Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Minhyun gags for the fifth time, his head about to fall into the toilet bowl. He tries, and tries, but nothing's coming out after the first time. He's feeling more terrible each try and starting to taste the stomach acid filling his mouth. 

"Fuck, I might die here," he curses, sitting right next to the toilet bowl, groaning in agony.

He regrets taking the drink for his secretary at the party earlier, since he saw her hesitating when the other colleagues offered her one. As the CEO of the company, maintaining a gentleman's image is a must. Despite having extremely low alcohol tolerance, he still forced himself to empty the glass.

But guess what, fuck. His secretary ended up drinking more than him, and was still wide awake and well when Minhyun's already seeing stars.

It was after that that his secretary secretly whispered to him, that she hesitated because they offered her beer, which she didn't like, and not because she couldn't take it. 

Minhyun swears, he's feeling more embarrassed than sick.

Minhyun slowly pulls himself up while holding the walls of the cubicle. His legs are weak, his head is heavy, and his stomach is churning like crazy. He feels himself losing every bit of energy in him along with spinning vision, which eventually causes him to collapse midway.

He falls, but a tight grip around his arm and waist stops him from the impact with the ground. 

"Hey, are you okay? Can you stand?" a voice concernedly asks.

Minhyun can't seem to find the strength to open his mouth and speak, so he shakes his head desperately, hoping the person understands him.

He gets the signal and carefully sits Minhyun down outside the cubicle, at least making sure he's sitting up straight and getting decent air (because the cubicle now stinks). 

The other person must have noticed the fact that Minhyun is in his business suit, although his tie is already loosened and his shirt is messily tucked out.

"You're here with your colleagues? Should I call them?" the voice softly asks. Even when drunk and sick, Minhyun can't help but to catch how calming and assuring the voice is. But he's kinda attracted to it.

"Can you.. send me home?" Minhyun abruptly says, not realizing how stupid he sounds by asking a stranger to send him home. 

Minhyun's eyes are half-opened, but he can see the person lowering his head in hesitation at his sudden request. Of course, who would instantly agree to such thing?

"Urgh.." the discomfort hits Minhyun again as he clutches on his stomach. 

It's the wrong timing, but Minhyun suddenly feels the urge to vomit. Everything is rushing up from his stomach at once, he couldn't control himself.

He did, and passed out the next moment.

That's for sure, the last thing he would remember when he's sober.

Chapter Text

"Hwang Minhyun, you're finally awake? After all the mess you caused yesterday?" Sujin rolls her eyes at Minhyun who just stepped out of his bedroom.

Minhyun rubs his temple while trying to recall exactly what happened last night. His head still hurts from the hangover and his older sister nagging at him is not helping at all.

"If you can't drink then don't–"

"Wait noona, how did I get home? And you said I caused a mess?" Minhyun interrupts. 

Sujin crosses her arms and stares at him annoyingly, "My dear brother, you really can't remember?" 

Minhyun shakes his head in confusion, waiting for his sister to continue. 

"You came home reek of alcohol, and a boy brought you back. That poor boy, I think you threw up on him, but he was still smiling politely when handing you over."

Now Minhyun remembers. That voice, that guy.

"It was 2 in the morning, I was half awake when someone rang the doorbell hurriedly. The first thing that greeted me when I opened the door was my drunk brother in someone's arms. That boy was smaller than you, I swear you gave him a hard time, he was struggling while holding you."

Minhyun opens his mouth to say something that he wants to ask badly, but his sister cuts him off.

"Oh, and you puked on the floor again when you stepped in. I was seriously, desperately panicking at how to clean up the mess? The boy, he could've just left, but he stayed and offered to help me clean up. In the end, he left while drenched in sweat while wearing the stained shirt with your disgusting puke." she describes each scene so accurately. 

"Okay, but the important question now is, did you get his name? Or his contact? Or anything about him?" Minhyun finds the chance to ask when Sujin finally shuts up.

Sujin frowns displeasingly, she can't believe her stupid brother is asking her that. "No? You were whining like a baby and we were busy cleaning up while worried over whether you would puke again, why would I have time to ask all that?"

"But then, you should really find him and thank him. He said he doesn't even know you and met you in the washroom, and you brat had the guts to ask him to send you home? Wasn't Dongho at the party with you? You should–"

"Okay noona I think I'm having a headache I'm going back to sleep good night," Minhyun quickly escapes into his room before the nagging starts again. Urgh.

Minhyun sits on his bed, trying to picture the scene from last night. He honestly doesn't remember asking the stranger to send him home, but once again he was drunk, he could have been sprouting gibberish. But he does remember how sick he felt. Thanks to the stranger, he managed to make it home instead of dying in the washroom.

Minhyun is determined, he has to find out who he is. Putting aside his own personal desire (of being slightly attracted to his voice), it's basic courtesy that he should thank him in person and return him a favor. Oh, and apologize for staining his shirt. 

But, how is Minhyun going to find him? He doesn't know how he looks like, he doesn't know his name, he doesn't know shit except he was at the same bar last night.

"I swear, I will definitely find you."

Chapter Text

Minhyun returns to the company after the weekend. The half written report has been on his computer screen since morning, and Minhyun just couldn't find the willpower to finish it.

He spins in his roller chair, leaning his head on the headrest while spacing out. Several knocks came from his door, but he didn't even realize.

The door opens carefully and a guy walks in with files in his hands. He hesitates a bit before clearing his throat to catch Minhyun's attention.

"CEO Hwang, you need to sign these," he speaks respectfully, handing over the files. Minhyun scoffs jokingly as he signals him to leave them on the table.

"Yah Kang Dongho, what's with your attitude?" Minhyun grabs the top file and scans through the content before swiftly signing it, his eyes switching over to Dongho.

Dongho heaves a big sigh of relief before pulling the chair for himself. "Hwang Minhyun! I thought you're still mad at me or something. You didn't contact me over the weekend, I thought you're blaming me for the party that night."

"I indeed should blame you for hosting that goddamn party. I was so sick that night! But.." Minhyun rants but halts midway as he got reminded of the guy who helped him.

"But what?"

Minhyun feels a rush of emotion in his heart. It's urging him that he has to find the guy no matter what. Minhyun hates to admit, but he has never felt this way, never in his life.

"Dongho, I need your help. To find someone for me, an important person." Minhyun blurts out, catching Dongho off guard.

Dongho was about to question him back, but decides not to after noticing how serious he sounded. He figures that it's probably someone really important.

"Okay, give me the address–"

"I don't know that, so find out for me."

"Okay, then the person's name and–"

"I don't know that either."

Confusion is written all over Dongho's face, "Then what are the things you know?"

"He was the one who brought me home that night, which means he was at the same bar too."

Dongho chuckles dryly, giving Minhyun a bewildered expression, as if teasing him. "What the hell? That's not helpful at all? Okay at least you clarified that it's a he, but seriously dude, that's all you know?"

Minhyun sighs helplessly. Minhyun wishes he knows more too, but there's literally no information about him. At least he's certain that if he can at least get pictures of him, he can show it to his sister and she should be able to recognise him.

"Dongho-ya, I wouldn't need your help if I knew all of those. But please, I need to see him again. As my best friend, can't you help me?" Minhyun begs. Dongho raises an eyebrow, and Minhyun decides that the soft method wouldn't work.

"Okay. Now as your superior, I am commanding you, to do me this favor," Minhyun smirks in victory when he sees Dongho sends him a death glare for using his status in the company to 'threaten' him.

"And, I'll treat you Korean beef. And.. no weekly report for you this week!" Minhyun bets his last move of bribery will definitely shakes Dongho's easy wavering heart.

"Call! Wait for my good news!" Dongho accepts almost instantly with a wide smile. To Dongho, free food and less work sparks joy.

He gestures for Dongho to leave the room. He settles down again to organize his thoughts. He prays, Dongho will be able to find him. 

Hopefully before next week, before Minhyun leaves for his short business trip in Singapore.

Chapter Text

Dongho visits the same bar the next evening, hoping to find some information about the guy. Dongho is demotivated at the lack of details that Minhyun had given him.

Minhyun managed to pester his sister for more information though, even the slightest ones she can remember of. Sujin said that the guy is over 175 cm, was wearing a striped collared top and had soft black hair.

There were probably hundreds of people in the bar that night, it's impossible to find out which. Dongho is thinking, if he can get the CCTV footage at the entrance of the washroom, he might be able to at least get an image of the person. 

He approaches the staff at the counter, but she rejects his request since it isn't a formal investigation which would mean an invasion of privacy if she shows it to him. 

"Sorry but it's the company's policy, we can't show you the footage unless you're an official. We need to protect the privacy of the bar and customers. Please underst–"

"You know CEO Hwang Minhyun from Hwang & Co.? We held a big party here last weekend. He's a VIP here, and he sent me over for it. Can't you just give it to me?" Dongho is getting frustrated, but the staff doesn't waver.

"We're sorry, it's the same for everyone, even the VIP." she bows before motioning for Dongho to move to the side so she can attend to the upcoming customer.

Dongho is dejected. Honestly, he knew this is a mission impossible but his CEO, his darn best friend, is too stubborn and hates giving up. Sometimes, Dongho finds that part of him annoying. But his persistence is also one of the reasons the company could last till now. 

On the verge of giving up, Dongho turns his head to see a guy walking towards his direction. His eyes can't help but to notice his attire.

Striped collared top?

Although Dongho knows very well how half of the population in the world probably owns a striped polo tee, but he still decided to go with his gut feeling. 

At least even if he failed, he can tell Minhyun he tried.

He blocks the guy's way, scanning him from top to bottom. Sadly, the guy doesn't seem to be over 175cm. The guy stares at him weirdly, but still politely asks, "Sir, are you looking for something? Our bar has–"

"Wait, are you a staff here?" Dongho quickly catches the point. 

"Y–yes?"

"Does all the staff here wears the same striped collared top like you?" he points at the top's he's wearing.

"No, only bartenders like me do, why?" the staff replies. 

Something seems to click in Dongho's mind. If the person is able to access the washroom in the VIP area, which is private and restricted for the public, and was wearing a striped collared top... That means,

the person might be a bartender here. 

"Hey! I think I need your help! I need to find someone!" Dongho desperately calls out while grabbing the staff's hands, stunning him slightly.

"O–okay, I'll try?" 

"So you're saying, a colleague of mine might have sent your friend back home?" the bartender, who introduced himself as Aron, asks.

"I'm not exactly sure, but there's a chance it is. At least that's the only possibility for now," Dongho says. "Can you check who's working that day? He was there around 1am."

Aron enters the spreadsheet in his phone for the manpower schedule. He scrolls while scanning through, Dongho just staring him with anticipation.

"During that time, Seongwu and Daniel were the ones on shift at the VIP area. But you said that person has black hair?" Aron thinks for a while. "Then, it's not Seongwu because he has light brown hair. It's not Daniel either, he injured his ankle and was stationed at the bar counter all along, so he couldn't have carried your friend back."

Dongho frowns. "Could it be the other bartenders outside of the VIP area?" 

"Highly not, we usually don't step into other zones. And the washrooms are everywhere, why would he specifically go to the one at the VIP area?" 

Dongho sighs deeply. It seems like he might have been searching in the wrong direction. But once again, he's clueless, thanks to his damn friend.

"Wait," Aron suddenly breaks the silence. "If it was around 1am, there's a chance that it's someone from the previous shift who just handed over.."

"Give me a moment," he starts checking the spreadsheet again. Dongho doesn't expect much, since the previous one already led to disappointment. Maybe, he should just tell Minhyun he doesn't want the Korean beef anymore, and he would just burn the midnight oil for the weekly report again–

"Oh? Mingi and Jonghyun were working the shift before. But Mingi has blonde hair.. And Jonghyun.. Jonghyun.. has black hair!" Aron exclaims, taking Dongho by surprise.

"Really? Could it be him?" Dongho's voice is half doubting. 

"Jonghyun, he's very hardworking and helpful. I wouldn't be surprised if he went out of the way to send your drunk friend home," Aron says, lowkey bragging about one of his good friends.

Dongho had to convince Aron to send him a photo of Jonghyun, so that he could forward it to Sujin, who might be able to identify him. 

Sujin replies almost immediately, "YES! IT'S HIM!"

Dongho swears, he almost screamed out loud at the confirmation. Luckily, Aron stops him in time by reminding him he's in a public area. Not only he's getting free food, he is getting to sleep well this week. 

"Hwang Minhyun, you're going to thank me!" he softly yells, cheering as he takes Aron's hand while shaking them frantically. 

"C–calm do–"

"Now, how do I contact him?"

Chapter Text

After confirming with Aron, Minhyun finds out that Jonghyun will be working that night. He stands in front of the mirror and adjusts his tie, ensuring they are presentable. He lightly pats off the dust on his blazer. This time, Minhyun wants to present himself well in front of Jonghyun, unlike that night, where he was all ungroomed.

"Where is Kim Jonghyun working at?" he straightforwardly asks the staff at the counter, who was in the midst of doing her work.

"Jonghyun? I believe he's bartendering at the main bar today, just walk straight and turn left," the staff responds.

"Okay, thanks!" he speeds off almost immediately.

The main bar is not so crowded today, probably due to it being a weekday. He finds an empty table not far from the bar counter and sits down. 

"Sir, would you like to order?" a waiter comes over.

"A grapefruit mocktail, please," Minhyun keeps in mind how he should never unnecessarily drink anymore. 

While waiting, Minhyun's eyes wander off to the bar counter. There's a few customers sitting at the bar top table, and he can see a few bartenders too. 

He looks closely, trying to catch a glimpse of every single one of them. Now that he knows how Jonghyun looks like, he should be able to recognise him straight.

"Jonghyun-ah, can you pass me a new cocktail shaker?" a voice catches Minhyun's attention. Minhyun quickly catches on the conversation despite the loud music in the atmosphere.

"Okay!" someone replies, and Minhyun's eyes darts over to him. 

The person backfaces Minhyun as he reaches for the cabinet, bringing out a new set of equipment. His backview is pretty small built, and Minhyun can't help but to find it cute when he struggles to open the cabinet that is slightly beyond his reach. 

"Here you go, Seungcheol," Jonghyun finally turns around, allowing Minhyun to take a good look of his features. The puppy eyes that curves into an eyesmile when he laughs at his colleague's joke, the genuine smile he gives when serving the customers, and every other parts of him.

/Thumps/

Minhyun can feel his heart racing the longer he stares at Jonghyun. He doesn't even hear the waiter calling for him for his drink. 

Minhyun wonders, if this is the feeling of falling in love. 

Minhyun musters all his courage to move over to the bar counter. He discreetly takes the seat at the end, observing Jonghyun from afar. While sipping on his drink, his eyes never left Jonghyun. And perhaps, Minhyun is a bit too engrossed writing his own melodrama in his head, that he fails to realise that Jonghyun is now watching him.

"Are you.. looking for me?" Jonghyun walks closer.

Minhyun flinches at this voice, his gaze wavering, unsure where to look at. 

"N–no, I mean yes, wait I don't mean it that way. I–" Minhyun stammers involuntarily, messing up his lines real bad. "Ah shit.." he curses under his breath, but Jonghyun hears it and chuckles softly.

If Dongho is here, he would be mocking Minhyun for his ability to embarrass himself in front of the same guy, twice. The CEO who's always well composed in the company, is now stumbling over his own words. 

Minhyun's ears are flushing red and burning. His heart is beating so fast, and they sound so loud in his ears, he wonders if Jonghyun can hear them too. He hope not.

"Fuck it, just go for it," Minhyun thinks.

"Do you.. remember me?" Minhyun shyly asks, scratching his nape to ease his nervousness.

Jonghyun doesn't reply right away, but chuckles in retur  when he reads Minhyun's expression that's tensing up everytime their eyes meet.

"Of course, Minhyun-ssi, how can I not? I had a hard time washing my clothes that night," he jokes, hands still busy with his own work.

Minhyun wishes there's a hole for him to hide right now. Although he doesn't remember much from that night, but he knows from past experience that his drunk self is definitely unpleasant, and difficult to handle. Thinking of how he puked on a stranger, the stain, the smell.. As a clean freak himself, he would go berserk if it was him.

"Wait, how do you know my name?" 

"Oh, sorry about that but I had to look at your identity card for your address to send you home." Jonghyun replies.

"Ah.." Minhyun loses the chance to introduce himself, which he had originally planned to. After that, he will naturally strike a conversation, and then invite him for a meal. But now, Minhyun's plan is backfired.

Minhyun keeps his head down while trying to think of a backup plan. But fuck, the butterflies in his stomach are dominating his body, disrupting his thoughts. 

Which is why, Minhyun continues sucking on the straw off an empty glass with only ice. The sound of Minhyun slurping in the air around the ice cubes catches Jonghyun's attention. 

Jonghyun is a smart guy, he seems to understand something.

"Hey, you think you need another drink?" he asks, placing a glass of blue liquid in front of him. 

Minhyun looks up and blinks, "I can't drink alcohol, I might end up like that night.." his voice gradually gets softer. Minhyun definitely doesn't want history to repeat itself.

"I know, don't worry, this is blue lagoon, but non-alcoholic."

Minhyun gets reminded of that night. The same assurance in his voice still hits Minhyun in the feels. 

"By the way, I dropped by to say thank you, for taking care of me and sending me home that night. I heard from my sister that you cleaned up with her too. Also, I'm really sorry for dirtying your shirt. Maybe, I can pay you for it?" 

"It's fine, it's my responsibility as a bartender. I make sure my customers leave here safely, including you," he says. 

Minhyun is slightly disappointed. It sounds like Jonghyun didn't do that specially for him, but would have done it to anyone else in the same situation. Or maybe, Minhyun wasn't even the first customer he had sent home. 

However, Minhyun wonders if Jonghyun can read minds.

"But instead of paying me for the shirt, maybe, you can buy me a meal someday instead?" 

From the moment Minhyun entered, Jonghyun had noticed him from his position. Or should he say, he was waiting for him all along?

The taller guy sits down a short distance away. Jonghyun quickly calls for the nearest waiter, Soonyoung, to take his order, in which the latter did.

Jonghyun nudges his colleague beside him. "Seungcheol-ah, you know what to do?" he whispers. Seungcheol gets the hint and shows an OK sign, "Roger, watch me."

That was how Jonghyun manages to catch Minhyun's attention when his name is called out loud.

Jonghyun knows it worked when he saw Minhyun awkwardly moving to the end of the bar counter. 

Jonghyun has been preparing all of these since last night, after Aron gave him a call, telling him about his conversation with Dongho, and that a guy named Minhyun is searching for him.

Minhyun? 

The name rings in Jonghyun's mind instantly. How can Jonghyun forget the guy who threw up on him, whom he had a hard time carrying home.

The guy, whom Jonghyun noticed staggering along the corridor when he was about to knock off from work. The guy, whom Jonghyun caught in his arms right before he fell in the washroom. 

The guy, whom Jonghyun might have fell in love with at first sight.

Honestly, it never crossed Jonghyun's mind that Minhyun would be the one looking for him. Although Jonghyun knows very well his name and even address, Jonghyun would never have the confident to approach him first. He's just a bartender, and Minhyun is a CEO.

Jonghyun really thought that this would become one of his biggest regrets in life. But now, it's a chance for him.

"But instead of paying me for the shirt, maybe, you can buy me a meal someday instead?"

He sees Minhyun grinning, his heart about to burst while waiting for his reply.

"Sure, let's have a meal together when I return from Singapore, Jonghyun-ssi." 

So the real question is,

have they both found the right person in their lives?

Chapter Text

6 months later

"Minhyun, where are we going?" Jonghyun asks as he takes a sip of the vanilla latte.

Minhyun, eyes still focused on the road ahead, places his spare hand on Jonghyun's thigh.

"You'll know when we get there. But it's gonna be a long ride, just rest while I drive," he replies before his hand returns to the steering wheel again.

Jonghyun doesn't question further. He closes his eyes as he enjoys the soft r&b music Minhyun plays, slowly drifting into dreamland.

"Sleep tight, I love you."

But maybe, Jonghyun has regretted falling asleep. 

He didn't know, it could make a difference, such a big one.