From the Heart

chapter seven

       "C'mon," Doyoung stood up and pulled Jungwoo along. "I know the perfect place."

       Jungwoo smiled at Doyoung's sudden excitement. A silly grin stuck to his face as he walked alongside Doyoung. "Where are we going?"

       "It's a surprise." Looking over at Jungwoo he smiled. "And it's actually not far from here either." Doyoung still couldn't believe that Jungwoo's had agreed to come with him.

        As they walked Doyoung became very aware of their hands, still clasped together beside them.

    Up ahead there was a couple shops coming into view but one in particular stood out against the others. A giant cat face was painted across the building and windows. Above the doors read 'Cat Cafe'.

    Doyoung halted in front of the entrance. "I forgot to ask, you're not allergic to cats, are you?" He looked over at Jungwoo expectantly. A wide grin that showed all of his teeth and some of his gums stretched across his face.

    "No I'm not." Jungwoo found his lips slipping into a smile that mirrored Doyoung's.

    Opening the door Doyoung pulled Jungwoo into the cafe.

    "Doyoung!" An older woman shouted from behind the counter. She had an apron with thousands of cat faces printed on it. Her hair was pulled back into a bun at the back of her head, grey hairs streaking through it. She looked like she had seen a lot of sun and her back was slightly hunched over. Reaching up she pushed a cat until it got off the counter in front of her. Her large round glasses sat high up on the bridge of her nose. The prescription was so strong here eyes filled the entire frames.

    Hurrying from around the counter she ran over and gave Doyoung a big hug. Her tiny form only coming to his chest.

    "Hello Grandma." Letting go of Jungwoo's hand he wrapped his arms tight around her, smiling down at the old woman.

    "It's been too long since you've visited. I know you're busy, but you're never too busy to help out." Doyoung's grandmother scolded him, shaking her finger. But her face was still smiling. Her joy at seeing her grandson was too much. "Oh and wait until your grandfather knows you're here!" She turned to shout back into the kitchens, "Donghae! Our long lost grandson has finally returned." 

    There was the rumble of pots and pans before silence again.

    Doyoung glanced over at Jungwoo to see his reaction and smiled sheepishly. His look caught his grandmother's attention and she turned her small frame to Jungwoo.

    "And who have you brought with you?" Her eyes looked Jungwoo up and down. Her eyes, they were soft and kind but alert and all-seeing. Every detail seemed to be captured in their dark surface. Considering they were the size of  yo-yos in her glasses, it probably wasn't difficult

    Doyoung was about to speak up but Jungwoo spoke first.

"Hello, my name is Jungwoo." He gave her a polite bow while his hands picked nervously at his pants.

"He's a friend of mine." Doyoung and Jungwoo's eyes met and they both grinned at each other softly, and when Doyoung looked back at his grandmother her eyes were glancing between them.

    But if she had caught on to the look she didn't give it away, instead she clapped her hands together and smiled up at them. she peered at them both through her glasses. "It's very nice to meet you, I'm Naeyeon. But you can call me Grandma. As you've guessed I'm Doyoung's grandma and the owner of this cafe. I'm sure your brought him to help," She glanced at Doyoung who nodded. "We can always use more hands. Come on. Let's go get you some aprons and brushes."