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Hoseok stared gloomily out of his kitchen window at the rain, the tempest, the monsoon that had kept him indoors for 2 full days now. He was bored, bored of the same 4 walls, the same routine. Homeworking was fun, normally, he split his days between his different projects and jobs, but he always made sure to get out, even if just to the local market for fresh food. He even considered the stall holders friends! All that had been put on hold when 12 hours of thunder had turned into flooding and just hour after hour of rain. The roads were rivers, the market was closed and only a straggle of traffic could be seen on the highway near his house. Thank goodness he was on a hill, on the first floor away from flooding. Still he'd spent more time mopping than he thought he would but it wasn't replacement for his usual activities. He turned from the window, looking at his prized rice cooker. He loved that thing, or had. The prospect of yet another rice bowl was not filling him with joy. What would he top it with tonight? Tuna? Please no. He was resigning himself to popcorn and chips when his eyes landed on the take out menus pinned above the cooker...hmmm. Would they be making deliveries in this weather? He guessed there was only one way to find out.
The phone rang and rang. Just as he was about to hang up it clicked and a voice announced, "ScooterPizzaForYou, how can I help?"
"Hey, hi! Are you making deliveries tonight?!" his voice came out squeaky and slightly over enthusiastic to his ears and he winced. Underuse and lack of socialising were doing him a number it seemed.
There was a pause, then "Of course sir. What would you like?" In the background Hoseok heard a voice start to speak quietly, the tone questioning. He couldn't hear the words but they were obviously directed at the man on the phone. "YES, we ARE making deliveries tonight. There maybe delays because of the weather but our customers always come first." While the man was speaking the other voice got louder but further away, a door slamming loudly as he finished speaking.
Hoseok paused, wondering if this was such a good idea, if his pizza would turn up or be soaked deliberately. He was guessing he'd heard the delivery guy making clear his thoughts on going out on a scooter in the storm, but he was bored of rice and he needed a little excitement in his life right now, it was worth the risk. "Erm, ok, I'd like the meat special, extra olives, no mushrooms and a spicy dip please, plus two beers and a litre of cola. How much will that be and how long to get it here? Thanks."
"Would you like any extras sir? Wings, fries, cheese sticks? We have a combo offer if you're interested?" There was a certain edge to the guy's voice as he spoke, maybe he got commission on extras?
"Nah, I'm good thanks, maybe next time?" He could hear the door slam again and this time a voice distinctly asking if they were seriously expected to "drown for one fucking pizza!"
Hoseok was about to cancel his order when the cashier spoke again, "What address sir? The cost is 15e. Will you need change?" The other voice started up again saying they seriously hoped he didn't and that he better only have a 50e note. Hoseok was seriously starting to worry for the condition of his pizza, rice was actually starting to sound the healthier option and not for his diet. He decided to try to prevent the demise of his pizza before it reached him.
"It's fine, I have a 20e but I think 5e for coming out in this is a reasonable tip, don't you?"
"5e as a tip is very reasonable sir, I'm sure our driver will be VERY grateful! Thank you." Again the voice started up in the background but much quieter, sounding a little less upset at going out. "Just checking sir, you are up the hill on the other side of town?" At this the voice in the background started grumbling again, the words "slip" "skid" and "fucking river" being clearly heard.
Hoseok rubbed his forehead, all he'd wanted was a change in his diet of the last two days, not an epic adventure in appeasing pizza delivery men. "Yes, that's correct. Tell him to ring the bell for downstairs and I'll come out." With that he hung up.
20 minutes later saw Hoseok tidying away his work and setting up Netflix with a senseless comedy to watch while he ate. He fully intended to gorge himself, drink beer and fall asleep on his sofa with the film as background noise. He was tired, he was bored but the mindlessness was all he felt up to. He walked into the kitchen and looked over to the highway hoping to spot the scooter bringing his pizza. The rain hammering on the window made him space out as he stared into the black night. A flash of light startled him back to the present, followed by his door bell ringing insistently. As he got to the door a loud banging started up on the other side. He jumped, dropping his keys. "I'm coming, hang on!"
He finally opened the door to find something that looked like his worst nightmare. Dripping, glistening, helmeted, the person, as he assumed it wasn't a robot of some kind, stood there silently, visor down. A hand reached up and flipped up the visor. In the light of his hallway the eyes looking at him glowed frighteningly. He froze, terrified he'd opened the door to an invader, not the pizza man. Then, finally, he noticed the box and bag in the guys other hand. "Oh, ohhhh! Pizza for me, yes?"
"Well I fu...I hope so. If not you can take it off me anyway. Who gets a delivery in this weather?!" The guy's tone was angry but his voice wasn't harsh, in fact it had a quality that in any other circumstance Hoseok would've called attractive, but anyway, moving on...pizza.
"No it's mine! I'm really sorry for making you do your job. Here's the 20e I promised. Have a pleasant evening." And with that he closed and locked the door before the guy could say anything further. A wave of dizziness overcame him and he leant back against the door. He took in a breath, suddenly realising his heart was pounding and his breath was short. He really hoped this pizza was good!! Sighing he made his way into his sitting room plonking the box and bag onto the coffee table. Throwing himself onto the sofa he leant back and stared at the ceiling. Never had he thought getting a take out would be this traumatic! Taking another deep breath he sat up and gingerly opened up the pizza box. To his great surprise not only was it still warm it also looked edible and exactly what he'd ordered. Cracking open a beer, he hit play on the tv. Slice in hand, he settled back ready to just drift, eat and sleep.
After what felt like hours later, but was less than one slice of pizza eaten later, Hoseok was jolted out of his pleasant mind fuzz from drinking his beer faster than he ate his pizza, by a loud banging on his front door. He froze, hoping it would stop and whoever it was would go away. Instead it got louder, the door rattling in its frame. Unfortunately he'd never installed a safety chain but the increasingly loud and violent pounding on the door indicated whoever it was would be entering very soon whether he opened it or not. He hurried to the door before it was totalled. Unlocking it he stepped back as it swung in and the pizza guy crashed into his hall landing on his hands and knees. "Did you forget my hot sauce or something? It's really not that important you know? I'd much rather keep my door." He sounded way more together than he felt. From the floor pizza guy glared up at him, the visor already up on his helmet.
"Do I look like I came back with hot sauce?! What the fuck man?!" At this Hoseok realised that the guy had trailed in an enormous quantity of mud and that his pants were caked in it. As he finished shouting pizza guy's arms gave way and he fell face first on the floor with a groan.
"Oh my god! What happened? Are you hurt?! Where's your scooter?" Hoseok rushed outside and peered down the road. There was a gleam 10m or so away of what looked like a light. "Are you badly hurt? Do you need an ambulance?" He asked the pizza guy who hadn't moved since collapsing on his hall floor in a
puddle of mud and leaves, all of which was slowly spreading around him.
"No, I'm fine, bashed my leg, might've cut it but can't see. I need to get my scooter though, the boss is already mad at me for cussing while he was on the phone to you. Gimme a few and…" saying all that seemed to be the last straw as a low wail left the guy's mouth and he started crying, full on sobbing, words mingling with the grief, implying he was probably going to lose his job and get his ass beat or both by his boss. Suddenly he sounded very young, not the tough house invader/robot Hoseok had taken him for. Also he was a sucker for a lost cause and his heart softened at the sight before him. Which meant his mouth disconnected from his brain and he spoke without thinking.
"Ok, look, it'll be fine, stay here, go clean up, the bathroom is just there and I'll go rescue your bike." Wait...what?! Why did he do that?! His answer came when pizza guy stopped sobbing to give him a hopeful little smile.
"You will? I would but my leg really hurts, and I'm wet...and cold...and covered in mud. I hate this fucking job! I'm an artist, a singer even, not a fucking delivery guy!" his face dropped again and this time small pathetic sniffles could be heard.
Hoseok had had enough. He was a kind guy but everyone had to start somewhere. He tugged on his shoes and waterproof. As he headed out he turned to the guy on his floor. "Get cleaned up. I'll be back in a few. At least you have an income, just hold onto that. It's more than most do." With that he trudged down his steps fully aware of the glare he was getting. He should've just called the pizza place to come and collect the guy and his bike, but no, he had to be nice didn't he? He hoped he was doing the right thing.
30 minutes later, a lot of cursing and slipping, Hoseok got the bike onto his driveway. The box on the back was gone, probably into the ditch the bike had been half into, but otherwise it looked ok. He had no idea if it would start though as it had been sitting in a puddle in a pot hole when he found it. This was obviously the reason for the accident. In daylight and in sunshine the large hole was easy to see but in this weather and if you didn't know the road, not so much. That the guy had only hurt his leg was pure luck. Hoseok shivered at how much worse it could have been.
Trudging into the house, the front door still wide open, he noticed an absence of pizza guy. He also noticed that all the mud and leaves were gone from the floor. He was immensely thankful for that at least. He closed the door and headed towards his bedroom to change. As he passed the guest bathroom he heard the shower running. He paused and frowned. He'd told the guy to clean himself up, he didn't know he'd take it so literally, but here they were! Realising the guy would also need dry clothes he went and rummaged in his wardrobe for some old sweats. Hearing the shower shut off he went to knock on the bathroom door. "Hey, pizza guy! I got your bike back and…" The door opened.
"Jungkook, that's my name. Not pizza guy."
Hoseok's mouth fell open, piz...no Jungkook, was stood in the door, wet hair plastered to his forehead, wearing nothing except the small bath towel Hoseok kept in his guest bathroom. Never had he been more grateful for his stinginess at using smaller towels than he was then! It was pretty obvious this guy rarely ate what he delivered. His muscles had muscles and Hoseok was smitten.
"Erm, ok, hi, I'm Hoseok or Hobi, some people even call me Seok or…" he trailed off realising he was rambling about nicknames and pet names - wtf hoseok! - to a complete stranger, albeit a nearly naked, very handsome one. "Anyway, I thought you might want these?!" He realised he'd phrased it like a question, like jungkook might NOT want clean dry clothes! Could the ground swallow him now please?!
Jungkook smirked and extended his hand for the clothing. "Thanks, I really would like to wear clothes, surprising as that may be to you." As he closed the door Hoseok swore he heard the guy laugh. Blushing he went back to the sitting room and his now cold pizza. Thankfully there was still some beer left and he took a large gulp hoping it would somehow be stronger than normal and he would instantly forget his embarrassing behaviour. Unfortunately that didn't happen, it just gave him a head rush and the instant craving for pizza! He stood up a little woozily, grabbing the pizza box and headed into his kitchen, where this adventure had begun. Why couldn't he have had just another rice bowl like he always did? Instead he'd had to be different and order pizza in a storm. Look where that had got him? Trapped in his house with a gorgeous stranger he had no clue what to do with. Well, not completely true but he doubted any of THOSE ideas would be welcomed! He glared at his rice cooker. It was all its fault.
"What did that cooker ever do to you?! Does it burn your rice on purpose? You're glaring at it like it killed your favourite aunt or something?"
Hoseok startled for the umpteenth time that night. This was reminding him why he lived alone, he could glare at random kitchen appliances without censure. "No, nothing like that but we wouldn't be here now if I'd just used the damn thing tonight." That was when he heard it, the sound that changed everything. Jungkook started to laugh, not at him, he could tell, but at the situation. It was a genuine laugh, full of life, high and bright. It filled Hoseok up like he was an empty glass just waiting for this fizzy, vibrant noise to enter his life. He realised he was staring with his mouth open, yet again. Jungkook stopped laughing and returned his stare. It was so knowing. His mouth quirked into the same smirk he'd had in the bathroom.
"See something you like?" with that he burst out laughing yet again. Hoseok couldn't help but join in, as much as he knew he was blushing yet again. He turned away and busied himself with warming up the pizza. As he turned back he collided with the muscles he'd seen in the bathroom. Jungkook's chest really was as firm as it looked. "Thanks for all your help. I'm sorry I was so rude. I should be mad still but you're so cute when you're flustered it just makes me laugh. I haven't laughed in so long." Jungkook said wryly, and then with a sigh. "I guess I better call the shop and get them to come get me." His mouth turned down at the mention of the pizza place and the trouble that was about to land on his head. Hoseok pushed Jungkook back and moved past him to grab his phone.
"Here use mine to call them. Let them know you are ok, but, if you want, tell them they can get your bike tomorrow and you'll get a taxi home. Nothing they can do with it tonight and you shouldn't be out delivering again tonight anyway."
Jungkook looked at Hoseok and at the phone. His face was still sad, no longer creased with the mirth of a few moments before. Hoseok found himself wanting to change that. "Look you can stay here for a bit if you want. I mean, I feel like we're practically friends at this point, so maybe we could be? I've a pizza to share after all." Jungkook's face lit up with the biggest smile and Hoseok couldn't help but reflect it back, it made him feel so warm inside.
"Yeah" said Jungkook, "I think I'd like that."