LUDUS

one

it had been about an hour now, and hwitaek still didn't know if the blond sitting in the snack aisle stacking pop-tart boxes was a kid or a grown man. the person's figure was built with muscles visible under a thin blue t-shirt— but playing around with colorful boxes of diabetes was too absurd to be doing at any age other than five. and hwitaek was getting stressed out thinking that an unstable person was now in his hands.

the elders who sat outside would surely understand if he had to kick out a crazy person from his store. friendly reputation or not; hwitaek had a market to run and protect. but it also didn't help that hwitaek was an incredibly nervous and shy man by nature and the thought of confronting the stranger made his heart jump a little.

"wooseok," hwitaek whispered after the young employee, his eyes not leaving the blond. "go over there and talk to that man."

"why are we whispering?" wooseok asked, in a hushed tone himself.

hwitaek kissed his teeth, and looked at wooseok with a weak glare. "just listen to me and go talk to him." the blond had started to tip over boxes quietly with a crestfallen expression and it was seriously getting ridiculous. "you're good with people; befriend him or something and see what's going on."

wooseok stared at hwitaek with an eyebrow raised and a smirk; surely thinking about all the teasing he'd be doing later— and in a beat he's nodding and heading over to the snack aisle with confidence in his step.

hwitaek held his breath as he watched wooseok simply plop down onto the floor next to the blond.

"hey man," wooseok said, casually in a husky voice— and hwitaek wanted to thank the heavens for jung wooseok but also wanted to scold the younger employee for being so damn perfect. "so you see my boss over there is getting pretty worried that you're like, on the edge or something, so i'm just here to make sure you're doing okay."

forget it, hwitaek thought to himself, jung wooseok is a little piece of shit.

the blond slowly looked up and caught hwitaek's stare first thing. what the fuck, hwitaek screamed internally— but the eye contact only lasted for a second as the strange man had switched to focus on wooseok with a blank stare.

the man cleared his throat. "i get what your boss is coming from... but don't you ever think that pop-tarts are the epitome of childhood illusions?"

and okay, one; hwitaek is surprised at the high pitched voice, and two; what is he on?

but of course hwitaek's perplexed state of mind is the only 'odd' reaction out of this entire situation.

wooseok hummed and nodded, raising a hand to his chin to mimic being pensive. "dude... i think you totally understand me right now. pop-tarts? illusions? childhood? i'm catching what you're throwing perfectly."

hwitaek decided he's had enough with the stupidity tainting his precious store and headed straight toward the two with irritation on his tongue.

"hello," he bowed, a crooked smile plastered on his face. "i'm sorry but wooseok here— has to actually work today, and you have to stop messing around with the pop-tart boxes and either buy something or get out." hwitaek felt the swell in his chest disperse with each word to leave behind a relaxing sensation.

the silence that followed was loud and awkward; wooseok just stared up at him in a dazed expression as the blond simply blinked. but apparently something hwitaek said was funny because the strange man started laughing after a pause, loud and full of hiccuping with his head thrown back and all teeth visible. hwitaek felt his confidence from before crumble.

"wow!" the man giggled, swiftly getting up with a quivering stomach full of air. "i'm so sorry!" he said, clutching at his middle with one hand while other was outstretched in greeting towards hwitaek, who just stared at it skeptically. "i didn't mean to cause any harm, i just get really emo sometimes— but you're so cute! bosses are never this cute, i feel so happy now."

hwitaek couldn't contain his blush at being called cute, especially since the man was genuine and not all condescending like how some people were (like hongseok, with his harsh back pats and weird smile).

with a quick nod, hwitaek took the man's hand in his— which was surprisingly really soft— and bowed. "well..." he was at lost for words. "thank you?"

wooseok stood up beside him with a huff and dusted off his legs quietly.

"no problem, i'm hyojong by the way! i came here because i saw you through the window and thought you would be too nice to kick me out for sulking on your floor." he said, a pretty smile on his thin lips while letting go of hwitaek's hand to move his blond strands.

... hwitaek was starting to get nauseous from all the twists today.

"well," wooseok clapped and looked between them. "i'm glad we worked this out and everything so—"

"you're going back to work." hwitaek interrupted him with a stern expression, wooseok frowned.

"but i was getting into a really good headspace with him!" wooseok said in exasperation, gesturing to hyojong who only smiled clear and bright.

"go." hwitaek said, to a gloomy wooseok who stomped his foot before heading back to his place behind the counter with dragging feet. "hurry up!" and wooseok did with a suck of teeth and rested his head on the cold counter with droopy eyes.

"whoa, nevermind— you could get pretty mean." hyojong said in awe.

and hwitaek just tilted his head with furrowed eyebrows while looking at him; he had a prediction about hyojong and he wasn't too happy about it.

"you're going to come here everyday and make my life a living hell." hwitaek foretold in a calm voice. "aren't you, you little piece of shit?"

and hyojong's bright smile told all.