Homeless Vain

49

'I don't want to hear any excuses! Attendance will be taken!' - the message said.

I was in a dilemma at first whether I wanted to be scared, or threatened or should I just ignore the message. But, Choi Chanhee would always look scary with that kind of text message sent into the group chat.

I wondered where he got that scary vibe.

It was nothing big honestly, he just wanted to go to the coast where I'd sent the picture of the sunrise. He said that the place was pretty - which I couldn't disagree, and he wanted to take lots of pictures.

Seriously, he just wanted to be there for the picturesque view?

"He will take attendance?" I jolted forward from the back seat of Jacob's car, popping my head in between the front seats. Jacob nodded from the driver seat, eyes fixated on the road, confirming. "Who is in the right mind will take attendance?"

"Choi Chanhee," both Evelyn and Jacob answered in unison, leaving me speechless.

My face probably was funny right now because the next thing I noticed was their laughter echoing. Or were they too happy that they could skip their official job in the cafe for a day?

"I asked Kevin if he will come..." a hint of worry was lacing as Jacob started, once a while stealing a glance at me. "He said, he's not sure yet."

The common answer from Kevin Moon. But he always ended up coming at the end.

However, I had zero confidence this time. "Maybe he will come if I'm not."

"Don't say that!" Evelyn was enraged, turning her body to face me.

After many years of being her friend, I could tell that she had something to elaborate but I shut her down almost instantly. For I was not in the mood to hear anything about him.

Above all, Evelyn should've known about this already. She clearly had seen how struggled I was to pick up the broken pieces of mine to get my old self back.

Despite that, I did hope that Kevin would be there as well. If not, the voices in my head would keep coming after me, whispering 'This is all your fault.'

And I was too helpless to gain any positivity back and I would only blame myself constantly.

Jacob parked his car next to a silver hatchback car in the parking lot which I needn't question whose car it belonged to. The owner was standing not too far from it as if she was waiting for our arrival - eagerly.

"You look like the lifeguard," Evelyn joked as soon as she got out of the car, skimming Faye's outfit that accurately looked like one - a white plain shirt with maroon pants, a red cap on her head and a pair of simple flip flops.

"What were you thinking to wear like this?" I added, and an airy chuckle was then escaping my lips. "And why are you standing here alone?"

"Waiting for you, obviously," she replied - ignoring my first query. She unknowingly had sparked curiosity, chills were sent down my spine.

"Babe..." Jacob then interfered, beckoning Evelyn to help him carry some stuff from the trunk.

Evelyn's dismissal resulted in me and Faye being left alone, standing across each other, communicating through gazes. She was seen hesitant and I definitely had no time for this.

"C'mon Faye," I sighed, fixing the strap of my sling bag over my shoulder. "Don't make me nervous. You know I don't like this feel-"

"Kevin is here."

Everything around me had stopped moving. Everything except for my body system.

Kevin... is.. here?