'Ding'
The tingling sound of a bell echoes in my ears as a shiver traces across my skin giving me some unprecedented goosebumps.
It was time for him to arrive.
He was here.
If somehow I couldn't manage to be here on time.. Like this morning,
I wouldn't be able to see his face.
Nothing peculiar happened this morning..
I just ran past my mom yelling at me to take a fresh batch of burritos to my next door neighbor. Phew I'd have been stuck long with a bunch of oldies.
Although she knows there's someone obliviously waiting for me at the coffee shop every, I don't get it why she still attempts to make me socialized every single morning.
After my adventurous escape, finally, I'm sitting here alone, in my world of dreams....
Wondering how could I ease the pain of a one sided infatuation.
It is until I realize, he was already here.
Though, unable to lift my head fully up, my eyes scan the room all the way across the counter from my wooden chair until they stop at the glimpse of a figure, settling in his seat.
The man looks quite amicable from afar as he smiles at the waitress who definitely doesn't delay in returning it.
He wears a casual t-shirt with a blazer on, looking stylish enough to steal my heart in a blink.
Actually it has been a week since I've been coincidentally encountering him at the cafe 'El Noir' where I go everyday to spend some time reading.
Reading.. Ppft.. I mean staring.
He's handsome to the point that the Eren Yeager in my sight on the dead plant material gets plain ignored.
"Ma'am would you like a refill?", the waitress comes near me.
I think she knows I come here everyday in hopes of talking to the male but my coward self keeps feeling as if he will reject even a 'hello' from me.
Some people just look like that.
Nevertheless, today I have plans of approaching him.
"No, thank you", I reply as I get up and walk towards the seat whereupon the said man sits lesuirely sipping his cappuccino.
With a confidence surge, my steps halt right behind the man;
Walking further ahead due to lack of words in my head.
Damn I should've practiced what to say.
The waitress seems to have marked me as a worthy opponent as she brushes past me arrogantly, causing my shoulder to jerk.
The moment I walk ahead of his seat with pursed lips and clenched fists, a voice from behind startles me as if a ghost hung his icy hands across my shoulder.
"um excuse me... You dropped this"
The man whom I was loosing sweat upon for initiating a chat, himself confronted me, what pious deeds did I do in previous life?
It is safe to say that my handkerchief saves the day.
"Ahh thank.. you", I could only stutter as my line of sight traces his path over to me after picking up my handkerchief.
I wonder if it is just me or does he look amused at the sight of me?
"Do you happen to live around here?", he suddenly asks.
Caught in a bind, I say, "Yes".
Lie.
I live seven kilometers away from here and cycle for fifteen minutes solely for the purpose of glancing at him for a meagre half an hour.
"that's cool, I'm new here", he clarifies.
What does that mean? Is he asking to be friends?
While lost in a trance-like attraction, my eyes wandered off to a book kept on his table.
"Is that..... Attack on Titan?"
My eyes widen in surprise.
"oh yess.
Fifth volume... Its my favorite series"
There seems to be an innocent excitement in his eyes.
"I love it too", I never knew starting a conversation was this easy.
"damn"
"Would.... Would you like to sit and talk?
I mean if you-", he politely points to his table.
"Yes", I nod with only about 0.5% of the happiness my heart feels in this moment.
He orders another cappuccino for me not knowing that I already have had two cups of Americano.
"So do you read Mangas in general?",
I ask.
"um yeah selective ones, I'm usually too busy to be reading haha", he casually answers.
His tone already feels as if he's a close friend of mine.
Meanwhile I can feel a burning gaze at me... Oh yes it's the waitress.
Thanks to her I'm getting to talk to him.
I don't realize that I have zoned out until...
"yo", he strums a palm in front of my face while I neutrally glare at the waitress.
I aggressively shake my head to zone back in.
"you looked super lost a second ago."
"hehe just-"
"by the way, I'm Joshua. Hong Joshua"
Hong... Rings a bell; but...
"Finally", I look at him as a breath of relief exhales from my gaping mouth.
It took me four days to finally know the name of my crush.
"what?", he chuckles at me suspectingly as if he knew what my heart was going through.
Yes, a rush of anxiety as I realize what I just said out here.
"Nothing.", I smile like an idiot in front of him..
Until he bursts into a laughter.
See, now you've made a fool out of yourself, he's even laughing at you.
But he looks so angelic when laughing.
"To be honest Y/n....
I know you come here everyday.",
At his assertion, I look like a deer caught in headlights.
"I also know that you don't live here.", Joshua gently smiles at me.
My speechless self only waits for him to say something ahead.
"I see you spending half of your time here sneaking glances at me
no offence.", he neutrally states.
I feel some (a lot) heat approaching my cheeks which either was a result of embarrassment or the fact that he notices me everyday as well.
I look down in some shame and say,
"sorry if that made you uncomfortable"
"But can you guess how I know that?", he cuts me off in a sweet voice as his glances sfift across the room.
After giving it a thought, my face feels a rush of blood throughout.
A comfortable silence befell.
"you know whats funny...", he breaks the silence with a scoff.
"yeah?no"
"Everyday I hear from your mother talking about how her daughter is madly in love with someone she sees at a coffee shop everyday."
"now I hope that's me because I'll be too embarrassed if it isn't.", he looks down.
My face feels like it might burst anytime.
" what are you talking ab-"
"Im Hong Jisoo, your next door neighbor who just recently moved in."
"I was wandering in your house on the first day when I saw your pictures framed in the living room..Since then I've been wondering why do you come all the way here to drink coffee while watching me when you could do it at home only."
By now I must be looking mad embarrassed.
"ARE YOU MR. HONG'S SON??
Hongs the new neighbors?"
I practically stand up with my hands on the table causing everyone to look up and give me a handful of sour glares.
All this time my mom kept yelling me to present the goodies to our neighbors... The Hongs.
I facepalmed with pursed lips.
"Yes... Now let me take you home.
We can continue this there." , Joshua stands up with a childish grin and tightly clasps my hand in his.
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A/n:
HIIIIII MY LOVELY READERSSS!!
this is sooo cringyyyy I love it..
Please vote if you love it too.