Checkmate | Seongjoong

XVIII (Edited)

Chapter Eighteen

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The morning sunlight streamed through the café window, casting a warm glow over the space. Hongjoong sat at a table, nursing his coffee, the dark liquid swirling within the cup. His attention was consumed by his thoughts, his fingers absently tapping the ceramic surface. Since discovering the allure of coffee, he found himself inexplicably drawn to its taste and aroma, despite not requiring it for sustenance.

"Why am I even doing this?" he muttered, running his hand through his white locks in frustration. His pondering was interrupted by the tinkling of the bell above the door. Seonghwa stepped into the café, exuding a casual yet composed demeanour as he strolled toward Hongjoong. The man's presence was captivating, dressed in jeans and a stylish beige coat, one hand tucked into his pocket while the other was encased in a cast. His hair was artfully styled, half up and half down.

As Seonghwa removed his coat and approached Hongjoong, a fleeting moment passed where Seonghwa paused, slightly taken aback by the sight before him. The simple combination of jeans and a fluffy sweater on Hongjoong seemed to mesmerise Seonghwa. The way the morning light danced upon Hongjoong's features, accentuating his unique charm, gave Seonghwa pause, appreciating the unexpected beauty in simplicity. It was a momentary flicker of admiration before Seonghwa smoothly composed himself and greeted Hongjoong with a warm smile.

"Hey, how are you doing? We never really caught up after what happened."

Hongjoong glanced up as Seonghwa entered, his eyes briefly tracing the agent's casual yet captivating appearance. The man's confident strides drew attention, and Hongjoong couldn't help but notice the subtle details—the slight limp in Seonghwa's step, the poised demeanour despite the cast, and the effortless charm he exuded.

"Hey," Hongjoong greeted, his voice softer than intended. He stood, the nerves coiling within him, and managed a faint smile. "I'm good, I guess. Just the usual chaos of life."

Seonghwa settled into the chair opposite Hongjoong, a friendly smile gracing his lips. "Yeah, I get that. Life tends to throw curveballs every now and then. Thanks for agreeing to meet up, though. It's nice to chat outside of... well, you know, chaos."

Hongjoong chuckled, a bit awkwardly, feeling the weight of the situation. "Yeah, definitely. Chaos seems to follow us around lately, huh?"

The conversation flowed, alternating between lighthearted banter and the weighty silence that hung between their words. Hongjoong couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness, the constant awareness of the unpredictability of the situation they were both in.

Hongjoong observed Seonghwa with a tinge of concern, his smile faltering when he noticed the cast around Seonghwa's arm. "Are- are you hurt?"

Seonghwa glanced down at his arm, a soft smile gracing his lips as he met Hongjoong's gaze. "Oh this? It's nothing. Just a little fracture," he reassured, attempting to downplay the injury. Seonghwa then turned his attention to the waitress approaching their table, smoothly placing an order for his coffee. "How about you? You hurt? It was pretty rough back there."

"Yea- uh, I just made it out in time. Luckily, we didn't run into any of them on the way out." Hongjoong masked the truth with a simple lie, avoiding direct eye contact as he lifted his mug to his lips. He couldn't bear the intensity of Seonghwa's gaze, choosing instead to focus on his coffee. The waitress soon returned, placing Seonghwa's coffee in front of him.

"Why don't we get to know each other?" Seonghwa proposed, taking a sip of his steaming coffee.

Hongjoong nodded slowly, setting his mug down on the table. "I'll go first," Seonghwa suggested, a gentle smile adorning his face. "My name is Park Seonghwa. I'm 23, as you know I'm with the VEU. I'm from Jinju and joined the academy, moving to Seoul when I was 17. My favourite colour is silver and I like long walks on the beach." he finished with a chuckle.