There’s always something about the younger kids that Kyungsoo always finds himself managing to envy. Cool looks, lots of friends, money, a stable job. He’s the same age as all the other kids that walk past his dusty, fading restaurant but he still feels a little out of place.

 

He’s wearing his jeans cuffed on top of some low cut sneakers. Is that weird? He saw his dad do it all the time, but he doesn’t see anyone do it these days. Especially paired with a t-shirt tucked in.

 

“Hey, Kyungsoo, you’re doing it again.”

 

“Hm? Oh,” Kyungsoo takes one last glance out the front window of his shop before he turns his attention back to Jongin, who is sitting at a nearby table, a hefty, piping bowl of ramen in front of him.

 

He’s Kyungsoo’s only customer anymore.

 

A broke city kid fresh out of college who lives in an apartment a block away and doesn’t know how to properly function a stove, so he comes here instead. He’s a year or two younger than Kyungsoo, and is flourishing more than he realizes.

 

Kyungsoo, 28 years old, has taken over his parents restaurant after his father died and his mother threatened to close it down because she didn’t feel like it was worth it.

 

It was their pride and joy at one point. Kyungsoo has pretty much grown up in it, it’s his life too, so he told his mother he would take over and make it what it used to be. “On dad,” he had said, “I promise it’ll be what I remember it.”

 

Only it isn’t.

 

After his parents left people stopped coming. That was four years ago and Kyungsoo has hardly seen a soul in here since then.

 

He spent his entire childhood learning the skills from his parents. He didn’t spend time with friends after school, he worked here in his teenage years, he didn’t even go to college. He had to teach himself how to do all the numbers. Surely he isn’t that bad. After all the place is still standing.

 

“Maybe mom is right. Maybe I should just shut the place down.” He says. The words slipped past his lips so easily in the silent room that it made Jongin almost choke.

 

“You what?” He coughs, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand as he stares at Kyungsoo in pure shock.

 

Kyungsoo glances across the table at him, “This place is a lost cause, Jongin. I’m going into debt, you’re the only person in here anymore, I don’t really know what much else I can do.”

 

“Renovate it? A lot of people are into the modern thing lately. Big trend.” Jongin replies,

 

“How? By taking out another loan and paying that off too? That’s one more thing I have to worry about. Besides I… What’s wrong with what’s in here?”

 

Jongin pushes his bowl to the side, and sits back in his chair slowly. A loud, drawn own creak squeals across through the restaurant. Jongin says nothing, only stares at Kyungsoo knowingly.

 

Kyungsoo tears his eyes away to back out the window. The streetlights are on now, he people passing are beginning to dwindle slowly along with the light.

 

“Think about it,” Jongin says, straightening his black tie back up and standing, throwing his jacket over his shoulder.

 

“Maybe a miracle will come along. Or this storm will blow the whole place away. Then you really won’t have to worry.” He winks, picking up his backpack and walking towards the door, telling Kyungsoo not to worry about a thing and that Jongin is all he needs to keep him in business.

 

Kyungsoo spends an indefinitely long amount of time staring out the window and watching the darkness cover the narrow street outside.

 

So out of place, he thinks, rising to go back upstairs to his very small, very crowded apartment above the shop. A small, pitched squeak can be heard as he rises from the chair.

 

Thanks, Jongin. Another chore Kyungsoo is gonna have to do numbers over tonight as if he doesn’t have enough already.

 

Papers and numbers. That’s all his life is anymore other than the one bowl of fresh ramen he serves to Jongin at six.

 

All he does is stress over work and fight with money hungry property mutts. He stares at black and white words that use to intimidate him and now they only go over his head. He’s numb to it now and he started to lose track of the reason he even does any of this in the first place.

 

He’s been walking on thin ice for three years and now the cracks have began to split. Jongin hasn’t been the only person to come in. He’s had small dates and families come in but vey, very rarely.

 

Maybe his food isn’t the way his dad made it. Older regulars have said it tastes the same, almost better than his dads but if they liked it that much it should have been keeping him in business, right?

 

“Kyungsoo, no one comes here anymore. Imagine the potential this place could have if you let go and put it in the hands of someone more… Responsible.”

 

“You’ve been trying to keep this joint in one piece since you old man died. Give it up, it’s gonna turn to dust kid.”

 

“Dust,” Kyungsoo mutters, blinking away the burn in his eyes from staring at the papers for so long. Maybe these stupid old guys are right. Maybe he wasn’t meant for this like he thought.

 

Thunder rattles his window and rolls through the sky. Something heavy was moving in and for a second Kyungsoo almost hopes that Jongin was right, maybe it’ll blow this place away so no one would have to deal with it.

 

There’s a few taps at his window, followed by more, and suddenly there’s sheets of rain slamming into his window.

 

Kyungsoo sits back into his chair with a sigh and watches the rain fall outside and trickle down his window. He doesn’t know how his dad managed to do this for so long and be so excited all the time. He remembers being a kid and shuffling into the front room half asleep because the light was on and he’d see his dad working away. The next morning he’d be in the kitchen preparing meals by the time Kyungsoo was leaving for school.

 

Still, even as a grown man, Kyungsoo has no idea how his dad managed to do all that. He had to have been tired, no doubt. Kyungsoo doesn’t even do anything besides stare at papers and yell at old guys and he’s exhausted by the afternoon.

 

He hates this. He hates that he’s been leading a life, wasting his twenties away doing nothing. Putting himself through all this stress, all this worry and anxiety over what?

 

A lost cause.

 

He should have listened to his mom after his dad passed and just shut the place down and locked it away in his memories.

 

He hates that he has no friends, no true past relationships, no exciting memories, he doesn’t even have a college education all because he’s been having to sit around and file through words that now bleed into the paper. He’s out of loop with the trends, his phone is ancient, his mind is tired, his eyes are sore all the time.

 

It’s not worth it.

 

There’s another faint crash, making Kyungsoo’s shoulders jump as he stands over the stove.

 

Another follows behind it immediately, followed by… another?

 

It’s not thunder, it’s something else. Kyungsoo almost decides against investigating but the more it persists the more annoyed he’s going to become. No one should be out at this hour, especially with this weather.

 

The male groans and he turns the heat off and hurries down into the restaurant to investigate.

 

The shop has wooden doors. Old school, rustic, Kyungsoo likes it because the wind doesn’t blow them around as easily during weather like this. There’s a series of bangs against the wood followed muffled calls and Kyungsoo is almost ready to throw a bowl at the stranger.

 

He unlatches the locks, turns the knob to the door, and is sent straight back into the floor as soon as the door flies open.

 

Wind and rain come hurling in, along with a body that’s apologizing profusely, trying to help Kyungsoo up, and close the door at the same time.

Poor Kyungsoo didn’t even get a chance to look at the guy, he about fell on top of Kyungsoo, leaving him feeling far more awake than he was before.

 

“Jesus, oh my god, are you okay? I couldn’t see inside and the wind is crazy. I didn’t really think you were gonna answer and- , I’m so sorry-“

 

“I’m fine.” Kyungsoo mumbles, latching the door shut once again and finally turning to look at the stranger and he instantly feels his stomach do a 180.

 

The guy is really handsome. But he’s soaked. Dripping wet all over the floor as he looks at Kyungsoo with a guilty smile on his face.

 

“Oh!” He exclaims, “I- My bike broke down and I live in the middle of the city… I’m not trying to be a nuisance I swear I just- Ah-“ His hand reaches up to push wet strands of hair back nervously,  “My name is Byun Baekhyun, I-“

 

“Cool,” Kyungsoo butts, tone dead, purely uninterested in the guys intentions.

 

“Take your jacket off and hand it to me. You’re dripping all over my floor and I just cleaned it today.” He finishes, extending his arm and watching g as Baekhyun’s eyes grow in realization before he slips off the leather jacket he has on, and hands it to Kyungsoo, who says nothing as he snatches it and takes it upstairs to dry.

 

By the time he gets downstairs Baekhyun is totally barefoot and shaking like a drenched kitten. His arms are tucked in close to his sides, his feet are overlapping each other, his teeth are chattering, but he remains in the same spot he’s been in since he got here.

 

“What did-“

 

“You said I was getting water all over your floor. I didn’t wanna make a big mess so... I took it upon myself.” The man smiles. It’s such a foreign feeling, maybe it’s just because Kyungsoo isn’t used to seeing people anymore. Much less people like this.

 

“Sit down.” Kyungsoo groans defeatedly, turning his back again and stalking to the kitchen, flipping on the lights into the dining area as well. The shades are down, no one will notice if the lights are on, as if they’d care anyways.

 

Kyungsoo takes his time pulling out the ingredients. Samgyetang would really be the way to go but his chicken is frozen and he can’t really wait that long for it to thaw. So he opts for kimchi stew off the top of his head, hurriedly trying to pull out pots and pans and veggies and tofu as if the guy outside was near death.

 

He’s getting to cook for someone else tonight that isn’t Jongin. It’s little things like this that make him excited and get his heart feeling warm for just a little bit. He hums quietly as he chops vegetables and throws together the meal in what feels like a record amount of time.

 

When Kyungsoo makes it back to the dining area, Baekhyun is seated at a table quietly off to the side. Looking around at the interior and playing with his fingers. When he sees Kyungsoo come out of the kitchen he smiles a big, grateful smile and gasps when Kyungsoo puts the bowl in front of him.

 

“Can I get you some coffee? Tea?” He asks, his demeanor has totally changed after he walked back into the kitchen to make this guys meal. Baekhyun hums in thought, his lips push out in a small pout as he thinks, and looks up at Kyungsoo, “Have anything with ginger?” He asks.

 

Kyungsoo nods and makes his way back, quickly glancing over his shoulder to see Baekhyun taking a spoon and immediately digging in. It’s a bit strange to see someone from the center of the city on the very far edge of town, it makes him a little curious as to what his purpose was for being all the way out here,

especially at this hour. Kyungsoo isn’t going to ask, he doesn’t like prying into people’s personal lives, especially strangers.

 

Another loud slam of thunder echoes through the shop as Kyungsoo pushes the door to the kitchen open and makes his way back to the man’s table, who is eating silently. He thanks him as soon as Kyungsoo sets the cut down, “This is incredible, you know? Where’d you learn to do this?”

 

Kyungsoo’s eyes widen, he feels the back of his neck heat up and he sputters to look for the clear, obvious answer.

“M-My parents.” He says finally, watching Baekhyun nod and take another big mouthful of tofu and veggies.

 

“Well-” He says in between bites, “ ‘S ing amazing.”

 

Kyungsoo quietly thanks him and is about to awkwardly go and sit in the kitchen but he has a lot of questions for the stranger who, quite literally, stormed into his restaurant.

 

“So…” He stars, shifting his weight from one leg to another, “You said you lived in the middle of the city, right?”

 

“Mhm,” Baekhyun hums, leaning back in his chair which emits a squeak that almost makes Kyungsoo visibly cringe.

 

“Why are you all the way out here so late?” Kyungsoo questions, “Especially during a storm.”

 

As if on cue, lightning flashes immediately followed by a loud crash of thunder that causes the lights to flicker in the restaurant, making the two males look around at the light fixtures curiously. Kyungsoo sincerely hopes he doesn’t lose power. At least not yet.

 

“I work at a media company in the middle of the city,” His voice gets quiet and he shifts in his seat abashed, “I ride out here sometimes just to destress… I guess I lost track of time when it had started raining. I thought I could make it home but my luck kinda fell through.”

 

Kyungsoo hums in acknowledgement, finding himself in an awkward position yet again but Baekhyun is the one to fire away, “So you own this place I’m guessing? Or your parents?”

 

“Uh, yeah… I do, I guess.” Kyungsoo is not about to tell his life story to someone, especially now that he’s hanging onto this place by a thread.

 

“You guess?” The man repeats, looking up at Kyungsoo unsure.

 

Maybe he should sit down, but that seems to casual, but then again he doesn’t want to stand either. “Uhm,” Kyungsoo sighs in frustration both from his thoughts and his sudden position as he pulls a chair out across the table, “I do… Own it…” He mutters, shifting around to try and ease the tension he can feel creeping up between them. He’s not going to explain his situation, he can’t.

 

Baekhyun nods across the table, the longer Kyungsoo eyes him the more he can see the man wanting to ask more questions and Kyungsoo is quick to change the subject before Baekhyun can press anything else.

 

“You said you worked at a media company right?”

 

Baekhyun looks at him from over the top of his cup and hums an ‘mhm’ as he sets it back on the table, “Yeah, it’s called G-Light Media.” he smiles, “Been there for a few years, it’s a pretty nice place.”

 

“G-Light?” Kyungsoo repeats, trying to make sure what he heard was right, as Baekhyun nods, “Yeah, I don’t get it either.” He chuckles, taking another sip of tea before he continues eating.  His hair is finally starting to dry,

 

“So what made you decide to start a business way out here?”

 

Twenty questions. Kyungsoo dreads this. There’s no way he’s gonna get through these next few minutes like this, his head is probably going to implode from explaining himself so much.

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t like talking about himself to strangers. Close friends like Jongin are different, he’s known Jongin for over a year now and he can trust him with what he has to say, but Baekhyun is a stranger, someone who literally showed up at his doorstep and he barely knows anything about.

 

“I didn’t… I mean,” He shakes his head trying to find the right words without sounding too harsh, “It was my parents but they were getting too old to take care of it so I stepped in place.”

 

Baekhyun hums,  “How long have you been in their place for?”

 

“Uhm,” Kyungsoo actually has to stop and think for a moment, quietly counting up the years in his head, “About four years.” He says finally.

 

“Wah,” Baekhyun gasps, “That’s cool. I’d at running a business. Too many numbers and people being overly serious. I really admire people who can though, that’s guts.”

 

“It’s a constant game of tug of war.” Kyungsoo sighs, thinking of all the greedy people that come his way trying to force him to turn the place over. His head falls onto his hand, and he stares blankly at an empty space in the room, “You just need to know your way around their heads. They try to intimidate you, it’s just a matter of using their own forces against them.”

 

Another boom rattles the sky, making Kyungsoo sit up off the table in a start. He’s tired and he hasn’t even done anything today. He won’t rush though, there’s a comfortable feeling about Baekhyun’s presence that lets his mind just drift where ever.

 

“People really do anything for money, huh?” Baekhyun huffs, staring thoughtfully at a chunk of tofu before he shoves it into his mouth.

 

Yeah, they really will.

 

Kyungsoo stands up from his seat and shuffles over to the window of his shop, taking a peek through the blinds only to be greeted by a muddled mess of rain and the faint glimmer of street lamps and neon signs outside. This isn’t going to be letting up anytime soon. Baekhyun’s bike has broken down, he’s stuck here.

Kyungsoo could just direct him to a hotel, but that’s sending him back out in the rain he was trying so hard to get out of. He can’t do that.

 

Kyungsoo peels his eyes away from the mess outside and glances at Baekhyun, who is quietly typing on his phone as he eats.

 

Kyungsoo has to finish his paperwork. He has to finish his landlord in the morning, he has no idea what to do with the stranger sitting in his restaurant now.

 

“You’re more than welcome to stay here for tonight. I live right upstairs.”

 

That wasn’t supposed to come out.

 

Kyungsoo is mentally taking his head against the window as Baekhyun looks over at him red faced like he’s just seen something he shouldn’t. Count on Kyungsoo to make something awkward ten times more awkward and then left trying to pick up the pieces.

 

“Wh- Are you sure? I mean I can leave, really. I just needed somewhere safe to leave my motorcycle I  can-”

 

“I have a couch and a meeting tomorrow morning with my landlord. If you’re out by nine tomorrow, that couch is all yours.”  Kyungsoo cuts, walking back to the table to take Baekhyun’s now empty bowl and mug back to the kitchen. He’ll take care of them tomorrow, he’s got too much to finish right now to worry about a couple of dishes.

 

“But what about the food?” He asks, following Kyungsoo into the kitchen and staring at him in total shock as he watches the male put the dishes away.

 

“You’ve suffered enough tonight.” Kyungsoo starts, trying to wipe that worried look off the other mans face, “It’s on me.”

 

“I’ll be out by eight then.” Baekhyun smiles, turning around to let Kyungsoo lead the way back up to his place. The worst part of the storm has subsided now, but the thunder is still rolls occasionally and there’s still flashes of lightning going off every couple of minutes. The rain is still pretty heavy, slamming against the windows of Kyungsoo’s tiny little space he calls home.

 

He used to have a spare bedroom, the one that used to be his as a child but he then turned into an office after his mother moved. The space reminded her too much his father and it pained her to even stay, so Kyungsoo did everything he could to get her out and even now he still isn’t sure if she’s satisfied. He visits often, brings home the meals she makes for him, and tells her that the restaurant is doing great, and that he is too.

 

“Your jacket is hanging in that little closet over there, by the way.” Kyungsoo points to a small closet door off towards the kitchen where the washer and dryer sit in.

“You can get it in your way out in the morning.”

 

“Stay right here, I’ll be back.”

 

Kyungsoo hurries to find whatever blankets and spare pillows he has. It’s not like he has people over often, or ever, for that matter.

 

It’s not like his place looks like hell though. It’s mostly tidy, he keeps his stuff off the floor, he was raised to be a mostly decent human. Kyungsoo just isn’t used to being a host to company. He’s lacking in being considerate, as he keeps his sentences short and straight to the point, but he is polite enough at making a meal, conversation, and offering his couch to a literal stranger. Not that bad. Just awkward.

 

Baekhyun is still standing where Kyungsoo left him when he returns with a sheet, a few flimsy blankets and a pillow. It’ll last the guy for tonight and it won’t be a lot to wash after he leaves anyways.

 

Baekhyun accepts everything with a shy smile but bold ‘thank you’.

 

“Help yourself to anything you may need, all I ask is that you don’t break anything because chances are I’m too broke to afford a replacement.” Maybe that was a bad joke, Baekhyun’s eyes widen a little and his lips fall apart in momentary shock,  “Bathroom is back there on your left.” Kyungsoo says, pointing to the hall that sits by his office and hurries off without another word before he possibly makes things more awkward.

 

Kyungsoo jumps on the opportunity to duck into his office for the rest of the night and finish off the literal mountain of paperwork that’s been taunting him.

 

Now that the rain has subsided, along with the rage behind it, concentrating is a little easier but the lingering fact that a stranger is in his living does not cease. It’s not like Kyungsoo has anything valuable out there, but still, it’s all he has.

 

But Baekhyun has a really nice leather jacket, and he drives what’s probably a really nice motorcycle. Add on the fact that he lives and works in the middle of the city and you’ve got a prime man of status. Basically everything Kyungsoo isn’t.

 

He has no idea how long he spent working, he lost count of the times he has taken his glasses off to run at his eyes or fell asleep at his desk.

 

By the time he flicks off the light to his office and closes the door he can catch the outline of a small lump on the couch.

 

Everything seems to be in its place, it’s good enough for him as he sulks into his room and double checks if his alarm is set to wake him up to face an entire day of dread.

 

And it does, at 6:30 sharp Kyungsoo is blindly looking for his glasses on his nightstand and pulling himself out of bed.

 

If it wasn’t for the folded blankets on the couch when he shuffles out to the living room he would’ve almost forgotten about the man he let stay over last night.

 

Baekhyun. That was him.

 

Kyungsoo nearly misses the note that’s on top, almost dropping it as he retrieves the blankets from their place. He picks it up looks it over, then sits on the arm of the couch to look it over again.

 

You’re food was really good and I couldn’t leave without paying for it. Or tipping my gracious cook who never introduced himself.;)

 

P.S. You should really fix those chairs !!!

 

• Baekhyun <3

 

Then he sees the check, which had fallen to the floor… For 1 million won.

 

This... Is a joke.

 

This stupid guy who’s bike broke broke down left Kyungsoo his own money and Kyungsoo never did introduce himself.

 

He groans as he tosses the pile of blankets back onto the couch (Baekhyun did a really messy job at folding them), Kyungsoo won’t have enough time to give this back to him before his meeting but he’s definitely going after.

 

A quick internet search after spending way too much time trying to remember the name of that company and he finds the address, writes it down, and puts it on top of his paperwork so he won’t forget, along with the check, which has little cartoon corgis printed all over it.

 

What a strange guy.

 

—

 

If it wasn’t for the fact that he had somewhere to go before he shop opened up, Kyungsoo would have gone home and slept until opening.

 

His whole morning has been exhausting. His landlord has been not so subtly dropping his word in about the state of the place, and Kyungsoo feels like his head is about to roll off his shoulders.

 

“Kyungsoo, you’re a great kid, you have a lot of guts to try and keep this place open but look at you, you’re falling behind on payments. People have been asking for months if they can buy this place out.”

 

“I know. You and everyone else have threatened me enough.” He wants to roll his eyes, he does, but he’s polite, he won’t. He just stares blankly at the man like he always has, hoping he can’t see Kyungsoo’s pent up frustration.

 

“I know you have good intentions,” He sighs,  “But you’re falling behind. Accept that your parents no longer have anything to do with this place and move on in your life. Let someone have their own fresh start here.”

 

Move on. Prick makes it sound so easy. Like this little establishment hasn’t been the focus and prime of Kyungsoo’s life. Like it hasn’t been his heart and a piece that makes who he is. Moving on from this isn’t something he can do so easily.

 

The promise he made to his parents all these years is what’s eating him alive. He can’t disappoint his parents like this, not after how long he’s dedicated himself to this, not after he told his father on his deathbed before he passed.

 

“Give me one last chance.” Kyungsoo sputters, trying to look for one last escape, one last chance at a hopeful future.

“If I don’t have this place together within the next six months then I’ll go. Final.”

 

What did he just do.

 

“Kyungs-“

 

“Six months,” he breathes, “Please.”

 

“I’ll see you next month with your rent.”

 

Kyungsoo thanks him, bows, and rushes out of the building, cursing to himself all the way down the street as he fixes the papers inside the folder they’re in and catches a light blue, corgi covered check.

 

Maybe he should go back. This really could cover his for a good minute. He can pay Baekhyun back later.

 

But you’re falling behind.

 

No, he can’t do this. This is someone else’s money that he doesn’t deserve and Kyungsoo is going to shove in Baekhyun’s face if he doesn’t take it back, no questions asked.

 

This is Kyungsoo’s fault, his own doing, and if he can’t fix it then he has no one else to blame but himself.

 

He checks the time as he steps on the train, he’s about an hour and a half before he needs to be back here. A little tight on time, but he’ll make it.

 

It wouldn’t be his first time that he’s felt a little off about his appearance in public. He’s got on some khakis (cuffed) and a blue sweater about two sizes too big.

 

And a flip phone from about 5 years ago.

 

Everyone around him has a smart phone, and Kyungsoo won’t lie, he envies everyone that has one. He could get so much more done if he had one of those, but priorities.

 

Next one being to find “G-Light Media”.

 

He wrote down the address, but as soon as steps out of the subway there’s no point anymore.

 

The place is a labyrinth of building and roads. Kyungsoo hasn’t been to this part of the city in about a year and every time he comes here he always forgets it’s a train ride away. So much louder, busier, and populated than his part.

 

If he can just find the street, he won’t have any trouble.

 

It’s a lot of walking, a lot of looking like he’s never been here before, a lot of guessing and trying to find a street sign and then turning around until he manages to find it.

 

He really should get out more.

 

When he walks up to the building that he had ended passing about three times until he noticed the sign on one end, he catches a glimpse of a motorcycle, army green and shining against the light, a black and red helmet hangs off of one of the handlebars.

 

It could be Baekhyun’s, it could be anyone’s.

 

He walks in, uses common sense and walks to the front desk where a young man smiles up at him, the name place on his computer reads “Oh Sehun - Secretary” And Kyungsoo takes his chance.

 

“Uhm, I need to speak to…” he glances at the name written in the check, looks back down at the man, “Byun Baekhyun.”

 

Immediately the mans eyes widen, then his brows press together in confusion, “What’s your name?” He asks.

 

Name? Why does he need Kyungsoo’s name? Security reasons?

 

“D-Do Kyungsoo.” He replies, voice half unsure.

 

The young man types a few things into his computer and shakes his head, “No, I don’t see you for any appointments. Do you know CEO Byun personally?”

 

“CEO?” Kyungsoo asks, he’s pretty sure he stopped breathing.

 

ing CEO? That er said he “just worked” here.

 

“Wait you-“

 

“Sehun-ah!” There’s a loud voice that carries from off to the side and Kyungsoo could faint after the sight he sees striding across the room with a two other men behind him.

 

ing Baekhyun… The CEO of this entire company.

 

He stops when he sees Kyungsoo, the two stare at each other in pure shock once they catch each other and Baekhyun has he absolute nerve to smile, turns to the man next to him and practically yells, “That's him! That’s the restaurant man, Jongdae!”

 

Kyungsoo swallows everything he wants to say, he won’t let this tie him up, he’s here for one purpose.

 

He takes the chance and strides up to the men, ignoring the secretary almost bolting out of his chair. He hold the check up, stops dead in his tracks in front of Baekhyun and doesn’t let the eye contact die.

 

“What is this?” He asks, watching Baekhyun’s eyes turn into crescents, “That’s yours.” He smiles, “You didn’t see my note?”

 

“CEO?” Kyungsoo asks again.

 

Baekhyun’s smile falls, but his face still has mischief written all over it.

 

“I didn’t mention it for a reason.” He says, face immediately lighting up again, “That’s yours to fix those chairs, mister.”

 

“No, I’m fine, I don’t need this. Take your stupid money and go get your bike fixed.” Kyungsoo snaps, of this guy doesn’t take this back Kyungsoo is going to be faced with no choice.

 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, that got fixed this morning. I took care of it.” He smiles, “Here, walk with me. Jongdae, Minseok, I’ll be right back.” He turns to smile to the men behind him who are stare at him just as confused as Kyungsoo, if not even more.

 

“No, just-“ Kyungsoo takes his chance, grabs Baekhyun’s wrist and plants the check straight into his palm, forcing the man's fingers closed around the paper, “Take your stupid money.” He finishes, turning around and hurrying out of the building as fast as he possibly can without looking like a complete maniac.

 

Yes, he could have used that, but he isn’t that accepting, especially of a complete stranger’s, hard earned money. It’s just not in his personality and it would take a lot more for him to take a sum that big. Kyungsoo is pretty practical and for him to take something from someone like a CEO, probably wouldn’t matter, but it does to him.

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t want to take things from people, even if they’re being generous, he wants to work hard, and put in hard work to receive an equally good outcome. Taking that same work from other people just isn’t part of who he is.

 

He does hear some yelling and calling behind him but as soon as he steps outside the building, Kyungsoo bolts.

 

He forgot to give him his name.