A Sparkly Encounter (A JongKey Fanfic)

A Sparkly Encounter (A JongKey Fanfic) FIVE

For the next few days JongHyun totally forgot about the incident at the store. He hung out with TaeMin (and some times MinHo), studied, did his college works and continued searching for a job so he could pay his student fees. It was almost like nothing had happened, like he hadn’t found a half beaten Key in that girly shop.

            It would have continued being that way had JongHyun not passed that pink sign on his way back from school. He squinted through his reading glasses to the store across the street. The notebook he held in his hands as he walked and studied closed and everything came back to him in a rush.

            Something inside of JongHyun made him cross the street and enter the bright, little store. He was highly disappointed for some reason to find that Key wasn’t behind the counter reading a magazine like he’d been doing the first time they’d met.

            What are you thinking JongHyun? You just came in here to buy a new… Note book.

            “Hello!”

            The sudden voice made all the books in JongHyun’s hands drop to the floor. The owner of said voice quickly maneuvered around the counter (not without tripping over the corner he noticed) to help him gather up his things.

            “Sorry,” the voice owner apologized. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

            JongHyun merely chuckled and said, “Its okay. This actually reminds me of the first time I came here.”

            The guy gave him a questioningly face as they both straightened up. He passed the books he had over to JongHyun before expressing his confusion.

            “How so?” he questioned.

            “Uhm, well… I kind of somewhat, somehow, knocked down the Hello Kitty display when I first came. It was someone different working here, though,” he explained.

            An all knowing look crossed over this guy’s face. He walked backed to his counter and leaned against the edge before finally talking again.

            “Key was here,” he simply put.

            JongHyun was slightly taken aback by the finality in his voice. There was no question or curious tinge, it was as if he just knew that it was Key and not someone like that Jessica person he’d heard Key screaming at over the phone that one time.

            “Key’s the only one who cleans up messes,” the worker explained when he saw JongHyun’s wary look.

            “Ah…”

            They stood in awkward silence. Unlike when he’d been with Key the air wasn’t hostile, but nonetheless it didn’t’ stop everything from being weird.

            “Uhm, did you come to buy something?”

            “Uh, yes…” JongHyun shuttled off to a random aisle. He wandered aimlessly until he found a section with an assortment of notebooks and grabbed the first one he could see. Great… A pink cover with a cat face made of silver sparkles. He placed it on the counter once he mustered up the last of his dignity to actually go.

            The worker chuckled, watching JongHyun place his item in front of him.

            “Good choice,” he commented, ringing it up.

            A dark blush covered JongHyun’s cheeks as he fished for his wallet. He tried to figure out a way to pose his question while he countered out the amount he owed. When the bills were placed on the counter, JongHyun mustered the courage to ask what he’d been thinking about ever since he’s spotted the store.