Jongin doesn’t come that Monday afternoon.

And it’s quite obvious by the way Kyungsoo absentmindedly decorates a batch of red velvet cupcakes with the most uninterested face he’s ever put in front of baking, that he’s slightly disappointed. Sehun and Luhan watch by the door frame as he silently goes about his work, drowning himself in wills of perfecting his pastries in order to avoid entertaining thoughts of an absent Jongin. Sehun nudges Luhan by the arm.

“What’s up with him.”

“I don’t know. He seems a little off today doesn’t he?”

“A little? He’s never been that bored with baking before.”

“Mm...”

Luhan turns his attention to the kitchen once more, taking a few minutes of silence to observe Kyungsoo’s peculiar behaviour before turning back to Sehun.

“Go ask him what the problem is!”

“Woah woah, You’re the one who’s been taking him home you go ask!”

“I wasn’t taking him home Just go and ask!”

“No! Have you seen him angry? Have you ever tried interrupting him that time when he was baking his older brother’s birthday cake? Has he ever shot daggers at you with his those two giant eyes??? It’s not a very nice feeling thanks.”

“Please Sehun?”

“No.”

“Sehun-ah?”

“No!”

“Sehunnie?”

“Fine.”

Doe-eyes. Works like a charm. Luhan smiles victoriously.

Sehun rolls his eyes once before finally gathering the courage to step forward into the older boy’s territory. He couldn’t deny that the atmosphere was different, usually, when Kyungsoo is baking, everything feels vibrant, lively and optimistic. However now is a different case, something passive and desperate lingering in the air.

Sehun swallows, garnering the attention of the sulky baker.

“Oh, Sehun-ah.”

“Hyung.”

“Don’t worry there haven’t been any delivery calls.”

“Hyung…are you alright?”

 “What?”

“I mean, is there something wrong?”

“…Why?”

“You’re acting strange.”

“No I’m not.”

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Splendid.”

Kyungsoo doesn’t take his eyes off the platter of cupcakes. Sehun senses the oozing sarcasm in his statement.

“Luhan and I are worried.”

“You don’t have to be, I’m okay. See?”

 A somewhat forced smile is thrown at the younger boy and it disappears just as quickly as it had appeared.

“I’m not convinced.”

“That’s not my problem.”

“Hyung…”

Sehun lets an audible sigh escape his lips once he is again answered with silence. He waits a bit more for any sort of response or sign that Kyungsoo is okay and that he’s just probably out of icing again, though sadly nothing comes. Turning around to meet eyes with Luhan by the door, he shrugs.

Luhan simply groans, rolling his eyes and clucking his tongue before stomping his way inside.

“KYUNGSOO.”

The smaller boy doesn’t flinch. “What.”

His lack of attention has Luhan on his limits. Gritting his teeth, the boy reaches forward and purposely scoops up an entire head of icing onto his palm, smudging it all over a clueless Kyungsoo’s face. The other grimaces as he eyes his now-ruined-cupcakes, hands snaking up to his own face to carefully wipe at the sticky mess.

 “LUHAN WHAT THE HE-“

 “Good. Now you’re listening. Now. TELL US WHATS WRONG.”

Dead silence makes everything even more awkward as the two parties hold a mini staring contest. Luhan’s eyes stare intently back at Kyungsoo’s while the latter doesn’t break his glare. Sehun stands uncomfortably by the side, whispering things that are probably meant to calm the two down but no one really wants to hear them right now.

"It’s none of your busine-“

“Don’t say that. Kyungsoo we’ve been friends for years, nothing’s none of my business anymore. If you won’t tell me what it is that’s bothering you how can I help you?”

“How can we help you. Hyung, Luhan hyung’s right, we really can tell that you’re not your best today. What happened?”

Kyungsoo sighs an air of defeat, visibly deflating. “It’s shallow really.”

“Tell us. Did you break something in your kitchen again? Are you out of eggs? Or maybe someone said your cooking tastes horrible?”

“Not That shallow.”

“Then what is it? Come on we’ll listen.”

“….It’s just-“

“Hello?”

An unfamiliar voice cuts Kyungsoo mid-sentence, the sound of the doors chiming open as what he  suspects is a new customer comes in. Upon hearing the sound all three eyes dart towards the door that leads out the kitchen.

 “Uhm. Hi?”

“Hyung there’s a customer.”

“Go on Lu, I have to finish this batch.”

“But you haven’t told me what’s wrong!”

“There’s a customer.”

“He can wait. He’ll think we’re on lunch break or something.”

“It’s half-past lunch Lu, you can’t make a customer wait.”

“You can’t make me wait for your answer either.”           

 “Uh, hyungs, I-I can be the one to go out if you guys want…”           

 “Sure.” “No.”

Sehun blinks a few times in confusion, not knowing who’s order to follow exactly.

“Forget it Sehun, I’ll do it.” Kyungsoo sighs, taking off his apron and tossing it towards Luhan.

“Ugh, you owe me a story.” The doe-eyed boy scowls.

 “You owe me a day off.”

Despite their previous bickering Luhan finds himself trotting silently behind his bestfriend, following him out to the counter where their most unexpected new customer awaits. (or rather the most expected in the case of one certain little guy)

Kyungsoo has his eyes averted from the young man in front of the counter, too busy wiping the remains of icing from his face as he goes through with the necessary greetings of Hi hello goodmorning sir what may I do for you today? He still doesn’t lift his gaze when the man starts to speak up, the raspy tone of his voice strangely a familiar ring to his ears.

“Hi. Uhm, I suppose you didn’t expect that I’d actually come…but well I had nothing else to do today you see so...i figured that it’s never too late…”

For a moment Kyungsoo has no clue what the guy’s talking about. For a moment. That is until he finally decides to turn his eyes towards the boy with familiar tanned skin and tussled blonde hair.

“Oh.” Kyungsoo blinks, eyes wide with surprise. Ironically he isn’t supposed to be surprised, isn’t this what he’s been expecting the entire day? “Jongin-ssi.”

“Kyungsoo-ssi” Jongin smiles showing his row of pearly white teeth and Kyungsoo entirely forgets about his fight with Luhan just moments ago. He tries to give his best smile back, eyes squinting up into two half-moons as his lips form his trademark heart-shaped smile people have told him he’s had since high school.

You see the funny thing about liking someone is the fact that when you’re not with them, you conjure up all these silly scenarios of the two of you having lengthy conversations and enjoying each other’s company, but then in reality once you’re face to face with him/her you actually cannot find a single right thing to say, so basically you flush the possibilities of a conversation down the drain and succumb to the humiliation of mindlessly staring and letting the awkward silence reign.

Kinda like what Kyungsoo is doing right now.

Whatever words he’s rehearsed in his head are now currently stuck in his throat as he finds himself watching Jongin eye the display of cakes.

What the two are unaware of however, is the watchful eyes of a certain boy who stood somewhere close by, a sly smirk now slowly making its appearance as Kyungsoo’s goofy smile is all it takes for him to get the picture. So much for a shallow problem huh. “Oh Sehun of course that’s the problem.”

“I’m sorry what?” Sehun just blinks back bewildered. Luhan’s smile only grows wider.

“Never thought this day would come.”

“I...don’t follow?”

“I didn’t know Kyungsoo would go for the bad boy look.”

“Bad boy…huh?”

“Oh Sehun today is remarkable”

"You’re scaring me hyung.”

“Stay here. I need to play cupid.”

“Huh?”

The younger’s confused looks don’t earn any sort of sympathy from Luhan as he simply smiles not-so-innocently at him before patting his shoulder and walking towards the counter, specifically towards Jongin. Kyungsoo doesn’t even realize someone is by his side until a high pitched overly enthusiastic Hi! Rings in his left ear.

“Hello dear customer, do any of our cakes interest you?” Luhan sing songs, slinging an arm around Kyungsoo as the smaller boy jumps at the sudden contact, his eyes looking in between the line of curious and threatening, though the other pays no mind.

"Hm? Oh, actually, I’ve always loved the cakes you sell here they’re all very cleverly designed.” Jongin smiles, Kyungsoo whips his head around as quickly as he can to catch a glimpse of it.

“Really? You should know then, that the genius behind everything beautiful in here is no one other than my favourite little baker Ky-“

“Kyungsoo? Yeah. He mentioned that he’s in charge of baking here the first time we met back at the grocery. It’s the reason I came actually…”

“Aaah… the first time you met. At the g r o c e ry. Well, isn’t that brand new information.” He eyes Kyungsoo.

The way Luhan emphasizes every single word of his sentence accompanied by an imploring glare and repeated squeezes on Kyungsoo’s arm has him squirming uncomfortably underneath his hold, realizing that the older is probably up to no good now that he’s found out about his little ‘Problem’. At the corner of his eye he sees Jongin look at him with concern. He pouts as Luhan now manoeuvres the both of them out behind the counter till they’re right next to tanned boy.

“Jongin-ssi, you’ve come just in time. Little Kyungie here’s been gloomy, aaaallll day. He just couldn’t stop talking about you! I was beginning to worry that he’d get no work done today, see even half of his cupcakes aren’t finished because he wouldn’t stop blabbering about this cute college guy who mmmfmfm-“

Kyungsoo covers Luhan’s mouth with his hand.

“THANK YOU, LUHAN, and your impossible lies, you may now get back to work-“

“But-“

“I’m so sorry Jongin-ssi,” he pauses to grunt when Luhan starts squirming uncontrollably like a fish out of water. “It’s just one of his ways to hit on cute customers pay no mind to him he’s a bird brain really let me just-“

“BIRD BRAIN?!” Luhan muffles against the smaller’s hand but Kyungsoo merely drags him back behind the counter mumbling all sorts of profanities and promises of dire punishment. He doesn’t make it all the way to the kitchen however (where he originally intends to stick Luhan into an oven or something), because Jongin’s deep chuckle has him stopping on his tracks.

“.” He whispers to himself with eyes shut, before releasing his captive and roughly pushing him towards a confused Sehun. Taking 5 seconds to recompose, he turns around and stands behind the counter once more, eyes downcast in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry. But that’s really not what I’ve been doing all day. I’ve been working really hard.”

“You called me cute though” Jongin tries to hide his laughter as he watches Kyungsoo groan and wallow in his own misery. In those few seconds he spends staring, he notices the faint white smudge at the corner of the smaller boy’s left cheek. 

“Is that…?” He leans close, Kyungsoo’s invisible warning bells ringing somewhere in a distance with each centimetre closer the boy comes.

Jongin sniffs once before lifting his index finger to gently swipe at the other’s cheek, the action causing Kyungsoo to close his eyes tightly. Taking one more sniff he dabs the substance once on his tongue before grinning knowingly at the taste.

“Huh. Icing.”

“eh?”

“You weren’t joking about working hard I guess.” He smirks when Kyungsoo peeks one eye open before sighing after he’s regained his much needed personal space. “But to your credit, its good icing."

“Are you buying or not??”

Jongin laughs, clearly amused at the other’s dismay. “Are you making anything right now?” He asks, head inclining to the left to peek over Kyungsoo’s shoulder into the kitchen, where his red velvet cupcakes lay half destroyed thanks to Luhan. (or no thanks)

“Yeah, a couple of cupcakes but they’re not finished…”

“I’ll take them then.” Jongin absentmindedly remarks as he brings out his wallet.

“but they’re not finished…”

“I know. Don’t worry you can finish them first.” He places a few bills onto the counter and Kyungsoo eyes them warily.

“this is…too much…they’re not worth a lot.”

“Don’t be silly, the extra’s service charge.”

“Service charge?"

“Yup.”

“Oh We don’t charge for service”

“but you’ll have to do me the service of eating them with me.”

Kyungsoo blinks, not quite sure he’s heard the other right. “Excuse me?”

The tanned boy checks his watch briefly “Monday, it’s a weekday. You end at 7 right?”

“yes.”

“I’ll come back at that time, I suppose your cupcakes are finished by then.”

“Y-yeah but…”

“Okay! Good then!” “

“Does that mean-"

“Pick you up at seven.” Jongin smiles and gives a playful salute before turning on his heel to jog up to the door quickly. Poor Kyungsoo is left baffled and confused.

“No- Wait-!” He calls out, sadly to no avail for the other had already exited the bakeshop, jogging further down the streets of Hongdae till his back is nothing but a blur in the crowd. Kyungsoo remains silent for a moment, staring into empty space as he tries to piece things together in his head.

“In case you still haven’t figured it out.” Luhan pipes, leaning against the counter to his left with one hand propped against his hip. “He just asked you out.”

“Huh?”

“Oh dear Kyungie, my naïve little baker, You got asked out on a date! Tsk and you called me the bird brain.”

“Hyung you clearly like him.” Sehun joins in, striding towards them with his arms crossed over his chest and his signature poker face plastered on. “and he’s clearly showing some interest in you as well. I think you should go for it.”

“I’m with Sehun, how long have you been single actually, I can already picture you growing old and alone and wrinkly. Kyungie you’re much more cuter with someone around making you blush.”

“Okay so I find him ridiculously attractive-“

“Well there you have it!”

“no it’s not that simple!”

“Kyungie my dear love is never simple.”

“I- You don’t understand!…” Kyungsoo sighs, cradling his head in his hands. “It’s not easy. There’s a reason I don’t go on dates and get into relationships, you know that lu hyung. I’m…I’m different…I’m a freak remember? I’m scared- that- that they’d get scared-”

Sehun and Luhan remain silent, eyeing each other sadly, as if they’ve heard Kyungsoo put himself down like this several times before already, which they have.

“It’s just not easy.” He repeats, head held low in defeat. “and it’s winter…everything dies in winter. I’m more at risk then, the more I touch, the more others see.”

“Kyungsoo…”

Suddenly, the bakery doors chime open right as Luhan is about to speak. The trio’s attention is momentarily dawn away from each other as they watch a middle aged woman walk in. As much as the eldest ached to comfort his friend, he couldn’t do anything when Kyungsoo nonchalantly brushes past him and Sehun towards the kitchen, silently picking up where he’s left off. Sehun pats his shoulder weakly, and all Luhan can return is a nod of understanding. He flashes a bright smile for a customer he is in no mood to attend to. Work is work after all. He could only wish that Kyungsoo gives himself a chance this once.

***

30 minutes before 7pm the bakery lights are already dimming down and Kyungsoo is stocking up the last of their cakes. He’s spent almost his entire shift brooding over whether he should accept Jongin’s offer or not, and now that he’s down to his last 30 minutes to decide, he’s sort of beginning to panic.

Appearance-wise, it’s hard to deny that Jongin is an attractive young man. Maybe not at first glance, after all, Kyungsoo had never noticed him at the train station before, not until Jongin himself pointed out that they often crossed paths. But if one was given the time and chance to really take a look at him, his were the looks of a potential model. Even his body was tall and lean. And so it isn’t a mystery why Kyungsoo’s felt his insides bubble when he first laid eyes on his smile.

Well, that’s reason one to accept the offer.

But Kyungsoo knew such a reason was too shallow to trust a complete stranger. And so he digs his mind for another reason, and he finds himself agreeing that Jongin is quite adorable, personality-wise. His little mannerisms of scratching his nape or his cheek when he’s shy is enough to make Kyungsoo’s knees go weak. But in contrast to that he was also brave to have gone out of his way to introduce himself and even visit Kyungsoo at his own bakeshop. Well, at least that’s the little he could get out of the two meetings they’ve had.

Yet another reason to accept the offer.

Though just like he’s said, it’s not that easy.

Every time he comes close to saying yes, he remembers that day several years ago when he was merely a little boy, carelessly crossing the street to retrieve his tiny soccer ball which he may have kicked a bit too far. He could still clearly hear his mother’s screams of Kyungsoo! Kyungsoo don’t go there baby get off the street! Followed by the screeching of tires against the cemented asphalt.  

When he opened his eyes to find himself unharmed save for the few scrapes on his knees and hands, with his mother bleeding profusely in the middle of the street and the car steering away as fast as it could, Kyungsoo gave no second thoughts to revive her, just like he did with his little goldfish.

Little did he know that his father was in his car driving home, a good minute away from parking into the garage, arriving home and greeting his family. It never happened, because when his mother’s eyes opened, his father’s snapped closed, for good. A life for a life.

Just when he thinks nothing could get worse, he finds himself discovering more to his powers, when his mother kisses him goodnight that same evening after she had been gone at the police station all day, answering questions about her husband’s peculiar and ever so sudden death. Upon contact of her soft lips against his forehead, she dies. It was the night Kyungsoo had cried his hardest, also the night he learns of the effect of his second touch.

It was the first and last time he had used his ability on a human. Now he was afraid to get too attached to people, because he was afraid that when their time came, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from giving back lives, and taking others in the process.

He’s been convincing himself that his small clique of friends (which mainly included Luhan, Sehun, Tao his high school friend, and seungsoo, his brother) was enough for him to make it through the rest of his life, because all the times he’s tried to get into new relationships, tried to tell them of his speciality, never ended nicely. Either he’d end up bullied, used, or feared. Kyungsoo was tired of that.

“Aye, look who’s decided to push through.”

“Quiet.” Kyungsoo mumbles, fiercely concentrated on carefully placing the now beautifully decorated red velvet cupcakes into a teal colored box. “I’m just going to deliver what he ordered. Then I’m heading home.”

“You should really let more people in to your life Kyungsoo, I’m scared for you, and I want more people to look after you“

"I can take care of myself Lu hyung.”

“Just saying.” Luhan raises both his hands in defence. “Anyway are you going to tell me how long you’re planning to live in your parent’s funeral, how much black have you got in your closet huh?”

“What?”

“Black sweater, black jeans, black shoes…very tacky. I should buy you something neon for the holidays.”

“Spare me.”        

"Tch more like ‘thank me’. Anyway, You should know that your prince charming has been outside for the last 20 minutes waiting for you in the freezing cold. I mean...waiting for your ‘delivery’”

“What?! Why didn’t you tell me earlier I would’ve hurried!” Kyungsoo argues as he quickly arranges the last of his cupcakes before closing the lid, wiping his hands sloppily onto his apron which he takes off and hangs by the lockers.

“Sorry, I just figured you weren’t interested.”

Kyungsoo settles for rolling his eyes as a response.

Sehun comes in just then to give a time check, and the three of them make one last round to check on things before they finally exit the bakeshop. True enough, there seated on one of the sidewalk benches close by was Jongin, his one hand buried in the pocket of his coat as the other tugged his beanie lower, hiding a crown of platinum blonde hair underneath. Kyungsoo watches him fondly until he feels something warm envelop his free hand. He turns to see Sehun tucking it inside black gloves, and before he could even ask, the youngest speaks up.

“I know you’re scared, he doesn’t have to find out for now. Wear this, maybe it’ll lessen the effect.”

“Sehun-ah… I’m not- I’m just going to give these to him.”

“That’s bull hyung.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen at the sudden harshness of his words but Sehun merely continues tugging the gloves in place.

“I’m kind of tired seeing you push away every single person who wants to get closer to you. You like this guy and this guy clearly has some interest in you so what’s the problem? I want you to try it out this once. He doesn’t have to know how much of a weirdo you are just yet, maybe you should let him get to know you first, let him see how good of a person you are and maybe then it would be easier for him to accept such a tiny flaw in you.”

“Sehun-ah..."

“No, Luhan hyung did not bribe me to say this. I’m saying this because you’re my hyung, and I want you to be happy. There.”

Kyungsoo stares at his gloved hands before turning back to Sehun, who by this time was no longer by his side and was instead unhinging his bike from its stand, Luhan waiting for him patiently.

“I’m hitching a ride with this dork for today.” He lightly comments when he meets Kyungsoo’s gaze. “Run along now, you wouldn’t want to keep your customer waiting.”

The smaller boy huffs a cloud of white air before gathering the courage to walk up to where Jongin sat. When a pair of black sneakers came into his view, the tanned boy immediately lifted his head up and greeted Kyungsoo with a sweet smile. “Hey.”

“Hi, uhm, I’m sorry I made you wait…You could’ve come in and waited in the shop though, it’s much warmer there. You look like you’re freezing.”

“Ahah, no I didn’t want to pressure you into hurrying or anything so I stayed out here.” Jongin stands, Kyungsoo mentally takes note of how he needs to slightly crane his head backwards in order to meet his gaze. He’s never been one to be so proud of his height.

“The cupcakes I promised by the way, they’re finished now don’t worry.”

“I hope none of the icing came from your face.” Jongin laughs.

“Ya.”

“I’m just joking, Thank you. Are your friends heading home?”

“Uhuh, Luhan hyung, the noisy bird brain, is hitching a ride with Sehun-ah, the quiet one.”

“Oh. That Luhan freaks me out. Sehun seems cool though, just a bit scary.”

When an awkward silence takes over the atmosphere, Kyungsoo mentally wages war with himself, pondering on whether he should just leave right now or strike a conversation. Jongin doesn’t seem to be bothered much, but when Kyungsoo suddenly makes a decision to scram, he’s left staring in confusion as the smaller boy begins stiffly walking down the sidewalk.    

“Hey hey hey!” He calls out, jogging up in front of the other and effectively blocking his way. “I paid you service charge!”

“I-I’m really sorry, I could give you your money back if you want but-“

“I don’t want my money, you can keep it I just want to take you out.”

“Jongin-“

“Whats the matter? Was I acting creepy? Did I really seem like a stalker?”

“No! No you were fine”

“Then is it because you don’t like me? It’s because I introduced myself in a grocery store isn’t it. I knew I should’ve just walked up to you at the train station when I had the chance. I’m sorry, really.”

“It’s none of those.”

“Then will you please come and eat these cupcakes with me? I know a place where they make the really good coffee, or if you aren't into that their hot chocolate is just as good.”

Squinting his eyes and carefully observing the boy in front of him, Kyungsoo isn’t really sure what he feels anymore, what when Jongin’s eyes are practically pleading him to come. He looks much like an eager little puppy and sure enough if he had a tail right now it would be wagging.  

Kyungsoo didn’t have the heart to say no. 

A/N: boring chapter tbh idk orz to explain how kyungsoo's parents died, his mom got into a hit and run trying to save him when he was chasin his precious soccer ball while his dad died as an exchange for his mom's life. But then his mom kissed him which means she touches him the second time around so she dies permanently. Idek idek cries sobs