Soobin stared at the assortment of candies, their bright colors grabbing for his attention from every corner.

It was the early afternoon, and the boy in question had found himself craving for a snack.

Thus he found himself at the convenience store near his school, digging just enough cash out of his pocket to afford a couple of snacks.

He almost dropped his coins as his phone buzzed in his pocket, startling him just a bit more than usual.

Soobin whipped out his phone, glancing at the message on his screen.

—

+82 02 xxx xxxx:
hey
this is yeonjun (⸝⸝ᵕᴗᵕ⸝⸝)

—

Soobin almost screamed. He knew he'd given the other boy his number, but he honestly hadn't expected him to text at all.

He padded over to the cashier, dumping his snack bags and his money on the counter before replying.

—

Soobin:
Omg
Hi wyd

—

He wanted to hit himself for responding so awkwardly.
He grabbed his change and bag of snacks from the cashier who had finished ringing it up, and jogged towards the door after thanking them.

He quickly created a contact for Yeonjun, seeing the other boy begin to type.

—

Yeonjun:
literally nothing wbu

Soobin:
Just got some snacks
Walking home rn

Yeonjun:
Nahh don't say that
now I wanna buy something smh

Soobin:
You can steal some of the chips I got lmaO

Yeonjun:
Deadass?
Okay bet where are you

Soobin:
Huh?
Uh you know that convenience store like 10 minutes from our school

Yeonjun:
Oh there???
I live like 3 minutes away
Stay there

Soobin:
I-
Really? Wait do you want me to buy you a drink or sth

Yeonjun:
Nahh I'm good
I'll pick something for myself bc I'm allergic to a lot of shit and ion wanna die

Soobin:
Oh???
Like what lmao

Yeonjun:
Blackberries 100%
Some types of
And uhh
Cumin? Clove?? Some other herbs I can't remember
I think basil???
Honestly just a lot of plants

Soobin:
Wowww
I don't think I'm allergic to any foods

Yeonjun:
I'm also allergic to mistletoe
Which was really fun to find out on Christmas 6 years ago ☺️

Soobin:
AHAJAHS
Wait no I shouldn't be laughing I'm so sorryYYSH

Yeonjun:
NO ITS OKAY AHAHH
It was pretty funny looking back at it
I was young and stupid and thought "I wonder what these decorations taste like"

Soobin:
Omg
You did NOT

Yeonjun:
i DID
And then I stopped being able to breathe and my mom flipped out and called my dad and he legit said
"Just give him some tea he'll be fine"

Soobin:
I'm-
WHAT
YOUR DAD JUST

Yeonjun:
Anyway we didn't HAVE any tea
So my dad drove all the way over to my house at the time and brought me a green tea from Starbucks

Soobin:
This story... oh my god

Yeonjun:
Anyway that's how I saw my dad for the first time in 3 years ❤️

Soobin:
I'm-
Askdjskaja???
Are ur parents not together?

Yeonjun:
YEP they never got married!
I always thought it was kinda weird but y'know... I won't bore you with the family tea

Soobin:
Wait please bore me with it
Weird how??

Yeonjun:
Because like
I understand not wanting marriage which is fine
But they didn't even live together?? I've literally only met my dad like 4-5 times
BUT THEY HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP?

Soobin:
Hmm
Maybe they're just good friends now?

Yeonjun:
No;;; trust me it's more than that,,, I've seen too much

Soobin:
Oh god
RIP your eyes

Yeonjun:
For real

Soobin:
All my parents do is fight with each other or me 🗿
If it's with me idrc because I'm kinda a snarky bitch but...

Yeonjun:
Damn you wanna trade parents?

Soobin:
PLEASE
My dad is so demonophobic it pisses me off

Yeonjun:
Oh YIKES
Maybe I don't wanna trade... on second thought

Soobin:
Nah you really don't
Can you believe his audacity??
He really wants to ban demons from entering his stupid restaurant

Yeonjun:
...
How's he gonna do that even?
You can barely tell them apart from other people

Soobin:
"Barely" come on it's literally impossible to tell
He's so dumbbb why do I have to share DNA with him

Yeonjun:
I mean it is a little possible but-
Ahh nvm
That is stupid asf though what did demons ever do to him

Soobin:
Nothing at all he's just an asshole
He's really homophobic too;; but like yeah

Yeonjun:
HUGE yikes
Not surprising though considering most demonophobes I meet are also anti-LGBT
I read some studies abt it too

Soobin:
EXACTLY
You seem to know a lot about this why am I surprised

Yeonjun:
Well as someone who's bisexual I do kinda notice this stuff everywhere

Soobin:
OH YOU'RE BI??

Yeonjun:
YEAH I am lmao
I thought you would be fine with it soooo

Soobin:
oH I am I am don't worry
I was just a little surprised lmao
I don't know too many other lgbt people at our school

Yeonjun:
O t h e r ? 👀

Soobin:
aHAJSHS YEONJUN
I meant besides you

Yeonjun:
damn... really pulled a fast one on me there

Soobin:
If we're being real here I dunno what I am
It's kinda embarrassing but uhh;;;

Yeonjun:
There's no embarrassment here tell me ur secrets

Soobin:
We about to get REAL close lmAO
So like
I could never see myself dating a girl
Guys??? Maybe but I've never liked one

Yeonjun:
Yeah it be like that
If it makes you feel better I was literally on a date with a girl when I realized that I have a preference for guys 😩

Soobin:
Tragic...
I've literally never been on a date

Yeonjun:
??!!! HOW?

Soobin:
Some people aren't attractive, okay 😭

Yeonjun:
???
Soobin you're really cute wtf are you talking about

Soobin:
Oh 😳 thank u
But also get your vision checked

Yeonjun:
Nuh uhh
I wasn't just talking abt ur looks
Ur very easy to talk to and chill

Soobin:
HUH???
Yeonjun I am SO shy and awkward

Yeonjun:
It's endearing,,,

Soobin:
Pls I've known you for like two days it's a miracle I'm not afraid to speak to you

Yeonjun:
Yeah see? Not awkward

Soobin:
No it's entirely your fault

Yeonjun:
Elaborate

Soobin:
Nah

Yeonjun:
Hmm
Oh by the way don't look behind you

Soobin:
WHAT?

—

Soobin whipped around to see a handsome shorter boy standing behind him, phone in hand.

"Ah, Yeonjun!" Soobin spoke, struggling to shove his phone back into his pocket with shaky hands.

Yeonjun gave him a smile as he walked up to him, taking one of his bags of chips and inspecting it without a word.

"I'm gonna go buy a drink, you can sit if you want," Yeonjun stayed, glancing towards a bench that sat rather close to the two on the sidewalk.

All Soobin could do was nod, feeling strangely overwhelmed at having to interact with the elder boy.

Soobin padded over and plopped down on the bench, watching silently as Yeonjun strided to the door of the convenience store.

He was beginning to feel a new type of anxiousness, and he had no idea why.