Work Text:
The day Yunho meets Mingi, he’s running late for work.
His closing shift started some ten minutes ago, and of course, being as it’s Friday, Yunho was a fool to not expect the onslaught of teenagers hogging the large walkway that feeds into multiple shops. The mall is fun. Everyone loves the mall. Except the fucking people who work there, and are running late.
Okay, maybe it’s just Yunho who isn’t particularly fond of the mall. He sighs, doing his best to keep his cool, and reminds himself that his boss is rather lenient.
His best friend is the damn boss, who is he kidding? Yunho is aware he won’t get in trouble—because he never has before—but still, Yunho is a perfectionist. And he doesn’t expect Hongjoong to go easy on him just because they’ve been close for so long.
Just as he finds a gap large enough to take advantage of and swerve around the slow clump of teens ahead of him, someone else beats him to it and collides with him harshly.
That’s just his luck. All of his shit falls to the ground.
He refrains from groaning and grabs his phone and wallet from the tile floor, shuffling out of the way before he gets stampeded.
Then, there’s a voice from over his shoulder.
“Ouch. That looked rough. You okay?”
Yunho follows the sound until he takes notice of a taller man standing behind the counter of a small booth that looks to specialize in electronic repairs. He smiles and nods politely, transferring the grime on his phone screen to his jeans. These floors are disgusting. “I’m fine, thanks. It’s crazy busy.” As he’s about to join in on the foot traffic once more, the stranger’s stare lands on his phone. “Have a good one, yeah?”
“Wait, is your phone okay? It looks cracked.”
Yunho frowns, having not noticed. When he follows the man’s gaze to eventually land on the device, there is a small fracture that starts from the top left corner and travels all the way to the charging port. Internally, he kicks himself for not investing in a screen protector, but he doesn’t have time to deal with the hassle today. “Ah, don’t worry about it. It’s not too bad.”
Before the other can respond, Yunho tucks his phone into his pocket and continues the trek to work.
Upon his arrival, Hongjoong shakes his head teasingly and taps a finger against his wrist, despite the lack of a watch adorning it. To make it up, Yunho promises him a coffee tomorrow—his treat.
Luckily, the next shift Yunho has is on a Monday, which means the mall is practically desolate. When he clocks out for a break, Hongjoong sneaks up behind him to remind him of a certain promise.
Yunho’s mission today is simple: Acquire a coffee for Hongjoong and a pretzel for himself.
His life could never be that easy, though. He is a little over halfway to the food court when a familiar voice halts him.
“Hey, you!”
Yunho stops dead in his tracks, looking around at the passerbys. It takes a moment for him to realize the words fell from the same individual from Friday. He points to himself with a silent question, despite the very clear eye contact.
The stranger nods. “Yes, you.”
“...What?”
“If you have more time today, I can fix your phone up for you. Won’t take too long.”
Yunho huffs, now able to study the booth more closely. The setup is filled with phone cases and screen protectors, which, yes, is convenient, but if Yunho is going to get his phone fixed, he’s going to go somewhere else. Where the prices aren’t absolutely insane.
It’s really too bad. Yunho had thought the man was being kind yesterday, but he probably just had one thing on his mind. A sale.
Yunho hisses sheepishly. “Nah, it’s alright. Thank you, though.”
“Are you sure? I’ll throw in a free screen protector.”
Yunho is impressed when he’s able to keep the expression on his face civil. He is not getting swindled today. “I’m positive. See you around.”
He does not intend on seeing him around, but with the words, Yunho can part without too much resistance from the salesman.
With an iced latte in one hand and a warm pretzel in the other, Hongjoong is ecstatic with his return, clapping his hands together after a customer finishes up at the counter and leaves with a plastic bag. “My hero. You should be late more often.”
Yunho rolls his eyes but is silently thankful the man is so pliant as he bites into his pretzel. “What do I have to bribe you with to get this Thursday off?” he jokes.
Surprisingly, his friend seems to think it over, hooking the straw into his mouth and chewing on the plastic. “What for?”
“My brother’s birthday.”
Hongjoong just shrugs. “If I can take Saturday off, we’re even.”
The request has Yunho cracking a small grin. Hongjoong is not one to casually take time off. “You have plans, too, then?
Hongjoong blushes furiously but nods. “I landed myself a date.”
A giggle slips from Yunho’s lips and he raises his brows with wide eyes. “The perfume guy? Joongie, please tell me it’s with the perfume guy.”
‘The Perfume Guy’ is a leaner man who works at Macy’s and always manages to catch Hongjoong on his way into the building, hoping he’ll try whatever new fragrances are in stock. Safe to say, Hongjoong has yet to settle on a signature scent. “His name is Seonghwa,” Hongjoong confirms with a smile so wide the apples of his cheeks bunch up. “He invited me to a movie.”
It’s quite funny, really. Yunho has seen the two of them interact—on the rare occasion that Seonghwa visits their shop—and Hongjoong is nothing but awkward giggles and stuttered sentences.
How he managed to pull that off, Yunho isn’t sure. All he can hope for is that the two of them hit it off.
Apparently, they do hit it off.
That next week, Yunho comes into work and is met with the sight of the man giggling at his phone, a pointer finger tucked into the cage of his teeth.
“Seonghwa?” Yunho asks, chuckling, just to be sure.
Hongjoong nods and sets his phone down to throw his head back with a dramatic groan. “We had a great time. I need him. Bad.”
“I think you already have him,” Yunho replies, the buzz of his own phone pressing uncomfortably into his thigh. Upon retrieving the device, all he is met with is an email with the link to some internet scam claiming him to be the winner of a ridiculous sum of money. He rolls his eyes. No beautiful cologne salesman for him.
“He’s working today. I think I’m gonna go work some magic, maybe seduce him—woah, what did you do to your phone, dude?!”
At the question, Yunho winces.
Thursday went great. He ate a lot of steak and melted into Jongho’s floor with a few beers in his system.
But he also dropped his phone onto the bathroom tile after a few shots of vodka were offered. The fissure in the glass worsened, but at the time, nothing could dampen his spirits. He left the bathroom and downed another beer, passing out on his brother’s couch not long after.
Now, however, he can admit that his spirits are, indeed, dampened.
His phone looks bad. And his morning doom scroll keeps getting interrupted with a small piece of glass wedging its way into his thumb.
“I dropped it.”
Hongjoong gawks at him. “Off of a skyscraper? Jesus.”
Yunho’s answer is a bemused stare.
“Why don’t you get it fixed? You know there’s a little repair place down that way—”
At the vague gesture of Hongjoong’s hand, Yunho interrupts him. “I’m well aware. He keeps bothering me about it.”
He does, too. Yunho isn’t even exaggerating. On the way into work today, the man waved him down and laughed at the fact that his phone had gotten worse. “Wouldn’t be that bad if you let me fix it,” he said, with a look on his face that just screamed I told you so. “It’s not too late, y’know?”
Out of spite, Yunho has decided petulantly that he is not going to fix it.
“Mingi?” Hongjoong questions.
Yunho shrugs. “I don’t know. Why?”
“Oh, Seonghwa has a friend that works there. Was just wondering.”
“Maybe I’ll ask for his name next time he pan-handles me,” Yunho replies sarcastically. Then again, he might just. To report him or something.
“You’re so dramatic,” Hongjoong voices, eyes wide. Yunho realizes belatedly that he said that last part out loud. “He’s just doing his job. You’re gonna make Seonghwa dump me.”
“I’m not. Just let me daydream about it for a while.”
Hongjoong shakes his head but lets the conversation fizzle out, grabbing a clipboard and taking inventory. Luckily, he always starts with the skateboards at the back of the store, so Yunho has some alone time to get lost in thought.
He’s not going to report him, no. But he is going to avoid the man at all costs.
Of course, Yunho doesn’t even make it to the end of the day before seeing the stranger—Mingi, apparently—again.
“Funny seeing you here,” Mingi says, despite it not being funny at all. Because Yunho works here. Where else would he be?
“Hey,” he responds anyway, a faux smile accompanying the words. “Anything I can help you find?”
Hongjoong suddenly slides in at his side. Yunho isn’t quite sure how the man manages to appear out of nowhere, but he’s gotten used to it. “Mingi! What’s up?”
“Hi! I hear you and Seonghwa had a good time?”
“Well, if that’s what Seonghwa told you, then yes. We most certainly did. What are ya here for?”
Mingi finally seems to remember that he is, in fact, here for something. “Oh, Seonghwa told me you guys have cool t-shirts. I was just gonna look around if that’s okay?”
Hongjoong smiles, genuine. Yunho wants to scoff. “Let us know if you need anything, alright?”
At the man’s parting nod, Hongjoong hops up onto the counter, slowly crossing one leg over the other with a mischievous glint in his eye. Mingi has ventured further into the store at this point, but Hongjoong looks over his shoulder just to be sure. “He’s lowkey cute.”
Yunho’s head jerks back, astounded. “What the hell are you talking about? I thought you and Seonghwa had fun?”
“Are you stupid? Not for me, dork, for you.”
“I would kinda rather die, thanks.”
“You are such a drama queen. He just wants to fix your phone.”
“He wants to scam me,” Yunho states, deadpan. “There’s a difference.”
“Why would he come to our store, then?”
“I don’t know! To track me down or something. He’s stalking his prey—it’s only a matter of time before I find him in my damn house.” Hongjoong kicks him in the thigh, but it only spurs on a competitive flare sparking in his chest. “You know what, ten bucks says he mentions my screen before he leaves. I’ll check him out.”
Hongjoong is surprisingly quick to huff and hold out a hand for Yunho to shake. Yunho does just that. “You’re on, but I think he just wants to talk to you.”
Yunho rolls his eyes, but can’t find it in himself to be upset.
He’s about to be ten dollars richer.
Mingi takes his sweet time picking out several graphic tees, but eventually, he makes his way to the front with three of them slung over his forearm.
“This all for you?” Yunho asks, all the while Hongjoong begins to bag the merchandise and pretend not to listen.
“Should be it!”
Hongjoong smirks at his side, placing the plastic bag between them on the counter, but Yunho knows better—this isn’t over yet. The card reader dings quietly as Mingi pays.
“Receipt’s in the bag. Have a good day.”
“Thanks, you guys too.”
Yunho is expecting the man to go on, preparing for the snark and bracing internally, but he doesn’t. Mingi turns around without another word.
Yunho frowns.
“Told you—”
Hongjoong is interrupted right as Mingi reaches the doors, swiftly spinning on his heels. “Oh, I almost forgot! I have a question.”
Yunho hums and a bit of suspicion forms in his gut once more.
“Phone still broken?”
Of course.
This time, the pestering feels victorious, however, and a hearty laugh falls from his mouth. “Yes, sir.”
“Aw.” Mingi purses his lips with a fake pout. “That’s too bad. I’ll be off, then.”
When the store is finally empty, Yunho holds out a splayed palm for Hongjoong to pay up. Hongjoong takes an annoyed breath and opens the register, stealing a ten dollar bill from it.
Yunho gawks.
“What? It’s my store.”
Yunho begins marking tallies each time Mingi bothers him about his phone after that, the small chalkboard used for reminders now housing his score in the least hectic corner.
It’s only been a few days since Mingi bought the t-shirts, but the man is on his fourth tally already. Hongjoong laughs with each white streak added, but really, Yunho hates that it’s actually starting to annoy him. He’s gotten to the point where he’s debating on parking somewhere else—maybe at the sports goods store at the other end of the mall—just so he won’t have to walk by the phone repair booth every fucking day.
But that option adds about ten minutes to his already-long walk.
He groans.
Today, Yunho’s in a bad enough mood as is. He’s late again and his stupid phone keeps slipping from his hands and by the time Mingi makes another one of his comments, Yunho can’t keep the frustration at bay. “Not today,” is all he says then.
But later, after getting told off by an angry customer and deciding he just needs a minute alone, Yunho doesn’t even let the man open his mouth.
Yunho snaps. He isn’t proud of it.
“God, can you just leave it alone? I’m busy.”
The shock on Mingi’s face is warranted, but even Yunho knows he can’t take the words back as he rakes a hand through his hair and continues his trek to the men’s restroom to splash some water on his face. The quiet apology Mingi whispers after the fact doesn’t make him feel any better.
Because now he’s in a bad mood and feeling guilty.
Worse, when he goes to send Hongjoong a text that he may need a few extra minutes for his break, a chunk of glass cuts into the flesh of his thumb again.
“You should apologize,” Hongjoong tells him a week later.
Yunho has yet to add a new tally ever since what Hongjoong likes to call his “Major Blow Up.” Mingi doesn’t even look at him when he walks past anymore, and yeah, maybe Yunho is starting to agree with the fact that he can be a bit of a drama queen. “I just don’t know what to say. It’s not like we were friends or anything. Like, do I go up to him and say Hey, sorry for freaking out but you were kind of annoying the shit out of me—”
“Why on god’s green earth would you say that?”
Seonghwa is here, too, awfully silent. Which only makes Yunho feel worse.
“Then, what?” Yunho whines. “Sure, I was a dick, but—”
“You were a dick,” Hongjoong finishes flatly. “No buts. Just go buy him a pretzel or something, and get your stupid phone fixed while you’re at it.”
Yunho breaks eye contact with Hongjoong to glance down at the bandage wrapped lamely around his thumb.
“Min’s… not usually like this,” Seonghwa adds solemnly. “He told me his side of the story, and I think talking it out will do you both some good.”
Deep down, he knows they’re right
Yunho was a dick.
“Fine.”
Gaining the courage to approach Mingi takes a good day or two. Especially, since every time Yunho is within a one-hundred foot radius, the man turns away and busies himself with something just to avoid an interaction.
It’s not until Yunho goes to grab a bite to eat at the food court that the opportunity to redeem himself arises on a silver platter.
Mingi is sitting at one of the tables with a bucket of cheesy popcorn and a slushee to keep him company.
Usually, Yunho would grimace at such a combination, but for now, he chooses to approach him gently so as to not scare him away. Almost like how he greets the stray cats in the alley out back. Mingi doesn’t see him coming, thankfully, so he has no time to run and hide. He looks up at the sudden presence by his side, pausing with his mouth full. “Uh. Hello.”
Yunho does his best to come off friendlier than he has in the past—even pulls his lips in a guilty smile. “Hey. Can I sit?”
Mingi resumes his slow chewing and gazes at the empty chair across from him. Then, he nods. “Sure.”
With the confirmation, Yunho scoots the plastic chair from beneath the table and takes a seat, pulling his phone from his pocket. Mingi watches blankly. “I’m sorry for being a dick the other day.”
It’s blunt, but no matter how many times Yunho rehearsed this interaction in his head, there never seemed to be a good way to ease them into it. “It’s okay,” Mingi answers, but he still avoids his eyes entirely.
“Do you want to fix my phone?”
At this, Mingi’s gaze shifts from the straw of his slushee to Yunho, eyebrows raised in surprise. “Oh. For real?”
“Figure it’s the least I can do.”
But Yunho doesn’t get the reaction he was expecting. Or, hoping for, rather.
Mingi takes his bottom lip in between the cage of his teeth and chews on it hesitantly. “It was never about your phone, you know that, right? I thought that was why you were upset.”
Yunho pulls his brows together, making a questioning sound in the back of throat. That’s all the man has been able to speak about for weeks—how could it not be about his phone? “I’m not following.”
“It’s stupid, but—I don’t know—Seonghwa was telling me about how he and Hongjoong met. How he kept giving him perfume samples.” Mingi is red in the face, pausing only to grab a handful of popcorn. His next words are said through a mouthful. “I’ve seen you walk by before. I always thought you were cute, so Hwa told me to go for it—to talk to you. When you broke your phone, it just felt kinda perfect.”
Yunho is silent when Mingi finishes. He isn’t quite sure how to process the words, and if anything, the admission makes him feel a little worse.
Because if he had taken Hongjoong’s words seriously, and not made it some sort of game, maybe he would have put the pieces together sooner. Mingi really just wanted to talk.
Fuck.
Mingi clears his throat. “Sorry if I annoyed you. That day you told me off, I was just gonna ask if you were okay. You looked upset.”
“Oh my god. I’m a major asshole,” Yunho settles on, eloquently. “I am so, so sorry.”
Mingi shrugs. “It’s fine. I’m more embarrassed than anything.”
“Why are you embarrassed?”
“Because you don’t… feel the same way. And that’s fine!” Mingi is quick to add. “Really, it’s okay.”
It’s here that Yunho is finally able to look past the front Mingi has been putting on, and he’s no swindler—that much is for sure. Yunho frowns at someone soft-spoken and gentle. Pretty, too. “Look, I seriously had no idea, so I’m not sure what I feel. But you’re cute. Sweet.”
Mingi still looks like he’s waiting for a rejection.
Yunho continues. “How about we start slow. You can fix my phone and maybe give me your number.” He smiles. “I’ll be able to text again without cutting my thumbs.”
Something like relief smoothes out the lines on Mingi’s face.
He is pretty. Dreadfully so.
Yunho kicks himself internally for not seeing it until now.
“Okay. But you don’t have to do this just because you feel bad for me or something—”
“That’s not it. Promise.”
So, after Mingi finishes up his popcorn, Yunho walks him back to his booth and surrenders his cell.
It should be done by the end of their shifts, Mingi tells him.
Yunho can’t wait.
Closing feels as if it takes centuries to arrive, but eventually, it does.
Hongjoong gives him a motivational pat on the shoulder and quirks a brow before they part ways, and as Yunho trudges the walkway to the repair shop, he can’t help the wave of nervousness that washes over him.
It’s quite ridiculous. But Yunho has spent the better part of three hours without a phone to distract himself from this very moment, and he’s done nothing but build it up in his mind.
His heart pounds at the sight of Mingi smiling widely at him, even though he hasn’t made it to the counter yet. “It’s like new,” he shouts from a distance. “I think you owe me a million dollars.”
Yunho scoffs, but it eases his heart into a normal rhythm again. “Yeah? Do I still get the free screen protector, at least?” Once he makes it to the booth, Mingi slides the device across the surface and giggles. It, indeed, adorns a screen protector—a new case, as well. Yunho picks it up and is pleased at Mingi’s handiwork, whistling. “Damn.”
Mingi huffs a laugh, but at the sight of Yunho reaching for his wallet, waves his hands. “It’s on the house. Don’t worry about it.”
“Are you crazy? I’m gonna pay for it.”
Mingi hums, turning his body away to position himself in front of the computer behind the counter. Yunho thinks he’s ringing him up at the sound of Mingi’s keyboard, but no, the man clicks his tongue and squints his eyes. “Oh no,” he starts, that fake pout adorning his lips again—the same one from weeks ago. “I accidentally signed off. Silly me.”
Yunho rolls his eyes. “I have cash. Put it in the system tomorrow.”
“No, you don’t.” Then, Mingi grabs a blank sheet of paper and tears off the corner. He scribbles something down with a black pen. “If you break it again, though, that’s a different story.”
Yunho nods guiltily. “Thank you. I probably don’t deserve that.”
The torn paper is slid across the counter. “I think you can make it up to me.”
It’s his phone number. Yunho pokes a tongue into his cheek to refrain from smiling.
“If the offer’s still on the table, give me a call?”
Yunho is already powering on his phone to save Mingi’s contact. “Of course.”
But then, something hits him.
“Did I ever tell you my name?”
Mingi chuckles. “Seonghwa did, don’t worry. I’ve gotta wrap up here, but I’ll see you tomorrow?”
For the first time in a while, Yunho doesn’t dread the walk into work the next day.
If anything, he can even say he’s looking forward to it.
“Sure. See you tomorrow.”