HE'S KINDA HOT THOUGH (huang Renjun)

HE'S KINDA HOT THOUGH (huang renjun)

HE WON'T GET OUT OF MY HEAD

synopsis: although your late-night shifts were boring, the alone time was nice. but once renjun starts working them with you... well, that changes things, doesn't it?

genre: fluff, coworkers to lovers, non idol!au

warnings: renjun x gn!reader, coworker/wingman!haechan, mentions manager!taeil, mentions food/drinks, convenience store setting, reader is down bad, brief misunderstandings and insecurity, a kiss, a little sappy lol

word count: 1,797

author's note: this was barely proofread and was written in like 3 hours, pls excuse any typos 🙏 comments and reblogs are heavily appreciated and encouraged!

the corner store you worked at wasn’t well known, it was a hole in the wall that only a few people went to at night. it was mostly people buying snacks for midnight study sessions, or the occasional third shift worker picking up something for the ride home. you were often the only one there. your manager taeil, bless his sweet heart, hated that you were alone. 

when your boss said he was holding interviews, you didn’t think much of it. probably just some high schoolers who needed pocket money, or struggling college students. either way, you didn’t think they’d stay long once they realized how empty the store always was. however, you didn’t mind if it was slow. it gave you time to yourself, and you took the time to daydream.

the week after taeil held the interviews was stressful, as you didn’t want to work with anyone new. but with no one new joining the night shifts, you relaxed a little. but the next week, haechan, the shift before yours, was talking to someone as you entered the back. at first, you thought maybe taeil was checking on you both and the store. but as you got to the employee room, and the voices became clearer, you knew that wasn’t the case.

pushing the cracked door open, your eyes were immediately drawn to the owner of the new voice. he was pretty. too pretty to be working in this rundown corner store. his hair was two-toned, the top layer black with the beneath bleached blonde. he had the prettiest boba eyes, his pale pink lips pouted as he asked a question. when he moved his hands to hips, you realized he made the ugly uniform vest look good, somehow. 

you let the door close behind you, the sound of the metal frame rattling in the wall made the guy jump. his honey eyes darted to you, soft lips splitting into a grin when he met your gaze. you forced down the heat rising in your cheeks when haechan looked over to you, smiling brightly as he beckoned you over. you did so reluctantly, shrinking in on yourself when the brunette wrapped his arm around your waist. 

“this is y/n, they’re the usual night shift worker! y/n, this is renjun, you’ll be working the night shift together from now on.” haechan said warmly, though his eyes held a mischievous glint to them when he caught bashfulness of your own. you ignored the jab of his finger in your side, instead sticking your hand out with a nervous smile. “it’s nice to meet you, renjun.” you said, trying to be pleasant. 

renjun’s grin grew wider, smushing his eyes into his cheeks and turning them into crescents. he took your hand, shaking it twice. “it’s nice to meet you too, y/n. i hope you’ll take care of me.” he said back, his voice filling your head like the softest of clouds. when your hands dropped, and haechan took his arm away from your waist to show renjun around, you watched them go. 

dumbly, you moved to stare at your hand as their voices faded slightly. you felt that lingering heat rise in your face, again. his hands were so soft.

it had been almost a month since renjun started working late shifts with you, and every night, you felt your heart race a little faster for him. whether it be from the sweet smile he’d send you over crates of snacks he was putting away, or how he’d hold the back room’s door open for you so you didn’t drop what you were carrying. 

maybe it was the way he’d hang by the entrance, waiting for you to lock up so he could walk you home. or how he’d bring you coffee, telling you he stopped along the way when you knew for a fact there wasn’t a coffee place on the way there. it could’ve been the way he let his fingers linger a little too long when handing you something, or the way he’d let his hands hover over your waist when you stumbled.

maybe it was everything all at once. but whatever it was, whenever it started, you couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment you started to fall for huang renjun. the alone time you used to use for daydreaming, planning activities you knew you’d never start, or winning fake arguments in your head slowly evolved into thinking about renjun. they turned into thoughts of what it would be like to hold his hand just once, just for a moment.

they turned into thoughts of what it would be like to get coffee with him on a rainy night after your shifts ended, tucked into a corner booth while you snuck glances at each other. you thought about him while lying in bed at night, the city alive outside your window. you thought about how nice it’d be, to be snuggled up against his chest, listening to his heartbeat while moonlight streamed in through the curtains.

you thought about bringing him to your secret place, the rooftop garden of your building. you thought about how pretty he’d look with the glowing seoul lights against his skin, how pretty he’d look in casual clothes as you basked in each other’s presence. how pretty he’d look while you watched the world turn beneath you, all the people moving below at the speed of light while your lives blended, walking together in slow motion. 

you thought about all that could be, whether he was there with you in the store or not. haechan could only watch as you opened your mouth to blurt out your feelings, only to shut down again and close in on yourself. he sighed at the confusion on renjun’s face when you shook your head, saying a halfhearted never mind when he questioned you.

eventually, when you had arrived early for a shift, haechan pulled into the stock room. when you shot him a frazzled look, he sighed. “y/n… you know i love you, right?” haechan said earnestly as he gripped your shoulders and you only nodded, eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

“do you need me to kill someone with you or something?” you asked seriously, concern increasing on your face. haechan raised a brow at you. “what?” he blinked at you before shaking his head. “no, no. what i do need you to do, is confess to renjun before i do it for you.” the brunette stated, shaking you gently. 

you stared at him, blinking once, twice, before your eyes widened. “what?!” you blanched, voice cracking as you gripped his forearms. “what do mean, confess to him?” you hissed, eyes darting between haechan and the door to the front of the store. “i can’t do that! look at me!” haechan frowned at your panicked tone, moving his hands to grip your steadily heating cheeks. 

“hey,” he spoke gently, smiling softly when your wide eyes met his. “you’re great. you’re sweet, you’re kind, you have so much to give. you’re my best friend, remember? would i ever lie to you?” haechan soothed you, letting you ponder. when you gave him a pointed look, he rolled his eyes. “okay, that was one time, and it was funny!” the brunette said, moving one of his hands to point at you accusingly. 

“my point is,” haechan started. “if he doesn’t like you back, then that’s his loss, alright?” he forced you to meet his gaze. when you pouted at him, he knew he had won. “okay… you win.” you admitted, sighing defeatedly. haechan grinned triumphantly, squeezing your face in his hands. “i always do.” he chirped smugly, laughing when you punched him. 

“anyway,” he continued. “if he does reject you, not that he would, we can order takeout. on me.” he grinned, making a show of crossing his heart. you nudged him, a thankful smile pulling at your lips. after hugging him, you walked back into the front together. when you saw renjun manning the register, you froze while haechan continued forward. 

he waved to renjun as he walked out the front door, the little bell the only sound in the store beside the refrigerator hum. clearing your throat, you walked behind the counter, grabbing your vest from beneath it. renjun gave you a timid smile when you caught his eye, and you wondered why he was acting differently. 

“you okay?” you asked quietly, even though it was only the two of you in the store. he jumped a little, shoulders rising to his ears. he looked at you before darting his eyes away quickly. “yeah, i’m okay. you?” he said, clearing his throat. “i’m good.” you replied, eyeing him suspiciously. renjun cringed at your expression, before turning to you.

he opened his mouth before hesitating, nervously licking his lips. “i, uh, i heard you and haechan talking.” he winced when you raised an eyebrow at him. “i didn’t hear all of it if that’s what you’re worried about!” he rushed out, his cheeks flushing red. “i just wanted to say congratulations… i didn’t know you and haechan were a thing.” renjun said, offering you a weak smile. 

you stared blankly at him for a minute or two, oblivious to the fact that he was sweating bullets the longer your silence continued. “renjun.” you finally said, hiding your amusement when he looked at you like he was a child being scolded. “me and haechan aren’t together.” your words were laced with a poorly hidden laugh, watching his face bloom with scarlet. 

“you… you’re not?” he asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion. “no, silly.” you said,  allowing yourself to let out a chuckle. “we were talking about the guy i like.” you said with an impish smile, watching his eyes sadden. “oh! well, i-i hope it all goes well.” he said, smiling to cover up the way his heart tightened. 

“mhm,” you hummed, stepping closer to him. “he’s this guy i work with,” you said, biting back your smile when his head whipped up. “he’s cute, has a sweet voice, always brings me coffee and refuses to let me pay him back.” you rolled your eyes with a smile, watching his eyes brighten as a smile grew on his lips.

“and i was hoping to ask him out today… do you think he’ll say yes?” you teased, taking his hands into yours, and swinging them gently. renjun’s smile was the biggest you’d ever seen it, face rosy with happiness as his grip tightened around your fingers. “i think he’ll definitely say yes. and if he doesn’t, he’s the biggest idiot in the world.” renjun breathed out airily, breath stuttering in his chest when you leaned in to press a sweet kiss to his lips.

dreamandback 2024. do not rewrite, repost, modify, or translate.

JISUNG // MMA 2023 BEHIND

as much as i adore mark lee, i would never even try to meet him in real life. like, what if this man isn't stuttering, crying, throwing up when talking to me? it just means that i'm not pretty enough for him? that would NOT do my self esteem any favours.

240426 JAEMIN Weibo Update

"Selfi 🤳🏻"

i’m in a SLUMP 😭

﹙🍃 𓂃 satan's right-hand man — lee haechan ! ﹚

♡ . . . synopsis ; you've known lee donghyuck your whole life, admired him from afar for half as long and yet, why does it take a cross-major project to get you to properly interact?

♡ . . . pairing ; computer science major! haechan × multimedia major! reader

♡ . . . genre ; non-idol au, college au (? very inaccurate portrayal of the education system haha). a few curses flying here and there.

“I don't think I can do it. There's way too many people around.”

You follow the tan-skinned target dressed in baggy jeans and a varsity jacket as he walks past your table, out of the cafeteria billowing murmurs of conversation. His brown hair flops down on his eyes, wired earphones making him oblivious to the world.

Or, in this case, you and your friend's schemes.

“Y/n, just breathe,” Gyuri chuckles, typing away on her laptop. “Most people here are too occupied with their own shit to care about yours.”

“Astounding analogy, truly,” you deadpan at the Literature major who shrugs, leaning back on the chair. The crop top you'd worn was sticking to your sweating back, uncomfortably so. “And sure, nobody would be curious as to why I'm walking up to the newly appointed captain of the soccer team. The last time someone asked him out, they went viral!”

“Hey, you're asking him out for an entirely different reason. Unless, you have a thing for bratty jocks with pretty faces?”

You couldn't stop the roll of your eyes. She was right, until you account for his soft brown eyes, tech nerd tendencies that came off as way too appealing than they had any business being and a presence that everyone heard yet missed when he wasn't around.

Oh god, you really were hopeless.

Gyuri pipes up next, looking away from the screen before her, “Also, it takes about five minutes to make it to the front gate. So, unless you have any other place in mind to ask him before the first game tomorrow, you should be running.”

The world screeches to a halt. Your eyes flicker to the wall clock, as you stand up immediately. “Shit, there's no way I'll make it to him before his usual bus leaves in these shoes!”

“Should I be concerned that you know his bus route?” Gyuri raises an inquisitive brow.

You muster your deadliest glare, grabbing for things and shoving them in your bag. “Don't make it sound creepy, weirdo. I used to take the same bus before we moved.”

“Eh, tomato to-mah-to,” Gyuri cocks her head. “Now, chop chop. You have precisely two minutes on the clock.”

Taking a deep breath, you try (and fail, evidently) to settle your stomach which had been dancing the tango on a loop for the whole day. “I'll see you later. And thanks for the coffee!”

Gyuri throws you double thumbs up. Whether in acceptance or encouragement, you don't have the time to figure out.

When you manage to stumble through the crowd going the opposite way, past the gates of your college campus and to the nearest bus stop, it's been nearly ten minutes. With your heart pounding against your throat, you scan the listing on your phone, “Let's see... Cheongpa 2GA, Cheongpa...”

“It got cancelled today. There was a big crash by the Hangang road.”

Your head shoots up at the distantly familiar voice, so fast that you're surprised you dodge a whiplash. He stands leaning against the pole upholding the overhead shade, a small smile on his face.

Inhaling sharply, you nod and speak after having reinstalled basic social skills. “Right. Uh, are there any other buses going the same way?”

“Not if you want to reach home past ten,” he muses. “I'll catch the next ride to the subway and take the train.”

The need to know why he was telling you this registered a little too late.

"Shouldn't you be looking for the Bogwang side buses, though?” he asks.

You nearly trip on the transition curb, going to stand beside him. “I'm visiting family in Cheongpa. Anyway, it's kind of weird that you know where I live, isn't it?”

He's still staring you down as he says, “Not as weird as you and your friend memorizing my schedules or tracking my hourly whereabouts.”

For the second time in the span of five minutes, you look up at him, finding the corners of his warm gaze crinkling with mirth. You feel your mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “I—”

One syllable doesn't make it out your mouth before he's humming in approval. About what, you're none the wiser. “Yeah, you guys are not as quiet as you may think.”

Humiliation burns red across the apples of your cheeks and creeps up your neck. If Lee Donghyuck had managed to overhear, how many other within earshot knew all about your business?

You settled for an indignant response. “Hey, it's rude to eavesdrop.”

Donghyuck chuckles, an airy sound but still low; lower than the pitches you know his laughter reached. “Or I just have really great hearing. So, what is it you wanted to ask me so badly?”

You catch up on the teasing lilt. “What if I say it's a love confession?”

Your flippant reply has him lose his cool for half a second yet you still consider it a win. He shoves his phone back in his pocket, “Doubt it. Setting aside the massive stroking my ego will receive, you don't seem like the type to lose your mind over asking someone out.”

“Touché,” You mumble, your next words put on hold due to the people near your surging forward as the next bus arrived.

Donghyuck walks forward, so at ease you think he had taken and discarded your conversation in the matter of seconds. Before your heart could drop to the depths of hell, he looks over in confusion. “You’re not coming?”

You follow him wordlessly, hanging around the back of the bus. Donghyuck stands near you, chuckling when he sees you're unable to hold onto the handlebars above.

“Too high for you?”

“Shut up before I stomp on your feet. I can assure you it hurts like a bitch,” you threaten and he thinks you look about as menacing as a kitten.

“Enlighten me then, Y/n. What made you stalk me on a Tuesday?” he asks instead, moving a little closer as the bus lurches forward.

Ignoring the zoo of butterflies in your gut, you sigh. “Remember the project that's supposed to be thirty percent of the semester's final grade? Well, my assignment goes way off my area of expertise."

He hums in acknowledgement, full lips parting in an 'o' of realization as he catches on. "And what do you expect me to do?"

Ever the overthinker, you translate that to him wanting nothing to do with this. You drop your head, eyes trained on the yellow wedges you'd put on for the day. It had given you nothing but blisters. That's what trying new things, going out of comfort zones get you—a reality check.

You voice is too small for your liking, "I was thinking of making a videogame. Nothing fancy, just the barebones of an interactive interface. I thought if I get a computer major on board, we could both submit the project and present different aspects of the process."

The split second of silence before he speaks is gut-wrenching. “Killing two birds with one stone. It's a smart idea.”

You glance up to see a leisurely grin on his face. Is it weird that the loosest definition of a compliment from him is throwing you into a spiral? Probably.

“So? Will you work on it with me?” you ask, all too eager.

He pretends to think it over, hand on his chin and everything. Then, “Say 'please' first.”

For a second, you're rendered speechless. “What?"

“What?” He blinks owlishly, parroting you. “If a cute girl asks nicely, maybe I'll agree.”

Your jaw slackens. “Lee Donghyuck, you are a menace to society.”

“Because I ask for my fair share? I see how it is.” He pouts mockingly, running a hand through his fluffy hair.

“You get to present the project, too! That's a fifty-fifty bargain unless you have a better idea for partner-work that assures you an easy A,” you cross your arms over your chest. You may be a hopeless case of anxiety and lackluster connections but you're not that desperate. And who does he think he is, anyway?

Donghyuck chuckles, head bobbing. “Not nearly enough. If I'm doing this, I want you to do two things for me.”

You nearly rethink your decision for even asking him in the first place. But acting like his personal errand girl is not worse than showing up to class with a half-assed project. “Nothing that entails me publicly making a fool out of myself more than I already do.”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “I won't ask for anything like that. Who do you take me for?”

You eye him up and down. “Right now? Satan's right-hand man.”

Donghyuck smirks, poking his tongue onto the inside of his cheek. “Alright, then. Satan's right-hand man says you must first ask him politely and second... go out on a date with him.”