up becomes down ✩ taewin

four

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Pink and green slop spews profusely from a rumbling machine, filling up each cup I hold under the busted nozzle almost instantly. Once they overflow causing the frosty dessert to splash at my feet, it's a cue to grab a brand new pair of cups to use as if they were beakers. A process done calmly and repeatedly, because there isn't really much a choice but to do just that. All of the employees are gone, and since it's around half past six o' clock, Taeyong is serving the last few customers before closing. I'm stuck in the kitchen all alone reaping what I sowed. What you did was really dumb, Sicheng. Why did you ever think that was a good idea?

There is no going back or changing the past, so this is what I have to deal with. A malfunctioning ice cream machine threatening to spill its guts all over the kitchen floor. There is a limited supply of cups on the counter by my side, so which means that I will have to scavenge the room for more once they're gone. Then, I'll have to wait a few more minutes for Taeyong to be my saving grace. An very unlikely hero, yes, but a hero that I need as of right now. He would know what to do.

Traces of sweat form on my forehead, and trickle down almost like tears. The pressure of maintaining the situation is definitely getting to me, but those feelings need to be swept aside. But I can't sweep them aside. Fill the cups that are left, set them back onto the counter, repeat... Fill the cups that are left, set them back onto the counter, repeat. It's not a difficult routine, but somehow the repetition adds to the stress that it is inducing. Yes, I thought I could do this, but I can't. What am I even achieving? Also, eventually there won't be any cups left, and that would be accomplished is wasting cups by filling them with ice cream nobody is going to eat.

I let out a whine and give up after coming to that realization. There's only one to solution to this, and that would be dragging Taeyong back here to help. Making my way to the other side of the "kitchen", I desperately push through the double doors. My eyes are met with a confused Taeyong, and a startled female customer. An attractive, very young female customer.

"I kind of need your help with something..." I mutter out, noticing I've forgotten to speak after bursting through the doors behind me. This seems to annoy him, and it occurs perhaps I interrupted a flirting session between the two. She scoffs at my frantic state, and even though it seems like he has no interest in doing so, he follows me back to the kitchen.

"What in the..." is all he says.

"Sorry?"

Making strides towards the machine, a smile creeps onto his tired and overworked face. For what reason? I don't know...until all he does is unplug the machine to get it to stop. A familiar heat builds up in my face, surely pinkening my skin just enough for him to notice. That was an obvious solution, but my mind must have been too clogged up with anxious and pessimistic drivel for me to notice it.

"Unplugging things tends to get them to stop running," he says patronizingly, dangling the black cord around before tossing it onto the tile floor.

"I..." my voice trails off in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about it. Just help me get this shit cleaned up, alright?"

I nod, and Taeyong fetches a pair of spaghetti-haired mops along with bucket of soapy water. The floral scent coming from the bucket is deadly strong. We spend the next half hour sploshing the mops in and out the water to rid the floor of the now melted and sticky ice cream. The finished product is a spotless, sparking floor. Just how it was before my brainless mess up. I plop down on my butt with a thud and lean back against the wall. Taeyong, who is groggy from his work day and a half hour of unplanned cleaning, does the same. He lets out a deep sigh, and it's hard for me to read the intention behind it. It could either be from irritation or fatigue. Or both, even. That's possible for sure.

"I'm gonna go now," I say. My question was answered, I caused more trouble than needed, and my presence just isn't needed here anymore. Plus, I'll surely be late for dinner soon.

Not even a second later, a familiar grip around my wrist pulls me back down to a seated position. His adherent, clingy attitude towards me is slightly uncomfortable. Not in a way that's frightening. But in a way that makes me curious as to why he's being this way in the first place. A way that brings forth an eagerness to find out why I can't bring myself to disliking it. It's certainly a feeling that I have never felt before, but I can't quite put my finger on what that feeling is exactly. For now, I'll just call it 'acceptance' and move on.

"My parents expect me to be home soon, I can't..." I stop myself, because for some unexplainable reason, I don't care about being late and would rather hang out with Taeyong.

"Shut up, you really need to lighten up a little."

"Fine, I'll shut up..."

Silence ensues.

"I wasn't being serious," he says, breaking it.

Being told to shut up the very rare occasions I do speak during classes and such kind of made me believe he was, in fact, being serious rather than sarcastic.

"Right."

"Do you want to go somewhere?"

"Where?"

"Just somewhere, Sicheng. You ask way too many questions."

"Okay, fine. I'll go somewhere with you. As long as there are no drugs, no-"

"So, that's a yes. Let's go," he commands, cutting me off.

With me following from behind like a little, unknowing duckling, we head outside to the nearly desolate parking lot. Taeyong leads me to a vehicle, unlocks it with a key, and we both take a seat inside. Me in the passenger seat and him in the driver's. Wow, I'm really going to catch a ride to God knows where just because some guy I don't even know that well asked me to.

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a/n -

short chapter but i finally updated! more coming soon.

this is really bad so kudos if you made it this far. also, i might start up another fic too but i'm not sure what ship? what are your guys' favorite nct ships?