[Jeongcheol] donut shop

donut shop chapter 35

Seungcheol's POV

     "Don't you hate me?", Cherri asked with a sad smile, catching me speechless, sounding as if she was right and was waiting for me to tell her she was. We were settled down on one of the tables in the shop, somehow, we just ended up talking straight away, it's crazy how I managed this far. "I would have... but I don't. Jeonghan's fire for making things right without causing so much trouble really rubbed off on me- anyway, it wasn't your fault, you didn't know", her question confused me because wasn't she supposed to be the one upset, wasn't she supposed to be the one who was mad? My dad committed unforgivable things to her, yet she was asking if I hated her.

Cherri let out a small breath through her nose, a tight smile formed, "and shouldn't I be asking you that...?", I continued cautiously, "you, my dear didn't do jack squat, just because you're the son of the man doesn't mean you are the man". Sounded like what Jeonghan would say, I gave out a small smile, nodding, "you still seem pretty bothered though", she suspected, looking at me for the answer. What the hell do I tell her? That she shouldn't take her son away from me? Actually... maybe I should... it sounded stupid, but no matter how I put it, it's still what I wanted to imply.

"Are... you going to stop me from seeing Jeonghan and Chan- ", right after she caught my drift she immediately intervened, "what gave you the idea that I'd strip away my son's happiness from him? Now that would just make me an ass", she slightly chuckled, getting a laugh from the situation. I don't know how she does it, but she does, but it didn't matter because she thought openly, just like Jeonghan. Cherri never even thought of separating us, it was just too good to be true. We talked more, thinking of it lightly until she got into some serious matters, "listen, your father and I made a deal and I finally completed my end, but I don't know if he's gonna hold up his end- ", Han told me about it, but that was complete bull!

"That bastard's forcing you, you don't have to give him shit!"

"I know, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Seungcheol... I hope it's not too much to ask, but please don't let your father take away this shop, there's really no telling what could happen. It's one of the dearest things to Jeonghan and me. He can't take away the only thing he'll remember me by." My face turned into a questioning gaze, my mouth slightly ajar, "I would never, I promise with my life, after all,  this shop's pretty important to me too...", the words flew out of my mouth as it was true, I wouldn't dare let that man touch a surface of this building, nor the people inside, not ever.

She smiled, happy with the answer she got, Cherri's smile was indeed beautiful and bright, just like the angel's, but the smile she was holding up had sprinkles of sorrow and sadness. Which led me to what she said at the end of her sentence... the only thing he'll remember me by? Why does that give off such a bad feeling, I know it's none of my business, but nor was Chan's happiness, shit, heck I care. "Uh... Cherri, what do you mean, 'remember you by'?", this statement scared me for some reason, "Seungcheol, I have lung cancer", it definitely was something to be scared of as my eyes widened. "What? Does Jeonghan know? When did you find out? Are you sure? Maybe-", I asked one after another, trying not to yell, "I'm gonna tell him and I want you to be there for Jeonghan and Chan when the time comes. Not when I tell Han, but when I'm gone".

I hated how she accepted her faith, I hated how she was certain, "no, stop! Don't say it like that... there has- ", she interrupted me once again, "there is, and that's you. That's you Seungcheol. You have to promise me, promise me that you'll be there for Jeonghan and Chan, that you'll protect them, give them happiness, love them- love them way more than I always will", she demanded in that motherly type of way, panic in her voice as she was surely scared, worried, sad. I was nowhere near refusing her, but there has to be some other way, right? Please, it can't be like this, she can't just come back then leave again... forever.

A new sound echoed through the empty shop, light but still audible steps of Jeonghan. My heart palpitated, just like Cherri's, but she kept her cool, yet her eyes widened. "Cheol? Cherri?", Han's voice getting closer, she looked at me with those eyes of pleading and hope, just as I remembered that time when I first saw Chan. The kid was so eager, he emitted that expression, the same expression as Cherri's, "promise me", she insisted once again in a defined whisper as destress and more emotions seeped within her,

"I promise."