Chapter Text
“And he's just so … ngh!” With a sound that just barely wasn't a moan, Wooyoung flopped over the counter, chest hitting the dark wood and arms dangling over the other side. He felt the oversized black jacket ride up his back, exposing bare skin.
“Ngh meaning …?”
Wooyoung looked up to Yunho's chuckle with a raised eyebrow. He sat on the bar stool on the other side, smooth and casual as always, with his elbows propped up on the counter and back leaned against it. His silver hair had gotten long enough that the roots started to grow in, but it suited him in a weird way.
“Tall, broad, can put you through a mattress?”
Now he grinned. Ever since he had gotten that ring through the middle of his lip in addition to the various ear piercings, his canines stuck out just a little too much. Apparently, it looked unnerving, especially under the dim string lights around the bar area, the only ones already lit in the small game bar “I like what I like.”
“You animal,” Seonghwa sighed.
He didn't even look up from the bill in front of him. Not even Yunho made the counter seem as small as he did, one leg propped up on a beer case and his whole torso leaned over it so pink strands of hair fell into his face. He still looked elegant, which may or may not had to do with the fact that his clothes usually had holes in places where they shouldn't be, or that they were tight enough to leave little to the imagination.
“You should've seen him.” Wooyoung sighed as well, but not in that exhausted way his friend-slash-manager usually did. More … dreamy.
“You paint a very vivid picture. I think we can imagine your handsome subway stranger.” Seonghwa looked up and a smile played around his lips. “It's not going to get you out of helping with inventory, though.”
“Why can't he do it?” Wooyoung nodded to Yunho. “He practically lives here.”
“He's not getting paid.”
“Your dad should rethink that.”
Wooyoung still pushed himself off the counter with a heavy sigh – even though everyone knew his complaints were only show. Because Seonghwa wasn't only his manager, worse – he was also right. Their new shipment had come in this morning and neither of them had dared to look at it yet. Simply because they didn't know the first thing about the card games they reserved a table for; Mingi was the one who usually handled that.
Truth be told, Mingi handled a lot of their inventory that didn't have anything to do with the bar. Seonghwa kept the lights on in their main room with broad couches, TVs and consoles for people just looking to have fun, but also in the back of the store where a small, separate room was reserved for half a dozen computers and competitive gaming. And for Yunho's streams. Wooyoung, on the other hand, usually handled the bar and its various drinks and snacks.
Ever since their actual boss, Seonghwa's dad, had gotten too sick to manage his store properly, the three of them had taken over. Even though Wooyoung had started out as more of a part-timer a bit over two years ago, Mingi cared for his grandma, and Seonghwa … well.
Mingi was their lifesaver.
“I can still try to help,” Yunho offered before Wooyoung had even come up behind the bar. “Mingi is at his grandma's until opening, right?”
“No,” Seonghwa looked up just in time for Wooyoung to shut his mouth again. “You're doing enough already.”
Yunho chuckled again as he shook his head. “I'm just streaming from here sometimes. Honestly, I'm glad you let me do that in here at all.”
“Yes, sure. One of the top Valorant streamers promoting this store is absolutely not enough.” Seonghwa rolled his eyes, but his tone was affectionate. “Let Woo get some of his energy out. Otherwise he'll jump his subway stranger the next time he sees him.”
Wooyoung huffed but couldn't resist a smirk. “I still have dance class this evening. That's going to take some energy, unless one of you wants to help out.”
He still went to the staff room doubling as a storage to grab the delivery notices and comb through the stacked boxes. Aside from a lot of trading card games he had only ever heard about in passing, his head was filled with the image from earlier that day; someone new on his morning commute. A stranger only a head taller than him, maybe less, black hair falling into his face and almost hiding an undercut; his leather jacket fitting tightly over broad shoulders and barely concealing a shirt that had clung to him like a second skin. And the black pants had done just about everything for his ass.
But instead of lingering on that image, he walked back out with a small box in his hands and held it up to Seonghwa and Yunho. “Hey, what is this?”
They turned their heads, then Seonghwa broke out into laughter. Somehow it still sounded soft, despite him doubling over the counter and holding his stomach. And after Yunho leaned forward enough to read the label, he joined in.
“Mingi said he'd order those for you,” he explained after taking some time to get a grip again. “Because Seonghwa keeps calling you an animal.”
“Really?” Wooyoung reached into the box, one eyebrow raised. “Cat ears on the company's dime? Is there a kink involved I wasn't aware of?”
“I can't even be mad at him.” There were actual tears in Seonghwa's eyes.
For a moment, Wooyoung considered this. Then he made Yunho hold his phone with the camera app open to fix the black, fluffy cat ears glued on hair clips in his matching long, black hair. “I'm going to make him eat his words.”
*
The game bar was nestled in an alley, right at the corner of one of their city's busiest shopping streets. Apparently, Seonghwa's dad rented it dirt-cheap, and it looked out of place between the popular clothing stores and cute boutiques, perfumeries and cafes. Bright storefronts were decorated with the flowers and fashion of the season, and each time they came back from the cafe Wooyoung's best friend worked at, Seonghwa had opinions.
Just like right now, when they made their way back to the bar with Wooyoung carrying a bag full of sandwiches and Seonghwa's arms full of everyone's drinks of choice. He loved when he didn't have to pay for lunch, and his dance classes would help burn those calories in a heartbeat.
“Florals? For spring?” Seonghwa shook his head and sarcasm dripped from his lips in that sweet, quiet tone that made people back off a step. “Groundbreaking.”
Wooyoung's sandwich was already halfway gone as he looked around. He hadn't made the connection before. But then again, he wasn't tuned into fashion most days, rolling up to work in yet another oversized hoodie and ripped jeans. “Hongjoong's going to do anything about that?”
Seonghwa's sigh spoke volumes. “Adding to it, actually.”
“You should've read the fine print more closely when you went shopping for your fashion designer boyfriend,” Wooyoung reminded him with a grin before bumping their shoulders. “Also you're the done doing soft pink hair for spring. Don't go around complaining about others.”
“You're lucky I can't run this bar without you.” But Seonghwa's expression had gone back to his usual soft smile. “Mind if I bring my cousin this evening?”
“The one who just moved here?”
“How many cousins do you think I have?” Seonghwa's eyebrow went up, but then he nodded. “He started his new job a few days ago. Around the corner, actually.”
“Oh?” Wooyoung perked up. “Bring him. Drinks on the house, I assume?”
“If you give him more than two beers, you have to deal with him for the rest of the night.”
“Depends on how hot he is.” He shrugged before reaching into the sandwich bag again. “It's not like we've never had drunks before.”
Seonghwa watched him pull out one of the cookies Yeosang had slipped them, then he leaned over to take a sip of Wooyoung's milkshake before pointing to his head. “Are you going to do anything about those?”
He had almost forgotten about the cat ears after slapping Mingi exactly once when Seonghwa hadn't been looking. “No, I don't think so,” Wooyoung decided after a moment of deliberation. If he thought about it, they were kind of fluffy and matched his hair pretty well. And Mingi had ordered a pair with fake piercings going through them. Exactly his style. So he admitted, a bit reluctantly, “I think they're actually kind of cute. Don't tell anyone.”
*
Apparently, he was the only one with that opinion. None of their regulars found them as cute or funny as him, instead commenting on how his baggy clothes didn't fit that style. So over the week, Wooyoung had decided to prove them all wrong: he could pull it off.
People got used to it fast.
The LED strips had been turned on as they had opened shortly after noon, and by late afternoon, the main event was a spontaneous Mario Kart tournament. Aside from that, a few people flocking around Yunho and a few other guys he met that day, playing Valorant in the back.
Mingi slid behind the counter while tying his orange hair in a half ponytail. “You've seen Yunho?”
“Still in the back,” Wooyoung answered after handing a girl her drink. “Miss him already? I'm sure I can keep you company.”
That earned him an eye roll, and as usual, his playful flirting got ignored. “Whatever.”
“Oh, please.” He nudged Mingi with his hip. “You're not subtle, and neither is he.”
Mingi nudged him back. “Where's Seonghwa?”
They both knew the unsubtle change of topic was to keep Mingi from blushing about his more or less requited crush. And Wooyoung was nice enough to humor him that day. “Getting his cousin,” he answered before he handed Mingi a coke from the fridge under the bar. “He should be back any minute now.”
“Think that cousin can keep up with your subway stranger?”
Wooyoung matched Mingi's grin. “No way.” He immediately shook his head – even after a little less than a week, subway stranger's impression was still immaculate. “You haven't seen that ass.”
Mingi laughed and leaned against the counter while scanning the room. “No, but you're painting a clearer picture every day,” he said and looked back at Wooyoung. “Pretty sure we'll have all the info of his closet in about two weeks.”
“The worst part is, he looks good in it.” Wooyoung sighed, took an order from someone deciding that jack and coke was appropriate before sundown and turned around to their shelf full of bottles. “It should be stupid. And it is. Who – except Hwa – can unironically wear stuff that tight and not come off pretentious or stupid, or both?”
“I feel like that is a bold statement coming from someone wearing cat ears,” an unfamiliar voice said behind him.
Wooyoung frowned. He knew most of their regulars' voices, and this wasn't one of them. Normally, strangers didn't speak to him like that. But as he turned, mouth already opened for a rebuttal about how great he looked, Wooyoung froze.
There stood Seonghwa, smiling more than a little amused, and next to him – subway stranger. Leaning on the counter with his arms, in his stupid leather jacket, with his stupid hair falling into his face and a stupid raised eyebrow and smirk that made his knees go weak. So much so that Mingi took the Jack Daniels out of his hand and went to mix that drink.
Wooyoung blinked.
“This is San,” Seonghwa said and leaned next to him. “My cousin.”
That smile said everything. All those days Wooyoung had gushed about the stranger, described his clothes in as much detail as needed to get his point across – mainly about those beautiful, broad shoulders and illegal ass – and then Seonghwa picking up his cousin from work …
But Wooyoung wouldn't give him the satisfaction of actually shutting up, no matter how speechless subway stranger left him.
San, he corrected himself.
“Nice to meet you, San.” Wooyoung's canine got stuck on his suddenly very dry lower lip as he smiled back. “I'm Wooyoung.”
He wanted to rip these stupid cat ears off his head right this second.
San was broader up close. Not as tall as Wooyoung had guessed from afar, but those muscles did wonders. As did his dimples. “Hwa told me a lot about you,” he said while slipping on a bar stool. And that soft voice? Not like Seonghwa's, but one with a darker tone, one he wouldn't mind hearing all night.
“Well, at least you don't have to ruin your reputation yourself,” Mingi said with a grin and leaned out of reach as Wooyoung slapped after him. He grabbed the still unopened coke. “I'll go see if Yunho is still alive.”
“Yeah, you better run!” Wooyoung stuck out his tongue after him.
“You should take your break, too,” Seonghwa offered as he slipped behind the bar where Mingi had just stood. “I think I can handle this for a few minutes.”
“Sure?” He looked around; their regular with the pink hair in a similar tone as Seonghwa's had just made quarter finals in the tournament and raised her arms while people congratulated her. A few guys looked over the trading cards Mingi had sorted after coming in. Some people were tipsy, but nobody seemed to try and make any trouble right now.
“Sure,” Seonghwa assured him.
Whatever that expression was, Wooyoung couldn't read it. And maybe it shouldn't irk him too much, but he had gotten to know Seonghwa pretty well over the past two years. But then it clicked – that subtle smirk, the way he tilted his head towards San just a little bit.
“Okay,” Wooyoung agreed, maybe a little too enthusiastically. He would be stupid to pass up his chance to finally have an excuse to talk to San. And so he leaned on the counter with a small smirk. “So, what lies did my evil boss spread?”
San chuckled for whatever reason. Most people didn't find him that funny, even though Wooyoung liked to accuse them of the opposite. “I haven't talked to Hwa's dad yet. Anything other than the style choice I should be aware of?” He motioned to the cat ears.
Wooyoung bit his cheek and forced a blush down through sheer stubbornness. “The rest of me is just as awesome.”
He took two bottles of coke, slipped under the side of the counter to round it and sat next to San with crossed legs. He looked a lot more casual like this, one leg dangling down from the bar stool, the other propped up on the footrest. The look he got didn't escape his notice, either, and Wooyoung suddenly wished he didn't prefer oversized clothes for work.
“Hwa said you're a dancer?” San asked and took the coke with a thanks.
“So he did tell a truth.” Wooyoung nodded. “I'm doing my fine arts degree right now.”
And then he did the same; looked at San closer, took in his broad shoulders and comparatively small waist, his long legs and how every place where clothes tightened over his body showed an outline of muscle. “He didn't tell us anything about you. Except that you work around the corner?”
“I do. But there's not much else to tell.” San fidgeted with his coke and looked to the side, expression unreadable. “I moved here for our grandpa.”
Wooyoung was curious. But despite everyone claiming he had an inability to shut up, he knew how to read a room well enough to see that this was the time to do so. At least about that topic. “So,” he decided to change it up again. “How can you actually not like cat ears?”
That made San pause for a moment. Then an actual laugh came out of his mouth, and if Wooyoung hadn't been sure before that he wanted to jump that man, he would be now.
“They're certainly … a choice,” San said and put the coke aside. He leaned forward into Wooyoung's personal space just a little, and with a smile that told he knew exactly what he was doing. Raised a hand slow enough Wooyoung could lean back if he wanted to – but he would be stupid to do so. Because otherwise he would have missed San's long fingers brushing a strand of hair behind his ear. “But they look good on cute people.”