So Sweet And So Bitter

XXXI.

> Wonwoo <

I could see it. In the way he subconsciously avoided my eyes. In the remarks that slipped his tongue. In the way the topics between us got deeper and deeper but he still felt far away.

I hurt him. So many times I have hurt him and I keep doing it. That night in Bangkok I had never seen him like that. Although among those feeelings burning in his irises, I could recognize clearly the pain that I had once already seen.

The other night, when I met Minji, his sister, I decided so bravely how I was gonna tell him everything. I had planned every single word. But now that I have him walking by my side I am unable to process any sentence that I had previously come up with.

My eyes trail over the shelves filled with chips and snacks of all types. Knowing that barely anyone goes to the supermarket at opening time and since I couldn’t sleep anyways, I thought that it would be a good idea to go grocery shopping for the week.

Ever since I've temporarily moved to dad's I've been the one in charge of groceries. He's the one that cooks in the house so he writes everything he needs on a piece of paper and I make sure not to forget anything.

Loki's been picky about her food lately, probably because I once bought her the high quality kibble so she doesn't want to go to a lower class than those. So today I have to buy the ones she likes again.

Only those are missing other than my veggie snacks, which I've been searching for for a good five minutes.

"Oh Wonwoo" I hear my name just as a shopping tray stops behind me. "Hi!" I find Minji excitedly waving at me with three packs of snacks in her hands and only when I look twice I recognize them as my favorite snack.

"Hi Minji" She smiles as she looks behind herself, motioning with her hand but I don't quite see who she is motioning at so I ask her. "How are you?"

"Good! I'm shopping with mom. I just called her over to say hi"

I smile at her, seeing how grown up she is now. She cut her hair short from the last time I saw her, but everything else about her has stayed the same.

"Can I ask you where you found those chips?" I ask, a bit embarassed to be starting the conversation in this way.

"It's just behind this aisle, you like them too?" I look in the way she motioned and nod at her question.

"They're my favorites" I add and she approves as she lays them on the tray, on top of the milk.

"Mine too! I first tried them at Mingyu's a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't stopped eating them ever since" I raise my eyes to her at the mention of her brother's name and she looks at me, probably thinking that I don't believe her. "I'm serious"

"I believe that" I chuckle eyeing the multiple bags of veggie snacks that she just put in the tray. I can definitely tell they're siblings.

"Wonwoo?" Mingyu's mother comes walking with a bag of bananas in one hand and a bag of peaches in the other. She goes straight for a hug and I welcome her warmth, smelling the familiar perfume on her. "How have you been my boy?"

She asks as she tears herself from our hug, a smile filled with happiness and loving emotions adorning her round cheeks. The same smile I've seen on Mingyu's face before.

"Good, thank you" I return her smile. "You?"

"Not too bad" She chuckles as she continues to look at me, a smile still on her lips. "Oh we're not gonna bother you any further. You probably have work to do"