moment in time ␥ haechan

03 - how not to avoid an unwanted encounter

Haechan decided to head to the beach after a long, exhausting day at work. He owned a restaurant and that day just so happened to be more busy and hectic than usual. The sea helped when he just simply wanted to put his mind at ease. In the reachable distance he noticed a female figure playing in the water, facing the sea and staring at the moon's reflection. He didn't recognize her, until she faced the road, and he felt his stomach drop. It was her - Jung Seola. His classmate back in highschool and the one, who was, to him, both a pain in the ass and in the heart. "What on earth is she doing here, on top of it all at this hour." he mumbled under his breath. The way she was full heartedly enjoying the beauty of the sea took him aback. Trying hard to push away all of his worries and questions, he swiftly turned around and left, wanting to avoid an awkward encounter.

After a few more minutes of just admiring the beautiful view that unravelled in front of her eyes, Seola left, laughing to herself thinking about how chaotic that day has been. At least she'll get a good night sleep given how tired she was. As she was heading back in her house, she noticed the restaurant neighbouring her Sunset Diner, the orange letters that stood out against the pale yellow sign read. "How come I haven't seen this before?" she thought to herself, planning on going there the next day to find out more about the competition.

At 11 o'clock, Seola finally woke up. For a few seconds she wondered why she isn't in her bed, then remembered everything that happened the previous day. Up to see what new adventure the future has to bring, she gets out of bed and puts on a pair of black jeans and a green tank top. While putting on her socks, she decides to check out the restaurant previously. Not only did she want to see if it was a threat to her dessert store, but she also really craved waffles, yet she didn't have any ingredients, nor any utensils...

She put on her comfy converse, headed out the door, and she practically already arrived. As she was walking towards the restaurant, the same pair of eyes from yesterday were shooting at her the same shocked expression.

"Jeno, cover for me!" Haechan, with his eyes wide, quickly opening the kitchen door.

"Cover for you? You're the one taking care of the tables at breakfast time!" 

"Just do as he says, he seems to have gone crazy." another guy, Jaemin said with a chuckle.

After handing his friend the chef's uniform, Jeno opened the door and headed to the dining area, plates in hand.

Seol got in and saw a reserved dining place, with about six tables, almost all of which where already ocupated. 

"Here's your menu!" the waiter said, flashing her with an eye smile. 

After he put the plates with tasty food on the table that ordered them, he took some emty dishes back to the kitchen. A few seconds later, Seola was startled by the loud voice of an unsatisfied older woman.

"Waiter! Waiter!" the woman said while snapping her fingers loudly.

"Yes m'am, what seems to be the problem?" Jeno asked in a soft tone.

"This egg was totally too salty, when I asked for no salt, that's the problem" she said with a scoff.

Jeno looked at her empty plate. "M'am you've already eaten everything."

"I was too hungry. Still, it was atrocious. Do I still have to pay if it hurt my taste buds. Get the manager right now!" the woman said with her voice getting louder. She got up from her seat and started "looking" for said manager.

"M'am I'm going to get him right now." 

The worried waiter went to the kitchen, ashamed of the whole fiasco. Seola's eyes followed him, wondering how she was going to deal with such customers.

"Haechan, someone's asking for the manager." Jeno said.

Haechan stopped whatever he was doing, and looked at the waiter with suprised eyes. His friends could clearly read on his face that the last thing he wanted to do at that moment was go in that diner, even if they didn't understand why.

"Seola, from high school, she's here." Haechan softly confessed.

Jaemin and Jeno face palmed in sync. They met Haechan in college and decided to support his dream of opening a restaurant. Even tho they didn't know him back then, they've heard enough stories to know who she is.

"I DON' T HAVE ALL DAY!" the woman yelled loud enough for the whole small town to hear.

Haechan, aware he couldn't avoid her forever, skeptically walked in the diner.

Seol, who was paying attention to the whole thing, was trying to process why the person that stood next to her was there at all. Her eyes lingered on his tan skin and sunkissed brown hair. A wave of questions came to her but she knew he wasn't going to answer any of them. She tried to calm down her thoughts and act as normal as she possibly could in the pressence of her former enemy.

Hearing the old ladies' harsh words again, she was taken back to reality.

"I will never come back to this restaurant again!" the woman angrily said, leaving the money on the table after the manger insisted she pays.

"God! How exhausting it must be!" Seol exclaimed, which left the two men look at her surprised.

Realizing the eyes on her, she let out a forced smile. 

"And also, I want the iced coffee and honey waffles. Thanks!" Seol said, smiling at Jeno pretending not to care about who standing right next to him.

"Seola!? A hello would've been nice." Haechan said, surprised at the obvious way she was trying to ignore him.

"Oh well hello there Haechan!" she said turning her attention to him, making eye contact and trying her best to be civil. "I moved here and I'm going to open a dessert store next door, so I hope we'll be able to keep our childish banter in the past." 

Haechan scoffed and headed back to the kitchen, trying to warm up to the idea of her as the competion.

She got her order back in about ten minutes, and although she didn't want to admit it, the waffles were extremely good, just the right amount of sweet and really soft, just how she liked them.

Seol went back home, got comfy on the couch and decided to finally call Eunju, her high school best friend, to let her know about everything that happened.

"Oh! Well I think it's sad you're going to be away but i'm glad you're happy." Eunju hesitantly said. Seola could feel in her voice that she wasn't so sure her moving there is a good idea but appreciated that she just went along with it.

After trying to explain it all, she finally decided to tell her about the little encounter from the morning.

"Totally forgot to tell you that Haechan from high school owns a restaurant right across from me! Isn't that crazy?" Seol said, shocked at her own words.

"OH! she said with a long pause "Him? Well that is crazy!" Eunju said letting out a strained laugh.