Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
After class was when I saw Mark duck behind the seats away from Chloe, Haechan waking up because he had slept past the lecture. Yuta stood up from beside me and asked if we should leave and I nodded, trying to find Mark but he had already disappeared into the waves and clusters of other students. I felt a hand reach out to take my bag, the weight of my bag disappearing from my shoulders and when I turned to the side, I saw that Yuta was carrying it.
What a gentleman.
"You'll have to bring me to the coffee shop," Yuta told me. "I'm new so I don't know where everything is yet."
"No worries," I told him, smiling at him when we pushed past the crowd. My eyes settled onto Haechan who was by the entrance of the school. A limousine parked in front of the entrance and even if it was normal to see Haechan's driver pick him up—this was different. I saw suited-up guards grab him as he tried to fight them off.
"Sorry, Yuta. Give me a moment. Haechan!" I called out to Mark's friend. He was Mark's friend, not mine; mind you. Haechan turned around, the suited guards stepping back for a moment to give him space. "What's this?"
"They want to send me off to rehab," Haechan droned on, pushing his glasses up his head and putting his hands on his hips. His tongue poked the side of his cheek with annoyance. "It's not like I need it."
Oh, but he did.
So, I told him so.
"It's not my place and I'm late for my coffee date, but do what's best for yourself," I told him, Haechan frowning at my words. He grabbed my arm and I looked at him, confused. "What?"
"You're actually going on a coffee date?" he asked and I nodded slowly. "I... I thought you were going to get frozen yogurt with Mark?"
"Mark doesn't eat frozen yogurt," I told him, slowly pulling away from Haechan who seemed worried. "Anyway, I'm off. Good luck!"
And with that, I saw Haechan try to book it but he was grabbed by the influx of his bodyguards and shoved into the car. I chuckled. He was Haechan, he'd get through it. Maybe with his parent's help, he would stop drinking and smoking up. I walked back to Yuta who smiled at me kindly and told him where to go.
"We have a famous coffee shop here. It's actually run by one of the students," I told Yuta when we neared the place. "It's that one. The one with the pink roof."
"Nana's café?" he asked and I nodded. "Very cute."
"Run by Na Jaemin. He's a major in broadcasting and advertising," I told him, pushing the door open to go into the coffee shop. The smell of roasted coffee beans reached my nose and I loved the ambiance of the place. I saw Na Jaemin look up at me from the counter, his eyes going to Yuta before he frowned.
"Hey," he said before saying my name. "Where's Mark?"
He just had to, didn't he? I have only always come with Mark. Being an introvert, it was hard going out without anyone I was ever comfortable with. Telling him that Mark busy and I came with a friend, I saw a flicker of curiosity flitter through Jaemin's eyes.
