Chanhee walks on a quiet street while hanging his head low. It's winter in Korea, and the thick soft snow drowns his thin legs, before he shakes the puff off and continues to walk. The street seem empty, but Chanhee won't let the cold weather stops him from doing what he usually does. As his eyes wander around to find a thrift shop with bright tiny lamps around it, he puffs his chubby cheeks and walks a bit faster. He pushes the door open, and smiles having the warmth from the store's heater greets him. He takes tiny steps around and looks at things that interest him. He doesn't know why he does that, afterall he comes here every single day and memorizes specifically where things are. And at the end of the day, he will always walks to the tiny shelf near the cashier, and greets the tiny boy behind the bar while handing the thing that he wants to buy. Usually, it's a pack of gum. Only, a pack of gum, result of him wandering around the store for hours.

 

But today, as he spends unusually more time on the tiny shelf, he also experiences an unusual thing.

"It used to be mine."

Chanhee turns his head to the source of voice. The tiny cashier guy speaks to him for the first time, and he stares at something Chanhee holds in his palm.

Little teddy bear keychain in blue shirt.

 

"I had no idea how I got it, it's always stuck on my backpack," the guy continues, "I didn't want to let it go. I had a feeling that this is a special keepsake. But then girls around me started giving me teddy bears, and I've had enough."

The guy chuckles but then stops when he feels stupid for doing that alone, while the other guy with doe eyes keep staring at him like a table full of feast.

"The name is L.Joe"

He offers his hand after he introduces himself, and smiles seeing Chanhee raises his eyebrows. The name gets everyone everytime.

 "Chanhee. What kind of name is L.Joe."

"Long story."

Chanhee just shrugs a bit while staring at the teddy bear. He stares at the price tag, eventho he memorizes it already. The price stays the same and Chanhee pouts. He mumbles quietly but loud enough for L.Joe to hear.

"30000 won for such a tiny keychain."

"I told you I didn't want to let it go, that's why I set the price high. I have this belief that if no one wants it, then maybe it belongs to me all along. But I think I cheat the system a bit."

"I'll take it."

 

---

 

The two boys look at each other from each side of the table, ice creams on it left melting. L.Joe's eyes can't leave Chanhee's backpack alone, which now has the teddy bear keychain hanging on it. While Chanhee, well, Chanhee needs to thank the mother earth for the snow that stops people from coming to the store so L.Joe has to close early.

 

But ice creams and cold winter are weird match, no?

Not really, after Chanhee managed to find out the undying love L.Joe has for ice creams, and the slightly older guy also guessed correctly for the first time on what flavor L.Joe likes the most, white chocolate. Which is weird because as far as L.Joe remembers, there's only one ice cream stores around the neighborhood that sells the exact flavor.

 

"I followed you around."

L.Joe lifts his head up and stares at Chanhee's serious face, not knowing how can the guy reads his mind. He's supposed to be scare for his life right now, or call a police and save himself, but he can't. He just chuckles. I'm the one who asks him out anyway.

"You mean like a stalker?"

"Exactly like a stalker."

"Interesting.. What else that you know about me?"

"Well, I also know that you always take food home... I'm guessing you can't cook? And you own dozens of sweaters. You wear them all the time. Like today."

Chanhee pulls weakly on the L.Joe's sleeve. L.Joe stares at Chanhee. Chanhee smiles.

"And when things get too hot, you will take the sweater off and there's a sleeveless tees inside. You like cola, but pepermint tea is your favorite drink. You will arrive at 9 every day at the store, eating your breakfast inside. Close the store and go back home at 5. And..."

"And?"

"And you're the most adorable human being I've ever seen in my entire life."

 

---

 

Chanhee knows that L.Joe opens the store at 9.

Chanhee doesn't know that today he might be behind schedule.

But at least he does now, after he glances to the digital clock on the counter next to him, and to the other side of the bed to find the tiny boy curling up like a baby. He turns his body to face the guy with colorful hair and caresses the soft locks softly, scared of waking him up. But he does anyway, and he stops what he's doing while feeling guilty. L.Joe blinks rapidly, trying to gain his soul back, and succesfully does so when he sees the clock.

". Why didn't you wake me up."

"Uh. If I were you, I don't want someone to interrupt my beauty sleep."

L.Joe shakes his head and gets up in a rush, runs to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Chanhee can only sits on the bed while staring blankly at the bathroom door. Guilty feeling part two. The guy with pink locks comes out after drying himself half-heartedly. Chanhee gulps.

"Thank God it's my own store. Well, don't you have jobs or anything to do?"

"I'm on my vacation. I don't work. I basically try to find something to do."

"Well, I'm gonna regret this but, just stay here until I close the store okay? I don't want you to get lost or something."

"Or you just don't want to lose me."

"Please, you go to my store everyday. How much easier should it be for me to find you."

 

---

 

"When they died, the store was basically passed to me. Up until now. All alone."

"You have me now, ain't you? Not so alone anymore."

L.Joe smiles. He smiles a lot since he met Chanhee.

"So how about you? Why did you come here? When will you go back? What did you do?"

"Well, I'm on my vacation. Sort of. I kinda have something to do, like a mission. After awhile, I like it here, and I decided to just spend more time and postpone going back home."

"And stalk me."

"Yes, and stalking you."

"And your job? How the hell did you just leave it like that? How did you get your money?"

"I run a shop. I have employees. They kinda know how important this mission is. I still get my report every know and then, and the money keeps flowing."

"That's a good life you live in."

"Yeah, it used to be better tho."

L.Joe was about to ask a question when the sound of rain is heard. Chanhee feels a raindrop on his nose, and they both realized they need to go back soon. Separation is out of the option.

"Can we go to your place instead? We went to mine last night."

"It's miles from here. Let's just go to yours again, shall we?"

At least L.Joe won't be sleeping cold again tonight.

 

---

 

"So why me?"

Chanhee lifts his head up from L.Joe's shoulder and stops what he's doing, which is basically inhaling the other guy's scent as much as he can. He stares at L.Joe with his big eyes, raises his eyebrows in confusion. L.Joe smiles, his thumb caresses the soft cheeks softly.

"Why stalk me around? It's not like I'm that interesting for people to pay attention to."

"That's a secret."

Chanhee giggles and buries his face back on L.Joe's bare chest. He folds his knees a bit so their legs tangle with each other trying to balance out the short guy next to him. L.Joe clearly wasn't impressed on the answer, as he pouts his lips waiting for more answer.

"But how about you? Did you just take in your stalker home and sleep with them like this?"

"Ey.. What kind of a man you think I am, hm?"

Chanhee shrugs. Conversation is not really his priority at the moment, but he loves listening to L.Joe.

"You will find out why. Sooner or later. You're way more interesting that you think you are."

"Is this one of your missions?"

Yes, it is.

"Nope. Just curiosity. And it pays off well."