– cafe.

@❆ – christopher bang. /with you looking up at me, i simply stare for a moment, all you've said is that you're not afraid but your words hit me a little harder than i expect, and i steel my gaze and hold my ground regardless
im not afraid.
/tipping my chin up just a little, its all i can get out before you continue, my eyes flashing with something, something i dont even understand, because there truly is a part of me that knows i need this
/truth be told you're terrifying like this, because i've only ever seen you as kind and gentle to everyone but me, and this side of you is something im not used to seeing in someone
/your words this time hit even harder, calling me out for the one thing i've been trying to grapple with all this time, and i clench my fists on either side of me, but i find it hard to hold your gaze
try me.
/the words come through clenched teeth, because after all of this i still think i can challenge you, that i could do anything to make you fear me or anything like that at all
/instead, my eyes snap back to you when you tell me im just like my father, and for a brief moment our gazes reflect one another, a deeply rooted anger at the mention of me being anything like him, because its perhaps the one thing in life i never wanted
/and perhaps you can see that anger, some other emotions swimming around in my gaze when i cant say anything else to you, lips parting but not a word comes out and not a single thought passes through my mind
/when your shoulder hits mine, i stumble back just a little, but i dont turn to chase you and make you apologize for it, instead turning just to watch you leave, because you're so unbothered by me and everything i do and there's something in me that wants that-- no, /needs/ that in my life
/but it still hurts, the anger and hurt still in me and at this point, i dont even want to go to the complex, instead turning on my heel and fighting hot angry tears as i make my way away from the cafe, and to where i dont know, but i just keep walking, your words bouncing around in my head the entire time

@♛ – minho lee. /the way you address me has me rolling my eyes, its the way someone might treat a dog or worse and it has no reason for me to want to respond to you because I'm much more than the dirt beneath your shoes
/but that only works so long before you're standing in front of me, literally in my way now so if I should to avoid you then its going to have to be more painfully obvious, though at this point I care not for your feelings
I'm not afraid
/answers immediately when you even suggest such a thing to me, my face tipping up and my head back so I can look into your eyes, gaze just as steadfast and steely as it was before
You're the one who should be afraid
You're not ready for the whirlwind of words I could throw at you and leave you grounded and bare at my feet
/I'm calm as I speak, frightfully so because it makes me even more fearsome somehow, this mess of an artist, who despite everything cannot bear to let go of the last bits of humanity that tether me to this world, the only things that remind me I'm so painfully human
But that's exactly what you're looking for, isn't it?
/whispers as I look into those eyes of yours, my own sharp, all seeing it seems and you may as well be or have whispered all your fears into my ear, at least that's how most people feel when they're subject to my full attention
In that case, I'll leave you with these words of parting, just a handful I'll share with you, ones I think you need hear now more than ever
/stepping closer I stare at you still even if you won't hold my own gaze, I can't blame you either, not when I'm sure it's a hard one to handle given I keep taking you apart, piece by piece, but I did warn you
You're just like your father
/the words make the air stand still, time itself holding its breath as my eyes flash with something more than anger, pure unadulterated rage just at the mere mention of him, and if there's anyone who should fear that then it's you, for the man you call dad is long past any hope
/I needn't explain how your treatment of that poor girl in the cafe was like your father either, its obvious that you've inherited his need for demoralising and degrading people until there feel like nothing more than objects to be bought and sold on a whim - you dehumanise people with your silver tongue and it disgusts me most of all
/stepping around you I make sure to clip your shoulder with my own and hard too, careful not to spill my drinks as I do so, leaving you there to wallow in your own self pity or loathing no doubt

@❆ – christopher bang. /for a moment, im just sitting there and wondering just what's going on in my head, in yours when you look at me the way you do, and it has me sitting up a little straighter in my spot
/the look in your eyes hurts, genuinely hurts, for so many different reasons and i cant even begin to piece together why it bothers me so much
/but then you turn away from me without a word, and there was a part of me that /wanted/ you to challenge me, to go against what i had said or done, to call me out, but you didnt
what the hell...
/groaning quietly under my breath, i just stay sitting there for a few minutes, the look in your eyes ingrained on the back of my eyelids and bothering me every single time i blink
/its your eyes, its always been your eyes, the way they hold so much emotion in them and its something i noticed the very first time i had seen you, and now its all i can think about
/with a heavy sigh, i purse my lips and groan once more, pushing myself out of the seat, my drink forgotten in the spot i was because at this point, i cant let you just walk away from me like that
hey, you--
/biting down on my lip, i would call your name, but i dont even know it, and that makes me just as frustrated as i jog a little to catch up to you, frowning slightly as i come to stand in front of you
what's your name?
and what was that look you gave me?
/its my excuse to chase after you, that /you/ gave me a look as if i hadnt been the first to glare, and i dont even have time to rationalize my thoughts before glancing away from you
looked like you had something to say.
what, too afraid to say it to my face?
/you're not, and i know you're not, but whether im antagonizing you for my own benefit or just trying to get whatever it was out of you, even im not sure at this point, my intentions all muddled
go on, now.

@❆ – hanse do. i look at you in confusion but yet amused before i end up laughing along with you.
aha what do you mean by facy? wait you know my name already-well it makes sense since we was wildt asf last night after texting my friend who was with us that night aha. apparently they said we have a matching tattoo and guess what it is? it's purple and it reminds you of a .
i tried to hold back my laughter, waiting for your answer to guess what it is.

@✮ – jia meng. *chuckles as i stumbles in after you, shaking my head in laughter and tries to contain it once i deposit myself into the booth, smile bright
Yes jia, and you're only alllwed to call me handsome because that is a facy *grins in an equally teasing manner before throwing my head back in further laughter

@❆ – hanse do. i open the door to the entrance of the cafe, leaving the door wide open for you to come in as well. i lead the way to a empty table booth near the window before sitting down. i smiled at you as i offer my hand that was on the table towards you.
i didn't introduce myself but I'm jia! it's a pleasure to meet you, handsome! what about your name or shall i continue calling you handsome?
i teasingly say with a chuckle escaping from my lips.

@♛ – minho lee. /i'm here just to pick up my usual milk tea, promising to pick up a coffee for one of my floormates while i'm here, returning the favour as they got me my own milk tea recently
/i wait on the side for my order, sitting atop a bare stool that took some hopping for me to get onto, but i got there eventually at least
/while i wait i listen to some music i was tinkering with earlier today, not paying that much attention to the things around me, until there's a commotion going on suddenly
/looking up i see a man and a woman, blinking at the sight before i pull out an earphone, listening to what's going on and of course no one steps in to stop it
/frowning at your words i feel something churn in my stomach, i'm reminded of the people i dealt with before i became an artist, one client in particular i would like to forget
/there's a war going on inside of me, emotions fighting with one another, one part of me is impossibly angry at you, another is so unbelievably disappointed and that's my fault because i'm still here hoping that something better will come of people when i should know by now they won't
/my order is up just about then and i get up, thanking the worker and taking the bag in one hand, the other picks up some napkins from the counter
/handing them to the girl i murmur something quietly to her before i begin to head for the door, walking past you as i do so
/when i come by i hold your gaze, but i don't say anything, not verbally, instead my eyes say more than enough of the disgust and disappointment i feel for you
/turning away at the last moment i half snub you, leaning into the cafe door to let myself out, walking out without so much has a word to you, figuring it'll eat you up more that way - good, it's the least you deserve

@❆ – christopher bang. /it had just been another day for me, busy with being the face of whatever my parents wanted to do, and today it was meet with some ceo of a company
/every single second through the meeting, giving fake smiles and pretending to care about whatever brand deal we were supposed to be doing, some sort of cosmetic product or something, i was thinking of my sister, of how much easier it would be if it was her problem to deal with
/but instead its me, and i have to be nice while nodding along and sipping at my drink, and once we're finished im all too glad when we finally shake hands and end the meeting
/once the man walks out, though, i stay where i am, slumping back in my seat while looking over the product sample i had been given, something to promote on instagram, and i let out a sigh
that's seriously not my problem.
ahin needs this more than me, anyway.
/scoffing, i sigh and shift to tuck the product into my pocket for later, something i'll deal with when i have my sister to pester to do the deal instead
/rising from my spot, i head to the counter to order myself another drink, and its while im scowling up at the menu board that im bumped into, and i hear a gasp before im turning around
do you have a problem?
cant see where you're going, huh?
/raising a brow, i turn to look at the person in question, gesturing between me and them with an incredulous look on my face, and im too caught up in the moment to even notice that you had come in or were there in the first place
maybe you should pay attention next time.
/dont/ make the mistake again.
/when i roll my eyes, its pretty heavy, lashes fluttering and the whites of my eyes being able to be seen before i finally turn back around, not even caring that the girl looks like she's about to cry from the encounter, mumbling an apology i dont hear or care to hear
/after ordering my drink, i make my way to the spot to wait for it, but not before passing the girl and giving her the death glare as i do, my arm smacking into hers and causing some of her drink to spill over
/the smirk on my face as i pass by is all too pleased, and it's not long before my drink is out and handed to me, so i grab it and head back to where i was sitting before, sipping from the cup and glancing along the interior of the cafe
/only then do i see you, my gaze flickering back and forth as if i cant decide what emotion to feel, and in the end i narrow my catlike eyes as i look over to you, setting my drink down after a moment, as if daring you to come over and say something to me