Page 38 of Mother Parker
Then why did I feel like punching anyone who lusted after him?
“Anyway. That’s all for today, Kimchis. Love you all!” I said and turned off the stream before I snapped or did something stupid I couldn’t return from.
Parker returned to the counter with a box of paper straws and refilled the cases while avoiding looking at me.
God. He’s still mad at me.
Great work, Hwan. Piss off the man helping you for free on his third day, won’t you?
“I’m sorry…a-about that. I didn’t mean to up-upset you,” I said.
He stopped, huffed, and turned to me. I braced myself for an avalanche of anger.
“It’s okay. I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have…reacted like that,” he said, and the beat of my heart intensified.
He was looking at my T-shirt instead of my eyes, and his mouth kept opening and closing as if he wanted to say more but didn’t know what. I had to fight the urge to reach for his cheek and stroke it. To reassure him with a hug that it was okay.
“No. Um…it’s-it’s okay. It was uncalled for. I-I should have asked before I pointed a camera at you. I’m so used to it at this point that I-I sometimes forget some people don’t like social media,” I said.
We stayed like that for a few moments, him looking at my T-shirt, me fighting with myself and my emotions, and then he looked up at me.
And smiled.
It only lasted a second. Less than a second, but I caught it, and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. It lit up his face, made his eyes look deep and gentle, and turned his cheeks into two peaks of pure joy.
If he looked like that smiling, what would he look like laughing?
“Wh-do I have something on my face?” he asked, the grimace returning like a mask.
I shook my head.
“No. Your face is perfect. Erm…I mean, it’s fine. Nothing…um, wrong with it.”
Great job, Hwan. Fumble like a fool, won’t you? As if you’ve already lost your heart to this handsome giant with the million-dollar smile.
“I’ve made some new teas to try. If you…if you want?” I asked, guiding him to the table where I’d been sitting while streaming.
“I just…don’t think I’m a bubble tea guy,” he said after trying the lemon one.
I shrugged.
“I know. But maybe…maybe there’s one particular flavor you’ll like.”
He rolled his eyes dismissively as he picked up the matcha-and-chocolate tea and sucked on the straw.
I couldn’t stare at him harder if I tried.
Which was why I didn’t miss it when he blinked in surprise and chewed the chocolate chips with a little bit of amusement.
“So? How is it?” I asked.
He glanced at me, then back at the cup, and hunched his shoulders.
“It’s…fine, I guess,” he said.
“Ah, shucks. No worries. I’ll take that then. I like it.”
Parker almost turned his back on me with the cup still in his hands.
