LUDUS

five

"my favorite customers!" hwitaek cheered, reaching over the counter and pinching yanan's cheek, a smug smile on the man's face as he looked to his boyfriend.

"don't give him attention. he doesn't deserve it." changgu scrunched up his nose, glaring at yanan who faked an offended scoff.

"why?" hwitaek scanned their items.

"he's mad that i spent my money on a DS." yanan shrugged.

"not only that— he bought a spongebob game with it! spongebob? are you serious?" changgu was genuinely distressed, hands pressing against his temples and eyes wide. hwitaek tried not to laugh.

"he's mad because he wanted me to buy tomadachi instead."

changgu paused, mouth open in a silent gasp as he crossed his arms and stepped back. "wh-what even— nonono i did not want you to buy such thing— where did you even get the idea that—"

yanan leaned over the counter and whispered to hwitaek loud enough for his boyfriend to hear. "i switched the spongebob game for tomadachi yesterday. he's going to be so happy."

changgu broke out into a smile but quickly hid it. smacking his boyfriend lightly. "i hate you."

yanan stood up straight and pulled his boyfriend close, kissing his head softly. "i love you too."

"...you two are seriously the only people i allow to be gay in the store." hwitaek said. was that how him and hyojong looked yesterday? he felt proud for some reason— and extremely happy.

and thinking about hyojong always seemed to make the man appear; toned arms wrapping around hwitaek's waist and a chin lightly digging into his shoulder. "what about me?" and hwitaek didn't need to look to know that the man was pouting.

he coughed nervously, feeling yanan and changgu's eyes on them. "well, i'm glad you worked that out." he handed them their bags. "have a nice day!"

the couple stared skeptically. "thanks... you too."

as they left, hwitaek turned around and saw none of his coworkers behind the counter. "who let you behind here?"

"doesn't matter." hyojong pressed against his front, face drooping with something. "you're so shy about me."

crestfallen— an emotion so deep and foreign on the man's face that the elder honestly couldn't tell at first.

"i'm shy about everything." hwitaek frowned, holding hyojong's face and wiping crumbs off his cheek. "i'm sorry."

"you just have to get used to it right?"

hwitaek nodded, going to pull away and focus on his job when hyojong clung to him. the two waddling as hwitaek turned to the front. he sighed. "what are you doing?"

"are you going to get used to it if i stayed like this the whole day?" hyojong's breath was warm against his ear— hwitaek shivered and hyojong took it in.

"i'm going to kick your ass that's for sure." hwitaek gritted through his teeth, blushing as he locked his eyes straight forward. trying hard not to look at the man who was currently rubbing his nose against his cheek.

"okay fine." hyojong's hands lingered before letting go of him, a small smile on his face as he stepped away. hwitaek immediately missed the warmth.

"isn't it too early to be feeling sexual frustration in the relationship?" wooseok walked out of the employee break room, rubbing his eyes with a coffee cup in hand.

"sexual attraction is natural. it doesn't succumb to social constructs." hyojong grabbed a doughnut from the display case. hwitaek didn't have it in him to care.