hongjoong woke up for his friday morning shift lighter than usual, like something heavy had quietly slipped off his shoulders overnight. a quiet joy settled in his chest, a feeling gentle and unfamiliar, but welcome.

the night before had felt like something out of a dream, too delicate and lovely to be real. he did not know why or how, but being with seonghwa had made something in him soften. the way seonghwa listened, the way he smiled, kind and calm, made hongjoong feel safe, like maybe he did not have to hold everything in so tightly.

his trip to soho felt easier than it had in weeks. for once, he did not reach for sad songs. instead, he let something light fill his ears. luke hemmings was swapped out for addison rae, and the chorus of diet pepsi bubbled through his headphones, matching the strange brightness in his chest.

wooyoung and yeosang did not work on fridays, which meant hongjoong had to wait to talk to them about it. he did not feel like texting them just yet, either. he figured they were probably still asleep and wanted to make sure to have their full attention when talking about the night.

the morning rush at the bakery felt easier than usual, like his body remembered exactly what to do without him having to think too hard. hongjoong moved through the familiar rhythm with ease, grinding coffee, steaming milk, calling out names with a small smile. the usual chatter and clatter of cups did not bother him today.

a smile tugged at hongjoong's lips the moment a familiar face stepped into the shop. he ordered a simple black coffee with almond milk.

hongjoong moved instinctively, hands steady as he prepared the drink. when he handed the cup over, his voice was gentle. "here you go, seonghwa."

"thanks, hongjoong," seonghwa said, offering a warm smile. "i'll be working from the bakery today. what time do you get off your shift?" he asked quickly, careful not to interrupt the barista from his work flow.

"twelve," hongjoong replied, his eyes briefly meeting seonghwa's before flicking back to the counter.

"perfect," seonghwa said, the corner of his mouth lifting. "i can take my lunch then. maybe we could... grab a bite together?"

hongjoong blinked, caught a little off guard. but then he nodded, a soft flush rising to his cheeks. "i'd love that."

seonghwa's smile grew. "great. i'll be waiting for you," he said as he picked up his drink and moved toward a corner table.

he opened his laptop, the glow of the screen lighting his focused face. hongjoong stole one more glance before turning back to his station, heart fluttering as the minutes began their slow march toward noon.

——

time passed quicker than seonghwa expected. maybe it was because his thoughts kept drifting back to the night before, how easy it had felt to be around hongjoong. it felt so natural to laugh with him, to listen, to simply exist in the same space as him.

he had not planned on working from the bakery again today, but the decision felt inevitable. he wanted to see hongjoong. he wanted more moments like the last. there was something about him, something quiet and compelling, that made seonghwa want to get closer, to understand the way his mind worked, to uncover all the little thoughts he kept tucked away.

he was not sure what it was exactly. but he knew he wanted to find out.

a sudden tap on his shoulder brought seonghwa out of deep thought.

"oh, hey hongjoong!" seonghwa said with a smile as he lowered his computer screen.

"i'm done for the day, ready to go whenever you are," hongjoong said meekly with headphones around his neck.

"i'm good to head out now. i was thinking we can do citizens of soho, sounds good to you? unless you want something different of course, i don't mind anything!" seonghwa said a little frantic, feeling bad that he had chosen the previous location as well.

hongjoong chuckled. "that sounds great to me, i'm not too picky when it comes to food."

the two men walked out of the bakery, a rather awkward distance between their bodies.

"it's a short walk," seonghwa chimed in, the tension could be cut with a knife.

"yeah that's no problem for me. i don't really get out much, even though i work in the area. it's nice to walk around a bit," hongjoong admitted with a shy smile.

"if you don't mind me asking, what is it that you do when you're not at work?" seonghwa asked.

hongjoong did not want to admit that most of his days were spent moping around, drowning himself in his own sorrows. it was not dramatic, not in the way people imagined sadness to look. it was not tears streaming down his cheeks or loud cries echoing in empty rooms. it was quieter than that; slipping into bed late and waking up un-eager, letting his own thoughts get in the way of daily life, avoiding mirrors because he did not want to face the heaviness in his own eyes.

he moved through life in a daze, going through the motions just enough to keep people from worrying. he smiled when he needed to, laughed when it was expected, but everything felt a little muted. like he was stuck behind glass, watching the world carry on without him.

and maybe that was the worst part, how normal it all looked from the outside. how easy it was to pretend everything was fine when inside, he was barely holding it together.

"i usually just keep to myself," hongjoong said quietly. "i stay home a lot. i bake, mostly. it's something i've always loved... i've always dreamed about opening my own shop."

he kept his voice even, not wanting to give too much away.

"that's amazing," seonghwa replied, a soft smile in his voice as they continued walking side by side. "did you ever study it formally?"

hongjoong shook his head. "no... never had the money, nor the support that makes dreams like that feel possible," he said, surprising even himself with the honesty.

seonghwa did not pry for more information. instead, he offered a gentle reply. "well, maybe someday you can share one of your creations something for me. i'd love to try whatever comes out of that heart of yours. i bet it's incredible."

hongjoong looked down at the sidewalk, a small smile tugging at his lips. "i'd like that," he murmured, grateful the conversation did not go any deeper, but also, oddly, kind of wishing it had.

still sick and today's my brother's 21st i feel horrible that i ruined his birthday plans ugh...

-vic