Listen To Your Heart (A KaiSoo Fanfic)

Chapter One | A (Not So) Typical Morning

7: 45 a.m.

That's the time that Jongin's alarm clock woke him up, screaming at him like a mother scolding her child. It was his typical waking up time, but he still dreaded hearing the obnoxious sound that came from it. The only thing good about hearing that sound at the hour of the morning to him was the fact that it meant today was a new day and if there was one thing he loved most about being a human in this world, it was that he could look forward waking up to a new day.

And so, after waking up his cramped arms and legs and crusty eyes, Jongin proceeded with his typical morning routine. He showered, brushed his teeth and combed his hair in the bathroom, and then went back out to his bedroom to grab his favorite shirt and pair of jeans out of the hamper of dirty clothes that never seemed to get clean. Those were about the only pieces of clothing he owned that actually got cleaned besides his work uniform, but even that happened on rare occasions. Jongin didn't mind it too much, though. The smell was nothing a little cologne couldn't mask.

Once his three dogs, Jjangah, Monggu and Jjanggu, were fed and had been outside for a very brief bathroom break, Jongin gathered up the rest of his belongings that the day ahead of him required: his bag filled with books for his morning classes at the community college, his duffel bag for his dance classes later and his work uniform for his shift at the restaurant. He bid the dogs goodbye before heading out of his downtown apartment and heading to the college on foot, his earbuds shoved in his ears.

Jongin didn't come from a wealthy familial background, so when he first left home, he had to use whatever money he had saved up from working his odd-end jobs to rent a place to live that was relatively close to his school. Luckily for him, his exquisite dancing skills got him a scholarship there, which put extra pressure on him to do well but did take away the financial burdens of college. Jongin never wanted to ask his parents for money to help with anything, so when he was offered to teach dance classes at the school after his classes had ended, he took it without a single thought. Anything that could keep his head above water was worth his time.

He entered the school and took his typical route to his first class. That hour or so passed by fairly quick enough for him, and then he was on his way to the next classroom and the next professor and the next lecture. However, on his way there, Jongin passed the admissions office and just so happened to look up from texting one of his friends when he saw him; the boy that would change his life forever. But he didn't know that when he saw his big, beautiful brown eyes and his perfectly plump lips that formed a perfect heart when he smiled. Jongin didn't know that this angelic person would become one of the most important people in his life.

No, he had no clue how much this person would mean to him, so it didn't cross his mind to spare him more than a brief look and a moment's worth of thought as he walked by. 

Jongin's classes, both the ones he had sat through and taught, had ended and his next stop was work. He had worked as a waiter at a small cafe in town for almost two and a half years now, ever since the day his friend Chanyeol put in a good word for him. The quaint place didn't see too many customers, not as many as the bigger or faster restaurants did, but Jongin loved it there nonetheless. Being there reminded him of being home, a place where he was so far away from right now.

Jongin greeted the couple customers he recognized when he walked in, giving them his bright smile and polite greeting. Hanging up his coat upon entering the back, Jongin tied the white and slightly dirtied apron around his waist, the front dropping down the cover the better part of his legs.

"Hey, Minseok," he said to the chef upon his arrival to the time clock, scanning his badge to clock himself in. "Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Yeah, if you're outside maybe," Minseok replied, only making Jongin laugh. "Chanyeol, for the millionth time will you stop eating the food," he scolded, whacking the younger's hand as he tried to steal a crouton off the top of the side salad. "Unless you're paying for it, don't eat it!"