HELIOTROPE ↻ NCT DREAM

four

It was Tuesday afternoon, the young woman was inside the café where Hyuck and her used to hangout. The familiar place has become her place refuge despite how it brought memories of someone who she had drifted with.

There she was, simply wasting her time by watching the drama her block mate recommended, as she waited for her 2-hour vacant to end. The smell of freshly baked cinnamon flavored donuts and coffee beans that were being brewed surrounded the air, matching and mixing well with the calm atmosphere.

KLING! The bell on top of the glass door rang, signaling for the presence of a new customer. This caught Ayeon's attention. She lifted his eyes off the laptop screen and on to the entrance of the shop.

Ayeon's eyes widened, and a tiny gasp escaped from her lips. There she saw Donghyuck wearing a full black outfit - black cap, shirt, and pants. Silver chains on his neck and on his wrist, matching with his watch.

Her heart thumped. She certainly did not expect to see him today as she thought he was busy, but there he was making his way to the counter, gracefully, getting the attention of others as well due to his charisma.

It took the young girl a few seconds before coming into her senses that she was indeed staring at the boy. Shaking her head, Ayeon removed her gaze on him and turned it back to the drama she was watching.

Ayeon tried to block it in her head, the fact that Hyuck was a few meters away. She certainly does miss the young man, however, she wasn't fond of the idea of confrontation. In fact, she hates it as she usually becomes awkward and her thoughts become unorganized, her mind becomes a mess. Thus, the freshman crossed her tiny fingers in hopes that Donghyuck wouldn't turn her way.

She almost jumped up from her seat when someone removed the earphone on her right ear. Without looking up, Ayeon knows exactly who was in front of her.

"Quite unfortunate today, aren't we, Ayeon?" The thought to herself as she had to face her now that she's seen, mentally face palming.

Taking a breath, she finally let her eyes meet his. Donghyuck looked good from afar and seeing him at a closer distance made her heart as though it leaped inside her. He was alluring.

"Hey! I've been asking you for a minute now, if I could sit here, trying to get your attention," Donghyuck started. "But you were so engrossed in your drama that you weren't minding me." He continued complaining as he plopped down the sofa, not bothering to wait for an answer.

Their eyes met once again, it reminded them of the good old times where they would bicker each other for fun, for the sake of it.

A knowing smile slowly appeared on Ayeon's face and Hyuck returned it, slowly curving his lips upwards.

"Shut up, Hyuck! I can't believe I'm saying this but I missed you so much! What the hell even happened to us?" Ayeon whined, crossing her arms as she jokingly sulked, looking outside the glass windows and watched the civilians that passed by under the blazing afternoon sun.

"Of course, you'd miss me. I mean, who wouldn't?" Hyuck said smugly, raising his left brow and tilting his head.

With that, Ayeon rolled her eyes at him. "Now, I regret saying that."

He chuckled in response as he leaned in and stretched his arm over to her forehead and flicked it which caused a scowl to appear on the girl's face. "Oh, it's on!"

One of his brows was raised and a smirk was etched on his face, provoking the girl.

Slapping Hyuck's arm away, she stood up and leaned in over the table that was between them. She tried to remove Hyuck's arms that were covering his face - pushing, pulling, and slapping it playfully, but she was unsuccessful.

"Next time, I'll attack you with tickles instead!" Ayeon warned, eyeing the boy who was still smirking at her with his head tilted. "Oh you'll never win to me, darling Ayeon."

Soon, the drama on the laptop screen was forgotten as the two young adults continued to tease and catch up with each other.

From someone's perspective, it would be like the two were enjoying their date, however that wasn't the case. They were just 2 friends enjoying each other's company.

Little did the duo know, one was hoping that it could be.