my sunflower ♡ sunshin [haechan x ryujin]

5

"Oh~ my hair looks nice today," Ryujin says, fixing her bangs while she watches herself from the reflection of her phone. She's wearing a peach puff high neck crop top along with black legging. If it wasn't for Felix and his annoying ass, Ryujin might go and meet Haechan in her sweaty practice shirt. 

Because why would she dress up for him?

Eventually, she did, and she really likes how everything is going well today (so far). At how her bleached hair looks oh so pretty today, her earrings were also together when she found them in her vanity drawer - usually she lose an earring - and the road is weirdly clear today, considering it's almost six in the evening on Wednesday. 

Maybe because she have a date today? She hasn't dated anyone after that scumbag and she can feel her stomach churning at the thought of going out with someone again. Ryujin feels her breath quickens for a hot second, like she's having a trouble breathing. But then her mind screams, 

"You are not going to date anybody. This is all fake. And you will not fall for it." 

She mentally pats her head as she walks into the cafe, one called DREAM Cafe, that Haechan works at. She doesn't find Haechan right away, but there are some familiar faces from his Instagram account - it's not stalking! She's just curious! -, though their reactions are quiet comical. 

She gives them a smile - almost like a wince because it's so awkward. Ryujin takes a tentative step towards the table by the window, she can feel different pair of eyes boring into her, like they are are drilling a hole. 

Only when she sling her bag over the back of her chair that she realises - no one is going to take her order. And she has to do it by herself. At the counter. 

"Why am I doing this to myself?" She hisses and ignore all the weird feelings she's having and jump into the queue. She looks around the cafe while she waits for her turn, the decorations are very minimalist - too simple for her liking but it's nice. There's also a shelve at the back of the cafe, stack with either books or mugs they probably only used once. At the middle of the shelve though, she can see a couple of frames. But it's too small to look at from where she's standing. 

"Can I help you?" Ryujin jumps a little at the voice, vaguely aware she was in a queue a moment ago. 

"Ryujin?" Ryujin's head snaps up, and of course, out of all people, it has to be Haechan at the counter today. Of course.  

Ryujin smiles and greets Haechan with an awkward "hey". Haechan raises an eyebrow, clearly amused at how she's acting, but instead of replying - rude! - he gestures towards her chair earlier. 

"Just sit down first. I'll make you a special drink." 

♡ 

"I hope you like this place," Haechan says with a teasing lilt to his voice. Yesterday Ryujin was the one who was being all bitchy and flirty but today... Funny how the tables have turned. She feels like someone uses black magic on her so she can't move or speak to Haechan.

"I should take you somewhere nice. I mean... this our first date, right? Or i'm just getting ahead of myself right now?" 

Ryujin squeezes her eyes shut, shrinking in shame as the older man chuckles softly. 

"I'm genuinely surprised how you haven't changed a bit," Haechan says, the smile lingers on his lips and runs his fingers through his dark blond hair. 

Ryujin blinks in surprise, but instead of focusing his gaze on Haechan  - though she really wants to - she eyes her drink and takes a sip. She lets out a soft gasps at the taste of it. Sweet. She can almost taste home. 

"Good?" 

She nods, "great actually. It tastes so familiar. Like a memory that I can't remember."

Ryujin knows - she can feel - what's coming even before Haechan opens his mouth again. "Like us?" 

She lifts her gaze at him in an instant. He doesn't deserve to say that. If anyone's hurting between them, it's her. Not him. 

"There's no such thing as 'us'. You left. That's it." Ryujin says, heart jumping to her throat. 

Haechan's face twists in a grimace and he looks away, clearly struggling to hold back the words that fall off his lips anyway. "Are we fifteen? Are you? We are in present right now." 

Ryujin stills. "What?"

He can't possibly-

"Don't act clueless. I left because you asked me to. And when I actually did, you want to spit on me?" Haechan's voice echoes in the cafe, and he must realise that they're still at public, at his cafe where his friends also work at, nowhere private, because he shrinks himself. 

The shock steals the air right out of Ryujin's lungs. "I never said-"

"Listen, if you really want to talk about this, then I don't want to hear any of it. We can just cancel this shit and... never cross path again," Haechan scoffs bitterly, standing up and turning on his heel in the blink of an eye. Under his breath, he keeps mumbling, "of course this would fucking happen."

Ryujin catches up, grabbing Haechan's arm and drag him outside the cafe, as far as she can. Oddly, Haechan doesn't resist. When she lets go though, Haechan keeps a distance like Ryujin has a 'Do Not Touch' sign on her. 

Ryujin opens her mouth, but nothing comes out. But then their eyes meet, and Haechan unexpectedly says, "I'm sorry."

Her eyes widen, she didn't see that coming. Ryujin breaks the eye contact and sighs, "no, I'm sorry. I should know to not bring up that in our conversation. 'M sorry." 

Ryujin's gaze falls on Haechan again - his eyes are still on her, but this time instead of a blank face, his expression softens. 

"No. I'm also at fault here, I was being too sensitive."

"And I was being insensitive."

"I'm older than you! I must show a good example to you!"

"Oh so we are talking about age now?!" 

"What are you going to do about it?" 

Ryujin giggles, her first time smiling at Haechan today. Like actual smile. 

Still, it might be too late now but Ryujin is curious, a curious woman, and she has to ask: "why did you agree by the way?"

Haechan fixes him with a stare, though it does nothing to intimidate Ryujin. "Want me to take it back?" he threatens, raising his eyebrows. 

Ryujin is quick to snap her mouth shut and shake her head, even though she's getting a feeling that Haechan wouldn't leave her high and dry, especially after their little fight. 

"I'll tell you after your one day business. "

Ryujin knits her eyebrows together, confused. "Really?" 

Haechan hums, "so what happened? Why are you hiring random man to take place as your boyfriend?" 

"Hey I'm not hiring anyo-"

"Be grateful I want to do this with you. Imagine if you get a creepy ass man holding your hand," Haechan teases, Ryujin gasps and slaps his shoulder. 

And unsurprisingly, he screams dramatically. 

Because that's such a Haechan thing to do. 

Ryujin scrunches her nose at him - and he fights back but scrunches his nose harder, she doesn't even know if that's actually possible - and says, "wanna take a walk while talking?" 

"Sure."