Unspoken | park sunghoon ✓

𝟐𝟓. ( seokjin, the cute convinience store guy.)

☂︎

THE CONVENIENCE STORE was quiet, its usual hum of activity replaced by a peaceful stillness. Sarim stepped inside, the chime of the door echoing in the empty space. She tucked her arms close to her body, the AC making her shiver as she shuffled toward the back of the store.

It was late, too late actually, but she hadn't eaten all day and she was starving. Her shift at the karaoke club had been very exhausting, and the thought of going home to her cold, empty apartment without something to eat was unbearable.

Grabbing a small pack of instant noodles and a drink from the shelves, she headed to the tiny seating area tucked into a corner of the store. She sank into a chair, her body heavy with fatigue, and placed her food on the table. But as she sat there, the day's events replayed in her mind. But no matter how hard she tried, her thought always came back to the park boy and his hurtful words.

Her throat tightened, and before she could stop it, a single tear slipped down her cheek and hit the table. She quickly wiped it away, her eyes darting around the store to make sure no one had seen.

Unfortunately, someone had.

"Hey..."

The voice startled her, and she looked up to see a boy standing a few feet away, a small stack of rice packs cradled in his arms. He had a pretty face, framed by raven, slightly messy hair that fell into his eyes. He was wearing the store's uniform; a simple green apron over a plain shirt, but somehow it suited him.

"Are you okay?" he gently asked.

Sarim blinked, caught off guard. She quickly shook her head and forced a small smile. "I-I'm fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He didn't look convinced. "You don't look fine to me," he said simply, setting the noodles down on a nearby shelf and stepping a little closer. "Do you... want to talk about it?"

She hesitated, unsure if she wanted to open up to a complete stranger. But something about his expresin earnest and patient, made her feel like it was okay to let her guard down, even just a little.

"It's nothing," she said after a moment, glancing down at the table. "It's just... a long shift."

"Ah," he said with a small nod, pulling out the chair across from her and sitting down. "One of those days, huh?"

She looked up at him again, surprised by his friendliness. Most people would've just walked away after hearing her brush off answer. But he stayed, his posture relaxed, as if he had all the time in the world.

"You work around here?" he asked, resting his arms on the table.

"At the karaoke club down the street," she admitted, picking at the corner of the rice pack with her fingers. "It's... very tiring."

"I bet," he said, nodding again. "I had a friend who worked at one of those places. Said it was chaos."

"That's one way to describe it," Sarim said with a small laugh.

He smiled, leaning back slightly. "I'm Seokjin, by the way. I just started working here a few weeks ago."

"Nice to meet you," she said softly. "I'm Sarim."

"Nice to meet you too, Sarim." He tilted his head, his expression turning curious. "Do you come here often?"

"Sometimes," she said.
"It's close to.. home."

"Good choice," he said with a grin. "This place has the best snacks."

Sarim raised an eyebrow. "You're biased. You work here."

"True," he admitted with a laugh. "But seriously, have you tried that one sandwich? It's legendary.."

Something stirred in Sarim for a moment. The words felt strangely familiar.

She brushed it off and shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'll keep that in mind."

For a moment, the heaviness in her chest seemed to ease. The boys presence was light and his friendly chatter made her forget, even if just for a little while, how worn out and horrible she felt.

"Well," he said, standing up and brushing off his apron. "I should get back to work before my boss notices i'm slacking. But... if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm around."

Sarim looked up at him, surprised again by his kindness. "Thanks, Seokjin," she said quietly.

"Anytime," he replied with a small wave before heading back to the shelves, humming a tune under his breath as he went.

Sarim watched him for a moment, a faint warmth spreading in her chest. She didn't know why, but his simple gesture had made her feel just a little less alone.

authors note :
heyy gays i just noticed almost all of the characters names start with s lol & i hope this is slow burning enough for yall.
also anyone help me , wattpad doesn't let me insert pictures sometimes and it annoys me. anyways i hope yall are doing amazing . kisses