Familiar Stranger

FIVE

Ugh! Why can't I just forget about that girl.

You don't even know her, Chanyeol.
She's just a stranger to you.

I tousle my hair as I walk to the mini mart. No matter how many times I try, that Oblivious Girl just keeps on popping in my mind.

I enter the mart expecting the dagger-stare the Uncle gave me days ago, but instead he smiles to me. I raise my brows a bit somewhat taken aback before I bob my head and smile too.

I walk through the snack aisle and go straight to the beverage section grabbing a can of iced coffee.

Her favorite drink. I sigh.
Wait. What? I shake my head. Get yourself together, Park Chanyeol. Why are you even thinking of her again?

I walk to the cashier and pay for the drink.

"Have a good day," the Uncle smiles as he gave me the change.

Not that I don't like him being friendly toward me, but it puzzles me why he suddenly changes. I push that thought away though and give him a smile.

"You too, Uncle."

I turn around for the door, but it opens before I even lay a hand on it. The familiar face that has been invading my mind for the past few days appears in front of me.

"H-hey," I try to greet her but she just walks past me as if I'm not here.

Baffled, I can only follow her with my gaze. She returns soon after with a can of coffee in her hand, and - to my surprise - without a tuna sandwich. But what really gets me concerned is how hollow her eyes are. Sure, she has always been oblivious, but her eyes are never this empty.

She pays for her coffee and bobs her head in thanks and exits the mart without a word.

"Are you guys fighting?" Uncle Mart suddenly asks snapping me out of my daze.

"Ne?" I blink at him. Somehow his question suggests that I'm an acquaintance of the girl. Or is it just me?

"Don't tell me you actually touched her inappropriately." Uncle Mart squints his eyes at me and I immediately widen my eyes at his statement.

"N-ne?! N-n-no. Of course not!" I quickly wave both of my hands.

Uncle Mart narrows his eyes even more.

"I swear!" I cross my heart with my finger. Why am I even defending myself for this? "I-I-I cross my heart! I didn't do anything to her. I don't even-"

Uncle Mart suddenly bursts out laughing. "I know. I know. You're her friend right?"

Friend? My eyes are rounded.

"What are you still doing here?" He chuckles. "Isn't she waiting?"

"A-ah!" I blink several times. "Y-yes." I bow politely to him and exit the mart afterwards, but I stop in my step. I turn back in and smile at Uncle Mart who looks puzzled.

"Can I get a tuna sandwich, please."
.
.
.
I watch how she stares outside the window with the same empty eyes. She didn't even drink her coffee. She's sitting on her usual spot near the window while I sit across the aisle.

"Is something wrong with her?" Grandma Kim who's sitting beside me whispers making me look away from her.

"Ah. I don't really know. I... I don't really know her to be honest," I scratch the back of my neck smiling sheepishly.

"Ah~," Grandma Kim nods and then smiles. "You're such a good young man then."

"Ne?"

"You dropped her, a stranger, off at my place when she was drunk rather than bringing her to your own place." She smiles sincerely. "Other guys would have taken advantage of her state."