Everyone already knows about Doh Kyungsoo, the young soon-to-be CEO that will leads the company headquarters in Busan. He's known to be a person like in those cliche dramas everyone watches—a cold guy with uptight personality that no one will dare to mess up with. His fierce eyes along with sharp jaw and petite but sculpture-like body give him a very strong aura that couldn't be resisted. Everyone, women and men, is attracted to him in ual and romantic way but it's such a pity that Kyungsoo will likely never return the feeling. Rumor has it that Kyungsoo is aual, but Baekhyun calls it bull.

("He's 100% gay. He fancies and asses over ."

Seulgi sighs in defeat. "It's over for us women.")

This new information, however, is confirmed by Kyungsoo himself, and nearly all workers in his company headquarters already know this.

It's not that Kyungsoo is running around shouting that he's after men, no, Doh Kyungsoo will never do that kind of thing. But the way he always stops by the receptionist desk a little too longer than necessary to have a "small talk" with the receptionist with sunkissed skin and charming smile named Kim Jongin says it all.

Kyungsoo never smiles. Kyungsoo never initiates conversation. Doh Kyungsoo never, ever, in his entire life, looks at someone with so much adoration like he always does to that Jongin kid.

And when that one Monday morning Kyungsoo does his regular visit to his future company, people already know that he will stop by the receptionist desk with a small smile lingering longer than usual and a shy, "Hi."

Jongin abruptly puts the book he's currently reading down and hides it under the table so Kyungsoo won't notice that he's not concentrating in doing his job. (It's not that Kyungsoo will complain but still.)

Jongin flashes his handsome smile, a smile that Kyungsoo will save under the name of "Jongin's Blinding Smile Number 3" in his mind.

"Mr. Doh, good morning!"

Kyungsoo sighs weakly. "I already told you not to address me with my surname, Jongin."

Jongin smirks, and Kyungsoo's stomach curls. ("It's called butterfly in your stomach, the one that describes the moment when you fall in love." Kyungsoo remembers Baekhyun said like that.)

"But you will be the CEO in this company so it would be rude for me to call you with just Kyungsoo," Jongin answers with adorable pout. Kyungsoo wants to cry because... how could one look so y and cute at the same time?!

"Yeah, yeah, whatever floats your boat, then. Anyway, what are you reading?"

"I don't read anything, Mr. Doh."

"Kyungsoo," the petite male corrects the way he addresses him.

"I don't read anything, Kyungsoo."

Kyungsoo lifts his eyebrow, then he points out at a red book laying down under the table.

Jongin smiles sheepishly and hides it under the drawer so Kyungsoo won't see what he's been reading.

"Just... a book."

"A book?"

Jongin nods, albeit unsure, but Kyungsoo buys it anyway. He then lets an "okay" before the phone in his pocket rings, signaling him to hurry up because his dad might need him by now.

Jongin notices the change of expression in Kyungsoo's face so he says, "Are you leaving now?"

"Yes. I should be going. My dad wants me and he's been waiting for me long enough," Kyungsoo replies with an apologetic smile and Jongin just let a small "okay" in return.

(Kyungsoo knows he might be hallucinating but he swears he sees Jongin's smile isn't as bright as his usual smile.)

                                ⊱ ─────── ⊰

In his way to his father's office, Kyungsoo meets Kim Jongdae, one of his father's favorite employees and Jongdae greets him with his remarkable sly smirk.

"Stopping by to have 'small talk' again, Mr. Teenager-Falling-In-Love?"

"Shut the up or I will fire you this instant, Kim."

Jongdae laughs at his empty threat.

"Your shy boy is a Kim too, imagine how hot it will be when you call him by his surname during ."

"KIM ING JONGDAE I WILL SLIT YOUR THROAT YOU SON OF A !"

Jongdae runs away before Kyungsoo could grab him and murder him for real, laughing like a madman because it is such an interesting sight to see Kyungsoo's face turns red. Not every day you could see blushing Kyungsoo, anyway.

                           ⊱ ─────── ⊰
"Say, Kyungsoo, how's your love life? Are you still flirting with him?"

Kyungsoo pinches his nose in frustration. "Get out, Byun. I'm working right now."

Baekhyun smirks and comes closer to Kyungsoo's desk in his office. "You look so tired. Did your little baby boy not give you any good ride last night?"

Kyungsoo's cheeks turn red in instant but he manages to glare at his friend in front of him. "He is not my baby boy."

"Oh, he will be. It's just about time. He needs to be a little braver and you just need to bend him over so y—"

"BYUN BAEKHYUN YOU COULD YOU STOP TALKING?!"

Baekhyun laughs so hard he has to clutches his stomach and Kyungsoo just glares at him. If only stare could kill, Baekhyun would be dead by now.

"Alright, alright! I'm sorry but you look so cute when you're blushing."

"I didn't blush!"

Baekhyun points his finger out at Kyungsoo's face, "See! You just did!"

Kyungsoo huffs in annoyance and decides to ignore Baekhyun's existence because it'd be easier that way.

"Anyway do you know that your little boy is an english literature student?"

Kyungsoo raises his eyebrow and stares at Baekhyun in confusion. "So what should I do with that useful information?"

Baekhyun shrugs his shoulder. "I thought you would want to know that he's currently reading Fifty Shades of Grey in the meantime. Who knows... Maybe he's into that kind of thing?"

Baekhyun winks at him and before Kyungsoo can come up with a comeback, he already leaves his room without saying anything.

Kyungsoo, however, is left in shock with the new information he couldn't proceed.

 

That night, Kyungsoo cannot sleep because his mind keeps messing with him. The image of a certain receptionist reading a very ty book never leaves his mind for days.

                                 ⊱ ─────── ⊰

"You look like ."

Kyungsoo rolls his imaginary eyes. "Thanks."

Brunette Byun who sits in front of him nods. "Your welcome. Anyway, your puppy acts strange. I think he's looking for someone."

Kyungsoo stares at him briefly before focusing his attention on his work again. "Who?"

Baekhyun hides his smirk and answers, "Your baby boy."

Kyungsoo sighs and looks at him with a bored expression. "I mean who is he looking for?"

"You, duh."

Kyungsoo snorts loudly and shakes his head. "He wouldn't see me today."

"Why? You finally decide to drop his because he's dense? Or worse, cannot reciprocate your feeling?"

Kyungsoo restrains himself from smacking his friend's head. "No. Do you see me today?"

"I'm seeing you right now?"

Kyungsoo cannot believe that Baekhyun could be this dumb. "I mean have you seen my face today?"

Baekhyun widens his eyes after Kyungsoo says that, and his smirk is something that Kyungsoo always hates because it only means something that he doesn't want to know.

"Oh come on, don't be chicken. Love is blind, if he can deal with your ty attitude then he can deal with your disheveled look too, don't you worry, little one!"

"Can you stop calling me with such names? It's cringey and no, my attitude is fine I just act accordingly. So shut your stinky mouth up or I will kick your flat ."

Baekhyun snickers. "Rude but okay, I guess. But don't make such face. You look ten times uglier that way. Just go see him if it makes you better because he looks so sad my heart cannot see a kicked puppy sad for a long time."

Kyungsoo sighs, and never answers even after Baekhyun leaves his office.

It's Baekhyun's fault anyway. If only he never said the thing about Jongin reading Fifty Shades of Grey, he would get enough sleep instead of imagining him doing dirty thi—

Damn you, Byun Baekhyun.

                                ⊱ ─────── ⊰
Kyungsoo should know that he cannot avoid the said receptionist forever and the next morning he's having another visit to his future company, Jongin is there already, ready to confront the young soon-to-be CEO.

Kyungsoo gulps, walking and trying not to picture Jongin as Christian Grey in suit. When he's standing in front of the receptionist desk, Jongin greets him with a timid smile, which Kyungsoo returns with a small smile but before Kyungsoo could say anything, Jongin beats him by asking, "Were you avoiding me?"
"H-huh?"
Jongin focuses his attention on Kyungsoo and he repeats his question. "You're avoiding me Kyungsoo. You stopped coming by."
"I... I was just in a hurry."
Jongin is taken aback, probably never think of it because who is he kidding? Kyungsoo is the future CEO, of course he has no time to stop by and talk with a mere receptionist like him.
Kyungsoo, sensing something is wrong by looking at Jongin's expression, tilts his head and asks, "Jongin, is something wrong?"
Jongin is never one to be blunt and straightforward but he blurts out, "I just realize that you're a busy person and to think that you will always have time to stop by and greet me is—stupid. And pathetic."

Something in his stomach drops and he doesn't like it. He wants to wipe out Jongin's expression because it doesn't sit well with him. He's like a kicked puppy and Kyungsoo doesn't like it.

"Jongin, no. You misunderstood my words. It's not that I don't want to greet you—"
"So you do want to greet me and talk to me longer like you always did?"
"Yeah. Well, you sound like I was trying to flirt with you."
"You weren't?"
Ugh, That kicked puppy expression again. "N-no! I mean yes! I mean—ugh, can we drop this conversation?"
Jongin smirks, and God forbids! Kyungsoo wants to kiss him so hard until he cannot see the smug expression again.
"You're done teasing me?"
"I didn't tease you, Mr. Doh."
Kyungsoo huffs in annoyance. "Listen, it's not that I was avoiding you. It's just that—something is bothering me lately."
"Should I be concerned about that? Is that what makes you look like you're avoiding me?"
Kyungsoo wants to say yes. Yes he was avoiding the Kim boy because he couldn't look at him without imagining him doing something, some dirty things to him in a red room.
"It's—complicated."
Jongin nods, and it looks like he doesn't want to push him telling what has bugging him.
"But uh... Jongin?"
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?" Kyungsoo asks, albeit unsure and he's scared Jongin would see him as a nosy person.
"Sure. What is it?"
"Can I ask you what kind of book you always read? You know... the one that you always hid from me."
Jongin's expression changes and Kyungsoo's heart skips a beat.
"W-will you fire me because I always read that book?"
Kyungsoo's eyes widen. "N-no! Don't worry! I will never fire you! It's okay to read such things, I mean it's none of my business and even if I never read such books like the ones you always read, I understand if—"
"Wait what?"
"Uh... It's none of my business...?"
"No... You said I read what?"
Kyungsoo's ears and cheeks turn red. " books?"
Jongin's eyes widen. "What makes you think I'm reading books?"
"W-well... You kept hiding that book from me and Baekhyun even said that you read Fifty Shades of Grey!"
Jongin couldn't believe his ears. "I hid it from you because you're the future boss here and I'm afraid I might be fired if you know I always read books whenever I have free time! And no! I don't even know what fifty grey is!"

Kyungsoo gasps, and the only thing he wants right now is to murder Baekhyun.

"Wait. If you didn't read Fifty Shades of Grey then what did you read?"
Jongin murmurs the word 'wait' as his hand grabs some books from the drawer and Kyungsoo widens his eyes.

A whole children literature books. A bunch of books that 7 years old would read.

"Alice's Adventure in Wonderland, The Little Prince, Peter Pan, and Pippi Longstocking. These are my favorite books! My all time favorite is The Little Prince!" Jongin proudly says, giggling sweetly while trying to shove the book in Kyungsoo's face.

Who the , in their twenties, read Pippi Longstocking? Damn, this boy is really something. And to think that he reads those novel...

God please forgive Kyungsoo.

                               ⊱ ─────── ⊰

"You look like ."
Kyungsoo is so tired to hear that voice but he cannot just ignore this guy. He can never shut up. "Brave of you to come here after you lied to me, Baekhyun."
Baekhyun chuckles, his face never shows that he's afraid of Kyungsoo's empty threat. "You are so naive. You want him to be Christian Grey look alike that bad, huh? You want him to smash and punish you that bad? Oh, poor soul." He giggles, shaking his head. "He doesn't even know a Christian Grey, Kyungsoo."
"Yeah." Kyungsoo sighs in frustration. "I'm well aware now that my crush is a baby."
"He might be a bottom too." Baekhyun grimaces, imagining Kyungsoo topping Jongin...
"It's about damn time for us bottom hoes to kick you from the power bottom community and send you to top community, Doh Kyungsoo."
" you."
"My is yours. Take it."

                               ⊱ ─────── ⊰

Thinking about it again, Kyungsoo realizes that Jongin is such a softie. The way he pouts, the way he always laughs at basically anything (he even laughs at the most corny jokes from Minseok from Accounting), the way he smiles and his eyes light up when someone mentions dance or literature. Kyungsoo wonders, how could the y Kim Jongin be such a cutie?

"Hi, Mr. Doh!"
Kyungsoo rolls his eyes in annoyance.
Jongin, being Jongin, laughs and nods, correcting the way he addresses Kyungsoo. "Kidding! You arrive early, Kyungsoo."
Kyungsoo smiles and nods. "I woke up too early so why not come here early too?"
"That's good! Come early so you can talk to me longer, right?"
Jongin is a softie, and Kyungsoo is never ready for such response. "Y-yeah..."
They talk about the most unimportant stuff but Kyungsoo doesn't mind. Every conversation with Jongin can turn to be funny and amusing because the latter always has great response.
Just before Kyungsoo can excuse himself (because it's already eight pas ten and he should be by his office or else his dad would kick his ), Jongin stops him by handing him a book.

"What is it, Jongin?"
"A novel."
Kyungsoo deadpans. He's well aware that it's a novel, The Litte Prince on top of that but—"Why are you giving me this?"
Jongin looks like he's nervous because he keeps rubbing his neck but Kyungsoo brushes it off.
"W-well... I just want to give it to you."
"But why... why The Little Prince?"
Jongin looks like he will pass out anytime soon but Kyungsoo doesn't seem like he knows that.
"B... because.."
"Because?"
"...becauseyoulooklikeaprince."
Kyungsoo tilts his head. "I'm sorry?"
Jongin inhales, and he shouts—"BECAUSE YOU LOOK LIKE A PRINCE!"
And that is enough for the whole passerby to hear.

                                ⊱ ───────⊰

"Really, Doh Kyungsoo. You flirted with him for three months and instead of good ride and wild you only receive a ing children book? How old are you? 10?"

"Can you lower your ing voice you barbaric buffoon?" Kyungsoo hisses, knowing perfectly that they're in cafetaria, not in his office and everyone could hear the embarrassing things Baekhyun would say.
Baekhyun brushes it off and keeps annoying the out of Kyungsoo. "This is hilarious. The cold guy, perfect son-in-law Doh Kyungsoo is ed up. His only crush is a kindergartener."
Kyungsoo's eyes twitch. "You sound so rude. He has a soft soul but that doesn't mean he's a child."
"He is. He is a kid who reads Peter Pan instead of Fifty Shades of Grey so be prepared to be to—"
"Uh... excuse me? Can I have this seat? All seats are taken and I can't eat this outside."
Kyungsoo and Baekhyun both look at the unexpected man and Kyungsoo sends a death glare to Baekhyun once he realizes that it's the same person they're talking about just a second ago.
Baekhyun pretends he doesn't see the murderous glare Kyungsoo throws at him and gives the "kindergartener" a blinding smile and short nod. "Sure, please take a seat! You're Kim Jongin, right? The same Jongin Kyungsoo always talks about?"
Kyungsoo kicks Baekhyun's feet under the table until the brunette man hiss in pain. Jongin, who happens to sit next to Kyungsoo, widens his eyes. His expression turns bright like a kid who gets a new toy. "Really? Kyungsoo talks about me?"
Baekhyun sends Kyungsoo a stare that could possibly be translated into wow-you're-calling-each-other-the-first-name-now-Mr-Doh? kind of stare but Kyungsoo pretends not to know that. He continues eating while Baekhyun and Jongin hold a very weird conversation.

"...so you're an english literature major but you take children literature concentration?"
Jongin nods, and his face lights up. He looks like he really loves literature, Kyungsoo takes note in his mind. He better talks about literature while holding conversation with the tan male, then.
"Yup! That's my favorite subject. I want to be a kindergarten teacher someday."
"Okay, that's great Jongin but can we make it straight? You're an english literature major but you don't know Fifty Shades of Grey?"
Jongin continues munching his food but he stops after he swallows it and shakes his head. "I know it, but I don't read the book."
Baekhyun sends Kyungsoo a pitiful look that could be translated into he's-not-into--you-poor-soul but then Jongin continues—
"I read the summary and it's not my cup of tea. I prefer Willing Victim by Cara McKenna though. The scenes are too real and hot. I think the theme and story is way far beyond every novel I've ever read. No offense to that novel you just mentioned, though, hyung."
Kyungsoo chokes on his food and Baekhyun just spits out his drink.
After one minute or so proceeding the fact that Jongin does read novels and he's not a "kid" like Baekhyun always portrays him to be, only Baekhyun can gather the courage to reply Jongin's words by, "None taken."

Because seriosly, Kyungsoo is too red to even think about anything right now. Dirty, dirty Kim Jongin...

                            ⊱ ─────── ⊰

Baekhyun is the epitome of devil, Kyungsoo has known this for years but leaving him alone with Jongin so they can go back to the office together is not the kindest gesture Kyungsoo could get.
Like... he can barely breathe and he doesn't even know how to talk right now because the newest fact that Jongin does read books (and hereby Kyungsoo keeps imagining dirty thoughts about him) makes him nervous and can't think straight.
But then here they are, walking side by side to the office after a brief launch at the cafeteria not so far from the main building. Jongin talks about something like bugs and weather and Kyungsoo only nods and says "yeah" and "sure" but when Jongin calls his name to get his attention, Kyungsoo's mind goes to its right place.
"I want to know if you already read the book I gave you." Jongin looks so fidgety and Kyungsoo raises his eyebrow.
"Jongin, I've read The Little Prince when I was in 3rd grade."
Jongin looks so disoriented but he asks again, this time sounds impatient. "But have you read the book I gave to you? The one I handed out to you?"
Kyungsoo furrows his brows. "Does it make ant difference?"
"Y-yes it does."
"How come?"
"..."
"Jongin?"
"..."
"Jongin what are you trying to sa—"
"BECAUSE I LEFT A NOTE IN THAT BOOK THAT SAYS I WANT TO GO OUT ON A DATE WITH YOU BECAUSE I'M TOO AFRAID TO ASK YOU OUT DIRECTLY!"

Kyungsoo's mouth opens widely while Jongin tries to cover his, before running away because he cannot stand the confused look he gets from people around them.

Kyungsoo, left alone, is just as shocked as Baekhyun who hides near them, eavesdropping.

                                  ⊱ ─────── ⊰

Kyungsoo thinks he really needs to make Jongin's invitation clear so when it's the time to go home, he doesn't pay attention to Baekhyun's shenanigans and heads up to the receptionist desk, where luckily he can still find Jongin. He walks slowly while trying to sound as calm as possible and when he stands in front of a very shy Jongin, he only manages to say a cracky, "Hi."

Pathetic.

Jongin gives him a nervous smile—but beautiful smile nonetheless—and signals him to say whatever he wants to say so Kyungsoo clears his throat and blurts out, "Do you really want to go out with me?" He says, albeit nervously, but he can control his voice to come out just fine. "I mean... as a date?"

Jongin, who looks like he's holding his breathe this entire time, releases a long sigh. His lips curl into a perfect, blinding smile—Kyungsoo says it's one of his deadly smile only Kyungsoo can see them—before letting a really quiet, "Of course. I've been trying to ask you out for two months straight."

And Kyungsoo cannot hide his reddened face and wide smile that day, not even when Baekhyun and Jongdae come to about that.

 

                      ⊱ ──── {⋅. fin .⋅} ──── ⊰