how romantic

Part 5

It was amazing how familiar scenery could feel so queer after an extraordinary experience.

Roksu felt like the familiar buildings, trees, and people on his route were just a touch out of place now that he'd gone through something so odd. It wasn't that anything had changed or that they felt wrong. Perhaps it was because Roksu had changed a bit due to this experience.

He certainly would have to think twice about every single plot element he added to a novel from here on. Ah... the old goat wanted me to write a horror novel? Like this? Is there such a thing as a horror novel where no one gets hurt and nothing bad happens?

Maybe he'd have to switch professions. Putting his characters through strife felt particularly sadistic now that there was the slightest potential that his words would peel up from the paper and become a real world. Of course, there was also the potential that he had merely been the scribe who coincidentally wrote the events of another alternate world but Roksu wasn't the type to bet the lives of people on such an unlikely scenario.

Either way, the street outside of the familiar cafe was strangely unsettling. Roksu took a sip of his coffee and winced, he should have added more creamer and sugar. It was far too bitter.

A familiar figure jogged past the window and to the front door and Roksu thought that was a bit strange. Choi Han was an earnest person who wouldn't like to keep Roksu waiting but frankly, he wasn't the type to run like that in public without a very good reason. Or the type to be late to begin with.

Especially to a meeting that Choi Han had arranged.

Roksu tried not to feel self conscious as Choi Han approached the table with an apologetic smile.

Ah, it was really hard to face him now. Roksu couldn't help but think about the knight and all the terrible temptations he'd had. If Roksu was a more irresponsible person, he might have indulged in something regrettable and then he'd never be able to look Choi Han in the face again.

Outwardly, he took another calm sip of his coffee while Choi Han stuttered an apology for being late and took a seat across from him, sitting far too straight and far too awkwardly.

...did that old goat say something...?

If he went by the assumption that Choi Jung Gun had something to do with the strangeness and that Choi Jung Gun was uncomfortably aware Roksu's feelings then was it really a stretch that he warned his grandson about Roksu's unfortunate crush?

Is he here to reject me?

It would explain why Choi Han looked so awkward and nervous. He wouldn't want to hurt Roksu's feelings and he would want to address the situation as quickly as possible. He was a good man.

Roksu's cup rested on the saucer and he stared into the dark liquid.

Choi Han was a good man.

Roksu's distorted reflection in the coffee reminded him that Roksu, on the other hand, wasn't.

He wrote that whole damn novel with five years of pent up feelings and it wasn't fair to Choi Han that he did something like that but Kim Roksu simply wasn't a nice enough person to let his own heartbreak be an easy thing.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Roksu asked, his words quite a bit sharper than he intended them but they did a good job of making Choi Han hesitate. His honest eyes flickering to the menu as he thumbed through it in an attempt to distract himself from his intentions. Roksu didn't give him the chance to keep thinking. "It's good you called me actually, I'm thinking of quitting and I could use a sounding board."