Chapter Text
As the sky above fades from powder blue into a hazy pink and orange hue, Jisung checks his GPS and sees that his destination is not too far now. His rackety, light green truck creaks with every bump on the uneven pavement of the outdated two-way highway that leads to the outskirts of the city and into the rural countryside. The muffled sounds of western 60’s oldies pours through the busted speaker, which if hit with just the right force approximately three times, as Jisung has tested, the music can actually be heard clearly before another bump in the road reverts it back to the staticky noise. Jisung has gotten used to it by now, in fact, he finds it adds a vintage flair. Almost romantic. Classic Jisung mentality, trying to turn something broken into something optimistic.
Like his abrupt move from Seoul to Namwon. Jisung wasn’t the type of person to be spontaneous at all, but when life throws a curveball at you, sometimes you have to do something just as crazy, if not crazier, to feel like you have some semblance of control again. That’s what this was: Jisung was going to take his life back into his control.
The GPS beeps with 15 minutes ETA to his new place he would be staying. From his hasty search roughly six hours ago, he found a listing online from a very bubbly and welcoming blonde, who is renting rooms from his very huge—and very expensive looking—house in rural Namwon. Jisung had heard about the small town from word of mouth, the significance for the famous and classic Chunhyangjeon story, the Korean version of Romeo and Juliet, hence earning the name of the “City of Love.” If that wasn’t enough to sell Jisung, what else would? He was an absolute sucker for classic romance movies, it was his livelihood.
He passes the town sign as the highway becomes stable and even for the first time in hours. The sign is a huge semi-circle that looks surprisingly well kept, the wood stained with a honey glow and clean cut ridges. A painted royal azalea is the main focus, with words written in neat cursive, “Welcome to Namwon! Our hearts are with you, in the City of Love!”
Jisung cracks a smile for the first time, feeling the tension slowly relieving from his shoulders as he sees his ETA dwindle down lower and lower. He passes by small strips of local businesses, the street lamps flickering on as the day turns to night. The bakery on the corner just turned off its lights, Jisung pouting at the sight as his stomach growls right on cue. He hadn’t eaten before he left in a haste and didn’t bother taking a pit stop because he knew that if he stayed out for too long, the willpower he built up to proceed with his drive would’ve chipped away. Then before he knew it, he inevitably would be heading right back to Seoul.
The options were very limited as compared to the city, where on every corner there would be a different fast food joint. Where fast food joints thrive off capitalizing from the convenience of selling cheaply made food, Jisung would get to experience the culture of small town businesses that pride themselves on their home-made cuisines. Jisung slowed down as he looked intently at his surroundings, adjusting his glasses to read the signs of places that still had their lights on. Just when he thought all hope was lost, he makes a right turn and is immediately drawn to the bright neon sign blaring in green and pink above a quaint, retro looking diner, named The Spot. Checkered patterns decorated around the edge of the roof are slowly peeling off and the turquoise paint around the building is weathered from time, but it looks cozy and promising. Plus, the sign shows “Open 24/7!” in tiny letters, the “7” flickering with a soft hum as Jisung parks and kills the engine to his truck.
The windows almost surround the whole perimeter of the diner, allowing him to see that there are still a few people inside. He can’t help but feel nervous despite the small crowd. Jisung is well aware that towns like Namwon are more intimate and locals would be familiar with who’s a regular. It’s not like Jisung sticks out like a sore thumb, with his wavy brunette hair that curls slightly at the ends and flows just below his ears, his rounded glasses that he can’t see without, and fairly basic fashion taste, wearing simple baggy jeans with sneakers and a flannel button up. But people would still know he’s out of place— and he doesn’t know how much more he can take with feeling like he doesn’t have a place.
Before the thoughts can get too loud, he quickly heads out the truck before he can scare himself into just heading over to his rented room and hiding there… forever, if possible. The sky is now a dusty purple, the last rays of light barely stretching over the horizon as he stiffly makes his way around his truck, suddenly hyper-aware of the slight breeze in the air, the faint smell of a lit cigarette, the quiet clearing of someone’s throat—
“Uh, hey, are you okay?” A voice asks in the distance, snapping Jisung out of his daze.
Jisung blinks and sees that he isn’t at the door to the diner. He’s still rooted to his place outside his truck. He tries to take in a breath but it’s shaky, barely registering the small tremble in his hands as he holds onto the hood of his truck.
The man whose voice snapped Jisung back to reality is now right next to him. He notices the man stubbing out something with his foot in the corner of his eye, the smell of cigarettes now prominent from his presence.
“Did you… need anything?” The man asks again, more softer as he leans sideways to catch Jisung’s gaze.
Jisung feels the heat rise to his cheeks when he sees the handsome stranger, effortlessly styled blonde hair resting over his brown, sleek cat-like eyes blinking in rapid succession at him as he awaits his answer. Finally, Jisung feels air fill his lungs as a sheepish smile spreads on his face, looking down to try to hide the blush spreading across his face. Was it from embarrassment or from the very handsome guy next to him? Jisung couldn’t really tell.
“Ah, I’m sorry! I’m fine… just… needed some air, I guess.” He shakes his hands dismissively, trying to stand upright with a small tremble still present in his knees.
The stranger simply blinked again, once, twice, three times before nodding slowly and straightening back up.
“I see,” he states casually, though his eyes still show hidden concern as he sticks by Jisung’s side. “Were you going to head inside? The diner here has really good dinner specials. Maybe some food could help?” The stranger’s lips tug up slightly at the corner with a small smile and Jisung swears he must be dreaming, probably fell asleep somewhere along the drive. But once the stranger starts blinking again, chewing his bottom lip in the awkward silence, Jisung comes back to his senses again. No, he is not dreaming. And he should say something before he embarrasses himself further.
“Right! Food, yes, that sounds great actually… Thank you for suggesting that…” Jisung trails off again, noticing the glimmer of a name tag on the stranger’s chest, observing that he was wearing a work polo with similar colors to the diner.
“Minho,” the stranger fills in for him with a small laugh, gesturing to the name tag. “My name is Minho. I work here. I’ve never seen you around here before, though.”
Jisung nods sheepishly once more, rubbing the back of his neck as he shifts his weight from one leg to the other. “Yeah, I just got into town today. I had a really long drive from Seoul and I guess the lack of food in my system is making me spaced out,” He sighs, looking up at Minho briefly. “I’m Jisung, by the way.”
Minho offers Jisung a small smile, reaching over to pat his shoulder gently, Jisung trying not to think too much about the bloom of warmth that erupted in his chest from the simple gesture.
“Well, welcome to Namwon, Jisung. I don’t know what brought you out here, but you definitely need some food in your system after such a long drive—” Suddenly, Minho is cut off by the ungodly gargle of Jisung’s stomach, who hunches over with an even deeper blush, fumbling his first impression even more than he already has.
“I am so sorry—”
“Don’t even worry about it. Come on, I’ll whip up something for you in no time. Maybe you can tell me why you came out here to the countryside instead of staying in the city life?” Minho asks with a small quirk of his brow, motioning his head over to the diner.
Jisung looks back up with a small smile, shoving down all his flusteredness as he falls into step with Minho. “Oh god, it’s such a long story… I don’t even think I fully processed it yet to say it out loud.” He sighs with a small pout, the small bell above the door ringing softly as they head inside.
“Don’t worry about it then, just have a seat and I’ll make you our specialty. On the house.” He winks, but it’s more of a blink with how both eyes squint just enough. Jisung finds it incredibly adorable, biting back a smile as he nods. “All right, it doesn’t take much to impress me, so I’m literally good with whatever.”
“Whatever, coming up.” He hums as he puts on his snapback backwards, turning around to fasten an apron around his waist before disappearing to the kitchen.
The pit of nerves that once plagued Jisung’s stomach is now almost non-existent, his tense posture now relaxed as he takes a seat at the small strip near the kitchen. The cutout in the wall shows a glimpse of the inside, Minho’s form only showing from the shoulders up as sounds of chopping and sizzling oil can be heard. There’s faint swing music playing overhead in the old speakers and the people that were in the booths earlier are gone now, leaving just the two of them. Jisung doesn’t realize that he’s staring until he notices the small smirk that rests on Minho’s lips as they make eye contact, letting out a soft huff of air, like a laugh that didn’t fully form yet. Jisung tries (and fails) to subtly look away, snapping his head in every other direction to take in the surroundings.
“This place is really cool! I’ve always loved the retro vibe,” Jisung tries to ease off the awkward silence, and try to avert from the fact that he was very much staring at Minho.
Thankfully, to spare Jisung of the embarrassment, Minho doesn’t bring it up, offering a soft hum as he flips a beef patty. “Yeah, this is almost like the heart of Namwon. Regarding food, at least,” he chuckles, his lips parting in a small smile that shows a glimpse of two teeth jutting out along his bottom lip. “I think it’s been around since the late 50’s..?”
The small backstory makes Jisung nod with interest, leaning into his palm. “Woah, that explains the decor. Not just a themed diner, but more like a place that has served as a time capsule, preserving the period of time it thrived in.” He takes another glance around, nodding slowly in appreciation.
Minho blinks again with another soft huff, finishing up Jisung’s plate and sliding it over as he approaches the strip. “You are the first person that I have heard describe this place like that.”
Jisung freezes with a small laugh, taking his plate gratefully. “Is that, like, a bad thing..?”
Minho’s laugh fills the space, letting out a soft sigh at the end as he shakes his head gently. “No no, not at all! It’s pretty refreshing, actually. I assume you have an appreciation for history, or for the aesthetics at least.” He settles onto the empty stool next to Jisung, slipping off his greasy gloves in the process.
The topic arises a newfound sense of pride in Jisung, who sits up straighter as he nods, eating a fry as he waits for his sizzling burger to cool down. “Actually, yes, a mix of all technically. I just finished my degree in Cinematography a few weeks ago.”
Minho’s jaw drops slightly, applauding quietly as he blinks at Jisung. “Woah, no way. I mean, I should’ve thought so since you have the scholarly glasses on.”
Jisung lets out a soft scoff at the comment on his glasses, gently nudging Minho’s arm. “The glasses are actually because I would be terribly blind without them. But if it adds the educated flair, I’ll take it.”
Time never once seemed to feel like it was slowing down or speeding up as the two talked and talked about everything and nothing at the same time. Jisung swears up and down Minho is the best cook he has ever had food from in his whole entire life, and Minho, being humble and shy from the cute stranger’s praise, shies away from the compliments with a smile that never seems to fade. From the outside looking in, it would seem like Jisung and Minho had been friends for years and weren’t just strangers who met less than two hours ago. Jisung hasn’t smiled so much in what felt like forever, which almost seemed impossible considering his circumstances not even 24 hours ago. It’s only when Jisung’s phone rings in the midst of Minho re-telling one of Namwon's urban legends that bursts both of them out of their bubble. Jisung offers Minho an apologetic smile as he sees the name on the screen as the blonde that he was renting the room from, swiftly walking outside as Minho bit back a pout at him having to leave mid-conversation.
“Hello?” He asked as he answered the phone, rubbing over the sleeves of his flannel to generate some form of heat from the cold air.
“Hi! This is Jisung, right?” The voice rang out cheerfully, the smile clearly present in his tone.
“Yes! I am so sorry, I arrived in Namwon roughly two hours ago, and I was going to head over as soon as possible, but then I came to the diner and—”
“Ah, I see. No worries! I know where you are, the diner is like the town’s treasure. But please, let me know of any delays like this in advance next time. I’ve been pacing around my living room for the past hour!” The voice dips into a deeper tone for a moment, before picking back up to its initial cheery tone. The duality made a shiver run through Jisung, making a mental note not to get on this guy’s bad side.
“Of course, I’m so sorry again! I’ll head over within the next half hour, I promise. And sorry, I never quite caught your name?” Jisung asks.
“Right, silly me! I’m-”
“FELIX! Honey, I’m home!” A loud voice booms in the background, making Jisung yelp slightly as he jolts, removing the phone briefly from his ear. Despite Felix being directly in the speaker, the unknown voice sounds like it was even closer than that.
“Binnie! Sorry, Jisung, my boyfriend just came home. But we’ll be expecting you soon!” He chirps before hanging up the call, leaving a slightly disoriented Jisung in silence once more.
He laughs softly to himself before heading back into the diner, seeing Minho cleaning off a few tables and whistling a soft melody. Jisung is convinced he has never seen someone as handsome as Minho, and effortlessly at that. He takes a moment before heading over to him, gently tapping his shoulder. “Hey, I’m gonna have to head out now.”
Minho turns with a half smile, stopping the frown forming on his face at the news of him leaving. “Ah, right, it is getting late. Do you have a place to stay for today? If you need help or anything, I have room at my place.”
Now it’s Jisung’s turn to blink, feeling a rise of warmth from the most gorgeous human being he’s ever laid eyes on—Minho—offering an awkward stranger—Jisung himself—to accompany him for even longer in the evening and even stay at his place. Jisung can’t think faster than he can speak, shaking his head before replying. “No worries! I actually found a place that was renting rooms around here, it’s not too far. Thanks again, for the food and for talking to me. I was really nervous, but I’m glad I met you.”
Minho’s smile is something that Jisung deems as the most picture perfect shot he’s ever witnessed, the blaring LED lights above not doing any injustice to the natural beauty that is Minho. Is he too far gone? Yes, yes he is. But there’s nothing wrong with admitting a person as gorgeous as Minho is, well, gorgeous.
“Of course, no need to thank me. You can always come back here if you ever want more of the most delicious food you’ll ever have. Or you know, just to talk. Consider me your first friend in Namwon.” He does that squint blink wink again, Jisung unable to hide his smile back, the heart shaped, gummy smile making something stir in Minho’s chest. But he wouldn’t admit it yet.
“Wow, my first Namwon friend.” He giggles, adjusting his glasses as he feels a new sense of hope blooming in his chest. “I’ll definitely come back then.”
“Well, who else is gonna show you all the fun things to do in this little place?” Minho nudges Jisung gently with his elbow. “You know where to find me.”
Just as Jisung settled into his truck, the engine started with a sputter and roared to life, the lights slightly uneven with a yellow hue illuminating the street as he pulled out the parking lot. Minho bit back a huge smile as Jisung poked his head out to wave goodbye, nearly missing the fire hydrant on the sidewalk as he swerved.
“I’m so doomed…” Minho sighs deeply as he watches Jisung’s truck get smaller and smaller as it disappears down the road. He stays for a beat longer by the door, his smile still spread along his lips and the warmth still pulsing in his chest.
This new stranger was going to make things a lot more interesting.