timeless » bang chan [c.s.]

chapter three

runaway
chapter three
❝are you trying to escape from what you can't undo, hoping the world forgets you. but i can't, no i won't, forget you. i know you're out there tonight, looking for somewhere to hide. hey, hey, hey, you don't have to run away.❞

♔ ♔ ♔

      chan is convinced that something is utterly wrong with him, that has to be the only explanation as to why he was so fixated on sowon. even though he was now sure that she won't hurt jisung, he still wanted answers for questions that may never be solved. for example, why is she in south korea? and why can't she remember him?

      okay sure they've never spoken and never had any classes together. but she has to have seen him around, right? or is he practically unrecognizable now? he needed answers and he wasn't going to get them by sitting around and pestering jisung — the last thing he needed was more of a reason for his friend to set him up on an unwanted blind date.

      the dream bean coffeehouse was practically empty around noon. perhaps it was because it's still the 'holiday season' or that a majority of their customers were students who went home. still, chan didn't mind the quietness, it gave him a piece of mind and allowed him to work.

      he didn't really like working outside of the dorms of practice room, mainly because he wanted to concentrate on his music without having others listen. but today he wasn't composing, but writing lyrics to music he had already composed and sent to his phone. and truthfully he was using this as an excuse to go to the café.

      walking in he was soon met with the warm air and sweet smell of cinnamon and vanilla that was surprisingly not suffocating. he had forgotten almost every small detail of the café because he was so focused on sowon. jisung was right, dream bean coffeehouse was almost the ideal place to work as it was isolated and quiet.

      the minute he opened the door and stepped inside, his eyes immediately found sowon. the girl was  behind the counter, textbooks laid in front of her, organized notes on her right, and a cup of hot tea on the left. when the chimes of the bells hung on the door rang she instantly lifted her head up and had a smile on her face. but at the sight of chan her eyes softened immediately and her lips weren't forced, her smile genuine.

      "hey," she greeted softly, her words gentle. they weren't harsh or loud like they used to be. "chan, right?"

      "yeah, that's me," he awkwardly replied as he closed the door behind him. his steps towards the counter were hesitant and slow, it took him a few seconds longer than it should've for him to reach her. he scratched the nape of his neck as he pretended to look at the menu even though he knew what he wanted. "um, one hot chocolate, please?"

      "coming right up," sowon beamed before she pushed herself from leaning on the counter. chan watched as she pulled a large paper cup and filled it with the good, sweet beverage. and before he knew it a large whipped cream tower was formed, cinnamon powder sprinkled on top, and bits of chopped up peppermint candy as well. she handed him the drink before sliding a lid with the other. "here you go. our famous hot chocolate. usually when it's not winter we just do the usual, but it's our festive edition. plus, we have a lot of peppermint candy so might as well use it am i right?"