Chen sighed as he leaned on the broom in his hand. His cheek pressed against the rough wood and the brush bent at an angle that his boss would most likely yell at him for. The poor broom took the brunt of Chen’s emotions. Honestly, he’s become quite fond of the old thing. In the past it had been something to lean on, literally. It took the physical edge of Chen’s emotion, not the mental. Lord knows how great of a companion a broom is… Chen tried talking to it once. He nearly convinced his boss and his boss’ grandson that he was crazy. It took a lot of discussing to convince them that no, he wasn’t crazy. Chen really couldn’t believe that his boss kept the old thing. He had it since Chen was in college and just started working at the music store. College was pretty stressful for Chen, you could tell by looking at the broom handle. It probably had more scratches and dents than a cat’s scratching post. Now that he’s out of college and still hasn’t made it out as a professional singer, he was beginning to lose hope.

Chen wasn’t giving up just yet, though. There’s more things in life than a job right? There’s love, and right now, Chen was drowning in it. Of course the broom helped him with that too. At this particular moment, Chen found himself leaning against his broom an hour before opening time. Instead of doing his job, which entailed sweeping the store, he was staring across the street longingly. The object of affection, the person that worked across the street at the local tearoom. He was always the first employee there. The one that opened the shop. The one who the lights and machinery and cleaned up before the other employees got there. He was the short cute one with big eyes and big cheeks. He had cute orange-brown hair. Well, to Chen every part of him was cute. And of course, Chen being that awkward guy across the street, borderline stalker/creeper, didn’t even know his name.

Chen simply sighed, leaning against his broom, and watched as the other rifled through his pockets to find his keys. He stared longingly as the other opened the door and turned the lights on inside. He smiled with the other as they began (what Chen assumed) sand and whistled as he cleaned of the tables.

“KIM JONGDAE!”

Chen jumped as he was hit on the head by (a rather heavy) music book.

” Stop standing there and finish sweeping,” Chen’s boss grumbled.

“Yes Sir!” Chen scrambled to finish his job after one last glance at the man across the street.

The rest of his morning was spent cleaning the store (how it go so dusty overnight, Chen could only wonder), sorting through merchandise, carrying boxes for his boss (the old man really didn’t know how to take care of himself), casually glancing across the street, getting yelled at by his boss for casually looking across the street, polishing instruments, and worrying over his boss’ health, and so on, and so on. All of which took place until around lunch. When lunch time did roll around, Chen was organizing a large sack of sheet music when the door opened.

“Welcome to-Oh, Baekhyun.” Chen looked up to see his boss’ grandson and friend walk in bundled up in a large coat and scarf. His brown hair was blown back due to the wind and his cheeks were flushed due to the cold (or so he hoped).

He set down his stack and went to hug his friend.

“Hey, how’s my grandfather?” The other hugged Chen back.

“What? Do you even care about your dongsaeng?” Chen pouted.

“Chen,” Baekhyun rolled his eyes at the pouting man.

“He’s ok, I had to keep him from loading some heavy boxes but that’s it…and I’m ok too, thanks for asking,” Chen answered going back to his sorting.

“Where is he now?” Baekhyun took a small portion of his stack and helped sort.

“Back room or his office. Been there since opening.”

“I should tell him I’m here…” Baekhyun sighed.’

“Ah! Not so fast mister! Sort first then talk,” Chen grabbed the other’s arm.

“I brought this upon myself, didn’t I?” Baekhyun laughed.

“Yup and it’s upon you until you put Beethoven over there,” Chen laughed pointing from the sheet in Baekhyun’s hand to where it goes on the shelf.

“Ok done,” Baekhyun announced.

“What? No you’re not,” Chen exclaimed looking at Baekhyun’s hands.

“You’re right, but you see here, if I have this many,” Baekhyun held up his smaller stack, “and you have that many,” Baekhyun pointed to Chen’s stack, “and I give you my stack-“

“Don’t you dare,” Chen interrupted.

“I’ll be back, don’t destroy anything while I’m gone,” With that Baekhyun smirked and handed Chen his sheets and walked to the backroom.

“HYUNG!” Chen protested.

Chen pouted and finished sorting before returning to the cash register. He stood there and sighed. “Aish, hyung! I’m dying of boredom…” Chen muttered.

Chen huffed and leaned an elbow against the desk. Placing his head in his hand, he turned his head to look out the window. He smiled as his new affection came into view. He was cleaning a table, eyebrows knit together in focus. Suddenly the other looked up and out the window. Chen jumped in surprised as the other’s eyes landed on him. Chen blushed and raised a hand to wave at the other. The other gave Chen a confused smile and nodded his head at the other. Suddenly the music store’s door burst open and Chen fell over when the person who opened the door shouted,” AYYOWASSUP CHEN!”

“Ch-chanyeol! What the heck! You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Chen looked around the desk, still on the ground. He quickly got up to look out the window, only to see that the other had disappeared.

“Chanyeol! I thought I told you to wait in the car!” Baekhyun came out from the back with his grandfather behind him.

“I got bored,” Chanyeol pouted.

“I swear you have the patience of a kindergartener…” Baekhyun muttered.

“Bu you love me,” Chanyeol smiled and pulled his boyfriend into a hug.

“Ew, you two get a room,” Chen fake gagged.

“Well, if you two are just going to sit here and chat, I’ll be in my office. And Chanyeol,” Baekhyun’s grandfather interrupted.

“Y-yes sir?”

“We need to talk later,” Mr.Byun stated seriously.

“Ah- yes sir,” Chanyeol bowed and the elderly man went back to his office.

Chen let his laughter out as soon as the man had closed his office door.

“Hahahaha! Did-did you see your face!” Chen mimicked Chanyeol’s expression, “You looked like you saw a ghost!”

“You little! I’ll have you know Baekkie’s grandfather is freaky intimidating! ”Chanyeol shouted before trying to hit the older.

Chen dodged the attack before running to the back of the store, “YOU’LL NEVER CATCH ME COPER!”

“You wanna bet, Chen Chen?” Chanyeol challenged before chasing after the older.

Baekhyun sighed as he watched the two overgrown idiots chase each other around the store and jumping over boxes and shelves.

“If either of you break something, I swear I’ll-“Baekhyun was cut off by thing door opening behind him. He turned around to see a cute, youthful man with orange-brown hair and big cheeks walk in. He smiled at the other who gave him a slightly scared and surprised look.

“Hi, welcome…uh sorry about this,” Baekhyun gestured to the two idiots chasing each other.

“Uh…hi. Do you…um …work here?” The man asked hesitantly, his eyes following the two chasing each other.

“No, but I know who does. I’m Baekhyun by the way,” Baekhyun shook the other’s hand.

“Minseok, or well, my friends call me Xiumin…” Xiumin replied.

“Right…give me a moment…”Baekhyun turned away from Xiumin before grabbing Chanyeol and Chen by their ears when they passed by.

“Oww o wow owwww,”both men whined.

“Chen you have a customer. Chanyeol…grow up.” Baekhyun sighed exasperatedly.

Chen looked up and gasped. This was not happening. Before him stood his affection from across the street. Up close he was even cuter and more perfect up close. Chen could nearly die in embarrassment.

“Um...hi,” Xiumin smiled.

Alright…he could die now…