"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 takes two americanos, three chapters on media theory and one video essay about a newly debuted K-Pop group until it's finally seven p.m. Wooyoung has tried his best to distract himself and not get nervous about the prospect of talking to San. It's been so long since they met in that hotel during Wooyoung's family holidays. It has been long, but Wooyoung also feels like he is dramatising because San hasn't changed all that much. He's handsome as ever, that much is obvious, but there's also a less obvious air of distance about him, which is exactly like Wooyoung remembers from the island.
Seeing San as a barista behind yet another counter, Wooyoung was reminded of the first time he saw him behind the reception counter in the hotel lobby. Back then, he was intimidated enough to try to hide from him—before he let Jongho talk him into taking the opposite route to flirt with the guy.
Now San is not just the hot, unattainable-looking guy any more, because Wooyoung has gotten to know him, if only for a bit. It's the San he sneaked on little date-not-dates with, and who doesn't like when people are all about his looks, and who remembered that Wooyoung once told him that he wanted to study entertainment. Wooyoung feels a little giddy recalling that. That giddiness intensifies when he remembers San's questions about the guy he came here with last time. Mingyu.
Although he still feels guilty for rejecting Mingyu after a perfectly enjoyable date, Wooyoung is glad they had the date. Without Mingyu, he wouldn't have come even close to this part of the town, and wouldn't have seen San again.
It's two minutes past seven now. 7:02 p. m., and there's no sign of San by the counter any more. Wooyoung worries at his lower lip. Of course, maybe San has just gone to leave his apron and grab his bag, but could he possibly also have left already? Would he do that? Wooyoung had assumed that the brief thumbs up San showed to him some time during his shift was to show that he was free to talk after his shift.
Had he been wrong? Or did San feel uncomfortable with Wooyoung? Wooyoung can only assume that he wasn't smooth in showing his interest—Jongho had kindly informed him that he never was when talking to attractive people. All the while Hongjoong had done nothing to smooth Wooyoung's insecurities about his behaviour but assured him that he was very attractive too.
Well. At least Wooyoung managed to make good use of his looks during his first semester at university: at parties with warm, secure hands on his hips on the dance floor, semi-strangers dancing in front of or behind him, grinding and making out.
It was fun, but not as epic as he'd initially expected. Closer to epic was coming back from the insular bar with San, kissing San without much thought and just because he could, ghosting his lips over San's racing pulse, feeling San's cold fingertips slip under his hoodie.
Wooyoung flinches back to the warm-white café lights and chatter of conversation around when someone slides into the seat across from him. It's San in a white t-shirt and dark jacket, looking relieved and tired.
