Help wanted.

                That was what the paper stuck to the door said, with additional information of the needed qualifications to apply for the job. Zitao stares at it when he steps out of the clinic, the lights inside already turned off as everyone is ready to close the clinic and he waits for Baekhyun and Yixing as they both talk to a few other colleagues. Everyone in the clinic is well aware that the clinic itself is short-staffed. They have enough doctors, but only two receptionists, and Baekhyun and Yixing always alternate between who gets to work five out of five working days and who only works for four days – they are in serious need of another receptionist.

                For the past few weeks, no one’s had any interest in it – just like his online dating profile – and Zitao feels kind of bad for the two receptionists. Though they do keep a bright and happy demeanor, they would sometimes show up one day with dark circles under their eyes and feet dragging against the floor of the clinic, as if they dreaded going to work and just wished to stay in their bed the whole day. For more than once, Zitao tells them to get as much rest as they can, sometimes even treating them like they’re his own patients when they’re just tired of all the organizing and such.

                As the two receptionists step out of the clinic, Baekhyun takes one look at Zitao and follows his line of view. He snorts when he notices that Zitao’s looking at the help wanted sign. “I get my hopes up too high when we set up this thing.” He says. “Not one guy showed up to apply for the job.” Yixing hums in approval beside him and Baekhyun slings an arm around his shoulder. “If someone applies for the job tomorrow, I’ll be so happy. It’ll be a miracle.”

                “Well, you never know what’s coming your way, right?” Zitao chuckles.

                Yixing looks up at him with a smile, dimple present on his cheek as he puts his phone inside his pocket. “Anyways, me and Baekhyun were planning on watching a movie later, you in?” He asks with an expectant look on his face. Baekhyun stands behind him, wearing the same expression.

                “Sorry, but I can’t.” He replies with an apologetic look as he pulls his phone out from his back pocket. “Lu Han’s taking me out shopping. Again.” He still has a lot from his wallet but what he doesn’t have a lot is wardrobe space. He had enough wardrobe space back then when Lu Han didn’t care about his wardrobe but now that Lu Han takes him out to shopping his wardrobe is starting to get cramped.

                Baekhyun lets out a laugh. His hair is a bit ruffled from earlier when the clinic was packed, and Zitao can tell he’s a bit tired. “Why does he care so much about your wardrobe, anyway?”

                Zitao shrugs. “He’s just bored. And single.”

                “Like you.” Yixing adds. Zitao shoots him a glare as Baekhyun laughs at him. Well it’s true, perhaps that is the only thing that they share in common, but Lu Han has many ways of picking a guy up as compared to him, so he guesses that’s probably the reason why Lu Han’s so worried about his love life.

                “But I’m not bored.” Zitao amends.

                “Maybe not bored, but boring.” Yixing finishes. Zitao casts an offended look at him and he can see Baekhyun’s face twisting into an amused one. Baekhyun pats his shoulder proudly.

                “You’ve just became as horrible as I am!” 

~

“Here’s your list.” Jongdae takes the said list into his hands, his eyes immediately skimming through the stack of papers and he takes note of the deadline. He rearranges them by the date of the deadline, then he takes his pen and starts scribbling something on a small piece of paper. There were a lot of programming and also debriefing, but nothing that Jongdae can’t do. He looks around the whole office and sees everyone hunched over their desks, their heads alternating between looking at a piece of paper and the computer screen.

                Jongdae sighs to himself.

                As much work this can be, he still has a lot of time. Nothing much has been going on in the office but he had heard something interesting going on between his co-workers, and perhaps that can distract him from…

                From…

                Jongdae shakes his head and mutters under his breath before he could continue the thought. He hasn’t even started his work and his mind is already occupied with… that man. He doesn’t need to be distracted in work, his job is everything to him and that man was just someone who offered to help him when he needed a quick lay. He wasn’t important. Furthermore, he shouldn’t be so important to him in the first place. He was just a one night stand. He was two weeks ago.

                Jongdae wants to hit himself for not forgetting about that man. Well of course, how could Jongdae forget such a pleasant one night stand? The man was thorough and fantastic, and they went for multiple rounds in that one night until Jongdae collapsed on the man’s shoulder, their bodies pressed together and cheeks red, their chests heaving as they panted. This was different from any other one night stands he’s had, because Jongdae was actually attracted to the man.

                Thinking back to the one night stand, Jongdae liked it whenever the man pauses, placing a hand on his waist and looking him in the eye, flush evident on his cheeks and smelling of alcohol as he leans closer before asking him permission to do this or that, as if he’s worried he’d cross the line or something. Though that ruins the atmosphere most of the time, they’ve gained each other’s trust that night. Jongdae feels baffled, because he doesn’t feel quite done with the man.

                It’s ridiculous, really, because that man was just a one night stand. Nothing more, nothing less. What more does he want?

                Sighing to himself once more, Jongdae drops his forehead flat on his desk. Perhaps it’s time to go clubbing again.

~

“Move away please.”

                Zitao clicks on the mouse and drags it over to his right. He currently has no appointments, and it’s almost close to his lunch break so that explains the reason why he’s sitting at the reception desk and playing a game of spider solitaire, trying to beat whoever’s high score that he saw just now when he finished a round.

                “Tao, go away.”

                And belatedly, Zitao realizes that Yixing has a nice choice in music, so he finds himself bobbing his head to the rhythm of the song he’s currently listening to, the wires of the earpiece moving along with his head as he moves an ace to a pile of cards. He senses movements around him but ignores it, lets himself drown in the expressive music from Yixing’s phone.

                A big push to his side and Zitao is losing his balance in his chair. “Whoa, what the–” He topples over to the floor on his side, the earpiece still connected to his ear and bringing down Yixing’s phone with him, the mouse hanging off the side of the reception desk. Zitao groans out loud and sits up on the floor, hand reaching out to pull out the earpiece. He looks up to see Baekhyun look down at him with a wide grin. “Baekhyun, what the hell?”

                “I told you to move.” The other male replies. “I even said please.” Baekhyun doesn’t even help him up and Zitao groans once more, picking up Yixing’s phone and checking to see if there’s any damage. He stands up afterwards, throwing a piercing glare at Baekhyun’s way before he notices that the other male is sliding what seems like a paper form under the keyboard.

                “What’s that?” Zitao asks. Baekhyun hasn’t taken a seat on the chair so Zitao climbs on it.

                “Oh, right.” Baekhyun laughs. “It’s a miracle – someone applied for the job.” He skims the paper form before looking at Zitao in the eye. “The guy’s name is Oh Sehun, he’s 21 years old and he starts tomorrow.”

                “Great.” Zitao smiles, putting Yixing’s phone back into place before rubbing at the spot where his body hit the floor. “We should celebrate tomorrow. On the kid’s first day.”

                “Yeah, okay.” Baekhyun nods his head. “Um.”

                “What.” Zitao blinks as Baekhyun turns to him.

                “Why aren’t you in your office?”

                “What do you mean, I’m having my lunch break right now.”

                Baekhyun snorts. “Your lunch break ended five minutes ago, get back to work.”

                “What, really?” Zitao stands up. “Wow, time flies by so fast. And I didn’t even get to finish my game.”

                “Nah, you just happen to be slow at this game.” Baekhyun says, fluttering his eyelashes at Zitao mockingly.

                “Excuse me?”

                “Who do you think got the highest score?”

                “No, you didn’t.” Zitao gasps.

                “But I did.” Baekhyun smirks.

                “Screw you.” Zitao tells him as he walks away from the reception desk.

a/n: it's probably too late but congrats to exo for winning 4 awards!!! and omg their performance was so cool!!!