Work Text:
At first Jeongguk didn’t think anything of it.
It wasn’t like it was the first time kids from his school would come dine in at the restaurant he worked at so it wasn’t much of a shock when his senior, Park Jimin, strutted through the swinging glass doors with his signature heartwarming smile, dolled up more than usual.
It didn’t take Jeongguk a wild guess as to why considering it was Valentine’s Day and he’d already bussed tables used from ten different couples since his shift started. It also wasn’t surprising that Jimin evidently had come here on a date himself, his extra glam on full display. The senior was like a rare token at school who everyone wanted, not that Jeongguk cared or was one of them to know about his relationship status, it was just common knowledge.
Park Jimin was a prodigy, the top academic student in their high school who was always willing to help and tutor fellow classmates if they sought him out and the student council president all the teachers adored. On the side of all of this, he danced. Contemporary was just one of the many styles Jimin embodied powerfully which showed beautifully in the way he moved and walked with lithe gracefulness caressing his petite body he kept covered in designer clothes and pretty pieces of jewelry. He had a small clique of dancers he was never seen without when sauntering down the school’s halls but remained humble and kind to his peers who drew into him like a moth to light. And Jimin’s light definitely was a radiant force that warmed everyone within radius of him.
Hobi hyung hosted Jimin to a table near the middle of the restaurant and Jeongguk watched the senior slide in the booth in a smooth glide and accept the menu Hobi offered with that soft smile of his with his small hand decorated in rings. Hobi placed the second menu down where Jimin’s expected date would be sitting and Jeongguk’s dark doe eyes zeroed on thick pillowy lips layered in gloss as they moved, Jimin most likely thanking Hobi.
“Table 23 just got up, Jeongguk.” The staticky voice of his lead, Namjoon, coming from the earpiece he wore alerted him back to the rush of the bustling restaurant. In other words, back to work.
And so he did.
An hour passed and Jeongguk had tackled eleven more tables and cleaned up an accidental spill as the night went on. The couples kept coming in much like an annoying trickle from a sink that wouldn’t shut off but the only reason why Jeongguk wasn’t sending them all mental curses was because Jimin was still sitting alone. Jeongguk had drifted back and forth in Jimin’s area and didn’t take notice of it until now.
He kept a steady gaze on the senior as he loaded up his bus cart with dirty dishes from a table that was a row over where Jimin sat. Defined eyebrows furrowed but Jeongguk felt like it wasn’t any of his business to get involved so he continued on with his night and cleared tables for the servers to reset. About forty minutes later and Jeongguk found himself bussing table 31 which was two tables down from Jimin who was still sitting all by himself, dateless. The once glow that had surrounded Jimin was now dimmed down and he looked far less perky than he had upon first arrival. Jeongguk spotted the senior holding his phone which he fiddled around with his tiny, jeweled fingers.
The sight spiked an unnamed emotion in Jeongguk who paused wiping off the table he worked on and studied Jimin’s small form. The bread basket Hobi hyung had brought out for Jimin damn near two hours ago remained untouched on the table just like the two glasses of water, both with lemon and both with the ice melted, and the sides damp from the perspiration.
Jeongguk hurried up and finished bussing the table before depositing it with the dishwasher of the night, Shownu. “I’ll be back for this, hyung.” Jeongguk told the other before he dashed out and sought out Hobi who was easily found at the host stand organizing the menus for tomorrow.
Hobi, aka Hoseok, greeted him with a smile as he walked up. “Hey, Kook. You doing okay?”
“Is he still waiting?” Jeongguk jutted a thumb in Jimin’s direction and Hobi’s eyes followed which filled with concern when he saw it was Jimin who Jeongguk was indicating.
“Yeah, unfortunately. He can’t reach his date but keeps asking to give him time. Yoongi stopped going over to get his order and I went about fifteen minutes ago to see if he wanted me to take his order since he’s been waiting for so long but he declined me too.” Hobi explained. He shuffled the menu inserts into a neat pile and let out a sound of sympathy. “It’s almost been two hours though, I don’t think his date is showing up.”
Jeongguk didn’t say anything. This wasn’t the first time he’s seen someone get stood up while working here. He remembered when he had to comfort the crying girl while she waited on her dad to come pick her up from her failed date but for some reason, witnessing it happen to Jimin of all people was really...unnerving and fucking him up somehow. He stared at the senior with an unreadable gaze. He took in the stiff edge of his back, the way his shoulders hunched forward and, though Jimin’s back was turned to him, Jeongguk was positive he wiped his eyes.
And then Jimin raised his hand.
~
Park Jimin stopped himself from biting his bottom lip for the second time in the span of twenty seconds, the nervous habit a threat to his freshly applied lip balm which glistened across his supple lips prettily under the restaurant’s lighting. But it was consistently becoming harder to resist when he felt like all eyes were on him, as if he was sitting dead center in the hot seat because he sure felt a strong boil the longer he sat in the small booth with mocking company of the fancy reserved sign which was displayed on the edge of his table. His mocha eyes layered in elegant gold eyeliner were troubled as he checked the clock on his phone for possibly the seventh time now in the span of two minutes. 8:14. His date should’ve been here at 7. By 7:10 the latest but no, a whole hour and some minutes had passed already and there was still no sign of Youngbae.
The perspiration from their untouched water glasses pooled on the surface and the once crisp ice had long melted away. The complimentary bread basket of rolls were cold now from sitting there, stiffening in the air much like Jimin was who’d been sitting on the rubber booth with his legs crossed beneath the table without moving since he’d arrived.
From across the bustling restaurant, Jimin accidentally locked eyes with his server, the one with sharp cat eyes, and this time he did bite his lip before he quickly averted his gaze not wanting to see the blatant pity given to him. The signs that he’d been ditched was all there, becoming more and more clear but the lame attempt excuses still rapidly poured into his head to give his absent date the benefit of the doubt (it was Valentine’s Day so the traffic could be bad due to the all couples on the loose or maybe his job ran him longer than expected so he was just now getting home and ready) but the realistic part of him knew that by now he should’ve already gotten some type of alerted message but he hadn’t. And when nine o’clock finally crept up with still no sighting of his Valentine date appearing, Jimin had to suck it up that he’d officially been stood up.
It stung. The realization he wanted to deny settled in hard and sent an emotional overbearing wave through him, drowning him in mortification and sadness. Jimin shrunk in on himself no longer feeling dolled up or pretty. He checked the time again. Mocha eyes grew misty. 9:17. What was he still sitting here for? Everyone in the entire restaurant, especially the ones who kept casting pity glances his way, knew he’d been treated as a joke. But he couldn’t find any type of confidence or strength to lift himself out the booth and stroll out. What’s worst was he was starving, having sat here for so long watching people get their evening meals delivered slowly got to him.
Jimin pushed his phone to the side and wiped at his irritating eyes before raising a polite hand. He expected a server to come, not Jeon Jeongguk, the quiet junior from school. He especially didn’t expect for Jeongguk to slide in the booth across from him, intense dark eyes fixated on him. Jimin froze like a deer in headlights. What was Jeongguk doing here? Jimin answered his own question after further inspection at the attire the junior had on and concluded the younger was a worker here. The simple black shirt and black slacks with a clear plastic apron completed his uniform. Had Jeongguk been here the whole time? How was Jimin noticing him just now?
“Hey.” Jeongguk greeted in a surprisingly gentle voice Jimin wasn’t expecting at all. Well, neither was Jeongguk who inwardly wondered why he was even over here. He and Jimin weren’t remotely close at all whatsoever. Sure, Jimin helped him with a couple of homework assignments before in the past and Jeongguk miraculously had been there when Jimin tripped on the stairs twice but that was about all the interactions they’ve had. Jeongguk didn’t know why but he felt so strongly about Jimin in the moment now.
“Hi, Jeongguk.” Jimin replied softly, voice thick and tone shielding the wobble wanting to bubble out. “You work here?”
“Uh, yeah. Bus boy.” Jeongguk answered and Jimin’s mocha eyes followed him as he leaned forward on his elbows. “I don’t know which jackass you’ve waited on all night for but you haven’t even touched the bread and no one is worth waiting for when there’s food involved. So tell me what you want to eat and it’ll be on me.” Jeongguk was never one to beat around the bush.
The unexpected invitation sent a surge of shock through Jimin who felt himself warm up by the junior’s words. “Oh no, you don’t have to do that Jeongguk.”
Jeongguk snorted, dark eyes softening. “I’m not asking for permission. Seriously, you should eat something. If not here then I know a spot I’ll take you to since I get off in ten minutes and planned on getting dinner from there anyway. So what it’ll be?”
~
“Here.”
Jimin smiled bashfully as he shifted out of the way so Jeongguk could open the passenger side door for him and the shy smile softened further when in the midst of giving Jeongguk room, he’d accidentally brushed into the junior’s space and collided against his chest.
“Sorry.” Jimin murmured, feeling warmth spread through him when he was helped into the car with the guidance of Jeongguk’s hand which left a soothing heat around his slender wrist. Jeongguk then handed over their to-go sacks and waited until Jimin was completely settled in before asking if he was okay to close the door. “Yes, thank you.”
And the smile Jimin showered Jeongguk with as he closed the door and made his way around his car marked the junior with the same butterflies Jimin had fluttering around all through their evening meal they’d just spent together. When the junior slid into the driver’s seat, mocha eyes were drawn to every movement but Jimin flickered them away when Jeongguk’s steady gaze caught him staring. He looked out the window as the car started up and clutched on the plastic sacks in his lap tighter.
The night had definitely taken a turn unexpected to Jimin who thought he’d be spending it with the smooth talker senior, Youngbae, from geometry but being in Jeongguk’s company was better than any dating experience he’s ever had. The junior uplifted his dampened spirits and flipped his mood around with natural charms and humor that sent Jimin into many fits of giggles throughout the evening.
Jimin felt a sense of peacefulness as he watched the moving scenery of the outside world blur by while Jeongguk’s soft music played from the speakers. It was funny, Jimin could count on one hand about the times he’d actually spoke to Jeongguk at school but after spending time with the younger and learning a bit about him tonight, it really felt like they’d been best friends. Their conversations were light and warming, Jeongguk didn’t pry nor did he ask a lot of personal questions even when Jimin asked if he was curious about who he’d been waiting on at the restaurant (“I frankly don’t give a damn about the douche bag and neither should you, now eat your food.”), it felt like he genuinely just wanted to hear what Jimin had to say about anything. They talked about their music choices, their favorite TV shows and compared what candies were the best. It was simple and nice, and Jimin enjoyed himself surprisingly more than he’d imagined. Youngbae had drifted from his mind and thoughts, and completely vanished when Jeongguk dropped him off home and parted from him with the promise that they should hang out again though under lighter circumstances.
“I know we don’t talk much at school but tonight was fun and I wouldn’t mind doing it again.”
Jimin smiled and his eyes did the pretty thing where they formed into crescents. “I would love to.”
So they did.
Multiple times.
But it’s on the fourth time that they get an unwelcome visitor.
It’s a special occasion dinner. Jeongguk passed the math test, barely getting the score that he needed in order to do so but Jimin was proud of him nonetheless and they took their celebration to a small cozy Italian diner. The setting was intimate with the burning candlelight and gentle background music, and they’d even been given a rose upon first arrival, their waiter setting it down on their table with a knowing smile.
Jimin pouted, however, whining about wanting a bite of Jeongguk’s pasta. The fork full he wanted to have was already past the ring of Jeongguk’s lips and the younger tried not to laugh around his mouth full of food as he quickly twirled some more noodles on his fork and offered it to Jimin.
“I wanted the other one.” the small senior pouted through tight supple lips. They were coated in a glossy clear vanilla and Jeongguk briefly wished it wasn’t his fork gently probing them at the moment.
Chewing quickly in order not to choke on his laugh, Jeongguk prodded Jimin’s lips again. “Have this, it still tastes good.”
“No.”
“Okay you big baby.” the pet name slipped out easier now since they’ve been knitted closer and Jimin stuck his tongue out before grabbing the fork when Jeongguk tried to pull away. “Brat.” the junior chuckled but it was short lived when a rude cough from above garnered both of their attention.
Dong Youngbae, the other senior who stood Jimin up all those weeks ago, was suddenly there now standing at their table dressed to impress while wearing a frown. “So you can’t answer my text messages because you’re out hanging with kids, Jimin?”
The clipped tone was enough to throw Jimin off course, the senior beauty blinking his mocha eyes in confusion, worry etched on his features already. “Youngbae…”
“I said I was fucking sorry and to give me a second chance but you keep blowing me off. And now you’re out here on a playdate with Jeon? You’ve gotta be fucking with me.”
Jeongguk stood up with a dry chuckle because what this jackass wasn’t going to do was barge in their outing and ruin the night for them both. Jeongguk planted himself so that he was facing Youngbae and cut off Youngbae’s view of Jimin, that was strictly Jeongguk’s now.
Although he was the junior to them both, Jeongguk towered over Jimin and Youngbae but he never used it against Jimin like he was doing it to Youngbae now. Crossing his arms gave him extra effect because the muscles easily sculpted out every little detail from his broad chest to his line of veins which surfaced across his biceps. “If you think he’s actually obligated to give your ass any type of attention after what you did to him then you’re not just a cunt but the saddest dumb cunt ever. See, you had one chance and fucking blew it. Now he’s mine. This lil ‘playdate’ as you’ve put it is me, his boyfriend, taking him out on something you’ve lost all chances to so kindly fuck off, move on, and leave us the hell alone before you find yourself in a world of hurt.”
Youngbae was a sputtering red faced mess. “Who the fuck-”
“Wanna get dessert somewhere else, baby?” Jeongguk ignored him and turned around, completely disinterested in whatever tantrum was brewing, and sank down beside Jimin who stared up at Youngbae with wide eyes. Dropping his arm over slender shoulders, Jeongguk clipped a finger beneath Jimin’s chin and gently pulled his attention on him. “Eyes on me, baby. Would you like to leave and get dessert somewhere else?”
Jimin’s well rounded cheeks colored a soft crimson and he gravitated closer to Jeongguk’s comforting presence like a magnet. “I wanted some gelato… and eat it here with you.” It wasn’t fair if they had to leave just because Youngbae was disturbing them. If anything, it was him who had to leave. Jimin slipped his hand into Jeongguk’s, warming over when the younger laced their fingers together.
When Jeongguk first learned it had been Youngbae who stood Jimin up, he hated the prick. But now, he hated giant prick even more as he stared down at Jimin’s troubled expression. Without hesitance or backtracking thoughts, Jeongguk leaned down and kissed the senior’s forehead. “Come on, then, baby.” using their connected hands, Jeongguk gently tugged Jimin up with him and made sure as they brushed past Youngbae that Jimin was far away from him.
Jeongguk lead them to the front where he got hold of the host. “Sorry to bother you but could you inform your manager that that man over there is disturbing a lot of yours guests? We’re just trying to finish our food and he came over yelling.”
It didn’t take long for Youngbae to be escorted out the restaurant and when he stormed past, glaring daggers at Jimin, Jeongguk merely wrapped a protective arm around Jimin’s tiny waist and scooped him closer to him, sending feral glare back at the problematic senior. When they returned to their seats, Jimin practically melded himself against Jeongguk’s chest, small hands gripping the sides of his sweatshirt while a leg curled up across Jeongguk’s thigh. Jeongguk didn’t mind as he still held Jimin close around the waist.
“I’m so sorry.” Jimin mumbled unhappily and his little adventuring fingers were swiftly caught by Jeongguk’s hand.
“Jimin, I swear to god. What are you sorry for? You don’t ever apologize for that jackass. You didn’t do anything wrong, he was in the wrong and he only got mad because he knew it. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry for calling you my boyfriend without permission. But he just pissed me off, coming over here like you owed him a damn explanation. Fuck him.” Jeongguk’s matched fury sizzled back down from its destructive energy when soft fingers squeezed his hand.
“Hey,” Jimin brought his free hand up to cup Jeongguk’s jaw. “I didn’t mind the boyfriend comment. Just for future references in case you needed to know or wanted to use it again...I’d be fine with that.”
Jeongguk wrinkled his nose at the other cutely, soft smile spreading across his lips while he tugged Jimin closer. “Is that so?”
Jimin leaned up to plant a sweet kiss on Jeongguk’s cheek. “Yes. I liked it when you called me yours. Wanna be...if that’s okay.” Jimin pulled away with rosy cheeks but didn’t get too far when large hands framed his cherub face. He was tilted up, mocha eyes fluttered shut when Jeongguk swooped down on him.
“It’s very much okay with me, baby.” the younger murmured before sealing the distance between his lips and the very plush ones which submitted softly under the slow paced kiss he set.