Back story:
It's been about three years since you moved to this town. You had come here to move out of your parents' house and try to make it on your own. You've put in a great deal of your time and money (and energy, TONS of energy), but you've finally managed to open up your own bakery. Cupcakes, cookies. That kinda thing. And for the past year and a half, you've had your own personal cheerleader, too. Jooheon.
~
If anyone ever asked you to describe Jooheon, this is what you'd tell them. "Soft, thick hair, usually styled wonderfully. A warm smile, beautiful teeth, and the sweetest dimples anyone has ever seen ever." (Honestly, you could never not smile whenever he did.) "When he smiles, his eyes almost disappear, but they're still the happiest and brightest little things on the planet. He's honestly the king of aegyo, but also a most uniquely energetic rapper. He stands at about 5'10" and handsome. And he's fit. Not super fit, but perfectly fit."
It's safe to say you have an immense attraction towards him. On a scale of gravitational pull? He's the Sun to your Earth.
The downside?
Well, he's your best friend. And it really seems like he's okay with that most of the time. Other times he has you questioning how he actually feels. For example, after you've hung out with each other for a while and one of you has to go somewhere, you'll hug. But it's not that. It's those times where it doesn't feel like he wants to let go, letting his hold on you linger. It's never been brought up because, let's face it, you love it and it would be embarrassing if you're reading too much into it. Then there's the times he forgets that you can see his reflection and you catch him looking at you differently, or how little he wears whenever you guys spend the night at each other's house. Things like that.
Whenever he's around, though, you (struggle to) keep your cool. Frankly, if he knows you have feelings for him, he doesn't let on in the slightest. But theoretically it's better that way because then it can't get weird and no one gets hurt. Right? Well, that's what you tell yourself anyway.
~
Hmm, three o'clock. You look around your freshly vacated shop as your last costumer pulls out of the parking lot. It tended to get slow around this time of day. The only sounds that can be heard are the electrical whirrings of your kitchen equipment (mainly the refrigerator and display cases), and the steady rhythm of your fingers now drumming impatiently on the counter.
To combat your boredom you decide to think up a new dessert for your menu. Nothing guaranteed, but if it's good, why not? Cupcakes, you think to yourself. You've always loved piping fresh, homemade frosting onto cupcakes, and now you have an excuse to do it again. You grab a notepad to jot down some ideas.
How about... chocolate cupcakes with mint frosting? No! Peanut butter frosting! I wonder how it would be with a marshmallow fluff-frosting combination and crumbled toasted graham cracker bits on top...
Just when you start getting into your brainstorming mode, your best friend walks in.
"Heyyy, y/n! What's up?" He loves saying 'what's up'. Sometimes he'll say it over and over when he really gets into his English. You immediately look up from your notepad when you hear his voice, and his smile and dimples are the first things you see. You give him a quick once-over as he make his way across the room and see the rest of him is just as gorgeous as ever. Say something...
"Annyeong, Jooheon," you finally manage to say. "Nothing much, really." You place you pen down and push the notepad aside. "Just thinking up a new item for my menu so I have an excuse to make some frosting. What are you up to?"
"I got bored at home and thought I'd come see you since I know how much you love me bugging you at work," he says with a wide smile. There he goes tugging at your feels again. Jooheon walks behind the counter to stand next to you, then sits on the countertop and picks up your notepad, reading it to himself. "Is there a reason you picked chocolate for all of these?" For some reason you felt like he was picking on you.
"Chocolate goes well with practically everything," you say somewhat defensively and pretend to pout. You decide to change the subject and pick on him back a little. "Besides, who says I like you bugging me at work?"
"You don't like me coming to see you at work?" He looks at you and pretends to be seriously (dramatically) offended and surprised. "Oh my god, y/n. Oh my god. I did not know you felt that way." (Cue perfectly timed fake sniffling, him jumping off the countertop and him turning away from you. A real thespian.) "Well, I'll just leave then."
"Nooo, Joo-honey, don't go." You can almost hear him smiling in satisfaction as you chase after him for all of two or three steps and grab his waist.
"Why not?"
"Because I always like you coming to see me," you wrap your arms all the way around his waist and hug him tightly.
"Even if I'm bugging you at work?" he pretends to still be hurt and pouty, even though he knows you know he's faking.
"Even if you're bugging me at work, Heonie."
He spins around in your embrace and pulls your head tight against his chest and your body against his to hug you back. Honestly, this kinda playful back and forth is just how things are between you two most of the time, but... there's just no way it's healthy for your heart to race like this. It feels like your chest might actually explode. And then there's that crimson tide that washes over your face whenever he holds you like this or you think about his body...
