"Hi, uh, so." Wooyoung desperately tries to shake off the blankness that washed over him as soon as the pretty receptionist looked up from his laptop and smiled at him. "Do you have a phone?"
A moment passes. Wooyoung wants to facepalm.
~~~
Growing...
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It is almost evening and long dark outside when Wooyoung finally shows up at the reception. San saw him after brunch, too, leaving the hotel on the way to some day trip with his family, but it was only a fleeting moment in which they locked eyes and exchanged secret smiles.
Sadly, Mingi wasn't there to witness it.
Mingi still isn't present in the lobby when the elevator's doors open and Wooyoung steps out, because reception work is San's afternoon-task for the week, and Mingi has other things to do - although San tries to shove that thought to the back of his mind as he lets his lips curve into a smile to greet Wooyoung. Present or not, Mingi will sooner or later walk by the reception on his way to supper. Hopefully, Wooyoung will stay with San just long enough for Mingi to see them together.
With that thought in mind, it's easy for San to send one more warm smile Wooyoung's way. And Wooyoung grins back a lot less shyly than he did in the morning.
"Hi," San says when Wooyoung comes to a stop in front of the counter.
Wooyoung runs a hand through his hair. "Hi."
Determined to steer clear of any possible awkwardness, San launches into the first topic that comes to his mind: "I didn't see you returning after you left with your family."
"So you were waiting for me?," Wooyoung teases.
San gives him a lopsided smirk and leans forward over the counter. Just a little bit. "Maybe I was."
He could add something there, something about Wooyoung being the most handsome guy around, but... he isn't really fond of lying.
"I was curious about something," Wooyoung boldly begins, but then ends up sheepishly averting his gaze.
A deeply confusing mixture of uncomfortableness and excitement flashes through San. "About what?"
"Do y- Ah, never mind." Wooyoung flushes crimson. Then he clears his throat. "How old are you?"
Oh. San almost giggles as the realisation settles in: Wooyoung might try to be all about a strong head start, but he's also quick to become painfully shy. "I was born in '99. What about you?"
"Same." Wooyoung nods, and for a short moment, they both fall silent.
San isn't sure whether it's a comfortable or uncomfortable silence. He just knows that he doesn't want Mingi walking in on them like this, so he hastily brings up the topic of Wooyoung's family trip again: "Where'd you go with your family today?"
Wooyoung shrugs, although he at least looks San in the eye again: "The beach."
The beach. Of course. San can barely stop himself from heaving a sigh. Sure, going to the beach isn't anything bad per se – San himself likes to spend mornings at the beach with a thermos flask of self-brewed, decaffeinated coffee to keep his hands warm while enjoying the cold wind on his face and the sound of crashing waves, but... he has his rituals. He is living on this island, whereas Wooyoung and his family are probably only staying for about a week.
