Chapter Text
The S2Mart neon sign board outside flickers right as a voice from the back of the store can be heard, exasperated.
“You can’t come back?”
Taeyang bites his lips before he massages his temple, feeling frustrated but isn’t really able to do anything about it. “No, it’s fine. Don’t apologize for things you can’t control. I can just take the holiday shifts—”
His boyfriend on the other side of the line cuts him off but Taeyang is having none of it as he really couldn’t stop spouting apologies multiple times and in rapid speed that Taeyang is so close to having a headache, which doesn’t even include how overwhelmingly loud the teenagers outside of the store are. “No- no, listen to me. I can live, it’s only a few months before your dissertation, right? And you will come back, so it’s okay.”
Taeyang stops pacing behind the store, taking a smoke break (he doesn’t even smoke) to take the urgent call from his boyfriend who is in Japan. His face softens hearing his boyfriend’s words, not realizing that the two teenagers have stopped what they were doing and are now giggling at the lovesick expression Taeyang is making.
“Me too, see you in June. I will fetch you at the airport.”
Taeyang hangs around longer to hear what his boyfriend has to say before he snorts, sounding sarcastic but the blush on his neck all the way to the tip of his ears betrays his front. “Yes, I love you too. Don’t cheat on me, I will cut off your dick,” he says jokingly before cutting off the phone call abruptly, not giving his boyfriend a chance to defend himself.
However, while Taeyang is smiling at his phone, he senses that his movements are watched by curious pairs of eyes so he looks forward and sees those two teenagers, who are also his regulars that come every other day after school in their school uniform until it’s dark outside and they get calls from their guardians who forces them to come home immediately, with their annoying shit-eating grins. He immediately wipes away his smile and scowls which makes them burst out laughing.
“What do you want?” The two of them just shrug before the one with the canine tooth steps forward, Taeyang already expecting to be ridiculed as he looks at him in boredom. “How romantic, asking your long-distance boyfriend to not cheat. What, is he a serial cheater?”
“First of all, don’t eavesdrop on my very personal conversation. Secondly, no, the fuck? I would have killed his ass a long time ago if that were the case.” The blond one between them just nods, happy to hear Taeyang’s reaction before he suddenly looks up, his expression comically changes from satisfaction to worry. “So, you will be here the whole time? You’re not getting any breaks for the holiday?”
Taeyang softens a bit seeing how worried Shota is over something so trivial before he nods, “Yes, now let me—”
“We can get discounts! Yes!” Jongseob throws his fist upwards before they start discussing with each other over how much buns they can consume with their budget and Taeyang’s supposed discount (it doesn’t even exist in the first place). Taeyang rolls his eyes before pushing both of them softly, “I am going back to work. I have spent too long here,” he says while calculating what excuses he can use to his co-worker or his boss if they ask. Taeyang cranes his neck, hearing the cracks before going back behind the counter which his coworker just gives him the stink eyes.
“I was talking to the customers,” Taeyang makes an excuse with one of his hands flailing around which causes her to just roll her eyes. “They are not customers at this point, they are pests.” Taeyang just gives her a side-eye before taking out a box full of chips to fill up on the rack. “That’s not nice, they only come here to eat and play games with their sticky hands, at least they don’t make a mess here. Oh, and don’t worry about the shifts for the holidays, I can take it. My plan is cancelled.”
His co-worker just ignores him, chewing her bubblegum as loudly as possible before coming out from behind the counter and starts helping Taeyang with the chips, “Whatever you say, at least I don’t have to deal with them later and thank you for covering the shifts, by the way, I will try to ask Dad to pay you more.”
Taeyang holds himself back from rolling his eyes, forgetting once in a while that his other co-worker for this tiny convenience shop in this neighborhood is actually his employer’s daughter, waiting for her college acceptance letter. He guesses he can’t exactly complain because his boss is nice enough to not fire him (he is his only long-term employee excluding his daughter as his other co-worker quit and is now working in a cafe with better pay and closer to his university) despite him often taking more breaks than necessary, and is sometimes rude to the customers (said customers are those two teenagers mostly, and Karens).
Hmm, with extra money, maybe I can actually visit him rather than waiting for June to come.
𓆩♡𓆪
“Hyung, why are you still working? Isn’t your shift supposed to be over at this time?” The figure who puts his kimbap and a bottle of soda on top of the counter asks, making Taeyang look up, seeing the familiar faces in front of him, both Jongseob and Shota grinning at him. Taeyang doesn’t really have the energy to match theirs so he just gives them a small nod before taking the kimbap and scans it.
“For money, obviously. My one-man shift has started. 1,200 won, pay up,” Taeyang deadpans. Jongseob elbows Shota which he sulkily takes out wallet and pays for their food, while Jongseob snickers, obviously he lost a bet of some sort. Shota grabs everything and waves goodbye to Taeyang before going out and sits on the seats provided outside.
Taeyang just stares at the two huddled backs and shakes his head, sick of telling them that they can’t pay for two kimbaps and sit there for hours so he just lets them, despite knowing he will get an earful from his boss. Honestly speaking, he can’t exactly decipher their relationship, even if it’s not his problem he is still intrigued on how close they get sometimes when they are busy in their own world, not realizing that the world is moving, as well as the proximity.
But, that’s here and there. He has to sweep the floor outside.
Although he would be a hypocrite over his own words, he still eavesdrops on their conversations sometimes when he is bored and in need of some gossip from highschoolers. He gets it once in a while, like how Shota’s deskmate who is down bad for their class monitor or that their math teacher and history teacher seem to be dating but usually, they just talk in rapid words regarding the games they play.
Taeyang keeps sweeping the same spot before he hears Jongseob’s ringtone, one that he is so familiar with because once that comes, it means their little date will be over within 5 minutes before they both rush home. Shota just giggles while Jongseob answers it, and immediately has to listen his mom’s usual nagging that consists of following contents:
- Calling him stinky for still being in his school uniform even when it’s starting to get dark (Shota included).
- Comparing him to his older brother who got into college with good grades because he comes home in time daily to study (Shota excluded).
- Giving him 10 minutes to rush home before she locks the door and tells Mrs. Haku to not let him sleep in Shota’s room either.
Though today, it is a bit different as she adds a new point; asking Jongseob to help her plate the special dinner she made because his older brother is coming home for the holiday.
Jongseob complains after she hangs up the phone, pouting that she is always bothering them (Taeyang is inclined to agree with her though) but Shota just replies with a smile, hand gripping on Jongseob’s lithe fingers before letting go, “We can still meet each other tomorrow. Go home, say hi to Intak hyung for me.”
They take care of their trash, even though Jongseob is still sighing and huffing before saying bye to Taeyang, ready to climb the hill up to the neighborhood where they live. The store grows quiet gradually, prompting him to feel sleepy as time ticks by. It’s boring, so Taeyang takes his chance to change the store playlist to his own but before he can do it, the bell rings.
Taeyang swears under his breath before he turns around only to be met with an eye candy , truth to be told. Tall, broad, perfect body proportions though the expression on his face is nothing sort of pitiful. He comes in with a luggage behind him so Taeyang points forward, “The neighborhood area is a 3 minutes walk upwards on the hill, if you’re lost.”
The guy immediately looks up, his eyes glassy and looking like he is at his wit’s ends but he does however, confidently shakes his head, “No, no. My parents live here, I know. I just… needed to clear my head before coming home, is all.”
Taeyang just shrugs hearing this and lets the guy wander around between the shelves, choosing his ramen before letting Taeyang scan it. He looks around before he decides to sit on the barstool to enjoy his freshly made instant noodles. He really would have left the man alone if he actually couldn’t hear the guy’s sniffles and snorts even with earphones on (he really needs to invest in noise cancelling headphones at this point).
“You left it on the counter,” he deadpans, putting a pack of tissue beside the guy. The guy makes a noise out of confusion before looking at Taeyang, then checks his receipt. Taeyang knows it’s not there right as the guy shakes his head. “I didn’t—”
“Just take the damn tissue, stop snorting into your ramen.”
What happened next makes Taeyang feel slightly scared for his job as this guy, who is taller and broader than Taeyang though with a sweeter face, immediately bursts into tears, his fists immediately digs into Taeyang’s plain ol’ uniform, making him eye the camera, knowing damn well that it is recording this whole interaction.
Fortunately, the guy does not forget the tissue that Taeyang graciously paid for him as he lets go of one of the fists ( why not both… Taeyang thinks bitterly) and starts fondling around to open it before blowing on it. Taeyang cringes hearing the sound of it but he is glad that the sobs gradually dial down, and obviously the tears are not caused by him considering he finds comfort in Taeyang himself.
The man also lets go of Taeyang at this point so he discreetly tries to get behind the counter but before he can move even an inch forward, he feels a tug on his uniform. He has to take a deep breath, regretting his conscience for getting him into this situation in the first place but he puts on his best customer service smile and turns around.
“Yes, anything else I can help?” he honestly believes that the eye twitches are obvious but it is either this man has mastered the art of not giving a fuck or is just brutally oblivious as he opens his mouth, “Sorry if this is sudden but are you… busy?”
Taeyang honestly has to process the words before he gets even more confused over this man’s intention, he was crying now he is… flirting? So he softly tugs on his uniform, not touching him to avoid any court case before replying, “Not sure what that is supposed to mean but I am working, and I have a boyfriend.”
“No, no! Not in that sense. I just—” he stops before taking a deep breath, “Well, I just need someone to talk to and you are nice to me so I was thinking that you’d be willing but I can see how that is intruding but—”
He just stares, as the man in front of him talks, and talks , and talks , rambling over how he doesn’t mean to and to shut him up as well as feeling a tiny bit sense of pity towards the guy (he doesn’t have the heart to say no), Taeyang immediately drags the seat beside him and rests his chin on his palm, staring at the man who is looking like a wet dog the more he stares at him, the streaks of tears and snots on his face don’t help at all.
“What’s your name?”
That stops the man in his tracks before he sits straight up, wiping away the fluid (thank God) and introduces himself, “I’m Hwang Intak, hi, uh—” he squints, “Taeyang hyung.”
That dampens his mood because why is he immediately a hyung? Does he look that old? Though he is sure with Intak’s youthful and whimsical innocence (giving a stranger your full name, who does that?) that he is younger than him. He also acts just like Jongseob, calling him hyung without even asking if they could drop the formality.
The name Intak does sound familiar though, he just can’t seem to remember where he heard that name before.
With names out of the way, Intak welcomes himself to start talking while wistfully staring outside, sighing as if the state of world hunger is in his hands.
“I have this one senior who I’m close to, unexpectedly because we are not even from the same major, and technically, I have no business being close but this senior, let’s call him…K, he stays in the room across from me, and we greet each other when we cross paths. Nothing too crazy.” Intak stops to take his breath, while checking on any change of expression on Taeyang’s face.
“Sounds gay already. And then? Where’s the part where he broke your heart?” Taeyang yawns which brings a pout to Intak’s face. “Ah, listen to the whole story first!” he whines, which honestly half fascinates and half horrifies Taeyang. Mind you , this is their first interaction ever.
“So he did.”
“ And then—” Intak emphasizes, wanting Taeyang to hear him out. “One day, he compliments my jacket, saying that it highlights my build and biceps well.”
(Gay as fuck. Why exactly is Taeyang subjected to listening to gay people being happy? He is a homophobic homosexual.
He is not listening at this point.)
“He starts talking to me about fashion and stuff, which we both are interested in. Turns out, we have the same taste so we start hanging out more. It started small with Kee— K asking me to join him shopping then we slowly started hanging out in each other’s rooms. The problem is, it’s obvious that he sees me as a little brother.”
“Did we miss the part where he complimented your biceps?”
“In a brotherly manner!” Intak pouts again, chopsticks stirring the leftover ramen stew before he sighs again. “Like homies and shit.”
“And he is close with someone too, but I am not too sure if they are together because they are from the same country, and they talk in rapid English with each other unless I am in the room. I don’t have the nerve to ask him though, especially after he just sent me a picture with the guy. This picture was the thing that made me cry, they match each other so well.”
Taeyang just hums, eyeing the time left that he has until he can wrap up his shift but pats Intak’s shoulders nonetheless, this is why he is happy that he managed to bag one bisexual man and called it a day.
“They are staying together because both of them are not going back to Canada, and I honestly wanted to ask him to come to my parent’s New Years gathering but I don’t want to bother them either,” Intak’s invisible dog ears drop slowly with each word he mutters which tugs on Taeyang’s heart a bit so he drags himself closer, and makes Intak sit straight with both of his hands on Intak’s shoulders.
“Just invite him, see his reaction. I’m sure he will be happy to hear from you, believe in me. This ‘K’ guy sounds like he adores you, brotherly or not, so just ask him to come here. I’m sure it’s fine,” Taeyang musters his best optimistic voice, which honestly works on Intak as he perks up, his dimmed eyes before, slowly light up with hope.
“You think so?”
“I know so. I have great intuition, that’s why I’m working as a convenience store worker.”
𓆩♡𓆪
“Hey, Shota. You are early today,” Taeyang greets him, feeling good today because it is payday but unfortunately, it is evident from his expression that the teen in front of him doesn’t share the same sentiment, his face lacks the usual small smile and of course, with no Jongseob on his side. “Where’s Jongseob, by the way?”
Shota stills then just shrugs, trying to act nonchalant before he takes out his wallet to pay. “Preparing for his parents’ neighborhood gathering later,” he mumbles. Taeyang frowns, “So many people are having gatherings these days. Is it that affordable?” Shota tilts his head, looking confused before shaking it, “It’s only his parents that are having any gathering in this neighbourhood. My mom is updated with this kind of thing.”
Taeyang scratches his head, “I’m pretty sure one of my customers talked about having a gathering," then lifts his shoulders, a sign that he does not have any fuck to give, “I guess it is just a small gathering.”
Shota shrugs, and the conversation drops there with Shota just standing there, seemingly hesitant to move but because Taeyang is not that curious of a person, he rather deals with the boxes in the store that he has to fold and recycle instead of waiting for this boy to start speaking his thoughts so he turns his back, ready to push the door beside him only for Shota to slam a candy onto the counter.
“I want to buy this,” he stutters, which makes Taeyang grab the scanner suspiciously and takes the candy from him. Shota just stares at him the whole time before he blurts out, “Hyung, how do you know if you like someone?” right as Taeyang slides the candy back to him.
Girl, what.
Both of them just stand there, with the question hanging between them before Taeyang takes the initiative to reply to him, saving the teen from combusting over how skittish he is acting. “Well, I don’t,” Taeyang answers easily, which brings a frown to Shota’s forehead. “I am confused,” Shota says. Taeyang sighs and (unprofessionally) grabs Shota’s hand and puts the candy inside his hand, “And that is fine, take your time to figure it out. No one is forcing you to go anywhere, and Jongseob is still here. You’re still young.”
“I didn’t say anything about Jongseob,” he hiccups his answer away, which almost makes Taeyang laugh in his face because of how obvious it is but he holds himself back from doing so and leans on the cigarettes carefully, “Is it not Jongseob?”
It fascinates Taeyang because this is the first time he has seen Shota being even remotely embarrassed, especially when they are literally talking about the person that is attached by the hips with the teen in front of him. It is a beat too late for Shota to defend himself when he breathes out a small no.
“I won’t tell him, it’s okay,” Taeyang reassures before he continues, “And maybe you can reevaluate your feelings if you’re away from him? It’s okay to take some time away to think things through rather than making a rash decision.” Shota bites his lips before taking all the things he bought before looking up, making direct eye contact with Taeyang. It’s almost scary over how fast his head whips up, Taeyang is slightly worried for his neck.
“Is it really okay? I don’t want Jongseob to think I hate him.”
Taeyang just turns his back and shakes his head, “Of course it is,” he says as he pushes the door to the store, with Shota just eyeing his back before he disappears behind the door.
“If so…”
𓆩♡𓆪
“I invited him!”
Intak exclaims, right as he opens the door to the convenience store and strides in before resting his chin on his palm, grinning at Taeyang who just stares at him while chewing his bubblegum that he took without paying from the counter (he will pay it later).
“Buy something then I will entertain you,” Taeyang points towards the shelves, forcing Intak who is looking like a kicked puppy to grab one box of Pepero that is the closest to him and puts it on the counter. “Can I talk now?” Intak comes closer before Taeyang puts a hand in front of his face, and takes out the trash can from under the counter and spits the bubblegum into it. He smirks like he won the NBA when it goes directly into it before facing Intak.
“You were saying?”
“He is coming to the gathering! He was delighted to come when I asked, I was surprised,” Intak starts gushing, his feet not being able to stay in place and he starts knocking the counter with it. Taeyang glares at him, immediately making Intak stand straight before he stretches his body forward.
“Great, now tell him that you like him,” Taeyang suggests, while Intak immediately shakes his head, opposing the ideas for millions of reasons. One of them being, “It’s not that simple.” Taeyang sighs, getting a headache that people are complicating things for no reason. He just stares at him and says, “It is. It really is that simple, or just confess to him during the gathering then. At least he can go back to his dorm later, and you can hide in your room here if things go south.”
Intak pouts, while he looks like he is contemplating it before he flails his hand on top of his head like he is dissipating the thought bubble on top of his head.
Taeyang really does question his customers sometimes.
“Hyung, how did you and your boyfriend get together?” Intak changes the topic which makes Taeyang halt in his action. Sure, it’s something he did tell Intak during one of his trips here as he suddenly declared them friends on his second convenience store visit when he showed Taeyang the picture of ‘K’ from his Instagram (he tried his best to cover the username which was cute but it was written there in big bold letters— ‘yoonkeeho’) but Taeyang hadn’t expect for him to switch the conversation to be about his relationship.
“That has nothing to do with your situation,” Taeyang tries to deflect but Intak slams his hands on the counter before shaking his head, “It does! I have to know if it really is as simple as you make it out to be,” Intak is cute, he can’t lie, which softens his heart a bit before he sighs, and decides to entertain Intak.
“We were friends, and he nags at me a lot so I told him to be my boyfriend first to have the privilege to nag at me. That’s about it, then, boom, 7 years together,” Taeyang simplifies his story. Intak doesn’t have to know that during his 7 years relationship, they went through the awkward and immature phases together (like Taeyang’s inability to express his emotions and the guy’s overprotectiveness), as well as a breakup before getting to where they are now. Intak looks at Taeyang in admiration which causes him to feel slightly guilty of not disclosing the other information but oh well.
“Must be easy,” Intak breathes out.
Taeyang smirks in retaliation, knowing the details behind it but he is just going to let Intak keep his wonders of the world and let it be only something he knows, “It is that simple, stop overthinking,” he stops before he continues, this time it is not a lie.
“If you think he is worth trying, then you try, or don’t. It’s your choice.”
𓆩♡𓆪
It’s a nice day to sweep the front of the store, Taeyang thinks. Not windy, not too sunny, and not too cloudy, just nice and cal—
“Shota is not talking to me,” Jongseob slams his body onto the seat outside, crossing his arms while glaring at the poor leaf that caught his attention. Taeyang cringes, then feels entirely glad that the chair didn’t break from the sheer force of it. “Aren't you guys like… always together? Did you fight?” Taeyang asks, resting his arms on the broom while looking at the upset teen.
Jongseob sighs, “Yeah, he is avoiding me, said no to playing games together and just locked himself in his room. I don’t know why. I even wanted to pick his lock but he has the audacity to tell me to give him time because he needs to think. How dare he? He picked the lock on my door before, I’m just giving him the same treatment, ” he complains before positioning his arms so that they are on the table before turning his body to look at Taeyang like he is the cause of this (Taeyang had to dig inside his brain, but maybe he is partially responsible for this. Oops) but before Taeyang has the time to give Jongseob his opinion, Jongseob cuts him off.
“Ugh, I hate that he's avoiding me. Should I be worried that he figured out that I like him?”
"Huh?"
Taeyang doesn’t realize that he made that sound with his mouth and not just his brain until Jongseob looked at him like he has two heads.
“What? You're gay, right? Why are you so shocked?” Jongseob shoots him questions, which Taeyang wishes he would turn down the volume of his voice lower but alas, it’s been done and he can only hope that no passerby hears it, “I mean, yeah, but are you seriously admitting that you like him right now?”
“Of course, I have liked him since forever,” Jongseob rolls his eyes like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
Taeyang bites his tongue, trying to hold himself back from exposing the truth so he just decides to drop a hint, “What if he's trying to figure his feelings out? That is why he is not talking to you?” which Jongseob just frowns at before he bites his words out through gritted teeth, “Then he's stupid. Why is he acting like that? If he likes me then just talk to me.”
You don’t even talk to him about your feelings , Taeyang thinks but he just nods to more of Jongseob’s words as he complains more and more about Shota’s disappearance and how much he wants to talk to him before he stops, finally catching his breath and takes out his phone, fiddling with it with the screen obviously showing Shota’s lack of replies.
Yikes, maybe he is fully guilty.
“Then I will give him space, but I will force him to talk to me eventually because it’s so boring,” he pouts. Somehow, his mannerism reminds Taeyang a bit of Intak, just a tiny bit. In another universe, they are brothers, Taeyang thinks.
Taeyang leaves him be, as he still broods over Shota and starts sweeping the floor. Minutes go by, only the sound of the wind can be heard (and G-Dragon blasting in his ears) before he feels a tap on the shoulder. Taeyang takes out his earphones and turns to look at Jongseob.
“Before I forgot, Mom told me to invite you to the gathering, said something about how I should be grateful to you for babysitting me or some shit,” Jongseob says which Taeyang almost jumps to say yes, the opportunity for free food is always welcome but he halts in his action before he remembers and sighs, “Sorry, I can’t leave the shop or I’d be dead.”
He won’t be dead, but he would be fired and that is almost the equivalent of being dead since he would have no money.
Jongseob scowls, mutters something about adulthood and capitalism, kicking his feet onto the ground, “I will bring you some food then.” Taeyang just smiles, before patting Jongseob’s head which makes him scowl deeper before answering, “Okay, I’m always here, you don’t have to look far.”