chasing stars : hwang hyunjin

une

The cling of the door jingled slightly. 

Strange, usually there were no customers past ten p.m. Byeol today, was the exception. 

The tall, fair-skinned girl made her way over to one of the few vacant tables. Actually all of them were vacant. Who were we kidding, it's too late for this crap.

Studying again?  The voice whispered to Byeol. Byeol scoffed in disgust. 

"It's not like I want to fail dumbass...come on Byeol pull it together."

She hit her head lightly, proceeding to take the final sips of her midly nauseating energy drink. Reaching into her bag, she took out her textbook, quickly flipping to her bookmarked page. Byeol stared. 

She might've stared for about two minutes before collapsing on top of her chapter. 

To her luck, her boredom was lifted suddenly when a waiter walked up to her. 

"Could I interest you in anything on this fine night?" He spoke.

"This night is not fine, I feel like I might throw up." Byeol retaliated, not bothering to give any human some sort of glance. 

The waiter chuckled and awkwardly scratched his neck. 

"What about a water?" He asked in a more casual tone. 

"Extra ice and I'll take it. I have a headache too." 

"Right on ma'am." And with that he disappeared. Byeol didn't utter a word until he came back, with a fresh glass of (extra) ice water in hand.

The waiter set the glass on the table; Byeol immediately reached for it and shoved as much as she could down her throat. 

"Aghh..." She cupped her hand to her head, experiencing a brain-freeze. The waiter, probably a bit scared that Byeol could either launch at him or be slightly drunk, cautiously backed off.

"No wait!" the girl blurted out. She reached her hand to the boy's hand and brought him back to her table. He eventually sighed and took a seat, giving up. 

Byeol finally got a glimpse of the figure in front of her. He looked taller than her, nice eyes- and oh god that hair. She must have cursed under her breath. 

"I need company to finish my homework. This café is boring as shit if theres no sound, so talk." she played it cool.

"uhm." The boy stuttered. Byeol played with her pencil.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Kim namjoon." She replied with an eyeroll.

"Oh really?" he replied.

"Do you even listen to BTS? Did you even buy the MCdonalds meal? I'm ashamed." Byeol scribbled something into her textbook, a doodle of some sort. 

"I'm more of an R&B guy."

"Boring."

There was a pause.

"You know what else is boring? Homework." Byeol slammed her textbook shut. "I'd rather talk about your hair. It's very cute."

The waiter chuckled. 

"Thanks, it took me too long to grow out. I kind of have freedom of what I want to do with this mess on top of my head now that I'm in college."

"You're in college? Shut up." Byeol said half surprised, half expected.

"Yup I go to the college uptown. You?"

"Same!" Byeol had never had so much energy. 

"What's your field?" The boy replied, now equally as interested. 

"History. I might go to law school but I've kinda stayed away from it. What about you?"

"I'm in the art department." 

"You have drawings you wanna show me?" she questioned.

"Sure." the boy pulled out his phone and showed his wallpaper to Byeol, who was taken aback. 

"Literally so much talent I could never, even my handwriting sucks." she replied with a tang of envy. 

"That's alright, everyone has their interests..." the boy looked up at the clock. 10:20.

"My name's Byeol by the way, as you already know I'm a bit of a stubborn bitch at times but otherwise I can be your ticket to anywhere."

"Maybe we should go to a BTS concert then?" the taller stated sarcastically.

"Bet." Byeol grinned at the mystery waiter. (Her brain has a way of calling people strange nicknames). She unconsciously ran a hand through his hair. College boy laughed and shook his head, messing up his hair again. He pulled the strings of his hoodie, as to hide his mop.

"Why can't I see your hair?" Byeol said with a whiny tone.

"Why are you flirting with me?" the boy retaliated. Byeol put her hands up in defeat. As she took a sip of water, she caught sight of the clock college guy was staring at. 

"Closing time is in ten minutes." he whispered. Byeol glared back at him.

"Aren't you closing?" she said, inching closer. The boy's breath became slower.

"I guess I am."

With no delay, Byeol felt a hand cup her cheek as she was pulled across the table. The presence of plump lips graced hers slightly, making her melt. Byeol loosened the strings of the hoodie so she could run a hand through his hair- again.

Probably the best kiss you've ever had.

"...the best kiss I've ever had."  she gasped and shut her mouth. The boy laughed awkwardly.

"Um, what's your name?" Byeol inquired, leaning in again.

"I'm-"

"Hyunjin?"

The jingle of the door rang through the empty café. The pair turned their head to see a man in the doorway. He looked in his late teens. 

"What the actual, and I say, fuck, are you doing?!" the boy tore apart from Gyeol and walked vigorously into the guy. 

"So you think it's right to show up now? I told you to back off my tail!" He pushed the other out of the door.

"You broke up with your ex two days ago? How is this okay?" He shouted from behind the glass. Hyunjin, or to Byeol's brain it was something like hanbin, kicked the door shut. 

He stared back at Byeol with a spark in his eye. 

"I have to go." 

"What-" 

Byeol stood up slightly. 

"Can you please just leave here." he spoke, in a calmer tone. His fists unclenched as he put his hands in his pockets. 

Byeol, slightly frozen, reached for her bag. She scurried out of there in less than ten seconds. After she had reached the bus stop, she called her closest friend. 

"Heeeeyyyy Byeol haven't called in for-ever have you?"

"A really hot guy just used me to get over his ex."