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things have been quite difficult these past few weeks for jaeyun.
not only he has been busy with his never-ending thesis papers, nowadays, even his bank account is running low. he thought he will make it through until the end of the month but after he paid for his rental room, electricity, water bills, the wi-fi, deducting the bus and study room fares and more money goes into printing his thesis papers, he thinks he is definitely fucked. he convinced by the next month he could be living at the street, or if his friend jay is kind enough, he probably can stay with him for a while.
with that being said, he has been living kinda well with only having a cup of ramen (that thankfully he had stocked last month) but nowadays he could feel himself losing his sanity day by day. his friend heeseung had been nice enough to treat him ice latte every time they stay at the study room for their research, and honestly, the ice latte was his only saving grace to stay alive.
“you look especially thin nowadays, are you even sure you are eating good?” sunoo, the junior who somehow always seat next to him at the study room, ask one day.
jaeyun look at the younger boy, noticing the way sunoo look at him with so much worried in his eyes.
“i was a bit busy… so yeah, i only downed the cup ramen once and go on with my research”
sunoo’s eyes widen, “you’re crazy- that’s not healthy at all hyung!”, jaeyun smiles softly as the younger shoved his lunch box towards jaeyun’s direction.
“thank you for the offer and for worrying about me, sunoo-“ he reply, shoving back the lunch box towards the younger direction, sunoo give him the eyes, the look that kind of telling jaeyun that he won’t stop until jaeyun take a bite from his lunch.
“okay fine, i will go out and look for something to eat, how about that?” jaeyun offers and sunoo finally show his grins, nodded his head.
“take a picture and send it to me, if i found out you didn’t eat, i will bring two lunch boxes with me every day” sunoo said, and jaeyun chuckles softly.
it was around 3pm when jaeyun finally go outside, walking aimlessly towards the building next to the study room. to think about it, jaeyun realized it was actually his first time ever walking and looking at the various shops located near the study room- despite him has been using the study room for almost a year now.
jaeyun isn’t from this area, in fact, his rental room take almost 30 minutes from the study room. he only knows the existence of the study room from heeseung last year, when they both was paired up for a groupwork and heeseung had decided to meet at the said study room.
honestly, jaeyun could study at his room but his room is already cramped with his stuff. he could be studying at the library but then the only thing he didn’t like about library was he wasn’t allowed to bring foods and drinks, and beside if jay was with him, automatically both of them will be kick out from being too loud.
the study room is owned by an older woman, and the fare being cheap is a blessing for student like him. besides, he can bring foods and drinks inside, there’s also computers if he needed to use one, there’s also pantry and the owner would always stock jaeyun’s favourite snacks for them to snack on. the best thing of all is, the study room would be open 24 hours. for someone like jaeyun who always lost track of time when he’s focused, everything was perfect for him.
jaeyun stop on his track as he stumbles upon a board selling a roll of kimbap for 2 dollars, which is very unlikely as any other store was selling it for 3-4 dollars per roll. he contemplates for a few second to get inside, wondering if the owner has sold it for a lower price because the ingredients isn’t fresh? or because their business is not doing well? (jaeyun noticed how gloomy the store look, like it didn’t get customers for a while).
he let out a sigh as he walks in, well, if the kimbap didn’t turned out to be delicious, at least he has taken a proof photo that he has ate to sunoo. he can manage with 2 dollars less in his account.
the first thing jaeyun notice is how traditional this place look, like the old korean food stalls, but still, with a bit touch of modern vibes in the colours and the decoration. he takes in the scent of sesame oils lingering the store and he found himself become hungry.
he saw a man standing behind the counter, but he was facing away from the door, probably don’t even notice a customer has walk in.
“excuse me?” jaeyun said first, the man immediately turns around.
jaeyun stares at the man in front of him, pale skin, round yet piercing eyes. if anything, the man looks taken aback at the presence of another person in the store.
“what do you want?” the man said, and jaeyun was now taken aback by how cold the other sound like, not helping when the man doesn’t even spare him a smile.
“uh yeah- so like, do you still have kimbap?” jaeyun ask, smiles as wide as he can.
the man nods his head curtly, “choose which filling you want,” he said, before he faces away from jaeyun again, continuing what he had done before jaeyun walked in.
jaeyun found himself getting a bit worked up from the rude service, thinking to himself that maybe this is the reason why the store didn’t get a lot of customers. he huffs before scanning the menu, not wanting to stay there any longer.
“i want tuna” jaeyun said, this time he didn’t smile.
the man stare at him, perplexed by the sudden change of attitude from jaeyun. he then sighs, before nodding his head. jaeyun stand there as he watches the man diligently do his work rolling the kimbap- jaeyun can tell that the man had been doing this for a long time.
in just minutes, the man had finished rolling his kimbap in the tin-foil, already putting it in the plastic bag before handing it to jaeyun.
without exchanging any other words, jaeyun put the 2 dollars on top of the counter, taking the plastic bag from the man, looking straight into the man eyes (not giving him a smile) before he walks out of the store.
to say the least, jaeyun walk furiously to the study room. definitely feel his mood ruin by the unknown man.
“hyung? i was just about to text you and ask for picture proof- have you eaten yet?” sunoo ask,
jaeyun off handedly showing the plastic bag, “about to,” he replies,
sunoo stares at the plastic bag for a while before asking “did you bought that from the ‘unfriendly’ store?”
jaeyun eyes widen, “how would you know?”
sunoo scoff, “well, me, riki and jungwon had gone there before… and yeah, the owner is so unfriendly and he seems to never be happy in his whole life”
“didn’t he looked too young to be the owner?” jaeyun ask, he would’ve guessed the owner to be his age, if not probably 2 or 3 years older than him.
sunoo shrug his shoulder, “we just call him that… the foods are good though but thinking of the owner unfriendly manner, i never go back there”
jaeyun chuckles, definitely thinking that he also won’t set his foot there anymore.
“riki searched the store on internet before, and unsurprisingly, there’s lots of complaint from the customers about the ‘never smile’ owner” sunoo continues.
“well, good thing i know now, so i won’t be there again”
jaeyun then finally unwrapped the kimbap from the tin-foil, his nose once again hit with the aroma of sesame oil with tuna. not expecting anything, he takes a bite.
it’s so delicious was the first thought forming in his brain as chew on the kimbap roll. probably the best kimbap he has eaten in his life. he tries to rationalized with saying that he found it delicious just because he hasn’t had kimbap for like months, but seeing how everything just so perfectly go well together, he believes it is because the kimbap is indeed delicious.
“told you their foods is delicious” sunoo said, noticing the way jaeyun eating carefully, not wanting to left any grain.
“it was so delicious and cheap too… if only the owner is nice” jaeyun said, feeling a bit sad as he done with the kimbap. still feeling the strong after taste of the tuna kimbap in his tongue.
the taste didn’t go even after days, jaeyun found himself wanting to eat different kind of flavours of kimbap from the store, even when he chows down his daily ramen intake, he can’t help but to think that those kimbap actually will go so well with his cup ramen.
it was saturday and jaeyun found himself craving to taste the kimbap. it’s been 5 days since and honestly; he can’t control his urge anymore. without thinking any longer, he immediately wears his hoodie and grab his phone and wallet, walking towards the bus station.
jaeyun didn’t go to the area on saturday due to the study room being cleaned every saturday, which also he decided to rest on weekends, so to say, he never really be in this area on weekend and to see how much livelier the area was during weekend is a bit surprising.
as he walks to the familiar path, he stops on his track. finally come to his sense that he will be meet the owner, again. he almost regrets his decision to even be there in the first place. just as he was to turn around and probably to curse himself to waste the 1 dollar of bus fare for nothing, he heard the man’s voice.
“you could’ve called instead of coming here, you know i can call a rider to send some kimbaps to your house” the man said, nagging yet his voice is so soft.
jaeyun peek his head a bit, noticing there’s an older woman in front of him,
“it’s fine sunghoonie- besides, it’s been a while since i walk outside… and i miss my grandson,” the older woman said, jaeyun immediately melt, thinking about his grandmother.
“i can visit you if you want me too, you can just call me- i teach you already right on how to call my number?” the owner, that jaeyun has learned his name is sunghoon, said.
the older woman nodded fondly, then her eyes met with jaeyun who stands near them.
“seems like you have a customer, i’ll get going first” she said, smiling softly at jaeyun.
sunghoon turn his back, finally noticing that there’s someone else behind him. jaeyun smiles at the older woman, noticing that sunghoon froze few seconds before he focuses back on his grandmother.
“now- how are you going back home?” sunghoon ask, tone laced with worried.
“i live long enough to know my way around here, hoonie… and don’t worry, i come with my friends, all of them at the fruit store there,” she said, pointing at the group of other older women going through the fruits display, “now, go treat your customer!” she ushered before hugging sunghoon.
jaeyun bow his head a bit as the older woman walk pass by him, noticing sunghoon smiles softly looking at his grandma’s direction.
“oh? you can smile?” jaeyun muttered, as much as it makes him taken aback by how fast his mouth act before his brain, sunghoon look even more taken aback by the comment. jaeyun swear he can see the man in front of him goes red for few seconds at that.
“uh- why are you here?” sunghoon ask, looking at him incredulously.
jaeyun snort before he walks inside the store, leaving sunghoon behind him.
“why else would i be here for? i want to buy kimbap” jaeyun said, already looking through the menu.
sunghoon wordlessly walk behind the counter, he stands there for a while before saying, “i mean… i never have customer coming back for our foods… most of the time they come to complain about me” he said honestly,
jaeyun look at him, “i can see why that happened but no worry, i truly here for the foods… uhm, i want the spam kimbap and bulgogi kimbap” he orders, already thinking of saving the bulgogi kimbap for tomorrow.
“okay, just wait for few minutes” sunghoon said, voice surprisingly soft, not like the first day jaeyun was here.
they both stay silence for few minutes, jaeyun almost mesmerized by how fast sunghoon did his work, which lead him to more questions to ask.
“are you the owner?” he asked, sunghoon eyes widen, not expecting a question coming.
“my father is, but i kind of run the store for a while now…”
jaeyun nodded his head at the answer, “no wonder you look skilled”
sunghoon stop rolling the kimbap, looking at the latter shyly, “oh- thank you”
“the foods are delicious, if only you smile then probably you will get more customers.” jaeyun commented, making sunghoon froze.
sunghoon look at him hesitantly, “i… i am so terrible in front of strangers and i did try to smile or speak nicely, but every time someone walk in, my brain just froze and i turned cold”
jaeyun chuckles, “but you’re doing great right now?”
sunghoon blushes, “that’s because it’s the 2nd time we met and… you look nice, i also want to apologize for the last time you were here… i noticed you stop smiling after i didn’t return the smile, and if the money slamming on the counter said enough”
“wait- did i really slam the money? oh my god, sorry for that…” jaeyun said, flustered.
the latter chuckles softly, “it’s fine, i have gone through worse”, he said, giving the plastics filled with kimbaps towards jaeyun.
“uhm… well… my name is sim jaeyun, i am 22 years old and still a college student” he said, put the plastic aside as he extends his hand for a handshake.
sunghoon smiles, taking jaeyun’s hands onto his, “my name is park sunghoon, also 22 years old and i make delicious kimbap”
they both laugh, and for once jaeyun compliments himself for following his guts to go to sunghoon’s store that day.
“well, i got to go first,” jaeyun said, looking at his watch, “the bus will arrive in 10 minutes”
sunghoon’s eyes widen, “you took the bus just to buy this kimbap?”
jaeyun blush, nodded his head shyly.
“i don’t live in the area, my house is like 30 minutes from here… and only here because i am a frequent at the study room next building. and i craved for your kimbap ever since the last time i came, so yeah-”
“wow- i am actually fluttered?” sunghoon said, smiling widely, never in his mind that he thinks someone would like his foods that much.
“i will be back on monday, see you then” jaeyun said, waving his hand as he walks outside.
sunghoon smiles softly, nodding his head at the promise.
jaeyun keep on smiling all the way to his house.
even his housemates were weirded out when they saw jaeyun giggles every time he takes a bite of the delicious kimbap.
jaeyun can’t wait for monday to come, for his stomach to be filled with the kimbap,
and for his mind to be filled with the cute kimbap store owner.