It had been two weeks.  Two goddamn weeks and Taemin was so tired of hearing about Jonghyun’s ‘angel’.  The guy wasn’t even that cute, okay.  Okay maybe he was a little cute.  But not enough to warrant such worshipful praise.  Jonghyun was so completely blinded by infatuation that he couldn't see that.  It was disgusting.

Taemin wasn’t sure if he was about to make his own life better or worse but he had to do something.

~~

“Jonghyun!  Love me.  Adore me.  Bow down to me.  You will never believe what I have uncovered,” Taemin announced, a smile on his lips and self-satisfaction seeping from his pores.  

Jonghyun rolled his eyes, leaning against the counter in boredom, “Tell me what it is and then we can discuss my level of adoration.”

“I have found the long lost princess!”

Jonghyun blinked at him, waiting for a proper response.

“You’re goddamn angel.  I found him.”

“What?” Jonghyun’s eyes lit up like his life was suddenly complete.  “Don’t with me right now.”

“I’m not!  He works at the bakery like three ing feet away.  He’s a goddamn barista, how cliché is that?” Taemin muttered the last part but Jonghyun still heard him.  The younger was trying to act nonchalant but he was obviously a little excited about the news.  

“All this time he was right there?” Jonghyun pressed.  

“Yep,” Taemin nodded sagely.  

“I—what do I do?”

“Go over there and talk to him maybe?”

“Looking like this?” Jonghyun screeched, motioning to his work clothes.

“That’s what you were wearing when you met him last time,” Taemin reminded him with a shrug.

“Yeah but I didn’t know I was going to meet that love of my ing life that day or I would have put a little more work into it!” Jonghyun cried.  The news of finding his love had made his emotions swing for excited to unearthly despair in a very short amount of time.  

“Quit being so dramatic.  You don’t even know the guy’s name.”

“Irrelevant.”

“Well… go tomorrow then,” Taemin sighed.

“Yeah… that’ll give me time to… prepare,” Jonghyun nodded, his mind already whirling with everything he needed to do before meeting his angel.  

~~

“I’m not wearing that goddamn beanie,” Jonghyun snapped, slapping Taemin’s hands away.

“It’s a legal ing requirement, moron,” Taemin retorted.

“I don’t care.  I spent two hours on my hair this morning and I’m not going to let some stupid health code ruin it,” Jonghyun shot back.  Rules be damned, he was meeting the love of his life later and it wasn’t going to it up with goddamn hat hair.  

“God—just go.  Go talk to your angel and then get back here and actually be useful.”  Taemin squeezed his eyes shut, sighing like the weight of the world was on his shoulders as he massaged his temple.  

“Really?” Jonghyun perked up immediately.  

“Yes, really.  You are useless right now,” Taemin grumbled.

“Thanks Tae!”

“Yeah, yeah.  Maybe you will actually become a good employee again after you get laid.”

“Quit talking about my angel in such a vulgar manner,” Jonghyun called over his shoulder, already out the door.

Jonghyun took off with a spring in his step.   He may or may not have spent the whole afternoon scouting out the bakery, hoping to catch a glimpse of his love.  God, he really was a creepy.  He was just nervous and excited.  Regardless of how little he knew about his angel, Jonghyun was still harboring a serious crush.  His palms were getting sweaty and his stomach fluttering like he was a teenager again.  

He took a deep breath, pushing the door open and entering the bakery.  It smelled heavenly, warm pastries and fresh brewed coffee waifed past his nose.  His adrenaline was pumping but his heart plummeted when he saw no sign of his perfect angel.  The girl at the counter was smiling at him, waiting for him to order something.  He inched up to the counter, nerves making him shaky and awkward, “Excuse me, I’m—I’m looking for someone who works here?”

“What’s their name?”

“I—he’s… tall with sandy brown hair?” Jonghyun tried.  God he was pathetic.  He didn’t even know his angels name.  This was such a terrible idea.  

She frowned at him, “I’m not sure I know who you’re talking about.  Are you sure they work here?”

“Yes, I’m sure.  Thank you for your time,” Jonghyun muttered, slightly mortified at how ridiculous he sounded.  With heavy feet he dragged himself back to the restaurant, ready to crawl into a hole and die of sadness and embarrassment.

~~

“He came to my work!”

“That’s so ing cute,” Kibum squealed.

“How did he even know where I work?”  Jinki wondered out loud.  

“The bakery is on the same street.  It’s not the weird,” Kibum shrugged.  

“But… how did he pick the one day I wasn’t working?” Jinki asked, trying to keep the whiny tone out of his voice.

“Fate is a fickle friend,” The younger patted him arm in mock sympathy.  

“Shut up, Kibum.  What am I supposed to do?”

“Do?  You know where he works.  He likes you, you like him.  It’s not really that complicated,” Kibum rolled his eyes like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  

“I don’t like him!  I don’t even know him!  And I can’t just… walk in there,” Jinki shook his head at the very thought.

Kibum rolled his eyes, “Why not?”

“What would I even say? ‘Hey ummm… you were stalking me, I think.  What’s up?’”

“Or you could just… say hi, flash him a smile and give him your number,” Kibum suggested.  

“I can’t just do that.”

“You’re making things more complicated than it needs to be.  If you don’t do this on your own, I’m just going to order Mexican food every night and make you pick it up.  I can eat tacos for a long ing time; don’t test me.”

“This isn’t funny,” Jinki cried.  

“It wasn’t meant to be.”

“UGH!”

“You like him,” Kibum stated.  It wasn’t a question, rather portrayed as fact.  The grass is green, the sky is blue, Jinki likes the creepy cashier.  

“I don’t even know him,” Jinki responded, a little uncomfortable with Kibum’s assurance.  

“Yes, we are currently trying to remedy that.”

“I can’t like someone I don’t even know,” Jinki argued, but anymore it felt like he was trying to convince himself more than Kibum.  

“Of course you can.  You think he’s attractive for one.  You know that he’s into you too, and not just in a ual way; which is adorable – two.  And three, sometimes you just feel a connection with people.  It doesn’t require time or in-depth conversations or stereotypical courting rituals, you just click.  Let it happen.  Embrace it.  Get to know him and you’ll probably see why you guys clicked so easily to begin with.”

“I guess…” Jinki mumbled, letting the topic fall flat as he tried to work it all out in his own mind.  

~~

Jinki spent a lot longer on his outfit and hair that he was really willing to admit.  He wasn’t one for fancy clothes or elaborate hairstyles, usually opting for the ‘just rolled out of bed’ look.  However, he cleaned up pretty well if he did say so himself.  He tried to keep things simple, nice jeans that were just a touch tighter than was comfortable paired with a fitted shirt.  A little tussle and some gel to his hair and he was ready to go.

He was nervous, stupidly so.  He had no idea what he was even going to do or say.  He had no plan whatsoever.  This was a terrible idea.  Just terrible.

So of course, it felt like mere seconds had passed but suddenly he was rounding the corner, the restaurant looming just ahead.  He didn’t give himself time to think or else he knew he would chicken out, pushing the door open and stepping through.

He had built it up so much in his head, he was actually a little disappointed to find the thin blond boy staring back at him instead of who he wanted to see.  However, said blond boy’s face immediately lit up at the sight of him, a dangerous grin on his face.

“Oh Jjong~,” he called out, “Your lover boy is here!”

Lover-boy?  Jinki could feel the heat settling into his cheeks.

Before he could bask in his own embarrassment for too long, beanie boy, apparently called ‘Jjong’ came poking out from the back, his eyes going wide at the sight of Jinki.

“You’re here,” he breathed, a smile blooming on his face.

“Umm… yeah,” Jinki replied, internally cursing at himself.  He just sounded so... stupid.

“I tried to see you at your work…”

“Yeah, I heard.  I was off that day,” Jinki explained, trailing off.  God, he sounded so lame even to his own ears.

“I’m glad you came by,” Jonghyun responded,.  He bit his lip rather shyly, but his whole face was shining with thinly veiled happiness.  It was weird.  Jinki didn’t understand it at all.  They didn’t even know each other.  How could his presence make beanie boy this happy?  It was weird but it was also soooo cute.  Jinki was a er for cute.   

“I—”

“Oh my god!  You two are absolutely ridiculous.  Just kiss already!” The blond kid screamed from the back, his eyes peering through the small window on the door.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry about him,” Jonghyun squeaked, a flush creeping up his neck.

“It’s okay,” Jinki mumbled.  

“You probably already figured this out but… I really like you.  Please go out with me?” The words rushed and a little jumbled but they were laced with so much sincerity.  

“I—you don’t even know me,” Jinki whispered.  He wasn't sure what else to even say.  He ducked his head a little bit before glancing up at the cashier through his eyelashes.  

“But I’d like to.”

Jinki took a moment, getting lost in those big pleading eyes.  He saw nothing but genuine hopefulness staring back at him and suddenly the words just tumbled from his mouth, “I’m free on Saturday.”

“Really?”  There was that smile again, like Jinki had hung the moon and stars just for him and it was cute.  Jonghyun was cute.  Damn it, there were those butterflies again.   

“My name is Jinki, by the way.

“Hi Jinki.  I’m Jonghyun.”

Jinki had no idea what he was getting himself into.  Jonghyun was still being a little creepy, but cute creepy.  Definitely cute creepy.  Besides, there was a warmth to Jonghyun’s gaze that made it all feel okay.  

how adorable is jong tho?

so creepy

so cute ^^