honey | jisung park

★彡5

[jisung]

i woke up to the harsh sound of two pots banging against each other.

"AYY PARK JISUNG!" an excruciatingly familiar voice rang about my room.

"chenle... go away.." i begged, with a drowsy voice.
"you were supposed to be up two hours ago, jisung. you should be thanking me."
"what are you even talking about?"
"you told me to wake you two hours early. as to why, i don't know."

replaying the night before in my head, my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. i quite literally hopped out of my bed, grabbing my phone and zooming past chenle into the bathroom. i didn't even bother closing the door and went straight to brushing my teeth, toothpaste flying about.
"jisung! why did you wanna get up so early anyw-"
"noTHING!" i yelled back, my voice muffled by toothpaste. but it wasn't  nothing- i was hoping to be at that starbucks before she was. i slammed the door shut, hearing chenle sigh from outside the door.

flicking my hair into place, i doused myself in cologne, having no time to shower for now. throwing the door to my room open, i searched through my closet until i finally found a suitable shirt. i delighted in the warmth that surrounded me as my thick white turtleneck hugged my previously bare and cold skin, the hem falling perfectly above a pair of black skinny jeans. frantically, i gathered my things in my backpack and rushed to the front door, nearly forgetting to put my shoes on and ignoring the weird looks from my fellow dorm mates.

sprinting through the streets of seoul, my large round glasses slowly began to fall down my nose every thirty seconds, so with one hand i used to push them up, and with the other, constantly checking the time.
8:16 am
the café was right around the corner, and as i took a sharp left, my idiocy kicked in the minute i crashed into someone leaning against the wall.

we both simultaneously yelled out "oomph!" as we hit the ground. rubbing my head, i looked up to see a familiar face. in nearly any situation, i would be over the moon to see the puffy smiling eyes, and beautifully curved face that y/n had.

"o-oh, i'm so sorry-" before i could finish, her sweet endearing laugh interrupted me. i gave her a confused look, and she began giggling even more.

"s-sorry," she breathed out in between snickers.
"are you insane or just really happy to see me." i joked out, as she let out her last laugh.
"while i am happy to see you, it's just ironic how we quite literally ran into each other."
i smiled a bit and said, "why were you outside, anyway?"
"o-oh well..." her words came out in stuttering bits and pieces. "i was waiting for you, and after a while i figured you wouldn't come..." my eyes widened and i felt like hiding in a blanket for the rest of my life, but in some peculiarly selfish way, i got a sense of appreciation.
"i'm sorry to keep you waiting..." i avoided eye contact with her as i spoke.
"don't even worry about it. c'mon." looking up, i saw her hand stretched out, with a smile on her face. as she helped me back up to my feet, i couldn't help but take note how much taller i was then her.
she had to look up to see me, and i had to look down to see her. our hands were still loosely intertwined , and stayed that way for a moment until she cleared her throat and put her hand in her jean pocket.  she was awkward like me. yet, somehow i knew there was some part of her that could drag someone to hell.
"c'mon, i'll buy you a green tea, on me." despite the acute tension looming around, i followed her inside- i'd do almost anything for a free tea.

[you]

jisung was seated across from me, and the rising sun cast through the glass wall of the starbucks made his silhouette quite literally glowing.

"you're dressed for winter." my comment was random, but at least broke the ice.

"i-i was sorta rushing this morning. i'd usually sleep in on saturday."
i smiled and hummed before turning to my backpack. "i-i got you something.." i stuttered out, my hand rummaging through my bag.
"really..?" his voice was sweet and smooth. i innocently and swiftly pulled a bear shaped jar of honey out of my bag and set it in front of him.
"that way we won't run into the same incident."

we both shared in a hearty laugh as he pocketed his 'gift'.

"green tea with soy milk and honey!" i smiled with a warm feeling as the familiar voice of the barista yelled out delightfully familiar words.

"i'll get it." jisung said, but we both stood up with the intent of getting it for the other person. "i'm the man- let me be the gentleman.

"not to go all feminist on you but i don't need a man to retrieve my tea." i joked. "fair enough." i gave him a look of superiority as he surrendered.

setting the teas down on the table, i sat down with a prideful look. "do not test my politeness."
"don't test MY politeness." he said, pulling the gift jar of honey i gave him out of his bag and sweetening both of our teas. "boom. i win." he closed the cap of the honey.
"touche." we both laughed once again, and i took note of how different he was around a stranger compared to having known someone for three days.

"oh!" he jumped as he checked his watch. "i'm sorry... dance practice again." he lips curved to one side in a disappointed manner.

"don't be sorry.. you go kick some dancing butt." i cringed at my own awkwardness, and to make it worse was anything but happy about us parting ways- even if i claimed too.

"hey, why don't i give you my number? i mean... friends should have each other's numbers." he said, his voice trailing off towards the end. it's almost like he could sense my disappointment, and my mood immediately perked up.
"i-i'd love that.." i tried my best not to hold eye contact with him out of embarrassment.

pulling out a pen and a slip of paper from his bag, he wrote down his number. "maybe next time we come here i can gift you some soy milk." we chuckled lightly as we exchanged numbers. sighing, he said, "i'd better be going.. my instructor might get mad. bye, y/n..." he smiled shy and sweet, before running out the door.

and just the way he left before, he left again.