#a little tired today. a doodle from a while ago to suit the occasion

[heartvisor]

looks comfy

[unmanageable-day]

By your side | 04

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"Does anybody see Yeoreum?"

Wendy, Seulgi, and Yeri widened their eyes when Johnny suddenly popped up, looking quite frantic. What they could do was just shaking their head, both in confusion and to answer his question. Johnny rushingly asked each person he encountered there at Ten's birthday party. He wanted to offer you a ride to go to the party and to take you home from the party, yet Taeyong's effort was very consistent to prevent him talking to you. The party just started 30 minutes ago. He should know if you were around, right? The venue was not even that big. You wouldn't be lost or hidden somewhere in that place. But why was it so hard to find you?

"Is Yeoreum here?" he asked the birthday boy after going through every corner.

Ten put his hands closer to Johnny's chest. "Whoa, calm down, big boy." He wanted Johnny to take a breath and manage his obvious emotion before telling your whereabout. "I just met her a second ago and she already left. She actually said she didn't want to be a party pooper. I wish she stays longer too though."

"That's so typical of her, right?" commented Taeyong who happened to stand next to Ten. "She told us she was going to stop by. She really did that, huh?"

"You knew she was here?" Johnny pointed at Taeyong, squinting his eyes in disbelief. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"

"I don't have to, Johnny." Taeyong glared at his giant buddy. "Even if I did, do you think she'd be happy to see you?"

Johnny groaned quietly as he diverted his eyes to somewhere else. He hated to see Taeyong in the eyes when he was being nagged. Especially when Taeyong just stated some right points. All Johnny wanted to do was to see you. He was so ready to go after you, not even listening to Taeyong. "She's probably still around. I'll go look for her once again," he muttered before dashing his way out.

"Johnny, stop!" shouted Taeyong. He was about to run after Johnny if Ten didn't stop him.

It was useless anyways. Johnny was still unable to trace you. None of your friends saw you at the party. Some even joked that you were like a ninja, yet Johnny didn't find it funny at all.

Taeyong and Ten found him beside the beer pong station. "Whatever you're doing right now, you should stop," Ten started.

"Even if she said yes to your offer to go home together, she would regret that because you would take your time leisurely at this party, and you would persuade her by saying just a minute. Then a minute will turn into an hour, 2 hours, 3 hours. That's why, Johnny, please, stop." Taeyong was in rage. As much as he loved Johnny as his bestfriend, letting him go after you didn't seem like a wise decision. He wouldn't let his bestfriend become a jerk more than he already was.

"I love Summer a lot. I let her leave not because she's a party pooper," Ten continued. "Because it wouldn't do her any good if I made her stay. I know she would get distressed. She's too kind to say it out loud."

Johnny frowned listening to his friends. He hated to admit that they were right. They were on points. As her ex-boyfriend, he should be more aware of all of those things they said. "I'll just go home now."

"Johnny..." Ten whined.

"Ten, I'm sorry. It's supposed to be your day. You shouldn't worry about me. It makes me feel like I'm the party pooper."

Johnny drove with you on his mind. He was hesitating either to head to your home or just let it slide this time. Suddenly he was reminded of one particular place you mentioned once when back in the days you were suggesting to visit if Johnny didn't have to go to all party invitations. In the end, you didn't get to go because Johnny was a social butterly and his network kept expanding.

After parking his car, he hurriedly hopped off and dashed to this particular cafe, hoping you were there.

In fact, you were. But not alone, unlike how he expected.

There you were, you were sitting next to a pretty guy, facing the window where Johnny could see you from across the street.

Jung Jaehyun? How...?

He wished his eyes were fooling him. It was difficult for him to lie to himself that he didn't envy that moment. It looked very intimate, the way you and that pretty man shared stories and laughter. He felt like it was his first time to see you telling something with your eyebrows and vigorous hand movements. It had been mostly the calm side of Song Yeoreum who he knew quite well. Song Yeoreum he knew was always elegant with the hand moves, mostly it was you brushing your hair, tucking your hair behind your ears, or flipping your hair over your shoulder. Your facial expression was always by default with a little smile—a result from extravagant effort 'trained' by your friends, including Johnny, in attempt to bring the summer out of you.

Who could have thought that the best summer in you could arise without being 'pushed'?

It was the brightest, warmest smile Johnny had ever witnessed. But why can't it be him? Why was it someone else? How could he not realize that you barely had that smiley face you showed while chattering with Jaehyun in the last 1 year of your relationship? You had that smile, which he used to see everyday but it was always with a group of friends. Not a smile that you flashed to him and himself only. But still, he liked that giggles, that chuckles, and a quiet hysterical laugh.

Johnny wanted to barge in. But then, what?

—※

"I saved you a seat," Jaehyun greeted you who was coming with the default expressionless face, while he had his deep dimples showing. "And the limited new signature dish of cookies and cream tiramisu, because they only made few for trial."

Your lips curved to a smile as you sat down. "Do you know I was going to come? It's past 9 PM."

"Lucky guess." He sipped the last drop of his latte. "Going somewhere today?" he asked as he scanned your outfit; the unfamiliar all-black, a bit lacey and velvety from head to toe and the dangling earrings that got emphasized due to your hair tucked behind your ears. Not to mention the shiny and blinks from the glittery eye shadow you rarely put on. Sometimes you did surprise yourself at how much effort you were willing to do to get yourself dolled-up for an occasion when you yourself knew you wouldn't enjoy being there to the fullest. Perhaps some of the credit should be given to being Johnny's girlfriend and being 'forced' to go here and there with him.

"A friend's birthday party," you briefly said, sipping your hot chocolate.

When you thought your energy was drained after dropping by at Ten's even for less than 20 minutes, you just kind of let it flow chattering with Jaehyun. Soon it was about your hot takes on party, night club, and everything related to socialize and crowds. Jaehyun who proudly claimed himself as an extroverted person sometimes returned your points with jokes on being anti-social and why it's better to be a social butterfly.

"Are you sure you're not a party pooper?" Jaehyun attacked with his wide grin.

You gasped dramatically, pretending to be wrongfully accused yet your grin as wide as his. "You really are Jungkook's friend." You shook your head slowly in pretentious disbelief. "Actually, as someone who is extroverted, you can't sit here." You backfired, mimicking the 'Mean Girls' line for 'on Wednesdays we wear pink'. "Even this whole activity in a cafe all day long alone doesn't suit an extrovert."

Jaehyun chuckled. "Thank goodness you don't make the rules."

His dimples wouldn't lie on how much he enjoyed that night with you. He was concerned that you didn't look very good when he saw you walking from across the street. He wanted to ask if you were fine. But the way you talked to him until the cafe was almost closed changed his mind, and he was reassured that you were okay. It came to his conclusion that you were a 100% introvert person who absolutely couldn't stand crowds and gets easily tired after socializing.

He found it pretty cute though, especially when he knew that your current job was related to social media. This lead him to 'stalk' your personal social media platforms to kill some time. Nothing much he could find there, except you sharing your taste of music—mostly those with unique style like Baek Yerin, george, Cifika, and Katie, your  doodles, your current reading, your DIY simple nail art, or just random snap shots from random places. There were barely your face even on your personal feeds. He also noticed that you only updated only once or twice a week, which most people might think you were not that social media savvy.

Another thing he realized was how much you and Johnny were the opposite in terms of personality and preference. Some people say it would be better to be with someone who resembles each other, so there would be less disagreement, fight and debates on this and that. Although there were other people with different opinions who like to experience the journey being with someone who is totally unlike ourselves. They would say it would add up the variety in dating life. Sometimes he couldn't help but wondering which one are you, and what could be the main reason you were dating Johnny Seo.

"There is this newly opened cafe, a bit far from here, but I thought you might like the place. They serve great coffee and pastries, even their brunch menu is good. You'll like the interior too." Jaehyun handed you his phone to let you see the website of the cafe he was talking about. "It's perfect for someone like you who likes to spend time doing nothing."

"I'm not doing nothing." You playfully hit his shoulder.

"Anyway, want to check it out ...with me?"

You paused scrolling his phone screen as the smile on your face faded away. "Just the two of us?" you asked, looking at him in the eyes. You sure were an introvert who enjoyed being alone or accompanied by maximum of 3 people. Having Jaehyun as a cafe mate was a pleasure and it was always a good time to be spent with him. But to hang out further, why did you feel like it was not yet a right time?

Could the not-so-recent break up with Johnny possibly still affect you?

Were you not ready to mingle with another guy and start all over again?

But again, Jaehyun asked to be friends in the first place. Why should you worry too much about that?

Jaehyun noticed the change in your tone. Perhaps it's too soon, he thought. "No, of course not. I was about to say that Jungkook is coming along too."

"Really? He is going to this kind of cafe?"

"Obviously no. That's why I talked to his girlfriend, and it's done."

"You got that right."

"So, next Saturday?"

You nodded.