↱SACCHARINE↲ ⇾woojoong⇽

again

[ ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧₊˚ ]

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When Hongjoong walked into the cafe down the street a few days after his incident, he was looking for both a possible third job and a quiet lunch.

He was running low on money after applying for another semester of music production and dance lessons and knew he wouldn't be able to scramble up the money quick enough unless he applied for yet another job.

His instructor, Yunho, pitched in every now and then with money he could afford to cough up in order to keep his favorite student present, but Hongjoong was so persistent on earning his own keep that he'd turned down the man's offer for this semester without a second thought.

Which is how he found himself seated alone with a watered down bowl of chowder and a perfect view of a glowing Wooyoung perched beside the cash register with the same fond gaze and warmth in his smile.

Hongjoong's eyes widened at the sight of him, face growing increasingly warm.

His head lowered on instinct.

He wasn't sure whether he was excited or terrified to see the man again so soon after their meeting.

Nevertheless in the daylight where Hongjoong could no longer deny how beautiful he was as he smiled widely at a group of teenagers, all of them beaming and greeting the red headed busboy with familiar excitement.

Wooyoung's skin was a golden tan that seemed to reflect on its own through the wide glass windows around the bustling cafe, and his features were somehow both sharp and soft at the same time, creasing and curling gently with fondness before melting and shaping into puffy lips and a searching gaze that fixed on everything with insistent scrutiny.

He was patient and thoughtful and his entire face ignited when his eyes met Hongjoong's, lips sliding into a dumb founded grin that made Hongjoong shutter where he sat and glance away hastily.

Much to Hongjoong's surprise, and unadmitted disappointment, he didn't approach him immediately.

He flashed the boy a teasing smile that was just on the verge of being shy, his words faltering where he was repeating back an order, and Hongjoong felt his heart twinge endearingly at the sight.

Wooyoung released his gaze with a mocking raise of his eyebrow before disappearing into the back where the rocking brush of kitchen doors swallowed his figure.

Hongjoong frowned knowingly, shaking his head with only the smallest inkling of amusement as he shallowly swirled his spoon into his cooling bowl of clam chowder.

He should've guessed Wooyoung wouldn't walk over to him just like that.

His appearance wasn't planned but that hadn't stopped Hongjoong from hoping the boy was just as excited to see him as he was.

Wooyoung was working anyway, and it's not like he could put that aside for a pathetic stranger that stumbled when the wind blew and barely spoke unless he felt obliged.

He wouldn't even if he could, Hongjoong thought bitterly, and a gnawing pinch formed in his stomach as his gaze fell dejectedly onto the motionless kitchen doors.