Stop This × [CheolSoo]

Stop Sixty-Six on Sixth Street

"Are you seriously doing this again?"

"How can I not? He's beautiful. Look at that jawline, look at him. How can one not want to take pictures of him?"

"Wanting and actually doing it are different things, Josh. How long have you been doing this?"

"I think since... Jihoon-ie, when did you get me that first camera?"

"Holy sh-"

"Jihoon, please. Think of the children!"

"It's been like two years! Two years of-"

"No, no, no. Not since I got that camera. Since I got this one." Joshua said as he lifted said object, "Which is about two months?"

"That's still creepy!" Jihoon hissed furiously, "Am I gonna witness this every day?"

Joshua shrugged, "Pretty much. I call him The Stranger-"

"-he hasn't said anything about this?"

"-no. He just poses for me when he notices me taking pictures of him. Anyway, I call him The Stranger because he's not just a stranger, he's the stranger." Jihoon narrowed his eyes but didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say, didn't know how to react. "Sometimes he's too tired to be awake when I get on so he's asleep."

They both lapsed into silence before Joshua blurted out, "Something's bothering him."

"How do you know?"

"Well, he has black bags under his eyes, which means he's not sleeping well lately. He keeps biting his lip-something he does when he's nervous. And he keeps frowning at nothing."

Jihoon gapes at him, "Why don't you just go and talk to him? It's not as creepy as taking pictures of him when you don't even know his name." Joshua chuckled and shook his head.

"No... I think it's better to let him be. I'm just here to take pictures of him."

Jihoon snorted in disbelief, "Sure, whatever. But if I hear you whine about him during the day, I will smack you."

Finally, The Stranger turned to look at Joshua in the eyes, bags under his eyes, but Joshua finds them no less bright.

Joshua breathed in sharply before clenching his jaw and turning to look (down) at Jihoon.

"If I talk about him at all today, I'll approach him tomorrow." Joshua said firmly in Korean.

Jihoon blinked slowly before a smile split his face in two and his eyes turned into crescents. He stuck his hand out and Joshua took it, giving it a firm handshake.

Jihoon tugged on the older man's hand, pulling him uncomfortably close, rising on his toes to whisper, "Starting now."

Stop 66 on sixth street, please board off carefully.

Jihoon abruptly pulled back leaving Joshua feeling disturbed. Joshua shrugged it off and took a step backwards, accidently bumping into a body behind him. Joshua turned to apologize, but the words caught in his throat as he met wide eyes.

"Excuse me." Joshua could only stare as The Stranger smiled then winked in goodbye.

Winked.

Joshua took a couple of seconds to process what happened, body vibrating in excitement.

He turned to Jihoon with his mouth opened, ready to yell-

"You say anything and you lose."

Joshua froze and cursed under his breath, "Shit."

"Joshua, please. Think of the children."