congratulations || jeongchan

- 16 - Shaking -

I don't give a damn

"Pass the damn sugar."
"No."
"Pass."
"No."
"P-"
"You guys!" Seungmin ran his hands through his hair.

Me and Felix rolled our eyes at each other and laughed as Minho and Jisung continued to barter over how much was an acceptable price for the sugar and Seungmin continued to try and shut them up.

My eyes glided to the window of the cafe and I watched as the rain the fell. The piece of glass protecting me from the weather. In that moment, with the distant chime of a bell as a door opened somewhere in the world and the gentle splashing of rain as it fell to the paved stones outside the shops window; in that moment, I felt calm. It felt like my heart had time to sort through all it was feeling and put it aside to sit, serenely, and watch the rain.

That was until I heard Felix make a quiet sound between a gasp and a scream as his body went rigid.

"Felix?" I asked gently.

He turned to me. Eyes wide in panic and pain, I could see tears brimming in them.

"Oh shitttt..." Minho groaned and slid down in his chair until all you could see was his face and his chin was resting on the table.

I followed his eyes and saw the back of Hyunjin and some other dude who wasn't Jeongin walking over to a table.

As Hyunjin went to sit down I saw his face and he was blushing. His eyes were bright and he was blushing.

Then I noticed how he seemed more nicely dressed than usual.

"Is Hyunjin on a date?" I murmured to our group. Forgetting how fearful Felix had looked and how Minho had slid down his chair.

Seungmin and Jisung whipped their eyes round to me and gave me a look that said 'shut up'.

A chair scrapes across the floor and out of the corner of my eyes I see Felix stand up and Jisung tug at his sleeve in vain to try and get him to sit down.

But Felix wouldn't budge.

The tears were falling from his eyes now. The red blotches appearing on his face making his freckles stand out even more.

Jisung hung his head and loosely held the fingertips of one of Felix's shaking hands with one of his own.

It was as if the world had begun to move in slow motion.

Hyunjin glanced up at the sound of the chair and looked with narrowed, confused eyes at Felix, stood on his own, shaking with tears. I see Hyunjin's eyes glide over Felix and see him tilt his head in disbelief as he sees the small pair of eyes and messy hair sticking up over the edge of the table that belong to Minho.

Minho gives him a wavering smile. The kind kids give their parents when both parties know it was them who broke the plate but the kid is still going to try and get out of the blame.

The person talking to Hyunjin notices his attention is elsewhere and turns to look at our table.

I don't recognise his face from anywhere and he skims across our group quickly. I almost think I see his eyes catch on Felix, but it was so quick and his expression doesn't change that I dismiss it as something my mind made up.

After the other person turns around, the rigidness of Felix's body deflates and he sinks to his chair. Jisung draws slow, gentle circles on his hand and murmurs sweet, comforting nothings.

Minho slowly sits back up and looks at Felix in concern.

"I'm fine." Felix whispers as he hangs his head and lets the tears fall on his empty plate.