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Despite freaking out for two nights in a row every time he tried texting Suho, SeoJun eventually texts him.
It’s a simple “Hi, It’s SeoJun” text but with the way he flings his phone on his bed immediately after, too flustered to check if he replied, you’d think it was a risky text.
Once he got over his initial hesitation and Suho’s formal sounding replies,Seojun found that he enjoyed texting Suho.
He loved sending him memes in between classes, exchanging vague photos and snippets from their day. Suho sending him random Vine references or 2010s GIFs. Texting Suho was fun, it really was, but two weeks of just texting and SeoJun was itching to ask him out on a date, to get asked out on a date, anything.
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“Lee Suho, for God’s sake, it’s been over a week, just ask him out, you said you wanted to, so just do it”. Ju Kyung says, swiping at him playfully with a tablecloth. “I’ll think about it, but right now I have to be on an Ethics Skype call”, he replies dodging the tablecloth. Ju Kyung shoots him a quizzical look that seemed to say “Skype”.
“The professor is ancient”. He laughs, retreating into the office.
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Seo-Jun wasn’t sure if he wanted to see Su-Ho, but he was sure he needed caffeine in his body, and if he had to endure another minute of his Maths professor droning on about how Integers are necessary to music theory, he was going to lose it.
“One medium Hazelnut oat milk latte, for you”, Ju Kyung announces, placing the cup in front of him, and taking a seat beside him. “Thank you”, he says, picking up the cup, “How’s work today?”. And just like that they settled into a comfortable conversation telling each other snippets from their day, discussing haphazard plans they would never bring to fruition and funny jokes they had picked up throughout their day.
“It’s funny how we’ve been friends for years, but you never thought to mention that you had a hot co-worker” he mentions offhandedly as he places lunch menus on tables while Ju Kyung moves around restocking the display cases.
“Employee really, and it slipped my mind cause I didn’t know if he was your type or like you were his type”. She answers with an expressionless look on her face.
Seo-Jun laughs, swiping a dairy-free croissant from the display before launching into a dramatised retelling of the night he spent with Suho.
They spend forty minutes talking about Suho, and setting up the cafe before Seo-Jun decides to bid her farewell.
“I’ll see you later this week, my family is coming over for my sister’s engagement dinner tomorrow, and my partner is flying in for the weekend but just text me if anything happens”, she says waving goodbye to him.
Once back home that evening after his last class of the day, SeoJun opens his phone to text Suho, determined to ask him out on a date because if Suho wasn’t going to, he was.
He didn’t need to because the moment he opened his phone, there was a text from Suho staring right back at him. He does a double take, internally screaming before replying.
SU: Are you free this Saturday
You: yh, I just plan on sleeping in.
SU: Please, forget I asked anything, I wouldn’t want to disrupt your sleep.
You: you’re not disrupting anything, my Saturdays are boring and slow, hence the sleep part lol
SU: oh okay, cause I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me to the Cho Gi Seok exhibition this Saturday.
You: SORRY WHAT ???
His heart does a flip, Suho has to be joking right, because there’s no way he was offering him tickets to the one exhibition he would give an arm and leg to attend.
SU: Will you come with me to see the Cho Gi Seok exhibition at the Gallery Hyundai this Saturday?
You: I got that part, I was just shocked but yhh ofc I will, I’m literally the biggest fan of his videography ever.
SU: That’s great, I will see you on Saturday then, I have to get back to class now, I’ll text you later.
Seojun could literally climb the ceiling with how excited he was feeling.
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Closing shifts generally sucked but they were a lot easier with Ju Kyung than with any other staff members and since Ju Kyung had decided to close the cafe right after the lunch rush, they had spent the past hour closing the cafe and chatting together.
He had another three hours to kill before his evening class so he decided to ask his dad if he’d like to grab lunch with him. Typically a terrible idea considering his dad would be too busy to see him regardless but his sister Selena was in Kyoto and the house was way too quiet for him.
“I’m glad we could grab lunch together before I leave to shoot in Thailand tomorrow”. His dad started as they settled into their table at a high-end restaurant in Seoul. Suho just nods and opens the menu. By the time the food they ordered had arrived, the both of them had settled into an oddly familiar yet stiff conversation. One that felt like a job interview rather than a lunch between a father and his son.
Despite his initial refusal, his dad insists on driving him back to his campus for his evening class. Suho crossed his fingers the entire drive hoping his dad would stay quiet the entire drive and manage to not mention anything about MIT or his decision to go to law school instead.
“By the way, I need you to show up to ChoGi’s gallery closing on my behalf. I’ll email you two tickets. Take whoever you’d like, but show up” his dad instructs him. “I’ll see you and Selena when I get back.” His dad states as he brings the car to a halt outside a glass building. Offering a stiff hum as a form of agreement, Suho heads to class, opening his phone to text SeoJun.
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Putting on his favourite pair of black vans, SeoJun admires his fit one more time in the mirror adjusting his accessories. Two silver chains dangling from his black turtleneck, and six steel rings each a lot different from the other. He had FaceTimed Soojin last night and they both picked out the outfit he was going to wear: down to the colourful socks hidden in his high-tops and the blue and silver Hawaiian shirt that was the same shade as the blue jeans he wore that was cuffed at his ankle.
“You look lovely, I love your jewellery” Suho says as soon as he’s within earshot of Seojun
“Thank you”, SeoJun replies as he goes in for a hug Suho- reaches out for a handshake which brings them to an awkward moment of a half handshake, half hug.
“We should go in, the show is about to start”, Suho says in an attempt to dissipate the tension. “Well the show is technically ending but lead the way”. Seojun jokes and they both chuckle.
“I think this is probably my favourite video ever”. Suho whispers to Seojun as they walk away from the enclosure titled “Right to Fail”.
“Really, 'cause you were so into nostalgia, that I assumed that was your favourite”. SeoJun
“I was into it mostly cause you were evidently into it”. Suho says smiling, the entire discourse turning comical.
“Well it used to be until I found the absolute wonder that is TGIF.”
“Fair to be honest, the visuals are stunning”, Suho replies and they both hum in agreement and move along into the final room where there’s a single installation of a 3D printed heavily yellow-toned statue of a girl with butterfly wings sewn into her back with red thread. There’s a bunch of people standing around the statue and talking, so they move closer to the statue but on the opposite side.
“Now that we’ve seen every piece of art in this installation, I can confidently say you’re the prettiest out of them all” Suho muttered shyly, putting his hands in his pocket.
SeoJun was just about to reply when a voice interrupted him.
“Suho, it’s nice to see you again, you’ve grown up so much”, the voice behind them says and Seojun turns in time to see a man reach out to Suho for a hug.
“Mr Cho, the pleasure is all mine”, Suho replies, returning his hug. “Father, couldn’t make it, but he sends his regards, so does Selena”.
“Well, extend my greetings to them and tell Selena, I would get to her illustrations in a bit”.
Seojun assures him that he will before turning to Seojun.
“Mr. Cho, this is my um-“ Suho stutters unable to find the right term for what they were.
“Friend, I’m his friend Seojun and I’m a big fan of yours Mr Cho Gi Seok and it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you” Seojun completes for him.
“Call me Cho Gi, and it’s nice to meet you too”
He says shaking Seojun’s hand warmly.
“Why does he get to call you that, and I don’t,” Suho says in false annoyance.
“Cause, I don’t know his dad, child” Cho Gi retorts. They all laugh at that and within minutes they’re conversing like longtime friends, talking about the details of some of the works.
Cho Gi eventually has to leave them to give the closing speech for the installation so they exchange goodbyes before he gets caught up in interacting with other people.
They’re walking across the street from the museum when SeoJun finally breaks the comfortable silence they had been strolling in.
“Thank you so much for this date, I had a lovely time Suho”.
“I’m glad you did, cause I had a great time with you”.
“Great enough to do this again?” SeoJun quizzes stopping in his tracks.
“I mean I was going to ask you, after the dinner I reserved for us, but yes great enough to do this again, so yes this is me asking you out on another date.” Suho replies putting his hand out towards SeoJun.
“I’d like that very much, but the next one after that I’m planning it”. Seojun answers and takes Suho’s hands in his.
They walk hand in hand to the restaurant Suho had picked out for dinner.