Kim Donghyun’s day is about to go from bad to worse. He was late for his part time job at this small movie house which resulted to him receiving a loud scolding from his manager. He grimaced as he remembered the unpleasant words that came out of his manager’s nasty mouth. He managed to spill some drinks on his uniform. He scowled at the dark stain it left. Fortunately, his coworker had an extra pair of uniform in the staff room. He also got sworn at by an angry couple. Donghyun couldn’t care less about them but those two were making the other customers uncomfortable. He had to go over to them to stop them from each other’s faces.  He even got told by the man that he’s just jealous. He let out a scoff. No, he would never be jealous of couples who don’t even give a about their surroundings. He’s not in the movie theater to enjoy and watch a movie. Nope. He’s there to work his off and make some money. He went back to his assigned place, but not before telling the couple to ‘keep their hormones in check or he’ll have to kick them out’.

After being assigned to one of the cinemas, he was designated to the popcorn booth. He let out another curse as he got himself burned from the stupid popcorn machine. He shook his head at the thought. He always get burned by the hot popcorn. It’s a good thing that his friend, Lee Daehwi, helped him get out of that situation before he actually thought of fighting back the cursed popcorn popper. Daehwi requested that they switch positions since he noticed how his hyung is having a hard time. He let out a relieved smile and thanked the younger boy. He took a deep breath to calm himself down before heading to the ticket booth. He put a smile on his face and thought that his misfortunes would probably have end at the popcorn booth.

He thought wrong. It had just been fifteen minutes since he got to the ticket booth and he already wants to slam his head on the counter. So far, the people he encountered would either complain on how there are no good movies or have an outburst at the ticket prices. He was currently dealing with high school students who want to watch an R-rated movie.

“For the last time, you guys aren’t old enough to watch this movie.” He said as he rubbed his temples.

One of the boys whined, “But I’ll be turning 18 in ten months.”

Donghyun forced a smile, “Well looks like you’ll just have to wait ten months before you can watch that movie you want.”

The small group of boys kept on complaining, and even tried to bribe him at one point. Soon after the group of high school boys left, he let out a long sigh and shook his head. He closed his eyes for a minute. This is just too much. “I am not getting paid enough for this” he grumbled under his breath. When he opened his eyes, he saw someone from his peripheral vision. He grinned as he saw another one of his coworkers, Park Woojin. There were currently no people on the line so he called his name. “Hey, Woojin!,” he waved as he ran up to the younger, “Where are you going?”

Woojin flashed him a smile, showing off his white teeth and greeted Donghyun, “Hi hyung! I’m about to go to cinema 10, the one that plays documentary movies. I’m supposed to check on it and clean it up since the movie just ended a while ago and another one will start in thirty minutes.” His cheerful look slowly turned into confusion and scratched his head, “Aren’t you supposed to be guarding the ticket booth since you switched places with Daewhi hyung?”

Donghyun nodded his head and thought for a moment before replying. Cleaning an empty room doesn’t sound too bad. It’s peaceful and quiet, just exactly what he needs right now. He looked back at Woojin, “Can you do me a favor?”

Woojin made an audible gulp. He had a worried expression on his face but it vanished in an instant. “Sure, hyung. What is it?”

A cheeky grin appeared on the older’s face, “Switch places with me.”

He pouted when he saw a hint of hesitation on Woojin’s face. “Please, Woojin,” he put both of his hands on the younger’s shoulder, “I’ve been having a pretty bad day and now I’m on my last strand of patience. I believe it’s going to snap if I go back to the ticket booth or even the popcorn booth. I just desperately need a place where I can work peacefully. Come on, Woojin. Help out your favorite hyung”

Woojin just blinked. Donghyun said all that in one breath so Woojin’s brain was still processing everything that the former had said. He chuckled and spoke in a teasing voice, “Who says you’re my favorite hyung?”  He laughed when he saw Donghyun’s face turn into somewhat like a rejected puppy. Woojin waved his hands in front of him. “ Don’t be sad, hyung. You know I can’t say no to you.”

Donghyun's face lit up. He feels so lucky to have such kindhearted coworkers in this movie house that seems like hell to him. He gave Woojin a quick hug. "Thank you. Take care of the ticket booth for me." He said before dashing off to cinema 10, leaving a dumbfounded Woojin with a line of waiting people slowly starting to pile up.

The whole movie house isn't even that big. It has two long hallways with 5 auditoriums each. Each room has only about 80 seats. There's also a small arcade corner then lots of food booths together with that popcorn booth. Between the food booths and the ticket booth is the lobby. Donghyun casually entered cinema10. Just as he expected, the room doesn't look messy at all since only a few people watch documentary movies.  All he needs to do is to collect the empty bottles or cups left on the seats and make sure every aisle is clean.

Donghyun the lights on the wall but did not bother to turn the ones on the ceiling. There's also no need to worry about tripping down the flight of stairs because the lights attached on each stairstep are always open to guide the people all the way to the front aisle. He decided to start from the very back,  making his way down the steps and checking every seat. He was done checking  half of the aisles when he noticed a red blob of hair on one of the seats, four rows from the front. He blinked and thought his eyes were just playing tricks on him. But no, it's still there. He probably didn't notice it at first because the hair color camoufloged with the red seats.

That's weird. There shouldn't be any people left here since the previous documentary movie ended ten minutes ago. The movie house also doesn't allow customers to enter the cinemas until it's about five minutes before the new movie starts. They all have to wait out in line, outside the room while the auditorium is being cleaned. This guy must have been sitting there since the previous movie. Donghyun thought that the other guy must have fallen asleep seeing as how documentaries can make him feel bored and sleepy too sometimes. He decided to approach the man to wake him up and to inform him that the movie had ended already.

Donghyun was three rows away from the man when he heard a whimper. He froze in his tracks. Is the other guy actually crying? He hesitated on actually going over to that guy. Is this perhaps the infamous ghost that Daehwi talked about last week?? A shiver ran down his spine as he remembered the younger's pale face,  fear evident on his face as he talked about the ghost he 'encountered' on the bathroom. Donghyun shook the thoughts out of his mind. No, this isn't a paranormal activity. Ghosts aren't real. Even if they're real, they wouldn't have vibrant tomato colored hair. He clenched his fist and mustered up his courage before heading over to the other guy. 

He was a row away from the man whe  he called his attention. "Hey, uhm.. excuse me, sir?"

Donghyun felt something pierced into his heart when the red haired turned to look at him. A few tears were strolling down the other's cheek and it somehow made him so soft. He wants to do something to stop this guy from crying. Maybe wrap him in warm blankets then tuck him into bed. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the boy asking him why.

Donghyun spoke up, "The next movie is going to start in fifteen minutes. I uhh.. I think you're supposed to leave the auditorium already." He bit his lower lip, hoping that the words he used weren't too harsh for the other.

The red haired boy stood up and his eyes widen a little. Donghyun realized that this guy is also taller and probably older than him. "Oh sorry. I must have lost track of the time" the boy replied as he wiped the small tears with the back of his hand and fixing his things up. He took slow, quiet deep breaths to calm himself down. Donghyun's curiosity suddenly got the best of him. "If you don't mind me asking, what got you so upset?" he asked while rubbing the back of his neck.

A small smile appeared on the man's face but Donghyun took note of how his face still looks a bit red and flushed from crying. "There was a very sad part in the movie," he replied. He was about to walk off the aisle but Donghyun is still genuinely confused to just let him go like that. He remember seeing the schedule of movies for cinema 10. "I'm sorry but why did the documentary on alpacas affect you so much?"

The taller looked back at him and had his eyebrows furrowed. He was about to speak when Donghyun waved his arms defensively in front himself. "I'm sorry if I seem so nosy right now. My curiosity is suddenly at its peak right now." he blurted out.

Donghyun felt relieved when he heard the other guy let out a chuckle and saw him held out his hand, "My name's Im Youngmin." 

He did not hesitate to shake his hand and introduced himself, "I'm Kim Donghyun."

When they let go of each other's hand, Youngmin started to spoke up, "The movie showed this baby alpaca with cripled back legs. It must have been so difficult for her."

Donghyun couldn't stop staring at Youngmin's eyes. They were so full of warmth and sympathy. He could feel how genuine the older's words were. It made him want to give him a big hug and assure him that those alpacas he's so worried of are being taken good care of by kind people. He just stood on his spot though, hands on his side and resisting that sudden urge.

Youngmin took a breath before continuing, "It also says that alpacas could die of loneliness because they are used to living in herds. They're probably the happiest beings on earth when in the company of their own kin. Aren't alpacas so precious?"

Donghyun cracked a smile because Youngmin's face is just like an innocent child's. He also took note of how the Youngmin's tone changed into something brighter at the last sentence. He just nodded and agreed to what the older had said, not wanting to see him disappointed. Youngmin opened his mouth to speak again, "I was actually having a bad day. All the stress that built up in me must have just gushed out when I was watching."

He clasped both of his hands together, "Anyway, I think it's time for me to go now. Goodbye, Donghyun. Goodluck with your work." He smiled softly at Donghyun for the last time before going up the flight of stairs to head to the back where the exit is.

"Wait!" Donghyun's voice echoed in the empty auditorium. He didn't know what got into him. A big part of him wants to know Youngmin even more. He bit his lip when he saw Youngmin turn. He took a glance at his wrist watch before looking back at the red haired boy. For the second time that day, he clenched his fist, mustering up his courage then took a step forward. "You know, I was also having a pretty bad day and my shift is about to end in twenty minutes so maybe we could hang out and talk it? Or we can watch this new comedy movie that's about to show in Cinema 5. The customers have been giving good reviews about it.  The-"

Donghyun was cut off by Youngmin who suddenly called his name. He felt his stomach churn out of nervousness. "I mean it's okay if you don't wa-"

"Donghyun."

Donghyun's full attention went back to Youngmin. His eyes were a bit wide  and let out a small huh? His world stopped when Youngmin gave him one of those rare smiles that looks too etherial to actually exist. It was reassuring. He wants to share that smile to the world and at the same time, keep it for himself.

"I'll wait for you at the lobby."

Donghyun was just left standing on his spot, his brain trying to process what just happened, while Youngmin disappeared through the door that has a neon sign exit on it. A grin appeared on his face. Today is a good day.

Thanks for reading this crappy fic. There are probably a lot of grammatical errors lol I actually searched up 'alpaca facts' because of this and learned about that dying because of loneliness thing.  Feedbacks are very much appreciated :))