Zephyr | Lee Felix

Chapter 31

MONDAY, WEEK 6

The start of the mid-semester break should've been the moment all sorts of stress leaves one's brain; yet here she is—sitting on one of the biggest cafes in the CBD whilst waiting for the others to arrive.

Why did they have to pick this one in particular... Eugene frowns, absentmindedly staring at the crowds that have gathered in the bright and minimalist-designed place. First things first, every cafe is probably filled with more customers than usual due to the holiday season. Secondly...

"They picked the typical tourist-friendly cafe." She sighs softly. The day has just begun yet she can feel the social battery in her being sucked by the people around.

"Yujin!"

Eugene looks up from her phone after a good five minutes or so, finding her ex-classmates jogging to her table. She stands up and flashes them a polite smile with a small bow, "Hello..."

"Sorry for being late. We took the wrong tram." Lia says, dragging a chair out while trying to catch her breath. Seungmin and Yeji follow shortly, with the former sitting in front of Eugene.

"That's okay." Eugene shakes her head, still having that polite smile on her face. "I still get lost sometimes. The public transport here can be confusing, even for me."

"Anyway, let's order first, shall we?"

The four scan the QR code plastered on the table, browsing on their respective phone to order their food. Whilst scrolling, Eugene can feel the male's eyes on her, seemingly glancing occasionally.

Awkward. She thinks, trying her best to ignore Seungmin's stare. She can feel the uneasiness creeping under her skin but tries her best to act nonchalant and focus on the menu on her phone.

Lia notices his behaviour and elbows him, "Oi." She whispers softly, prompting that it's impolite to stare at someone for too long.

"Right... sorry." Seungmin blinks, breaking his gaze and awkwardly averting his eyes to his own phone. It's clear that he's been lost in his thoughts, but for whatever reason, Eugene isn't sure.

Yeji watches the exchange with a knowing look, feeling just as awkward. 

"Are... we all done with ordering?" She asks, hoping to lighten the mood.

Eugene nods and puts down her phone, thankful for the intervention. The real talk hasn't happened, yet she feels the intense need to hide under the blanket from the awkwardness in the air. 

"Yeah, I think so." She replies, trying to ignore the tension surrounding them. Please make this quick. 

The three of them place their own orders and cast their phones aside. There's a brief moment of silence, which Eugene wishes could be light but instead, feels heavy and uncomfortable. Yeji becomes the first to break it, a half-smile on her face as she looks at Eugene.

"So..." She begins, folding her arms on the table. "How long has it been, since we last saw each other?"

Eugene considers the question for a moment, her mind flicking back to high school. "It's been..." She counts in her head, pausing briefly before answering. "2 years? More or less."

"Wow, time really flies, doesn't it?" Lia says, a small chuckle escaping her lips. She glances at the two, a hint of nostalgia in her eyes.

"Feels like it was just yesterday when we were all in high school." Yeji agrees, "And now we're all in uni, and grown into... well, relatively more mature adults."

Then comes a brief pause, another moment of heavy, awkward silence. Eugene internally starts regretting agreeing to their offer—wondering if there's a need for closure at all. Besides, it's been 2 years and they have all lost contact before accidentally meeting again last week. Closure can always be done within herself, maybe.