1995soulmates (ao3)
Jeongguk doesn't typically do deliveries. But he'd be damned if he didn't personally hand deliver to the jerk that called five minutes before closing with a list of specifics and the nerve to sarcastically ask for a flower drawn on his pizza box.
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It's nearing the end of Jeongguk's shift, and he never wants to see another pizza ever again in his life. To be honest, Jeongguk never really enjoys coming to work but tonight was exceptionally shitty. They were busy from the moment he walked in up until about ten minutes ago. Eight hours straight of back to back calls, long lines at the registers, and the smell of burning dough in Jeongguk's nostrils.
Their lobby and sitting area are closed now; they stop letting customers in thirty minutes before closing so that it's less to clean up once they're closed for good. But for some reason beyond Jeongguk's understanding, they still take delivery orders up until about five minutes before closing. Their boss is a real prick about giving them overtime, too. So it's a lose/lose situation for everyone. But the phone rarely rings within their last thirty minutes of being open.
It's a pizza shop, so most people call around dinner and lunchtime. And only a handful of clearly drunk college kids call after 10 PM.
Typically, their business starts to slow down around nine o'clock. In that time, Jeongguk excuses himself from the front and goes in the back to log their inventory and begin to count the cash in the registers he's already closed for the night.
Jeongguk's not sure how he became nightshift manager in just seven months of working here, but he got a raise along with the promotion, so he's not complaining too much.
Jeongguk is the youngest manager here; at first, he was worried no one would take him seriously. Mainly since he got promoted over some other workers who have been here longer and are much older. But the transition was smooth, and most nights he doesn't even feel like he has an official title. It's nice.
"Can we put the fire out now?" Hoseok asks, sticking his head through the cracked door. He's got his dark blue uniform hat turned backward and his apron half-on. They're all ready to go home.
Jeongguk looks up, halts his counting, and says back with a shrug, "Yeah, I think we're good for the night."
Hoseok disappears back the way he came, and Jeongguk picks up counting where he left off. When he works nights, Jeongguk closes with Hoseok and Namjoon. Both are a few years older than him, but they treat him like an equal.
All three of them are the definition of a broke college student, so they help each other when they can and split their tips evenly between the three of them.
As Jeongguk is heading through the kitchen, the phone begins to ring, and his first instinct is to kick it off of the wall. They close in five minutes. Literally. Five. Who in their right mind needs a pizza delivery at almost midnight on a Wednesday?
Hoseok offers to get the phone. But Jeongguk is closer, so he waves him off and answers it.
"Thank you for calling Bang's Pizza. This is Jeongguk. How can I help you?" His voice is monotone; distinctly unenthusiastic, and nowhere near thankful for the call or eager to take the order. Maybe the person on the other end will take the hint and apologize for calling so late.
They open at 11 AM tomorrow. Call back then.
There's a split second of silence on the other end that tempts Jeongguk to hang up, but he hears the person breathing, and he's not that mean. He's not mean at all, actually. He's just tired and wants to go home. Unfortunately, there's an 10 AM class with Jeongguk's name on it tomorrow morning.
