The Butterfly Effect | A Hwang Hyunjin Story

Chapter Three: The Swap

-Hyunjin's POV-

I really don't know why I just blindly followed them. Especially after they ran into me AND spilled coffee all over my coat. On second thought, it's probably a better outcome than what would have happened if I stayed put and let that group of girls mob me.

I start to look around this little cubbyhole in the tiny alleyway where we finally escaped the pack of teens. Kind of starting to feel like the type of place I would get murdered. Plus they just left me to go through that creepy door over there.

Maybe they are going to murder me.

Speaking of murder, I must have been staring daggers into their soul when they spilled that coffee, I should probably check out the damage.

I slip off my coat and hold it up in front of me, sighing loudly at the extremely large splatters all over the front of it. Yeah I guess it wouldn't really be subtle to walk around with this on. I sigh again as I drop my arms, letting the hem of the coat lightly hit the ground. Whatever, it's already dirty anyway.

Just as I finished that thought, the red door swings open and out walks the person who led me here. Huh, I guess I didn't get their name. The sound of the door made me slightly jump but I quickly recover and clear my throat.

Instead of carrying an axe or some other form of possible murder weapon, they are holding two bottles of water and what looks to be two bags of chips.

They slowly meander down the stairs, sitting on the second to last step and placing the water and snacks next to them. Realizing I was still just standing and staring at them, they raised their eyebrows and began to wave me over to the steps.

"Well c'mon then" They say as they slap the stair next to them. "Gotta recharge after that marathon we just ran"

Feeling a bit unsure but slightly relaxed by the joke they made, I slowly head over and sit next to them on the second to last step, laying my coat across my lap since the morning air was still a bit too brisk for my liking.

"Here" they say while handing me a bottle of water and a bag of chips.

"Thanks" I respond awkwardly, giving a half smirk while I do. I still don't know how to feel about this whole situation. I crack the top of the water bottle open and take a few sips. Realizing the silence is growing more and more uncomfortable I speak again,

"So.." I start. They turned to look at me but for some reason I couldn't hold eye contact so I looked back at my water and cleared my throat again. "Do you work at this store or something? I feel like not just anyone can use the back door like that" I continue.

They begin to giggle a little bit and, confused, I look back over at them to try to understand what was funny about what I said.

"Sorry.. I don't mean to laugh. It's just a bit of a complicated story" They begin speaking, placing their uncapped water bottle on the steps beside them and placing their arms on their lap. "When I first moved here about a year and a half ago I was having a pretty tough time so pretty often I would find myself wandering around trying to find quiet places to sit and...think? I guess."

I nod along, not really sure where this is going or how this could explain the snacks. As I watch them speak I notice they start to nervously twist the ring on their pointer finger. I can't help but stare at their long and slender fingers, nails filed neatly and a few rings on each hand.

"This..." they motioned to the door behind them; "happens to be the place I liked the most for some reason."

I stare at them for a moment, still confused as to how that makes it okay for them to just casually stroll in whenever they want.

"So...you don't work here...?" I ask, feeling kind of like an idiot but still pretty curious.

They laugh again. "No, I don't work here. After a particularly hard day a while back, I was here sulking and Mr. Kim, the shop owner, came out and found me. He was incredibly kind to me and invited me inside and gave me water and snacks." They continued, back to twisting their ring again.

"To repay his kindness I told him I would help him out in his shop if he let me hang out back here sometimes. Surprisingly, he agreed. So now I help him out if he's busy and in return I can come hang out or grab a snack or two if I need it."

"Sounds like a fair deal to me" I lightly chuckle in response, "that's very nice of him".

"I know right" they respond, smiling ever so lightly, seemingly thinking of something specific, but I don't pry.

They quickly snap out of it and look over to my coat, still sitting in my lap.

"Shit. I'm really sorry about that. That was totally my fault, I really need to watch where I'm going. If you want I can get it cleaned for you and return it afterwards" They excessively start apologizing while reaching for the coat.

"I mean honestly if you're gonna go through that much trouble you can just keep it" I respond shrugging. I'm not sure what compelled me to give them my coat but, whatever.

They pause and look at me as if I have three heads before flatly saying "Seriously?"

"Yeah, sure. I have others that are a bit newer at home anyways" I say nonchalantly, leaning back with my elbows on the steps behind me.

"Okay, Mr. Famous-cool-guy" they respond with a big chuckle and I can't help but laugh with them.

"Hey, how do you know I'm famous!" I respond through my laughter.

"Oh, PLEASE! as if your gaggle of adoring fans chasing us 3 blocks didn't give it away!" They continue laughing and I start laughing harder.

"I'm not gonna lie you have a point there" I say still cracking up.

After our laughter begins to subside I see them begin to shimmy off their own coat.

"Uh.. what are you doing?"

"What does it look like, Mr. Famous-cool-guy? You can't go walking around without a jacket on and mine barely has any coffee on it. we look to be around the same size so we can just swap" They say matter-of-factly and extend the jacket out to me.

I look between them and the jacket a couple of times, definitely hesitating longer for dramatic effect.

"Hurry! My arm is getting tired!" They say, dramatically shaking their arm as if holding the jacket out to me for a second longer is gonna make their arm fall off.

"Alright, fine!" I say and I reach over and grab the jacket from them. After we swap, we both put our respective jackets on and look at each other. I immediately start giggling at the coffee stains all over my jacket... well I guess now their jacket. "Aren't you embarrassed to walk around in that?" I question, definitely making a face full of judgment.

"What, you don't think I can rock it?" they respond while twirling, finishing the move facing me with one hand on their head and the other on their hip. They burst out laughing and I joined them. "I don't get embarrassed very easily honestly. I've definitely done worse than walk around with coffee on my coat" they finish.

"Do I even wanna know?" I ask, laughing at the implication of the statement.

Before they can respond their apple watch pings and they look down, eyes going wide.

"Oh no... I'm fucked" they say, sounding absolutely defeated. Well that can't be good.