Archive of Our Own

package one.

“What happened?” Subin stares at him critically as he walks through the door to their shared apartment, somewhat bewildered. “Uhh, Seungwoo?”

“Hmm?” Seungwoo startles to see Subin giving him a look.

Subin repeats the question.

“Nothing happened.”

Subin pauses, enunciating his words carefully and slowly for Seungwoo’s benefit. “You went out to grab our package. You’ve now returned.” A pause. “With no package.”

Oh.

Seungwoo looks at his roommate sheepishly, hand rubbing at the back of his neck, wincing. “I didn’t pick it up.”

“I can see that, Seungwoo.”

“I can explain.”

“Then start explaining.”

Seungwoo can’t really explain. Or at least not in a way that’ll make Subin stop giving him that look. He tries anyways. “So I went down to the campus post office to get our package, right?”

“Right.”

“And I was about to go in, but then I saw the boy who’s working at the mailroom through the door.” Seungwoo pauses before continuing, bracing himself for Subin’s judgment. “—and he was really pretty, so I just... left.”

“You’re joking.” Subin shoots up from the couch from lying to sitting, glaring at him. “Hyung, we need the AC unit. It’s like the hottest and most disgusting part of summer still. I’m melting right now, and I’m barely wearing anything.” Subin whines. “I’m literally sticking to the couch.” Subin moves his leg for added effect, the small squelch that occurs as he does.

Seungwoo pouts, attempting to garner some sympathy for his plight. “I couldn’t meet someone like him for the first time looking like this.” Seungwoo gestures to his outfit, perfectly okay for lounging at home and around friends, not okay for someone as pretty as the Mailroom Boy™ though, and certainly not for their first time meeting.

“...did you really just put your love life over my health and sanity?”

“I would never, Subin.” Seungwoo gives his roommate a helpless look. “I just came back to change first.”

Subin gives him another long hard stare. “Seungwoo, the mailroom is closed by now. It’s already 4pm.” A sigh. “Do you even know his name?”

“Do I have to know his name to be in love?”

Seungwoo steels his nerves, checking once again to make sure he looks properly good, still unsure though Subin had reassured him before leaving. Here goes nothing. The Mailroom Boy™ isn’t at the counter when he steps in, and Seungwoo is thankful for the few moments to gather his thoughts, feeling his palms already starting to sweat.

There’s a little silver call bell, and Seungwoo presses it, eager for the high pitched ding to conjure up the boy of his dreams in a poof, like a genie from a bottle. Except the Mailroom Boy™ is the wish.

It takes a moment to summon him, and Seungwoo feels the prick of Cupid’s arrow nudging him in the back between the shoulder blades as the Mailroom Boy™ rounds the corner and comes into view.

He's prettier than Seungwoo remembers, though he admittedly doesn't remember much, only catching the smallest glimpse of the boy yesterday through the little glass window at the door before turning tail to run. And it is with mildly abject horror that he realizes the Mailroom Boy™ is wearing a t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, the name of an obscure band half-faded on the front.

Horror because now Seungwoo has truly fallen in love, an unfortunate turn of events as he hasn’t even spoken to him yet, but what else is he supposed to do when there’s visible and elegant ink traveling up his arm and peeking out from under the ripped collar of his t-shirt.

The Mailroom Boy™ smiles blithely at him, elbows resting on the counter.

“How can I help you?”

And Seungwoo forgets for a moment that the question requires a response from him, the Mailroom Boy™ smiling at him patiently. “Uhh- yeah- I have a package.”

“Name?”

“Han Seungwoo.”

The other boy turns to the computer next to him, typing away at the keys, presumably to look up his package, and Seungwoo’s eyes are drawn to his fingers, a few of them adorned with silver rings, and if possible Seungwoo falls further in love.

“Aha, we have it. I just need to dig it out from the back. Wait here?” And Seungwoo inwardly swoons as the Mailroom Boy™ flashes him a smile, the upward curl of his lip at both ends giving him a particularly cat-like expression, the silver ring splitting his lower lip as his tongue flashes inside his mouth.

Seungwoo does, not sure what else to do anyways, as the Mailroom Boy™ disappears into the back, and Seungwoo notes that even in this heat, the other boy is wearing black jeans. Admittedly the mailroom is wonderfully air conditioned, both central and with the fan in the corner going full blast, but Seungwoo imagines it’s still probably uncomfortable. Speaking of AC…

The package itself blocks the entire upper half and face of the Mailroom Boy™ from his view when he returns, the only thing Seungwoo can see is the other boy’s hands clutching tightly at the box from the sides, the curve of his biceps, arms straining to carry it.

“I- do you need help- ?” Seungwoo struggles, trailing off, not sure what to address the Mailroom Boy™ as, the thought of using sir thankfully dying on his lips before it can escape his mouth. “It looks quite heavy.”

Seungwoo watches with a measure of concern, but the Mailroom Boy™ makes it to the counter gracefully, except for the last few moments where he endeavors to slide it onto the counter, an awkward maneuver.

The boy flashes him another smile, giving his package a pat on the top. “Found it, all the way in the back.” He taps at the keys on the computer, scanning the barcode on the label. “AC unit, huh. It’s for sure hot as hell out there.”

And Seungwoo needs to stop his tongue from slipping, his mind running faster than his mouth, the first words to come to mind you’re hot too, seemingly hardly appropriate for his current situation. And instead what comes out is more of a mumbled garble of words.

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.” Seungwoo perks up hopefully, eyes roaming the front area of the Mailroom Boy™’s clothing, hoping there might be an easily found nametag, stomach sinking when there isn’t. “Uhhh- mmm-” Seungwoo waffles, trying to think of the best way to ask for the boy’s name without sounding potentially creepy.

It turns out he doesn’t need to ask.

“Is this your first time here? May I have your student ID badge please?”

Seungwoo nods, handing it over.

“So there’s an online tracking system, connected to your student ID.” The Mailroom Boy™ gives him another smile, lip ring shiny. “You should be able to look up online whether your package is here before coming.” A pause. “Just to save a trip. My name’s Do Hanse by the way. It’s usually me or uhhh- actually I’m not sure of her name, she’s new, working here.”

Hanse digs a business card out from the register. “Here, these are the hours for the mailroom. And the number to call if you have a question.” He points at the phone on the way. “Which goes to that line.”

Seungwoo accepts his student ID back from Hanse. “If you ever need to send packages or mail, we have stamps and stuff here. But you gotta bring your own packing tape.” Hanse wrinkles his nose. “Not worth buying a whole new roll of tape here. We also sell boxes to send shit out in, but they’re ridiculously overmarked.”

He nods, still a little hung up on the way Hanse’s nose had twitched cutely.

“Thanks.”

And Seungwoo picks up his package, the thing heavier than he had expected, making his way towards the door where he realizes it’s nearly impossible to twist open the doorknob while keeping a firm grasp on the AC unit.

“Do you need help?”

“Uhhh, no, I’m fine.” Seungwoo replies weakly, watching Hanse disappear into the back again.

It takes him putting down the package, opening the door, propping it open with his foot, sliding the box through on the ground, to make it to the other side of the door. And Seungwoo is grateful that he manages to pull off the whole thing before Hanse returns to laugh at him.

“Thank god.”

Subin busies himself setting up the AC unit in their living room window, an assortment of tools laid out on the floor beneath him.

“Do you even know what you’re doing?”

Subin sniffs at him. “I watched a YouTube video.”

Seungwoo ends up lending a hand anyways, the whole process taking them almost an hour but well worth the effort by the end, the cold air blowing into their apartment to Subin’s sigh of relief.

“So how did things go with the pretty mailroom boy?”

Subin stares at him curiously. “You saw him, right?”

“His name’s Hanse, and he has a lip ring.”

“Is that all the detail you remember?”

Seungwoo shakes his head, mildly embarrassed. “I didn’t really get the chance to ask him anything else.”

Subin looks at him triumphantly. “Well, you’re about to get the opportunity bestowed upon you again. Because we need a mini-fridge for extra storage.” His roommate looks at him pitifully. “And maybe this time, you can learn more than just his name.”

Seungwoo sighs happily, thinking about seeing his Mailroom Boy™ once again.

package two.

Seungwoo is ready.

Nothing is going to stop him today. He’s already checked that his package is waiting in the mailroom and ready to pick up online. And he had waited until the day and time last week that he had seen Hanse, just to make sure the other boy is working.

(It’s not that strange. What would have been strange is if he had somehow found out Hanse’s work schedule through some careful stalking. But Seungwoo thinks this is a perfectly acceptable level of not-strange.)

Subin had spent the entirety of the week teasing him, even getting Sejun to join in when their friend had come over a few days ago. (Sejun had taken it upon himself to give Seungwoo flirting advice aka his so-called How to Capture a Stranger’s Heart 101, which Seungwoo had promptly ignored.)

He briefly wonders if he looks overdressed, specifically spending time trying to find an outfit that exudes I-look-good-but-without-trying-too-hard, but there’s no time to second guess himself, reaching the mailroom.

They’re not alone today, and Seungwoo goes to the back of the line, a few others in front of him, awaiting their turns. He tries not to let on that he's staring, hoping that his surreptitious glances are in fact as discreet as he thinks, eyeing his Mailroom Boy™ out of the corner of his eye. (No, he's not crazy, just hopeful.)

He’s pleased, noticing the professional-like polite aura Hanse exudes when speaking to the other students, and Seungwoo lets himself imagine that Hanse's brilliant wattage smile had only been for him. (Hey, a boy can dream.)

Somewhere in the middle of helping another person, Hanse catches sight of him, eyes lighting up in recognition, waving, and Seungwoo needs to resist the urge to point at himself to double check that Hanse hasn’t just gotten the wrong person by accident. The grin spills across his face without much prodding, and Seungwoo gives a small wave back, hoping he doesn’t look too silly waving to a boy that’s less than twenty feet in front of him.

“Hi.”

Seungwoo kicks himself mentally for sounding overly eager, but he can’t help himself. Today, Hanse is wearing fake clear thick frames, the glasses dwarfing his face, perched up high on his nose, and Seungwoo struggles to regain his focus in light of the realization that Hanse has a shallow well of a dimple in one cheek that he’s trying not to drown in, needing to finish the task at hand.

“I have a package I need to pick up.”

Seungwoo states the obvious and flushes when Hanse looks amused.

“My name’s Seungwoo.” He adds on, feeling as if he’s digging himself into an even deeper hole as the Mailroom Boy™’s smile widens even further, his eyes little half crescents. (Whether it’s a hole of embarrassment or love remains to be seen.)

“I remember.” Hanse pauses. “AC boy, right?”

Seungwoo supposes there are worse names to be remembered by.

He nods.

“Let me find your package.”

Seungwoo watches as Hanse clicks a few buttons, taps a few keys on the computer before murmuring a noncommittal mmm and making his way to the back. It doesn’t take long for Hanse to return, and the other boy has a wry expression on his face, teeth catching at his lower lip where his lip ring is.

“Seungwoo, I think you forgot to mention what exactly your package was.”

The Mailroom Boy™ stares at him with a mixture of exasperation and mirth. “How exactly were you planning on taking your package away?”

“Uhhh- carrying it?”

Seungwoo gapes at Hanse in confusion, not quite sure where the line of questioning is going.

“Seungwoo—” Hanse looks at him, not unkindly. “—your package is way too big for you to carry it back yourself.”

A pause.

“Did you bring like- a cart or something? With wheels maybe? To roll?”

Seungwoo shakes his head mutely, thoughts running over one another in his head, mostly consisting of why didn’t I think of that and unfortunately being pushed to the side by he must think I’m so stupid. Neither of which are helpful at the moment.

“Uhh- okay.” Hanse checks his phone. “We’re actually closing in about 30 minutes.”

He feels his stomach sink, hoping that this isn’t an indication that Hanse is annoyed with him. Or shooing him away.

“Mm.” The other boy glances back up. “If you don’t mind waiting till then. I think I can help you.”

It feels like a win, and Seungwoo beams at Hanse, nodding gladly.

Seungwoo spends the next thirty minutes lurking in the corner, trying to not look too conspicuous or creepy while waiting for Hanse to finish. And trying not to look too eager each time Hanse's gaze slides over to him as he's helping other students, giving him a smile.

It is a long thirty minutes.

"Hey Seungwoo, you can come back here now." Hanse beckons him, opening the side door to the mailroom to let him in. And Seungwoo follows the other boy, making their way past the student mailboxes, into the adjoining room.

And now Seungwoo realizes exactly what Hanse had meant, his package pushed up against the far wall, clearly the biggest thing in the room.

"It's not absurdly heavy." Hanse points out. "But I don't think it'll be very comfortable to carry because of the size."

The other boy is right. Even if he could wrap his arms all the way around it, the experience getting back to his apartment would not be pleasant in the slightest.

The screech makes Seungwoo turn, watching as Hanse pulls out a hand truck from the corner, tucked away next to the shelves. It easily unfolds, and Hanse gestures at him.

"Help me get it on the hand truck?"

A bit of maneuvering and a few swears later, and they're on their way.

Are you allowed to take this out of the mailroom? It's fine as long as I bring it back later. Lead the way.

Seungwoo glances at Hanse as they walk, the other boy falling mostly silent after asking which way to his apartment, and by the time he thinks of anything of interest to say at all, they're already standing in front of his apartment building.

(He was going to start off with what's your major, but alas, too late. Definitely somewhat aghast that it took him so long to think of that opener.)

(But Seungwoo admits he had been more interested in stealing looks at his Mailroom Boy™ than coming up with something charming to say. Mostly awestruck at how pretty he is. Even more so today with the light creamy beige sweater top thrown over a pair of jeans, big brown buttons up the front.)

(He looks soft. And Seungwoo is smitten.)

It isn't until they are already through the front door to the building that Seungwoo panics. Remembering suddenly about the state of his apartment. And oh God, Subin. He can't recall if his roommate is out or in, and the thought of Hanse unexpectedly showing up fills Seungwoo with a bit of dread—not having forgotten how Subin had been teasing him (to death) for his crush this past week.

"You- you don't have to come up." He blurts out in his haste, only to be met with an amused look from Hanse.

"But then how'll you get your package up to your apartment?"

Fair point.

It takes a bit of squeezing to fit in the elevator, and to his abject embarrassment, the little old lady that lives down the hall asks him whether he’s dating someone, unabashedly giving Hanse a once over in excitement. Seungwoo wants to sink into the floor, but Hanse takes it all in stride, and by the time they get to the 7th floor, Hanse and Mrs. Kim are seemingly best friends, their neighbor leaving Hanse an open invitation to come visit her cats.

“She was nice.” Hanse grins at him.

(He tries not to think about the fact that Hanse smiled when Mrs. Kim had asked about his dating prospects. Maybe it’s a good sign.)

Seungwoo struggles opening the door to his apartment, for some reason, the key not quite turning the right way, and he can feel his cheeks flushing as Hanse patiently waits for him to figure. it. out.

—only to open the door to the sight of Subin and Sejun, who both turn around simultaneously as he walks in, Hanse trailing behind him with the package. Seungwoo tries to signal wildly with just his eyes—both of his friends appearing far too shocked to come off as normal, and thankfully, Subin shuts his mouth before Hanse turns around.

“Oh, hi.” Hanse glances around at them, unsure. “Where do you want this, Seungwoo?”

“Uhh-” Seungwoo motions at Subin to help him out. “Where do we want to put it, Subin?”

“Over here?” Subin points to just a good of a spot as any, tucked in the corner next to their kitchen table, before turning to peer at Hanse intently and pointedly, to Seungwoo’s mortification. “You must be Hanse.”

Hanse raises an eyebrow curiously but doesn’t ask, just nodding before pitching the question to Seungwoo. “Can you help me with the package?”

They end up doing an awkward dance around one another, trying to decide the easiest way for them to pick the box up. And Seungwoo can feel Sejun and Subin’s gawking burning a hole into the back of his neck.

“Uhh- over, over, a bit to the right.” Seungwoo shuffles his feet, letting the sound of Hanse’s voice guide him to where he needs to be. (It’s a very nice voice, he thinks.)

They set it down.

“Sooo, Hanse, are you single?” A shriek. “Ow.”

Seungwoo glares at Sejun from behind Hanse’s back, Sejun ruefully rubbing at his side where Subin had (presumably) elbowed him to shut him up on Seungwoo’s behalf. “Why?” And Seungwoo’s eyes widen as Hanse stalks right up to Sejun, getting within a few inches of the other boy’s face, going up on his tippy toes, staring directly at Sejun with a playful look on his face, eyes bright. “Are you going to ask me out?”

To Seungwoo’s delight, Sejun turns as red as a tomato, stammering, at a loss for words at the sudden gesture. (Ha, serves him right.) “Uhh- “

Hanse relaxes back on his haunches as if he hadn’t done anything out of the ordinary, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“But the answer is yes. For whoever-” Hanse waves his hand in the air vaguely. “-might be interested.”

(Seungwoo is very much interested.)

“You didn’t tell me he would do that.”

“What do you mean? It’s not like I knew he would do it.”

“...bold, very bold of him.”

A snort.

“You’re just upset that he managed to catch you by surprise.”

“Not true.”

Another voice joining.

“At least you know he’s single.”

“What use is knowing if he’s not going to do anything about it?”

“...shut up.”

package three.

Seungwoo doesn’t mean to leave everything till the last minute, fully expecting that he wouldn’t need any textbooks for the first week at least. Because what professor would be sadistic enough to spring a quiz on them so soon? Apparently Seungwoo’s. He had even swung by the school library, feeling somewhat panicked, the nice student worker at the front desk Byungchan regrettably informing him that all school copies of his books had already been loaned out.

Undoubtedly because Seungwoo isn’t the only one to make the mistake.

Byungchan had apologized profusely, even kind enough to walk over to the stacks with him to double-check. Sometimes the system messes up, maybe we have them. But to no avail.

So it is with a heavy heart that Seungwoo ends up unsuccessfully scouring Amazon for a good price on his textbooks (but at least there’s one day shipping!), wincing at the total before punching in his credit card information. He’s really hoping that maybe he can return them after finding a cheaper deal elsewhere, maybe next week.

It isn’t until later he realizes that getting another package means seeing Hanse again tomorrow.

(Subin gives him a weird look when he does a little dance in the kitchen upon realizing, but no matter. All Seungwoo feels is elation.)

“Hi, Hanse.”

Seungwoo is pleased that they’re on a comfortable first name basis now, the other boy echoing his greeting back with a hello, Seungwoo, and giving him a smile. “What can I do for you today?” A pause. “You’re here for a package, right?”

Damnit, his next line, stolen.

He nods wordlessly, adding on. “They should be— uhh— textbooks.” He gulps, now thinking of how many exactly he ordered. Too many, the answer is too many. “—it might be a bit heavy.”

Hanse lets out a light laugh that makes his heart (somewhat) clench.

“I expected as much. Let me go check in the back.”

Seungwoo hums as he waits for Hanse to return, his stomach dropping as he sees the other boy round the corner with his package. To be fair, he doesn’t remember buying quite so many textbooks, the package quite overbearing in Hanse’s arms and long, the other boy cradling it carefully.

Hanse sets it down on the counter before asking for his student ID, typing. “Are you sure you just bought textbooks?”

A dubious look, not unwarranted.

“Uhh— I’m pretty sure.” Seungwoo replies weakly, trying to rack his brain for what else possibly could be in the box besides his books for Urban Development 101 and Sustainable Cities, but he comes up with nothing.

“Sooo, the textbooks...what are you studying?” Hanse looks at him with genuine curiosity, elbows resting on the counter, leaning forward, chin cupped in his hands, the slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Just wondering.”

Seungwoo thinks on how to explain Urban Planning as best as he can and ends up with his default simplification. “I study Geography.” A pause before continuing. “Not Geology. Though I wouldn’t mind studying rocks, I guess.”

This time the laugh is fuller, brighter.

“I know the difference between Geography and Geology, Seungwoo.” Hanse replies amusedly. “But since I highly doubt your major is actually just Geography, what do you really study?”

“Oh, umm, Urban Planning.” Seungwoo says hesitantly, and when Hanse makes no move to stop him, he continues eagerly, launching into a description of what he’d like to do for the future after graduating, buoyed by the kind and interested look Hanse is giving him, the other boy nodding periodically as he talks.

“...and that’s pretty much it.” He finishes lamely, an awkward chuckle, realizing too late that he’s been talking for way longer than is probably considered socially allowed at the mailroom counter. (At least no one had come in to pick up a package in the interim, Seungwoo supposes.)

“What’s your major?”

And Seungwoo gasps (inaudibly, hopefully) when he sees Hanse’s face light up. “I’m an art major, working mostly with oil paints.” Hanse bites his lower lip. “I actually have a big piece I’m working on right now. I’m hoping I can get it included in the student exhibit at the end of the semester.”

He nods though he’s not quite sure what it means, echoing back. “I hope it works out for you. I’m sure you’re really talented.”

Hanse’s cheeks turn pink, and Seungwoo’s chest flutters.

“Thanks for picking up my package, hyung.”

Subin nearly bowls him over as he enters the apartment, helping to relieve him of the large box as he takes off his shoes at the door.

“What do you mean, your package?”

“Since you were ordering anyways, I added on my purchase so it could be shipped together.”

Seungwoo tries to give Subin a look of disbelief mixed with sternness, but the other boy has already turned away and is paying him no mind, laying the box out on the floor, ready to have at it with a box knife.

He groans. “You made me look a bit crazy in front of Hanse.” Seungwoo whines. “Who orders textbooks that come in a box that big?”

Subin seems a lot less apologetic than Seungwoo thinks he should be, shrugging at Seungwoo’s clear embarrassment.

(It turns out Subin had bought an electronic keyboard, which Seungwoo doesn’t have the heart to be angry about after the first hour or two. So sue him, he’s had a lot of practice giving in to Subin’s whims.)

package four.

Seungwoo decides that stocking up on food from Amazon is not in fact a clever ploy to see Hanse again, rather it is entirely necessary and of utmost importance. After all, food is sustenance, and he’s simply making sure that he (and Subin) will be well-fed just in case anything happens.

(He also impulsively adds on extra of each item. It couldn’t hurt. Probably. And then some household items too. Because why not.)

“Hyung, why are you buying so much food?” Subin looks over his shoulder, peering at the screen. “Are you expecting an apocalypse or something?”

Seungwoo reflexively shifts his screen away so Subin can’t continue judging him, replying defensively. “We should probably buy stuff in advance if we can, so we don’t need to pick it up all the time at the grocery store.”

Subin gives him a skeptical look.

“And it’s cheaper.” Seungwoo struggles to provide a better reason.

“Do you really need to get that many energy drinks right now? That’s enough for like a whole semester, hyung.”

“I want to be prepared.” He insists.

“Well, I suppose we’ll definitely be prepared if we can’t somehow buy toilet paper for a year.” Subin looks mildly alarmed at the quantity number next to each item. “Are you sure you want to buy all of this? I mean, it’s up to you, but—”

Seungwoo glances at Subin, somewhat chastened, not meeting his roommate’s gaze. “I already bought it.”

A knowing look.

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with seeing Hanse again, would it?”

Seungwoo can only make a noncommittal noise in return.

(So yes, it has to do with Hanse.)

Seungwoo hasn’t seen him since the last time he’d had a package (e.g. his textbooks), and after a few weeks of thinking on it, the best solution he had come up with is to...well, order another package.

(Okay, so no one claimed it was a good solution. But what else is Seungwoo to do in order to bump into the other boy again besides getting another package to pick up?

It’s not as if he wants to creepily hang out around the art building on campus until he “randomly” bumps into Hanse. The majority of his classes are on the opposite side of campus, and really, it’s hard to come up with a believable excuse.)

He really wishes he had gotten Hanse’s number in hindsight.

Especially now, after seeing the expression on Hanse’s face as he quietly surveys the number of packages Seungwoo has. He fully admits that he might have gone just a bit overboard.

Okay, maybe more than a bit.

The little, or not so little, tower (yes, there’s a tower) of packages is almost as tall as Hanse himself. In fact, it reaches about 80% of Hanse’s full height, and for the first time, Seungwoo thinks maybe Subin had been right. (About him going to ridiculous lengths, not about his plan to woo Hanse. Seungwoo refuses to lose faith in that part of his scheme.)

“Uhhh, Seungwoo?”

Hanse, to Seungwoo’s relief, doesn’t look too put out.

“I think we’re going to need more than just the hand truck.” The other boy stares him down, offering a practical solution. “Do you know anyone on campus with a car?”

“N-no.” He acknowledges, dejected. “I...wasn’t really thinking when I bought all this stuff. Maybe I should have split it up into multiple orders.”

Hanse nods at him, hiding a laugh behind one hand. “I think so too.” A pause. “Well...I’m not one to leave anyone in a bind if I can help it. Especially not when it’s a hot guy. Let me make a call really quick.”

By the time Hanse comes back, Seungwoo still hasn’t moved on from turning hot guy over and over in his head, rooted to the ground with delighted pleasure at the compliment, having not moved an inch, and he doesn’t snap out of his reverie until Hanse speaks.

“So, my friend said he’d do me a favor and let us borrow the car.” Hanse tilts his head to the side in a manner that Seungwoo finds all too attractive, his sweater slipping to the side for a glimpse of Hanse’s collarbones, the curve of his shoulder. “That is, if you wanna wait for me?”

Seungwoo can definitely wait.

Hanse’s friend is named Chan, and he doesn’t really even grumble when handing over the keys to his car to Hanse, a small beat-up Toyota, and Seungwoo decides that makes him nice. “Just return it when you’re done.”

“Thanks, Chan.”

Seungwoo watches as Hanse gives the taller boy a quick hug and grin, trying not to let the unwelcome tinge of jealousy cloud his view. “Yeah, yeah. And let me know if you’re coming back for dinner later.” Chan gives him a curious look but doesn’t ask, simply stating. “Or if you’re eating with your friend instead.”

“I’ll text you.”

It takes them longer than expected to load everything into Chan’s car, needing to figure out the best way to fit all of Seungwoo’s packages in, like playing Tetris in the trunk and backseat. And Seungwoo is thankful that Hanse doesn’t complain, though he’s definitely putting in extra work (and it’s not like Seungwoo is paying him).

Seungwoo barely fits his long frame into the passenger seat, his legs bent awkwardly, hand automatically reaching down to look for a way to adjust the seat.

“Sorry.” Hanse looks at him apologetically. “It’s jammed, so I don’t think the seat’s gonna slide back any more. Been trying to tell Chan to fix it for a while. Seungsik is always so uncomfortable when he sits there too.”

He freezes and holds his breath as the other boy leans across his body, hand grabbing at Seungwoo’s seatbelt, a rueful look on his face. “The passenger side seatbelt is also finicky. Sorry.”

It’s a short ride to Seungwoo’s place, over before he can even think of a good conversation starter. (He regrets that he already asked Hanse about his major last meeting.)

And when Hanse parks in front of his apartment building, the both of them seem to realize at the same time that there’s no way to avoid multiple trips. (Seungwoo really hopes he can think of something to talk about between now and Hanse leaving.)

The first trip, and of course, they bump into his nosy neighbor in the elevator again, and the feeling of deja vu overtakes him.

“Hanse!” Mrs. Kim’s eyes light up in recognition as soon as she sees the other boy, and Seungwoo tries not to groan aloud (just inwardly).

“Hi, Mrs. Kim.” Hanse smiles at her cheerfully, and Seungwoo finds it equal parts endearing and horrifying that Hanse seems all too comfortable in her presence. “How are your cats? Lulu and Coco, right?”

“You remembered.” And for the rest of the ride, Seungwoo listens to Mrs. Kim jabber on enthusiastically about her pets, giving Seungwoo sly glances once in a while that he tries very hard to ignore.

When they’re finally alone, Mrs. Kim disappearing into her apartment around the corner, Hanse lets out a huge sigh of what Seungwoo interprets as relief. “What’s wrong?” Seungwoo teases, his mouth quirking into a small grin. “Couldn’t stand having her talk your ear off any longer?”

Hanse gives him a pained look, followed by a pout. (Seungwoo pretends as if the pout doesn’t make his heart beat just a tiny bit faster.)

“Actually, I’m deathly afraid of cats.” Hanse confesses. “And I was halfway scared that she was going to drag me into her apartment to meet hers right there and then.” The other boy casts him a worried look, cheeks pinkening. “I hope you don’t think I’m absolutely ridiculous.”

(Seungwoo doesn’t think Hense is ridiculous. In fact, he finds it rather cute.)

“No, not at all.”

Seungwoo strikes a pose.

“And next time, I’ll help protect you and ward her off, I promise.”

He’s rewarded with the sound of Hanse’s laughter.

The second trip, it becomes evident just how overboard Seungwoo had taken it, Hanse raising an eyebrow upon realizing as they both have their arms filled solely with...ramen. Four huge boxes worth, two each.

Hanse gives him somewhat of a pointed look, teasing. “라면 먹고 갈래? Want to eat ramyeon?** Do you ask that a lot?”

The implication isn’t lost on Seungwoo, and he nearly drops the ramen he’s carrying, the strong urge to try and hide his face in his hands running through him, feeling the heat warming his cheeks, the back of his neck, the tips of his ears, shaking his head frantically.

He really hopes he isn’t too red.

“N—”

And he’s about to respond when Subin chooses the most inopportune moment to open the door for them, a helpful-but-not-so-helpful gesture.

“Ah, hyung, thanks for buying so much ramen. I feel like we’ll run through this in less than a month.”

Seungwoo groans at the mirth dancing in Hanse’s eyes, Subin flicking his gaze back and forth between the two of them.

“Did I miss something?”

They end up clumsily standing in front of the door to his apartment after all the packages are brought up, Seungwoo self-consciously coughing in an attempt to ease the tension. (It doesn’t really work.) And Hanse’s just staring at him, almost expectantly, as if he’s waiting for Seungwoo to say something.

“Uhh— thanks for all your help again.” It seems like an appropriate start, but Seungwoo sees Hanse’s face fall somewhat, and he quickly backtracks, trying to smooth over whatever he can think of. “—and I— uhh, I don’t really do the uhhh— “ He swears in his head as he feels himself turning red again in the cheeks. “—the ramen thing, I don’t.”

The smile makes its way onto Hanse’s face again, and Seungwoo is relieved.

“I know. I was just teasing you.” Hanse pauses for a moment. “And don’t sweat it. I was happy to help you out.”

Seungwoo practically stops breathing when Hanse grabs his hand, a pen appearing out of nowhere with a click! and he finds himself in the next moment with a number scrawled prettily over his palm.

“Just—” Hanse shrugs. “—if you ever need my help again.”

Then the other boy is gone, disappeared into the elevator that somehow is much faster than Seungwoo remembers it ever being, and he doesn’t even get the chance to say a word back.

Subin doesn’t stop talking about it for the rest of the night.

(Seungwoo cannot muster up the courage to call him.)

(It’s been two weeks. Then three.)

(He seriously considers ordering another package off Amazon as an excuse but decides against it after spending an entire sleepless night fretting about whether he’s already missed his chance. After all, three weeks is a very long time. Maybe too long.)

package five.

Seungwoo is still agonizing over how to move his plan to woo Hanse forward when he gets the email. Surprisingly, from Hanse. (Okay, not from Hanse, from the school mailroom, but Seungwoo wants to believe it’s Hanse that sent it.)

You have a package that has yet to be picked up in the mailroom. It has been here for a total of seven (7) days. If you fail to retrieve it before fourteen (14) days are up, it will be returned to the sender.

Apparently, he has a package waiting for him in the mailroom.

Seungwoo does not remember ordering anything.

(And he definitely would remember, he thinks.)

“Well, you should go pick it up, right?” Subin points out, all too logically. “Maybe you just forgot, hyung. Either way, it would be a waste not to check it out if you spent money on it.”

Seungwoo protests.

“I don’t even know what it is.”

Subin eyes him critically. “—you’re just trying to avoid seeing Hanse now that you’ve screwed up your chance.”

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“Am not.”

He sighs, giving Subin a pout, a gentle plea. “Would you come with me?”

“Not a chance in hell.”

Subin softens, and Seungwoo imagines he must look pretty pitiful right now.

“It’ll be okay. I mean, he gave you his number, he’s probably still interested.” Hesitation. “Even if you did ghost him for three weeks.”

Seungwoo groans.

“It could always be worse, hyung.”

Seungwoo doesn’t imagine it could possibly be worse when he shows up at the mailroom, waffling outside of the door for ten minutes like a stranger before gathering the guts to go in, catching a peek of Hanse through the door. (He sort of wants to run out when he realizes no one else is there, and they’re alone. But too late now.)

“Hi, Hanse.”

“Hi, Seungwoo.”

Seungwoo doesn’t quite know where to look. (He feels a thrum of sadness when he realizes Hanse hasn’t smiled at him yet.) There are words that he’d like to say, but they seem to be eluding his tongue.

“Let me go get your package.”

He deflates somewhat as soon as Hanse disappears around the back, trying to think of some way to salvage whatever-this-is.

(He really regrets not reaching out to Hanse now. But really, it’s not that he didn’t want to—he had just been overwhelmed with What To Do Next™. In any case, Hanse’s number is still written in the planner on his desk, so it’s not as if he forgot. No, not at all.)

“Here we go.”

“Oh.”

The surprise seems to get to Hanse, the other boy finally breaking out into a minute smile at him. “To be honest, I had to double check that it was yours. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you come and pick up a package this small.”

“Don’t worry, I’m just as confused as you are.”

Hanse’s eyebrows draw together in consternation, and Seungwoo suddenly finds the need to spill everything and bare his soul. “I— well, I don’t remember ordering anything. So, I actually have no clue what’s inside.” He trucks on hurriedly, the desperation to get out an apology overtaking him.

“And— uhh— I actually wanted to say sorry, for, you know, not texting you or something. Even after you gave me your number and stuff. I wanted to— I just wasn't sure what to, uhh— say.”

Seungwoo trails off lamely.

(Hanse’s smile had gotten wider the longer he talked though. Seungwoo hopes that it’s a good sign.)

A bit breathless.

“You said to reach out if i needed your help, and I, uhh— wasn’t really sure if that meant I could just...message you for other things.”

Hanse grins.

“Hand me your phone.”

“Huh?”

He hands it over without thinking anyways. And Hanse makes a ‘tch’, holding it out for him to unlock it first. “You didn’t even put my number in your phone?” The other boy sounds vaguely amused, and Seungwoo shakes his head before realizing Hanse can’t see his silent response, fingers quickly tapping at the screen on his phone.

Seungwoo clears his throat. “Uhh, I was going to, but I didn’t get the chance.”

“Here.”

Hanse hands it back, and Seungwoo notices that today the other boy’s nails are painted black.

(It makes him gulp, the back of his throat a bit dry. And that’s not even counting the fact that Hanse is wearing some off-the-shoulder-but-both-shoulders thing today along with pearls circling his neck. Seungwoo tries not to stare at Hanse’s bare collarbones. He’s not sure he’s succeeding. Seungwoo notes that Hanse has more tattoos than he had originally thought.)

“Now that you officially have my number, you can text me for help or anything else you’d like.” Hanse taps the side of his wrist with his finger. “I accept anything in the way of cat videos, memes, song recs, really anything you want to say.” Another grin. “No judgments.”

“I thought you didn’t like cats.”

The casually thrown out statement makes Hanse blush. “I’m not good with real, live cats, but cute animal videos are fine.”

Hanse taps the top of his package.

“But, what do you want to do with this?” A pondering look. “If you don’t remember ordering anything, maybe something just got sent to you by accident? In that case, you’re gonna want to return it anyways. Did you check your Amazon account history?”

Seungwoo kicks himself for not doing something so obvious. (Nevermind that he had been too busy thinking of how to not make an utter fool of himself when seeing Hanse again. But Hanse doesn’t need to know that.)

“No, I forgot to.” His face burns somewhat.

“Well,” Hanse gives him a thoughtful look. “If you want to open it here and check, we could just repackage it for return if it’s a mistake.” He adds on. “So you don’t have to make another trip to the mailroom unnecessarily.”

(Seungwoo decides not to share the information that he doesn’t mind coming if he gets to see Hanse.)

Hanse seems keen though, and Seungwoo isn’t one to argue.

“Okay, let’s open it up.”

Seungwoo would like to die, preferably by way of vanishing into a sinkhole that he hopes will open up at the ground right beneath him, and preferably now.

Hanse hasn’t stopped laughing yet, the other boy doubled over and looking to be losing the battle with himself to gain his composure back. Each time Hanse almost manages to, the tip of his nose twitches, the light giggles start, and then in a matter of seconds, the other boy is breathless again.

This is not how he had hoped to be remembered.

Not by Hanse or by anyone else really.

Inside the package is a—

He can’t even bring himself to say it out loud.

(Seungwoo thinks it first. And then whispers it aloud.)

—vibrator.

“I didn’t order this.”

Hanse has still not stopped laughing, and Seungwoo would really like to disappear. He waits patiently for the other boy to catch his breath again, a little snort and hiccup coming out at the end, Hanse rubbing the tears of laughter from his eyes. (Even in the midst of his laughing fit, Seungwoo can’t help but think Hanse is too cute for his own good. It’s the beret, definitely the beret today.)

“Are you sure?”

Hanse shoots him a wide-eyed innocent-but-not-so-innocent look, picking up the box and reading off the side.

“You’re sure you didn’t want—” A pause. “ —six modes of throbbing independent vibration? It is even USB rechargeable, and a full charge will provide up to one full hour of enjoyment.”

Hanse smiles at him cheerfully, all perfect teeth and shiny lips and oh, that dimple again.

“Did you hear that, Seungwoo? An hour of entertainment.” Seungwoo groans as Hanse wiggles his eyebrows at him suggestively, giving up on hiding his face, not sure if it’s possible to get any redder anyways.

“Ooo, it’s even temperature sensitive.”

“Please.”

Seungwoo pleads for mercy, and Hanse seems content to let him off for now, having his fill of fun. “Okay, I assume you want to return this though?” Hanse cocks an eyebrow at him inquisitively. “Unless you want to keep it?”

“No, definitely returning it.” He says firmly, sighing in relief as Hanse snaps back into business mode to help him send the damn thing back.

He’s still red when he returns to the apartment.

(Subin laughs even longer than Hanse had. And after some asking around, Seungwoo finds out it had been Sejun who had ordered it, as an in-the-moment joke. Hyung, I thought I cancelled the order. I’m so sorry. Seungwoo really should not have given out the password to his account to the two of them. At least, he got his money back.)

He ends up getting a goodnight text from Hanse (their first text!), and it gives Seungwoo a fuzzy feeling on the inside, even if it does reference his unfortunate event from earlier.

plus, one more package.

“So when are you going to ask him out already?”

“Hmm?” Seungwoo looks up from his phone, burying the tail end of a laugh in his sleeve from the last meme Hanse had sent him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’ve been messaging back and forth with the Mailroom Boy™ for weeks now, and the furthest you’ve gotten to a date is going to the mailroom to see him every time you have a package.”

“I—” Seungwoo flushes at the call-out from his roommate. “—I’m getting to it, okay?”

“Could you possibly get to it any sooner?”

“Mm.”

“Hyung.”

Subin gives him a very, very pained expression.

“Our apartment is quite literally going to explode if you don’t ask him out soon.” Subin waves at their living room, and Seungwoo tries very hard to ignore. the. problem. Which is exceedingly hard since Subin seems to be very insistent on pointing it out today. “You can’t possibly keep ordering shit online every day just as an excuse to go see him.”

Seungwoo does not see the problem.

“It’s not even stuff you need.”

Subin whines again.

“Seungwoo, just look at it. Look at it.”

Okay, so maybe their living room is half-filled with unopened packages that yes, Seungwoo had in fact ordered with things he’s sure he’ll use eventually, maybe, something in the not-so-distant future. Some of the piles are getting rather tall though.

“Please, hyung, just ask Hanse on a date already.”

(Seungwoo has to think about it, some more. He’s been having a very difficult time coming up with the most appropriate way to ask Hanse out. After all, there’s a fine line between Very Romantic™ and cheesy. And Seungwoo would very much prefer to fall into the former category.)

(His friends had been of no use. Subin had told him to ask through text. Which, to be fair, perhaps it is only due to his roommate being fed up with his constant struggle. And Sejun had suggested he hire one of the university acapella groups to serenade him with a song. Seungwoo had shut that one down fairly quickly.)

“Oh, wait.” The realization strikes Seungwoo like a thunderbolt. “I think I have another package to pick up.”

Subin groans.

It’s not as if things haven’t been going well.

Seungwoo has spent the last few weeks floating on cloud nine, unable to stop his unadulterated glee each time he sees a new message notification from Hanse pop up on his phone. Most of it is just back-and-forth about their day, but it warms Seungwoo’s heart nevertheless. (He likes to think that they’re becoming closer.)

And perhaps Subin is right, just a little bit, as he admittedly has been ordering lots of packages lately. (Each time Seungwoo thinks of stopping, he thinks of Hanse, and his fingers somehow find their way back to clicking the ‘buy’ button.)

But Subin is wrong on the other thing—he’s definitely going to ask Hanse on a date.

Eventually.

“Hey, Hanse.”

Seungwoo waves to the other boy who looks up to give him a smile.

“Hey, Seungwoo. Another package today?”

“Yup.”

“Lemme go grab it.”

Hanse returns with Seungwoo’s newest package, one of the biggest he’s gotten in a while, the other boy barely getting his arms around it. (Honestly, Seungwoo doesn’t even remember what he ordered. He’s willing to admit that he might have a problem.)

He forks over his student ID for Hanse to swipe, and Hanse visibly hesitates before giving it back, his fingers not letting go even as Seungwoo grabs the other end.

“Actually, Seungwoo…”

Hanse gives him an embarrassed look.

(Oh no, maybe Subin was right, and Hanse is getting tired of seeing him and his packages every other day. Seungwoo tries to remain calm.)

(His heart is beating rather quickly though, and not in the usually good way that it does around Hanse.)

“I was wondering…” The other boy stops, biting his lower lip, eyes glancing around as if he’s trying to find the right words. “...do you remember me mentioning something about that student exhibit a while back?”

This is not the question he had been expecting.

Seungwoo nods sharply, not trusting himself to speak.

Hanse gives him an almost-shy glance, a slight smile after a small huff of breath. “Well, I got in. Like, my art piece got accepted. And I was wondering...since we can invite guests, whether you’d want to come to the exhibit with me.”

“With you?”

He echoes back dumbly.

“Yeah.”

(Seungwoo is momentarily distracted by Hanse’s fingers toying with the ends of the sleeves on his oversized sweater. It’s rather sweet.)

“With you? Like a date?”

The flush rises prettily in Hanse’s cheeks, his eyes widening in surprise at Seungwoo’s insistence. “I mean, yes, that is, if you want to. I kinda thought we were, you know, getting along. And I thought you might be interested—”

“I am very, very interested.”

Seungwoo almost trips over his words in his rush to reply, the word ‘interested’ coming out half-garbled and nonsensical.

“Very interested.”

He reiterates, once or twice more.

(Okay, three, but who’s counting.)

Hanse’s smile is so bright, Seungwoo forgets all about taking his package when he leaves.

(Hanse ends up running after him. There is some embarrassment involved.)

(Seungwoo very much forgets the state of his apartment before inviting Hanse over for the first time after The Date™. He’s not sure if he’ll ever forgive Subin for relaying the entirety of his woes to Hanse.)

(But at least it makes Hanse smile.)