The forecast hadn't said anything about snow, but when Insoo takes a step outside the air is cold and the clouds loom overhead.  He expects rain more than anything else but on his way back home snow starts to fall, big flakes that stick to his hair and, cover the sidewalks.  It's a slow snowfall, the people littering the streets seem unbothered by it.  

He wraps his jacket closer to himself, tilting his head down in an effort to deflect the cold.  Home is empty, but in all honesty it's always been like that.  He kicks his shoes off, flickering all the lights on in hopes of fooling himself into a lively home.  He has course work to do, but his eyelids are drooping the moment he sits on the couch.

-

He passes by the music shop early one morning when his class gets canceled.  There's bright neon signs exclaiming specials and sales, all surrounded my lopsided hearts.  Insoo spares a look inside, his gaze meets with big eyes, looking at him unblinking before a smile breaks over the other boy, eyes crinkling, nose scrunching.

Insoo pushes past the front door mindlessly, eyes still locked with the other boy, until there's a loud call for Gunwoo and Insoo's gaze breaks when the boy turns around, walking towards the back room.

Another employee steps in, hair curling, smile small and bright.

“Hi,” he says, “can I help you with something?”

“I,” Insoo shakes his head, “just looking around.”

“Ok, but if you need anything you can just ask,” the door opens again, lets in a moment of cold and then it warms up.

“Jinseok,” the other customer says, rushes to the front, “it's Valentines Day next week!”

Jinseok groans, throws a helpless look at Insoo, “not now Seyong, I'm working!”

Seyong leans close to the counter, knocking his forehead with Jinseok's and starts a heated conversation.  Insoo moves towards the shelves of music, eyes purposely away from the front.
He's found himself in the folk section, looking at all the album covers when his eyes finally look up again and Jinseok is no longer manning the front, it's the boy with the big smile, Gunwoo.

He must stare too long, eyes shift to look at him and then there's the smile again.  Insoo's hand rises in a stiff wave, mouthing a shy hello.

He leaves empty handed, no words spoken to the cashier but forming excuses to keep coming to the shop.

-

He goes again on Saturday, the snow has stopped and the sun is high up but the temperature is low and he's under way too many layers.

His smile falls a little when he gets a look at the cashier.  It's not Gunwoo, instead it's some kid with blond hair, a regal slope of a nose.  

“Hi,” he says, “need any help?”

“I'll just look around Insoo says weakly,” nodding towards the shelves.  It's not long before there's voices from the front.

“Gunwoo can you open the drawer for me?”

Insoo looks up at the name, watching as Gunwoo's eyes squint, “why?”

“I left my bracelet in there,” the other cashier says, “it fell when I did the last customer.  Please?”

“Ah, you have to be more careful Junkyu,” Gunwoo shakes his head, pulling out a key ring from his pocket, hand reaching to unlock the drawer.

Gunwoo's eyes flicker to the shelves catching sight of Insoo.  It's fleeting and Gunwoo turns back to Junkyu, “you didn't say we had a customer,” he puts a hand on his hip, “did you offer him help?”

“Yes,” Junkyu mumbles, rummaging through the coins and bills, “he said he was just looking around.”

Insoo's pretending to be intensely reading the pack of blank CDs when Gunwoo gets to him.

“Hi,” he says, “those don't have music, you know.”

“I do...know I mean,” Insoo laughs nervously, trying to ease the tightness on his shoulders.

“I'm Gunwoo,” he taps the edge of the shelf, “do you need any help?  You came last time and didn't buy anything.”

“Ah, you remember,” Insoo puts the pack down, eyes scanning, trying not to settled on Gunwoo's eyes, “I'm looking for strings, guitar strings.”

“Those are behind the counter,” Gunwoo points at Junkyu, who throws them a bored look, “you play?”

-

He goes again on Monday, his bookbag is heavy with his laptop and books but he heaves it all in, lets out a breath when he walks into the warmth.  

“Hi,” Gunwoo calls, “you're back!”

“Yeah,” Insoo smiles, “can I settle this on the floor, it's too heavy,” he tucks his thumbs under the straps already taking it off when Gunwoo nods.

“It's slow today,” Gunwoo says, “do you need help with anything?”

“Ah yeah?” Insoo walks to the front counter, “a gift...for my mom.”

“Is it her birthday?” Gunwoo asks, coming around the counter, beckoning Insoo to follow him.

“Yeah, sure,” Insoo smiles.

Gunwoo's voice is sweet, Insoo enjoys listening to it in his rapid explanations and pitches for certain albums.  Most of them are compilations of show tunes and Insoo thinks it's cute how Gunwoo knows so many of them, humming them along when Insoo seems unsure of some of the listings.

He feels like his smile must be mirroring Gunwoo's when he pays for the CD, nodding along to Gunwoo's ramblings about musicals and soundtracks.

The door opens behind them and Insoo stiffens when he hears the familiar over zealous voice.

“Gunwoo,” Seyong walks past Insoo, “Jinseok says he's not going to get me anything for Valentines Day!”

“Ah,” Jinseok walks by, pulling Seyong's arm, “don't do this, I told you I was joking!”

“You've scared Insoo,” Gunwoo hushes, “why do you have to be so loud?”

“Insoo?” Seyong turns around.

“Hi,” Insoo offers a shy wave.

“Is he your date for this Saturday?” Seyong asks and Insoo bites the inside of his cheek, throwing a panicked look at Gunwoo.

“Uh,” Gunwoo frowns for a second, goes quiet, watches the way Insoo's cheeks pink up, “not yet.”

-

He has lab reports to do, he spends the night trying to figure out measurements and procedures and conclusions but Gunwoo keeps pushing into his brain, pushing out values and making his stomach ache pleasantly.

The apartment is empty, but he's got show tunes playing softly to keep him awake and he realizes he likes it better when Gunwoo hums them, wonders if he can get a CD of just Gunwoo's voice.

-

He's reaching to open the door when the handle leaves him and his face gets extremely close to Gunwoo's eyes, the bridge of his nose.  He's not sure how time goes or if it stops, just that the curve of Gunwoo's bottom lip is nice, the slope of his cheekbones sharp.

“I'm going on a break,” Gunwoo breaks the silence, “do you need help?”

Insoo shakes his head, “I was just going to look around.”

“Come with me then,” Gunwoo smiles, pushing Insoo slightly, towards the sidewalk, “you came for me right?”

Insoo doesn't answer, but he doesn't say no.

Gunwoo orders him a coffee, they sit at a little table, knees almost touching.  Gunwoo blows over his cup of tea, shoulders slumping.

“It's nice to get away from the shop,” Gunwoo sighs, “so much work.”

Insoo nods, takes a tentative sip of his coffee.

They don't talk a lot, Insoo keeps quiet, unsure of what to say, no wanting to disrupt Gunwoo's quiet time.

He's thinking too hard about what Seyong had said, remembering the way his and Jinseok's hand had interlocked.  He hasn't thought too much of anything else.  He's staring at his coffee, knees bouncing and then there's a touch at his arms a quiet Insoo?

It snaps him out of his daze, his face goes up to meet Gunwoo's and his mouth moves too fast.

“Can I take you out this Saturday?”
-

Except he forgets it's Valentines Day.  Everywhere he goes there's red and lace and couples holding hands, looking dead in love.

Gunwoo ducks out of the shop at seven sharp.  His hair is pushed back, glasses pushed up the bridge of his nose.

“Sorry about these,” he apologizes as a greeting, “my head started to hurt, Jinseok said maybe it was best I wore my glasses for once.”

Insoo hadn't planned a date, he hadn't planned anything and now it all paled in comparison to the other couple with their big rose bouquets and balloons.  Gunwoo follows his gaze to a particularly big balloon and smiles.

“Jinseok got a bigger one for Seyong, I wish you could have seen the shade of red his face managed,” Gunwoo laughs, “we thought he was gonna pass out.  Jinseok had his hands wringing with worry that he'd managed to kill his boyfriend.”

Insoo laughs drily, more forced than anything, mind trying to think of a good date plan.

“Let's go eat,” Gunwoo says, his hand grabs Insoo's wrist, “I bet there are a lot of specials today.”

-

All the restaurants are packed and with every one they get turn down Insoo feels worse. 

Gunwoo waves it off, pulls them inside a mall and into a small fast food place, getting in line right behind the only other customer.

“What would you like?” Gunwoo turns to him before his eyes go up to scan the bright menu.

They sit down with their orders, Gunwoo sipping on his iced tea, smiling wide when Insoo throws him an uncertain look.

“This is nice,” Gunwoo hums, “I haven't had a burger in a long time.”

Insoo's given a detailed explanation of his course schedule when Gunwoo leans forward, fingers interlocking with Insoo's free hand.

“So you probably didn't notice because I'm so darn smooth, but I have a present for you.”

Insoo gives him a look and Gunwoo pulls something from his paper bag, a little plastic pouch with a small Pokemon toy.

“Here,” Gunwoo says, “I managed to squeeze this out of the cashier.  Happy Valentines Day.”

Insoo takes it, turns it over in his palm, flushes when he realizes it's Skitty smiling bright at him.  He opens his mouth to say something but a mouth collides hard with his, it's only a peck, it hurts more than anything but Insoo still falls for it.

“Happy Valentines Day,” he whispers back.