philophobia | j.hoseok

31

"oh, hey! that's the scarf that–"
"shh, not another word."

chaeri smirked. "he's growing on you isn't he?"

"how can someone smile so much? there must mever be a dull moment for him," i softly said leaning the counter.

"maybe it's just something, or someone in their lives that make them like that," chaeri softly said.

the sound of the door opened. i stood up straight and saw hoseok's sister, hyejin enter in.

"hi, the same medications for you today?" i asked her.

"actually, no. um, you're haesoo, right?" she asked. i looked at her.

"yes, i am."
"you know my brother, don't you?"

i uncomfortably stood there behind the counter as i watched the woman smile. chaeri and luna watched from the back. i hesitantly nodded my head.

"you're wearing the scarf he gave you. are you two perhaps dating?" she asked.

i stood there looking at her completely surprised.

"i, uh, well... um."
"that's okay! you don't have to tell me. i just wanted to see the girl who my brother is very interested in."

i looked her completely speechless.

"would you perhaps like to get some coffee later?" she asked me.

"oh, sure. i'd love to," i told her politely. she smiled and gave a small nod of her head.

"hi," i said to hyejin as i met her at the coffee shop. hoseok's older sister smiled.

"coffee's on me. what would you like?"
"it's fine, i can pay."

"no, i insist," she said looking at me. i looked at her feeling guilty before letting out a soft sigh.

"vanilla iced latte, please.."

she nodded. once she ordered and paid for our drinks, we picked them up and went to find ourselves a small table. once we did, we sat down. hyejin was the first to speak up.

"i don't mean to make this awkward... i just wanted to meet you," she warmly smiled.

"n-no, it's alright. just a bit surprised is all..."

"that scarf that my brother gave you... once belonged to my mother. but she gave it to her son of course. she thought it suited him," hyejin began to say.

in slight discomfort, i looked down at the burgundy scarf wrapped around my neck. "i-i'm sorry. if it's with much value, i must give it back," i began to say as i started to unwrap it.

"no, no. my brother gave that to you to keep. and i think we both know the reason," hyejin said as she smiled. i looked at her slightly confused.

"my mother hasn't been feeling all well lately. she complains how much her body hurts and how hard it is to get up out of bed and everything. she spends her time sitting down all day. the scarf is special to her because when she was young, her first lover had given it to her. but that was long before hoseok and i were born," hyejin softly said.

"now you have it," she smiled. i sat there quietly looked at the surface of the table, a bit afraid to look up.

"my brother likes you a lot, and i wanted to figure out what was special about you.."

that's when i finally looked up. "me? what's so special about me?"

"i think we'll be able to find that out later."