Junmyeon prided himself on his ability to portain a structured, well-mannered appearance. Because really, how else would one obtain as much respect and honour as he. Certainly not by being payed as a doorman yet somehow forgetting to open the door when a great businessman like Junmyeon is ready to depart. Said doorman briefly looked up from his phone and waved nonchalantly at a now greatly frustrated Junmyeon who refused to open the door himself. Coughing loudly always seemed to do the trick, so Junmyeon sophisticatedly cleared his throat several times.

 

“Can I help you?” The young doorman hardly spared a glance away from level 286 of angry birds he had been working towards during the last few hours of his shift.  Junmyeon thought it was unnecessary to grace this incompetent buffoon with words, and motioned with a twitch of his neck to the unopened door before raising an expectant brow. His expression was then mirrored by the doorman--who still made no effort to get the door--followed with a sassy eyeroll.

 

“My apologies, Your highness.” He bowed mockingly. “I forgot nobles of your class don’t understand how to open a single door. Allow me to get that for you, sir.” The way he sneered the word “sir” had Junmyeon’s teeth clenching in distaste. But he wouldn’t say anything to this foul peon--that would be a waste of breath. The doorman tugged on the golden rod handle bars a few times before ungracefully yanking them open.

 

“There.” He took a step back and dramatically motioned towards the door. Junmyeon grunted in response and straightened out his expensive double ed suit jacket before briskly stepping out the door and into the muggy air of late July.

 

“Toodles, your majesty.” The doorman bowed once more before cranking the door shut with a bang.

 

Terrible service. Junmyeon thought as he loaded himself into the taxi he had called prior to the door related exchange. The driver gave him a vile look--most likely because he had been parked at the door for the last ten minutes waiting for Junmyeon to get his finely dressed outside--but said nothing. He was still getting paid regardless and wouldn’t dare open his mouth against a snooty businessman like the one who promptly placed down a newspaper over the back seat before sitting down. Junmyeon hardly noticed the daggers being sent towards him from the rear-view mirror and focused instead on numerous ways to get a loaf of a doorman fired as soon as possible.

 

His complaint was taken to the manager of the hotel as soon as he had returned from his meeting. Luckily, this time an older man maintained the door and opened it vigilantly with a smile. This caused Junmeyon to be in a much greater mood by the time he reached the front desk to meet with the manager.

 

“I will not endure this sloppy behavior.” He informed the head of the hotel who looked more bored than concerned. The manager hummed in response and leaned forward, placing both elbows on the desk. As soon as Junmyeon eyed this, he was just about ready to beat himself over the head with the clerk bell.

 

“I was promised luxury, refinement. If this commitment is not kept, I shall have to take my business elsewhere. I’m sure you know as well as I do the significance of my being here and I ask you, with extreme urgency to not make such a mistake again in the time of my stay. Do I make myself clear?” By the time Junmyeon had finished his lecture the manager had fallen asleep on the pile of pens and papers lining the desk. He seethed and sharply turned away from the front desk while muttering “I hope those pens leave imprints on your face when you wake up.”

 

After calling his boss close to a thousand times in the last hour, Junmeyon realized that he could not fly back to Seoul without the prospect of losing his job. He unleashed his anger through violently cracking the shell of the crab legs he had ordered (of course he used a pair of crackers, he would never stoop to eating with his hands). A waiter walked by and cautiously asked if Junmyeon would like a "glass of water? Or maybe a few napkins?" but Junmyeon waved him off and continued to devour his meal.

 

“For a prudy businessman, you sure lack manners.”

 

Junmyeon grumpily looked up from his dinner. The rude doorman from the morning loomed over him with an arm casually slung over the back of his chair.

 

“Can I help you?” Junmyeon demanded, quite irritated at having to see the mans face for a second time in one day.

 

“Well, you could not be so messy while you’re eating. I clean this place up you know.”

 

Junmyeon made a point of knocking over his glass of water with an obnoxious “Oops.” Though, much to his displeasure, the doorman looked hardly angered. He actually looked rather amused.

 

“You know water just evaporates right?” He said with a smug crinkle in his eyes that made Junmeyon want to hurl, but that would be very unrefined.

 

“Yes.” Junmyeon said back sharply, making an oath to throw the water at his head next time. The doorman snickered in a loud annoying buzz and sat himself in the seat opposite the prudy businessman.

 

“So what brings you here, Princess?” He leaned forward to prop his elbows on the table and issued Junmyeuon an obnoxious wink.

 

Choosing to ignore the flutter of the the coy doorman’s eyes, Junmyeon sat up slightly in his chair and patted down the wrinkles in his shirt. He was a professional, and he was going to act like it.

 

“I work for a company. It causes me to travel around a lot. Though, seeing your job, I’d bet you wouldn’t understand.” After grinning haughtily, he popped a forkful of crab meat into his mouth. He swallowed and continued, “My name’s Junmyeon, by the way, but if you insist on the monarchy titles, Lord Junmyeon will suffice.”

 

The doorman now eyed him with intrigue (edging on respect, but just barely).

 

“Well, Lord Junmyeon, I’m Jongdae. Call me Chen.”

 

“Chen? Why on earth do you call yourself that. It’s nothing like your birth name.”

 

“Because I can.” He said simply as he stole a bite of Junmyeon’s dinner with an extra fork he just so happened to have brought along with him. Junmyeon rolled his eyes, but made no move to stop Chen from stealing more pieces of food.

 

“Tell you what” Chen started as he finished chewing, “I’ll pay for your meal”

 

Junmyeon sat up straighter with a sudden interest. Free food was always welcome. “That’s very nice of you--”

 

“If..”

 

Oh great, this is where it always gets problematic.

 

“If you don’t complain to the manager again.” He folded his arms over each other on the table, trying to look sophisticated and ready to bargain. “I need this job.”

 

Junmyeon just snorted and nodded his head. “Sure thing.” The manager wasn’t listening to me anyway.

 

"Shake on it." Chen ed out a hand just below Junmyeon's nose. "We need to make it official."

 

Junmyeon snickered internally at Chen's attempt to act professionally, but shook his hand nonetheless. "Yes, yes. You've got a deal."

 

Junmyeon realized during the next few days that Chen held very little trust for him. He was constantly checked up on throughout the day, consistent knocking kept him up throughout the night. Chen claimed it was "just to make sure you're sticking to the deal" but Junmyeon figured the younger must be taking a sick joy from bothering him every second he could. It wasn't so terrible, Junmyeon grew accustomed to bumping into the other every time he turned the corner.

 

Though, he didn't appreciate Chen following into him the washroom.

 

“Chen?” Junmyeon sputtered, grateful he still had his fly up.

 

“Oh, don’t mind me.” He waved him off and leaned against the sinks.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Just making sure you follow the deal.”

 

“You actually think I would complain to your boss while in the bathroom.” Junmyeon deadpanned.

 

“Well, you never know.”

 

“Get out.”
 

 

Chen also developed the habit of joining Junmyeon at his table every time he sat down in the hotel restaurant, and not so secretly stealing his food.

 

"You should order noodles next time. The rice is too dry."

 

But he still refused to open the door anytime Junmyeon was supposed to head out. Being the stubborn character he was, Junmyeon ended up late to the majority of his meetings from waiting for Chen to finally lug open the door. In most cases he passed it off as being "fashionably late" to his coworkers who would just roll their eyes and carry on with their discussion. He was lucky none of them had the motivation to tell his boss.

 

"You're going to be the death of me." Junmyeon sighed as Chen played angry birds on his phone across the table.

 

"Die! Die! Damn pigs! Stop laughing at me! Bastards!" Chen threw his phone onto the table in rage. "I hate this game." He crossed his arms and glared childishly at the phone that still had the words "you lose"

blinking on the screen.

Junmyeon hid his laughter behind the back of his hand. Chen threw his hands up in anguish. "You too?! Don't laugh at me like those dumb pigs!"

 

Failing to contain himself any longer, Junmyeon erupted into a fit of laughter, pointing intelligently at Chen's pouting face.

 

"It's not funny." Chen stated, trying to stop his lips from curling upwards.

 

Soon they had both been reduced to a fit of giggles, leaving the people around them to snootily request a different table--away from the two lunatics. It wasn't until the waiter kicked them out for disrupting everyone's dinner that they managed to quiet down and awkwardly shuffle out the door.

 

"You know, you're not as big of a prude as I thought you were." Chen thought outloud, "Lose the over-ironed suit tie for a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt and you may even pass as a regular guy."

 

"I'm unsure as to whether I should take that as a compliment."

 

"Note the usage of not as big of a prude. I still think you've got stick up your , just maybe not up as far as I had thought."

 

"Gee, how kind of you." Junmyeon folded his arms over his chest stiffly.

 

Chen chuckled and pulled on Junmyeons arms so they fell to his sides. "See? Loosen up, old man."

 

"Old man?! I'm 21!"

 

"Then stop acting like you’re 41."

 

Junmyeon only bought a grey sweatshirt and a pair of jeans because it would be useful if he ever needed to go to a casual event. He was in no way following Chen’s advice. That would have been ridiculous. Junmyeon would never take advice from such a simpleton. He looked himself over in the mirror, dressed in his new attire. It was certainly not what he was used to, but it didn’t look bad per se.  Junmyeon nodded his approval to his reflection. He was now prepared for any event thrown at him.

 

Chen burst through his door a few seconds later (using his spare key that he stole from the maid while flirting with her in the elevator--Junmyeon had made a valiant effort to hold his lunch down at this time).

 

“Woah!” Chen exclaimed as he took in the sight of Junmyeon in something other than a finely ironed suit. “Looking pretty steamy there, Your Lordship.” He made a suggestive growling sound that Junmyeon thought was entirely unnecessary.

 

“What do you want.” He straightened out his shirt and brushed off his jeans feeling slightly self-conscious as feline eyes roamed his body.

 

“You.” He purred and Junmyeon rolled his eyes.

 

“Don’t be a ert.” Junmyeon muttered under his breath causing Chen to let out a loud cackle and lean against the makeshift hotel-room-kitchen counter.

 

“Okay, okay.” He raised his arms defensively. “I was just kidding. You’re pretty hot, but not my type. Sorry.” He sang out the last part in teasing way, as if saying you wish. Junmyeon pretended that he didn't just feel a tinge of pain somewhere in his chest. Preposterous. "I was asked to remind you that room service will only be available for another half an hour because there’s a cat-lovers convention on the second floor and they are quite the demanding bunch. Our kitchen staff is going to be swamped.”

 

“Oh, that’s alright. I was going to head out for dinner tonight anyways.” Junmyeon stepped into the bathroom, pulling his toothbrush from it’s holster.

 

“Oh? Grandpa’s got a date?” Chen crept up behind him with a large mischievous grin on his face. He Nudged Junmyeon in the ribs several times while whispering “Tell! Tell! Tell!” a little too close to Junmyeon’s ear. The older jolted and waved Chen away from his face.

 

“Stop it. You’re in my personal bubble.”

 

“Just tell me, Gramps! Please, please! Who’s the girl? Is she cute? Did she say yes because she pitied you?” He jumped up and down, holding on to Junmyeon's shoulder and shaking it roughly with each hop. “Tell!”

 

Junmyeon sighed loudly and forcefully removed Chen from his personal space. “I’m not going with anyone, okay? It’s not a date. I just thought going out for dinner for a change would be nice.” He ended up stumbling over his words from trying to say it all in one breath, adding onto his frustration. It wasn’t any of the doorman’s business, why should he have even had to explain himself to such an imbecile. Going out to eat alone was perfectly normal.

 

“Really?! You really are as much of a loser as I thought you were!”

 

Junmyeon felt something in his chest suddenly burn into a deep ache, he wiped the growing perspiration on his hands on his jeans. “And? I have nothing to prove to you. You don’t even have a real job. You’re a doorman who can’t even do his job right. You’re nothing. Businesses all over the world know me and request my attendance to various meetings. What do you do? You follow me around the entire hotel all day because you have nothing better to do. You break into my room. You follow me into the washroom. You eat my food. Frankly, I’m sick of it.”

 

Chen was silent for a moment, eyes on carpet, before straightening himself and turning towards the door. “I better head downstairs. I have doors to open.” He chuckled mechanically, forced. “Excuse me.” He said briefly before clicking the door open and slinking back into the hall.

 

Junmyeon eyed himself in the mirror once again and realized he had started shaking. Rather than going out for dinner that night, Junmyeon stayed in his room with a sickening feeling crawling through his stomach.

 

He went to the washroom the next morning without having to push Chen out of the stall. He ate breakfast without Chen chastising his healthy food choices. He left the building through doors opened by the older doorman without a hassle.

Complaints could no longer be made. This was the courtesy he had expected upon his arrival, but he couldn't help notice the way the food didn't taste quite as good when he ate it alone, the colder the building felt when he was only followed by empty space.

 

Junmyeon’s flight home was in just three more days, it had been four since he had last spoken to Chen. After mainly writing paper after paper holed up in his room, Junmyeon decided he needed some fresh air. He stepped out from the elevator, crossed the lobby, and stopped in front of the double doors. The older doorman reached out a hand to pull them open, but Junmyeon stopped him.

 

“It’s okay. I’ve got it.” He said quietly as he pulled on the heavy gold-bar handles for the first time, welcoming the rush of cool air.

 

 

 

Despite his great distaste for the hotel manager, he found himself perched on a rather uncomfortable chair in the lobby waiting for the attendant to retrieve him. The manager approached and Junmyeon sat up straighter in his seat causing it to make an unattractive squeak of rubber.

 

"Something the matter?"

 

"I- Um," Junmyeon suddenly realized just how strange it would be to request the doorman. If Chen was a bellhop it would be a normal inquiry, but searching for a doorman was not a normal instance. The anxious nagging in the back of his head made him follow through, "I was wondering where Chen was." He kept his eyes on the manager and tried to make his tone as casual as possible, as if requesting Chen could have been a regular occurrence.

 

"Quit." The manager responded simply, edging on relief, "Good riddance. He was kind of a brat."

 

Junmyeon grit his teeth. "Do you have any idea where he would be?"

 

The manager shrugged. "Don't know, don't care.”

 

On the last day before Junmyeon's flight home, he decided to roam the city. He regretted his choice of designer dress shoes as soon as he stepped through the hotel doors and into a large welcoming puddle. Junmyeon pronounced the shoe store as his first destination. He strolled into the first place he could find, the bright neon lights saying “The Freezing Ostrich. Dress-Shoe Company”. Before he could backtrack to make sure he read that correctly (because honestly, what kind of imbeciles would name their dress shoe store “The Freezing Ostrich”) he was grabbed by the wrist and yanked through the doors. His attacker gave him a gigantic grin and waved his arms above his head.

 

“Welcome to The Freezing Ostrich!” He shouted, causing Junmyeon to flinch and restrain from making a beeline to  the door.

 

“Thanks.” Junmyeon replied stiffly  grimacing as the tall store attendant pulled him towards a nearby bench and forced him to “pop a squat”.

 

“Pop a what?”

 

“Nevermind.” The attendant waved him off and leaned down to begin hastily pulling off Junmyeon’s shoes.

 

“Stop! Wait!” Junmyeon squealed as fingers came in contact with his toes. “I’m ticklish!” The attendant only laughed and continued to pry Junmyeon’s shoe from his flailing feet.

 

“Why do I hear screaming?” The door to the storage area opened, “ Chanyeol, I’m starting to think that scaring customers really is your job. I’ve only been here a few days and I’ve already seen you scare off around seven or eight customers. Maybe I should be in charge of gree--” The man that entered the room’s eyes narrowed as they locked with the widening eyes of Junmyeon.  “Hello, Sir.”

 

Junmyeon swallowed dryly, feeling-- for the first time--inferior and nervous.

"Good-Afternoon." He greated, hoping Chen wouldn't notice the way his voice cracked like a 12 year old boy.

 

"Did you come here to make fun of my job again?"

 

"No! Chen, I didn't mean it. What I meant was... well I don't know what I ment but I can assure you it wasn't that. I was angry because of what you said and I-" Junmyeon froze as Chen brushed past him, then stood in front of the door. He tugged it open dramatically and looked expectantly at Junmyeon.

 

"Look, I learned how to do my job right. Now if you'll so kindly leave the premises I'd be extremely grateful."

 

Junmyeon pulled the door back close. “Chen, listen, I-”

 

“This is where everything turns into a corny romance movie right? You apologize, I forgive you, we live happily ever after. All that jazz.”

 

“No! I just. I’m leaving tomorrow, back to Seoul, and I felt like if I left on bad terms I’d somehow feel responsible later--because I am a man of good morals as I’d like to point out--and it was purely coincidence that I found you here. I was looking for new shoes because stepped into a puddle and--who would’ve guessed it--here you were! But don’t get me wrong, I was looking for you. I requested for you at the front desk but the manager told me you had quit and then I wasn’t sure what to do, so instead staying stressed out for the last part of my trip I decided to go for a walk. I, Um, the point of what I’m trying to say is that I never thought you were annoying, I actually found it quite splendid hanging out with you, but you were terrible at your job. I won’t take that back. I guess what I mean is, I missed you.” Junmyeon finally exhaled and lowered his hands, that had been flying around madly as he talked, to his sides. He met Chen’s eyes which had softened, and gazed at him with a small amused twinkle. It was  romantic, really. Junmyeon figured maybe it was a moment like the movies. Until he switched his line of vision to the tall dopey giant that sat on the bench staring at them like a teenage girl watching twilight.

 

“You guys should kiss!” The teenage-girl-in-a-giants-body inappropriately exclaimed, hands cupped around his mouth like a blow horn. Junmyeon wondered how much trouble he’d get in if he locked said untimely third-wheel in the supply closet.

 

“That is entirely inappropriate! And furthermore-”

 

“Oh shut up. You apologized--or at least tried to-- and I forgive you.” Chen said with a shrug, but giving off a mischievous air that made Junmyeon half uncomfortable and half enticed.

 

“I guess this is the happily-ever-after, Princess.”

 

Junmyeon all too suddenly felt all the blood in his body to rush to his face and soft pink lips capturing his own. Arms wrapped around him tightly, and he felt his own fingers knotting into the back of stupid Chen’s stupid shirt with the “Freezing Ostrich” logo on it. But somehow everything was okay. Great even. Except-

 

“Call me Princess one more time and I will make sure you lose every game of angry birds you ever play for the rest of your life.”