
Zeke nodded and tried to let out a smile.
"Rachel." Henry called out to her making her stop dead in her tracks.
"Yeah?" She replied looking at him as her heart pounded faster.
"Can I borrow your phone?"
"Huh?" "Sure."
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Rachel and Zeke stood by the doorstep of the cafe watching as Henry stepped into his car with his secretary struggling to keep him dry. His secretary then closed the door behind him and bowed at Rachel and Zeke as a sign of gratitude towards them which was replied by a faint smile and a wave by them.
As the car left, Rachel let out a sigh.
Yet again she has so many questions with no answers and yet again Henry Lee has given her another reason for her not to move on. She slowly sat on the floor sighing even more as she remembered how he sank his lips in hers without reasoning it. Now he has given her a memory which she will never forget.
"Hey Rach, are you-"
"I'm alright Zeke." Rachel said tiredly not wanting any further questions from her curious boss.
Zeke sighed and sat with her handing her a cup of hot coco.
"Thanks." She bitterly said as she struggled to paint a smile on her face.
He nodded back per usual charmingly at him but only this Rachel decided not to pay much attention at his adorable face.
"Does it always rain like this?" Rachel asked as the stared out the glass door.
"Not really, but this time it's raining quite a lot." Zeke said as he stood up. "I'm going to close up for now, don't want to get the floor wet with more customers in." He teasingly said as he proceeded to close the cafe up.
Rachel smiled as she continued to stare out of the window.
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Henry woke up gasping for breath as he looked at the alarm clock beside him.
"8.30 PM?" He said softly running his fingers through his soft jet black hair.
He sat down straight as he looked out of his hotel's window. The moon was out and the breeze was colder than ever since it had rained massively.
He then let out the same cocky grin that he was familiar with remembering what the rain had brought earlier.
To be frank, it wasn't his intention to give Rachel a culture shock by kissing her in the rain so abruptly like that, he just felt that Rachel was his safe space.
When he kissed her years ago, it wasn't something he wanted to do in the moment of time just like that with no passion whatsoever. However, it was built up feelings he had for her that he didn't know how to express. He was scared, scared about so many things that he finally let it all out by kissing her. To him it was his only escape at that time, an escape from his horrible abusive father and his highly demanding social life. But to her it was her very first kiss with the guy she had the biggest crush on, she was shy an extremely vulnerable and he felt sorry for her.
That day Henry really wished he had given her an explanation for what he had did, even for what he had done today.
He stood up looking at his undeniable attractive reflection in the mirror and smirked once again out of habit.
"I'll reason with you, I promise." He said as he walked into the bathroom to get changed.
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Zeke glanced out of the window and back at Rachel who was sleeping by the windowsill soundly. He knew it was time to wake her up for dinner but he couldn't help but watch her sleep. She was angelic almost asleep which finally made sense to him why Henry was so mesmerized by her the other day. He smiled helplessly looking at her once again.
"Rachel ah~" Zeke said softly as he tapped the wool sweatshirt she was wearing gently.
Rachel fidgeted slowly as she let out a soft yawn that made Zeke smile swiftly once again.
"Oh my what time is it?" She asked as she sat up straight looking down at her phone.
She then turned at him with horror in her eyes.
"8. 30 PM??" She gasped after realizing how late it was.
Zeke let out a little laugh and covered his smile as he blushed.
"Shall we grab dinner and open the cafe a little later" Zeke said as he looked at her.
"Dinner? Sure. But where?" Rachel asked as she looked at him confused.
Zeke just grinned at her.
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Rachel's eyes opened wide as ever as she looked at the delicious food on the table.
"Omo! How did you find a Korean Barbeque in Cameron?" She exclaimed happily holding her chopsticks upright.
Zeke giggled and started grilling the pork belly and placed it on her plate.
"Eat well okay?" He said with care as he continued to grill more meat.
Rachel took a bite of the perfectly grilled meat that melted in her mouth every time she chew. She smiled as she realized how flavourful it was. But as she did something caught her eye. Zeke who sat that grilling the meat with his cute little smile on his face caught her off guard once again. She smiled again looking down at her plate at how warm his gesture was and looked back at him.
"Zeke." She uttered to get is attention.
"Yes?" He said as he glanced at her and back at his plate.
"You'll make a good husband one day." She uttered before taking one more bite.
Zeke chocked on his food letting out a loud cough. He was stunned at the statement she had she spitted out so bluntly out of nowhere. His adrenaline was through the walls as he blushed uncontrollably out of excitement.
"What?" He uttered still coughing.
"Hahaha, I was kidding. Here take it slow?" Rachel said as she looked at him while handing him some water.
Zeke tried to smile as he took the water.
"Shall we get some soju?" He asked which was replied by a nod from Rachel.
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"Shall we go back to the hotel sir?" Asked Henry's secretary.
Henry stopped looking at his laptop and glanced up to the man that was driving the car.
"Shall we take the longer way, I want some coffee." Henry answered as he continued typing on his laptop.
Of course he had an ulterior motive.
He looked up once more staring out of the window as he watch the subtle nightlife in Cameron that he was pretty foreign with since he preferred staying in hotel room most of the time during his visit in Cameron.
"It'd be nicer if you have brought someone with you sir, there are many couple activities you can do during this time here." Spoke his secretary.
Henry smiled and looked at his laptop once again.
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"Niga neomu joha, ottoke ottoke~ niga neomu yeppeo ottoke ottoke~ narang manna bollae narang manna bollae~ janmal malgo malhae eohdago jeohdago~ Again! Hahah..." Rachel sang as she drunkenly walked down the road with her purse in her hand.
Zeke laughed as he walked up to her.
'Wait for me, let's walk together." He said as he jogged to her still giggling at how silly she looked yet extremely cute.
Rachel laughed still in her drunken bliss and without thinking or looking carefully she tripped on her heel and as she was about to fall Zeke quickly grabbed onto her and held her closely.
"See I told you, be careful. He said softly now facing her really closely trying not to breathe to fast.
Rachel still in her haze looking at him a little shaken up yet confused but before they could react as warm hand gripped onto her and pulled her away from him.
"Henry?" Rachel said as she looked at him.
Henry stared at her and back at Zeke.
Zeke who was stunned by his sudden appearance pulled her closer to him.
"What the hell are you doing here?" He asked as he looked at the annoyed face of Henry staring at the placement of his hand.
"Let go off her." He said as he grabbed her away from her.
Henry now gripped her hand harder making her gag a little.
"Both of you enough!" Rachel finally spoke after being fed up.
Henry and Zeke realized that she was now mad and stepped back.
"I am not any of your business so stop." Rachel uttered. She looked at both of them once more before walking down slowly.
"Wait Rachel you're drunk." Henry said walking up to her.
"STOP IT HENRY! Enough!" She yelled. "You, you're such a jerk. Not just today or- or yesterday but for so many fucking years! You use me when you need somewhere to dump your sadness and leave me like I'm some fucking object. You have no guts! Nothing ! No courage to admit that you have feeling and want so bad to be my boyfriend!" She continued without putting much thought to it and left as tears slowly streamed down her eyes leaving Henry there and Zeke chasing after her.
Henry stood there looking at her figure slowly disappearing alley.
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The next morning Rachel stared at the reflection of herself in the mirror as she let out a sigh. She was upset that she got drunk again and that she completely forgot what had happened the night before.
"Did I meet someone?" Rachel said brushing her hair.
"You stupid fool, how can you not remember anything at all, UGH!" She continued cursing at herself in the mirror before changing into her white wool turtleneck and her beige plaid skirt. She then whipped on some lip tint on her lip, a simple nude color that matched her outfit and the proceeded to walk down after she was satisfied with her appearance.
As she walked down he stairs she quickly remembered something. The image of her cursing at Henry accusing him of having feelings for crept on her shoulders. Horror was seen in her eyes.
No way, I didn't say that. No way!
When she reached the cafe she finally realized what embarrassing statement she had made without putting a single thought into. Her head was hated the most by her at that moment. She was absolutely shocked at the horrible situation she had gotten herself into. And the worst part? Zeke and Henry witnessed it all.
Did I throw up? What else did I do?
"OH MY GOSH, I'M GOING TO DIE." Rachel yelled.
"Why do you want to die." Said a voice from the back of her.
Just then she felt a pair of arms wrapped around her waist pulling her into a back hug. She quickly glanced looking at her reflection in the mirror remembering the painfully familiar scent that sent chills to the back of her spine. Her ears were ringing and she felt warm as he face turned red again.
"Henry?" She gasped looking at him holding her in the reflection. "What are you doing here?" She continued still in shock.
"I'm here to be your boyfriend." He said as he smiled and held her tighter.
"What?" She asked softly in shock.
"And you're going to mine from now on, get ready." He said as he smirked even more.
Rachel stood there in his grip confused but for some reason like that day in the rain, willingly.
[ RENEGADES BY X AMBASSADORS ( PLAYS) ]
Thank you for reading Daybreak Cafe, see you in part 7✨🍂