Archive of Our Own

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," is what greets Kyungsoo the second he steps inside the furniture store, hands tucked inside his pockets to protect them from the cold and his nose and cheeks a bright pink.

Baekhyun's perched on one of the display sofas, feet propped up on the coffee table, his hands clasped behind his head as he surveys Kyungsoo's unfortunate appearance with eyes full of mirth. Kyungsoo exhales a heavy breath and doesn't respond, shrugging off his jacket and setting it on the coat hook before running his fingers through the short strands of his hair in a futile attempt to flatten the wind-swept and snow-covered mess.

He takes a seat at his desk, letting out a groan when Baekhyun drags his feet off the coffee table and lets them fall to the ground with a loud thud. "You better clean any scuff marks," he says warningly, not even looking up at his coworker and (sometimes) friend. Baekhyun only laughs in response to that, nudging some papers aside so he can take a seat on Kyungsoo's desk, instead. There's really no winning with him.

He pulls his macbook into his lap and does his best to ignore Baekhyun's presence as he opens up his design program and looks over the blueprints for his current commission piece. It's a table for a law office boardroom, and the customer requesting it is probably his pickiest yet. He'd been late at the office working on it, refusing to go to bed until he'd come up with something nothing less than perfect. He's tired but confident in his design, now, even though he's still waiting on the go ahead before he can go into the warehouse to start making the changes to the table itself.

"Shit, is that a built in bluetooth remote? Impressive idea." Baekhyun has taken to leaning back as far as he possibly can without tumbling off the desk in order to peer at the laptop screen. Kyungsoo nods once, quickly closing his computer and tucking it away into his desk drawer. Despite Baekhyun being his business partner and best friend, he’s always very private about his designs until they’re actually built. "You changed it a lot. How late were you here last night, exactly?"

"I left around one," Kyungsoo says, then he has to lift a hand to hide his yawn. He knows he looks about as dead as he feels, and now Baekhyun is peering at him, his gaze concerned. "It's fine. I accidentally slept in this morning, anyway. I'm just..."

"You're just grumpy because you haven't had your smoothie yet," Baekhyun says, his voice knowing and smug. "You should go and get one now, otherwise you’ll be pissy all day."

Kyungsoo knows Baekhyun is right, but the last thing he wants is to give him that kind of satisfaction. Still, he needs his Vitamin to get through the day, so he stands with a huff, walking back to the coat rack to grab his jacket. “Do you want anything?”

Baekhyun shakes his head no. “I already got mine this morning. You should grab Jongin something, though. He’s been in the workshop since 6am finishing those chair frames for you.”

“Alright.” Kyungsoo lifts his hand to wave half-heartedly and then steps back out into the frigid air. His skin immediately starts to sting, but he’s already smiling just at the thought of fulfilling his weekday morning routine even though it’s a little later than usual.

-

“Hey, Kyungsoo! Your usual today?”

Just the sound of that deep, friendly voice is enough to send Kyungsoo’s heart right into his stomach, and the fact that it comes as soon as the door closes behind him has him a bit of a panic. He ducks his head and quickly lifts his hands to flatten down his hair once more before he takes a deep breath and walks up to the counter.

“Um. Hi, Chanyeol.” He greets, finally lifting his gaze to meet the cashiers. Chanyeol has a big grin on his face, showing each and every single one of his perfectly shaped teeth and making his wide, brown eyes crinkle at the corners. Kyungsoo’s cheeks feel warm.

“So, your usual?” Chanyeol presses. His hair - it’s different today, compared to yesterday. It looks like he’s gotten it permed, so it’s all fluffy and soft brown and falling into his eyes. Kyungsoo gulps, momentarily speechless at the sight. How is he even handsome like this? “Kyungsoo?”

“Oh, yeah. My usual.” He nods, clearing his throat a few times. “And - and Jongin’s - ”

“Soy chai latte, right?” Chanyeol’s smile is so indulgent, friendly. “That’s 15k, alright?” He waits patiently as Kyungsoo fumbles with his wallet, takes the bills with his fingers grazing gently over the tips of Kyungsoo’s own. It makes Kyungsoo blush to the roots of his hair, drawing his hands quickly back to himself.

Chanyeol moves over to the bar to start prepping the drinks, and Kyungsoo takes a moment to calm himself. He’s not usually like this - an awkward, fumbling mess. There’s something about Chanyeol, though, that always renders him speechless and steals away his ability to function like a normal human being. It’s been an issue ever since VIVID Vegan Juice Bar had opened across the street from Kyungsoo’s furniture boutique six months ago and Baekhyun dragged him in there to try it out. Chanyeol had sensed Kyungsoo’s lack of knowledge in anything vegan and looked over the menu to help him find something that worked for him. A kale and superfruit smoothie. It had sounded disgusting at the time, but Chanyeol was so excited and insistent that Kyungsoo had given in anyway.

His smile. His height. The deep tone of his voice. The way one eye always seemed to squint a little tighter than the other. Kyungsoo had been floored, and he’s been back almost every day since.

“So, Valentine’s Day is coming up,” Chanyeol says conversationally as he starts steaming the milk for Jongin’s latte, surprising Kyungsoo out of his thoughts. “You have any plans?”

“No,” Kyungsoo replies, a tad too quickly. He coughs, then pauses, repeating it once more after a more appropriate time has passed.

“That’s shocking,” Chanyeol grins, and Kyungsoo groans inwardly at the fact that Chanyeol is somehow even hot while pouring milk into a takeout cup, which he then slides across the counter along with the smoothie. “Have a good day, Kyungsoo.” His voice is tender, and Kyungsoo feels like he’s dying a little.

“Thank you,” he tries his best to smile but it feels too forced to be attractive, so he picks up the drink and hurries out of the bar. The air is brisk and the snow feels like tiny ice daggers against his skin, but at least outside he’s finally able to breathe.

-

There’s a young couple in the showroom when Kyungsoo returns with the drinks, and Baekhyun is standing with them, talking their ears off about an oak coffee table they’re obviously quite interested in. He makes eye contact with Kyungsoo over the top of their heads, his lips curling into one of his shit-eating grins at the sight of Kyungsoo’s flustered, disheveled appearance.

Kyungsoo decides it’s best to disappear before it’s too late, even though he knows that he can only escape Baekhyun’s wrath for so long. He grabs his macbook out of his desk drawer and tucks it under his arm, balancing the drinks on one hand, then he makes his way out back into the workshop.

The freshly finished chairs are all balanced upside down along the back wall while they dry. The table is sitting right in the centre of the room, the light hanging low from the ceiling casting an eerie, dim glow over the ebony surface. Jongin, Kyungsoo’s assistant, is crouching down at one end, running his fingers along the edge as if he’s inspecting it.

“Hey, hyung,” he greets, but it takes a second before he stands and gives Kyungsoo his full attention. Kyungsoo sets his macbook down on his work bench and then wriggles Jongin’s tea out of the cup holder, handing it over. Jongin’s response to that his a grateful nod of his head, wasting no time in taking a long sip of it. “Ah, caffeine. I missed you.”

“You’re all done with the chairs, Jongin.” Kyungsoo says. He takes a big sip of his smoothie, but then winces at the sour taste. It really isn’t that good of a drink, but he can’t bring himself to change his order since Chanyeol’s the one who so excitedly recommended it to him way back then. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest?”

Jongin shakes his head no. “I got the blueprints you sent me last night. You want to build in that remote, right? That’s a lot of work, and we have to have it ready in a couple days.”

“The morning of the fifteenth,” Kyungsoo sighs, nodding. “Let’s get this done, then.”

Kyungsoo’s glad that Jongin has a better understanding of personal boundaries than Baekhyun. His sleepy gaze is lingering a little longer than it usually does, but he makes no comments about Kyungsoo’s state while they set to work together, Jongin going to unpack the power tools and Kyungsoo marking where the adjustments for the remote need to be made with white chalk.

-

It’s well past closing time when Kyungsoo finally retires for the evening. He’s been back at his desk for a while now, sending emails back and forth to Jongdae, a friend of his that works with computers. The table itself is ready for the remote, but the actual programming of it is beyond his capabilities, so outsourcing had been his only option.

Jongdae has promised to have everything ready by the following afternoon, so Kyungsoo decides there’s really nothing else he can do, no reason to stay. So, he packs up his computer and makes his way out, pressing his lips together into a thin line when he checks the time on his phone and sees that it’s only just after eight - that’s a whole lot of time before bed where he has nothing to do.

He locks the store behind him with a sigh, but then the sound of a car honking has him jumping a good foot in the air in surprise. He turns around, and Baekhyun’s car is parked right behind him, the owner leaning over the center console to wave Kyungsoo over.

“Hey, you,” he greets, when Kyungsoo opens the door without a word and slides into the passenger seat. “Jongdae called and told me to come get you.” To force him to stop working too late. His friends care a little too much, sometimes.

“I left on my own, this time.” Kyungsoo mumbles, pulling on his seatbelt. “Thanks for getting me, though. I didn’t really want to commute. Too tired to drive.”

“No big deal, man. I was heading to Sehunnie’s anyway. You’re on the way.”

Sehun, Baekhyun’s college aged boyfriend. They’re actually rather cute together, even though Kyungsoo has no idea what a hot, tall, 22-year-old guy would want with Baekhyun, who’s pushing it on 30 and overbearing at his very best.

“Did Jongin tell you?” Baekhyun starts, after a few moments pass in comfortable silence. “He scored a date with that girl he likes from his dance studio. They’re going out on Valentines.”

“Oh, he finally asked her out?” Kyungsoo asks with interest, but Baekhyun snorts in response to that, shaking his head.

“You have too much faith in him. She asked him out. It took him two hours to respond because he couldn’t find his voice, apparently. He’s gonna be a wreck on that date! I wish I could go and record it.”

“Be nice, Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo says, though he can’t hide the amusement in his voice. Jongin is undoubtedly the most attractive in their group of friends, but he’s so ridiculously shy sometimes that it gives them all whiplash.

“Fact is,” Baekhyun brushes him off, and suddenly he’s smirking again, and Kyungsoo gulps. “Even Jongin has a date for Valentines this year. You’re literally the only one in our entire group that doesn’t.”

“And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.” Kyungsoo insists, rubbing at the side of his neck. “I have work, anyway.”

“Or, you could use this as an opportunity to finally ask Chanyeol out.”

“Hilarious.” Kyungsoo says, making sure his voice is as deadpan as possible. “It would be a nice start if I could string two words together in his presence, let alone manage to ask him out.”

“Your awkward, bumbling self is endearing! Maybe he’s into it.”

“It’s only endearing when you’re hot like Jongin. I’m… just me.”

“Whatever, ‘Soo.” Baekhyun parks the car in front of Kyungsoo’s apartment, and Kyungsoo’s never been so grateful to see his home. He immediately unbuckles, scrambling out of the car.

“I’ll be on time tomorrow morning,” he says, lifting a hand to wave at his friend. “I’ll meet you at VIVID, okay?”

Baekhyun rolls his eyes and sets off as soon as the passenger door is closed. Kyungsoo turns and makes his way inside. It’s early, but bed doesn’t sound too bad right about now. It’s not like he has anything to stay up for, anyway.

-

Kyungsoo can feel Baekhyun’s daunting presence behind him when he approaches the counter at VIVID the next morning to make his order. Chanyeol is smiling as bright as ever, always the same no matter what time of day it is. “Hey you,” he greets, and Kyungsoo swallows thickly. There’s a pink headband in Chanyeol’s hair today, with two little hearts bouncing around on spring antlers. They’re getting into the Valentines Day spirit a day early it seems, and Baekhyun isn’t even trying to hide his snickers as he takes it all in.

“Hey - Hey, Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo takes a deep breath and a step back, glancing unnecessarily up at the menu behind Chanyeol’s head. “Um, my usual, please. Kale and superfruit smoothie.”

“Right.” Chanyeol starts ringing it in, and Kyungsoo pulls the bills from his wallet. He hands them over, but Chanyeol pauses when he reaches to take them, ignoring the money and curling fingers around Kyungsoo’s wrist. “Your hands are so dry,” he says, lips curved into a pout. He drags his fingertips over the back of Kyungsoo’s knuckles - which makes goosebumps erupt all over Kyungsoo’s skin - and then lets him go. Kyungsoo exhales a breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding, and god, he probably looks ridiculous with how hard he’s blushing. “You must have worked hard yesterday. Take care of yourself too, okay?”

He refuses the payment when Kyungsoo tries once more to hand it over, gesturing for him to go wait at the drink bar for his order. Kyungsoo bows his head in thanks because he’s not sure he can trust his voice right now, and does as he’s told, finding a nice comfortable spot to wait where the machines are blocking him from Chanyeol’s view.

Baekhyun joins him a few moments later once he’s placed his own order, looking awfully put-out that Kyungsoo got his drink for free yet he was made to pay. “That was mildly pornographic of you two,” he whispers, once he’s close enough that no one else will overhear them, and Kyungsoo’s first instinct is to elbow him right in the ribs.

-

Kyungsoo feels like he’s walking on clouds the entire day, like absolutely nothing could go wrong - and even if it did, he’d take it in stride. He’d acted annoyed with Baekhyun’s teasing after his little interaction with Chanyeol, but he hasn’t been able to keep the smile off his face since.

Jongdae somehow managed to finish the remote before noon, so he and Jongin spend a couple hours together in the workshop to get it installed and set up. The troubleshooting goes flawlessly, and Kyungsoo’s clients sound incredibly impressed on the phone when they call after Kyungsoo emailed over the pictures of the almost-finished product.

He’s in such a good mood that he lets Jongin paint the first layer of finish over the wood, something he doesn’t usually entrust to anyone but himself on his larger commission pieces. He then takes over the showroom for Baekhyun, who had been whining all day about wanting extra time to get ready for his Valentine’s Day Eve date with Sehun. Kyungsoo usually hates manning the showroom - it means being forced to talk to people - but he’s in such a good mood he can’t bring himself to say no.

Tuesday afternoons aren’t exactly the busiest days in the custom furniture business, so he doesn’t have that much to do in the end. Most of his is taken up by sitting at his desk, standing to bow when the few interested stragglers wander in to take a look at the display pieces.

He does some admin work, sends out emails to potential clients. He spends a good chunk of the afternoon replying to Baekhyun’s multiple selfies as he tries to pick an outfit for his evening (“something cute , but also easy to remove”). Jongin finishes up the first layer of finish a little before five, so he lets himself out with a wave and Kyungsoo gets up to start prepping the store for the close.

He’s about to start mopping the floors when the door chimes with the entry of a customer. “Welcome to Do -” He stops right in the middle of their customary greeting when he looks up at the person who’d just entered. It’s Chanyeol , looking absolutely stunning with his windswept hair and bright red scarf wrapped snug around his neck. When his eyes crinkle at the corners, Kyungsoo knows he’s smiling, and god, his chest is starting to ache with how hard his heart is beating.

“Hey, Kyungsoo.” Chanyeol pulls the scarf down a little so it’s easier for him to talk. His nose is bright red at the tip, and Kyungsoo really, really wants to kiss it until it’s toasty warm.

“What are you doing here?” Kyungsoo asks, but the sound of his voice as he speaks makes him wince. He hadn’t meant to sound so accusatory, and by the look on Chanyeol’s face, he’s surprised as well. “I mean… um, what brings you here?”

“I was leaving work,” Chanyeol gestures vaguely behind himself. “I saw you in here. I realized you come to my work every day and you’re right across the street and I’ve never been in. So.”

He looks flustered, for some reason. Unsure and tentative. Kyungsoo can relate, though it’s strange to see his Vitamin acting like this.

“I thought I’d stop by and say hi…” he finishes it up with a hesitant smile on his face.

“Oh…” A moment passes between them in silence. Chanyeol looks uncomfortable, like he regrets coming in, and Kyungsoo wants to remedy that somehow, but he’s having a hard time finding his voice as usual.

“So… you sell furniture?” Despite his hesitance, Chanyeol wanders further in, unravelling his scarf from around his neck and letting it hang loosely, then undoes the top two buttons of his jacket. Like he plans on staying a little while. Kyungsoo’s heart is racing .

“Baekhyun sells furniture,” he replies in a small voice. “I - I’m the one who makes it.”

“Holy shit.” Chanyeol’s eyes go really, really wide and he turns to stare at Kyungsoo in shock. “You made all this? Holy shit! Shit, that’s so cool.”

He gives Kyungsoo two thumbs up, and Kyungsoo ducks his head because he can’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. “Thank you,” he says, his hand curled into a fist to hide his mouth while he speaks.

“Hey, don’t hide your smile. It’s really cute.” Chanyeol’s across the room in three long strides, curling fingers around Kyungsoo’s wrist for a second time that day, tugging it down until it’s no longer covering any part of Kyungsoo’s face. “You’re so shy. I know it’s easier said than done, but you don’t need to be. You’re really cool. Exactly my style.”

Is he flirting? It sounds an awful lot like he’s flirting. Or maybe he’s just being friendly, teasing? Kyungsoo panics, wondering if he should maybe try flirting back. Ha, what a joke . His mouth has gone numb, now. He can barely even breathe, let alone speak.

“Ah, I’d better go,” Chanyeol says suddenly, snapping Kyungsoo right out of his thoughts. “I have to get to my night class. I’m glad I finally came in,” his grin is wide and so, so gorgeous. He lets go of Kyungsoo’s wrist and lifts both of his hands to wave. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, right?”

“Of course,” Kyungsoo exhales, and Chanyeol’s smile widens. He turns to leave, and Kyungsoo watches him go until he’s down the street and out of the sight of their big windows.

Today is the best day ever .

-

It takes a lot of pushing and shoving on Baekhyun’s part to get Kyungsoo to finally enter VIVID the next morning. He’d made the mistake of telling his best friend about Chanyeol’s visit the previous afternoon, and Baekhyun’s obnoxious cooing for a good half an hour after he’d wrapped up his story had turned the excitement and butterflies into panic and mild despair.

He doesn’t go in for his usual breakfast, too embarrassed to even face Chanyeol now, but Baekhyun convinces him around ten that it’s Valentine’s Day and even if he’s too chicken to ask Chanyeol out, he needs to see his crush at least once on such an important day.

Again, he’s right; but as usual, Kyungsoo refuses to admit that out loud.

He’s already blushing as he crosses the street, and his face feels like it’s on fire once he steps into the cafe and Chanyeol looks up excitedly from whatever he’s doing to greet him.

“Kyungsoo! I was so nervous, I thought you weren’t gonna show up today.” It’s different from his usual greeting, and Kyungsoo won’t voice it, but he’s incredibly confused as to why Chanyeol would be nervous about anything.

“I’m here,” he supplies unhelpfully, and Chanyeol nods at that.

“We have a special Valentine’s Day smoothie today! Strawberry and Banana with pink whipped cream on top. Wanna try it instead of your usual?”

“No, that’s fine,” Chanyeol’s entire being seems to deflate at that, and he’s pouting as he rings in the order.

“We can’t change a man set in his routine, can we?” He laughs it off, then gestures Kyungsoo over to the drink bar. He doesn’t even wait for Kyungsoo to take out his wallet to try and pay. “One kale and superfruit smoothie, coming right up.”

Minseok, VIVID’s owner, is the one making the drinks today. He gives Kyungsoo a weird smile when he hands over the smoothie, and Kyungsoo thanks him, though he can’t seem to hide his frown of confusion in response.

He waves to Chanyeol on his way out, but Chanyeol’s busy serving another guest. With a sigh, he ducks his head and slips through the door. He’s screwed up yet another interaction with Chanyeol, now. So much for his Vitamin, this is going to have a ball of anxiety lurking in his stomach for the entire day, probably.

He doesn’t make it far, though. He’s waiting to cross the street when he hears his name being called, so he turns, and Chanyeol is hurrying towards him, looking incredibly frazzled and anxious.

“Chanyeol?” Kyungsoo inquires, peering up at Chanyeol’s face. Chanyeol is the one blushing, this time, his head bowed and his hand raised to rub at the back of his neck.

“Hey,” he responds after a moments hesitance. “I’ve been waiting for you all morning. Actually, I meant to ask you this last night. A week ago? Maybe a month ago…” he rambles on. His voice is already deep enough, but it somehow becomes even deeper when he’s nervous. “Uh, Kyungsoo. You said you don’t have plans tonight.”

“I don’t,” Kyungsoo nods. His heart is trapped in his throat and his hands are shaking, but somehow he’s holding himself together. Is this really happening?

“Can we change that? I mean. Do you want to go out with me tonight? For Valentine’s Day?” He says it all very quickly, and Kyungsoo needs a moment to take it all in. “And I mean a date, you know. Not just two single dudes hanging out because everyone else is busy. A date.”

“I understand,” before Kyungsoo can stop himself, he laughs. Maybe it’s the fact that Chanyeol is evidently more nervous than he is, but Kyungsoo feels fine, now. Not just fine - he feels like he’s on top of the world. “A date... “ he bites down on his bottom lip. “Okay. I’ll go on a date with you.”

“What time will you be done? I’ll pick you up from work. If you want.” Chanyeol’s still talking really fast, and Kyungsoo steps in closer, reaching out to hold onto his arm in an attempt to help calm him.

The second layer of finish is drying on the table, now. He just needs to apply one more to let it settle overnight so it’s ready for the morning when the clients are coming by for the final inspection. “I’ll be done at five,” he says, and Chanyeol’s smile in response to that is almost blinding.

“I’ll be there.” He says, standing up straight and puffing out his chest. He wriggles his arm out of Kyungsoo’s grip and then waves, before turning without another word and running back into VIVID.

Kyungsoo does everything in his power to contain himself, but once he’s inside and Baekhyun and Jongin are giving him smug, knowing looks, he has to let it out. He’s so excited.

“I’m not the only one without a date anymore.” He announces, cheeks hurting because he’s smiling so wide, and Baekhyun and Jongin immediately envelope him in a big, tight bear hug.

He’d been naive to think yesterday was his best day ever, because this certainly takes the cake.

-

from: unknown

Baekhyun gave me your number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is CY btw. sry if this is weird but i cant stop smiling now and i wanted to know how youre doing!! Are u happy? I’m so happy that Minseok hyung told me to stop smiling cuz its scaring the customers

Baekhyun’s a little shit, but Kyungsoo can’t be too angry when Chanyeol is this endearing over text. He quickly takes off his protective gloves so he can add Chanyeol into his contacts and reply to the message.

to: Chanyeol

I’m very happy. I’m doing fine. You’re cute. Shouldn’t you be working now instead of texting me?

from: Chanyeol

Lame, you text just like u talk lol. Right boss! I’ll see you later.

His next message after that is about fifteen of the monkey-covering-its-eyes emoji, and Kyungsoo laughs, exasperated, shaking his head. He doesn’t reply to any more texts, because he knows if he gets caught up in the conversation he won’t be able to finish in time, so he pulls his gloves on again and gets back to work.

The table, once he’s done applying the last layer of finish, looks absolutely stunning. Ebony had been a risky choice and he’d almost rejected the request from the client when they’d made it, but he’s glad he took his chances with this one in the end. It’s definitely his best piece yet.

“You did amazing, hyung,” Jongin says, giving Kyungsoo a slow applause when he wanders in to check Kyungsoo’s progress. Kyungsoo shakes his head no, removing his gloves so he can reach out and pat Jongin on the back.

“Couldn’t have done it without you,” He says in response, and Jongin grins at him, wriggling like a puppy with the praise.

“You guys are finished?” Baekhyun peeks his head around the door, and Kyungsoo gestures him in, too. He’s carrying a tray of coffee for all of them, balancing it precariously on one hand so he can use the other to pull out his cell phone and take some pictures of the finished product. “I brought coffee, and a tea for our baby Jongin,” he puts his phone back in his pocket and then wriggles the drinks out of the holder, handing them around. Kyungsoo accepts his gratefully, blowing on the surface and then taking a long sip. “We’re all going out on hot dates tonight, so we gotta stock up on caffeine to stay up as late as possible.”

“I don’t think my date is going to be all that hot, I can barely talk around him yet,” Kyungsoo scrunches up his nose and then laughs. “But thanks, Baekhyun. I needed this.”

“I bought ribbed condoms for mine. Do you think she’ll like them?” Jongin asks suddenly, voice muffled around the rim of his cup. Kyungsoo snorts out a laugh at that, because shy my ass , but Baekhyun’s reaction is a little more severe.

He doubles over with loud laughter, shoving Jongin’s shoulder, hard enough to jostle him. Jongin is easily startled, and so the drink he’d been loosely holding onto before goes tumbling right out of his grip and onto the floor.

The lid pops off at the impact and chai tea latte sprays everywhere . Up Kyungsoo’s leg and shirt, all over Jongin’s shoes. Baekhyun is somehow the only one who didn’t get into the line of fire, and that makes him laugh harder, smacking Jongin’s shoulder over and over with his mirth.

“Hyung. Hyung, stop.” Jongin’s voice is uncharacteristically urgent and his eyes are open wide. He’s gone completely white, and he’s not even fighting Baekhyun’s smacks. Baekhyun’s hand slows to a stop, and Kyungsoo follows Jongin’s gaze to see what is causing him to look so scared.

Oh. Oh.

The latte hadn’t only gotten on them. The table - the precious, multi-million won table that they’ve been working on for the better part of three months also became one of the victims of Baekhyun’s mirth. Two of the legs and almost the entire underside is practically dripping with steamed milk now, the carefully painted finish warping around the intrusion.

The time on Kyungsoo’s phone reads 4:45pm. He takes a few steps back from the table, then sits down on his workbench.

“Oh god. Oh, god.” Baekhyun doesn’t usually panic, but all of the colour has drained from his face and he’s flailing his free hand around frantically. Jongin is just as pale, but he’s staring in Kyungsoo’s direction, worrying his bottom lip with his two front teeth.

“Hyung.” He whispers. “Go on your date. Go. I’ll wipe this down and reapply the finish. It shouldn’t take too long. This is fixable.”

“Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun takes a couple tentative steps towards Kyungsoo, but Kyungsoo flinches, turning away.

“Get out, both of you.” He says, and the finality in his tone is strong enough that neither of them argue. They file out of the workshop with their heads bowed, both hesitating by the door to glance back at him, but he refuses to look at them.

He should probably text Chanyeol. Cancel the date, or something. There’s no way he’ll be able to make it now. To get it cured and dry enough to be handled by the morning, there’s no way he’ll be able to leave before eleven.

He sighs and gets to a stand, moving over to the closet to pull on his protective gear.

Oh well, nothing he can do, now.

-

“Are you almost done, hyung?”

Jongin peeks in at about 10:30, fingers curling tentatively around the door, pushing it open slowly, like he expects Kyungsoo to lash out or something. Truthfully, Kyungsoo had calmed down many hours ago - he’s learned to accept this about himself; that things never exactly go how he wants them to. It’s the occupational hazard of being born Do Kyungsoo.

It’s hard to be mad at Jongin and Baekhyun long, anyway. They’re his best friends, and he knows they didn’t do it to upset him or ruin his night.

Kyungsoo’s in the process of pulling out the heaters when Jongin enters, so he gestures him closer to help. Jongin perks up like the puppy he is, hurrying in to assist in lifting the heavy fans. They place one on either side of the table, turning them on low so it’s enough warmth to speed-dry the finish but not enough to accidentally set the workshop on fire.

“It’s still early, hyung,” Jongin says, once they’re done, sitting side by side on the workbench to catch their breath after all that heavy lifting. “You should ask Chanyeol to meet up.”

“I’m exhausted, Jongin.” Kyungsoo’s well timed yawn has him stretching his arms right up in the air. Once he’s settled again, he sighs. “I didn’t even text him to tell him I couldn’t make it. I’ve ruined my chances.”

“That was silly of you,” Jongin pouts, and Kyungsoo reaches forward to ruffle up his bangs.

“What are you still doing here, anyway? Don’t you have your own date?”

“Yeah, but…” He shrugs vaguely. “I felt too guilty to leave. Baekhyun was gonna stay too, but Sehun started crying thinking he was gonna get dumped, so…”

“This is why we never date university students.” Kyungsoo laughs, shaking his head.

“Chanyeol’s a University student, isn’t he?” Jongin quips, and Kyungsoo shoves his shoulder.

“He’s a grad student, that’s different.” He says. “Go, Jongin. You don’t wanna ruin your chances, too, or those ribbed condoms will be a huge waste of money.”

Jongin at least has the audacity to blush at that. “If you’re sure, hyung.” He stands up and rests his hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “Don’t stay too much longer, though. You’ve done all you need to do, by the morning it will be dry enough to put on display for the clients. Baekhyun and I are very sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Kyungsoo waves him off, then stretches again, waiting until the workshop is empty once more before he starts the process of getting ready to leave. The exhaustion from working all day is really settling into his bones, now, and he can’t stop yawning. Once his jacket is on and his wallet and keys are tucked into his pocket, he takes one last look at the table before letting himself out of the workshop and into the showroom.

He really is so exhausted, that he doesn’t even notice he’s not alone until he’s reaching up to turn off the lights and he feels someone rest their hand on his shoulder from behind. He jumps a good foot in the air, spinning around with his fist raised, ready to attack, but he immediately lowers it when he realizes who exactly is with him.

“Holy shit, Kyungsoo - I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you like that,” Chanyeol has taken a big step back, and his eyes are blown wide in terror. Kyungsoo rubs at his right forearm, ducking his head in apology.

“Sorry, you just scared me, is all.” He mumbles. There’s a moment of tense silence that follows, Kyungsoo’s mind whirring with all the possibilities of what Chanyeol being here right now could possibly mean.

“It’s okay.” Chanyeol’s the one who breaks it, letting out a low chuckle and then stepping in closer again. Another thing that Kyungsoo hadn’t noticed is the bouquet of roses clutched tightly in Chanyeol’s left hand, and he gasps quietly when they’re presented to him. “Baekhyun told me what happened when I showed up to come get you,” he explains, smiling gently when Kyungsoo takes the roses into both of his hands and observes them in awe. “He also said you’d probably be too much of a chicken to text me and tell me you couldn’t make it.” Kyungsoo looks up quickly to argue that, but Chanyeol shushes him, shaking his head with a laugh. “His words, not mine.

“I’m sorry.” Kyungsoo looks down at the roses again. They’re so pretty, and his chest feels so unbelievably full. “I was upset, and scared to disappoint you.”

“I’ll forgive you eventually, I’m sure,” Chanyeol’s voice is light, teasing. “Only if you let me drive you home, though. You look exhausted.”

“Ah,” Kyungsoo’s cheeks are starting to feel warm. He bites down on his bottom lip, thinking that maybe he owes Chanyeol at least this much. “Okay, then. If you want to.”

“I do,” Chanyeol clarifies, then reaches around Kyungsoo to flick the lights off for him. He offers his arm after, which Kyungsoo accepts hesitantly, glad that it’s dark enough now that his blush is no longer visible. He holds onto Chanyeol’s elbow and allows himself to be guided out, stopping only to lock the door on his way.

The car ride home is mostly quiet, the only words spoken between them are Kyungsoo’s quiet directions towards his condo. It’s nice, though; Chanyeol has a warm hand resting on his knee, and the bouquet of roses are laying across his lap. He can’t stop looking at them.

When they pull up in front of his building, Chanyeol quickly gets out and hurries around the car to open the passenger door. Kyungsoo climbs out carefully, cradling his precious roses so they don’t damage. Chanyeol reaches for him again, but this time he’s not offering his arm - he’s offering his hand. “I’ll walk you in?” He offers, and Kyungsoo takes a deep breath, then nods, taking hold of Chanyeol’s hand and slotting their fingers together.

The walk up is even quieter than the car ride, especially once they’re on the elevator. There’s no one else in there aside from them, but Chanyeol still steps in close, squeezing Kyungsoo’s hand tight and resting his chin on top of his head. Kyungsoo’s heart is hammering so loud in his chest that he’s positive Chanyeol can hear it too, and he’s so relieved when the elevator dings open at his floor and he’s able to escape the confined space.

Chanyeol walks him all the way up to his door and then lets go of his hand, holding out his arms like he’s expecting a hug. Kyungsoo, shy as he is, isn’t going to miss out on an opportunity like this, so he steps closer, gripping loosely onto Chanyeol’s jacket at both sides of his waist, pressing his face into his shoulder. Chanyeol wraps him up into a tight bear hug, then laughs quietly into his hair.

“I really, really like you, Kyungsoo.” He says, rubbing a hand up and down Kyungsoo’s back. “I have for months. Can we reschedule the date, please?”

“For months?” Kyungsoo’s voice is heavily muffled by Chanyeol’s shirt, but it seems to go understood anyway, since Chanyeol nods and squeezes him even tighter. “I’ve liked you since the first time we spoke.” He doesn’t know where he got the confidence to say that without stuttering, but he’s certainly not complaining. He steps out of Chanyeol’s embrace to look up at him, and Chanyeol’s hands settle on his hips instead. He’s staring down at Kyungsoo like he really, really wants to kiss him, and Kyungsoo wishes he would.

“You should go inside and get some sleep,” he says instead, and Kyungsoo has to fight the pout in response to that. The urge doesn’t last for long, though, because Chanyeol hooks a finger under his chin and then tilts his head up, pressing a kiss to his forehead, nose, and then one on each of his cheeks. “I’ll text you tomorrow about that date, okay?”

Kyungsoo is reluctant to let go even though he knows Chanyeol is right. He’s been working since eight in the morning and it’s well past eleven, now. He really does need sleep. With a sigh, he peels himself away from Chanyeol, squeezing his hand one last time with a quick thanks for the drive, and then unlocking the door to his apartment and slipping inside.

He stands in the doorway for a few long moments, stepping out of his shoes and leaning back against the door. It is late, and he’s drained of almost all his energy, but he really doesn’t want the night to end just yet. For once, he feels like he has something he really wants to stay awake for.

It takes courage he never knew he had to pull the door open again, and he’s ready to run if he has to. Luckily Chanyeol is still standing there, typing something into his phone, and he looks up when he hears the door, holding up his phone to show Kyungsoo his GPS application. “Sorry, I was just trying to figure ou-”

He’s cut off when Kyungsoo throws arms around his shoulders, dragging him down for another tight hug. He’s quick to return it, winding his arms around Kyungsoo’s middle. “What’s this for?” He asks, voice amused, but Kyungsoo doesn’t answer with words. Instead, he presses a bold kiss right against Chanyeol’s lips, then leans back to look up at him, smiling wide. Chanyeol’s cheeks are red, and his eyes look a little glazed over. He’s smiling too, and he leans into the touch when Kyungsoo presses a palm to his cheek.

“Do you want to come in for a little while?”

-