Beyond This Fucked Up World [choi yeonjun]

Chapter Twelve - The Boy With His Book

[24. August 2022]

It was Wednesday and I was lying sideways on my bed with the sun shining across my face. I felt my bed for my phone and when I found it, I used it as a shield against the sun. I opened Yeonjun's chat and read through the message I had written to him on Tuesday, immediately after he left.

Yeonjun

You're right.

Your friendship is none of my business.

I'm sorry.

It was unread and Yeonjun hadn't been online since Monday. I thought about sending another message but decided against it.

I put my phone away again and pulled myself together. It was only an hour until I would meet Soobin and I had spent the whole day lying in bed. As much as I enjoyed the free time, I lacked structure during the day.

Since Kai had beaten the crap out of my boss, I was unemployed and slowly I should consider looking for a new job. Especially since I would soon run out of money, I should probably start as soon as possible.

I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. After I had done my business there, I looked at my choice in the wardrobe. One thing I put out straight away was a pair of trousers. I definitely did not make the same mistake again. I then picked out the matching top and closed the wardrobe again.

I hopped with one leg to the living room table and looked at the clock on my phone. It was 5:30 pm and I was just putting on my shoes. When I finished lacing up my left shoe, I let it stomp on the floor and grabbed my phone. I walked through the front door and closed it behind me with quick movements so I could still catch my bus.

The bus was half full and I sat in a window seat further back in the bus. I looked at the message to Yeonjun again and it was still unread. I closed the chat and saw the song title playing on the display. 'Cigarette Daydreams by Cage The Elephant', I read out loud in my mind and turned the volume up to maximum to stop thinking about Yeonjun.

If I really listened to him I shouldn't be seeing Soobin, which is exactly why I wanted to see him. Will Soobin also be upset if I mention Sunoo? He doesn't seem the type to be angry at something like that.

The sun was turning the sky orange and was already disappearing behind some houses. I trotted across the street to the cafe where I was to meet Soobin and spotted him already sitting at a seat. I walked through the front door and saw Soobin digging into his fries before he looked over at me and smiled all over his face.

I returned his smile and went over to the table where he was sitting. I sat down on the chair opposite him.

"You're here pretty early."

"I came right after my lecture." Soobin poked at his fries again probably because he didn't know what to do with his hands.

"What are you studying?" I asked curiously, switching my gaze to him and his fries.

"Linguistics. Language science and stuff."

"Oh, wow. Do you want to work in media or something later on?" Soobin shook his head and furrowed his brow which looked pretty cute as he let his mouth pout so cutely at that.

"No, more along the lines of a writer."

"Ah! Choi Soobin's New York Times bestselling novels! I can see it now." I chuckled at that, finding the idea quite funny yet very realistic. Soobin laughed a little too, but still looked a little confused.