It Began With a Text

Bringing Back the Past

     Seungmin hadn't expected to be the first person to show up at the coffee shop.

     Wasn't the person who invited the other person supposed to be the first one there? Plus, wasn't it Minho who had wanted to get coffee in the first place? Seungmin couldn't wait to get out of here. It was crowded and the only spot he had been able to find was a table at the very back. It felt awkward, sitting alone in the midst of the crowd.

     Five minutes. Yup, Minho was late. Guess he was the type of person that showed up at least ten minutes late to every event. Seungmin wishes he had known that before showing up exactly on time.

     Suddenly, in the crowded shop, a series of voices stood out to Seungmin.

     "Dude, this place is crowded, let's get out of here!"

     "But I need my coffee!"

     "Screw your coffee, let's go gaming!"

     "Hey, no pushing!"

     "Guys, let's just get the drinks to go."

     Seungmin's blood went cold. The voices came nearer to the counter, next to where Seungmin was sitting. Seungmin sneaked a peek at these newcomers, desperately hoping they weren't who he thought they were.

     His classmates from middle school. Seungmin forgot how to breathe.

     In panic, he put his hat on his head and turned his attention to the non-existent drink in his hand. If he couldn't see them, they wouldn't see him, right?

     They would leave soon. All Seungmin had to do was lay low and-

     "Hey guys, that guy at the table over there!"

     "Yeah, what about him? Wait a minute..."

     "Is that Seungmin!?"

     They were talking in whispers but they probably knew perfectly well that Seungmin could hear them. Just like before...

     Footsteps approached his table and at that moment, Seungmin couldn't remember being more scared in his entire life. Not even during middle school. Was it because time had passed? Or was Seungmin more affected by the events in the past than he thought he was?

     "Seungmin?"

     "Hey, loser!"

     Damn it, why was his mind replaying the past now? He had to stay calm. If he endured this, he would never have to see these boys again.

     Seungmin didn't respond to their question. He didn't even look up.

     "Yeah, it's Seungmin."

     "What are you doing alone in a coffee shop?"

     Nothing for you jerks to know, Seungmin thought. Would they leave him alone if he simply ignored them?

     Probably not. They had never before, why would they do it now?

     "Uh hey, can you talk?"

     "We just come to say hi and he remains his cold self, just like before."

     "Hey, are you STILL mad about middle school?"

     Seungmin felt himself grimace at the mention of that. Middle school. Various images filled his mind, none of them good, all of them bringing a pain Seungmin hadn't known he still carried.

     "You don't belong here, you know that right? I bet nobody would care if you disappeared. In fact, we'd celebrate."

     "He's just a robot with no feelings."

      Maybe Seungmin had shed more than just a few tears during those years.

     No, he had to stop remembering all of that. It was in the past, it was all in the past-

     "Hah, imagine having a bunch of people joke around with you and you actually take it PERSONALLY!"

     The mean looks, the name-calling, the exclusion, the gossiping, that had all been a joke to them? Had the stunt they had pulled with the report paper also been their idea of a practical joke?

     Please just go away. I don't want to see any of you ever again.

     Seungmin still didn't look at their faces. Honestly, he felt numb.

     "Well, nice catching up with you again, Seungmin." He could hear snickers. "Come on guys!"

     Just like that, they were gone.

     Except for one person. He still lingered behind.

     "What do you want?" Seungmin asked. He was surprised at how cold his tone came out.

     "Uh... nothing. I was just wondering if you're waiting for Hyunjin. I figured he hung out with you ever since he ditched the rest of us."

     Seungmin looked up. To his shock, the guy in front of him was the same one Seungmin had met in the library those years ago. The same person who had first put the idea in Seungmin's head of Hyunjin betraying him. But what was he even saying?

     He must have seen the confusion on Seungmin face. "Wait... you and Hyunjin are friends again, aren't you?"

     Slowly, Seungmin shook his head and the boy looked surprised. "Really? Then why would he tell us off?"

     "He what?" Seungmin was too curious to stay silent.

     "On the last day of school," the boy explained. "He came over to us, well, the ones who tricked you to be specific, and asked them whether they had framed you. They came clean, cause they thought they had nothing to lose, and Hyunjin got mad, like really pissed! He immediately went after you and in high school, he stopped hanging out with us. So I assumed he was defending you because you guys were friends again."

     Seungmin remained silent. But he was confused, really confused.

     "So yeah." The boy then grimaced a little. "By the way, I stayed behind to... apologize. I wasn't really nice to you at the end of middle school and I still cringe at the immature kid I was back then. You don't need to forgive me, but I just wanted to get the chance to say that." With that, he scurried out of the shop.

     Seungmin blinked twice, wondering whether or not the past encounter had even happened. The face of his classmates was stuck in his mind, along with the one other person Seungmin never wanted to remember again. He put his head on the table, trying to catch his breath.

     Were his classmate's words true? What were Hyunjin's intentions? Seungmin didn't know who to trust and what to believe anymore.

     So basically, he was in a really crummy mood. And Minho still hadn't shown up.

     The door opened and Seungmin looked to see if it was Minho. 

     Instead, what he saw triggered such a flight and fight response in Seungmin that he would have bolted out the door if it weren't for the crowd that he'd have to navigate.

     What the hell? Did the devil randomly show up on Seungmin's doorstep and decide to bestow him with all his nightmares for the day?

     The newcomer's eyes met Seungmin's. His eyes widened and he walked over so quickly, Seungmin had no time to panic.

     Finally, he stopped in front of Seungmin's table.

     "... Seungmin?"

     Seungmin was not in the mood for this whatsoever.

     "Hyunjin," he said back, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.