Hyunseok waits nervously by the entrance of the small bookstore.  The dim lights make the small shop feel homier even as the shop spends most of its time being empty.  

There’s no one around and the drinks Hyunseok is holding are getting warm, ice cubes melting.  He clears his throat, overly loud, wincing at the way it disrupts the silence.

“Coming!” a voice calls, its tone familiar, friendly.  

Hyunseok walks slowly to the counter, the cash registers empty.  The room behind them is open, if Hyunseok leans a little forward he can make out the the back of Chandong’s head, the sandy hair of Byulyi.

Hyunseok places the tray of drinks on the counter, frowns at the way his stomach feels sick, heart burning.

It only gets worse when Chandong finally turns around, facing him, walking with a wide smile on his lips.

“Hyunseok,” he says, voice bright, eyes shining.  His hair is up, parted at the side.  Hyunseok lowers his eyes to the drinks he’s brought over, picking up the receipt stuck in between them.

“Are you paying by cash or card?” he asks, voice soft in his attempt to hide his nerves.

Chandong frowns at the question, at the way Hyunseok brushes him off, “ah,” he says, “let me ask Byulyi.”

Hyunseok is left alone again, he looks up when he hears the muffled conversation between Chandong and Byulyi, some laughing.

He sighs.  Chandong comes back, smile still wide.

“Here,” he says, sliding over some bills, “no card today.”

Hyunseok is too nervous to laugh when Chandong does, he takes the bills instead, counting them, giving back the change.  When he slides it back to Chandong their hands touch and Hyunseok looks up, cheeks faintly blushing.

“You’re being weird,” Chandong’s gaze is steady, Hyunseok feels dizzy by it, “I thought we were past the awkward just met phase.”

Chandong takes the drinks carefully, walks back into the break room.  Hyunseok is not sure if he’s meant to wait but it’s not long before Chandong comes back, his drink in one hand, an iced green tea in the other.

“Here,” Chandong says, pushing the drink, “this is for you.”

Hyunseok can’t even think about denying it before Chandong walks around the counter, hand going to Hyunseok’s shoulder, pushing him along to the back.

There’s small armchairs in the back of the shelves, enough for people to stay in and read or do work.

Chandong sits comfortably, taking a sip of his frozen coffee, “no one is coming in on a Monday morning,” he says around his straw, “so it’s ok, sit.”

Hyunseok does so gingerly, his heart starting to beat faster at how close they are.

He spaces out once Chandong starts talking, trying to keep himself from embarrassment, thinking of the quickest way to get out of the conversation.  

It’s best for his heart, it’s beating too fast, his breathing isn’t any better.

He startles when Chandong leans closer, face pulled into a worried frown.

“You’re being really weird,” he says, pointing at Hyunseok with his drink, “what’s wrong?”

Hyunseok answers without much thinking, brain going haywire when Chandong keeps leaning closer.

“I really like you,” he whispers, knows Chandong hears him anyway.

The words he’s said fall to his ears and his heart feels like it has dropped out of his stomach, he sets the drink down on the small table between them.

He wills himself to look up, words already rushing up, “I mean...I didn’t mean that...I was trying to say that I like your hair like that…”

Chandong’s gaze is not what Hyunseok was expecting, it’s soft...hopeful.

“I like my hair like this too,” Chandong smiles, placing his cup on the table between them, leaning closer, whispering, “I like you too.”

Hyunseok’s heart stops for a second before he feels the way it nearly vibrates out of his chest.

He can’t think of anything to say to that, stays still, disoriented.

The soft press of lips on his cheek startles him, face burning into a full blown blush, heart beyond calming down.

“I have to go back to work,” Chandong says, “meet me when you get off your shift.”