Chapter Text
“So what should I order?”
The young raven-haired man asked his group of friends behind him, perplexed.
“It doesn’t matter! Choose whatever you want so we can have something to nibble on while we study.”
Choi Han scratched his head and turned his gaze towards the big menu panel above him. Maybe he should just order “this thing” indicated with a lot of flashy arrows and framed with words such as “THE BEST OF” something… If it was highlighted this much, it meant it was uh … tasty right?
“Oh and also don’t forget to ask for the smile of the cashier to go at the end!” His blue-haired friend Bud added with a teasing wink.
“Wait what?”
The teenager’s face turned bright red and he stammered with wide eyes:
“W-what nonsense are you saying? I know that something like that doesn’t exist.”
“Tsk tsk… I see that you still have a lot to learn little Han. It’s a tradition. Everyone does it at least once in their life!”
It was true that it was his first time entering a fast food place but he wasn’t dumb to the point of not knowing how it worked! (He lied, he wasn’t even aware of what “fast food” meant a few hours ago).
“Oh, shut up. We should just get over this. I’ll be fine.”
The high schooler joined the waiting line and looked around a little bit awkward while his classmates sat down at a table near the window at the back of the restaurant. Now that his group of friends wasn’t close to him anymore, he felt like a lost sheep thrown into the wolf's jaws.
“Ha…”
He took a big breath.
He could do it.
It wasn’t as complicated as when he performed during festivals in front of spectators in order to share his family’s ancestral sword art, right? However when his turn came, Choi Han was surprised that no one was at the checkout. Uh… Did he spend way too much time getting lost in his thoughts? He was sure that there was someone taking orders just five minutes ago…
“Toonka I swear if you break something again and that Harol lie for your sake… You’re going to have problems. Do you hear me?”
“Hahahahaha!! Sorry boss, it kinda slipped from my hands!”
“And you still have the guts to laugh?!”
Sudden yelling coming from the kitchen startled him. He saw pieces of burger paper wrappers flying through the air and utensils thrown like projectiles. Is everything fine?… Is it how fast food restaurants usually work?… Scary. He was somehow witnessing a real battlefield happening against his will. As the high schooler debated whether he was dreaming or not, he heard a small voice whisper with a slight sigh:
“Should I just quit…”
“H-Hello?…”
Was it the cashier?… At his shy call, a figure hidden behind the counter got up slowly.
“Ah, a customer.”
The young man adjusted his work cap with a nonchalant gesture and recited the company’s slogan with a monotone voice, sounding extremely bored. When you are forced to spell out the same thing over and over again for all customers without fail, you’re bound to become like this too at the end of the day. Don’t blame him.
“Hello, welcome to We Love Applepies. A fantastic place where every day is a happy-py-py-pie day blah blah blah. You got it. Anyway, your order sir?”
The high schooler gulped. Oh no, the guy didn’t seem too friendly. Besides he was surely pretty tired from dealing with customers all day. Just order something quickly Choi Han! You’re wasting his time. However, all he could do in his panic was blabbering bits of words while making strange gestures. The cashier watched him for a moment with indifferent eyes before asking:
“How many?”
“U-uh…”
“Your group, or are you alone?”
“N-No, we are four.”
“I see, I’ll give you the student discount and 2 sets of the bestseller of the week. Do you want to add anything else?”
O-oh he had helped him to choose. Maybe he wasn’t as intimidating as he thought and had a good heart.
“Sir?”
Choi Han fidgeted nervously with the handle of his backpack. Argh… It really wasn’t easy with his classmates watching him from afar. For god’s sake, couldn’t you guys be more discreet!
“Come on, ask him for a smile!” Bud whispered and mimicked one by slipping his two fingers up to raise the edges of his lips.
Damn it.
“Oh, um… Can you, uh…”
He couldn’t even bring himself to say the three words.
“And a smile please?… ” He finally managed to blurt out, his face getting red with embarrassment.
The employee in front of him just let out a small sigh like he knew it was another stupid dare and mumbled:
“If I don’t do it properly the team leader is going to nag at me again about the quality of my customer service.”
So he reluctantly took off his hat and showed his best professional smile to the high schooler in front of him.
“Sure.” He said with a clear, jovial and energetic voice, totally the opposite of his earlier demeanor.
Badump.
E-Eh? Was it even possible for a person to be so beautiful?… Choi Han was mesmerized by his smile and couldn’t take his eyes off him. His gaze slowly traced over the delicate threads of flaming red hair that had fallen on his shoulders like a bouquet of flowers.
“W-what’s your name?”
The absurd question escaped from his lips caused by a jenesaisquoi momentum. The realization of what he had just done made the awkward teenager want to bury himself underground and never see the light of day again. The cashier looked at him, still with his impassive face, and lightly tapped the badge on his work outfit.
<Cale Henituse>
Oh… His name suited him, precious, elegant and ethereal just like him.
…
Wait…
W-What?!
He coughed heavily to push away these silly random thoughts.
“NO! Uh… Ahem! I mean how much does it all cost?”
He corrected himself, eyes still glued to the man as he tried to find his wallet inside his bag. The redhead put back his cap and replied with a stoic voice:
“It’ll be twenty copper coins sir.”
“O-Okay…”
Choi Han flinched slightly at the coldness. He would never get used to the two sides of the man in front of him. Was it really the same person who had smiled to him so warmly earlier?
“H-here ya go.” Choi Han stammered, his country bumpkin accent slipping out, not daring to look anywhere else but at his feet.
“This is your change, your order will be ready in fifteen minutes and will be brought to your table.”
“Thank you… I’ll… Just head back with my friends.”
He proceeded to bow politely exactly at a ninety degrees angle as if he was greeting his uncle at the dojo before they begin training. Then, he walked mechanically back to his table and joined his friends. He sat down with a troubled mind. This entire encounter had shaken him to the core. It was as if all the oxygen had been taken out of his lungs and he couldn't breathe any more, but in a strangely good way, you know? He didn’t quite get it either. Lock and Rosalyn had already opened a few exercise books to start studying and had therefore not witnessed the whole ordeal. Thanks god. However, someone at his right gave him a playful nudge.
“So how was it?”
“I’m never doing that again.”
He muttered with furrowed brows and pink flushed cheeks.
“Oh come on, it wasn’t that bad right?”
The young man with ebony hair kicked lightly Bud before opening as well his notebook to act like he was going to study in order to be left alone. Unfortunately, his poor brain didn’t seem to want to cooperate. His gaze kept wandering back to the counter at the entrance in search of a familiar red dot in the distance. It was as if he was bewitched by the pretty cashier with vermillion hair. He recalled his wonderful and dreamy smile and couldn’t help but sigh like a lover waiting for his dulcinée.
What would he do to see one more time this ethereal smile…
H-Hum. Nonsense!
Come on, focus on your studies. Do you really want to fail your upcoming exams?
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After a dozen minutes trying to understand what the algebra letters from the page of his math book meant, a plastic tray with food arrived on the table.
“Table four, here’s your order. Enjoy your meal.”
The waiter pronounced the line he had learnt by heart by now with a robotic voice and got ready to leave. Raising his head a little to thank him, Choi Han saw with surprise that it was the familiar man with flaming red hair. His heart skipped happily with joy.
“W-Wait…”
He quickly blurted out and instinctively grabbed his wrist.
...
.....
.......
Now what?
Cale looked at him with furrowed brows, confused by the unexpected proximity. As the milliseconds ticked by, his palm began to sweat more and more.
“C-Can we be f-friends?” Choi Han stuttered like a four-year-old child.
Arf no, it wasn’t what he wanted to say! They had just met and he was already asking him to become friends with him, really? His ears started to catch a tint as red as his crush’s hair color.
...
Oh, what if he asked him instead to be his boyfriend, wouldn’t it have a better chance of success?
...
....
......
Alright mayday mayday !!
You’re getting it all wrong, damn it, skipping steps like a mad man!!
“I…”
As the beautiful redhead was about to reply, a loud employee called him:
“CALE! MY BEST FRIEND, HOW DO WE USE THIS COIN MACHINE AGAIN?” the big guy with long, messy brown hair shouted.
“Ugh, I’m not your best friend stupid muscle head.”
Cale responded with a cold stare and turned back to the high schooler.
“Sorry but duty calls.”
Choi Han glanced at him walking back to the counter. He clenched his empty hand into a fist and looked down shyly.
“Haa… I should’ve kept my mouth shut.”
The young man went back to his group of friends that stared at him with wide eyes. Before he could find an excuse, the three classmates patted his shoulders.
<Don’t say anything, fighting!… >
Their gazes full of pity didn’t need any explanation. The raven-haired high schooler hid behind his hands from shame.
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Two hours later, their study session slowly reached its end. He still had a few math problems left to solve, but he could clearly do it by himself tomorrow. His group packed their belongings and walked out of the fast food restaurant with their stomach full. Choi Han glanced one last time inside before joining his friends. The person he was looking for wasn’t there anymore. He left with a heavy heart, a little bit disappointed. He guessed that Cale didn’t want to be friends with a weirdo like him… He could understand, to be honest he had acted like a extremely awkward freak. Never again.
“You should take a look at yourself in the mirror, your face is really funny right now.” Bud eyed him, a tad amused.
The high schooler with ebony hair frowned and went a few steps ahead in order to not be next to the annoying blue bloke. However the latter had a mission to stick to his sneakers and easily caught up to him.
“Did you fall in love or what.” He added with a teasing tone, hands in the pockets.
“Stop it, you’re getting it all wrong!”
The brain of the young man fulminated at the simple idea that he could have fallen in love so quickly and with a stranger! He wasn’t raised like that. His parents were childhood friends and had developed feelings for each other over the years and that was the example he had decided to follow until … now. Argh ! Nothing made sense. He was sure it was his teenager hormones playing tricks on him.
“I .just .want .to .be.his .friend .okay?”
Choi Han insisted but deep down, he was aware that he had always been a pretty bad liar.
“Haha, sure, sure. Maybe next time you’ll be able to score a candlelight dinner date with him to celebrate you guys' friendship.” Bud jokingly said back.
Oh… A date with Cale? It wouldn’t be so bad. He wondered what the pretty redhead liked to eat and—OH MY GOD. Didn’t he have any grasp anymore on the track of his own thoughts?! As the poor man fought a battle with his inner self, his friend continued to squawk at his side.
“You guys talked like three seconds and suddenly you want to be his friend? I see well what are your true intentions little Han!”
Yeah. It was a good idea. He should see him again and get to know each other if they wished to discuss about potential marriage in the future! After all, if they were going to spend the rest of their lives together it was essential that he introduced himself properly first.
“We should go there next time sometime to study.” He muttered, determined to stick to his plan.
Ah. But what if he can't find him when he comes back another day? He looked about the same age as him. There was no way he was going to be there all day if he had to attend school like him.
“Mmh?~ Why. Ah maybe you want us to help you to solve the equation C x C = C² ?"
Bud whistled, fluttering his eyelashes.
“Eh?! Will this be on the exam? But I didn’t see this equation in the book!” Exclaimed the tall, silver-haired boy from the group of friends.
“Don’t worry Lock, Choi han will show you the answer when he finds it.” The maiden with red hair replied solemnly.
“R-Rosalyn!”
If even they started to tease him, it was the end of the world. All of this… All of this was the fault of this stupid nerd!
“Bud… Didn’t you say you wanted me to show you my family ancient sword’s art? You should come now. You’re free right?” Choi Han stated with a cold and scary smile.
“Uh… Yeah, I am free, haha…”
If he went today, Bud knew that he was going to get beaten to a pulp. However he admitted that he would have totally deserved it. Hey, let’s not blame him! It wasn’t every day that we could see the little Han troubled by things like “love”. The same teenager that thinks that love letters he receives time to time are challenge letters! Sorry but it was a bit unexpected and hilarious to witness.
“Alright, I’ll stop teasing you for the blatant crush you have on the red-haired cashier for now. Hehe.”
“Don’t. get. the. wrong. idea. I just find his smile pretty t-that’s all.”
Choi han justified himself as best he could, but the more he tried, the more he was likely to dig his own grave. He let out a long sigh before continuing on his way, his steps heavy.
“You think I have a pretty smile?”
A familiar voice reached him as he tried to clear his mind of all this nonsense. Choi Han turned around, startled: it was the charming cashier from We Love Applepies. The latter watched him with his usual indifferent eyes. The young enamored man tried to look natural but with his feet glued to the ground and his rosy cheeks didn’t help his case at all.
“U-Um… yeah, it’s very beautiful. Like the suns —” The high schooler began to mutter before stopping himself and blushing furiously like a tomato as he noticed what he was going to say.
“Well…”
Cale scratched the back of his neck, a bit confused by the sudden compliment:
“I guess thank you?…”
Choi Han wanted to shout: <No thank you for existing and blessing my eyes with your beauty! > But he thankfully kept his mouth shut.
“You’re a smart one!! You’re right our human has the most beautiful smile of the whole universe.”
A claim made by a happy child’s voice. The high schooler curiously lowered his head and saw a small boy not old enough to reach his knees. He had dark black hair and deep blue eyes. The kid was holding the hand of Cale. Behind him, two heads, popped out to peek at him and his friends.
“Our little brother is right, Cale has a pretty smile.” The red-haired primary school student said, nodding his head.
“True. When he’s not scamming someone.” The silver haired girl next to him muttered.
Eh… Why were they so many kids approaching him out of nowhere? Were they Cale’s siblings? Choi Han didn't know that one day surrounded by children ready to judge him, he would feel so nervous and witless.
“You! I heard you like our human’s smile very much?”
The raven-haired child with blue eyes pointed at him with satisfaction.
“Yeah he likes it very very much. Right Choi Han?” Bud’s voice interrupted with a smirk.
It took all his lucidity not to skin alive his friend with glasses. Choi Han wasn’t going to let him get away with it that easily later at the dojo…
“I-I guess?…” He replied shyly while avoiding to meet the boy’s eyes.
“Mh-mh! I understand. But I can’t share my human with you. He’s already too busy taking care of us. He can’t date you.”
The little one hugged the legs of Cale and stuck his tongue out at him. The guardian in question just gently stroked his hair and said:
“Raon, we’ve already talked about it. You can’t choose who I’ll be dating. ”
“B-but you don’t like romance!”
“Mh, let’s discuss this at home alright?”
The young man with vermillion hair couldn’t believe the nonsense that came out of his little brother’s mouth. He should limit their watch time of those korean dramas on the TV.
“No! I don’t want my human to be taken from me!”
Raon was pouting as he pulled the hem of Cale’s coat as if he couldn't accept that he had to share his favorite toy. His siblings tried to comfort him without success. The redhead ended up carrying the child in his arms in order for him to calm down.
“Aww, that’s too bad! I thought our Choi Han would have a boyfriend today!”
Bud gave a gentle pat on the back of his friend who became unable to utter a single word. The raven-haired high schooler was torn between the desire to hide in a hole a thousand miles away from here or to pour a bucket of water filled with ice cubes on his head to calm down the suffocating heat that invaded his entire being. He was doomed, he should kill the bloke with blue hair right now, before dying. Good bye world.
“I’m sure he’ll find someone soon. His body is quite well-sculpted and with a handsome face like this, it shouldn’t be difficult.”
Choi Han let go of his friend’s collar with cheeks as red as gochujang. Everyone looked at Cale with eyes so wide that they could compete with a priacanthus hamrur. The man in the center of attention just tilted his head in confusion, not realizing the impact of the words he had said earlier.
“Mh, what’s wrong? It was simply the truth.”
The epitome of innocence.
“Ahem, yes indeed our Choi Han is very popular! A real Don Juan that has even his own fanclub~” Bud added to lighten the mood and jump on the occasion to help his comrade conquer the heart of his crush.
Nonetheless his “good deed” was only rewarded by an elbow in the stomach from the part of his dear friend. The redhead watched their interaction with amusement before hugging Raon a little bit more against his chest. The kid had become heavier since the last time he had carried him… Ugh, he felt that if he stayed still any longer he was going to get a side stitch soon. He should cut their conversation short.
"Come on, Ohn and Hong let's go we still have groceries left to buy for dinner."
“Bye-bye mister that likes our human!”
“Goodbye the strange acquaintances of Cale!!”
Cale bowed slightly to bid farewell to the atypical group of friends, but was stopped again after a few steps.
“H-HUM! About earlier, could you give me a-an answer?” A wavering voice asked.
The young man with vermillion hair turned around, confused. He squinted his eyes and recognized the figure of the student that had struggled to order something at his work place. Earlier? He wondered a bit, taken aback by that statement. He rummaged through his memories of the day and after a few seconds found the needle in the haystack. Oh. That’s true that he had asked him something before they were interrupted by this idiot of Toonka.
“Ah. About that … well, we’re going to the same school we will surely meet each other again. I’m a third year, feel free to come to see me in my classroom whenever you want. We could get to know each other better before being friends.”
He paused and added with a mischievous smile.
“Even more if you want to date me.”
D-Date?! Choi Han’s heart did Olympic jumps in his chest. W-Was it that obvious that he had a crush on him? So he was a senior in his school… It meant that he could see him every day from now on. Was he still dreaming? It was way too perfect to be real.
“S-sure, I will Cale-nim!” Choi han declared with rosy cheeks.
Cale-nim? The redhead was surprised by the polite calling of his name. Mh, his junior surely wasn’t aware of the rumors surrounding him at school if he decided to be so respectful. Well, his innocent side reminded him of his neighbor’s puppy that he took care of from time to time. It was kinda … cute. Aah, immature youngsters like him he couldn’t help but want to tease them a bit, especially when they have a crush on him.
“See you around, my potential boyfriend-to-be!”
On those words, Cale gave him a casual wave and walked away. He disappeared amidst the other pedestrians leaving behind him a flustered Choi Han.
E-Eh? D-Did it mean that he had his chances?…
He clenched his fists and shouted at the top of his lungs towards the sky, loud enough for redhead even from far away to hear it.
“I’ll work hard!!”