Chapter Text
Hanaemi (花笑み) (Japanese) - lit. “flowering smile”; a smile that is as beautiful as blooming flowers, calling people to feel happy
Min Yoongi had everything sorted out in his life. He was a perfectionist to be exact. He finished his literature degree and now owns a high profile bookstore as he dreamed of. His fundamental rules of living simply yet effectively were what kept him going when he was on the verge of burning out. That being said, he wouldn’t accept people crossing his imaginary but crystal clear set of laws. Min Yoongi had everything sorted out in his life, until a guy in his early twenties stumbled inside his bookshop on a rainy evening, with an incomparable boxy smile. The smile instantly reminded him of a long-forgotten word, Hanaemi.
“Shit, I’m sorry. I just dirtied the floor.” The owner of a wonderful boxy smile grimaced as he continued to look around the puddle caused by his drenched clothes dripping down. His nose scrunched up.
“Welcome to Page-Ends. How can I help you?” Yoongi spoke absentmindedly. This sentence has been fit in his first instinct. His facial expressions stayed neutral every time he said it out loud.
“Oh yes, Hi.” He held out his hand only to realize later it was wet. He instantly retracted it and bowed instead. “I’m Kim Taehyung. I saw the advertisement for a job here. I know I’m not in the best of my looks right now but you can interview me if you want.” He breathed.
“You have any experience of working at a bookstore before?” Yoongi asked calmly.
“Um no…” Taehyung trailed off. “But I promise to serve the best of me. Give me a chance? I really need this job at this moment.” He pleaded.
Yoongi looked at him with barely changed expressions on his face. Taehyung looked genuinely in need of a job. But Yoongi had rules.
Rule number one, for working at Page-Ends was, you needed to be a logophile, a lover of words. Yoongi had habits of quoting random lines of his favorite books and unique words from every single language that exists. This rule being the number one reason why he agreed to open this shop with Namjoon out of all people. Namjoon was of the same mind while making the rules.
Rule number two, you should know at least ten authors with the names of their famous books like the back of your hand. This was important for not wasting time while customers were waiting.
Rule number three, preferably literature student or graduate from the same faculty. Because they had a better understanding of the book world.
Rule number four, somebody who could keep the store tidy while being clean himself, metaphorically and factually.
Looking at Taehyung’s resume, Yoongi crossed out every single rule he had that didn’t match the resume. He was left with a big zero displaying in his head. He sighed deeply.
“You can join from tomorrow.” He pushed the black rimmed glasses up on the bridge of his nose.
“For real?” Taehyung perked up.
“Yeah! be on time though. Sharp 11.” Yoongi dared to look into the pair of jolly eyes which disappeared behind a crease as Taehyung smiled ear to ear. Taehyung jumped on his toes as if he was launching himself on Yoongi for a hug but he paused in the middle as he realized how unofficial that was. He bowed instead, thanking repetitively.
A small smile crept up on Yoongi’s pale lips. He watched as Taehyung collect his resume and ran out of the shop excitedly.
Yoongi wouldn’t tolerate anyone violating the rules of his dearest bookstore. But he can break a rule or two right? Or to be accurate, all four of them right? Namjoon doesn’t have to know this or he wouldn’t stop sneering at him till his last breath
***
“Jiminie, my best friend, my dearest soulmate, my most favorite human being in this world,” Taehyung entered the threshold and was greeted by a towel being thrown at him furiously.
“Liar! Your most favorite human being in the world is your boyfriend, not me.” Jimin bellowed from the other side of the room.
“No! I mean yes but BOTH. Both of you are my most favorite people on earth. But that’s not the point Jimin-ah.” He vigorously rubbed off every single drop of water from his forehead and made his way straight to his shared wardrobe. He grabbed the first PJs he could get a hold of and ran towards the bathroom. He knew he would catch cold if he didn’t dry himself up in the meantime.
“Yeah, your best friend not being your favorite person is never the point.” Jimin huffed. It definitely was nothing serious in this household. They’d bicker over every single thing and patch up with cuddles minutes after.
Jimin and Taehyung met first when they were in middle school. They were inseparable ever since. Taehyung would have married Jimin at this point but it didn’t sit right with them. They were closer than best friends but little less than lovers. That’s why they named their unbreakable bond as platonic soulmates.
“If you are done with the dramatic takes of your favorite film class then I would like to announce I got the job.” Taehyung strode out of the bathroom and made a beeline towards Jimin. Jimin’s expressions changed within a nanosecond. His arms working on autopilot, opened wide to welcome Taehyung in a squishy hug. And Taehyung knew the signal. There are so many things in the world that Taehyung would refuse to do but Jimin’s hugs would never be one of them.
“You did? Oh my god finally!” Jimin screeched in Taehyung’s ears as he continued to squeeze him.
“Yes!!!” Taehyung affirmed.
“Is your boss cute?” Jimin slowly retracted from the hug to let his best friend breathe.
“Cute? Hm… the word won't do justice to describe him.” Taehyung quirked up his brow. “He is more like the softest adorable dumpling in the bowl of uneven ones.”
“Taehyung, my child, I wonder what he saw in you to allow you working there. You are very bad at metaphors.” Jimin fake cried on Taehyung’s shoulder. Taehyung hit him in the back fondly.
“The thing is he didn’t even interview me you know? I was freaking out for nothing.” Jimin looked up at him.
“You do realize it’s just a bookshop right? They don’t really do official interviews. They just need a resume and see the persona.” Jimin stated.
“But it’s still a high profile bookshop. It’s so posh and elegant. I actually memorized several Jane Austen’s quotes and Anton Chekhov’s verses just for the backup. In case he decided to measure my knowledge of books.” Taehyung countered.
“If he is a smart guy, he can tell by looking at your face that you aren’t the reader.” Jimin smacked Taehyung’s head and dragged him to the kitchen.
Taehyung exceedingly got lost in his thoughts. That could be true. The guy- shit he didn’t even ask for his new boss’s name. He lowered his head down on the table and cursed.
“I made us Gimbap and you just cursed at me.” Jimin served the dish.
“No, not at you. I just realized I’m so fucking dumb.” Taehyung looked up to the plate full of Gimbap and then in Jimin’s direction.
“Oh wow. Happy realization. I’ve been trying to establish this fact for past five years.” Jimin began to stuff his mouth. “Now would you do me the honor of telling me the reason behind this sudden self-awareness?”
“I forgot to ask my new boss’s name.” Jimin’s chopstick stopped in the mid-air.
“I swear to god…” and the rest of the conversation went by. Jimin was Taehyung’s personal therapist along with the strict yet softest advisor. Taehyung trusted him with everything he had. That was one of the thousand reasons why they moved to Seoul together after finishing high school in Busan.
Taehyung basically belonged to Daegu. He moved to Busan because of his dad’s transfer when he entered middle school. On the very first day in Busan, he met Jimin. He has been blessed ever since. He wouldn’t ever want to think his life without Jimin in it. Jimin has been an imperative part of his life.
***
“I don’t think so it’s that bad babe.” A sweet voice honey-like voice buzzed through the phone.
“No still,” Taehyung pouted, although Hoseok couldn’t see him, he could tell right from the change in the tone.
“Now stop pouting? I won’t be there to kiss that adorable pout away.”
Taehyung does end up laughing at his boyfriend’s antics.
Taehyung met Hoseok first when he visited Jimin’s workplace. Jimin started working in Seokjin’s flower shop right after they moved to Seoul. Taehyung didn’t have the need to work at that time until he went completely impecunious this semester and had to hastily look for a job. At first, he began to hang out with Hoseok just for a healthy and happy company. And one day it hit him with a bulldozer that besides Jimin, he only trusted Hoseok. Taehyung is easy when it comes to befriending him. But he wouldn’t completely trust anyone until he is sure he could trust that person with his videogames and marvel movies CDs collection. Somehow Hoseok turned out to be the person he would even risk his life with. Then and there, his buffering head worked faster than light and he knew he found the right one.
“So when is it again? 11 right? By what time you finish classes tomorrow? I’ll come to pick you up and drop you off to work.” There was a shuffling and then complete quiet.
“I finish em by 10 tomorrow. But I have to practice for upcoming recital ya know. And I don’t wanna be late for the first day either. So guess who’s skipping practice tomorrow.” Taehyung buried his face in the pillow. He felt like he will doze off at any moment.
“Umm. That’s fine. Can’t you guys reschedule it?”
Taehyung groaned inwardly. “You know how Ahn is. I can’t with his bullshit trust me. If I ever drop out under pressure, you know who to kill.”
“I will be right there to hold you in there okay? We ain’t dropping out. Remember it’s your dream every time he tries to mess with your head yeah? Don’t let him convince you otherwise.” Hoseok’s soft voice was everything Taehyung could use at that moment. He drifted off to sleep as Hoseok sweet talked to him. In this lifetime, besides his parents, Taehyung was grateful for Jimin and Hoseok in his life. He could bring them the stars and the moon but all they wanted was flowers and catch butterflies.