seonghwa woke up to the sound of his alarm blaring through his eardrums. he shut it off with a groan and sat up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"good morning, i'm heading to the office now," san called out as seonghwa stepped out of his bedroom, still half-dressed and gathering his things in a hurry.

"good morning, have a good day! i'll lock up," seonghwa replied, giving a small wave as san rushed out the door. he turned the lock behind his friend and let out a quiet sigh.

he was looking forward to the day ahead. it was his second work-from-home day of the week and he decided to spend it at the bakery next door; mainly, using this opportunity for a chance to talk to hongjoong behind the counter.

he took his time getting ready, pulling on a simple black long sleeve and baggy black jeans. he ran a straightener through his long black hair, smoothing it until it was just right.

with his laptop and bag in hand, he rode the elevator down and walked over to the bakery. the line was short, but he still had to wait his turn.

"oh my god, shut the fuck up," wooyoung whispered harshly, slapping yeosang's arm as his eyes went wide.

"woo, what the hell was that for?" yeosang hissed, half annoyed and half concerned.

"hongjoong's boy is here," wooyoung said under his breath, and just like that, hongjoong's head snapped up before he could stop himself.

"ugh, i guess we've got a new regular," hongjoong muttered, rolling his eyes as he went back to brewing a coffee.

seonghwa stepped up to the counter, flashing a soft smile at yeosang. "one small matcha latte, please."

"that'll be five twenty eight," yeosang replied as seonghwa took out his phone, tapping it on the screen.

seonghwa stepped to the side, drifting toward the end of the counter where hongjoong stood. there was a quiet sort of grace in the way he moved. he was focused, practiced, almost artistic. seonghwa watched as he poured steamed milk with precision, his fingers steady and sure, then turned seamlessly to grind matcha with the same level of care.

it was clear he knew his craft well, and there was something deeply captivating about that. he existed so comfortably in his space, how every motion held a kind of rhythm. seonghwa could not help but admire him, the way the morning light caught the edges of his face, softening his features as he worked.

"order eighty one," seonghwa's thoughts were interrupted by hongjoong's quiet, yet harsh tone.

seonghwa walked over to grab his matcha. "thank you, hongjoong."

hongjoong stiffened up as the dark haired man's hand carefully grazed his, his deep, sultry voice ringing through his ears.

"you're welcome," hongjoong replied simply, feeling a bit smitten.

seonghwa made his way to one of the tables in the bakery, setting his matcha down and opening his laptop.

"hongjoong, if you don't fuck him, i will," wooyoung said matter-of-fact.

——

hongjoong began wiping down the counters as the clock neared five, his movements slower, heavy with the weight of the day. it had been a long shift; the evening closer had called out again, leaving him to cover both shifts on his own. his feet ached, and the scent of coffee clung stubbornly to his clothes, but he pushed through with quiet determination, ready to finally close up.

but for seonghwa, it was not unfortunate at all. he enjoyed the barista's company, even if they had not spoken a word since nine a.m.

seonghwa had been blissfully unaware of the time, lost in the rhythm of typing and the soft hum of the shop around him. the background noise had become somewhat comforting, especially with hongjoong moving nearby. it was not until a gentle tap landed on his shoulder that he blinked out of his focus, glancing up.

there he was. hongjoong. even with the exhaustion written plainly across his face, there was something effortlessly beautiful about him. his eyes, though clearly tired, still held a quiet spark, and his voice was soft when he spoke.

"i'm sorry, sir, but we're closing now," hongjoong said politely, a small regretful smile displayed on his face.

seonghwa blinked again, glancing at the time. he could not believe how quickly the afternoon had passed.

"oh, i'm so sorry, hongjoong. i didn't realize it was already five," he said, flustered as he scrambled to close his laptop and gather his things.

"no worries, um—" hongjoong paused, clearly realizing he did not know the man's name.

"seonghwa," he offered with a small smile, feeling oddly shy in the moment.

"seonghwa," hongjoong repeated, his lips curving into a tired but genuine smile, like the name already sounded familiar on his tongue.

"well, i better get going then. i hope you have a lovely evening," seonghwa said as he began walking towards the front door of the bakery.

"i hope you do as well," hongjoong said as seonghwa opened the door, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

a feeling of regret prickled under hongjoong's skin the moment the door slammed shut. the sound of wooyoung's voice blared through his ear like a horn in still traffic. he stood still for a beat too long, the air suddenly too quiet, too empty.

he found himself wondering things he had not allowed himself to before; what seonghwa did with his mornings before entering the bakery, who he texted first when something good or bad happened, what he was working on during his stay at the bakery. it was not curiosity exactly, but something adjacent. a quiet ache where indifference should have been.

was it the thought of someone else stepping into those details, learning the small rhythms of seonghwa's life? or something more selfish, some flicker of hope that it was not too late?

without thinking, he reached for his phone and tapped play on a familiar track. luke hemmings' voice filled the silence, low and introspective.

all this running in motion
time slips by until you're lost in your mind
who you gonna find?
who you gonna find?

the lyrics felt more like a memory than a song. something that had already happened, was still happening, and might never stop.

he wanted more, something quieter than longing, but heavier than interest. but wanting was a dangerous thing. and having... having was out of the question.

he had already asked too much of the world. of seonghwa. of himself.

so he sat with the music instead.

monday morning is the worst. i feel like this weekend flew by ughhhhh.

-vic