A world of my own - MINSUNG

Part 6 - Lee Know

"What's wrong?"

Chaeryoung shifted from one foot to another, not looking at me.

I peered at her closely. She was blushing. Was she going to ask me to the prom?! Shit, I had decided I was going to break up with her before then. 

"It's just that... Minho hyung, please don't hate me," she burst out.

"What-??" I was really confused. "Why would I hate you? You're my girlfriend."

"Please don't-!" she shrieked suddenly, making me jump. "I'm sorry, I wanted to say to you... I think we should break up."

I said nothing for a minute. Damn, what was the right reaction to this? I couldn't really say 'no, please don't say that' because I had wanted to break up with her myself. "Oh...?"

"Thank God, I thought you were going to yell at me," she said enormously relieved. "It definitely isn't something personal. I just wanted it to be this way because for a while it seemed like our relationship was being forced, you know? Like there wasn't really any chemistry. I mean, I'm sure we can still be friends after this right?" She said it so fast I was actually a bit impressed. She must have rehearsed what she was going to say to me.

"Yeah, of course," I said, dazed. So Chaeryoung had wanted to break up too! I couldn't believe it. I knew I had stopped liking her, but I never thought she would stop liking me.

"See, that's your problem. This," said Changbin, pointing at my head as we walked home after I had told them about what happened.

"My brain?" I said, confused.

Changbin scoffed. "What brain? No you idiot I meant your over-inflated head. Just because you're in love with yourself, doesn't mean everyone else is." I swatted at him with my schoolbag.

"Where did you go yesterday?" asked Chris.

I startled a little. "What do you mean, where did I go? I went home of course."

"Then why didn't you wait for us, you know that we go home together," he said.

"Yeah, come to think of it you rushed off as soon as school ended," said Hyunjin, frowning.

I looked at them, flustered. "I didn't! Maybe you just thought that. I went home."

Chris looked sceptical. "Sure."

-

"Would you like the usual, Minho? Or something else?"

I jumped a little in my seat to see Jeongyeon, my friend and the barista who works at All Caf, frowning down at me. "Sorry?"

She sighed. "I can come back when you're awake if you like. You really do need a coffee."

"No, it's fine, I'm just a bit distracted today," I said, rubbing my eyes. "The usual is fine."

She smiled at me. "Lee Minho, you look like one of our stray cats when you're tired. It's very cute."

I smiled back at her. Jeongyeon was one of my oldest friends and she just understood me in a way a lot of other people didn't. She knew when and not to ask what was wrong.

After a few minutes the coffee was put on my table. "Thanks Jeongye-" Then I looked up and saw Han Jisung. "Jisung? What- what are you doing here?"

His lip curled at me. "I work here part-time. Actually, your friend recommended me this place."

I then remembered Jeongyeon handing out flyers at our school for a part-timer because I told her there would be lots of students there looking for a job. Jisung must have got one of her flyers. Jeongyeon doesn't go to Jeo Chan like the rest of us; she's homeschooled because she was bullied when she was younger and her parents pulled her out of school.

I picked up the coffee. "Ah, OK. Thanks for this."

He said nothing and moved to walk away when I noticed his wrist again. "Hey, stop."

He stiffened. "What?"

I pulled his arm so that he was sitting in the seat next to me. Then I rolled up his shirtsleeve. "What the heck? Why'd you just put a plaster here? This cut isn't going to heal with just a plaster." I had a sudden idea. "Come with me." Then I pulled him by his (good) wrist to the door of the shop.

"Wait! Wait, my shift isn't over yet," he said struggling to get away but I kept my grip firm.

"You can't work with an untreated cut like that! What if you spill coffee on it? I'll pay you for whatever your shift covers, and Jeongyeon's my friend, she'll understand."

He stopped struggling. As I opened the door to leave I heard Jeongyeon calling - "Hey! Lee Minho! Where are you taking my part-timer?! Also you forgot your coffeeee!!!"

Minutes later we were sitting on a park bench while I gently peeled back the plaster and applied a nasty-looking salve to his cut. He winced but didn't say anything. "You should have treated this straightaway," I said.

"What are you, a doctor?" he muttered.

"Yeah, I'm just on holiday now," I said sarcastically. "Even an idiot would know this cut is deep."

He tried to pull his hand away but I pulled back. "Ah ah ah, it's not done," I said, looking at him sharply.

"Don't look at me like that," he said.

"Why not?" I asked, kind of teasing him now. Why was he so cute? God, I'm going crazy.

"Because otherwise I'll fall in love with you."