brunch was tense as chanmi sat in silence while the other three at the table were conversing about random business topics that chanmi had no care to listen to. the entire time chanmi was watching the clock on the wall at an upscale restaurant while she thought about how small the portion sizes were and how the ambiance screamed condescending rich people. sunmi continued to sneak glances at chanmi, trying to signal chanmi to start talking to mark who sat next to her.
"chanmi," the step father which chanmi felt so much hatred for calls her name and makes her whole body tense, "isn't it a little rude to ignore our guest? we invited him out after all."
"doyoon," chanmi offers a fake smile, but the tension at the table could still clearly be felt, "i understand your concerns, but it seems i have a lot on my mind due to the sudden visit."
"sudden?" mark questions as he raises an eyebrow towards doyoon, "i was under the impression that you and your step daughter had a good relationship, as you've said."
sunmi awkwardly laughs as she interjects, "we have been having to focus in the business in busan, so there's been some difficulties in being there for my daughter."
chanmi only sighs at the way her mother was desperate in covering the obvious plot holes in doyoon's story to mark, "i've been busy with university, so i haven't been staying in touch either, but i think i should get going."
doyoon sends chanmi a death glare as she stands up without sparing a glance to anyone at the table. mark takes a quick look at doyoon to see the expression on his face and quickly understands the situation, so without a word he gets up as well. surprised, doyoon tries to stop him, but mark only waves him off to try to show that he does not want to hear any excuses.
"i'm assuming that was a lie," mark catches up to chanmi and follows a couple steps behind her.
chanmi gives mark a quick look, "not completely, but i don't think it's best to embarrass him in front of a business partner. it doesn't look like it worked out all that well."
"it's not like doyoon was hiding his disdain for you," mark shrugs, "i guess seeing you in person made a switch flip."
"is there a reason you're following me," chanmi stops and turns to look at mark with a confused expression, "i don't think it benefits you in any way."
mark just shrugs, "i'd rather escape with you rather than staying at that table."
"i'm not going to entertain you just because you're some big shot in the business world," chanmi continues to walk out, not having a specific destination in mind.
mark smiles widely, even though chanmi couldn't see him, "didn't expect you to."
˚✧˳⁎˚✧
chanmi stares mark down as he actually followed her and sat down across from her at a random cafe she decided to go into. she felt concerned that they boy followed her all the way here, seeing he must have more important things to do. a part of chanmi was also irritated that mark didn't just leave her alone after she was clearly upset at the brunch, and he also inferred about the relationship she has with the other two at brunch.
"are you trying to keep up with whatever doyoon planned?" chanmi says what's on her mind, hoping it will push mark to leave her alone.
mark glances up from his drink, "he planned something? he just asked me to have brunch with them and you, but he didn't tell me about how you guys weren't on good terms."
"i don't plan to date you," chanmi says bluntly, "they wanted me to start seeing you, i assumed to have some kind of advantage in working with your company."
mark spits up some of his drink, sheepishly going to grab a napkin, "i swear i didn't know that was what the brunch was for."
chanmi nods and gets up, "he won't back off, and i don't care for whatever business plans are going on, so just forget about anything he mentions when it comes to me."
mark scratches his head as he gives an awkward smile, "well see you later, chanmi, maybe next time we can meet without being formal."
the thought of there being a next time only made chanmi feel confused as it seemed that he had plans to meet her again in the future. of course, chanmi had no intention of seeing mark again as she flatly told him what her thoughts were. without thinking much more of it, chanmi heads out of the cafe and makes her way home. an overwhelming feeling of confusion weighing on her as she feels too tired to have to deal with so much work others push onto her.
˚✧˳⁎˚✧
"are you okay?" changbin questions while yubin runs to the bathroom.
minho quickly looks at changbin and then back to the t.v., "why wouldn't i be?"
changbin stretches out his limbs as he had been sitting down for too long, "well ever since we saw your neighbor and that woman earlier you've been kind of spacing out."
minho stares intensely at the screen, not actually focusing on what pictures appeared, but thinking back to chanmi. she seemed so different, and it was most likely because of that woman. when he invited chanmi to hang out he wanted to just pull her away from the woman, but he knew he had no place to do that.
despite getting closer to the girl, he did still feels that invisible wall between them, and obviously he is just her neighbor so it makes sense. a part of him felt worried for her, while another part of him felt a sense of guilt for thinking so much about his neighbor when he has the people he loved near him now. there should be other things he's thinking of, like yubin being here with him in the present.
"i'm getting tired," yubin walks out of bathroom, "is it okay if i take a nap on your bed, ba-" yubin stops herself as she looks at minho with sad eyes, "minho?"
minho simply nods while changbin's eyes dart between minho and yubin, confused as to what was going on. "what was that?" changbin looks towards minho.
"it's been a while," minho leans back onto the couch, "we can't just go back to how we used to be, you know that changbin."
changbin understands the sentiment, though he was excited to have the two most important people back in his life. he couldn't deny there was a different air around all of them, and none of them could ignore it. changbin guesses the two had the conversation when minho was cooking and yubin went to go help, but changbin couldn't hide his disappointment.
of course minho noticed it right away, but he had nothing to say to it, seeing how he does feel different. he waited for this day for so long, yet it was nothing like how he imagined. people inevitably change and grow over time due to experiences, but for a person who wasn't able to do that, it makes things stagnant. minho isn't who he was before, and neither is changbin, but it feels that yubin and changbin wants it to be that way.
minho just can't be that person anymore.
⇽♥⇾
SHE'S BACKKKKK shout out to -PARANOlA for responding to my announcement, thank them for the update fr LOL
