The Perfect Life

Realize

"I didn't expect to see you here," was the first thing Sehun said when he stepped out. "Did you want something?"

"I don't really like coffee." Her remark made him glance down at the steaming paper cup in his hand.

"Then..." he paused for a second, "why are you here?"

Foolishly smiling, Namjoo lied, "I was walking along and saw you. People who know each other should say hi, don't you think?"

"Oh...I guess," he muttered.

Catching sight of the crowd building up, they turned down the sidewalk walking at a slow pace. No one looked at them. Passing by a man angrily spoke into his phone, something about company records and missing stocks. Elderly and younger women shuffled by, their heels clicking against the concrete, their steps light and fast. Namjoo turned sideways to let a man shuffling by past breaking the gap between her and Sehun.

"I guess it's a busy morning," Namjoo commented underneath her breath.

"I go this way." At his voice Namjoo realized they'd reached the end of the block. A line of cars extending beyond them reminded her of an imagery of ants marching home.

"So soon, huh?" Namjoo asked. "Say, will you be busy in the evening?"

"I always get off work at the same time."

"I'm asking," Namjoo clarified, "do you want to have dinner with me?"

As the lights turned green the ground seemed to shift underneath the weight of the moving crowd. Under the weight of her words Sehun's expression stilled. His fingers flexed several times around his coffee cup. He hadn't taken a sip of it even once.

"Did I shock you?" Namjoo asked. Slightly disappointed she wondered if she needed to make up for the growing awkwardness by slapping his arm or telling a joke. It was truly sad that she could not think of one on the spot.

"N...no," he said his eyes traveling to the ground.

Why? Could he not face to reject her?

That made her feel even worse.

"If you don't have time it's fine," Namjoo told.

"L...lets," he said although he more likely looked past her than at her.

†††††

The coffee was still warm when Sehun walked up to the doors of his workplace. He didn't really want it. What had compelled him to go to the coffee shop was now gone. He'd only ordered a cup since he was there.

Throwing it into the garbage bin posted beside the doors in front of the bushes Sehun walked into work. The hours seemingly ticked by slowly and then came lunch. Today he didn't feel like stepping outside, so down to the small cafeteria he went. The kitchen was a tiny, tiny place. The silver countertops, dulled by now, were occupied with little plastic boxes of food packed by the kitchen ladies. Through the little rectangular window the silver two door fridge always remained unoccupied, except in the early mornings when someone brought in ingredients for breakfast and lunch.

Three heads behind the counter were covered in cheap white hairnets, their gloved hands busy at work. Hair always knotted up into the tightest buns he'd ever seen. Their aprons were always never cleaned, always stained in some kind of color from oil or maybe flour. The walls were boarded up with creamy yellow tiles, almost like the ones you'd find in a bathroom. And he was glad he worked upstairs. Now he wondered why he was here staring through the rectangular window.

Sehun glanced down at the options in front of him. Salad with more olives than any other vegetable that made up the blend. A plastic bag of mayonnaise was tucked at the side. He skipped on that. Beside that was another plastic box. In it ham and cheese sandwich. Sehun went with that. He paid at the register and walked his way to a small circular table next to the wall that made him feel like a student in detention.