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Jeongin did not think he’d end up sitting before a fortune teller when he woke up this morning. Yet here he was, in front of the bandana wearing man, waiting for his fortune to be told. At least that’s what he thinks he’s here for.
Actually he ended up here because he felt like someone was following him, and in an attempt to lose them he’d walked into this place- Taeyong’s Tarot. He couldn’t leave as soon as he entered, especially when he wasn’t sure who was following him or why. And it seemed rude to linger without paying. Yeah, he had no idea what he was doing.
The fortune teller had taken a look at him when he walked in and lit incense, the smoke wafting through the tiny room. Jeongin felt a bit calmer inside away from whoever (or whatever) was shadowing him.
Jeongin vaguely recollected the shuffling of a deck, drawing of cards and their interpretation. However he had been lost in thoughts, too busy thinking about his shadow, until the clearing of a throat broke through.
“This isn’t going to help,” the fortune teller said. He studied Jeongin for a moment. “Not now. Do you drink tea?” Before Jeongin could answer the first question, he dropped another. “Aren’t you Doyoung’s brother?”
Jeongin nodded a little shaken, wondering how the fortune teller knew who his step brother was. What kind of powers did he have?
“I’m Taeyong. Lee Taeyong.” With a grin he explained, “We’re good friends, your brother and I. No wonder you seemed familiar. I’ve seen you in pictures.” The atmosphere became somewhat warmer after that and the tension in Jeongin eased. “Now would you like some tea?”
Jeongin thanked Taeyong for the offer but declined. He wasn’t fond of tea. Plus even if Taeyong said he knew his brother, he was a stranger to Jeongin and he was still slightly skeptical.
It seemed strange someone like Taeyong would get along well with Doyoung. Jeongin didn’t want to be prejudiced since he didn’t know what Taeyong was like outside his fortune telling business- and he’d barely been paying attention to that.
Now he felt guilty. Great.
Jeongin wasn’t sure if he wanted to walk right into the arms of the shadow stalking him, however the more he thought about it, the less he wanted to spend time with someone who knew his brother.
Jeongin doubted Taeyong didn’t see through his hastily made up excuse to leave, even if he didn’t say anything besides thanking him for dropping by and asking him to visit again.
Right before he left, Taeyong slipped something into Jeongin’s hand. “For good luck,” he insisted. Jeongin accepted the cookie though he didn’t see how a chocolate chip cookie would make a difference in the grand scheme of things.
There was no denying there was someone slipping through the shadows behind him who vanished whenever he turned around. This was not a game of hide and seek, but Jeongin was starting to feel more like an incompetent seeker with each passing second.
Frustrated with this impromptu game he was losing, Jeongin sat down crisscross style on the concrete and called out to his shadow, “Please come out and talk to me. Take the five dollars I have left. Sing to me. I don’t know - just reveal yourself. Please?”
“C is for cookie. That’s good enough for me.” The cookie monster jumped out of a bush, making Jeongin shriek and stumble back. “C is for cookie. That’s good enough for me.”
When Jeongin said they could sing, this was not what he expected. The deep voice sounded familiar for some reason. Maybe he was just imagining it in his mind?
“Oh cookie, cookie, cookie starts with C.”
Real. Very real. Jeongin held out the cookie. What if this was the lucky moment? Well, more like unlucky moment thwarted. If it worked. Which was getting unliklier the more Jeongin wondered.
As long as he didn’t become a headline: Local Boy Attacked By Rogue Cookie Monster. Doyoung would not be impressed.
Jeongin stretched the hand holding the cookie as close to the cookie monster as he could and closed his eyes. Was this the end?
The cookie was snatched from his hand. No scratches or other injuries obtained in the process. Slowly Jeongin opened his eyes.
“COOKIE.”
The cookie crashed onto the cold concrete.