scented

three

if you are not too long, i will
wait here for you
all my life ; oscar wilde

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winter had just arrived, but the temperature had already dropped to sub-zero degrees. mark disliked working at the store during the winter, for the strong heating did nothing to warm him comfortably as customers shuffled in and out of the store, the biting wind slipping through the gap every time the door opened.

mark shuffled from the floral shelf to the season shelf, arranging the candles, trying to generate body heat as he hummed a gentle tune.

the bell above the door rang, but mark was so into arranging the candles and humming the tune that he didn't notice it.

he jumped, almost dropping one of the large glass jars from the season shelf when he noticed a figure standing next to him. or more specifically, jinyoung.

"hi jinyoung," mark greeted him, happy to see a familiar face during his winter shift.

"hello, mark." mark almost melted in the middle of winter at jinyoung's eye-smile and silky voice. his eyes drifted from jinyoung's eyes to scan his outfit, a simple grey sweater and the thick denim jacket mark had seen him wear the first time he came. the boy was looking dapper as always and mark reached up to his hair subconsciously, making sure it looked okay. he didn't know why, but he wanted to look decent in front of jinyoung.

"—tomorrow night. are you-", jinyoung paused, when he realise that mark wasn't even listening to him speak. mark was blatantly staring at him, pupils dilated. he put his hands on mark's shoulders, shaking him lightly. mark shook his thoughts out of his head and blinked at jinyoung innocently. jinyoung resisted the urge to gush at how adorable mark was being. remembering his initial purpose, aside from purchasing yet another candle, jinyoung looked at mark again, "mark, i have a contemporary dance recital tomorrow. um, would you mind coming to watch me perform? i mean, you don't have to agree, i just have an extra ticket and um, i have to-"

"okay," mark agrees shyly, a light pink tint colouring his cheeks.

"w-what?" jinyoung stopped abruptly, his mouth hanging slightly open.

"j-just give me the details, jinyoung." the light pink tint had darkened by a few shades and mark's ears were starting to heat up.

jinyoung smiled for a few reasons. he smiled because mark had agreed, because he liked the way his name sounded coming out of mark's pretty mouth and because mark was still as shy as he had been the first time he visited the store.

handing mark a baby blue watercolour card and money for a candle he had grabbed for his winter collection, he rushed out his words before leaving the candle store with a huge smile and candle jar in hand.

"i'll be waiting."

mark felt his heart squeeze lightly at jinyoung's words, a shy smile playing on his lips as he locked up the store hours later.