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It’s been two weeks since the spontaneous cake party held by the flower people (as the employees and employer of the tattoo parlor a few shops away fondly called them). Two week of friendly visits now and again, two weeks of awkward exchanges between Seungcheol and Jeonghan, only one week before the employees from both establishments caught on to Jeonghan’s painful crush on the cheerful flower-shop owner and one week of them trying to find a way to fix it.

“You saw each other yesterday, yes?”

Jeonghan pressed his lips together in mild irritation as Seungkwan leant against the tattoo parlor’s counter, picking out his fifth gumdrop from their ‘free candy’ bowl and popping it in his mouth.

“Hey, enough of that, these are for paying customers!” Soonyoung barked, pulling the bowl away and putting it out from Seungkwan’s reach. “And I could only guess that it went pitifully, as it always does.” He added, shrugging as Jeonghan shot him a glare. “What? It’s true.”

“So what happened?” Seungkwan continued to pry, but not after swiping one more gum drop. Jeonghan narrowed his eyes, closing their record book with a sigh. “Don’t you have work? I don’t think Cheol would appreciate my poaching his employees.” Seungkwan let out a smug hum that had the rest of the tattoo parlor hoot along. “Cheol, hm? Doesn’t sound pitiful to me.” Jeonghan scoffed before walking around the counter and to his station. “Believe me, it was pitiful.” He finally said, running a hand through his hair, now grey-blue in color. He pulled out some of his inks, the small smile on his lips contradicting his latest statement.  

Jeonghan had been the last to leave, as per usual. He had been locking up, only to notice that he wasn’t the only one out late. He turned to his side and stiffened, watching Seungcheol lock up as well, jiggling his keys once, twice and thrice before nodding his head in content. Jeonghan couldn’t help but smile at the strange habit. He remembered Seungcheol telling him it was a weird superstition his father had passed on to him before he inherited the business. 

A few moments passed before Seungcheol looked up and to the side, eyes meeting Jeonghan’s. He seemed surprised for a while before he allowed a slow smile to settle on his lips, eyes crinkling and dimple showing, causing Jeonghan’s insides to all but melt.

He was so ed.

“Jeonghan!” Seungcheol called with a raised hand before walking towards the stunned tattoo artist. Jeonghan had to stop himself from checking behind him. ‘Who else would he be referring to, idiot?’ Jeonghan forced a smile before willing his feet to move in order to meet Seungcheol halfway, hands digging into the pockets of his jacket to keep himself from doing something stupid.

Like reaching out to touch his lips, slightly red from the cold, or grabbing the collar of Seungcheol’s shirt and pulling him close.

Yeah, that would be so incredibly stupid.

Instead, he settled with a lame ‘Hey’, internally hitting himself for the one-word greeting. Seungcheol didn’t seem to be put off by it.

“Late night, huh?” Seungcheol’s smile was unwavering, something that kind of unnerved Jeonghan, yet at the same time, made him warm all over. Jeonghan could only nod, scratching the back of his neck and wracking his brain for something to say.

“Yeah, Chan accidentally spilled some coffee on our records so I st