Gentle Acclimation

*3* UNDERCURRENT

At the ice cream store, they each picked out half a gallon of ice cream. He ordered mint chocolate chip for himself, and a mix of pineapple, coconut and passion fruit sherbet for her. It reminded her of the "helados" from those carts with the bells back in Puerto Rico, so it was comforting. He knew her order well.

She smiled at him, and he flashed one of his famous puppy smiles, and her heart shattered.

"You're so stinking cute! How are you even real!?" She said with a jokingly-annoyed tone.

He shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just blessed."

"Ugh, the sass!!" She laughed.

"What? You're the one who said I was cute, not me!"

"True."

The cashier kept looking at Seungmin. She clearly agreed, and Sol noticed. For the first time, she felt a bit annoyed at someone checking out her friend.

"You guys make such a cute couple! How long have you been dating?"

"Oh, we're not dating!" He responded, waving his hands.

"Oh?" The cashier looked at Sol for confirmation, and she reluctantly said "Yeah, we're not."

"Oh! In that case, here's my number. You're too cute to let go." She told him, writing her number on the receipt. She then turned to Sol and asked "How have you not snatched him yet?"

She was flustered at the question and then wondered the same thing; she stuttered a response "Um... I don't... we don't... he has never...." She interrupted a blushing Sol.

"Oh, he rejected you!?" Seungmin laughed loudly, making both women jump.

"Sorry. That was loud. No. I did not reject her. She is an amazing woman. We've just always been friends.

"Oh... okay. I'd love to go out on a date with you, if you'd like. Please give me a call, if you're interested."

"He's gonna say no. He always says no." A slight grin was across her face, when she thought that.

"Girl, keep waiting. He always says no!" She cackled.

"Sure, I'll give you a call." Sol's neck almost broke due to the speed with which her eyes darted to him, in shock.

"You will!?" The cashier was elated.
"You will?" Sol was stunned.

His eyes ping-ponged between her and Sol. "Yeah. Why not? You seem nice! How about a brunch date tomorrow?"

"Oh, wow! Yeah. That's perfect. I work in the afternoon, so that's great for me." She smiled from ear to ear.

Sol's jaw unconsciously clenched, she took a spoonful of ice cream, and said "cool" with her mouth full and a fake smile, and walked away.

On the drive to her place, they were quiet. Seungmin was always quiet, but Sol usually perked up after the first taste of sherbet. Seungmin found it odd.

"This guy must have really hurt her this time. That asshole!" He kept thinking of ways he could get petty with the jerk, since they were acquaintances, and he introduced them. He focused back on Sol, and turned on the radio to her favorite Kpop playlist.

Usually by the third song, she was hype, but again, she was deep in thought. "Fuck! I've never seen her like this!" He was worried.

"Hey, did you hear Exo's new song "Hear me Out"? It's so good!"

No response.

They got to her house, and she got out of the car and into the house, as if on autopilot.

"Fuck! I've never seen her like this. She usually bounces back quickly." He thought.

They went upstairs with their ice cream, and sat on the sofa in front of the projector screen. He was used to going to her house, so he turned the system on, and logged into the streaming service.

"So, what do you wanna watch? Have you seen Clue yet? I have to admit, I haven't."

"Yeah, sure. I haven't seen it either."

"She lives! Ah, ah, ah!!" He says in a Dracula type voice.

"Wait, what?" She asked.

"You've been kind of in a trance ever since we left Baskin Robbins. You missed your Kpop Playlist. I even asked you about Exo's comeback, and you didn't answer. Are you sure you're okay? Shall we go TP the guy's car? I know where he parks it." He softly bumped her shoulder with his.

"Kim Seungmin, you know I don't do that crap. Besides, that won't make men stop being jerks. I'm okay. I just... I don't know. I guess I got lost in thought. How many guys has it been already? What am I doing that I keep attracting this kind of guy? I said before I wouldn't swear off guys, but maybe that's the solution. Anyways, let's watch the movie. What are we watching again?"

"Clue, so we can study the characters." He pushed play, and she searched on IMDB.

"Right. You're professor Plum and I am Mrs. Scarlet. Woah!! Christopher Lloyd and Leslie Ann Warren!? Ooooh! Big shoes to fill."

She was slowly coming back to her typical self. He still found her a bit odd.