- café

@◑Shay "Yeah I have, you once told me to stick with it and it will be good for me." He shrugged and taking small sips of his coffe. "I took your advice and here I still am." Giving her a smile he stared at her while she talked. Upon hearing the news he couldn't help but feel really disappointed to hear that she's already married to someone. After all those years he foolishly thought they'd get back together but that's nothing but a dream now. "Well....is he treating you right at least?" He still cares for shay, she was a huge part of his life and she was the kind of person that was hard to forget. He missed her dearly but there was nothing he can do now he thought to himself.

@◑Shay Stephen was of course still shy and a little embarrassed but he was glad she let him take a seat. Sitting down, Stephen awkwardly took a sip of his hot cup, completely forgetting it was still fresh out of the brewer. He couldn't help but close his eyes, trying to be subtle about it and not wanting the already awakward situations more awkward. With the best of his ability and answered her. "I did leave the island, I was working as an engineer for 7 years. I missed this place and so here I am." He said a bit quietly. "Um what about you? How have you been?" Still trying to find words to ask her after not seeing her for a long time. He does miss her after all, miss the feeling of being inside her arms when they hugged and the way they had their private moments, he missed it all! Stephen rubbed his nape slightly embarrassed for even thinking about it but looks up to her waiting for an answer to the questions he asked.

@◑Shay It was a chilly autumn day, leaves were falling on the ground, the cloud was a gloomy grey. Towns people were setting up, getting ready for the festive season. After some years of not being in that little town, he admits to himself that he missed it, missed all the fun memories he had with "her".Stephen smiled wandering around the old hangout spots, parks and stores remembering fond memories of his the woman he first fell in love with. The nostalgia is hitting him hard, it almost driven him into tears. "Im home...." the male said to himself while still thinking of her. After few hours of walking around he decided to have a little break and suddenly he remembered there was a little cafe they use to visit. Stephen walked towards its direction hoping it was still there. Seeing that it was still there busy as always he smiled before walking in, ordering a espresso and quietly waiting for his drink to come. "Man it's a bit cold out, but this time of year is always the best." He chuckled before receiving his drink, upon turning around he saw her...Shay was sitting right there at their old spot. As if it was a dream, the girl he was thinking about was there sitting. Calmly but nervously he walked up to her. "U-uh...shay?"

@○Dohyun Oh my- you will?
*looks at you with a soft blush, not even fussing as you ruffle my hair*
Thank you, then~ I'll introduce you to a lot more places hehe

@○Sofia Ahhh that's true. Then... I'll protect you. No need to worry then.
/grins and ruffles your hair again/
It's fine, my treat. You're the one who introduced me to this cafe.

@○Dohyun Yeah but I need to protect myself from them. Liam for example. He bullies me. Mom bullies me. Only dad doesn't but he keeps asking about school.
*huffs softly and turns to look up at you as you pay*
Oh- you didn't have to pay for me

@○Sofia No you dont, you have a lot of people around to protect you.
/grins and nods at your thanks, standing behind you while looking at the menu over your head, wondering what I should get/
Uhh... I'll just get the same thing.
/takes out my wallet, handing the cashier my card/

@○Dohyun () don't worry bby~

I have to protect myself, don't I?
*laughs softly and enters the shop with a soft thanks before stopping infront of the cashier*
Mmh.. I think I'll get a vanilla iced latte. What about you?

@○Sofia /flinches when you punch my arm, playfully acting like it hurt/
Oof-- you're such a bully. Not me.
/chuckles and follows after you, reaching above you to push the door open for you to go in first before following/
What are you going to get Sofia?

(RIP I thought I replied. Sorry my bad)

@○Dohyun Aah my hair!
*whines softly and reaches up to fix my hair before punching your arm playfully*
Geez, bully-
*huffs softly and opens the door to the cafe to enter*

@○Sofia /reaches up and puts a hand on your head, ruffling it a little
Right. Not little at all~
/laughs at your enthusiasm and nods/
Let's go inside, Sofia

@○Dohyun Excuse me, i'm not little.
*looks at you and scrunches up my nose before turning around again, pointing towards the cafe with a grin*
There it is~

@○Sofia /rolls my eyes playfully at your teasing, letting to take the lead/
Alright alright. Lead the way little omega.

@○Dohyun *widens my eyes slightly as you grab my hand but doesn't pull away, laughing shyly before happily skipping out of the lounge*
Exactly you don't, so let me lead oh almighty alpha.

@◑YuYu Can I see pictures of your pets? I've wanted to ask for a while, but it didn't seem appropriate with the serious topic we were discussing.
-laughs and sits up attentively-

@◑YuYu Is really that magical? I mean, I know it has to be special, because otherwise populations would never grow. But if the whole goal is then does it feel different than ion.
-shakes my head dismissively-
Sorry, its not an appropriate topic for this place.

@◑YuYu Yes, I understand that. I guess I have to make an effort to think of the similarities, while also not completely disregarding the differences, otherwise that leads to another issue of idolizing a partner.
-sighs and rest my chin in my palms-
Can I go back to the days of innocently holding hands and saying we're married.

@◑YuYu You're right, I'm pretty selfish for thinking only my feelings matter. And a bit of a hypocrite for telling you to talk through things, while I jump to conclusions on my own. I guess that's the part of existing, looking outward before inward.
-finishes my drink and slides the cup away to rest my elbows on the table-
I guess it's my responsibility too, I have a tendency to fixate on the differences rather than the similarities. As if finding reasons we won't work.

@◑YuYu I don't have much to say on my fears, just that I'm more traditional than I admit. And I realized how deeply this toxic mindset was embedded in me, though I try to brush it off. I feel like I'll be a failure if I can't have the same mate for my whole life, and that being with someone too different from me will just increase the chances of that failure. I know it's illogical. And that its not differences that determine the outcome of a relationship, but the willingness to compromise. I said I didn't have a lot to say, but here I am.
-goes quiet and takes a sip of my drink awaiting your response-

@◑YuYu I guess I'm choosing to be alone, because I'm scared to be in a relationship. So I guess my fear is choosing it for me. I don't know, it's complicated, lets just say it's a choice.
-nods in agreement-
I think embarrassing as it is to admit. I was hoping some handsome barista would train me and we'd fall in love. Mind you I was like 18 or 19 at that time.

@◑YuYu I hope so, but I think I'll be alone for a while. So hopefully, my boyfriend potential, doesn't decline in that time.
-smiles and shakes my head-
I worked as a barista for a bit. I wasn't very good at it, but I had so many romanticized notions about the career. Probably from a Korean drama, or visual novel.

@◑YuYu I don't know, I've dated, but not very much seriously. I guess I just hear stories from friends and also have time to imagine what I would do in certain situations. I'm glad I could help you feel a little better.
-takes another sip before leaning back-
I don't think I've been to this cafe before, I like it.

@◑YuYu I don't think you look 12, maybe because I know you're an adult. But the way you carry yourself, and the fact there are many youthful looking Asian women around. I think you may be self conscious and think people are looking at you oddly.
-leans back looking at you-
I think the things you should do is talk to Cole, see his point of view and share yours with him as well. If he's a good guy, he'll be receptive and you'll be so busy working on your relationship and getting to know each other more deeply you won't have time to think of anyone else..

@◑YuYu The first step is to talk with your partner.
-thinks over your words unsure if it's true-
I hope that's not it, having a biological child is wonderful. But adoption is a a gift to yourself, to the child and the biological parents. I would want a biological child, but if I couldn't have one I wouldn't hesitate to adopt.
-shakes my head-
No way, Bei is an adult, I hope he wouldn't jealous that you're offering a child love and care and a chance to grow up well.

@◑YuYu Oh, have you tried to talk about it. I've heard of couples that think the other is ually insatiable, so they just put up with it, unknowing they both prefer cuddling.
-laughs and takes another sip of my drink smiling as you describe your pets-
That's understandable, I know that you and him weren't together when Bei and Aig were young, so I imagine you want to experience raising children with a partner.

@◑YuYu It seems like attention is missing, to some degree. Even if you're not together often, you should still feel tended to and loved.
-sits down and stirs my drink before taking a long sip-
Maybe you could get a pet? Or adopt, if you're ready for that? You're a good mom from what I've seen.

@◑YuYu As long as two parents love their child aside from their differences, a family can never be broken. It may not be a perfect family but it's not broken.
-walks over to a table by the window-
You're lonely? Maybe that's why you're thinking of these feelings again?

@◑YuYu Nothing will happen, it's okay to reminisce and think about people and events from the past. Just don't get stuck on them, or feel guilty over them. Think of them as beautiful memories.
-goes to the pickup counter to wait for the drinks-
And you have changed since that time. I'm sure he has changed also, he may be nothing like you remember.

@◑YuYu But you're not going to chase him, right? You're not going to give up on what you have for him are you? I don't think you're like him.
-nods in understanding, releasing your hand to retrieve my wallet from my pocket and pay for the drinks-

@◑YuYu Well like I said feelings are never completely logical, maybe you could think about something else when those thoughts of him come to you? Take a up a new hobby, like knitting or baking. Something you can think about instead, a new knit project or cake idea seems easy.
-places a hand comfortingly over your own-
And don't feel like a bad person, for thinking this way. Maybe your affections is simply for the memories you share with him and not for him and you haven't figured it out yet.