Work Text:
Seonghwa
I tuck my favorite button-down into my black trousers, taking a deep breath.
He never liked this shirt, but I do. I remind myself that part of letting go of him is allowing myself to enjoy the things he hated again.
I walk out the door and turn the lock, putting on my headphones and the playlist I created when I was fifteen. This playlist was another thing he hated. He made fun of it and called it “amateur”, never realizing that I kept it because I still loved every last song on it.
I walk down the street to the cafe where I’m supposed to meet my date. I’m expecting he’ll be late, but he stands and waves when I enter, and I walk over.
I start to pull out my chair to sit, but he stops my hand. “Here, allow me.” He pulls out my chair and helps me in, and I’m momentarily shocked by how sweet the gesture is.
“Thank you,” I say. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Well, I wanted to.” He smiles. “It’s the least I can do after scoring a date with you.”
I grin. God, how is this man so charming?
The conversation comes easily, and he laughs when I tell the joke I’ve been saving for a time just like this. Full-blown, head back, fits of giggles. And I’m bewildered. He never thought I was funny. But Hongjoong does.
“So, Hongjoong,” I start later after we’ve gotten our drinks. “What is your action plan if the apocalypse were ever to come?”
“Get the hell out of here.”
“That’s a very vague answer. How, exactly, would you go about that? And where is ‘here’? This cafe, Korea, Earth?” I ask.
“Hmm. Well, I don’t have answers to those questions,” Hongjoong concedes.
I laugh. “You’re ridiculous. I’d probably just spend my last days with someone worth spending them with,” I say, blushing. I’m hoping we both know what I’m implying.
“So would I, I think,” Hongjoong responds.
“What? No getting ‘the hell out of here’, as you put it?” I banter.
“I changed my mind. I’d much rather have a beautiful last few days with someone important than a bland, lonely existence on my own,” Hongjoong says.
“That makes sense. Life is only complete with other people in it,” I say.
Hongjoong smiles. “So, my turn for the icebreaker. Would you rather live in space or in the ocean? And before you go off with your common sense like ‘Hongjoong, you wouldn’t be able to breath’, ‘Hongjoong, what would you eat’, et cetera, I’ll add that you can adapt perfectly to your environment.”
“Space,” I say after a few minutes of thought. “I’ve always wondered what it’s like up there. Besides, the ocean has too many natural predators.”
“Same,” Hongjoong agrees. “Maybe we could float to each other. Spend our time together.”
“That sounds nice,” I admit. Honestly, Hongjoong makes me feel at ease. He made me feel like I was tip-toeing around razor blades. This is a refreshing change of pace.
“Wait, you own how many Stray Kids albums?” Hongjoong asks, mildly bewildered.
“All of them,” I say, smiling. “Every album, plus special editions and EPs and such. I’m a bit obsessed.”
“A bit ? That sounds pretty obsessed to me,” Hongjoong says. “Not like I can talk. You’re the first person I’ve ever met who has more than I do.”
“Really? Guess you don’t know many hardcore STAYs.”
“Not really. Although I don’t think I need to, since I seem to have found the best and most hardcore one,” Hongjoong says, smiling so genuinely at me that I feel my heart stutter in my chest.
I had forgotten what this felt like.
“Th-Thanks,” I say, tucking my hair behind my ear and taking a sip of my coffee.
“What do you do for work?” Hongjoong asks later. Our coffees are long finished, but he insisted that the cafe made amazing food as well. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I had a feeling he just wanted an excuse to stay longer. “I just realized I never asked you.”
“I’m a vocal coach,” I say, taking a bite of the delicious raspberry croissant Hongjoong insisted I get. “What about you?”
“I’m a music composer,” Hongjoong responds.
“Oh? What’s that like?” I ask.
“I enjoy it. I make a good deal of money and I love doing it. I do have to take a lot of business trips though because the people I work with live in Australia, but I don’t mind too much. It’s beautiful there and I love my coworkers. We’re practically family at this point.”
“That’s sweet,” I respond. “That’s what my best friends and I are like. A big, chaotic family. I’ve taken on the role of secondary eomma with them. I’m the oldest, and someone has to make sure they’re taking care of themselves.”
“Cute,” Honjoong says, making me blush. “How about your work? How’s vocal coaching?”
“Oh, I love it,” I say, excited to talk about my work. It was one of the things I was most passionate about. “I’ve been doing it for years now, and it makes me so happy to see people who are passionate about singing unlock their talent. I had a student recently who passed an audition for an idol company, and I was so proud of him when I heard. My students all make me proud, if I’m being honest.”
Hongjoong smiles. “You sound like you enjoy it.”
I grin back at him. “I do. It’s my passion.”
Hongjoong’s phone buzzes and he looks down, his eyes widening for a second before going back to normal. “Wow, didn’t realize it had been that long.”
“How long has it been?” I ask, realizing I hadn’t once looked at my watch during the date.
“We’ve been here for almost 2 and a half hours,” Hongjoong says, and I’m shocked. We really had lost track of time. “It’s fine though. I had more fun than I’ve had in a really, really long time.”
I could feel a blush creeping up my face. Damn. I had it bad . “Me- Me too.”
“I should probably get going now,” Hongjoong says. “I’d love to stay and talk forever, but that buzz was a text from my coworker Chris. He’s got a new song for me to work on. I can walk you home, though, if that’s alright?”
“Definitely,” I say, sure I’m tomato red. What can I say, Hongjoong’s authenticity and kindness make me weak.
“Okay. Show the way,” Hongjoong says, standing and flashing me a bright, perfect smile.
I get up and grab my coat, throw it on, and walk out of the cafe. I point in the general direction of my apartment. “I’m that way.”
“May I hold your hand?” Hongjoong asks, somewhat abruptly, and he looks shy, which takes me aback. It makes me think that maybe, just maybe, he was as nervous about this date as I was. It makes me feel strangely happy.
“Of course,” I say, grabbing his hand.
As we walk, I almost bring him up, but Hongjoong starts talking about how he got to visit Australia for work two weeks ago and it’s the middle of spring there, and how beautiful it is, and the urge fades. I want to hear about this much more.
After a few minutes, we make it to my apartment, and I let go of his hand. “Well, this is my stop.”
Hongjoong blushes, looking small and shy, and I feel a twin blush rising up my face. “M-May I kiss you?”
God . I feel affection rise in my chest, and I lean forward, bending down and wrapping my arms around Hongjoong’s waist, pulling him closer to give him a peck on the lips. “You most certainly may.”
Hongjoong’s blush deepens and then he’s going on his tiptoes to pull me into a kiss.
And it’s perfect. So, so perfect.
I pull back after a little while, looking at Hongjoong, who looks like his brain just went offline for a second. I laugh. “Good kiss?”
“I think it’s more so who I was kissing,” Hongjoong says, still blushing.
“Someone’s smitten,” I joke, but we both know I’m being a hypocrite. I’m probably twice as smitten as he is if we’re being completely honest. “Anyways, you really should get going. You’ve got work. I’ll talk to you later?”
Hongjoong nods, shaking his head slightly, probably trying to bring himself back into the right headspace. I feel affection and confidence flood my body as I realize that he’s flustered because of me. It’s a good look on him. “Yeah, I should. I’ll definitely talk to you later. Bye,” he says, shyly giving me one last peck on the cheek before he turns around, walking away.
I walk inside, feeling like I’m floating.
An hour later, I hear my phone buzz as I’m cooking dinner, and dust my hands off on my apron before grabbing it and seeing a message from Hongjoong.
“Dinner, Friday, 6:00?”
I smile widely.
“Absolutely.”