cherish | lee heeseung

°˖➴ #𝟮𝟮

Pancakes

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"YOU WON'T BELIEVE what happened at work yesterday," Sunoo said, leaning in with a conspiratorial smile.

Chaewon's eyes widened with curiosity, as she poured syrup over her pancakes. "Spill the tea, girl."

Sunoo took a sip of his cappuccino, savoring the dramatic pause. "So basically, this woman came in and started trying on all the dresses. She must have tried on at least twenty. No big deal, right? But then she started critiquing each one loudly, saying things like, 'This makes me look like a potato' and 'I wouldn't wear this to a dog show.' "

Haneul giggled. "Sounds like a nightmare customer."

"Oh, it gets better," Sunoo continued with a smirk. "She finally found one she liked, and then she started haggling over the price. This isn't a flea market, you know? But she insisted she saw it on sale somewhere else for half the price."

Chaewon laughed. "So what'd you do?"

"I stayed calm, of course," Sunoo said, placing a hand dramatically on his chest. "I told her very politely that our prices were fixed and that she could check online for any sales. She didn't like that one bit and stormed out, declaring she'd never shop there again. Good riddance."

Haneul shook her head, smiling. "I don't know how you deal with it, Sunoo."

"It's all part of the job, girl," Sunoo replied with a wink. "Plus, it makes for great stories. Like the time a guy came in asking if we sold socks for dogs."

They all burst out laughing at that. "No way!" Chaewon exclaimed.

"Yes way," Sunoo confirmed. "Apparently, his dog had sensitive paws and he wanted to get it some protection. I had to explain we only sell human clothes, not pet accessories."

Haneul laughed. "You really do have the best stories."

"Thank you, thank you," Sunoo said with a mock bow. "Now, enough about me. What's going on with you, Hana? Any new developments with Heeseung?"

Haneul rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile that crept onto her face. "You two are relentless. There's not much to tell. He's been really supportive, especially with the book fair."

Sunoo grinned. "We know there's more. Does he make your heart flutter? Do you think about him when he's not around?"

Chaewon leaned forward, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Come on, Hana, spill the details. What's he like? How sweet was he?"

Haneul hesitated for a moment, then sighed, a fond smile creeping onto her face. "Well, he's... he's really thoughtful. He always seems to know just what to say to make me feel better. Like when we were setting up the book fair, he kept checking in to make sure I wasn't overworking myself."

Sunoo nodded approvingly. "Thoughtful is good. What else?"

Haneul thought back to their dinner. "He's really funny too. He told this story about how he tried to bake a cake once and ended up setting off the smoke alarm. We were laughing so hard, I nearly choked on my pasta."

Chaewon giggled. "That's adorable. He sounds like a keeper."

"He is," Haneul agreed. "And he's great with kids. There was this moment at the book fair when a little boy couldn't reach a book on a high shelf. Heeseung just swooped in, lifted him up, and helped him get it. The look on that kid's face was priceless."

Sunoo sighed dramatically. "Okay, now I'm jealous. Why don't I ever meet guys like that?"

Haneul laughed. "You just need to hang out at more book fairs, Sunoo."

Chaewon grinned. "So, he's funny, thoughtful, good with kids... anything else?"

Haneul blushed slightly. "He's also really supportive. When I was dealing with all the stuff with Minho, he was there for me. He listened, he didn't judge, and he offered advice without being pushy. It just... it felt really good to have someone like that in my corner."

Sunoo raised an eyebrow. "See? He's practically perfect. If you don't date him, I will."

Haneul shook her head, laughing. "You two are incorrigible."

Chaewon smirked. "You know, Hana, there's no harm in exploring your feelings. He clearly cares about you."

Haneul sighed, smiling softly. "I know. It's just...complicated. I need to take things slow and figure out what I really want."

Sunoo nodded sagely. "Understandable. But we can't help but notice the spark. He's definitely into you."

"Exactly," Chaewon agreed. "And let's not forget how he volunteered to help with the book fair. That's not something you do for just any friend."

Haneul laughed. "He's just a good guy. He likes helping out."

"Uh-huh," Sunoo said, arching an eyebrow. "And does this 'good guy' happen to be single?"

Haneul shrugged, feeling her cheeks warm up. "I think so. But I'm not ready to jump into anything serious right now."

Chaewon smirked. "But you can't deny there's a spark. Remember how he helped you set up the book fair? He was totally into you."

Haneul sighed, smiling despite herself. "He's been amazing, really. But after everything with Minho, I need time to figure things out."

Sunoo patted her hand with a mock serious expression. "Sweetie, we get it. But let's be real, Heeseung is an upgrade from Minho. You'd be a fool to let that one slip through your fingers."

Chaewon nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly. You deserve someone who treats you well. Someone who makes you smile just by being around."

Sunoo leaned back, taking a sip of his coffee. "Exactly."

Haneul smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it. For now, I'm just going to take things one step at a time."

Chaewon grinned. "And we'll be here to cheer you on every step of the way."

"So what's next for you and Heeseung? Any more plans?" Sunoo asked.

Haneul shrugged. "Nothing concrete yet. But I'm sure we'll find time to hang out again soon."

Chaewon smirked. "And when you do, we want all the details."

Haneul laughed. "Of course, you'll be the first to know."

With that, they continued their breakfast, the conversation flowing easily among friends who cared deeply for each other. Haneul felt lighter than she had in days, buoyed by their support and the growing realisation that maybe, just maybe, she was ready to open her heart again.

———