Work Text:
Prism Café, a safe place for people to meet, interact, rest, or just be themselves no matter what the gender is.
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Geonhak has been working behind the counter for two years now in the Prism Café making coffees. In those two years, he has never encountered a customer as shameless as this one in front of him. This man sitting in the cafe’s counter sit has been sending him glances and has an evident interest in him. That man is winking like every second making Geonhak wonder if he should refer the man to a doctor.
It is not like it was new or he was not used to it. In two years of working, he had already met customers who hit and flirts with him but not like this man with a presence so great you can’t possibly ignore. Geonhak has no problem in rejecting them all but he has a problem making this man go away.
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It started two weeks ago, like any other day it was peaceful. Geonhak takes his customers orders and makes their coffee. There was only few customers that day, two men who cuddling comfortably on the right side and his college friend who loves cross-dressing waiting for someone. It was a relaxing day - as he only has three customers he can even do his homework from his university.
Then an anomaly came. A man wearing sunglasses on a dark, rainy day. The man walks with confidence with his looks - he is handsome, Geonhak can’t deny it but his actions made him speechless. That man walks straight to him, making Geonhak’s heart beat a tad faster. He struts with confidence and stops in front of him, takes his sunglasses off then places it on Geonhak’s eyes and says, “I’m afraid you’ll become blind with my beauty.”
Geonhak's view dimmed as he silently stared at him. It takes a minute for Geonhak to register what that man has said. ‘What did he say? Uhmm…Blind to what? His beauty???’ Although he does think he’s beautiful, it was not to the point of getting blind.
The man stretched his hand to Geonhak and introduced himself, “Kim Youngjo, 23, art student in University M.” This man called Youngjo comes too strong, breaking the quietness surrounding the cafe.
“Younjo, here!” Geonhak saw his friend waves and called for Youngjo.
“Alright baby, my friend is calling for me.” Youngjo takes Geonhak’s hand and writes his phone number. “Be sure to call me.” He winked and sat on the table with his friend.
‘What baby? Baby, me? A grown man? Huh??’ Geonhak’s mind is full of questions. He loves to work and gained muscles from it. He had been told he’s scary at first meeting but being called a baby is something new. That man didn’t even order.
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And just like that, two weeks have passed. Youngjo came every day from that day and flirted with him. Geonhak already heard many cheesy lines coming out of Youngjo's mouth. He heard Youngjo sigh.
“Haa…I wonder how come I have never been arrested.”
‘More than that, I wonder why you never consider going to the hospital.' Geonhak thought.
“It’s a crime to be this beautiful.”
“...”
“Look at these eyes, this lips, this nose, it’s too perfect. I feel bad for stealing so many hearts with my beauty.”
“...”
‘I was wrong, he’s not flirting with me, he’s flaunting his beauty.’
“So should I take responsibility for stealing your heart?” Youngjo winks at him.
“I refuse, my heart seems pretty much intact in its place.”
Geonhak saw Youngjo reach out for his bag and took a mirror from it. Youngjo looks at himself in the mirror and checks himself out, “This can’t be right! How can you reject someone as pretty and lovely as me?”
“...”
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Geonhak was about to go to work when he saw Youngjo. It was the first time he saw Youngjo in the university premises. He was sitting with his classmates, it was not like the usual Youngjo in the cafe. He was silent and focused, just looking at the subject of their drawing. Unexpectedly, he seems to be good at his trade. Looking at him with a brush in his hand painting on his canvas, Geonhak remembered that he (YJ) was an art student in the same university.
Geonhak was introverted and he considered Youngjo as a noise in his life. But looking at Youngjo right now focused on his work, he can’t deny it - Youngjo looked pretty. His eyes, his nose, his lips, it does seem too perfect like it was an art itself.
He was spotted by Youngjo, he put down his brush, stood up from his seat, smiled, waved, and walked towards him. ‘His smile is too pretty.’ It was not the usual smile Youngjo wore when teasing him, it was like a smile of pure happiness seeing someone he loves. Geonhak falls into a trance. ‘This may be bad’ , he thought.
“Going to work?”
“Yes…”
“You seem to be staring at me for a long time, captivated by my beauty?” Youngjo proudly asked.
“Yes…”
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Youngjo saw Geonhak's ears getting red and ran from him. He was taken aback, although he was confident with his face he never thought Geonhak would agree with him. Youngjo thought Geonhak is someone who will be drawn in with beauty. He shrugs ‘Haa…I’m just so pretty.’
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It’s been two months since Youngjo regularly came to the cafe. Geonhak was a man with few words as he has always been and Youngjo was constantly selling his beauty for the exchange of a relationship with him (GH).
Youngjo wants to be with Geonhak and he has been chasing him since the first time he saw him (GH). But to no avail, Youngjo is still on the starting line. He thought he was doing good but it seems like he needs to do better.
“Geonhak, I heard you like to work out.”
“...”
“Would you like to work out with me?” Youngjo saw joy in Geonhak’s eyes and his smile deepened.
“Sure.”
“You agreed already, alright? No take backs.” Geonhak, seeing Youngjo’s smile, felt something was wrong.
“Uhmm…Yes?”
“Then would you really work out with me?” Youngjo with visible happiness screaming out of his body.
“Yes-” Geonhak replied.
“Work our future out.”
“...”
Youngjo saw Geonhak’s calm and indifferent expression stay the same as his ears were slowly painted with the color of red. ‘I won’ , he thought.
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‘I lost.’
Meeting Youngjo everyday and seeing his smiles directed at him, Geonhak can’t help but fall in love with that smile. With an open flirting and pursuit of Youngjo, he can’t help but to give in as he slowly finds himself falling in love with Youngjo.
He was sure that Youngjo was interested in him but not he would not call it love. He can see that he was serious with having a relationship with him although its premise was not love, it was just an interest and not love.
But he lost, seeing the man every day, he can’t help but to notice him. He noticed how pretty his smile is or how pretty his smile is or just how pretty his smile is. Yes, he loves his smile and wants to see him happy. Truly, his beauty was a fatal weapon.
Geonhak decided to start a relationship with Youngjo. Undeniably, he really does love Youngjo although he was not sure if it will stay the same as he gets to know the man or Youngjo was no longer interested with him. He says yes to Youngjo because he realized he can just break up with him if they are not a match for each other.
Youngjo was just interested in him and he just fell in love with his smile. And how this relationship will go, Geonhak was not sure of it.
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Youngjo never imagined Geonhak would really start a relationship with him that day. He was just taking his chances and unexpectedly got himself an adorable boyfriend. Youngjo always heard Geonhak studying childhood education in the same university. Geonhak was handsome and few of his classmates were interested in Geonhak. He was a pretty man himself, having a classmate like him, he wondered why his fellow student from the same class looked for a man in the other department.
Then he saw Geonhak, he was not as good looking as him but he was really handsome - his type. Youngjo wanted to try being with Geonhak. The first day Youngjo saw Geonhak at Prism Café doing his works, he thought it was a chance. Being with Geonhak for two months, he realized something: he is falling in love with Geonhak. He was not someone who would chase someone for months just because he liked a person’s appearance.
Although he knows their love is something fragile and not strong enough to fight the society’s ideal relationship, he was sure it will only be stronger and they’ll never let go of each other.
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“Geonhak! Stay there, I’ll come to you!” Youngjo shouted as he saw Geonhak walking on his way.
‘I might be smiling foolishly now, arent’I?’ Youngjo can’t contain his happiness, his smile seeing Geonhak. Geonhak, the boyfriend he loves.
Stopping a few steps away from Geonhak, Youngjo asks, “Do you know how many steps it takes for me to reach you?”
“Ah…Five steps?”
“Now?” Youngjo takes another step to Geonhak.
“Four?”
“It’s been four years that we’ve been together, aren’t we?”
Youngjo took another step and said, “Now, three steps left to reach you and before that I want to say, truly, I love you.”
Taking another step, Youngjo smiled even brighter and said, “With this, only one step left and I’ll be reaching you. And there’s only one person I’ll be walking onto, I’ll be searching and will try to reach - only you, Geonhak. You’re the only one in my life.”
Youngjo took another step, he kissed Geonhak’s eyes, nose, and then lips. Warmth filled both of their hearts as they felt the softness of each other’s lips.
Youngjo’s hands on Geonhak’s cheeks, his forehead resting on the others’ forehead, he looked at Geonhak’s eyes and said, “I love you. You’re the person I wanted the most. And you’re the most beautiful I have seen…
Well, except from me.”
Geonhak laughed, breaking each other’s hold. “You’re so cheesy, Youngjo.”
“That’s why you like me, right?”
“Apparently so.”
They laughed at each other, eyes filled with adoration and hearts filled with love - Youngjo reached out for Geonhak’s hand, “Then let’s go to our home.”
Geonhak took Youngjo’s hand and they walked together to their home happily, hand-in-hand.