Under the Sea | Minsung

ψThirteenψ

"Pick up a tub of ice cream."

"Okay."

"And a dozen eggs."

"Okay."

"And cat food, two orange juice packages but they have to be the ones kids get jealous of, some baloney, one large kiwi-"

"Cat food? One? What are you asking me to buy?"

"You heard me the first time."

"Do large kiwis even exist?" Minho mumbled, moving the handphone away from his mouth as he glared at the variety of soup. Settling on one that was brightly labelled and not particularly focused on what the younger went on about, he collected the items and left to check-out

"While you're away get yourself a new shirt this one stinks like fish and we can't get the smell out."

"Okay."

"Wow, this is gross. Just where are you spending your afternoons?"

He told, "Jisung. Aquarium."

"You're pretty dedicated to that aren't you?" Seungmin sighed on the other end, "Anyway, I'm going to be late to Hyunjin and I's date if I keep talking to you. Oh, and don't spend too long out. We have dinner plans that include you as a victim. Bye-bye!"

Minho removed the phone from his ear and hung up without hesitation, shoving it into the back pocket of his jeans. Once ensuring he didn't leave anything in the small store, he readjusted the grip he had on the plastic bag and continued his journey down the street. It wasn't a busy day out. Got to thank spring for the sporadic weather that made the day easier. The season of "new life" had begun a few weeks ago and it had already brought the on and off showers of warm rain, the uncomfortably humid indecisive storms, with it.

After a long while of threading between the crowd and visiting the shops that caught his interest, the contents of the bag began growing heavy in his hand. Even though it consisted of the few groceries Seungmin asked for, and a new book he had been wanting to read. Both which should have been fairly light to him after multiple shopping runs. Still his arms were growing tired. They needed to rest or his bones would snap in half like a twig under the pressure he put on them. Not to mention the sky was growing darker by the minute.

Minho slipped into a tiny cafe wedged between a flower shop and an alleyway just as the first few drops of the next sprinkle began. A sliver bell above the door ringing a few times to signal workers of his arrival. The soothing aroma of freshly brewed coffee and chocolate chip cookies hit him like a train, the delicious pastries and other sweets displayed under brown countertops. Minho took a seat at a table by the ceiling to floor windows, hanging the plastic shopping bag from the back of hid wicker chair. Relief washed over his limbs. A waiter came to him and swiftly took his order, left him alone, and quickly came back with the steaming cup of hot chocolate and french macarons.

His concentration was divided on the beverage and social media feed when the bell rang once more. He heard it but didn't think much of it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the two figures scooting to the counter, both of them on the verge of skipping to place their orders. Their form had looked oddly familiar, but with a hood up for one and what seemed to be freshly dyed hair he couldn't tell if he really knew either of them. Minho focused back on the explore page as the two whispered between themselves.

While waiting for their order to arrive, the one with the hood checked out their surroundings. He seemed hypnotised by the dripping coffee machines and freshly baked cookies till his gaze landed on the oblivious one in the corner scrolling on his phone. Tears welled in his eyes, "Minho!!"