WARM HUGS [SOOLIA]

Chapter 002

[This photo is not mine; credits to the owner🥺]

>>>Again<<<

Jisu spun her pen around her fingers restlessly, her eyes wandering around as she wished for a customer to come in and entertain her. She peered down at her English textbook before groaning softly, resting her head on the book.

"Knock knock," Jisu's eyes shot open at the sound of knuckles knocking against the counter. A grin plastered on her lips as she looked up, greeting her childhood friend with enthusiasm.

"Three surnames! You've been busy." Jisu giggled at her best friend, who rolled his eyes at the nickname. Kang LeeMin ran a hand through his hair, offering a soft smile to Jisu who looked at him happily.

It was when Jisu first moved to Korea with her family when she met LeeMin, probably when she was about 4 or 5 years old. LeeMin was the son of her father's secretary, so they had playdates often when his dad came over to discuss the law firm and its clients.

Growing up without a mother and a busy father, LeeMin was rarely introduced to new friends, so he was pretty cold with Jisu at first. He used to bring his own toys and warned Jisu not to cross the line he made between them.

Jisu, however, was the complete opposite. She was determined for LeeMin to become her friend, so she'd always cross that line with his favorite cookie in her fingers, offering it for a snack.

He warmed up to her after a couple of weeks, and the duo were inseparable since. They went to the same elementary school, middle school, and high school.

The only time they didn't see each other almost every day was when LeeMin made the decision to study psychology at one of the top universities in Korea, and Jisu in California.

"I got you a little something." LeeMin chuckled as he placed a paper bag on the counter, chuckling at Jisu's dramatic reaction. She took the paper bag shyly, opening it eagerly.

"Seriously?" Jisu looked at LeeMin with a blank face, making him break out in small peals of laughter as she held up the umpteen vanilla-scented candle he got for her. It was her nickname from him, but it also had a backstory that always disgusts Jisu.

Jisu was, and still is, an inquisitive woman. Whenever she got the chance, she'd test something unknown with one of her five senses. When she was six, with a vanilla-scented candle, because it smelt nice, she nibbled on some and spat it out, disgusted as LeeMin stood there watching her in amusement.

"Thanks, I guess." Jisu sighed deeply as LeeMin burst into another fit of giggles at her disappointed expression. Don't get her wrong, Jisu finds LeeMin really sweet with all the tiny gifts he gets her whenever they meet.

But does it really have to be a vanilla-scented candle?

"How's aunt Cam?" LeeMin hummed as Jisu passed him a chilled juice bottle to enjoy in the warm weather. Jisu hummed back, drawing smiley faces on the counter, trying to avoid the question.

Jisu looked at LeeMin timidly as he rested his hand on hers before quickly looking back down at his hands to count how many rings he had on that day.

"She's doing okay...No progress though," Jisu sighed as she rubbed her temples, making LeeMin purse his lips at his friend's sudden change of mood. His brain whirred as he thought of ways to cheer her up.

"When does your shift end today?" LeeMin asked, making Jisu look at him curiously. The grin that was plastered on his face made her face light up too before she quickly checked her watch.

"I have a break in 10 minutes, then I have to come back after an hour or so." Jisu looked up at LeeMin expectantly, a small excited smile playing on her lips as she watched LeeMin flash a thumbs up and went to wait.

>>>

"Cinnamon ice cream for a cinnamon roll." LeeMin teased as he passed Jisu the ice cream, who had removed her apron and stood in the clothes she wore to work. She thanked him enthusiastically before taking the ice cream from his hands eagerly.

"You didn't have to do this." Jisu's voice was muffled by the ice cream as she licked it endlessly, obsessed with her favorite flavor of ice cream. LeeMin chuckled as he shook his head seeing the ice cream that got on the side of her lips.

"Waiting for your boyfriend to come and lick the ice cream off your face?" LeeMin smirked teasingly, causing Jisu to furrow her eyebrows in confusion. She wiped her lips, blushing red in embarrassment seeing the ice cream on her fingers now.

"Kang LeeMin I will fucking end you!" Jisu yelled after LeeMin, who had already dashed away, fearing for his life. The duo laughed and teased each other as they ran across the streets, passersby giving them weird glances.

>>>

Jisu tore her eyes away from the candle, a soft smile etched on her face as she shook her head, continuing to wipe the table. She hummed a song under her breath as she got ready to close the cafe.

Jisu flinched slightly hearing "Dun Dun Dance" blast from her phone. She took out her phone sheepishly, thanking the heavens no one else was working the night shift.

Her eyes faltered seeing the number that hadn't called nor texted her in ages. Clearing her throat, she put the phone to her ear after accepting the call, trying to act as nonchalantly as she could.

"Hi, Ji-yah. Have you and Mom been well?" Jisu bit her lip hearing the voice that she's been both dreading and longing to hear. She hummed as an answer to his question, walking back to the counter slowly.

"I've been meaning to call you." Jisu rolled her eyes slightly at the blatant lie her father said, but yet how her heart sored hearing those words come out of her father's mouth, though he was lying through his teeth.

"I can't come to visit you." Jisu paused what she was doing, hearing his sudden confession. Jisu hasn't seen him ever since her mother and father divorced, and Cammy was never the reason why he couldn't come.

"Dad, I'm so sick of this. Is it too much to ask for me to see you for once?" Jisu turned around, her eyes watering as the desperation in her voice would make any parent's heartache.

"It is, for now. Jimin's having a baby." Jisu froze, hearing the news of her stepmother going to deliver. Jisu gripped tighter onto the phone, tears trickling down her cheeks silently as she released a slow breath.

"Do understand, Ji-yah." Jisu's eyes fluttered close at the audacity of her father, saying the said sentence in a monotonous tone like he didn't even care if she doesn't.

"When's she due?" Jisu hummed abnormally calm, shocking her father as she could hear his breathing hitch. She shook her head sadly as her father didn't have the guts to tell her.

"You're telling me your new wife, who you married two years ago, whose probably only 1 or 2 months pregnant, is more important than seeing your very own daughter for an hour or two whom you haven't seen in 2 years?"

Jisu scoffed as she shook her head disapprovingly, folding her arms as she forced her lips to stop wavering.

"You disgust me." she sneered as she cut the call, not having the energy to listen to the next excuse her father would come up with. She wiped her teary eyes, forcing herself to keep it together before spinning around to continue cleaning.

"Holy fuck, you scared me!"

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~Viky

☕🎶🌸