Sanity vs. Soulmate | JeongCheol x SVT

31

The Café looked just as cute on the inside as I had imagined it to be. The light pink and light blue theme from outside continued on and in the corners were a couple of plants. Big, green, treelike plants, with big, rubbery leaves. I am not a botanist, so I can't tell you more than that! They were pretty though.

The tables inside were covered with the same tablecloths as the outside ones, except that there were also glass coke bottles and old soft drink cans on them, which served as flower vases. And there, at the far end of the Café, was the counter. I would bet my emotional support sword that the tall, skinny guy behind it was Wonwoo. He had his back turned to us, but he seemed nice enough from a distance. Emphasis on distance! At least he wasn't one of those scary bodybuilders, covered in tattoos from head to toe or anything. That's a start I guess. But I am nevertheless convinced that he will think I am a weirdo. There is just no way around it. I've been in similar situations one too many times to not know how this will play out. It's always the same. Once people find out I'm deaf, they want nothing to do with me. That's just the way it is.

I take a deep breath and imagine putting my head into a bucket of cold water. I don't have time to beat myself up. Not now, not while I'm with Seungcheol.

Speaking of the devil. Seungcheol seemed to have discovered a new favourite pastime: Tormenting little helpless Jeonghans. This huge puppy just kept dragging me towards the counter, his hand clasped tightly around mine, and there was nothing I could do about it. Even if I wasn't completely overwhelmed by him holding my hand, this is still new to me okay, mind you, I knew I couldn't run away. I had made a promise to myself. No more running away. I'm done running. I really am. So I pushed my chin up and started facing my newest problem. Let's get it over with. Maybe, just maybe, he won't hate me or think I'm crazy.

"Wonu! Hello my friend! What's up?" The boy at the counter turned around agonisingly slowly. "The Ceiling." He gave Cheol a sarcastic smile and rolled his eyes at his friend. Then he tilted his head to the side and stared at me. His eyes behind his round glasses were squinted, and I couldn't help but think that he really did resemble a cat. Attitude, looks and all.

The boy caught me off guard when he suddenly smiled brightly at me. "So you're the infamous Jeonghan, huh?" His eyes disappeared into little crescents as his grin grew even wider, and I almost cooed at the adorable sight. "I don't know about the infamous part, but I'm Jeonghan." That should do as an answer right? I'm doing okay so far, right?

"Oh, then you're definitely THE Jeonghan. Scoups here doesn't get out enough to know more than one Jeonghan." He looked at Cheol mockingly. "Wow, thanks man. I feel so loved. And could you stop weirding Hannie out already? I really don't need him to leave my sorry ass just now. I still owe him a cup of tea." I turned red upon hearing those words. Me leaving him? More like the other way around. How deluded can a man be?

"I am not weirding him out. You can do that well enough yourself." He stuck out his tongue and received a offended snort in return. "Anyways," he turned his attention back to me "has Scoups been treating you right? If not, just tell me and I'll make sure to tell Gyu to beat him up."

Shit, that was too much information at once and way too fast to lip read. And he said that word again. Scuups? Skups? Scoops? Was that a nickname of Cheol's? He said it earlier as well. It might be. But what if not? Then who was he talking about? Also, who was Kyu? Lu? Is that even what he said? Short words, especially names, are a pain to lip read! It could be anything really. It was definitely too short and too fast for me to understand it properly. Damn it, damn it, damn it!
My brain was running on full speed. What was I supposed to do. WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO??

I was well aware that I've been starring at Wonwoo's lips for a little to long now and I probably seemed like a dense idiot because I still hadn't answered. So I just blurted out the next best thing. "I am sorry if I missunderstood, but did you just call Seungcheol Scoops?" I akwardly scratched my neck. Wonwoo looked at me with amusement shining in his eyes. I probably said it all wrong. I had never heard that word before for fucks sake. So how was I supposed to know how it is pronounced! I did my best!

"So he hasn't told you about his dark past yet, has he?" It was more of a statement than a question. Grinning, he leaned on the counter, tilted his head and gave Cheol a sly sideways glance. "Then let me tell you a story..." "Really now, Wonu? Can you maybe not?" Cheol crossed his arms and glared at his friend. "Mhmmm, let me think...." Wonwoo tapped his chin before flashing Cheol a mischievous grin. "No." Seungcheol sighed deeply. "We came here to have a nice cup of tea, not to hear you talk for hours. What happend to your Silent-Observer personality?"

"I'm using my ten minutes social time at the moment. Don't worry, I won't last long. Which is why I need to tell him the story now. I bet Jeonghan wants to hear it, don't you?" He looked at me once again and I nodded hesitantly. I was indeed curious what the whole Scoops thing was about.

"See! He wants to know! And I see it as my duty to tell him. After all, your man needs to know what he's getting himself into!" Cheol just shook his head in surrender. "He's not my man. Not yet anyways. But do whatever you want. It's not like I can stop you now. But if you scare him away..." "Yeah, yeah, you'll feed me to your dog or something. I get it!" he waved him off, "just let me tell him the story already." "You may proceed. Just get it over with. And afterwards you better give us a table! I have no idea how you're actually earing money if you let all your customers stand this long at the counter and make them listen to your chatter." Wonwoo squinted his eyes and glared at Seungcheol. "I only do that to customers who won't pay the full price." This silenced Cheol very quickly.

"Now, let me tell you about little Choi Seungcheol over there..."