“It’s just for moral support, I promise. You don’t even have to buy anything.”

Hyunwoo can’t think of the last time Hoseok was so desperate, practically jumping out of his skin in the hopes that Hyunwoo will accept. “Can’t we just go to the convenience store? They have soap there.”

“But this is different,” Hoseok grabs him by the shoulders and shakes him, like that would be convincing, “This is my scent. It’s called ypeel and it’s like a lemon soap, I don’t know. My friend was giving some away, and when I used it Hyungwon said—”

“This is about Hyungwon again?” Hyunwoo is still waiting for the day that Hoseok stops following the poor boy around like a lovesick puppy. Hoseok takes Hyunwoo’s wrist and tugs him closer to the store. “Of course it is, what did you think it was about? He said something smelled really good, like super good, and then he realized it was me and got all cute and defensive about it and now I have to stockpile.” He tries pulling Hyunwoo farther along, but Hyunwoo has always been stronger between them. “Please come on, do you want me to get laid or not?”

The store looks intimidating, it truly does. Everything is painted black and branded with an expensive-looking typeface, and just the simplicity of ‘Lush’ sounds high-end. But Hoseok is a good friend, and Hyunwoo has the horrendous habit of helping everyone, so he gives in.

As soon as they walk past the doorframe, Hyunwoo is bombarded with a cloud of frilly-smelling scents, so strong he nearly coughs. Hoseok does cough, and gag, and tries to fan the air like that will make it go away. “Let’s just grab the soap and get out of here,” Hoseok whispers, and they both began frantically searching the shelves for the Peely soap or whatever Hoseok called it.

“Can I help you with something today?” the voice startles Hyunwoo, so much that he knocks a pot of lotion off the shelf.

Hyunwoo bends to pick it up, and when he stands again there is a fairy in front of him. That’s the only word to describe the man—glowing skin, pale lilac hair, the bone structure of a god. He smiles and his teeth are adorably crooked and all the breath is knocked out of Hyunwoo’s body and he just thinks, ‘Oh.’

So Hyunwoo stands there like an idiot, eyes wide, wishing he had better social skills and trying to remember what the question was. And then Hoseok’s at his side, slinging an arm around Hyunwoo’s shoulder, saying, “Yeah, you see, my buddy Hyunwoo here needs some soap for his, uh, girlfriend—” the words pass right through him and Hyunwoo whips his head around to glare at Hoseok—“It’s called ypeel, isn’t that what you told me, Hyunwoo?”

Hyunwoo chokes out, “Um, yeah,” even though it’s a lie and for some reason he really wants to blurt out that he’s single.

Fairy Man’s face opens up like he’s just eaten something refreshing. “Wow, how sweet of you! She’s lucky to have a boyfriend like you.”

Hyunwoo doesn’t say anything until Hoseok pinches him. “I guess, thanks.”

“You two would’ve been here for a while though,” the man pushes light hair out of his eyes and it’s entrancing, “The soap’s over there.”

Hoseok grins and pulls Hyunwoo along, thanking the man over his shoulder.

“No problem! I’m here if you need anything!” And maybe he isn’t just a fairy, but also the human incarnate of a star.

Then Hyunwoo is being tugged to the opposite end of the store (and it’s a very crammed space; Hyunwoo thinks they should upsize) like Hoseok is trying to beat rush-hour traffic. They begin scouring the display for the soap, and without really thinking Hyunwoo asks, “Why did you tell him I have a girlfriend?”

“I dunno, man,” Hoseok is on his knees, looting through the shelves. It doesn’t help that all the packaging is the same, the label being the only difference. His friend stops cold after a moment, letting whatever’s in his hand fall to the floor. “Wait, oh my god. You wanna pipe him, don’t you?”

Hyunwoo insists he doesn’t, with an award-winning poker face.

Apparently, that’s not good enough for Hoseok. “Okay, sure. So you don’t mind if I get his number?”

“Aren’t you doing all this to get Hyungwon?”

“It might take me a while,” Hoseok frowns, “I’m good, but Hyungwon’s a tough one. I could use a distraction in the meantime.”

They established long ago that Hoseok can have nearly anyone he wants. And for some reason, he wants Hyungwon. Even so, his comment eats away at Hyunwoo just a bit. “You’re lying.”

“But it got you worked up, right?” Hoseok grins, tossing a bar of soap to Hyunwoo, then another, until his arms are full. “Ring these up for me,” he pauses, “loving boyfriend.”

It’s a busy store for only three registers, just two of them active. So Hyunwoo gets in line, five bars of overpriced soap in his arms, and he waits. And waits. The overhead stereo cycles through a full top-50 pop song before the third register blinks to life and a cheery voice calls, “I can take you down here!”

There must be some kind of curse put on Son Hyunwoo that he has the worst luck on earth. Because standing behind the newly-unlocked register is a white-haired sales associate with whirlpool eyes and a black apron (that looks far better on him than it’s designed to).

Hyunwoo plops the soap down on the counter without saying anything. But Fairy Man is a talker. “Your girlfriend likes this soap, then? I can see why—it’s great for the skin and smells amazing.” Hyunwoo wonders what Fairy Man uses, if that’s why his skin is beautiful. “Any special occasion, or are you just a nice boyfriend like that?”

“Uh, she asked me to buy some.” Years of conversation with Hyungwon has taught Hyunwoo to think on his toes.

The cashier’s whistle can barely be heard under the bubblegum music. “I figured you were a good boyfriend. You look like one. Just a really, really solid boyfriend.”

Hyunwoo can’t respond. Every one-on-one in the world couldn’t have prepared for this curveball dressed as a man. He settles on, “Thanks.”

There’s that smile, fitting so naturally between slim cheeks and small ears. “Well,” he files away the cash Hyunwoo hands him, “you come straight here any time your girlfriend needs something.”

“Will do.” Hyunwoo wants to say something more, or ask for the man’s name, but everything becomes very warm and he just wants to get out.

Hoseok beams when Hyunwoo returns, saying, “You’re a life saver. I’ll be irresistible now.”

When they walk out, the air clears and everything just smells like air again, no roses or essential oils. In the back of Hyunwoo’s mind, the part he doesn’t share with anyone, he wonders what Fairy Man smells like.

 

.

 

He doesn’t understand the appeal in working somewhere that was built for suffocation. The fumes of that store rival a hookah bar, if the smoke were replaced with fruit or flowers or some obscure vegan honey scrub. He hears the cheerful voice call out the moment he steps inside: “Welcome! Back for more soap?”

It’s that man, the beautiful one, dressed snugly in the black apron. Hyunwoo nearly forgets how to speak. “Um, yes. I mean no. The bath thing. She, uh, wants a bath thing.”

The employee laughs. “Fortunately, we specialize in ‘bath things.’ Do you mean a bomb? Like a bath bomb, the cute fizzy kind?”

That sounds like a good enough definition. In truth, when Changkyun had heard about how ‘Hyunwoo wants to bone an employee at Lush’ (which is untrue, thank you, Hoseok) his immediate reaction was, “Next time you’re there, buy me a bath bomb.” And now that Hyunwoo thinks about it, ‘bath bomb’ does sound familiar. “Uh, yes,” Hyunwoo says.

“The bombs are right over here, I’ll give you a little tour.” So Hyunwoo follows him blindly until they reach a display of baskets overflowing with brightly-colored balls. It’s like an Easter basket.

“Uh, what would you recommend?” Hyunwoo swallows, “For my girlfriend, I mean.” The word ‘girlfriend’ jams his throat up.

The employee has this smile that catches Hyunwoo off guard each time. “ Bomb.” Like that’s the only logical choice. Hyunwoo soon finds out that ‘ Bomb’ looks like a unicorn’s version of a Pokéball. “Every girl wants a Bomb, especially from her boyfriend. It’ll put her in a romantic mood, smells great, and it’s vegan.” As if it’s the selling point.

If Hyunwoo buys this for Changkyun, the younger man will probably give him the cold shoulder for days. In other words, the ideal revenge for all the teasing Hyunwoo’s put up with. “Sounds perfect. I’ll take it.” Hyunwoo does his best to smile without getting tripped up by the man’s eyes.

The employee begins walking to an open register and Hyunwoo blindly follows him. “My name’s Minhyuk, by the way,” he flashes Hyunwoo a toothy smile where his eyes curve up, and Hyunwoo decides right there—Minhyuk is his favorite name.

“Hyunwoo.”

“That’s what your name is!” Minhyuk whips around and his shoulder ends up colliding with Hyunwoo’s chest, stopping their little promenade to the register. “Oh, sorry,” he laughs it off and pats Hyunwoo on the chest. Hyunwoo doesn’t know how other people can survive this man’s natural affection; he’s ready to melt at every touch from Minhyuk, every glance. “Your friend said it when you were here last, and I couldn’t remember it for the life of me. Hyunwoo, Hyunwoo, Hyunwoo. See, now I’ll never forget!”

‘Never’ is a big claim, one that makes Hyunwoo fall a bit more in love. 

At the register, Minhyuk makes it near-impossible not to flirt with him. He has no filter, saying things like, “Here’s a coupon, so be sure to come back soon!”

Hyunwoo wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

.

 

Out of all his friends, Changkyun finds it hilarious the most. Hyunwoo denied at first that he had a small crush on Minhyuk—just a small one--but when Hoseok kept bringing it to light, Hyunwoo eventually confessed: “Okay, alright. Maybe I do like him a little.” They’re at a café when he admits it, and Changkyun nearly chokes on his latte.

“Well, it’s a pity he thinks you have a girlfriend,” Hoseok gives him a sad smile.

“Hey, that’s your fault!” If Hyunwoo could, he’d take the damn Lemony soap or whatever and return it on the spot (so he could get back at Hoseok, not so he could see Minhyuk again).

Changkyun takes a sip of his latte and leans in to ask, “Okay, so he thinks you’re taken and straight? Why do you keep going back there when Hoseok ed up your chances with him?”

A valid question. And Hyunwoo doesn’t have a solid answer; he hates everything about that overpriced, minimalist store, but Minhyuk outweighs all the bad. His smile is infectious, his touch electric. Hyunwoo finds himself walking to the mall whenever he’s exceptionally bored, just to glimpse Minhyuk through the storefront if he can’t manufacture an excuse. So Hyunwoo doesn’t have a solid answer for Changkyun, but maybe he doesn’t need one.

He shrugs. “The customer service is fantastic.”

 

.

 

“So how long have you two been dating?”

It’s a slow day, which Hyunwoo guesses doesn’t happen a lot. Minhyuk looks bored; he’s leaning against the face mask display and giving all his attention to Hyunwoo. That feels nice.

But Hyunwoo’s not ready for a pop quiz on his non-existent relationship. “Uh, two years.” Yeah, sounds good.

Minhyuk’s eyes widen. “Oh, really? Usually guys buy things for their girlfriends so much in the honeymoon phase.” Damn it. “It’s cute that you still buy little gifts for her after two years.” Cute. Hyunwoo can work with that.

“She really likes your products,” he lies, then clears his throat, “How long have you been working here?” He thinks that’s how it works—a question for a question.

“Five months now,” Minhyuk beams proudly, “Best job ever. I get lots of free stuff so my bubble baths are always world-class.” Minhyuk’s teeth are pretty when he smiles, Hyunwoo thinks.

As a devout shower-goer, Hyunwoo hasn’t taken a bubble bath since he was six years old. But when Minhyuk talks about it, Hyunwoo would absolutely love to take a bubble bath. Maybe with Minhyuk. “Sounds luxury.”

The man’s laugh is music to his ears. “Oh, for sure.”

They go back and forth for ten minutes, question after question, and it feels like speed-dating. That is, until an older woman comes out of the back carrying containers to restock. Hyunwoo has seen her here before, enough to figure out she’s some kind of manager. Seeing Minhyuk and Hyunwoo so relaxed and close together, she shoots them a disapproving look and snaps, “It’s not romance hour, Lee Minhyuk. Restock, let’s go.”

A shy smile creeps onto Minhyuk’s lips and he pats Hyunwoo on the chest. He does that a lot and Hyunwoo thinks it’s bad for his heart. “Alright, duty calls,” he sighs, “You make me slack off. You’re a bad influence.”

It’s not a polite way to talk to customers, but at some point their relationship became a bit more friendly and teasing than customer-employee. “Okay, next time I won’t talk to you at all, then.”

Minhyuk juts out his lower lip in an adorable pout. “Aw, don’t be like that! I’d miss you too much.” He can never tell if Minhyuk is flirting with him. As far as Minhyuk knows, Hyunwoo is devoted to his girlfriend, so why would he flirt? But Hyunwoo is definitely making an effort of his own, without outright admitting, ‘I’m single and into you.’

The manager-lady is giving them the evil eye again. Hyunwoo doesn’t want to go, wishes he could see Minhyuk for longer, but getting Minhyuk in trouble is a really poor display of affection. So he says a quick good-bye to Minhyuk and turns to leave.

Minhyuk has other ideas: “Hyunwoo!” The man calls out in his loud, dramatic voice. When Hyunwoo spins back to him, Minhyuk’s smile fills his whole face. “Need me to ring anything up?” It’s the Minhyuk way of saying, Are you even buying anything?

 Glancing down at his hands, Hyunwoo is surprised to see them empty. He doesn't have anything to buy today. “Not today,” he tells Minhyuk with a smile, “Just visiting.” It feels good to tell Minhyuk the truth.

 

.

 

This time, Hyunwoo is supposed to buy shampoo for the girlfriend he still doesn’t have. This time, his heart beats quicker the closer he gets to the store.

This time, there’s no Minhyuk.

“Hello, can I help you find anything today?”

Yes, this is definitely not Minhyuk; the strange man’s voice is crisper and he has dimples in both his cheeks. But the hair is very similar; Hyunwoo wonders if bright white is a marketing tactic these days.

Hyunwoo considers leaving, and he would if Kihyun didn’t actually need shampoo.

“Uh, yes, I’m here to buy shampoo for my girlfriend?”

The man’s face contorts into an expression of awe. “Are you Hyunwoo?” he gasps at the nod Hyunwoo gives, “It’s an honor to finally meet Minhyuk’s favorite customer!”

Hyunwoo blinks. “Favorite customer?”

“Well, they tell us not to play favorites, but we all do.” He holds out his hand and performs some odd broship-initiation handshake on Hyunwoo. “I’m Jooheon. Nice to meet you, man.”

“Nice to meet you, too,” he says it to be nice, when Hyunwoo is just confused.

Jooheon stands back and rakes his eyes over Hyunwoo. “Minhyuk said you were cute. I can see it, he likes the whole beefy-teddy-bear look.”

Hyunwoo only came here to buy shampoo for Kihyun. So needless to say, this trip is far more interesting than expected. “Minhyuk said that?”

“Of course,” Jooheon nods, “Everyone likes teddy bears.” Then his mouth spreads into something mischievous, “I’m just messing with you—yes, he said you were cute. You think he’s cute too, right?” When Hyunwoo doesn’t answer, Jooheon prompts him further: “Because you don’t really have a girlfriend, right?”

Hyunwoo’s reaction gives him away immediately. “Who told you that?”

Jooheon lets out a loud cackle. “I knew it! I told Minhyuk, I said, ‘What kind of girl would send her boyfriend here every time instead of just coming herself?’ But Minhyuk doesn’t think like that, you know—he’s too sweet. Just wants to make sure your ‘girlfriend’ is happy.”

That’s what Hyunwoo likes about Minhyuk: his personality is so large and bright, but at his core he really cares for other people. “So what do you think I should do? Confess that I’ve been lying?”

“I think you should confess to him. Your feelings, you know?”

Hyunwoo makes a habit of not asking advice from strangers, but Jooheon knows Minhyuk. And it’s driving him crazy, seeing that flat smile Minhyuk gives every time Hyunwoo mentions the girlfriend. “I’ll think about it.”

“That’s what I like to hear!” Jooheon manages to coax a hi-five out of him, the slap echoing off the dark walls. “Swag.”

His first impression of Jooheon is an odd one, yes, but Hyunwoo can’t get the man’s words out of his head. For the rest of the day, he lets wishful thinking take over—a dangerous thing to do, but the sound of Minhyuk saying ‘I like you,’ is sweet in his mind.

 

.

 

Hyunwoo remembers the first time he stepped foot in this place, with Hoseok practically dragging him by the ear. Things are very different now—Hyungwon is behind him, pushing Hyunwoo forward as best he can and mumbling ‘Lead the way, come on,’ under his breath. Hyungwon has this aversion to everything new, and that means they’ll both be miserable for different reasons: Hyungwon because this is so new to him, and Hyunwoo because he knows this store all too well.

“I just want that lemon soap,” Hyungwon mumbles, “Hoseok won’t give me any unless I go out with him, but I wouldn’t date that guy in hell. At least you know what soap it is, right?”

Hyunwoo nods. He’s glad to go behind Hoseok’s back and help Hyungwon, because Hoseok deserves it. “I have coupons, too.”

They’re not even inside the store yet when he hears, “Hyunwoo, hi!” Minhyuk always sees him first. “It’s been a while.”

“It has,” Hyunwoo can feel Hyungwon peek around his shoulder; the one thing that keeps this man going is meddling in other people’s lives. “How are you?”

“Fantastic.” It’s been too long since he’s seen Minhyuk’s smile. “How’s the girlfriend?”

“Oh, she’s—”

Behind him, Hyungwon chokes on air. “What? I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.” Everything threatens to leak out then: ‘I don’t, I never did, I’ve been lying for months, I just like Minhyuk—’ But Hyunwoo’s tongue hangs like lead in his mouth.

And Minhyuk is quick: “Oh, he’s a sweetheart!” The man’s hand reaches for his arm in the natural touchiness Minhyuk has. “Comes in all the time to pamper his girlfriend. She’s a lucky one.”

 Hyunwoo is almost afraid to look at Hyungwon. When he does manage a glance, Hyungwon’s face is absolutely blank. But Hyunwoo can hear the gears working in his friend’s head, and it only takes ten seconds for Hyungwon to figure it out. Suddenly there’s this glint in his eyes and Hyungwon’s lips part in the most devious smile. “Oh, this is brilliant.” No amount of begging will do any good. Hyunwoo knows his next move, and braces himself. “Hyunwoo’s been single since high school. But I hear he has the hots for an employee here.” Hyunwoo can’t look at Minhyuk. All he can do is feel Hyungwon’s condescending pat on the shoulder, hear the snarky, “I’ll be getting soap if you need me,” before his friend deserts him.

Minhyuk speaks first: “Is it—it’s not Jooheon, right?”

Hyunwoo looks up, meets Minhyuk’s deep eyes. “No, it’s not Jooheon.” He tries to gauge Minhyuk’s reaction, failing to interpret what it means when his shoulders relax like that. “Sorry I lied to you. My friend said I had a girlfriend, and I just went with it. I didn’t think you’d, uh—” the next part’s embarrassing to admit, but Hyunwoo’s sick of lying to Minhyuk—“like me back, anyway.”

A wide grin parts Minhyuk’s lips, so genuine that his eyes crinkle up at the corners. “At first I felt guilty, falling for a guy with a girlfriend,” hearing that is enough to make Hyunwoo’s heart dizzy, like a dream coming from Minhyuk’s holy lips, “but Jooheon kept planting this theory in my head, that you were making it up. I’m glad he was right.”

“You’re not mad?” Hyunwoo’s almost afraid to ask.

Minhyuk keeps a straight face, “Oh, I’m furious. You have to make it up to me now. That means dinner, at least one movie date, and you have to introduce me to all your friends.”

Hyunwoo breathes a sigh of relief. It’s the best punishment he could have asked for. “Sounds exhausting.”

The employee laughs and brings a hand to Hyunwoo’s arm. This time, it lingers there, the comforting warmth of Minhyuk’s touch setting him on fire. “Don’t tempt me to add a picnic date to your sentence.”

Reaching out, Hyunwoo’s fingers curl around Minhyuk’s free hand at an angle the other customers won’t notice. This is just for them, the tentative contact serving as the promise of something new and exciting. “I’d like that a lot, Minhyuk.”

He can picture it: all the places they’ll go together, the little details he’ll learn about Minhyuk, what texting Minhyuk will be like. Hyunwoo’s a rational, grounded man, but knowing that Minhyuk is interested in him sets Hyunwoo’s imagination on fire.

When Hyungwon joins them again, this time with bright yellow bars of soap, Minhyuk gives his hand a good shake and says, “I’m Lee Minhyuk, by the way. You’ll be seeing a lot of me.”

At the register, Hyunwoo pays for all the soap and Hyungwon doesn’t make any move to protest. He’s earned it; if Hyungwon didn’t like this soap so much, Hyunwoo never would have stepped foot in the store. Maybe the fumes are getting to him, but Hyunwoo leaves that day with a dreamy feeling in his brain and a new contact in his phone.

 

.

 

In a way, it’s funny that Hyunwoo still hasn’t tried a Lush product by now. He’s bought them religiously for months, has been to the tiny store more times than he can count, and yet not one drop of product has graced Hyunwoo’s skin.

Sitting on the edge of the tub feels like a baptism—a floral, pink, and allegedly y baptism that Hyunwoo’s actually a bit nervous for. “What if I break out? Like tomorrow I wake up covered in hives.”

“Our products tend to help the skin, you know,” Minhyuk dips his fingers into the water, “And if you do break out, I’ll still think you’re handsome.”

Hyunwoo hates how Minhyuk knows exactly how to heat his face up. He leans in for a kiss, just a quick one, and thanks some higher power for Minhyuk’s employee benefits because he always tastes amazing.

“It says you’re supposed to cut this in half,” Minhyuk tells him, “but I’m feeling a little crazy.” He winks and Hyunwoo’s heart clenches.

Unceremoniously, Minhyuk tosses the entire bath bomb into the warm tub, grinning at his handiwork when it plops into the water. Swirls of pink fill the water until the whole basin is concentrated with bubblegum powder. And Hyunwoo has to admit, it’s a bit mesmerizing to watch the bomb dissolve and change everything, even if the smell goes to his head.

Minhyuk’s shirt is the first thing to go, and the smaller man hardly makes a show of stripping off the rest of his clothing. But he definitely makes a show of sinking into the tub, tipping his head back, wiggling his brows. “Care to join me?”

Hyunwoo doesn’t have to think twice. Baths have never been for him, but soaking in bubbly water with Lee Minhyuk for an hour or so sounds like heaven. Fake or otherwise, Hyunwoo’s glad he doesn’t have a girlfriend. Minhyuk is more than enough.