It's been three hours. Three long hours without as much as a damn text message from the guy his roommate tried to set him up with and, yes, Yongguk is pissed. He's been stood up, that much is obvious by now, and it doesn't feel anywhere near good. Letting out a heavy sigh he slumps in his chair, playing absentmindedly with the perspiration that clings to the side of the glass of ice water standing on the table in front of him. This wasn't how he wanted to spend his Friday night.

"Do you need a refill on that?" someone asks, probably a waiter. The place is pretty much empty by now and the guy probably doesn't have anything better to do than to serve him so he's just killing time until the place closes for the night. Yongguk shakes his head to answer the question. There is a beat of silence. "I'm... I'm sorry if this seems intrusive, but are you alright?" For the first time Yongguk looks up and the first word that comes to mind when he sees the waiter, who seems to be years younger than himself, is 'cute', but then his gaze falls to the other's toned arms that are exposed in the tanktop he's wearing and... oh.

Successfully ignoring the hot pang in his stomach and instead letting out a heavy sigh, Yongguk looks back at his fingers that are curled tight around the glass. "No. No, I'm not alright, not really, but... I'll get over it." The waiter isn't moving despite already receiving a response and Yongguk raises his gaze again. The other is now shooting him a friendly smile. Yongguk feels like it would be alright to confide in him. "This was supposed to be a date," he explains, gesturing towards the mostly empty table. "But the guy never showed up."

The other grimaces. "Ouch. I'm sorry."

"Like I said, I'll get over it." He feels like the conversation is over, but the guy lingers.

"Getting stood up is never fun," he says after taking a moment to consider his words and he adds: "Clearly it's their loss, though." There's a hint of... something in his tone and when Yongguk glances at him again, the kid is smiling brightly and it's undeniably charming.

"I'm Yongguk," the older introduces himself. He's not sure why.

"I'm-"

"Jongup!" someone shouts from the kitchen. "Where the hell are you? I don't pay you to slack off!"

The kid - Jongup - pulls an unhappy face. Yongguk quickly decides that he likes his smile much better. "Apparently being the owner's son doesn't have many perks," Jongup exhales wistfully as he makes his way towards the back of the restaurant. He pauses midway and turns to Yongguk again and suddenly lights up in a grin. "Wait right there." And Yongguk does.

A few minutes later Jongup returns, but this time he's not empty-handed. He's holding something that is prettily wrapped in clear cellophane and green ribbon and when he gets closer, Yongguk can see that it's a small cake. It's tall and it looks creamy and there is a red glace spilling down the sides of the cake itself and a cherry on top. "Wh-?"

"It's on the house," Jongup says before Yongguk can speak. "Well, on me, really." Yongguk's eyes land on the kid's biceps again and for a brief moment he wonders what the cake would look like if it was literally on him, but he quickly dismisses the thought because one, the kid is clearly too young for him and two, he doesn't even know him. "I know it's not really much of a compensation, but the food here is pretty great and it would be a shame for you to leave with nothing."

"Uhm, thanks," Yongguk mutters, slightly flustered. He should probably decline the free dessert, but that's the last thing on his mind when Jongup's smile is so big and bright and beautiful.

"Jongup!"

"Coming!" He shoots one last glance at Yongguk before leaving.

The door slams loudly behind Yongguk as he enters his apartment, throwing his keys carelessly on the kitchen counter. It doesn't take long before his roommate Daehyun slinks into the kitchen and he takes to watching the older male from the doorway as he gets rid of his jacket and shoes. "You're home early," he says. He sounds surprised for some reason. The older only offers a hum in response. "How was your date?"

"Guy never showed," Yongguk mumbles. He doesn't need to look at Daehyun to know that the other is scrunching up his face.

"I'm sorry about that, I thought this one would be good for you." Yongguk just shrugs. "Hey, hyung, is... is that cheesecake?" Now standing upright, Yongguk looks in the same direction as Daehyun until his gaze lands on the dessert he carefully placed on the kitchen counter earlier.

"Oh, I guess it is." When he looks at Daehyun again the younger is shooting him his best puppy eyes and Yongguk rolls his own because, oh right, that kid and his love for cheesecake. "Alright, whatever, you can have it," he sighs. He isn't really in the mood for cake anyway, especially not when he didn't have anything for dinner.

Daehyun's entire face lights up with glee and Yongguk almost expects him to loudly proclaim his love for him, but the younger is far too busy tearing off the crackling cellophane wrapping and digging through their unorganized drawers for a spoon or a fork or any type of utensil to aid him in his mission of stuffing his face with cake. Even though the younger tends to be a glutton he's still above eating with his hands. Fortunately.

Yongguk trudges towards the living room and plops down on their couch, a worn-out one they had been gifted by Daehyun's mother when they moved in. Today has been a long day. All Yongguk wants to do is relax and maybe mourn his sad excuse for a love life. In the kitchen Daehyun has clearly managed to dig into the cake. "Oh my God," he practically moans. "Can I just marry you?"

"I'm sorry, bro. I like you a lot, but I don't like you that way."

"I was talking to the cake."

"Oh."

Things are quiet for some time except for the rather questionable sounds Daehyun makes to express how much he's enjoying his food, but then all of a sudden he goes silent as well. "Uhm, hyung?" he calls out. "Where did you get this cake again?"

"The restaurant owner's son gave it to me. Why?"

Seconds later Daehyun saunters into the living room. There are crumbs and cream cheese clinging to one corner of his mouth, but his smug smile distracts from that as does the slip of paper he waves in front of Yongguk's face. "I think this was meant for you, then," he says teasingly and when the older snatches the note from his hand he realizes that there is a phone number on it.

~*~

A/N: this idea kind of came from my daughter, even though her idea was with daejong.
jongup's parents (or is it just his mother, I forgot) really do own a restaurant in real life.