jeongin brushes her fingers through my hair, my head against her collarbone. me and jeongin have been dating since highschool, she ended up confessing when we were fourteen. im twenty in a few weeks. i look up at my girlfriend, her face bare of makeup and her piercings still on.
we got into the same college and now still together in university, we decided to go tothe shitty one in our town to cut downon student loans so we can move out and in together as soon as possible. "innie" she stops brushing my hair and let's me sit up, turning so im straddling her lap. "i love you, so much"
my girlfriend holds my face, a warm smile stuck on her lips. she uses her grip on my face to pull me into a kiss, her cold snakebites against my skin nearly makes me smile. we part our innocent kiss, her soft lips slightly parted. she moves her hands away from my face and to my thigh. "i love you too lix"
"there's still no updates on the missing people cases, thankfully nobody has been added to the list with the recommendations of staying home after dark and sticking in groups." the news report takes me away from my daydream, reliving memories. "the youngest still being nineteen year old yang jeong-" i turn my tv off.
taking the last drag of my cigarette i put it out on the damp windowsill, blowing the smoke out the open window. i sit at my desk to finish my makeup, today i have no classes but i do have work. i only put on eyeliner and mascara to distract from how bad my eye bags have gotten.
i mentally prepare myself for my ten hour shift at a café, it may seem like alot but me and jeongin were saving up to move away. she would want me to get as far as possible. i put in my ear piercings along with my septum, all silver. i tie my boots and grab my jacket, my phone and keys already in my pocket. putting my ushanka hat on before going downstairs.
i plug my wired earphones into my ipod, the shitty quality of the music starts as i leave the house. with the early hours of ten to seven in the morning means it's still dark out, the news may recommend not to be out but money is money. i walk down the street, damp leafs blocking the sight of path.
i feel like im being watched, the music removing any sound of footsteps. perhaps im being paranoid with the ongoing missing people cases, might be the loss of someone so close but ive been feeling like this before the first person went missing. i get to the café, the warm lighting brightening the pathway.
i open the door after i take my earphones off, my coworker, changbin, waves at me. "hey lix, how you feeling" he asks, pity in his eyes. he follows me into the back room where i put my coat along with earphones and hat.
i grab my apron, tying it. "im fine" i turn to my coworker, he doesn't seem convinced of my answer. we walk back out to the counter, the radio filling the silence. the first hour of our shift was pretty quiet, eight to ten is where the rush hours start.
as it normally does more people come in for breakfast related food or hot drinks, primarily coffee. i don't mind making it but the smell isn't the nicest after hours. working isn't something i enjoy but money is money at the end of the day. the work itself isn't difficult but only having two workers isn't ideal.
the radio and people talking fill the shop, the sun rising blinding me. college students and workers eventually hurry out, university students i recognise from the campus leave too, changbin and me clearing up the mess of the rush.
normally me and changbin have alot of fun but due to the recent events not much happiness is spread. the bell rings and two sets of footsteps fill the empty café, changbin is currently on a small break so i get to the counter. my heart sinks at the customers. "hello mrs, mr yang"
my hands slightly shake at the familiar couple. the two give me a sad smile. "good morning felix" jeongins father speaks up. "we came to inform you that if you wanted you can come collect her stuff tonight, i feel you'll have more use for her things than us"
"we also needed to say we started funeral preparations, when we find a time and date we'll post your invitation" her mother finishes, i struggle to find words. she's only been gone for two weeks i don't understand why everyone treating it like she's dead.
"i finish at five, i'll stop by to get anything you don't need" i return their sad smile, her parents give me a small nod and bid me goodbye. the bell rings again, the couple gone and the room empty.
i walk back and stable myself again the wall, trying to relax my breathing. changbin comes back behind the counter, startled by my struggle. "lix, are you ok ?" i shake my head, standing back up from the wall.
"jeongin's parents came in for an update" changbin makes a slight wincing sound at the severity to the topic. me and changbin only had one twenty minute break during our shifts so we have agreements that if one of us needed air we could take a five minute breather.
i go to the back to grab my jacket and hat, moving past changbin and to sit on one of the tables outside the café. i pull my pack of cigarettes out from my pocket, sticking one in my mouth and lighting it up, breathing in the smoke.
the feeling of being watched gets stronger the longer im outside but apart of me isn't scared. i continue to smoke, trying to hurry to not leave changbin alone for too long. i stare forward to the tree filled street, glaring out as i feel something watching me, about five minutes later i put out the cigarette on the damp wood of the table.
getting up and back to my job i dispose of the cigarette butt in the bin by the door. changbin gives me a wave as i enter the back to take my hat and coat off. the work day seems like its going by quickly. it gets to about four and changbin is ready to leave. he starts an hour before me so leaves an hour before me.
now im alone. i watch the clock, hoping the last hour will go quickly. i mentally prepare myself to go collect my missing girlfriends stuff. speaking of her she usually would come join me on my final hour of mondays shift. the bell rings and i look up, praying there's a way it would be jeongin walking through that door. i recognise her as a regular.
normally she comes in and is changbins last customer before he leaves, i never pay much attention to her as jeongin was here by the time she arrives. "hello, what would you like to order today, and would it be eat in or take away ?" i push a smile at the attractive stranger.
she has an unreadable expression, her face is blank but her eyes are loud. after an uncomfortable silence she speaks, her voice nice. "just a black coffee and a cinnamon roll." she orders, not breaking eye contact with me. there's something so familiar with this woman's stare. "oh eat in" -
for those who are confused with the hat it's one of these, also felix will be wearing it every chapter (-:< (normally having the ear flaps up)
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