He leans against the couch, back pressed against the leather and sighs. The store is loud, filled with instrumentals and aromas, each belonging to different colored bins lining the walls. The break room which he currently in is dark, he likes it that way, illuminated by a small blue light tucked in the corner. He sits, cold biting his exposed hands as he presses the pad of his thumb against the home button on his phone, room pooling with light. 

10:20 pm. Manager Hyung decided that the shop should extend its hours into the night, day shifts typically being successful, and the boy was appointed to take these shifts. He didn’t mind, the grainy wooden floors rasp under his feet as he moves into the main room, a bell dinging overhead. All the doors have bells attached to the top by green string, something Jiminie decided would help us know our cues and “improve customer service.” 

Sea breeze stings his nose as he walks past a barrel mixed with a blue green colored bath salt. Picking up boxes filled with more salts, he brings to refill the buckets, colors varying depending on scent. The shelf against the far right wall is empty, and he makes a mental note to restock it with soaps once he’s done filling the barrels. 

City sounds erupt around the shop, gun shots of voices rush down the street with floods of people. It’s a cold night, but the crowds continue to grow nonetheless. The shop is located not far from Han River, and you can hear music flow through the wind from the live entertainment down the street. He sighs, leaning against a stool and studying the shop quietly. There’s not a lot of work to do, won’t be much for the morning workers either, thanks to him. He hums slowly, crinkling a wrapper as he removes their new line of soap product they recent launched. Setting them up pretty against the silver plates, each section labeled. Clink. Crinkle. Clink. He begins to line up the next section when he hears a jingle towards the front of the shop. He glances up immediately as the figure comes into view, right hand subconsciously dropping the pink bar of soap back into the cardboard box. 

“Hello~” he whispers, barely loud enough to be heard and offers up a tired smile to the man. He’s older, blonde hair tucked into a black beanie. The man nods, turning to a shelf. Lotion. That’s the citrus lotion, the younger boy thinks, swaying his weight back and forth for a second before speaking up. 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” He asks slowly, glancing at out the store window where he sees a man and women walk by, hands linked. He feels a twinge if sadness in his stomach, but decides to ignore it. The room is silent, and he can’t help but observe the elder. His is frame small, but not weak looking. His black sweats stick to his toned thighs and the younger can’t help but hawk at them awkwardly. 

“Yeah. After your done staring.” The man says, voice raspy as he turns toward the boy. His eyes sharp, almost hidden behind his bangs. 

“I’m sorry..” the younger says, hands reaching down to flatten his shirt, worrying his lip, something he does often.

“I’m looking for some soap, something....what did she call it,” He mumbles, hands tapping against his thighs. He’s squinting, glancing around the store. “Oh! Saccharine.” He says, struggling to pronounce the word with a shrug. He looks at the younger boy for a minute, expectantly before saying, 

“You look tired. I’ll just come back tomorr-“ 

“No, no. I’m sorry I just, sorry. I won’t even be here tomorrow during the day so I’ll help you find what you’re looking for now.” He let’s put a slow nervous laugh, fidgeting as he waves for the boy to follow him down an isle to the left. 

They stop in front of a shelf, sweet orange soap bars sit on little sliver platters. The older man looks at them carefully, before taking one gently in his palm to lift it to his nose. He scrunches his face, the sweet sickening. He doesn’t know what saccharine even means, but these soap fit that description. 

“So.. do you like it um...?”

“Min Yoongi.” He replies, fingers gliding over the soaps smooth surface before nodding. “It’s for my mom, she ran out and didn’t feel like coming to get more so she sent me.” He sighed, annoyance fill his face and the younger laughs. He glares at him pointedly and shakes his head.

“What’re you laughing at kid?” 

Nervously, the younger boy straightens his posture, bowing slightly as he apologizes.

“No need to be so formal, Yoongi says, eyeing him. “What’s your name?” 

“Jungkook, Jeon Jungkook.” Said boy stutters, cheeks a pink flush color. He didn’t imagine the older man would care about any part of him, especially his name. Yoongi nods, a soft barely visible smile playing on his lips before turning to go to the cash counter, Jungkook blinks, following behind him quickly. 

“So.. Yoongi hyung, why so annoyed to get soap though?” Jungkook asks quietly, ringing up the three bars of soap. 

“Because why can’t she get it?” He huffs, rolling his eyes. “She woke me up just to get her ing soap.” Grumbling, he fiddles to open up his wallet, making Jungkook burst out laughing. Yoongi rolls his neck up so he can look at Jungkook properly and can’t help the smile playing on his lips. 

“You’re a brat you know.” He’s laughing now, fingers flicking in the younger direction, card squeezed between his index and middle finger. 

A light feeling welts up inside Jungkook, something he hasn’t felt for a long time, and he shakes his head. 

“And you’re too old to be buying soap for your mother.” He retorts, ducking back as soon as the words come out. He doubles over laughing and retreats as Yoongi stomps toward him, his laughter filling the air as well. Yoongi hums, band connecting with Jungkooks hair as he tugs playfully, making the younger whine. 

Usually Yoongi would have been in and out of the store, but he didn’t want to go home just yet. His mother would complain once he walked in the door, regardless of if he bought her the right soap or night, and he didn’t feel like having that issue right now. 

“Ow Hyung!” Jungkook yells, laughing and swatting Yoongi’s hands away from his hair. He stands up straight now, bunny teeth poking out, but he freezes.  They’re standing toe to toe now, Jungkook taller, Yoongi’s eyes have to lift slightly to look into his. It’s silent, their faces so close, yet still far. Jungkook coughs slightly, tries to shuffle backwards and lifts his hands to his face, unable to hide the pink tint on his cheeks. Yoongi notices this and smiles, big and gummy, moving back slightly so he’s not squishing the younger anymore. Jungkook smiles, shaking his head again as Yoongi glances at the clock on the wall.

“You have to go?” Jungkook asks, slightly sadder then he should be and Yoongi bites his lip, thinking for a moment before stepping back.

“She can wait.” He says much to Jungkooks surprise and reaches out to sit down on a barstool. 

“How about we go to the break room instead,” Jungkook offers, Yoongi shrugs, walking in said direction and glances back at Jungkook. “One second.” He says, shuffling to the store door quickly, flipping the “open” sign to closed and hurried back through the door Yoongi had gone. He smiles, seeing the elder sprawled out comfortably on the small couch, sitting next to him on the floor. 

“So, you mentioned you wouldn’t be working tomorrow?” Yoongi asks, head resting on his forearm. 

“Yeah,” he responds, hands finding his shirt to flatten it again. Something he also, does a lot. “I only work nights.”

“Why’s that?” The older man asks, glancing at the sudden light of Jungkooks phone screen turning on. Jungkook ignores it, knows it’s never important, and shrugs.

“I go to school during the day. I stay here at night.” He says, nodding slowly as his eyes flit up to make contact with Yoongi’s. “What about you, you live with your mom?” 

“No.” He says abruptly, laughing slightly. “I have an apartment near here, but she lives across town.”

“Wow so she really wanted her soap.” Jungkook giggles, teeth poking out between his lips and Yoongi smiles once again, deciding his childlike face is endearing. 

“Yeah. Literally I was dead asleep when she called. Went on for an hour about what specific soap to get and threats if I get the wrong one.”

“What were her threats?” Jungkook asks, sliding down to tangle his legs with Yoongi’s naturally. 

“That Id have to keep coming back and returning the soap till I got the right one.” He says, bringing his hands up to press against his face with a laugh.

“Woo how horrible.” Jungkook says letting out a high pitch laugh, and Yoongi pokes him with his shoe.

“It would have been had you not been working tonight.” He says quietly, but Jungkook catches it and his cheeks turn red immediately. 

“So you must be in college?” Jungkook asks, tilting his head to lean against the couch arm. Yoongi nods, glancing around the room before speaking again. 

“3rd year. What about you?” He asks, eyeing the younger. He knows Jungkook can’t be in college, but he’s not quite sure how old Jungkook even is. The bags under his eyes make him seem a little older, they mirror Yoongi’s and it makes the older boy sad. 

“High school.” Jungkook says with a nod, not noticing the way Yoongi watches his every move. 

“You must be really tired, juggling school and work. Really, you must never have time to go hom-“ then realization hits him, as he notices a small duffel bag filled with what looks like clothes, a toothbrush. You stay here...” he repeats slowly, sitting up to take the whole room in. He suddenly puts his feet to the ground, hauling himself up. He eyes the blankets pushed into the corner of the room, bags of bath salts Jungkook uses as pillows and he frowns, eyes deepening. 

“My mom kicked me out in middle school, after my brother passed away.” He whispers, and it’s evident how tired he really is. The room has hardly any light and his face looks sunken in, tired slugs through every breath he takens. He puts up a good show for the store, but in the confines of his “room,” he forgets to put up that facade. 

“Jungkook ah..” Yoongi whispers, eyes tilted as he looks at the boy lower his head. The room is suffocating, built up by Jungkooks hardships. He hears him inhale before lifting his head, not meeting his eyes.

“It’s okay. I’ve lived here a long time, I go to school and come here to work and it’s busy.. I keep busy.” He says, tongue numb with his words. Yoongi climbs back onto the couch, wrapping a hand swiftly around Jungkooks neck. Before the younger can react, he’s pressed against Yoongi’s shirt, enveloped in his arms. 

Jungkook doesn’t try to move away, instead sinking into Yoongi as they disappear into the couch, and this is new. He’s never had someone see this raw side of him. He decides that it’s not all so bad.

He hears banging in the other room, the door creaking slightly and someone peers inside. 

“Jungkook!” An irritated voice yells, causing the couch under him to shift.

“Who is this?!” And it’s Jimin. Jungkook rolls over, opening his eyes to meet Yoongi’s and they both grunt, limps cramping from how they fell asleep. 

Jungkook looks at Jimin, his light blue hoodie hugging his hips, and said boy motions circles around him with his hands.

“The shop was supposed to be open two hours ago!” He yells, storming out of the room and the two boys can hear metal clinging.

“He always like this?” Yoongi grumbles, standing up to stretch. Jungkook shakes his head, standing up as well and they walk out to see what that noise is.

“You didn’t do anything last night!” Jimin sighs exhausted, slamming down pink bars of soap onto the shelf Jungkook was supposed to stock last night. 

“I did,” Jungkook yawns, shifting to lean against Yoongi. The elders arms come up immediately, wrapping around the tired boy. He hums into Jungkooks hair. 

“.” Yoongi says suddenly, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “My mom!” He screeches, untangling himself, hands flitting around until he finds the bag with stuff he bought last night. Jimin shakes his head. “I have to go Kook-ah. I’ll see you again tonight?” He asks, and Jimin slams another pink bar onto the shelf, crushing it. 

“Only if you’re going to help him work!” He says quickly, grabbing a plastic bag off the counter. It splits down the middle, sending spheres crashing into the ground. 

“Those were new bombs!” Jimin yells in frustration, hands clenched at his sides. Jungkook glances at him with a smile before nodding at Yoongi, whose heading towards the door. 

“Wait Hyung!” Jungkook calls as Yoongi is halfway out the door. Said boy turns, glancing back at him. Jungkook leans forward, sliding an unbroken bath bomb into his bag, before leaning in to hug him one more time. “I’ll see you tonight.” He whispers, before letting go to join Jimin who is now chucking broken bombs into a cardboard box. He hears the door jingle close and he finds himself surrounded by the scent of the broken pieces. He helps sweep them up into the box and heaves it up, going to throw them out back in the dumpster but he stops suddenly, reading the little yellow label of where the bombs where suppose to be placed:

Sugar Bomb.