Sweet tooth-rotting fluff 🚎
"Do you believe we would have met even if it hadn't been raining that day?"
"𝘙𝘪𝘬𝘪, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶."
"Sometimes I think about the first time we met and wish I had just walked away if I known I would hurt you this...
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The weekend had arrived, and Sunoo found himself both amused and slightly overwhelmed by his sister Seol-ya's decision to extend her stay another day. She'd confidently left her beauty business and clothing stores in someone else's hands, claiming she needed more time to "catch up" with her baby brother.
Their agenda for the day was ambitious: café hopping through the charming streets of Ikseon-dong. By the time they reached their thirteenth café, Sunoo was beginning to wonder how many more he could handle. Seol-ya, however, remained unshaken, energetically snapping pictures of every aesthetically plated dessert like it was her life's mission.
"Bathroom break. Don't let Luni's caffeine twin here out of your sight," Seol-ya quipped, gesturing to her camera before disappearing toward the restroom.
Sunoo sighed, finally able to lean back in his chair and savor a rare moment of quiet. He took a sip of his iced latte, glancing out the café window at the bustling street.
Then, the door chimed.
Sunoo's heart skipped a beat when Riki walked in, his hair slightly tousled, a familiar smirk playing at his lips. He wasn't alone—a young woman with long, dark hair and a stylishly casual look trailed behind him. Sunoo's thoughts spiraled: Who is she? A girlfriend? A friend?
Before he could duck behind the counter or pretend to be invisible, Riki's sharp eyes caught him.
"Yo, Sunoo!" Riki's grin widened as he nudged the girl beside him and started toward Sunoo's table.
"Oh, hey," Sunoo said, managing a smile he hoped didn't scream panic.
"This is my cousin, Yoka," Riki introduced, gesturing toward her.
"Nice to meet you, Yoka," Sunoo said, relief washing over him at the word cousin.
Yoka returned his greeting with a polite nod, her quiet confidence a mirror of Riki's demeanor.
Before Sunoo could say anything else, Seol-ya reappeared. She froze mid-step, her sharp gaze darting between Sunoo, Riki, and Yoka. A grin spread across her face, and Sunoo's stomach sank. He could already see the gears turning.
"Well, well," Seol-ya said with deliberate amusement. "Who's this?"
"Uh, this is my friend, Riki, and his cousin, Yoka," Sunoo said quickly, his voice laced with a silent plea for her to not make this weird.
Seol-ya's eyes narrowed at Yoka, and then widened in recognition. "Wait a second... Yoyo?"
Yoka's face lit up in surprise. "Seol-ya? Oh my gosh, it's been forever!"
Sunoo blinked as the two women rushed to hug each other like old friends at a reunion. Riki looked equally baffled.
"Wait, you two know each other?" Sunoo asked, his voice barely audible over their excited chatter.
"We went to university together!" Seol-ya explained, tossing her coral pink hair back. "Yoka was my study buddy during all-nighters. I didn't even know you had family in Seoul!"
The two women dove into a flurry of stories and updates, their conversation picking up like no time had passed. Meanwhile, Sunoo shot Riki a knowing look: We're never getting out of here.
Leaning closer, Sunoo whispered, "Think they'd notice if we just... left?"
Riki smirked. "Only one way to find out."
The two waited for a lull in the conversation that never came. With exaggerated stealth, they slid out of their chairs, grabbed their bags, and slipped toward the door. Once outside, they erupted into laughter.
"That was way too easy," Riki said, shaking his head.
"Honestly, I didn't think we'd make it," Sunoo replied, still catching his breath.
"You really saved me back there," Riki teased.
"You owe me," Sunoo said with a smirk. "So where to next?"
"Your pick," Riki offered, his tone light.
They wandered the winding alleys of Ikseon-dong, browsing through quaint boutiques and debating over which café to try next. They eventually settled on a small, cozy spot with wooden interiors and soft jazz playing in the background.
Sunoo grabbed them iced coffees while Riki scrolled through his phone, looking for a playlist to match the mood. Settling by the window, Sunoo pulled out his sketchbook and started doodling absentmindedly.
"You ever get tired of all the routines?" Sunoo asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
Riki glanced up, thoughtful. "Sometimes. But it's worth it. You're working toward something, right?"
"Yeah," Sunoo said with a nod. "It's just... a lot sometimes. Fashion's my dream, but it can feel overwhelming."
Riki leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "That's why you have to take breaks. Enjoy life a little."
Sunoo smiled. "You make it sound so easy."
Riki smirked. "It can be. You just need the right distractions."
Sunoo's heart did an odd little flip at his words. They lingered at the café for a while longer, talking and laughing like they had all the time in the world.
When they finally returned to the original café, Seol-ya and Yoka were still chatting, utterly oblivious to their absence. Sunoo and Riki slipped back to their seats as nonchalantly as possible, but Seol-ya wasn't fooled.
"And where have you two been?" she asked, raising a brow.
"Oh, just exploring," Sunoo replied with a casual wave.
Seol-ya gave him a knowing smirk but said nothing, turning back to Yoka.
As the evening wound down and everyone said their goodbyes, Seol-ya leaned into Sunoo with a sly grin. "So, this is Riki, huh?"
Sunoo rolled his eyes but couldn't stop the smile tugging at his lips. It had been a day to remember—one that left a warmth in his chest that lingered even as they walked home under the city lights.
