Work Text:
Working part-time at the shopping mall sucks just as much as one would imagine it.
Felix doesn’t even technically work in retail—his position is at the help desk in the middle of the first floor—and yet, he gets to deal with all the joys of the enormous shopping center and its lovely patrons. He’s not being sarcastic at all!
Like the screaming children, squealing and shrieking as they pull away from their parent’s side and take off towards the indoor playground. Their howls of anticipation echo through the polished three story building, driving right into Felix’s skull like sharpened claws. Makes his head throb behind his eyes. Packs of teens rove about, on a post-school high and on the prowl for some bubble tea courtesy of the small stand on the second floor. They always stare at Felix, half-lidded gazes somewhat judgmental. And then there's the passive aggressive adults that talk his ear off about how poorly designed the layout of the mall is, and how they simply can’t find anything .
The mall was designed fine. You just refuse to properly read the map, is what Felix would love to say to the next middle aged soccer mom to give him the stink eye on the architectural firm's behalf—if only he had the balls. And the job security.
But overall, it’s easy work. Despite the influx of annoying customers he has to direct like a stream of human traffic, Felix’s job could be way worse. He just has to sit there, in his rolling chair behind the fancy circular desk, and wait for someone to ask him for directions. Which is often. Because, and Felix says this with love, the mall can be terribly confusing to the untrained shopper. While those soccer moms sometimes have a point, felix would rather die than admit such a thing.
But today is calm. Today is slow. Today is simple. Just the way Felix likes it.
It’s a Wednesday, so the mall is relatively empty. Just some stray moms and dads perusing the stores, some with bags in their grasp and some empty handed. High schoolers traipse about aimlessly, reusable Starbucks tumblers clasped in their hands. The mall is huge, and shiny, and chromatic, but on a Wednesday afternoon such as this it borders on peaceful. Like a slice of life had been given iron rebar and modern see-through appointments, the shopping center is where you can just sit back and watch people go about their lives in the most basic sense.
Which, perhaps coincidentally, is exactly what Felix is doing.
Felix is at his place at the directory desk, idly twirling in his spinny chair as he waits for business to pick up. Given the time, that won’t be for another hour, when he’s already off his shift. Great. He’s stuck at his post during the biggest lull of the day. It’s so boring. And the bubble gum, painfully mainstream music blasting through the ceiling speakers isn’t doing his sanity any favors.
God. Felix needs a raise.
Or a new job entirely.
He was about to slip out his phone and look into that very idea, when movement caught his eyes.
A teen is approaching the help desk, and quite rapidly at that. He can’t be much younger than Felix himself, and exudes an air of youthful exuberance, even at a distance. He must’ve just gotten out of school too, judging by the pastel pink backpack slung over one of his shoulders.
He’s handsome despite the tenderness of his features, with a cute rounded nose and steep cheekbones and sharp, glittery eyes—almost like a fox. His eyes are impish and dark, and his lips are held in a mischievous grin as he sidles up to Felix’s reception desk.
“Hey there, can I assist you?” Felix asked like clockwork, revving up his customer service voice into full, sterile gear.
The teen snickered, before swallowing down his giggles and schooling his expression into something akin to serious. He leaned in over the granite lip of Felix’s desk, none-too conspiratorially.
Felix blinked, furrowed his brows, and rolled his chair back one inch, two inches. Three, just to give himself some room to breathe under the kid’s piercing stare. Weirdo alert, much?
“Do you mind if I use your intercom? I lost my friend, and I need to find him.” The kid’s voice is honey sweet and melodic. Sickeningly sweet. Too sweet, for the context of what he just said. But Felix is much too naive to put two and two together yet.
That’s it? He thought to himself, somewhat suspiciously. That’s...not what Felix expected. He assumed this kid needed directions to Spencer’s, or Hot Topic, or—judging by his pleasant fruity scent—Bath and Body Works. But he just needs to use Felix’s loudspeaker mic? Strange...
The kid’s previous round of airy giggles and cheek-stretching grins certainly didn’t seem like the actions of someone worried about finding their missing friend, but who is Felix to judge? Lost company is not to be taken lightly, in the world of mall-directory receptionists. That much Felix knows.
So Felix plucked his little intercom device from his desk, and pushed it towards the boy. He flicked the on button, and said, “of course! Just talk into it, and you’re good to go.”
The boy nodded, seemingly more eager than before, and positioned his lips right at the loudspeaker’s microphone. He sucked in a breath, and began. And then Felix’s world stopped.
“Attention shoppers,” drawled the teen, each word booming through the industrial speakers nestled in the ceiling despite the nonchalance of his tone. “My best friend is single and ready to mingle. That’s right, he’s hot and ready to trot. His name is Kim Seungmin, he’s 19, a virgo, loves long walks on the beach, and all that jazz. Looks kinda like a puppy, if you squint–”
“W- what?” Felix squeaked, his eyes popping clean open as he helplessly watched the boy go on his tirade through the mall intercom. He should’ve pulled the mic away from him, he should’ve snatched it from his hands, but Felix is frozen. He can’t believe his ears, let alone act on his befuddlement and stop this madness!
The teen’s friend isn’t lost at all!
Not only has Felix been tricked, this kid is announcing a goddamn dating profile to the entire mall! Luckily the shopping center is still pretty empty at this time of the day, but there are people around. Hearing this, as it fucking happens. Out of the corner of Felix’s eye, a mom pushing a stroller stopped dead in her tracks. She pinched her brows, as she listened in equal parts attentive and perplexed to the... important message blasting through the speakers . To Felix’s immense horror, a trio of teen girls by the cinnamon bun stand started giggling into their fists, until one pulled out her phone and began to record.
A couple of retirees shared matching looks of utter confusion, as the teen at Felix’s station pressed on without a care in the world. While Felix continued to sit there, petrified in a mixture of disbelief and pure shock, and just let this happen.
Oh god. He’s definitely going to lose his job after this. Welp.
At least he was thinking about changing professions, anyways?
The teen not only ignored Felix’s expression of utter horror, he happily continued on. Bold and brazen. Uncaring. “–Please come to the directory desk if you want to apply to be his boyfriend. Thank you, an—”
“ Yang Jeongin! What are you doing ?! ”
Felix was just sitting there, stunned, when an incoming zip of movement roused his attention. Another teen is running over, eyes wide and frantic, his lips are parted in alarm. Even from his spot at the reception desk, Felix could easily see how flushed his cheeks are. Cute.
Wait... cute?
Before Felix could fully appreciate the cuteness of the newcomer (and why his brain decided to make that startlingly apparent), the boy at the loudspeaker— Jeongin?— is forcefully yanked away by a pair of large, lovely hands.
Jeongin stumbled a bit, before gracefully regaining his balance. And then just as elegantly doubling over in a fit of hysterics, at the sight of his friend’s furious blush. “What gives? I’m trying to help you out, Minnie! You should thank me!” He chirped in between guffaws. So he’s Seungmin, huh.
Felix now understands why he’s blushing to the point of appearing as a humanoid strawberry. And why he looks around .03 seconds away from throttling Yang Jeongin.
“Help?! How was that going to help?! I hate you!” Seungmin roared, and wildly smacked Jeongin on the shoulder. Thanks to the thick material of his pastel blue hoodie, however, the pummel must have barely registered—Jeongin didn’t even flinch. He didn’t even pause for a breath. He just kept laughing.
Seungmin sputtered in dismay, and buried his face in his hands. Defeated. Deflated. Completely, without question, done with life. And Yang Jeongin. Felix can’t blame him.
And then there’s Felix. Poor, confused, stupefied Felix.
Felix doesn't know what to do. So he did nothing.
He just sat limp in his rolling chair, and watched.
He needs a raise.
If he doesn’t get fired.
As if subconsciously taking note of Felix’s presence at the help desk, Seungmin peeled his palms off his features, and turned his attention to the receptionist. Seungmin yelped at the sight of him, before waddling over. His cheeks are so red. All the way up to his ears. Even at the base of his neck, apparent from the sliver of skin visible through the oversized drape of his sweatshirt. His eyes are so sparkly. Felix felt himself getting lost in them.
“I-I’m so sorry for him,” Seungmin whimpered, unable to look Felix directly in the eyes. He kept his sheepish gaze trained on the floor, on the perfect white tiles that shimmer with flecks of silver mica. “He’s an idiot.” Seungmin growled, as he hooked a thumb over his shoulder at Jeongin. At the gesture towards him, Jeongin perked to attention and sent the pair a dopey, two-finger mock salute.
Felix couldn't help but giggle, in the wake of Seungmin’s frantic apology. He relaxed in his chair, and rolled it forward. He looked into Seungmin’s eyes, when the boy eventually pried his stare off the toes of his sneakers.
“It’s fine!” It’s not. “Happens all the time,” no it doesn’t. “No one cares.” They probably do. Felix unabashedly let loose three consecutive lies, because a realization just smacked him upside the head.
Seungmin is adorable. And, yeah, he vaguely noticed that before, as the boy stormed over to physically put an end to Jeongin’s antics, but he fully sees it now. His brain has had ample time to unpack the proverbial suitcase marked; “Seungmin is the cutest boy I’ve ever seen??”
Yeah, it’s official now. Seungmin is cute as heck . His features are all pleasant and youthful and soft, despite the panicked set to his brows and the clench of his jaw. His eyes are warm and vaguely droopy and somewhat rounded at the corners, like the cute pockets of baby fat on his cheeks. And now Felix has to admit, he does kind of look like a puppy, if you squint. A very cute puppy, at that.
And, according to Jeongin’s quasi-rant into the intercom, he’s very single. And ready to mingle.
Interesting.
Maybe Felix’s job isn’t as bad as he previously thought.
“R-really?” Asked Seungmin, coupled with a cute little tilt of his head. Damn. His hair is so pretty. Like butterscotch. Or caramel. Like something sweet. Felix wants to card his fingers through those silky strands until his joints ache.
Suddenly feeling uncharacteristically confident, Felix let a coy smirk upturn his lips. He rose from his chair, and leaned his arms on the cool stonework of his work desk. Closer to Seungmin, who squeaked at the sudden increase in their proximity. His blush is still ruby red and beautiful on his skin.
Attention shoppers, Felix mused to himself, I’m gay as hell.
And Kim Seungmin, 19 year old virgo who enjoys walks on the beach and has a chaotically inclined best friend, is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Mhm,” Felix hummed, casually pillowing a cheek on his fist. He looked right into Seungmin’s sparkly brown eyes as he said, “and you know what else?”
Seungmin shook his head, wordlessly. He gulped, soundlessly. Even Jeongin’s interest has been effectively piqued, as he pursed his lips and padded over to investigate their conversation.
Felix quirked a brow, and took a leap of faith. It’s not like today’s shift can get any stranger, right? “Your friend’s plan did work. I’ll gladly put my name down on your boyfriend application.”
Jeongin gasped, and slapped a hand over his unhinged jaw. His eyes grew wide, wide, wide. “I knew it! You owe me, Minnie!” He squealed, words muffled from the combination of his palm covering his mouth, and how he’s quite literally vibrating with delight.
Seungmin, on the other hand, looks like he had just stuck his fingers in a socket. Like he’s just been struck by a bolt of lighting. He’s standing loose-limbed at his friend’s side, shoulders slumped and knees buckling inwards. Pretty pink lips hanging wide open, in disbelief. Cute.
“ What?” Seungmin wheezed, eyes wide to the point of appearing as honey brown saucers in his skull. He shook his head, sending choco brown locks a flurry, and said more emphatically, “ really? Are you serious?”
Felix giggled again, and playfully rolled his eyes. “Duh, Seungmin. Wanna go on a date now? I get off work in,” Felix checked the watch on his wrist, “ten minutes?” Nine, if his replacement gets here sooner. Eight, if he says fuck it and leaves without them ceremonially taking his place. He’s probably gonna be fired anyways, after Jeongin’s stunt. He’s livin’ large, officially. And he wants to go on a date with Seungmin, as his first order of business.
Maybe they can hit up the boba stall on the second floor, for some taro milk tea. Maybe after they can get their hands on some notoriously tasty soft pretzels back on the ground level. Maybe after that they can take some pictures at the photobooth in the back of the penny arcade.
Sounds like a plan, to Felix. And he has a sneaking feeling Jeongin wouldn't care in the least if Felix ended up commandeering his after-school mall crawl with Seungmin, in favor of an impromptu date.
Seungmin blinked slowly, as if life is a dream and he’d be remiss to wake up. He pushed a gulp down his throat, and allowed himself to smile; for the first time since their odd little meeting. All lopsided and dopey, that smile flashed behind Felix’s eyes with each unconscious blink. Like when you steal too prolonged of a glance at the sun, and you see abstract yellow blotches on the backside of your lids each time you close them. That’s what that little smile was to Felix. Like the sun. He felt his heart trill, at that beautiful upturn of his lips.
“I’d love that,” Seungmin whispered, as he squinted down at Felix’s sweater. At the silver name tag pinned to his breast. “ Felix.”
His name sounds like a one-word poem when Seungmin says it. Felix is addicted, just like that. Top 20 pop hits are still screaming through the ceiling speakers, but it all faded to sugary silence as Felix heard Seungmin and Seungmin alone.
They smiled at each other, bright and beaming, and everything in the world feels right for a few wonderful seconds. Jeongin is cackling off to the side, happily rubbing his hands together like his grand master plan is finally coming to fruition, but Felix and Seungmin ignore him in favor of gazing into each other’s glittering eyes.
The mall patrons are still meandering around, liminally traveling from store to store, but Felix and Seungmin ignore them in favor of committing each of their smiles to memory.
Maybe Jeongin’s idea wasn’t as misguided as they thought. Maybe he’s an evil genius, and his scheme just about did the trick.
And now, Felix is very grateful to be a receptionist at the mall help desk during the biggest lull of the day. And that he was fooled by one Yang Jeongin. And that he has a date, with one Kim Seungmin.
He can say it with assurity now;
Felix’s job isn’t half bad, after all.