Work Text:
He's usually not a night person, though he barely thinks of himself as a person lately. With trying to find a job fit for the degree he actually has and maintaining a good record at his work, he hasn't been sleeping much. It's not helping that he forgot to do most of his laundry this week, and tomorrow–or today, because last time he checked his phone it's past twelve midnight–he has another job interview. He's been working at the fast food chain along the thread of bars and clubs for a while now, and he's asked Shotaro, the manager, if he could have a day off to find a full-time job. Considering Shotaro is the nicest human to ever walk the planet, he allowed Wonbin to take a day off and agree for a face-to-face interview with this dance academy in Apgujeong.
He's not technically fit for the role, because he hasn't been dancing professionally since he graduated years ago, and instead took on a bunch of easy-hiring jobs here and there to pay for the bills. So, Wonbin's not sure how many interviews it'll take for the employer to realize he has the diploma, not the experience for said Dance Instructor II title.
But it's past twelve on a Wednesday, he forgot to do the laundry last Sunday, and he has that interview in less than fifteen hours, so Wonbin has to choose whether to dwell on the past or wash his clothes so he won't smell for the rest of the week. Just as Wonbin is supposed to take a step on the pedestrian he hears someone calling his name.
"-bin! Wait up!" He hears Eunseok's distant sigh get more and more audible on his left. Wonbin turns to him and raises an eyebrow.
"Where are you headed?" Wonbin mutters, walking along the pedestrian with Eunseok in tow. "Don't you have somewhere to go to tomor- later?"
If someone asks why Wonbin would know Eunseok's schedule after they had separated living compartments, he doesn't really have anything to answer- besides the fact that Eunseok is probably the only person he's known long-time since he arrived in Seoul. Naturally, they continued chatting, texting each other where they are and asking how they've been most, if not all, the time. It was a routine when they were living together. Since, obviously, they were sort of responsible for each other at that time, they needed to know each other's schedule. By then, even as Eunseok moved to another building a few blocks away from their [previously] shared one, they kept in touch.
Now, however, he wasn't informed that Eunseok's laundry hours is between the quiet hours of twelve to one in the morning. Wonbin initially thought it was Saturday mornings, because that's Eunseok’s free time.
"I just need to wash some jeans." Eunseok wiggles the blue plastic bag he's holding with his right hand once they've crossed the street. They start walking side by side and eventually walk up a few flights of stairs to get to where they're both headed.
"Well, I forgot to wash my whole wardrobe so," Wonbin mumbles and shrugs, lifting the beige shopping bag he's been struggling to get up the stairs.
Eunseok looks at it and cringes.
Between the two of them, Eunseok's the neat freak. At first, perhaps the first three weeks of living together, Wonbin thought he'd have to pressure Eunseok to clean his own room and wash his clothes because of how hectic his schedule is. When he's not on stage making people laugh, Eunseok holes himself in his room playing computer games. That made Wonbin worried, because the older would enter his room with snacks and drinks. He wondered at that time if Eunseok's room looked like a garbage disposal. Eventually he finds out Eunseok has a schedule for throwing trash, doing his laundry, and tidying his room. Somehow that made Wonbin relieved and jealous- as if Eunseok had everything together.
Even now, as he grunts, holding the shopping bag with both his hands, and Eunseok opening the door for the both of them, Wonbin feels like it's the first month of living with Eunseok all over again. It feels new, but familiar.
Eunseok heads to the counter quickly, grabbing one basket. Seeing this, Wonbin puts down his bag next to a bench and follows to grab one for him when Eunseok walks towards him.
"We can share." Eunseok points at his plastic bag again. "I only have a couple I need to clean. I'll split the payment."
They sit in silence for a few minutes. The person by the counter deemed it fit for her to go to the backroom to do whatever and leave the two of them sitting on one of the benches across the washer. The almost-green lighting of the store accompanies them instead.
"I have an interview tomor- today. Um, this afternoon." Wonbin says without thinking. He continues to stare at their moving clothes inside the washer. For a moment, there was only a whirring of the machine that answered him until he hears Eunseok take a breath.
"That's good. That's really nice, Bbina." Eunseok sounds glad, genuinely, even though Wonbin can't seem to look back to him– he knows Eunseok's happy for him. "I'm glad you're finally putting yourself out there again."
"Stop that."
"What?" Eunseok defensively replies. "I'm just saying, it's been a while since you thought of applying somewhere."
He gets it, really. It's been months, maybe a year, he's not quite sure. Wonbin has been afraid for his life to apply for anything. And while his job as a fast food chain staff is okay, it's not what he wants; however, his mind can't seem to follow through with his desire. After all he did to come to Seoul, he still thinks of his abilities as lacking. Seoul is a scary place, home to Seoul-bound citizens and aspirants like him, so it's natural that everyone wants to succeed. But not everyone gets that chance to do so.
Wonbin's not the most confident person ever. The first time he saw Eunseok, he was stunned by his face. He wondered for days if all his friends and classmates back at home were lying to him when they said he's the most good-looking person they met. They obviously haven't met Eunseok. After coming to Seoul, not even his multiple certificates and degree recognizing his abilities would suffice to make him see just how good he is. Wonbin thinks he's just like everybody else, so there’s really nothing special about him.
"You're too in your head again. I already told you-" Eunseok snaps him out of his spiral. Wonbin finally looks at him. "There's nothing to lose. Keep saying you're not special, that you're like everybody else. So be it; that means you can do what they do. Nothing special about them, too."
Wonbin lets out a breath through his nose, lowering his head to look at his left hand gripping the edge of the bench, only a few centimeters away from Eunseok's right elbow. "That's true."
Another minute goes by, then Eunseok stands up to take their clothes out of the washer into the dryer. Wonbin watches Eunseok's back working on lifting the basket back to its place once he closes the dryer. He turns his eyes to the glass wall on his right, appreciating the quiet time when– only a few cars and bikes in the street, and a couple of sweepers cleaning the park across the laundromat.
Eunseok splits the bill in half, even though he only had three jeans on the basket. Wonbin doesn't comment on it and follows Eunseok outside. They walk side by side as they head down the stairs and to the neighborhood.
It's only when they come across a familiar chicken shop that Wonbin realizes they’re going to the way his apartment is headed, and Eunseok is still next to him that he opens his mouth.
"Why are you-"
"Let's go buy chicken." Eunseok tugs at him, like he didn't just interrupt Wonbin. They enter the shop, the one they used to frequent together after coming back from a gig which Eunseok invited Wonbin to come watch. Usually, it's earlier than this.
The owner is still serving when they enter and Eunseok greets him.
"I haven't seen you two come by here in a while." He grunts, faking a glare at his two regulars. Eunseok bows in apology, smiling as he does so.
"I moved, so-" Eunseok didn't finish and led the two of them to a vacant table near the counter, assuming the owner would want to catch up.
"Oh? You're not together anymore?" The owner replies, his eyebrows raised and mouth open in shock.
Wonbin tries not to think of the implication, or how the words were placed together. Together, like, living together. Like, roommates. That's what the old man meant. Together, obligatory, binded by a lease.
Eunseok saves them the time to explain, "Uh, no. We'll take two takeouts. One dozen, one half."
Wonbin scoffs, "That's a lot of chicken for you." He looks up, smirking at Eunseok.
The older raises an eyebrow at him. "What do you mean? The dozen is for you and Sohee. Didn't you mention he's got a full week of exams and is probably reviewing right now?"
"You're buying us food?" Wonbin repeats to himself out loud, "You're buying me and my roommate who's in college and my junior of three years food?"
"Why not? I've grown fond of Sohee." He shrugs, ending the argument short.
Eunseok orders himself half a yangnyeom box and he gives Wonbin the one dozen box which has yangnyeom and cheese overload, because "Sohee loves cheese". Wonbin knows, that kid won't stop putting cheese in everything he eats. He eats cheese on its own, too. There's no stopping him.
"Well, I'm off." Eunseok sighs after they said their goodbye to the owner. They stand outside the shop, frosted glass panes of the establishment giving them a bit of lighting, along with the lamppost just a few feet behind Eunseok. "Good luck on your interview. Tell me how it went." He nods at him, not waiting for Wonbin to answer before he starts walking the other way.
"Good luck on the gig later." Wonbin mutters, quietly, like he's afraid people in their homes would wake up if he talks a little bit louder. Eunseok raises a thumbs up back at him and continues to walk.
When he gets back to his apartment, he greets out of habit. Taking off his shoes, putting it to the rack next to the door, and he looks over to see Sohee still sitting in front of the sofa, body leaning towards his open laptop on the coffee table.
"Why are you still awake." He reprimands like a nagging mother, placing the box of chicken on the dining table before coming closer to the living room.
"Hyung," Sohee begrudgingly answers, "you know I have a quiz later and an exam the next day."
Wonbin breathes through his nose, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "If you're hungry Eunseok brought us chicken. If not, go to sleep and eat it before you head to class."
Sohee whines, not letting his eyes trail away from the monitor which is showing gibberish to him. Wonbin has never had to study that much, his major never required that many written exams anyway. "I can't. I need to memorize this."
"Sohee." He says, firmly. "You've been studying since I got back from work. I finished doing my laundry, it's almost two in the morning, you will not retain anything from that if you won't give yourself a rest."
Sohee grunts once more, but saves his file before shutting down his laptop.
"Good. Go eat." Wonbin gestures to the dining table with his head, but Sohee shakes his head.
"I'll eat it later. I'm so tired, hyung." The younger finally admits and Wonbin couldn't help but pull out a smile, ruffling the sleepy boy's head.
"That's alright," Wonbin lets himself sit comfortably on the sofa. "Go rest, it's late."
He hears rustling for the corner, Sohee unlocking the door to his room, and putting his laptop down somewhere. Wonbin crosses his legs under himself and looks through their dimly lit living room, turns to the orange light source over the dining area and sees the box of chicken placed awkwardly next to a plastic bag with the half-eaten cookies he was munching when he got off from work. He smiles to himself, sometimes the mundane feels special.
He gets reminded of Eunseok’s words again, and then the interview this afternoon. He decides he should go to bed as well. But just as Wonbin was getting up, Sohee’s door opens and the younger’s face peeking through it.
“You know I just realized,”
Wonbin raises an eyebrow, asking him to continue.
“With you and Eunseok hyung always taking care of me and buying me food. I feel like I’m a child of divorce, hyung.” Sohee shakes his head and proceeds to walk back inside his room.
Wonbin smiles to himself as he gets up to enter his room as well. What a crazy thought, he tells himself.