☼ ☼ ☼

"Off you go, pretty boy! Go and deliver that pizza."

Wonwoo hates his friends— he really does. He doesn't even work at the pizzeria, so why the hell does he have this chicken supreme pizza (with no chicken, just like how the customer had specified it to be) in his hands with Jeonghan shoving him past the glass doors? 

"Come on, this isn't fair, guys!" Wonwoo complains, digging the soles of his shoes against the ground to slow his unceremonious exit. "This is your ing job, not mine!"

"Well, none of us can fulfill the customer's request, so you have to," Jeonghan replies matter-of-factly, and Wonwoo wants to pull every last strand of his pretty hair out because he's getting anything but the point. 

"Why can't he go? Minghao is cute!" Wonwoo points at the boy currently reclining across the red plush seats of the pizzeria, but Minghao merely gives him a snarky grin. 

"Jeonghan says it's dangerous for a small, defenseless, baby boy like me to be out so late at night," he singsongs with his Chinese lilt, stretching out even more on the seats and Wonwoo's eyes invariably twitch. 

"What baby— you're the stupid one who has worked this dead shift the longest!"

Jeonghan gasps and relinquishes his hold on Wonwoo, mortified, because how dare Wonwoo raise his voice at the most precious child in existence? He smacks Wonwoo over the head with an empty pizza box from the counter. Wonwoo grimaces and blames himself for being weak and coming over to the shop in the first place.

The pizzeria is run by Mr. Choi, a very pleasant and possibly insane old man. Who else would hire young, volatile students struggling to get through university for the night shift, knowing that most of them would be highly strung on caffeine and delirious from the stress of examinations? Wonwoo has lost count of the number of times he has been awakened in the middle of the night by a call from Jisoo and his panicked voice because Jeonghan has tripped the electricity or because Minghao has set off the fire alarm again. The only other sane person working the same shift is Hansol, and that’s entirely just because he’s not let anywhere near the oven.

(There’s only so many times Mr. Choi can tolerate being accidentally lit on fire, even with his excessively kind, grandfather-like tendencies.)

Wonwoo is only here tonight because Jeonghan had gotten his hair stuck in the cash register, and the rest are utterly useless at anything electronical. He regrets ever having extended a helping hand to Jisoo in the first place months ago, because now he’s the go-to person for help, which also means that Wonwoo’s murderous intentions are getting alarmingly close to being realized. (Ninety percent of the blame goes to a certain Yoon Jeonghan for being, well, Jeonghan, with the rest going to Jisoo because he can’t for the life of him control his wayward boyfriend.)

Jisoo walks past the counter then, and freezes guiltily at Wonwoo’s accusing glare. “Fine— Jisoo can go because he’s the one who got me here in the first place!” 

Jeonghan swings the pizza box at Wonwoo’s head again, but Wonwoo’s prepared this time, so he ducks away with ease (not really, but it’s as much ease a person balancing a large pizza and homicidal thoughts can have anyway). Jisoo opens his mouth to reply, but is interrupted by Jeonghan draping his arms over his shoulders, a betrayed look on the older boy’s pretty face.

“You can’t be serious— what if the customer turns out to be a creepy old dude who kidnaps Jisoo into his house to be a slave because he’s just way too cute? It’s too dangerous!” Jeonghan frowns. Wonwoo drags his hands over his cheeks, sighing.

“Because it would be absolutely fine if I’m the one that gets kidnapped instead, right?” Wonwoo says dryly, and Minghao lets out a honk of amusement. 

“Don’t worry, you’re not cute enough for that. You should be more worried about the customer flipping out at his request not being met instead,” Minghao chirps. 

the delivery— Wonwoo really wants to throw the pizza in Minghao’s face instead.

Jisoo sends a pleading look to Wonwoo from where he’s trapped in Jeonghan’s embrace, and the younger boy sighs again.

“Alright, I'll go— but this is the last time I’m going to deliver anything for you guys. Jisoo, you owe me lunch for the whole of next week,” Wonwoo grumbles as Jisoo nods frantically, and he turns to walk out of the door. Hansol helpfully holds out a helmet and the keys to the motorcycle; he gives a sullen Wonwoo a pat on the back and a woeful glance. Wonwoo appreciates the gesture, because at least Hansol is grateful for the he has to do to make sure their ragtag group of friends stays alive through the weekday nights.

The streets are empty, with only the dim lampposts offering some sliver of illumination. It’s cold too, and Wonwoo curses at himself for forgetting his jacket as he climbs onto the bike, pizza snug in the delivery pack perched neatly on his shoulders. (His flimsy sweater with the loose sleeves could hardly be considered windproof.) Wonwoo starts up the engine and drives down the road, hoping against hope that his friends do not end up burning the shop down in his absence.

He’s more than a little apprehensive about the delivery, because what idiot orders a chicken-based pizza with no chicken on it? Wonwoo has seen some interesting characters while on his unwilling night time adventures, but this one takes the cake.

He revs the engine harder, and prays that he’ll make it out of the delivery in one piece.

☼ ☼ ☼

“Send your cutest delivery boy, or there will be consequences!”

Mingyu lunges across the bed for his phone, but Junhui just grins, hops over him and leaps off the bed, phone still in hand. The Chinese boy makes it to the other side of the room before he collapses onto the floor, keeling over with laughter. Mingyu quickly runs over and snatches the phone out of Junhui’s hands, but it’s too late— the call has ended, and Mingyu’s life is over.

“You did not just do that—” Mingyu seethes, face contorting into an odd mixture of anger and disbelief. He picks up his half-read book (Romeo and Juliet, because Mingyu is a hopeless romantic) and stalks towards his roommate, waving it around menacingly. 

“ you, Junhui, now everyone who works there is going to think that I’m a ert. How am I supposed to order from them again next time?!”

“Don't be melodramatic— I’m trying to order you a boyfriend,” Junhui wheezes, holding his aching stomach with a hand. Oh, his cheeks hurt. “From the pizzeria.” 

“Well, I don’t need your help in ordering one!” Mingyu almost-screams. He chucks the book at Junhui before flopping onto his bed and burying his face in his pillow. Mingyu makes a sound not unlike a dying whale.

Junhui gets up from his place on the floor and unhelpfully pats Mingyu’s back, before reaching over to grab a balsamic vinegar chip from the opened pack on the bedside table while he’s at it, because convenience. 

Mingyu slaps Junhui’s hand away, but as always, the older boy is faster and quicker and he dances out of reach, the entire pack of crisps now gripped tightly in his hands. Mingyu pulls his grey hoodie over his head, cursing Junhui to the deepest pits of hell as he curls up into a ball.

He’s content to stay this way the entire night, but the doorbell rings and oh my god, Mingyu is not prepared and oh no, he's so ed. He looks up only to see a prancing Junhui bolting out of the bedroom and to the door, and Mingyu has to scramble to his feet in order to rush after him. 

He makes it out of the room in time to see Junhui yank the door open and completely freeze. His view unfortunately blocked, Mingyu isn't able to see the person at the door, and he’s beginning to think that maybe the delivery person is a serial killer after all when he hears Junhui say, “Damn boy, forget that pizza, where can I get a piece of you?” 

Mingyu stops short— that couldn’t be right. Frowning, he walks up to the door and elbows Junhui out of the way, ignoring the older boy’s glare. He brings his gaze back to the delivery guy before pausing, because — that’s got to be the most attractive delivery guy Mingyu has ever seen in his life. Scratch that, he’s the most attractive person Mingyu has ever seen in his life.

Mingyu’s face must have been a picture to behold, because the delivery guy coughs uncomfortably and hesitates before holding out the pizza box. For some reason, his cheeks are reddened, and his lower lip is caught lightly under his teeth. The pink cheeks match perfectly with his full lips and dark eyes, but don’t let Mingyu tell you that.

(Wonwoo does everything in order to not cringe at himself as he recites the order, because — that's got to be the most attractive customer he’s ever seen in his life. He desperately wants to play it cool but the order is so embarrassing and oh no, Wonwoo is way too attracted for it to be normal.)

“One large chicken supreme pizza with no chicken, for a Mr. Kim Mingyu...?”

Mingyu nods dumbly, not saying a word, but inside Mingyu is screaming. He’s suddenly immensely grateful to his parents for his name, because the delivery boy makes it sound like the most beautiful synchronisation of a thousand harmonies.

“Um. Yep. I mean— uhh, yes, that’ll be me,” Mingyu manages to choke out. He’s mentally slapping himself for being such a bumbling fool when the delivery boy’s lips lift into the slightest of smiles and damn, Mingyu is so far gone. It’s the prettiest smile he has ever seen.

(Wonwoo does not miss the way Mingyu’s eyes dart over to where a name tag is supposed to be, neither does he miss Mingyu’s crestfallen expression when he fails to find one. He ponders over whether he should volunteer his name, before deciding that if he was already going to hell for wanting a stranger so quickly, he might as well do it with full vigour.)

“I’m Wonwoo, your delivery boy.”

Mingyu can hear Junhui gagging in the background, but decides to ignore him, for convenience’s sake. He not-so-subtly kicks at Junhui’s general direction with his foot, and is rewarded by a muffled curse and thump as Junhui falls to the floor.

His glee is short-lived, because Junhui immediately retaliates and trips Mingyu with his foot as well. Mingyu loses his balance and falls forward, and all he can think about is how he’s so, so screwed when there’s the fleeting sensation of lips brushing against lips. Mingyu immediately pulls back, aghast, and Wonwoo is staring at him with widened eyes, pizza box clutched tightly against his chest. His cheeks are even redder now, and Mingyu is so sure Wonwoo is going to run away screaming, but he merely coughs and looks down, very understandably shy. 

“I know you asked for the cutest delivery person on hand, but—”

“Are you kidding? You’re gorgeous,” Mingyu blurts out. He slaps a hand over his big, fat, stupid mouth because way to go Mingyu, now Wonwoo really is going to run away. To Mingyu’s absolute shock, Wonwoo just shoves the pizza box into his hands before taking out a pen from his pocket and scrawling a string of numbers on its lid.

“T-Thank you,” Wonwoo murmurs, and he glances up to meet Mingyu’s gaze one last time before turning on his heels and running. Startled, Mingyu reaches out, but Wonwoo’s already halfway down the corridor when he turns back, flashing him a small, heavenly smile that takes Mingyu’s entire breath away.

“It’s on the house!” Wonwoo calls out, and Mingyu is pretty sure he’s in love. He watches as Wonwoo disappears before retreating back into the apartment and setting the box on the table. Mingyu glances at Junhui, and he can’t even bring himself to react when he sees the Chinese boy on the phone again. (“Yes, is this coupe de pizza? I’d like to place another order.”)

Mingyu looks down at the pizza box again and traces the hastily scribbled numbers with a finger. He thinks of Wonwoo’s smile, and his heart is overwhelmed by irrepressible warmth and affection.

☼ ☼ ☼

Wonwoo walks through the glass doors, dazed. He presses his fingers against his lips and blushes, because it’s as if the warmth from Mingyu’s lips are still imprinted on his. Wonwoo has never been so bold before either, and it’s alarming how exhilarated he feels. His heart's still racing from the nervousness he had felt while writing his number down, but it’s all worth it because Mingyu had texted him moments later, and if the sweet hello delivery boy was any indication, it was the start of something... exciting.

“Are you okay, Wonwoo?” Hansol’s voice distracts Wonwoo from his thoughts, and he nods absently, extending a hand to ruffle the younger boy’s hair. Hansol’s eyes widen comically because hey, this isn’t normal Wonwoo behavior and Wonwoo knows it himself that he's being weird. He’s too hyped up on endorphins to care, though, so he breezes past Hansol to the middle of the shop where the rest of the boys are.

Jeonghan is by the counter with Jisoo beside him, taking another delivery order. Jisoo visibly brightens at the sight of Wonwoo and he runs over to give him a grateful hug.

“So, how did it go?” Jisoo asks. Wonwoo smiles to himself and shrugs.

“It was alright.”

Jisoo raises an eyebrow in skeptical surprise, because he actually can be observant— when the situation calls for it, and when he isn't being smothered to an inch of his life by an overly-excited Jeonghan. 

“Oh? You’re going to have to tell me all about it—”

"Wonwoo?"

He’s interrupted by a very confused Jeonghan, who’s looking at the phone as if it were a ghost. The pretty boy squints at the screen, and even Wonwoo is curious because he has never seen Jeonghan look so perplexed before.

“There’s another order from the same address, and they’re asking for another cute delivery boy. Dude, what did you do?” Jeonghan says, glaring at Wonwoo suspiciously before turning to the young boy still standing by the door. "Hansol, you should go—”

“No.”

Wonwoo immediately points at the Minghao seated comfortably atop the counter, and he pauses mid-bite with his cheeks full of leftover pizza. He looks over to Wonwoo slowly, eyes large with apprehension and betrayal. Wonwoo thinks of the flirtatious Chinese boy who had answered the door, and has to suppress his laugh.

“Send Minghao instead.”

☼ ☼ ☼

A/N: wow thank you all for suscribing and voting, that definitely was a pleasant surprise! as always, thank you for reading and i hope y'all enjoyed it! votes and comments are always welcome, i appreciate hearing your thoughts a lot! ♡

[160510] hello everyone thank you for all the love you've shown this fic, i honestly wasn't expecting so much of it and so many requests for a sequel as well! regarding junhao i will (probably) write a short epilogue once i have the time to plan a proper one, so stay tuned! ♡