LEMONS / 𝗺𝗹𝗺 (✓)

12: where they're in love

CHAPTER TWELVE
where they're in love

They were going on a date. Again.

This time, it wasn't what Rose called it. It was what Kalen had called it right after Hwan had accidentally rambled, "It's a date" as if they were thirteen year olds going to the movie theater for the first time. 

Instead of calling him an idiot, Kalen had laughed—no, chuckled—and echoed, "It's a date."

So, it had to be a date.

Hwan would like to say that he kept track on how many they had been on at this point, but it was the first time they had said the word out loud to each other, so he didn't know exactly which ones counted as dates and which ones didn't. He wasn't about to make a fool out of himself and ask.

After spending the most of his first break at the café going over the options of dates in his head and almost missing the end of it, he decided that it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were going on one after Hwan's shift was over and that time could not go fast enough.

When Hwan looked at the clock and realized that there was only thirty minutes left before Kalen was going to be there, a familiar elderly woman walked through the door of the café, carrying a purse in one hand and a cane in the other.

Khadijah smiled at Hwan and waved with the hand holding her purse. "Well, hello, son."

Hwan quietly and politely smiled back, stepping out from behind the counter to show her to a table even though she had told him off last time. He greeted her and added, "The usual table, I'm guessing."

Khadijah patted his arm, just as he went past her with a smile painting her lips. "You know me so well, son. So well." Before he turned around, she gestured to his eyes and smiled, "Such nice color."

Hwan didn't respond with anything other than a smile as he led her to the table, feeling relief wash over him when he noticed that it was free. 

A long look through the menu card Hwan handed her, one cat story he had already heard twice and another pat on the shoulder, Hwan left her table to go fetch the elderly woman's order. Hwan allowed himself to check his phone in the backroom and noted that there was only ten minutes left before Kalen was supposed to be there and he felt restless the closer he got.

And nervous.

And excited.

And terrified.

But mostly excited. 

Once Hwan returned to Khadijah with her order and a smile, she asked him how he was doing and he just told her that he was doing fine, what about her? He added that she looked good after she told him about sleeping well that night. In return, she sent him a smile and a pat on his cheek.

As he put down her cup of coffee, he was about to ask her if she needed anything else, preparing himself for a story about a new cat or something, but before he could say anything, she said, "Oh, see that's your friend over there."

Hwan turned his head to see Kalen standing by the counter, already looking at him. He waved when they got eye contact and instead of waving back, Hwan settled with smiling. 

When he glanced Khadijah's way, she had brought the cup of coffee to her mouth and took a sip, still looking at Kalen. Hwan hesitated.

Your friend.

Before he could regret and change his mind, Hwan heard himself say, "He's my boyfriend."

Instead of an outburst or snort or disgust painted across her face, Khadijah looked up at him. She led her cup away from her face so Hwan could see the quiet smile she was carrying. "Is he now?"