『Bubble gum』jihope

。1 。

Hoseok lets out a sigh as he parks his car and gets out, jiggling the car keys in his hand and locking the doors with two short honks from the vehicle's old horn. The bright, glaring lights of the gas station's Gs25 symbol burns through his sleepy eyes, making him squint and rub his irritated eyelids as he walks up to the poster-clad doors to start another late night shift.

Hoseok has always had a dedication, a fiery, adherent passion for the art of dance. He's unceasingly danced from the start, going throughout life moving his body constantly. He found himself always tapping his feet, drumming his fingers, bobbing his head– there was never a time Hoseok's body wasn't coursing with a need to dance. From birth to present, he has always danced.

Dancing was his special place– a place where he could run to, to release his ire, to be free. It was undoubtedly the most devoted he had ever been with anything, spending over three hours in the studios after the initial lesson had ended just to improve a step, work out the kinks in the routine, and just completely let go of himself. After practice, the soles of his feet would sting with the decrepitude of his hard labor, but it only made him so much better. That's all Hoseok ever wanted.

Soon after Hoseok graduated from high school, he moved to Seoul to pursue a shot at becoming a dancer. Unfortunately, money was never exactly in his favor; with his mother having to work two plodding jobs to provide for his family, and pay for Hoseok's dance classes as well. But, even with all the fatigued nights his mother came home from, she still believed in Hoseok with all her heart, and that made him even more determined to make her proud. To pay her back for all the things she's done for him.

Hoseok soon took it upon himself to get a job. A rather...incongruous job at a local convenience store, but beggars can't be choosers when you're a broke college kid struggling for money.

He always tries to think on the positive side because he believes that will get him way farther than being a complaining pessimist, but for fucks sake he'd really wish people would clean up their fucking napkins and straws from the slushy machine.

Hoseok walks through the door, the small ding of the bell alerting his presence and making his coworker's head shoot up suddenly, but he soon relaxes once he sees who it is.

"Oh, hey Hoseok hyungie." Jungkook smiles at him with those cute little bunny teeth, and Hoseok forgets his groggy attitude all together as he smiles back.

He met Jungkook way back when he first got the job, instantly being charmed by those big, Bambi eyes and bunny smile. The boy is still in Highschool, so that means he's Hoseok's little baby, and he always tries to treat him to get a bite to eat or whatever it may be– anything to take care of his precious dongsaeng. Even if he can be a little brat sometimes.

"Hey kookie, I'll go ahead and take this one for you." Hoseok walks around the counter to stand by Jungkook.

Jungkook sighs with relief, closing his eyes with lifted reprieve.

"Oh thank God, hobi hyung, thank you so much." Jungkook, "I got stuck with another lottery ticket addict, and she's been sitting there in the same spot for two hours."

Hoseok shudders, "Another one?" Jungkook nods, but pats his back reassuringly,

"Yes, but I think this is her last ticket, so you won't have to deal with her anymore." Jungkook smiles at Hoseok again before walking past him and towards the door, setting the store's keys on the counter and waving to Hoseok.

"Bye hyungie! See you tomorrow."

"Bye kook, let's go out and eat together sometime."

Jungkook laughs, "Chinese?"

Hoseok snickers as well, "Yes, Chinese." Jungkook laughs again, smiling as he waves goodbye and walks out the door.

Hoseok's smile slowly leaves his face, and he sighs while he glances at the clock.

10:00. Four more hours to go.

He jolts as a ticket is slammed on the counter, and he looks up to see none other than the lottery addict. Judging by the look on her face, she's won another 12300 won and wants five more tickets to scratch.

Hoseok internally screams inside.

This is gonna be a long shift.