𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐄 ‣ jjk

十六 ; (free) breakfast

day 1
6.55 am
lee haru

waffles for breakfast

i fish out my notebook
from my backpack
flipping over to the page of my bucketlist
i've already done 3 things so far:
i kisses a stranger
snuck in somewhere without paying
and i left a signature on a wall

12 to go

jeongguk startles me when he comes back
from whatever he was doing behind the stage
it doesn't look like he's afraid of those
dark, creepy places they usually show
in horror movies
he's so casual it's like this place is a
freaking mall to him

"let's go"
he pipes up
and my shoulders jolt up in surprise

"where to?"

"to get some food
the shops would be open now
plus, i've been saving two coupons
for free waffles"

before i can open my mouth to answer him
he skips over and takes me by my arm
pulling me towards the exit

we end up walking to
a waffle place near the train station
he makes the orders
before heading back to where i am sitting

i keep telling myself he's just being nice
i'm just a normal teenager compared to him
i keep telling myself that we're just here
to accompany each other
and that once i get back on the road
we'll forget that we ever met each other

jeongguk rests his chin on his palms
and he stares at me with a curious pout
he seems to do that a lot
"what are you thinking of?"
he wonders out loud

"huh?
oh, nothing"
i blink out of my stupor
and lower my head, suddenly flustered

he chuckles in amusement
"i've only been in this shop only once
but the waffles are nice, you'll see"

the food comes to us minutes later
and sure enough, the waffles are delicious
absolutely, perfectly
delicious

"i think i'm in heaven"
i mumble between large bites

jeongguk smirks
as if he already expected my reaction
"eat up
we'll order a second one if you're still hungry"

"don't you have only two coupons?
you should keep the other one for yourself"

"it's not that pricey anyway
you need to eat alot if you're
going to travel today
if you don't want a second one
i'll save this coupon for some other time"

i pause my eating
and stare up at him in confusion
"what about you?"

he takes a moment to think before
shaking his head
"not yet"
he answers, softer this time
"maybe soon
just after i sort a few things out"

i nod, not managing to
hide how disappointed i am
he notices
because he's tilting his head to the side
pouting like a child

"why are you sulking?"
he asks with puffed out cheeks

"i'm not sulking"

"lies"
jeongguk laughs
returning back to his playful manner
"we've only just met a
few hours ago
but it feels like you've become a friend"

i smile, finishing my last bite
"you're the first i've had in a while"
i admit
"i didn't make any friends back at home"

"by choice"
i add when he raises an eyebrow

"it's better with friends around"
he says
"at least you won't be feeling
so alone all the time"

i laugh bitterly
wiping my hand with a napkin from the table
"kids in my neighbourhood are
different
they're not as friendly as they seem"

he nods understandingly
he eventually orders another waffle
for me to take along
and we head back to the train station
for me to catch a bus to the city

as we reach the bus station
jeongguk taps me on the shoulder from behind
and i am greeted by
the warmest smile i've ever seen

"good luck"
he says
"you'll find what you want someday
it'll work out"

i nod, returning his smile
"you too, big guy"
i nudge him lightly on the shoulder
"go home soon, everyone's missing you"

he watches me as i climb onto the bus
and pull my hoodie over my head
i stare out the window as the
vehicle begins to move
he's still standing there, in the same spot
as he waves a hand at me
i wave back

for some reason
there's an uncomfortable feeling
settling inside my stomach

as the bus gets further away
jeongguk's figure keeps getting smaller
and smaller
until
he's out of my sight
and then it all just feels like a dream

a very, very
pleasant dream