That Jay had thought about Jungwon would be an understatement. He had plagued his mind. He still does. It's odd, because Jay isn't used to this. There was never a person who did something so impactful, that it would occupy his mind. And the thing is, Jungwon didn't even do something special. He was just there, stretched out his delicate fingers out of his overlength sleeve of his checkered shirt and touched Jay for a few seconds. Just seconds. And still...
Jay never felt so warm afterwards. Not his whole body, no, just where their fingertips brushed.
"Ah... seriously- what should I do?", Jay sighs to himself, while he sorts the newcomer-books in the shelves.
"Maybe don't put 'Our Summer full of Love' in the Thriller-section?" A familiar voice answers with a chuckle.
Jay nearly drops the book, as he turns around and looks at none other than Jungwon. "What do you do here?"
"Well... Looking for books? You sell them, forgot that?", Jungwon replies amused, before his face falls and he looks horrified. "Wait- I made you uncomfortable last time, right? Oh my god, I should've known it... Shit- I'm sor"
"No! Jungwon, no!", Jay interrupts a panicking Jungwon. "You- you didn't, don't worry. I was just surprised, I guess. Of course, you can look for books." Jay tries a convincing smile and slowly Jungwons crazed expression fades out.
"Okay, good... good", Jungwon nods and grins sheepishly.
"Actually I really liked our-", Jay wants to confess, but gets interrupted by a loud voice.
"Jungwonie!"
"Ah Jake, did you get everything?", Jungwon asks.
Jake is an enormously good-looking male, Jay has to admit. Dark brown, wavy hair, almost perfect facial proportions and an athletic built. Jay would bet he's in one of the college sport teams, soccer probably.
Something in Jay doesn't sit right, that Jake called Jungwon 'Jungwonie'. It sounds too familiar. But then Jake ruffles through Jungwons hair and now the nickname-thing is harmless. He can feel his jaw clench and he just hates that there is someone who can just touch Jungwon like this.
"Gosh, Jake! Stop it!", Jungwon hisses and bats Jakes hand away.
"Sorry, sorry", Jake half-heartedly apologizes, before he looks at Jay who still stands with his book in hand before them. "You two know each other?"
"He sold me 'Twilight' last week, after you made it useless", Jungwon answers and emphasizes on the blame.
Jake ignores this part and it's like a lightbulb goes on above his head. "So you are the guy?"
"Which guy?", Jay asks confused.
"Well Jungwon was very happy, when he came ho- oowww!" Jungwon elbowed Jake in the ribs.
"I just told him about your judgmental look. That's not what you should do to costumers", Jungwon plays it down and juts his chin out.
"Suuure...", Jake murmurs and earns a stern glare from Jungwon.
Jay just looks at them both, still confused, but a little pleased that Jake is the named roommate. Nothing else, just a roommate. Not that it matters. Not at all.
"Have you paid yet?", Jungwon asks with a nod to the cash desk. Jake shakes his head in negation, whereupon Jungwon shoos him with a gesture away.
"I'm sorry! He's very... lively?", he apologizes with a crooked smile.
"Definitely", Jay agrees and shrugs with his shoulders. "But he seems nice."
"Aaaand he seems to find your co-worker pretty nice...", Jungwon smirks.
Jay looks to the counter and at the blushing mess his co-worker is. "Sunghoon, I need your help. Can you come over?", he yells at him. It was a blatant lie, but he knows him good enough that he needs this way out right now. Maybe he has a thing for Jake too, but he's a little too shy for the type of aggressive flirting Jake tried.
"It's nothing personal and I would love to talk to you a little more", Jay admits. "But Sunghoon isn't that good with these things... I'm sorry..."
"Oh! I get it, no problem. Just let me help you with this poor guy here", Jungwon replies with a warm smile and grabs the book out of Jays hands. "I put it on the right shelve on my way out, alright? Bye Jay!"
With that he waves like the last time and leaves a stunned Jay behind.
Warm. Not just his fingertips. His whole hand. It spreads from the tip of his middle finger to his wrist. Everywhere were Jungwon left his imprint with his soft skin, it is so warm.
"Thank y- wait Jay? Are you okay?", Sunghoon asks concerned.
"I guess? My hand is warm."
Sunghoon looks at Jay like he's completely out of his mind, but he also never saw that smile on his face, so he just hums and doesn't question it any further.
***
Work is now not just the mundane thing in his daily routine he had to do. Not just another task to survive. It reminds him of the encounters with Jungwon and how they affected him. And every time the bell above the entry door rings he secretly hopes it's the boy with the cute dimples. It's been three days since Jay last saw him and even if he hopes, he's also not delusional. He knows that people usually don't need books every day, not even every week. So he waits and hopes. What a strange thing to do.
His shift is almost over when a completely drenched person enters the store. Their olive green jacket is almost black on the shoulders because of how wet it is, their hair leave droplets of water on the oakwood floor and their shoes leave a squelching sound with every step.
Jay pities the person, but also a little himself, because he has to clean the floor afterwards.
"Jay, Hi! Good, you're here!", the person smiles brightly.
"Jungwon?!"
Immediately Jay gets going and drags Jungwon by his hand in the staff room. Before Jungwon can say anything, Jay grabs a towel out of the cabinet and dries his hair.
"I can do it by myself, you know?", Jungwon chimes in and Jay stops in his tracks. He stares in shock at Jungwon who just grins, then takes both of Jays hands and continues his movements.
"Thank you", he whispers in the silence.
Jay nods dumbly and gets lost in the sparkling obsidian eyes which look amused and still tinted with fondness at him. It's so quiet in the small room, you can hear their breathing. Slow and steady, Jungwons interrupted with small shivers. This sets Jay in motion, he shucks off his hoodie and hands it Jungwon, who refuses to take it.
"What? No! I- I can't-"
"Why not?", Jay wants to know with a raised eyebrow.
"B-because then you're cold", Jungwon states earnest.
Jay wants to scoff, however suppresses the impulse and shoves the fabric literally in Jungwons face. "You're the only one who can keep me warm." It's gladly just a whisper, because definitely not for Jungwons ears destined.
"What?", Jungwon inquires confused.
"Nothing. Just-", Jay takes a deep breath to calm his nerves, because of his slip off. "I have a jacket in my locker. I'm fine, trust me, okay?" He ruffles Jungwons damp hair and tries a reassuring smile.
Jungwon accepts the touch, which makes Jay in a sense proud and just sighs. "Alright." He finally takes the hoodie, after taken off his wet jacket and puts it over his head. It's too big and he has to roll up the sleeves, but Jay finds it adorable. He looks so small in it, Jay has the urge to pick him up and cradle him in his arms – wherever he wants to go, it doesn't matter. And then there's this feeling again. Warm. But now it blooms in his chest. Slowly, slowly it starts slightly on the left side and spreads with a strong thump thump around his rip cage. They're not even touching right now, it's just the sight of Jungwon.
Jay tries to decipher what exactly this is, because it's so new. It's not bad, a little frightening maybe and definitely confusing, but not bad.
He was so busy with taking care of Jungwon, that he forgot he's technically still on his shift and should be working. So it's no surprise when suddenly a slightly distressed Sunghoon tears the door open and cuts off the eye contact Jay didn't even realize they were holding.
"Jay! What the he- Eh?", Sunghoon is about to yell, but stops, when he sees Jungwon.
"Sunghoon, I'm so sorry! Jungwon came in totally drenched and I forgot the time", Jay apologizes quickly.
"Oh no, it's okay", Sunghoon replies with a knowing smile, Jay can't really assign. "You're off work now anyway. Sooo... Maybe a hot drink would help? The coffee shop across is really nice."
"Uhm- I mean, if you...?", Jay looks expectant at Jungwon.
"Y-yeah that would be nice, I guess. Also a thank you for the hoodie?", Jungwon agrees. One sleeve is in its original state and he fiddles a little nervous with the elastic band.
"Sure. Yeah, yes. Okay, cool", Jay stutters awkwardly.
"Yah, everything's cool, I get it. Now get out", Sunghoon orders.
This seems to be enough to put Jay out of his trancelike state and he hastily grabs his jacket and wallet out of his locker. Jungwon also stands up and they both leave the staff room, wave a goodbye to Sunghoon und eventually leave the book store.
Thankfully it stopped raining, because none of them thought of an umbrella. They don't have to go far, just across the street and then down the road, but it would be enough to ruin the work Jay's done.
They enter the small coffee shop, the name in red curved letters above the door. BLOSSOM. The almost overwhelming smell of coffee and freshly baked pastries gets to their noses. The few seatings are mostly occupied by students on their laptops, but Jay spots an empty table for two in a corner. He gestures between Jungwon and the table and Jungwon nods.
"Sit down, I get our drinks. What do you want?", Jungwon asks and Jay wants to contradict, but Jungwons expression clearly doesn't take 'no' for an answer. So he goes for an Americano, thanks Jungwon and makes his way to their chosen table.
There he begins to panic a little. What the hell happens right now?
He's in a coffee shop. About to drink coffee – obviously. With Jungwon. With Jungwon. Who has his fucking hoodie on. Because he came totally drenched in the book store. Why actually?
"Sorry, it took so lo-"
"Why did you came today?", Jay blurts out.
Jungwon stops in his movement and looks a little shocked at him. Jay is about to apologize, because he now registers what the actual fuck he said, but then Jungwon sighs, puts down their drinks and sits on the chair across from Jay.
"Well... To be honest honest, I just came to see you", Jungwon finally says and shyly looks up from under his lashes.
There's this warm thump thump again in Jays chest and suddenly he also feels the tips of his ears getting warm. Still he doesn't get the specific reason behind Jungwons visit.
"Okay? And what can I do for you?", Jay inquires. It's not meant to be rude, just curious.
"You're a little dense, are you?", Jungwon wants to tease, but it comes out more frustrated.
Jay raises his eyebrow in question and Jungwon groans, before he speaks. "Okay okay, I explain... Gosh, this is more embarrassing than I thought." He airily laughs and it sneaks a smile to Jays lips. "Actually it was Jakes idea, I guess? He meant something along the line of, we can't just always meet random at the store and that I wouldn't shut up about you, so I should ask you about your number. So that maybe we could go out some time?"
"You wouldn't shut up about me?", Jay repeats and his smile forms to a teasing smirk.
Jungwon slaps playfully Jays forearm and rolls with his eyes. "That is what's important to you?"
"Kinda, yes", Jay admits. "But also yes to the rest."
Jungwon straightens up and his eyes sparkle. "Wait- really?"
Jay was never really interested in forming new friendships, even less romantic relationships. Dating isn't something he ever cared about. He sure had his hook-ups throughout high school and now college, but there was never someone special. Not until him. Until Jungwon. Jungwon, who sparks something in him, who makes him so so warm.
"Yes." And just because he wants, he grabs carefully the hand that lays on the table and grazes his thumb over the fragile knuckles.
Warm. There's now a connection between the spread warmth in his chest and his fingertips which touch Jungwons hand. Their eyes meet and these obsidian orbs captivate Jay. He can't look away and he doesn't want to. He just smiles like an idiot.