Work Text:
“Oi, which one looks better.”
Han Sooyoung held two pairs of pajamas by the hangers—On her left, she held one that was a woolly texture, a shade of grayish beige, and had long pants and hazel-brown buttons. The other was a light purple with white polka dots and had shorts, and was made of satin.
Kim Dokja observed the two choices, and spoke; “That one makes you look like you’re from the Bible,” He lazily jerked his chin to the left pair of pajamas.
“So this one?” Sooyoung raised the purple PJs. Dokja nodded.
“Unless if you enjoy the beige aesthetic,” He shrugged. “…But both don’t look half-bad,” Sooyoung frowned.
She put the beige pajamas back on a random racket full of random floral dresses and suits, and stretched. “…Anyways, let’s roll outta here. I think I’ve got all the stuff I need,” she yawned. The purple PJs were perched on the cart, in which was holding a small clump of other clothes.
Through the large, crisp glass doors in the front of the mall, it was visibly evening, the sky painted in dark blues and blazing orange hues that signaled dusk.
It was quite the contrast compared to the bright mall, full of impossibly shiny and squeaky-clean floors that could permanently blind a frail grandma. Dokja could perfectly see his reflection, though his face looked just slightly blurry sometimes, for some reason.
“Finally,” Dokja stretched as well, twisting his torso and cracking his back with a satisfied sigh. “I thought you’d never leave,” in reality, their trip in the mall was probably just about an hour or less—but to Dokja, it felt like an eternity, a torture device designed just for him.
The woman rolled her eyes with a faintly sleepy smirk, tying her short, silky black hair into a ponytail. “You’re just being a baby. Usually, a normal shopping session should take maybe two hours or so.”
“…Sounds like a lobotomy,” Dokja replied back, steering and moving the cart around. Sooyoung shrugged and whipped out her phone, ‘probably texting Yoo Sangah or Jung Huiwon about the stuff she got,’ Dokja thought.
_ _ _
Later, they reached Sooyoung’s apartment, the short woman grinning and waving Dokja goodbye with two large paper bags that held the clothes she bought. “See you, squid. Don’t die in a car crash on your way home.”
“…That’s really touching, thanks,” Dokja’s face remained stoic. “Yeah, goodnight, see you,” the man waved back. Sooyoung gave him one last (suspiciously mischievous) grin, then closed and locked the door with a click.
It was now just Dokja and the vast, clear night sky, occasionally accompanied by the faint chirping of crickets. He walked down the concrete stairwells and yawned, slumping into his car. It would be a long ride home, wouldn’t it.
_______
Yep.
There were buttloads of traffic as Dokja drove his way to his apartment place. He almost fell asleep whilst waiting for the cars in front of him to move. It was times like these where he wished he lived in a rural, humble town instead of Seoul, this packed city.
Then, his phone rang.
Dokja pulled out the device from his pocket and checked to see who it was.
[ Sunfish ]
Ah, Yoo Joonghyuk. He answered the call, a bit curious why the man was calling him now (nighttime) of all times.
“Kim Dokja.”
“…Joonghyuk-ah? Why’d you call?” Dokja asked. There was a faint sound of static from the taller man’s side.
“Where are you,” Joonghyuk asked—demanded.
“…I’m in the middle of traffic?” Dokja was even more confused now. “Do you suddenly miss me dearly? What do you want?”
There was a beat of silence between the two. Then there was a faint noise of sighing from the sunfish’s side of the call.
“…Sooyoung told me that you were in trouble,” Joonghyuk finally answered.
Dokja blinked. “…So you just decided to call me with no further explanation from her?” He stifled a laugh. He could feel Joonghyuk staring daggers into him (even though they were separated by a screen). “Also, I’m fine. Nothing’s going on.”
“…..” Joonghyuk remained quiet for a few seconds. Dokja yawned, still bored in traffic. A few cars began to move, and Dokja followed.
“Anyways…” Dokja began to speak again. “…Do you have anything else to say?”
Joonghyuk grunted in affirmation. “…Mia wanted to say hi,” there was a faint noise of feet padding around (presumably) his house.
“Is she there with you right now?” The slightly shorter man asked, his finger tapping on the steering wheel. “Tell her I said hello back.”
“Dokja said hi back,” Joonghyuk’s voice was farther from the phone, but Dokja could still make out what he said.
“Okay,” a voice of a young girl responded. It was Yoo Mia.
Subtle rustling around could be heard, and Joonghyuk began to talk to Dokja again. “I’m gonna get her ready for bed now.”
Ending the call so soon? Dokja felt a small pang of disappointment, but nodded along anyways. “Okay. Goodnight, sunfish.”
“…Drive safe,” Joonghyuk responded, almost hesitantly. “Goodnight…squid.”
The call ended. Dokja sat there in slightly stunned silence. Did he just now finally call him a nickname back? Was the end of the world drawing closer? He felt a small warmth creep to his ears.
Sighing and rubbing his eyes, Dokja stretched in his car, eyes still focused on the road. ‘That sunfish bastard…’
He continued to drive, but a little less bored now, his mind occupied with thoughts of both the sunfish and that sneaky grin of Sooyoung’s. The road began to clear up a bit more, and traffic began to pivot away.
It wouldn’t be as long as a ride before.
But Dokja still wished he lived in a rural area instead.
_____
The end.