Suyeob has a hard time making eye contact, the lights of the shop are too bright and all the things packed into the small room feel like they're caving in on him.

There's too many things to look at, pens and notebooks, odd toys and comic books, but he can feel eyes on him, following him around the narrow cleared off alleys in the shop, never wavering and entirely too hot against his back.

It's still raining outside, fat drops of water that break against the windows of the shop, Suyeob is dripping water around, but he pretends he doesn't notice.

He snatches a notebook from a stack all the way at the end of the store, it's dusty and yellowing at the edges, but Suyeob needs an excuse for entering the shop besides the rain.  Besides he needs a new one for his math class.

The intensity of those eyes feels ten times more terrifying up close, he places the notebook on the counter and takes out his wallet, eyes never making it anywhere near the cashier's face.

He gets his change passed to him, his notebook shoved into a plastic bag.

“Come again,” the cashier says, quiet and soft, Suyeob looks up, catching the smallest of smiles, just the corners of the guy's mouth going up.  A barely there smile.

He smiles back nervously, he can feel laughter trying to bubble up, “thanks,” he says.

He barely thinks about the rain still falling down.

-

He's in the train, Suyeob is half asleep, pressing his face to his biology notes hoping to understand all about cell division and he's in the train.

He thinks maybe he's just imaging things but the guy looks at him and his mouth does the thing again, the barely there smile that is almost hard to catch.

It's too early, the train cars are mostly empty, it's an hour before the rush of the morning, Suyeob stands up, patting the side of his hair that's still standing up from his sleep.
He waves, an awkward hand movement that feels too choppy to him.  

The smile at the other side gets bigger.  The train rocks against a turn, rustling Suyeob a bit.  He blinks stupidly when he sees the cashier walking up to him, he's got a book bag thrown over his back, his hair neatly done over his eyes.

“Hi,” he says when he sits next to Suyeob, “I'm Hayong, the cashier?”

Suyeob nods, looking down at his drawn diagram of mitosis, “I'm Suyeob.”

Hayong nods, the heavy earrings around the ridge of his ear glint under the harsh lights of the train.

His eyes are a severe contrast to the soft features of his face, alluring and intimidating all at once.

-

He's at the bakery, Suyeob almost ducks out of the way, but he barely gets to move before Hayong turns, he has glasses on, they amplify his eyes, his lashes curl up against the glass.

“Hey,” Hayong says, he's smiling all dopey at him, the smallest hints of teeth showing pass his lips.

“Just getting a cup of coffee,” Suyeob waves nervously, pushing pass Hayong to the cash register.

He's stirring milk into his coffee when someone places a a muffin on his table.

“Here,” Hayong says, “to go with your coffee.”

Suyeob is pulling out his wallet before he hears him laughing.

“Don't,” Hayong wheezes, “don't worry about it.”

He leaves before Suyeob can say thank you.

-

The shop is closing when Suyeob passes by, Hayong is locking up when he looks up.  His hair is pulled away from his eyes, glasses on.

“Oh hey,” he says, his smile goes from barely there to easy and bright

“Hi,” Suyeob says, the day has gotten cooler, the sun blocked by heavy clouds.

“I thought it was strange that I hadn't seen you yet,” Hayong grins.

Suyeob smiles, shrugs, “yeah, weird.”

He has no idea why he gets so awkward around Hayong, they're practically still strangers but he's almost starting to look forward to running into him. 

His heart has been doing weird flips lately with just a thought of seeing Hayong.  He pushes any thought of it down, instead opting for a weird smile.

“Hey, where do you go to school,” he asks, “I never see you around campus?”

Hayong looks at him, something strange in his eyes until the smile on his face goes sheepish.

“I don't go to school anymore,” Hayong says.

“Oh,” Suyeob says.

“I graduated a couple of years ago,” Hayong goes on.

“Oh,” Suyeob repeats dumbly, “oh god.”

“You probably think I'm creepy now,” Hayong laughs nervously, pushing his hair out of his face.

Suyeob doesn't know what to say.

-

Hayong is a couple of years older than him.  Suyeob has a thing for someone who is seven years older than him.

But he can't bring himself to care when Hayong turns up on the opposite side of his cash register.

“Hi,” he breathes, grabbing the bags of vegetables and jug of milk Hayong has placed on the conveyor belt.

“Hey,” Hayong says, he fishes out his wallet from his pocket, “I've never seen you around here.”

“My shift got changed around,” Suyeob scans the labels, “used to work Mondays and Wednesdays.”

Hayong nods, fingers drumming along the counter, “it's nice seeing you.”

Suyeob avoids eye contact, Hayong's eyes once again too intimidating to look at.

“I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable,” Hayong finally says, he fidgets, “I should've known I was too old for someone as pretty as you.”

He can feel his face heat up when he's punching in the numbers for the carrots.  His hands have gone clammy and his heart is missing beats.

There's an announcement for a price check in another check out lane before Suyeob whispers, “you aren't.”

He thinks maybe Hayong hasn't heard him before there's the heavy feeling of touch around his wrist.

“Are you sure?” he asks quietly, the noisy supermarket almost drowns him out.

“I'm positive,” Suyeob nods.

-

Hayong kisses him on their first date, his mind freezes, he has no idea what to do, he hasn't kissed anyone before this.

“I'm sorry," he says when he pulls back, “I have no idea how...I've never liked kissed anyone?”

Hayong's eyes go soft, “We have time,” he whispers against his cheek, “I didn't know.”

“You're my first,” Suyeob confesses against the dark night.

“I'll be your best,” Hayong amends.