NIGHTS → KWON HYUK #Wattys2017

SEVEN

KWON HYUK awakens to the buzzing of his cellphone on his night stand. It's around one in the afternoon, but he's still tired and groggy because you can't sleep away heart break or the exhaustion it brings.

He reaches out for his phone blindly, anything to stop it's constant thumping against his night stand, and answers.

"Hello?"

"Hyuk, hey, let's go get coffee." A sweet voice suggests on the other line and Hyuk doesn't have to check the caller ID to know it's owner. He can already tell who it is by the way his heart flutters at just the sound of her voice, and he bolts upright, clutching his chest as if it might jump out at any minute.

He should say no, Hyuk should. That he can't get coffee, probably make up some bullshit excuse about being trapped in the studio or simply tell her that he's busy and they should go another time.

But he can't. That's the thing, he can't lie to her. The badly conjured lie simply dies down on his lips when he opens mouth, and instead he murmurs a soft -

"Sure, I'd love too."

†  †  †

That's how Kwon Hyuk finds himself seated across from his ex, Jiyoon, at a Starbucks down the street.

Her peppermint mocha is getting colder with each passing second because she's been on her phone the entire time, trying to avoid him despite being on the one to extend the invitation, or maybe it's the awkwardness surrounding them - Hyuk can't tell. But what he does know is that if Krystal could see them now, she'd be disappointed and upset. But probably more disappointed than anything.

She thought Hyuk deserved better and had told him that repeatedly in the span of only knowing him for a few days. But right now, better is Jiyoon for him.

Krystal didn't understand that, and Hyuk wasn't expecting her to.

But he'd be lying if the mere thought of the dark haired woman didn't bring a small smile to her lips. He did miss her somewhat - despite the smell of cigarettes that clung to her and her seemingly constant craving for licorice (that he was actually starting to find cute).

But she had kissed him, knowing he was still hung up over Jiyoon, and it confused him. And Hyuk had simply done what he always did when confused - he ran. He didn't really want to run from Krystal considering she was one of the few things keeping him together since that night, but he just didn't know what that kiss meant, and he wasn't sure he wanted to find out.

"What's got you so smiley over there?" Jiyoon asks, surprising him when she finally sets her phone aside, "And please tell me it's not that slut from next door-"

"Jiyoon" Hyuk cuts in quickly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes in annoyance, "Why are we here?"

"For the coffee of course." She replies with a strained smile and Hyuk doesn't have time for this.

He makes move to leave then, but Jiyoon is quicker, reaching out for his hand and pulling gently.

"Hyuk wait, please, just sit back down so I can explain." She tells him genuinely and he can't quite say no to that, but he does eye her wearily when he returns to his seat, "I brought you here to apologize about that night. Look, I'm sorry. I was looking for a way to tell you but I just couldn't find one. I didn't want you to get hurt, but that's exactly what happened because I waited too long. So I'm sorry you had to find out that way."