jonghyun works full-time at an old business in seoul - bau house. it's a place for dog lovers like jonghyun where customers get to enjoy the shop's tasty dessert and tea, chill, and have huge fun playing with the dogs. 

jonghyun really loves his job. he loves watching over the dogs, playing with them, training them, and guiding them as he lets them show their skills to their viewers. it's awesome, and personally, jonghyun couldn't think of any better job than this.

being a regular, jonghyun gets to see lots of people and see who are of them are regulars and are new to the place. it's also pretty nice - getting to converse with strangers.

one day, there's one particular stranger that quickly catches jonghyun's attention - a boy.

the boy is a strange customer. he orders his food, sits at the very farthest seat, and watches the dogs with a fond look. but jonghyun never sees the boy leave his seat and pet the dogs even if he's doing nothing else other than give a longing stare. jonghyun describes him strange because the boy is a regular and a frequent hermit at the very corner of their shop. 

jonghyun leaves him be and gives the boy his personal space. besides jonghyun has yet to tame the newcomer puppy 'lucky'.

 

***

 

it's that season once again where people are too busy catching up to their old lives. and the shop is not an exception. 

the place is quiet and there are only three customers who are either busy with their laptops or petting the sleeping dogs. and jonghyun has nothing to do but watch the door with disinterest. until that boy appeared and does his usual. the boy orders chocolate frappe and muffins today - totally a sweettooth person!

jonghyun is never really a nosey person. but that kind of change today. it's a really boring and the boy looks so irresistable with his soft-looking blonde hair and pretty eyes. 

"hi! so you like those muffins?" jonghyun takes a seat in front of the boy. the boy is quiet and stares at him weirdly. damn cute. "uh, well i baked them"

the pretty boy doesn't really reply but he gives a little nod, and jonghyun finds it to be endearingly okay. the boy's charming and jonghyun's charmed.

after a long minute of awkward silence - of jonghyun looking at his sides with worry and the boy continuing to eat his dessert - jonghyun decides that maybe this courage he has isn't really a positive character of his. not when he doesn't have any idea of how to spark a fluid conversation with this boy in front of him. screw his boredom!

"uhm.. so... do you like our shop?" jonghyun starts again but before he can get a reply from the pretty boy, the troublemaker 'lucky' decides to intrude and barks at jonghyun so much that he has to pick up the little pomeranian puppy.

jonghyun pets the little one and plays with him a little. lucky is quite the playful one. but jonghyun doesn't miss that longing stare that the boy gives to the puppy.

 

***

 

after trying to make acquiantances every single time the boy comes to the shop, jonghyun finally gets to learn that the pretty boy's name is taemin. 

taemin is a shy kid. and still strange. 

jonghyun doesn't really get the way taemin avoids the dogs like plague though he stares at them with so much longing. he likes to think that taemin is just allergic but jonghyun thinks that that's a very unlikely reason.

"dogs hate me." is what taemin tells him when jonghyun finally encouraged himself to ask. "they growl at me the moment i try to come near to them, and when i do they bite me."

indeed, lucky barks at taemin so much when jonghyun tries to prove that it isn't true.

taemin can only give him a hopeless smile.

 

***

 

"okay get this" jonghyun shoves an article at taemin's face. a little bit too close but enough for the boy to be able to breathe. taemin takes the paper and tries to read but with the amount of words he gives up. 

"what is this all about?"

jonghyun smiles. "it says here that when you're stressed or tensed, the dog feels that too." when taemin gives him a questioning look, jonghyun proceeds. "in other words, smile, loosen up and be friendly with the dogs!"

"i don't think you understand my situation at all." taemin sighs.

jonghyun doesn't give up at that. he tells himself that this is worthy and it's really such a shame for taemin's part to not be able to pet the dogs no matter how much he loves them. he gets that there are just some unlucky ones that gets all the attitude from the dogs. but trying to fix that isn't so bad of an idea at all too.

"okay. so do you feel scared when dogs come near at you taemin?" jonghyun asks.

"i do." the boy replies. "they are cute but really scary."

 

***

 

"are you deaf? didn't i just said that i'm scared?!" taemin shouts pretty loudly enough to alarm the dogs but that's okay because jonghyun finds him really too cute right now and he can sure handle and secure the dogs.

"taemin you need to calm down. look we can even start with little mr. troublemaker. this is lucky by the way." oh jonghyun can definitely see that sparkly eyes coming from taemin right now. lucky sure is a cute, charming puppy so jonghyun thinks that this is a good start.

taemin backs away as soon as jonghyun motions the little pup to come forward. after having a hard time training lucky, the little pup finally learned to follow jonghyun's orders. it's an achievement.

luckily there weren't too many people today either so when taemin tried to make his escape out of the shop, jonghyun tackles him to the ground. he knows he's suffocating the boy but jonghyun's so glad that he can trap the pretty boy with his weight. all the while taemin is so busy trying to get out of his grip, jonghyun calls for 'lucky' to come and jonghyun can't really stop the -eating grin that forms in his face. 

when taemin finally gets to escape jonghyun, not only lucky is in front of him but a few more dogs of the shop now surrounds him and makes him their center of attention.

 

***

 

"see that wasn't really bad" jonghyun smiles, a fond look on his face as he watches taemin play with lucky and the other dogs. the canines just won't stop taemin's face and try to get his attention.

"you're still an " the pretty boy says.

jonghyun doesn't mind the insult. he's an . he knows. and he knows too that taemin just can't find the right words to thank him.

"just remember taemin that when you feel stressed or tensed, the dogs will feel that too. that's why you need to look friendly to them. don't look like someone that will cause harm to them. if they can see that you're good, they'll be good to you too."

"i'll work on that." 

 

***

 

the next few days are boring for jonghyun. many customers come and play with the dogs but taemin's frequent visits doesn't happen anymore like before. the pretty boy is currently busy with his thesis and he needs all the time to prepare for his upcoming defense too. and there's nothing jonghyun can do about them, he can't even whine about that.

 

***

 

when taemin finally shows up, jonghyun tries to calm himself down and stop the -eating grin on his face. he greets the pretty boy and converses with him a little. jonghyun knows he's trying to act cool but he doesn't really want to look dumb in front of the boy. he's just so glad that taemin doesn't notice that he's mentally unstable right now.

taemin takes his time eating his food and plays with the dogs after. he keeps taking pictures of them, sometimes with them. when he thinks there are too enough pictures, he asks jonghyun to show him some dog tricks and jonghyun decides that he really likes that sparkly and lovely look in taemin's face when he's amazed.

jonghyun doesn't forget to tend to other customers too. but he makes sure to glance at taemin every once in a while.- just to make sure that the boy is doing fine. or so he thinks.

"aren't you going to leave taemin?" it's already six and jonghyun knows that taemin usually leaves at five. it's not that he wants taemin to leave, he's just curious for the boy's longer stay. and the shop's already closed and he's thankful that his boss doesn't question taemin's presence inside of their shop at all.

taemin doesn't look like he's offended and jonghyun sighs pleased at that. 

"i'm done with thesis and defense. there's really nothing for me to do right now." taemin sips at his second milk tea of the day.

jonghyun mops the floor this time. taemin offers him help but he refuses to make the boy do his work. besides, taemin is still a customer.

"how about your friends?" bad question. because jonghyun knows that he sounds like taemin's a leech he's trying to kick out of this room. but jonghyun thinks that having a conversation is better than nothing.

"well they are out drinking and clubbing right now. and i'm not really in the mood for that. besides..." taemin's silence lasts longer and jonghyun looks at him curiously.

"besides what?"

taemin bits his lip and he looks so adorable! "i'd be more interested to go on dates right now."

well that one definitely takes jonghyun's attention. he tells himself that he seriously doesn't like where this is going. getting a heartbreak from your crush is too soon. but jonghyun's a friend so a friend must do what a friend must do.

"so why are you still here then?"

this time, jonghyun's finished mopping the floor but he lets taemin answer him first before he can take his equipment back to where it should be left. he doesn't really want to be rude. gotta make good impressions no matter how much hopeless it is already.

"well then jonghyun-hyung, would you like to go on date with me after this?"

oh.

OH.

 

 

--

it's been awhile since i've written something. thanks for reading if you did! :)