Work Text:
1. Older than you
2. Goes to the same university
3. On the university dance team
That’s the description of his blind date. Hueningkai wants to kick Beomgyu for giving him the most vague and useless list ever. If he can’t find his date tomorrow night, he’s putting all the blame on his best friend.
“That’s it?” Hueningkai squints and rereads the text he just received from his roommate. “That’s all you’re going to give me? Not even a name?”
“You’ll learn his name when you meet him.” Beomgyu waves him off, lounging on the couch in their shared apartment and watching some overdramatic reality dating show on Hulu.
Hueningkai is rendered speechless. “That’s so dumb. I have no idea what he looks like!”
Beomgyu snorts, “It’s called a blind date for a reason.” He turns over to lie flat on his stomach on the couch cushions, wiggling his eyebrows and sending him a shit-eating grin.
He is clearly having a blast teasing and purposely making things difficult for him.
Hueningkai should’ve known to expect this.
“You’re taking this too literally. Can you at least give me some physical descriptions? Please?” Hueningkai sighs exasperatedly from where he is sitting in the kitchen, trying to salvage the remainder of his peaceful night. Discovering that he has to play ‘Guess Who?’ for his blind date tomorrow is giving him unnecessary stress and nerves. Hueningkai shoots pleading eyes across the room, knowing that the older can’t resist his devastating puppy eyes and pout combo. It’s his trump card - he swears he only plays it when desperate times call for desperate measures.
And by god, is he desperate right now.
It only takes a couple seconds before Hueningkai hears a click of a tongue and a defeated sigh from the living room. “Fine, you’re no fun.” Beomgyu grumbles and sits up. He picks up his phone, contemplates for a total of three seconds with a suspiciously evil look on his face, then sends another text.
4. Shorter than you
5. Looks like a cat
That bastard thinks he’s so funny. Standing at 183cm tall, there are a lot of people shorter than him. And looking like a cat is completely subjective. It’s just like Beomgyu to make the identity of his blind date all secretive purely for shits and giggles.
Hueningkai is seriously regretting agreeing to be set up on a blind date by his best friend. His second year of university had just barely started. He should be focusing on his fall courses and starting off the school year strong, not dating when syllabus week isn’t even over yet. But Beomgyu insisted that this friend of his, whom he met last spring semester at a party, is super cool and fun to be around. And apparently, ‘Kai. He’s hot. Like, really hot.'
And since this is someone that Beomgyu personally knows and is friends with, Hueningkai has some reassurance that this guy is at least a good person.
So he decided to give it a chance.
Beomgyu was over the top when he finally agreed, and excitedly arranged the date for them. Their blind date tomorrow is at the Hangang River Fair, an annual fair in Seoul that is located along the Han River. The local fair runs for ten days in the summer, from late August to early September. Beomgyu’s reasoning is that there are tons of food options and things to do to keep them busy (good for minimizing any potential awkward silences). Plus the daily specials on tickets; Thursday is “College Night,” where free admission is given to college students who show a valid college student ID at the entrance gate.
Their meetup spot will be at the pink-colored bench next to the caramel apple and cotton candy vendor at 7PM.
Hueningkai looks over the five descriptions of his date again, mentally trying to picture what his blind date would look and be like. He shakes his head at how unhelpful and ridiculous the list is, but secretly smiles when he rereads the last hint.
Looks like a cat. That’s pretty cute.
***
Hueningkai waits patiently at the pink bench, fidgeting with his hands and nervously looking around. Half an hour has already passed and his date has not shown up yet. He checks his phone again for any updates from Beomgyu, his heart sinking when he finds no new notifications.
Just five more minutes, he tells himself.
Perhaps his date got lost and couldn’t find their meetup spot? That’s wishful thinking, the voice in the back of his head tells him. There are multiple vendors selling caramel apples and cotton candy, but this one by the pink bench is right by the entrance - there’s no way his date could’ve missed it or mistaken it for a different one.
Just five more minutes.
45 minutes have passed. With no text from Beomgyu informing him if his date is running late or can’t make it at the last minute.
It could only mean one thing.
He got stood up.
A wave of disappointment washes over him when he comes to the conclusion. Hueningkai can’t deny that he is a little upset and saddened by his date’s no-show. He actually put in an effort to look nice and dressed up today. He’s not wearing his usual sweats and hoodie outfit, instead opting for a soft, black cardigan over a white tee, paired with black skinny jeans that are ripped at the knees, and matching white high-top Converse.
It’s not like he wanted to be set up on a blind date in the first place, but Beomgyu kept hyping up his friend and saying that they would get along well. And maybe that got Hueningkai’s hopes up, making him look forward to tonight.
He feels stupid and humilated. Clearly he was the only one looking forward to this date.
Hueningkai lets out a loud sigh, his shoulders slumping. His blind date doesn’t know him, so he reminds himself not to take it personally. He gives himself a few quiet minutes, then takes a deep breath and stands up from the pink bench, accepting that his date is not coming. He is treating himself to an extra large cotton candy tonight and will not leave the fair until he wins himself a big plushie. If he’s already out here, he might as well enjoy himself and make the trip worthwhile. Date or not, he’s going to have a good time!
But before leaving the meetup spot, Hueningkai hesitates and decides to check his phone one last time. He wants to give this guy the benefit of the doubt...but honestly, coming this late to a first date is probably a red-flag, so maybe he dodged a bullet here.
Sorry Beomgyu, your friend is actually an asshole.
He’s about to text Beomgyu just that when a tap on his shoulder and a soft “hey” startles him mid-text. Hueningkai looks up from his phone in alarm and nearly drops it, quickly turning to his left in the direction of the tap.
And he freezes.
Because he wasn’t expecting to lock eyes with a handsome stranger. And not just plain normal handsome, no - this guy is ‘holy hell you’re just my type’ handsome. If Hueningkai made a ranking of all the attractive men he’s seen in his life, this guy would win by a landslide.
Who is this SEXY guy and WHY is he talking to me?
The stranger is sporting a casual all-black outfit - wearing a loose black tank that is conveniently showing off his toned muscular arms. Hotdamn. This guy definitely goes to the gym. The guy looks around his age, and has dark brown hair that is shaved short on the sides, dark round eyes, and strikingly sharp features, almost like a cat. Wait, catlike features? Hueningkai stills and blinks a couple times, then proceeds to look the guy up and down. Shorter than him. Oh.
Hueningkai, don’t be a clown. This guy looks cool and there’s no possible way that someone cool like this would be friends with freaking Beomgyu, who thinks doing a handstand while repeating the digits of pi is a cool party trick-
“Are you checking me out?” the stranger chuckles. He puts his hands in the pockets of his black jeans and tilts his head to the side, a confident smile on his lips.
Once he realizes that he’s been staring like an idiot, Hueningkai blushes and quickly looks away. It wasn’t his initial intention to check out the stranger, he was merely checking out his height. And that somehow led to him staring at the stranger’s handsome face and arms. Sue him. Hueningkai finally manages to get some words out, “Um-uh. No.....not really?” and immediately cringes at his dry response with absolutely no personality. He needs to say something, anything, to ease the awkwardness before it fully settles to the point of no return. Hueningkai finally looks up and blurts out, “Where have you been?”
The minute that question slips out, he mentally slaps himself on the forehead. Why did he say that right off the bat? What if this guy isn’t his blind date? Yeah, he checks two of the five descriptions but he can’t just go around assuming. Hueningkai seriously considers tagging on ‘all my life?’ for damage control but figures using an overused pick-up line would make everything ten times worse.
The stranger looks at him, confused. “I just got here.” He turns and uses his thumb to gesture at the entrance gate, which is still in view from where they are standing.
Hueningkai slowly nods, glancing at the entrance, then back to the stranger standing in front of him. He needs to figure out if this guy is his mystery blind date. “Oh. Are you in university? Are you also here for the free student admission deal?”
“Yeah, I go to Seoul National University.” The stranger easily answers and smiles.
Goes to the same university.
Hueningkai's heart rate spikes up in anticipation. Could this be...? Hueningkai hates himself for picturing a game of ‘Guess Who’ in his head, asking the stranger close-ended questions to narrow down the identity of his mystery person. Damn you, Beomgyu.
“Does your character look like a cat?” Yes
“Is your character shorter than 183cm?” Yes
“Does your character go to SNU?” Yes
“Oh damn, me too!” Hueningkai adds. It’s a perfect segway for his next question. “What year are you in?”
The stranger brightens and looks curious after Hueningkai reveals that they go to the same school. Hueningkai wonders if Beomgyu also gave his blind date a vague list of descriptions of him.
“It’s my second year. I’m an architectural engineering major. You?”
Hueningkai’s breath hitches when he hears that the stranger is in the same graduating class as him, then slowly exhales. “I’m a design major in the College of Fine Arts.” He clears his throat, “I’m also a sophomore. We must be the same age.”
“Is your character older than 19?” No
That rules this stranger out. But maybe...
Hueningkai raises a fist in solidarity, “2002! I’m an August baby!” He just called himself an “August baby.” Which is utterly embarrassing, but he didn’t know how else to bring up his birthday.
The handsome stranger laughs and raises his fist to match his enthusiasm, “February.”
Older than you.
Hueningkai fights off a small smile on his face. It’s too early to claim victory. But with the successes so far, his confidence is building now. He tilts his head to the side, “You're a couple months older than me then. I wonder if we ever crossed paths on campus before?”
The stranger shrugs and thinks about it for a bit, “We’re in different colleges and the university is huge, so I doubt that we’ve ever been in the same class or in the same area on campus.”
Hueningkai nods and strategically steers the conversation to where he wants it, “There are other places on campus, you know? Like your favorite place to eat, floor in the library, and clubs that you’re in.”
The stranger grins, “Oh that’s easy. The Engineering Cafeteria, the third floor, and the SNU snowboarding and dance team.”
On the university dance team.
All five descriptions check out. This guy is his blind date.
“Java City, the first floor, and the SNU Acapella team.” Hueningkai shares his answers and stretches out his hand for a handshake, “And I’m Hueningkai.”
The stranger takes his hand with a firm grip and gives it a little shake motion, “I’m Taehyun.” It is now that Taehyun looks a little shy, a small yet nervous smile on his lips. The confident and cool aura he radiated earlier is now slowly warming into something sweet and boyish. Hueningkai feels flattered. Taehyun looks up at him with hopeful eyes, “So, want to look around together?”
Hueningkai smiles.
HELL NO, YOU FUCKING JERK. Not until I get an explanation on why you left me waiting for 45 minutes!
His heart might be beating erratically and traitorously malfunctioning, but his brain is still working fine. Taehyun better give him a damn good excuse and a reason not to walk away right now.
“Why did you come so late?” Hueningkai scrunches up his face and finally asks.
Taehyun frowns and glances at his watch on his right wrist, “I know it’s late. I wanted to come earlier, and I planned to leave earlier, but my sister was taking forever to get ready. Then we had to pick up her friends, who also took forever.” Taehyun shakes his head, sincerely looking frustrated and regretful. “I’m sorry.”
“You came with your sister?”
“Yeah, my older sister. She wanted to come to the fair since it’s College Day and asked me to drive her.” He looks over to the side and gestures to the fair around them, “She's off with her friends right now.”
So, it’s not his fault that he came late to their date.
Hueningkai thinks it over.
After a contemplative minute, Hueningkai sighs, releasing any remaining tension in his body. It’s a believable excuse. He still has more questions that he wants to press Taehyun with, but going off of vibe check alone - Taehyun seems like a genuine guy. Maybe he texted Beomgyu that he was coming late, and Beomgyu was the one who didn’t relay the message to him. It’s possible. His best friend is a chronic napper, always keeps his phone on silent, and is generally not the best texter in the world. Beomgyu still hasn’t responded to his texts earlier, if that is any sign to go by.
Maybe this date can go on.
And maybe Hueningkai wants it to.
***
Now that Hueningkai confirmed that Taehyun is indeed the person whom Beomgyu set him up with, it finally hits him that he’s on a date when they start walking around the fair. And he can’t help but feel a tiny bit flustered, taking shy peeks at the other and turning away with a blush on his face whenever he finds Taehyun looking back at him.
The fair is bustling tonight, with many college students and families attending. Hueningkai finds himself accidentally bumping into Taehyun’s shoulder a couple times from trying to avoid being in other people’s way. All around him are crowds of people, rows of food vending stalls, game booths, fair rides, and flashing bright lights. Hueningkai nearly drools while walking by all the food vendors selling classic fair food: Italian sausages, corn dogs, poutine, chicken tenders, and more fried goodness. He reminds himself to buy a blooming onion later when he gets hungry.
Despite his nervousness, he is relieved to discover how easy it is to fall into conversation with Taehyun. They start out talking about general topics, like what courses they’re taking this semester and other typical college experience stuff, and somehow end up talking and laughing about how Taehyun’s go-to karaoke song is the Sailor Moon theme song. In Taehyun’s defense: “Have you ever thought about how much of a flex the opening line ‘Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight’ is? Sailor Moon’s literally doing it all.”
Taehyun eyes something to his left and slows down their walk to stop in front of a ring toss game. He turns to him and points to the RING-A-BOTTLE game booth, “Do you want to play?”
Honestly, Hueningkai sucks at games that require any physical skill, which includes aiming, timing, throwing, and generally any physical ability. But he agrees to the challenge.
Taehyun pays for the game, and the game operator gives them a metal bucket of small red rings. It looks so simple, toss the rings and try to land them onto the glass bottles to win - but Hueningkai knows these tiny fuckers just bounce right off.
He sighs, already having no hope on his rate of success, and grabs a handful of the red rings to throw them one at a time. They all bounce and ricochet off the bottles, just as he predicted. He’s about to grab some more out of the bucket when he hears a loud celebration chime.
“We have a winner!!!!!!” The game operator calls out, instantly capturing his attention.
Hueningkai curiously looks around the booth, trying to see who won this notoriously difficult game and- “What?! Taehyun?? You got it??”
Taehyun stands next to him with a smug look on his face, “There’s a technique,” he grins, “You have to throw the ring like a flat disc and aim for the bottles on the outside, not the ones in the middle.”
Hueningkai’s jaw drops, completely speechless. Taehyun won the game so fast on their first bucket. When he and Beomgyu go, they always get scammed and end up buying three buckets, only to lose and leave the booth empty handed. He admits he’s pretty impressed. “Wow. You’re pretty good at games like these, huh?”
Taehyun nonchalantly shrugs, but Hueningkai can tell that he is affected by the compliment by his reddening ears. Hold up, that’s super cute.
“What plushie would you like?” Taehyun asks him. But before Hueningkai can answer, Taehyun flashes him a confident smirk and says, “But keep in mind, you’ll be holding a lot more plushies throughout the night.”
Hueningkai raises an eyebrow in challenge at the implication. “Oh? Are you that confident in winning games? Maybe I'll be the one to win a plushie for you.”
It turns out Taehyun is actually really good at these kinds of games.
After the ring toss game, they go to another game booth to play the ball and bucket toss. Taehyun wins. Hueningkai loses.
The milk bottle game. Taehyun wins. Hueningkai loses.
The balloon and dart game. Taehyun wins. Hueningkai loses. Badly.
Taehyun is about to suggest a basketball free throw game next and that’s when Hueningkai knew he had to intervene. “I’m not good at these kinds of games.” He whines, after receiving the fourth plushie Taehyun wins for him. He can’t even hold them all, only able to hold onto the sloth and bear plushie, while Taehyun is holding the frog and penguin plushie for him.
Taehyun throws back his head in laughter, “Okay then, what kind of games are you good at?”
Hueningkai looks around.
“Let's play that!” He points to a large tent not too far away from where they are standing.
Taehyun blinks at the sign, then cracks up, “Wait, are you serious? I’ve never played bingo at the fair before!”
They enter the brightly lit tent where a bingo game is currently underway and wait for the next game to start. Hueningkai gives the game operator two quarters and takes a seat next to Taehyun. There are multiple bingo cards scattered on the table. Taehyun takes his time choosing his bingo card, carefully looking at every single one. Hueningkai has no idea what is there to even consider and simply picks the card right in front of him. He looks around to scope out his competition. There are only three other players. Which is generally what he expected, because who goes to the fair to play bingo?
The game operator, who is also the bingo caller, cranks the handle of the bingo machine to spin the bingo balls with the letter-number combo on them. The caller takes the first ball out and calls out its number, “G56.”
Hueningkai puts a chip on his bingo board. Then another. Then another. Until “Bingo!” He calls out excitedly.
Taehyun looks over at him and at his card in shock. “H-how? There’s no way you had all the exact numbers they just called.”
Hueningkai gives him a ‘watch me’ look, then proceeds to remove the bingo chips and read the corresponding numbers on his bingo card one at a time. The caller confirms the numbers and yells out, “We got a bingo!”
Hueningkai jumps up and cheers, waving his arms crazily in the air. It’s his first game win of the night. He looks at Taehyun with a smirk on his face, “Now what prize would you like?”
He drags Taehyun to the rat roulette game booth next: a game with a large spinning wheel with different holes marked with colors, and players bet on what color hole the rat will enter. Hueningkai cracks his fingers. Takes out a quarter, and confidently places it on the yellow square. Just because he likes yellow. Meanwhile, Taehyun stares at the color wheel, trying to calculate where the rat would go. Hueningkai almost loses it when he hears Taehyun thinking aloud to himself about what color rats are most likely attracted to. After much deliberation, Taehyun puts his quarter on navy blue.
“Okay, no more bets!” The game operator says into the mic while they continuously spin the wheel.
Hueningkai bounces in anticipation. Taehyun stays still as a rock, staring at the moving color wheel. The game operator rings a cowbell, and lifts the little cover that was hiding the rat in the middle of the spinning wheel.
The rat dashes around the wheel, then slows down towards the hot pink color. At the last second, it turns and enters the yellow-colored hole right next to it.
“Yellow!” The game operator announces.
“Yes!” Hueningkai jumps up and down, clapping in excitement. He easily picks a small brown squirrel plushie for Taehyun.
Taehyun slams another quarter down on lime green, “Let’s play again.” He intensely stares at the wheel, and with all seriousness, says “Okay, I got it. Rats like bright colors.”
It cracks a smile out of Hueningkai. He takes out a quarter and places it on aqua, all because he thinks the color is pretty.
The game operator closes the bets, spins the wheel, and releases the rat. They both hold their breaths as the rat scurries around, passing all the colors and into the aqua-colored hole.
Taehyun blinks, his mouth slightly open in shock at Hueningkai’s second win. “No way.”
They go to the ping pong and fishbowl game booth after Taehyun’s tenth loss at the rat roulette game. This ping pong game looks like it would take skill, but Hueningkai knows it’s all pure luck. He watches in amusement as Taehyun carefully aims, then slowly throws his ping pong balls one at a time to get it to land into the fishbowls. He misses all of them. Hueningkai closes his eyes, grabs a handful of ping pong balls and throws them all at once. And wins.
Damn, it feels so good to win.
Damn, it feels so good to watch Taehyun lose.
“Ah Taehyun, too bad.” Hueningkai teases.
“It’s just luck!!! It requires no skill!” Taehyun rants, borderline whining and making excuses for his losses as they leave the ping pong game in search of food. Taehyun is really bad at these types of games. Hueningkai can tell that the older is competitive and gets frustrated when he repeatedly loses. Then sulky. Hueningkai finds this unexpected side incredibly endearing.
Hueningkai burst out into laughter, his eyes tearing up at Taehyun’s sudden pouty behavior. Beomgyu mentioned that Taehyun was hot, but failed to mention how cute he is too. “I’m good at games of chance.” He shrugs, but obviously makes a point to brag just to rub it into Taehyun’s face.
“So, you’re just lucky.” Taehyun rolls his eyes, trying to pretend to be unimpressed.
“They say luck is a skill.” Hueningkai grins, winking at Taehyun when he gives him a side eye.
With both of their hands completely full of plushies, making it mildly uncomfortable and inconvenient to walk, they happily give some away to children running past them at the fair.
They each get a fried burrito and share loaded tater tots and a blooming onion. It’s all fried goodness, and looking at all of it makes Hueningkai feel oily. But it’s so good and he’s indulging himself tonight. But something refreshing would be a lifesaver.
“We need a drink.” Hueningkai suggests and points to a lemonade stand with a giant fake lemon on top of it. “That looks good.”
Taehyun looks in the direction of where he is pointing, squints his eyes at the sign, then turns back to him with a look of displeasure. “Seven dollars for a lemonade.” Taehyun deadpans.
“It’s freshly squeezed lemonade.”
Taehyun narrows his eyes, then without saying anything, stands up and heads towards the lemonade stand. Hueningkai dreamily sighs as he watches Taehyun’s back. He’s been having so much fun that he hasn't had any opportunity to check his phone. When he does, he sees multiple texts from Beomgyu.
Beomgyu
Oh crap i didn’t see your texts
Fuck omg im so sorry
Beomgyu
I’m sorry he came late!!!
That’s unusual for him, I swear!!!
Stuff came up and delayed him
Beomgyu
But how's it going so far?
Hueningkai
We figured it out
He’s really cool
And like really cute???
How do you even know someone this cool?
Beomgyu
What is that supposed to mean mf
***
“Yo, Kang!!” An unfamiliar voice calls out to them.
Taehyun stops and looks around. Hueningkai also looks around to see where the voice came from. They both spot someone waving to them from a water gun game booth.
“Oh, Yeonjun.” Taehyun says.
“We need at least four people to play, come! Come!” Yeonjun calls and motions them over. The water gun game is a multiplayer game, where players race by shooting at a target - the more players there are, the bigger the prize for the winner. When they come closer, Yeonjun peers at him curiously with a smile slowly spreading on his face, “Oh ho, and who is this? Are you on a date?”
Taehyun rolls his eyes at Yeonjun’s knowing look. “This is Hueningkai. Hueningkai, this is Yeonjun. My dance team captain.”
“And best friend!” Yeonjun sticks out his tongue and punches Taehyun on the arm playfully. “Nice to meet you. And here,” he holds out his hand to gesture at the person sitting next to him, “is my hot date, Soobin.”
Soobin peeks out from behind Yeonjun and waves, “Hey!”
The four of them play the water gun game that ends with Yeonjun’s win. The dance captain stands up and does an obnoxious victory dance. “Soobin, which plushie do you want?”
“You can pick for me.”
“Okay babe, whatever you say.” Yeonjun nods and turns to the game operator, “Excuse me, can I get that Squidward plushie?”
A pause. “...on second thought, can you get me that bunny plushie instead?”
Soobin beams after receiving the soft bunny plushie from Yeonjun.
Yeonjun cackles in triumph and elbows Taehyun in the ribs. “I bet you wanted to impress your date so badly, hm?” He continues to jab at Taehyun while the other shoots daggers at him, “Didn’t get a chance to look cool, huh?”
Taehyun glances at him and Hueningkai is seconds away from melting when he sees a faint blush on his cheeks.
“Shut up, Yeonjun.” Taehyun adverts eye contact and scoffs, “Let’s go again.”
In the second round, Taehyun gets the lead. “It’s over, Yeonjun.” He smirks and taunts, keeping his eyes on the target.
“OVER MY DEAD BODY!” Yeonjun yells back.
Hueningkai shakes with laughter when Yeonjun dramatically falls to the ground and howls in defeat, holding dearly onto the avocado plushie Taehyun just won for him.
Hueningkai
We just played this game with his friends and he won a plushie for me!
Beomgyu
Yall sickening
And I know
He kept bragging about winning that stupid water gun game
Taehyun and Yeonjun rush to the basketball free throw game next, challenging each other and betting on who would make the most baskets. Hueningkai and Soobin both choose to watch from a distance.
“So how long have you and Yeonjun been dating?” Hueningkai asks.
Soobin laughs loudly, his eyes turning into crescents and his deep dimples on full display. It’s at this moment that Hueningkai notices how pretty and handsome Soobin is. Yeonjun is also extremely good-looking, but in a different way than Soobin. While Soobin is all soft and gentle, Yeonjun is sharp and fierce. They have amazing visual chemistry.
“We’re not dating.” Soobin wheezes, “Today’s our first date, so let’s see where this goes.”
Hueningkai’s eyes widen, “Oh wow, I thought- you guys look really good together.”
“Thanks,” Soobin chuckles. “You and Taehyun are cute too. He’s trying really hard to impress you with the games.”
“He’s just competitive.” Hueningkai deflects and blushes, feeling his neck and ears getting warm. “And it’s actually our first date too.”
“Guess the fair is a popular spot for first dates.” Soobin nudges his side in a friendly manner. Hueningkai nudges back and lifts an eyebrow. He can picture becoming friends with Soobin in the future.
“Honey, this one’s for you!” Yeonjun says before missing completely.
Soobin snorts and shakes his head in mock disappointment, “He’s so embarrassing.”
Hueningkai laughs at Soobin’s reaction, the taller doing a poor job of hiding his fond expression. Taehyun doesn’t seem to be doing so hot either. Both of them are completely missing and are not making a single hoop. The game ends with neither of them making a single shot.
The game operator snickers and loudly comments, “Wonder if your dates regret going out with losers like you.”
“What did you say?” Yeonjun whips his head around so quickly that Hueningkai is surprised he didn’t get a sudden neck cramp or something.
“Losers?” Taehyun repeats, narrowing his eyes and glowering at the game operator.
Hueningkai and Soobin give each other a look, knowing that they have to go intervene before Taehyun and Yeonjun fall for the taunts and start a fight.
“He’s just riling you guys up so that you pay for another game.” Hueningkai says, placing a hand on Taehyun’s arm and slightly pulling him back.
They managed to calm the boys down and make them walk away, but not without Yeonjun turning to yell, “STOP TRICKING PEOPLE! WE ALL KNOW THAT THOSE HOOPS ARE OVAL AND NOT ROUND-”
“Yeonjun.” Soobin warns and grips Yeonjun’s arm to get his attention. “Stop.”
After playing a few more fair games together, they eventually decide to separate. Hueningkai looks back to watch his new friends walk away, and coos seeing Yeonjun and Soobin holding hands. Hueningkai peeks at Taehyun’s hand, wanting to hold it too.
They’ve explored the whole fair by now. Taehyun offers to go buy them something sweet, which is perfect because Hueningkai could use some fried dough and cotton candy right about now.
Today has been an amazing date. It started off rough but Hueningkai is so glad that he stayed and didn’t leave. Taehyun is handsome, caring, and kind. He’s confident, cool, but also sweet and has unexpected cute moments. Hueningkai doesn’t want to admit it, but Beomgyu was so right.
Hueningkai
Is it too soon to say that I'm in love?????
Beomgyu
Calm down Romeo
But for real tho
I TOLD YOU SO
Omg you have to tell me all about the date later
Hueningkai texts back a simple thumbs up, then sends a picture he took earlier to Beomgyu.
Not even a second later after sending Beomgyu the picture, he calls. “WHO IS THAT?” Beomgyu's voice blasts through the phone.
Hueningkai furrows his brows in confusion. He sent a picture of Taehyun holding the squirrel plushie he won for him. There’s no one else in the picture that Beomgyu could be referring to. Unless he’s talking about the squirrel, which makes no sense. “Um...Taehyun? Anyways, Gyu, I’m so glad you convinced me to go on this blind date-”
“Why are you with some dude named Taehyun?!?! That’s not-WHAT?! That’s not who I set you up with!”
Wait, wait, wait. What?
Hueningkai blinks dumbly. “What do you mean he’s not who you set me up with?”
“I’m saying that he's not who you’re supposed to be on a date with!”
“What are you talking about? Then who was supposed to be my blind date?!” Hueningkai squeaks into the phone.
“Yeonjun! Choi Yeonjun!”
Hueningkai’s heart stops, completely stunned and at a loss for words. “Yeonjun?” Taehyun’s friend?
“Yeah! My friend! That idiot was running late and his phone was dead. But it’s charged now and he texted me that the date was going great and-WAIT WHO IS HE WITH RIGHT NOW?!”
Yeonjun was supposed to be his blind date.
Hueningkai gasps when it all catches up to him, “Holy crap. I thought Taehyun was my blind date the entire time.”
“I don’t even know who this Taehyun guy is. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?” Beomgyu yells in panic over the phone.
“I DON’T KNOW!” Hueningkai finds himself yelling back, equally as confused.
“I HAVE TO CALL YEONJUN RIGHT NOW. BYE.” Beomgyu screams and abruptly hangs up.
1. Older than you
2. Goes to the same university
3. On the university dance team
4. Shorter than you
5. Looks like a cat
Hueningkai accidentally went on a date with the wrong person. He’d mistaken Taehyun for his blind date. He is in awe, because how did this exact set of criteria fit both Yeonjun and Taehyun? Hueningkai sits on a bench for a bit to collect his thoughts and process what Beomgyu just revealed to him.
He bursts out laughing, full on wheezing as he doubles over, clutching onto his stomach and tears brimming in his eyes.
So, Yeonjun was his blind date who was running late. Taehyun just happens to be some guy who approached him, and whom he mistook for his date. Yeonjun arrived at their meeting spot after he had already left with Taehyun, and found Soobin there. Yeonjun had also mistaken Soobin as his blind date.
This is all so ridiculous. Hueningkai cannot help but be greatly entertained that this was all able to happen because of Beomgyu's refusal to tell him the name of his blind date.
***
Hueningkai and Taehyun decide to go on the ferris wheel as their last stop before leaving the fair. He can’t believe it’s almost midnight, and that they’ve spent hours together on their first date. It didn’t feel long, and there wasn’t a moment where Hueningkai wasn’t enjoying Taehyun’s company. Time flew by quickly tonight.
“I need to tell you something.” Hueningkai starts when the ferris wheel starts moving. It's more quiet here now that they are away from the crowds.
“Hm?” Taehyun looks over at him, the wind slightly pushing back his brown hair. He looks gorgeous against the night sky, lights from the fair twinkling behind him and stars his backdrop. Hueningkai can't help but feel grateful that somehow the world aligned for a date-switch straight out of romcom to happen, allowing him to go on the most amazing first date ever with Taehyun.
There’s no point in beating around the bush. Hueningkai told himself that he had to tell Taehyun the truth before the ride ended. “Sooo......my best friend set me up on a blind date today.” He begins, “And I thought that you were my blind date the entire time but apparently my date was supposed to be Yeonjun.”
Taehyun is silent at first, then surprisingly, chuckles lightly. “I know.”
His jaw drops at Taehyun’s calm and subdued reaction. “You knew?”
“Yeonjun just texted me about it.” Taehyun shows him his cell phone screen, displaying his messages with Yeonjun. Hueningkai sees an abundance of capital letters and keyboard smashes, all sent from Yeonjun.
Hueningkai is relieved that Taehyun seems okay with it and is not at all weirded out or hurt. But then it dawns on him - “Wait. If you weren’t my blind date, does that mean you approached me all on your own earlier?” He looks at the other curiously, his heart rate picking up, eagerly anticipating Taehyun's answer.
“Yeah. It looked like you were waiting for someone for a long time and that they weren’t coming. I felt bad and wanted to take you out on a fun day instead.” Taehyun says with a flush on his face, shyly averting his eyes and rubbing the back of his neck. He looks back at him and they make eye contact, and cracks a small smile. “And I would rather hang out with a cute boy than with my sister and her friends.”
When the ferris wheel ride ends and they are waiting to get off, Taehyun clears his throat.
“I just wanted to make sure but should I’ve not- I mean, did I overstep? Would you have rather gone on a date with Yeonjun?”
Hueningkai immediately shakes his head and waves his hands frantically. “No! I’m glad I went on a date with you today.” He’s never been more sure in his life. “And I would’ve left the spot anyway if you hadn’t approached me!”
Taehyun lets out a reassured exhale. “Okay.” He looks at him, and it’s kind, gentle, and fond. It fills Hueningkai with all kinds of warmth. “Today was a good first date.”
Hueningkai’s heart is thumping loudly in his chest, feeling overjoyed and elated that Taehyun had a good time tonight too. He wants to continue seeing Taehyun, to get to know him better, and possibly be something more. Hueningkai cheekily smiles, bumping into Taehyun’s shoulder. “Many more dates to come?”
A wide grin stretches across Taehyun’s face, “I’d like that, and don’t worry,” he bumps right back into him. “I promise I’ll be on time.”
Hueningkai doesn’t hesitate to hold Taehyun’s hand as they head towards the exit.
Today’s date was definitely made better with Taehyun (no offense Yeonjun).
***
“Hey, you! Date stealer!” Yeonjun points at Taehyun and runs towards them at the fair’s exit gate. Yeonjun tackles them both, then puts on a show by pushing Taehyun away and enveloping him in a hug, “How dare you!”
“Yeah! He’s mine!” Hueningkai plays along and directs towards Soobin, hugging Yeonjun back and bringing them closer, pressing their cheeks together.
Soobin shrugs. “Alright. You can have him.”
A loud gasp, “Soooobin!” Yeonjun releases him from the hug and whines, making his way towards Soobin to squeeze him in a tight embrace. Soobin pretends not to like it, but his soft pink cheeks give him away.
They take a group selfie picture, with Hueningkai’s arm thrown over Taehyun’s shoulder and Soobin pressing a kiss to Yeonjun’s cheek.
Hueningkai sends the picture to Beomgyu with a wink emoji.
Beomgyu
What in the hell is going on