universe cafe // exo

- 2 -

   Jun-Oh exhaled sharply, keeping her cool as she walked over to her car. Soojin was having a bit of a harder time staying calm as she spotted the series of numbers written on Jun-Oh's cup.

   "There's a phone number on your cup," Soojin whispered, starting to get excited and jumpy.

   "I know there is, shush!" Jun-Oh unlocked the car and got in on the driver's side.

   "Is that Kyungsoo's?" Soojin's voice began to rise once she was sitting in the car. Her hand clamped over her mouth upon closer inspection.

   "Oh, I don't know because it totally doesn't say his name under it!" Jun-Oh set the cup down and took a deep breath, pushing back her short curly hair and adjusting her glasses. "I just need to calm down so I don't accidentally wreck this car because a guy actually gave me his number." She put the key in the ignition and started the engine.

   "Call it."

   "Soojin! We just left, I can't call it yet!"

   "But—"

   "No."

   Soojin frowned and fell back against the seat while Jun-Oh started to drive off. "I'm just freaking out. I needed this in my life."

   "A guy giving me his number?"

   "Yes. I just want to see you happy and feeling good, you know? You've been stressing out a lot lately and a good guy would know how to calm you down."

   Jun-Oh smiled, glancing at her friend in the passenger seat. "Thanks, Jinnie."

   "Of course." Soojin paused. "Will you call it now?"

   "... No."

x x x

   "Chanyeol, get back here!" Kyungsoo growled, chasing after his tall friend who was prancing away and giggling.

   "You don't have to thank me," Chanyeol told Kyungsoo, standing on the other side of the counter to block him.

   "I'm not trying to thank you! Why did you put my number on her cup?" Kyungsoo quickly jumped one way, which caused Chanyeol to go the opposite.

   "Like I said, you obviously see her as more than just a customer."

   Kyungsoo stopped chasing Chanyeol and crossed his arms. "Why can't I just be nice once in a while?"

   "Because you don't even know the definition of that word."

   "When you're nice, it's you being..." Kyungsoo stopped and tried to find a way to finish the sentence.

   Chanyeol raised an eyebrow. "Go on. It's you being..." he prompted his friend.

   "You being nice?"

   Chanyeol burst into a fit of laughter.

   "What if she doesn't come back now because it's weird?"

   "Oh, so now you're worried that she won't come back? Are you afraid you'll never see her again?" Chanyeol smirked, feeling some accomplishment.

   "No! I... ugh, you're so difficult!"

   "Just give it some time. I'm sure you'll have a message by the end of the day." Chanyeol walked up to his shorter friend, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and returned behind the counter.

x x x

   "Soojin, do you want a peach ring?" Jun-Oh asked, handing her friend a peach gummy in the shape of a ring. The two were seated on a bench in the local park. The weather was perfect with the warm sun shining down.

   Soojin gave a small gasp at the sight of her favorite candy. "Yeah." She nodded excitedly as Jun-Oh handed her a gummy.

   Jun-Oh chuckled and gave herself one as well. "I'm going to miss you when I leave for China."

   "There is still another year left until you go. We just have to keep contact and update each other all the time about what's going on when you are gone."

   "Promise."

   "Good, you better." Soojin tilted her head back to look at the sky. She stayed in this position for another few seconds before jumping up to her feet. "Now, let's go home and blast music on your speakers." Soojin took off to the car.

   "Soojin, the neighbors will kill me!" Jun-Oh popped up off the bench, quickly throwing away trash from the both of them. Then, jogged after her friend.

   The sun seemed to quickly set as Soojin and Jun-Oh binge-watched a bunch of childhood shows. They found joy in singing along to the theme songs and laughing at how childish they were.

   Soojin stretched her arms, realizing that it was dark outside. She glanced in the direction of the clock and gasped. "Jun-Oh, it's 9:45. Call him!"

   Jun-Oh felt her heart skip once she remembered the number Kyungsoo gave her. "Right, right," a smile spread on her face, "let me just... wait."

   Soojin cocked her head, watching Jun-Oh's smile drop and her eyes widen. "What is it?"

   Jun-Oh locked her stare with Soojin, then fell back against the couch, covering her face in distress. "When you were running back to the car, I threw away our trash!" Her voice was slightly muffled by her sweatshirt sleeves in front of her face. "The number on the cup slipped my mind at the moment!"

   Soojin's shoulders slumped and her mouth was agape.

   "What am I going to do? He probably thinks I'm just ignoring him." Jun-Oh sunk farther against the couch. "What if I go back there next time and he slips extra numbers on my bill or something because he thinks I blew him off."

   "Just go tomorrow and tell him what happened."

   "But just imagine how awkward that would be if I asked him for his number after he already gave it to me."

   "Tell him what happened!"

   "But... but," Jun-Oh whined.

   "What ?"

   "It'll be awkward!"