Author's note: thanks for all the love guys~! You're too nice.

Their date will be soon.

It’s the first time he feels disappointed that wizards don’t have cellphones since his first year spent at Hogwarts.

It had been such a difficult adjustment period, going from not only seeing his parents every day to only seeming them a couple of times a year but also having to rely on letters. The fact he knew there was already technology that would make this easier to bear, like webcams and cellphones, and that they didn’t work in the school only made it worse. Other muggleborns seemed to have just a difficult time adjusting when the fascination with magic started to fade a few months in and knowing he wasn’t alone in going through that was a small comfort.

It’s something he’s long gotten used to but Daesung finds himself thinking back on it again, wishing wizards had something like cellphones so he could call his parents… and Seunghyun. His master had taken one look at his giddy face and wide smile before congratulating him outright, making him blush something fierce. She hadn’t or anything, but keeps sending him amused looks whenever his mind drifts somewhere and he needs to be snapped back to reality.

Alright, so maybe he’s fawning a little bit but he can’t help it. Daesung can barely bring himself to think of the words Seunghyun and boyfriend in the same sentence without needing to bite down on his lip and cover his face with both hands. Still, he’s in a bit of a predicament, where exactly is he going to take them? Anywhere muggle is out of the question, he doesn’t want Seunghyun to be uncomfortable and feel lost the entire time. For later dates maybe he can show him what movies are but not for their first one.

Maybe a restaurant? There’s one Daesung particularly likes, although he’s only been there twice. It’s not as fancy as the high end ones are but the floor is enchanted to look like different things, sometimes a dark meadow with bright flowers, sometimes a snow covered mountain, sometimes the night sky filled with stars, and the booths are really secluded with privacy charms and everything.  The last time he had a date was during his sixth year and he’s a bit rusty.

His gaze returns to the blank parchment lying innocently on the workbench.  He should write his parents and Youngbae at the very least but every time he tries the quills just hangs over the would-be letter uncertainly. It’s not that he wants to keep it a secret or anything but he doesn’t really know how to go about it. He’s also not sure if he should say something to Jiyong and Seungri or not. Given their current situation, he doesn’t want to rub anything in – but he’s half-expecting the Gryffindor to find out anyway, like he usually does, and come barging inside the shop later to bug him about it.

That would actually be good, a sign that things are returning to normal. It didn’t come across in the last interview or anything, he’s a professional, but Seungri has been particularly quiet since the Ministry’s event and he’s getting worried. Even Youngbae has expressed concern in his letters despite not knowing him very well yet. It’s going to become more difficult to have free time until after Christmas but maybe they can have a sleepover or something. All three of them spend most of their time at their jobs anyway, hanging out would do them some good.

He stares at the parchment for a full minute before pushing it aside, still feeling lost as to how start writing. The book’s resting next to the capped bottle of ink, almost like it’s staring at him and accusing him of slacking so he picks it up instead and tries to concentrate. It’s actually quite funny, how much his studying has made him notice certain things more. Wands, obviously, and he amuses himself by trying to guess the personalities of stranger’s through their wands now, but it’s more than that.

Carving’s difficult and he finds himself evaluating and appreciating all types of wood, especially in furniture. Wizards kept all kinds of old furniture around, value it, so it’s not uncommon for most places to have fancy looking chairs and tables and Daesung finds himself appreciating the craftsmanship with increasing frequency. He wonders if some combination or runes and enchantments could make the furniture dance – and maybe tablewear too, like in that scene from Beauty and the Beast, that’d be funny. Jiyong’s good at charms, right? Maybe he could help. Although the Hufflepuff isn’t so sure showing him musicals is a good idea. He’d end up engrossed in yet another secret project.

Speaking of, the man’s still refusing to explain what he needs Daesung’s help for, saying it’s easier to just show him. He doesn’t know how he’s taking Seungri’s situation in, or if he even knows how drunk the Gryffindor got, but it’s reassuring to see him as excited about music as ever. His worried thoughts are interrupted by a regal tapping at the window and he opens it immediately, recognizing the owl and feeling a smile blossom across his lips, giddiness making him brave enough to gently pat the bird – who seems content to wait as opposed to flying off like usual – a couple of times on its head.

The letter is a lot longer than usual, still a little awkward but seemingly much more at ease than the previous ones now that the things keeping them from speaking freely are mostly resolved. Seunghyun wishes him a good morning, asks him how he and his master are doing, if the store is faring well before moving into other random topics. Daesung pays special attention to the grumblings about his job even though he doesn’t understand most of it. Something about the Ministry and Gringotts and family owned properties, there’s a lot of technical terms he doesn’t know but makes a note to ask about or research later. The subjects turn slightly sweeter at the end when the Slytherin confesses to be entirely unable to focus on his duties today and asks him for permission to him home whenever he’s able to.

It’s not so much fear for his safety rather than an excuse to spend time together, Daesung thinks, and the way he’s starting to see what the awkward pauses in his speech and writing mean, the underlying feelings in his carefully chosen words, makes him smile. Seunghyun may be perfectly polite and confident in formal occasions but he can incredibly awkward, even insecure, in casual settings which makes him feel a lot less nervous about this whole thing. And it’s also kind of cute, if he’s being honest with himself.

Three pictures are stuck inside the envelope and he quickly takes them out to have a look. One of them is of a cat, long and white and extremely fluffy, staring at the wizarding camera as if it’s a particularly chewable toy, tail flicking back and forth casually. Top, Daesung recalls fondly, shaking his head and laughing at the fact every single one of his friend’s pets seem to have a weird name, his own included. He’d have expected something regal and lean, maybe with dark fur, so learning about her had been a pleasant surprise. He’d like to play with her sometime.

The second picture is of Seunghyun himself, looking perfect as usual and he recognizes it from some recent edition of the Daily Prophet or another, but it’s the third one that makes him exhale sharply. The same man but with his hair down, eyes narrowing in happiness behind thick-rimmed glasses. His arm is reaching to someplace in front of him, the view is slightly skewed and it takes Daesung a moment to realize he must have taken the picture himself rather than have someone else do it. He’s not sure how, with how old and clunky wizarding cameras are but it explains the casual look and soft light playing along his features.

Photo-Seunghyun is smiling gently, eyes flashing down behind thick lashes in a shy gesture every once in a while.  Sometimes the curve to his lips turns slightly mischievous as a wandering, fluffy white tail shows up in the frame for a couple of seconds before disappearing. Finally exhaling slowly, Daesung tears his eyes away, clearing his throat despite being alone in the empty back room before quickly making a copy of the second pictures. That’s most likely going to his parents, since his mum is definitively going to demand one now, but he’d like to keep the other two to himself.

Maybe put the cat one on the fridge. He can find a frame for the last one and have it somewhere around the apartment – a voice that sounds too much like Seungri starts laughing inside his head, making him blush, but it’s not an unusual occurrence so he snaps at it to be quiet. What is unusual however is that it doesn’t work and the laughter gets louder. Daesung frowns for a second, confused, before realization slowly sinks in. No one is laughing inside his head, the voice is coming from-

His forehead bumps into a chin as he turns, making him flinch back and rub a hand over it. Seungri manages to keep laughing, even as he rubs his own jaw. The Hufflepuff feels like his entire face is about to burst into fire as he glares at his friend, catching his master’s eyes as she stands on the open door, looking entirely too amused, before she closing it with something close to a wink. “Seungri!” the stern tone to his voice is betrayed by how high pitched it is, how it cracks slightly at the end.

Seungri holds a hand over his own stomach, finally managing to calm down enough to regain some of his composure. His eyes are shiny with how hard he had been laughing – something gentle and happy flickers behind them for a second before he’s leaning in, pointing at the third picture and batting his eyelashes at it, resting his chin on both palms and letting out a dreamy sigh… and promptly getting hit in the head with an old edition of the Prophet that was hanging around.

“I was not making that face!” Daesung protests fruitlessly as Seungri starts laughing all over again, crossing both arms over his stomach and doubling over. The apprentice huffs, crossing his own arms across his chest and trying to stare at him sternly. He’s never been very good at pretending to be upset though and it shows in how his lips are trying to smile and how his eyes glint in amusement. It’s good to see his friend like this again, really, and something that had been knotting in his chest as of late slowly unwinds.

“I’ve heard the news! Now give me the deets!”

“I’m not giving you any deets and what does that even mean, Seungri?”