Chapter Text
Seungmin had been in the neighborhood for exactly twelve hours.
And already, it was testing him.
He stood outside the local grocery store, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets, nose numb from the cold, staring at the slippery when wet sign bright yellow cones lined dramatically across the entrance.
“CAUTION ICE: WALK LIKE A PENGUIN.”
There was even a tiny cartoon penguin.
Objectively adorable.
Subjectively humiliating.
Was this mandatory? Was there a membership requirement? Was he supposed to waddle his way in like some sort of Arctic initiation ritual?
He decided dignity mattered.
He human-walked.
That was his first mistake.
His second was underestimating how aggressively icy the pavement was.
His feet flew out from under him in a movement so smooth it almost felt rehearsed. He landed flat on his back in front of the automatic doors, the impact echoing both physically and spiritually.
There was a beat.
Then laughter.
Not polite laughter. Not concerned laughter.
Full, unfiltered, absolutely delighted laughter.
Seungmin looked up.
Behind the glass doors stood a guy with sharp eyes, a dangerously pretty face, and the audacity to look this amused at someone else’s near-death experience. One hand gripping the counter for support as he laughed like this was a live comedy show, his shoulders were shaking. He was actually wiping tears from the corners of his eyes. Absolutely criminal behavior.
If Seungmin ignored the evil sound coming out of him, he might have admitted the guy was attractive.
Unfortunately, the evil sound continued.
Seungmin stood up by himself, stiff and dignified in theory, wobbling in reality like a newborn giraffe.
For a second, he considered retreating. Moving neighborhoods. Faking his death.
But no.
He had braved the cold for groceries. He would not let one unhinged cashier defeat him.
He marched inside.
He grabbed a basket.
And then, he heard it again.
A faint giggle from the front.
His entire face burned.
He suddenly did not want to check out at that register.
So, he stalled.
He picked up one item.
Put it back.
Walked down one aisle.
Turned around.
Crossed to another.
Paused.
Circled back.
Not because he was lost.
But because he was buying time.
Because every time he glanced toward the front, he could see that same guy still smiling.
Still remembering.
Still entertained.
Seungmin would rather loop the store for eternity than voluntarily walk back to that counter.
Unfortunately, dignity does not fill a fridge.
Eventually, he had to go.
He placed his items down.
The guy looked up slowly.
“Oh,” he said, smile widening. “The ice survivor.”
Seungmin’s ears went red. “Excuse me?”
“Was it zoomies?” the guy continued casually, smirk deep enough to file a complaint against.
Seungmin blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You circled the dog food aisle for a whole dog year,” the guy replied. “I was concerned.”
“I was shopping.”
“By passing the same aisle at least five times.”
“That is none of your business.”
“Well,” the guy leaned slightly forward, “It kind of is my business to keep the strays out of the store.”
Seungmin went still.
“Excuse me—”
“Excused,” the guy cut in immediately. “For the third time.”
Seungmin blinked in disbelief. “Call your manager. This is not how you speak to customers.”
The guy scoffed lightly and pressed something on his screen. Then he held out his hand, “Card, sir.”
“You apologize first.”
“Do you want your groceries or not? You’re free to leave.”
“Unbelievable—”
“Card.”
Seungmin handed it over.
The guy didn’t take it.
He just stared at him expectantly.
“What?” Seungmin demanded.
“ID first.”
“Why? I’m not buying alcohol.”
The guy tilted his head. “Given that you read the sign outside and still slipped and fell on your ass, I’m trying to determine whether you’re a toddler who can’t read or just a very dumb dog.”
Seungmin’s jaw dropped. “What is wrong with you?”
“Good balance issues?” the guy offered helpfully.
“That’s it. I’m absolutely reporting you.”
“Whatever.”
Seungmin leaned forward over the counter. “You think this is funny?”
“It was,” the guy said honestly. “Very.”
“You’re unbelievably rude.”
“And you’re unbelievably dramatic.”
“I slipped because your store is dangerous!”
“It literally told you to walk like a penguin.”
“Who actually does that?”
The guy raised a brow. “People who don’t fall.”
eungmin leaned forward. “Excuse—”
“Excused,” the guy said again, smug. “You’re at four now. That’s a record.”
“You are insane.”
“Says the one who circled the dog aisle like they were about to adopt something.”
“I was not—I am reporting you.”
“Go ahead.”
Seungmin raised his voice slightly. “Call your manager.”
The guy rolled his eyes dramatically and pressed the call button.
“Hyung,” he said into the mic, voice completely different, almost sweet. “Customer emergency.”
Footsteps approached.
A man emerged from the back, already sighing like he sensed the chaos.
Bang Chan.
He took one look at Seungmin.
Then at the cashier.
“…Minho.”
Minho shrugged.
“What did you say this time?” Chan asked, already pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I didn’t say anything,” Minho replied innocently. “He fell.”
“I fell because your entrance is an ice rink,” Seungmin corrected.
“He refused to penguin walk,” Minho added.
Chan closed his eyes briefly.
“I am so sorry,” Chan said immediately, bowing slightly. “He’s been working here too long.”
“Hyung—”
“And yet somehow still acts like this is his first day interacting with humans, we’ve tried. It’s a work in progress.” Chan continued.
Minho looked offended. “He called me unbelievable.”
Chan closed his eyes briefly like he was reconsidering all his life choices.
“I’m so sorry,” Chan said, “He’s…like this.”
“Like what?” Minho asked.
“Unemployed in three seconds if you keep talking,” Chan muttered.
Seungmin folded his arms. “He called me a stray.”
Minho gasped. “I implied.”
Chan looked absolutely exasperated. “Minho.”
“What? He was in the dog aisle.”
“You don't antagonized a customer.” Chan countered sounding done.
Seungmin crossed his arms. “That was an insult to my intelligence.”
Minho leaned against the counter. “You did fall.”
Chan shot him a look. “Shut up.”
Minho raised his hands, but he was absolutely not sorry.
Chan turned back to Seungmin, visibly exasperated. “Please accept my apology. Your groceries are on the house.”
Minho’s head snapped toward him. “Hyung.”
“And we’ll add free ice cream.”
“Hyung.”
“You’re not helping.”
Seungmin blinked. “I don’t need compensation. I just need him to admit he was rude.”
Minho smirked. “You walked in circles.”
“I was orienting myself.”
“You looked like a Roomba.”
Chan actually coughed to hide a laugh.
Seungmin glared. “I did not.”
“You did,” Minho said calmly. “I was impressed by your consistency.”
Chan rubbed his temples. “Please take the ice cream before he says something worse.”
There was a beat.
Minho leaned forward slightly. “Chocolate melts slower. Just in case you fall again.”
Chan groaned. “Minho!”
Seungmin glared. “I will not fall again.”
“You will,” Minho said calmly. “Unless you penguin walk.”
“I am not penguin walking.”
“You should.”
“I refuse.”
Minho and Seungmin locked eyes.
This was no longer about ice.
Chan sighed deeply. “Please. It’s his first day in the neighborhood. Let’s not traumatize new residents.”
Seungmin blinked. “How do you know it’s my first—”
“You still look hopeful,” Minho said.
Chan shot him a warning glare. Then turned to Seungmin with a tired smile on his face, "I apologize once again."
Seungmin grabbed his bag.
“…Fine I am leaving for now,” Seungmin said tightly. “But only because your manager has manners.”
Minho smiled slowly. “I’ll be here tomorrow.”
Seungmin narrowed his eyes. “I will not come back.”
“You will,” Minho said with certainty. “You still forgot milk.”
Seungmin froze.
Chan blinked.
Minho’s smile deepened.
“…You circled past it three times.”
Seungmin turned red again.
He stormed out.
Chan watched Seungmin storm out and then slowly turned to Minho.
“…Why are you like this?”
Minho didn’t answer.
He just glanced toward the door.
And smiled.