• “your favorite customer’s here!”
• “…oh no.”
• you bump your head against the glass display case while trying to reach for a slice of cheesecake, and you look up to see a regular customer walk through the doors of the bakery you work at
• your best friend seokmin greets him politely, and he greets him back before asking for his usual latte and egg bread
• seokmin gets started on the latte, and after giving a customer their cheesecake, you place an egg bread in a bag and quickly give it to the regular customer
• you exclaim “here you go!” and you try to escape to the back, but you’re not fast enough
• he asks “wait! um… are you free tonight?”
• seokmin stifles his laughter and you just glare at him like SHUT UP
• you tell the guy “no… sorry… i’m really busy these days…” and internally you’re like dUDE I REJECTED YOU OVER FIVE TIMES NOW GET THE HINT
• the guy asks “can’t i just take you out for dinner??” and again, you politely refuse and he sulks as he’s paying for his food
• he leaves the bakery right after, and that’s when seokmin bursts into a fit of laughter
• “STOP LAUGHING.” you scream and seokmin just laughs even louder
• you and seokmin have been best friends for as long as you can remember
• your moms are best friends and planned to get pregnant around the same time so that their kids could grow up together and be best friends too
• so you and seokmin have been stuck to each other since birth and you guys do EVERYTHING together
• you both even managed to get a job at Seventeen Café, you guys are pretty much a package deal at this point
• basically, the regular customer you just served comes by every day and he asks you out on certain days, to which you decline every time, but the guy can’t take a hint???
• you say “why can’t he just leave me ALONE??” and seokmin says “some people are more perseverant than others.”
• you continue to complain about it to seokmin, but then an idea pops into your mind, making you stop mid-sentence and you say “…um, seokmin? i have a question.”
• seokmin grins “go for it!” and you hesitate for a second or two before saying “okay… i’ll say it straight… will you fake date me?”
• it’s quiet. but then seokmin bursts out in laughter AGAIN and he’s SO LOUD LIKE YOU’RE SO GLAD THE BAKERY IS EMPTY OTHERWISE YOU WOULD’VE BEEN SO EMBARRASSED
• after calming himself down, he repeats “fake dating??” and you say “PLEASE i’m begging you, i just want this guy to STOP.”
• seokmin grins “you know what? this sounds fun, why not?” and you hug him tightly while jumping up and down exclaiming “thank you thank you thank you!!!”
• seokmin laughs “anything for you.”
• the next day, the regular customer comes by as expected
• you and seokmin exchange looks before you walk over to the cash register to ring up their usual order
• after they hand you the exact amount of change for their latte and egg bread, they ask “i, uh, just wanted to know if you’re free sometime next week?”
• “no, they’re not.” seokmin says as he approaches the counter and it takes all of your willpower not to burst out laughing
• the regular customer raises an eyebrow and asks him “how do you know?”
• you smile triumphantly and say “because he’s my boyfriend.”
• the regular customer’s jaw drops and they say “wh-what? you’re DATING?? but i thought—you never told me you had a—”
• you say “we try to keep it professional at work.” and seokmin nods and pulls you close, which almost makes you laugh
• the regular customer says “o-oh… i… sorry, i didn’t know… forget what i said.” and they quickly take their order and leave the restaurant
• you turn to seokmin and high five each other so hard your hands turn red
• you cackle “THAT WAS SO EASY, WE WON’T BE SEEING HIM FOR A WHILE.”
• but you were wrong
• the regular customer comes by the next day and you and seokmin look at each other like ROUND TWO
• seokmin steps it up a notch by giving you a backhug and swaying from side to side as you’re holding his arms
• the regular customer clears his throat once he reaches the cash register, and seokmin walks over to ring up his order
• while you’re making the customer’s latte, seokmin pretends to tease you, and you laugh over-exaggeratedly while the customer makes a jealous face at both of you
• they mutter a “thanks” before leaving the bakery and you and seokmin smile victoriously
• and this happens every time the customer comes by
• the regular customer eventually starts coming by less and less
• they went from coming by every day, to every other day, to twice a week, and you and seokmin celebrate when it becomes once a week
• “we did it!!” you cheer as you hug your best friend tightly
• he says “you know, it’s taking a while for him to move on, but we’re getting there!!!”
• seokmin disappears to the back of the shop to get some extra pastries since the glass display case is slowly emptying out
• the bell above the door suddenly rings, signaling that someone entered the bakery
• thinking that it’s the regular customer, you loudly whisper over to seokmin “hey, boyfriend!!! get over here!!!”
• and you turn around, ready for showtime once again
• “good afternoon—”
• you stop mid-sentence once you realize who entered the bakery… it’s not the regular customer, but instead
• it’s your first love
• long story short, you were in love with them back in high school, but they had to move and you were too scared to confess to them before they left
• you regretted it for quite some time because you were sure that you were never to going to see them again
• but now they’re back???
• “(name)?” they ask and you lamely stutter “u-uh yes?”
• they grin “it’s been so long!!!” and internally you’re like oh my gosh… they remember me AM I DREAMING
• you ask “wh-what are you doing here??” and they answer “my family and i moved back a few weeks ago. i’m actually on my way to meet up with a few old friends and i thought i’d buy a snack before meeting them. i can’t believe i bumped into a familiar face.”
• while your first love goes on to talk about your old classmates, you take this time to just stare at them, making you notice that they became so much more attractive and it makes your heart beat a little faster
• and just the fact that you’re able to hold a decent conversation with them (compared to the bumbling mess you were back then) makes you feel a little happy inside too
• your first love then stops talking and breaks eye contact to look behind you
• “seokmin?” they ask
• you turn around to find seokmin holding a tray filled with different desserts
• “hey!! it’s been so long!!” seokmin says as he places the tray of sweets on the counter
• your first love goes on to tell him what he just told you about him and his family moving back
• and then they ask “so you both work here?” and seokmin nods enthusiastically
• your first love laughs “inseparable as always. are you guys going out?”
• you immediately say “us?? nooo we’re not, we’re both just best friends, as always.”
• and at this, seokmin’s shoulders droop slightly, but it’s so subtle that neither you nor your first love notice
• your first love then says they have to go, and when they leave, you and seokmin wave goodbye as they exit the bakery with a bun they ordered
• seokmin says “you must be happy to see them again.” and you blush like sdjfgsdlkfks WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT WAS YEARS AGO
• he asks “are you still not over them?” and you hesitate “i… don’t know.”
• seokmin says “WELL, they know you work here now so who knows what might happen right??”
• you say “STOP i don’t want to get my hopes up???”
• your first love starts visiting more often, and they actually become the new regular customer, since the previous one hasn’t been around in days
• he probably FINALLY got the hint…
• seokmin disappears to the back of the shop when your first love comes in, telling you “i’ll let you have some alone time with them!! do your best!!”
• and he flashes you his usual pearly-white grin, but somehow… it doesn’t feel sincere??
• he actually looks a bit… sad??
• you shake away the thought and think “maybe he’s just a little worried because if things magically work out with you and your first love, then you and seokmin wouldn’t be able to hang around each other as often as you do now.”
• it’s finally closing time after a painfully long shift, and as usual, you and seokmin decide to take the bus back together
• usually, you guys walk all the way home, but you’re both pretty tired and decide to take the bus just for today
• so it’s around sunset and you’re both standing under the bus shelter, waiting for the next bus that’s supposed to come in about ten minutes
• seokmin reaches into his pocket to prepare his bus pass, but then he panics and digs a hand into each of his pockets
• you ask “what’s wrong??” and he screams “I LEFT MY BUS PASS ON THE COUNTER.”
• you’re like of coURSE ONLY YOU WOULD FORGET IT
• seokmin runs off and he screams “i’ll be back in a second, wait for me!!” and you just laugh as you watch him go
• you take a seat under the bus stop shelter while waiting for your best friend
• when you see the regular customer walk out of the convenience store not too far away from the bus shelter
• at this, you start to panic and you’re actually kind of scared
• your fingers are shaking as you type out “HELP CODE RED” to seokmin, and as you’re putting your phone back inside your pocket, clumsy you drops it, making a loud sound
• that alerts the regular customer
• you pretend not to see him as you pick up your phone, but you can see him walking towards you from the corner of your eye and all you can hear is your own panicked breathing
• when suddenly
• someone grabs your wrist, making you get up on your feet
• and it only takes you a second to realize that it’s seokmin
• he pulls you into his chest and holds you tightly, saying “don’t worry, i’m here.”
• you’re curious to see if the regular customer is still trying to make their way over to the bus stop, but you can’t bring yourself to turn your head
• because all you can hear is seokmin’s heart beating rapidly in his chest
• seokmin’s looking down at you and he gives you his usual goofy smile, and being this close to him makes you notice about handsome he really is…
• you can see the cute wrinkles that appear in the corner of his eyes when he smiles and the little mole on his cheek
• he’s your BEST FRIEND, but why do you feel your face burning up???
• eventually, seokmin lets you go and says “he’s gone now.”
• you quickly take a step back and say “thanks for saving me.”
• seokmin smiles “anything for you.”
• the bus finally comes, and you both enter the bus and sit next to each other in the back of the bus
• you stay quiet throughout the ride as you battle with your thoughts like “why am i feeling this way?? it’s seokmin, i can’t?? like him??”
• but then you think of earlier and how fast his heart was beating against his chest
• you quickly brush it off, however, thinking “wait no… it’s probably just because he ran over to you… the running made his heart pump faster… that’s all…”
• your mind is a mess and you’re completely spaced out that you don’t even realize it’s you and seokmin’s stop
• “hey (name), it’s our stop!” seokmin exclaims as he takes your hand and practically drags you out of the bus
• while walking towards your place, a kid bumps into you as he’s running past, making you stumble
• seokmin grabs your hand once more, laughing “you’re a bit out of it today, aren’t you?”
• you say “uhhh a little??”
• and up until you reach your front porch
• he doesn’t let go of your hand
• you’ve held hands with seokmin before, but this time, it feels so different…
• a few more days go by, and during this time… you start seeing seokmin in a completely different light
• you can’t help but smile lovingly when he plays with little kids that enter the bakery
• you can’t help but hope for the regular customer to come by just so you can feel seokmin pull you close
• you can’t help but feel shy whenever he smiles at you
• you feel like you’re slowly falling for him, but there’s just that tiny part of you that keeps holding onto your first love
• and it doesn’t help that you 100% believe that seokmin only thinks of you as his best friend…
• one day, you and seokmin are at the bakery, getting ready to open up for the day
• seokmin suddenly asks “are you busy this weekend?” and you say “nope, did you have something in mind?”
• he grins “let’s go on a date.” and you say HUH????
• he says “i’m your ‘boyfriend’ but i haven’t taken you out on a proper date!!!” you say “you’re my fake boyfriend though???”
• he says “so?? i’m still considered a boyfriend!!”
• you’re like okay but don’t say it like that dsfsdkjfh
• you ask “what day were you thinking??” and he says “saturday?? we have the day off, so we can go out all day!!”
• you say “okay, saturday it is.”
• and you don’t notice it, but seokmin smiles a little brighter
• throughout the day, he talks about how excited he is to take you to the aquarium, rooftop café and 3494 other places and how he’ll treat you
• it makes you feel warm inside seeing how eager he is to spend the day with you
• you excitedly wait for the week to end to go on the date with seokmin
• but then, your first love comes into the bakery on friday
• and it all goes wrong
• seokmin disappears to the back of the shop as usual when your first love walks into the bakery
• after a quick greeting, your first love asks “i’ve been wanting to ask… you and seokmin are still… just friends right?”
• you answer “yes…?” as you wonder where this is going
• your first love then asks “would you… go out with me tomorrow then?”
• you freeze
• it takes a moment for their words to sink in and you let out a “wh-what? like… a date??”
• and they simply nod
• the you from four weeks ago would’ve said “yes” in a heartbeat
• but the you now… doesn’t know what to say anymore
• and then you remember you and seokmin’s date
• you say “ohhh no, i’m sorry, i’m not sure if tomorrow’s a good day for me…” and your first love says “oh, um, can i have your number then?? just in case there’s a change of plans for tomorrow?? i’m going to be busy the following days… so…”
• you give your first love your number, and they leave the bakery after you give them their order and you receive a text almost immediately
• seokmin walks out of the back to place more pastries inside the glass display case
• he notices your stiff posture and asks “did something happen??”
• you quietly say “my first love asked me out on a date.”
• seokmin freezes, but quickly composes himself and asks “really? did they say when?”
• you hesitate “…on the same day of our date.”
• seokmin’s smile fades, but after a brief moment, he forces himself to smile wider and he tells you “go with them.”
• you say “what?? no, seokmin, i already promised you—”
• seokmin exclaims “it’s fine!!! go with them!!! i know how much you liked them!!!”
• you begin “but…” and he says “don’t worry about me, we can always reschedule. i’m really happy for you.”
• he grins widely, but it looks a little off
• and that’s enough to make you feel guilty
• but you give it some thought and you realize that going on that date with your first love might actually help you slowly get over seokmin
• which is a good thing because you’re pretty sure seokmin doesn’t feel the same way… and if you were to confess to him one day, your friendship will be ruined
• losing your first love isn’t as bad as losing the person who has been with you since the very start
• you selfishly tell him “…alright. i’ll go.” and he says “i hope it goes well for you.”
• you text your first love later that night, telling them that you’re free the next day, but you’re up late feeling guilty about ditching seokmin
• the following day, your first love picks you up at your place
• they ask “ready to go?” and you nod as you lock your front door and walk down the streets next to them
• the walk there is silent and a bit awkward??
• it’s nothing like the walks you take with seokmin, where you’re both always laughing and teasing each other
• you both finally make it to your date destination, which is a fancy restaurant with dim lighting and expensive food
• when you take a seat on your reserved table, you can’t help but smile sadly when you think back to how excited seokmin was to take you to the aquarium, rooftop café, bowling alley, skating rink, and—
• “and for you?” a waiter suddenly asks, snapping you out of your thoughts
• “uhhh, i’ll have this please.” you say and then point at some random meal on the menu
• after a quick nod, the waiter takes your menus away and walks off
• your first love starts up a conversation, but you can’t seem to focus on what they’re saying??
• at least with seokmin, his storytelling is always so hilarious and dramatic that it keeps you interested the entire time
• while your first love telling you about their life in their previous city, your food comes and you find yourself picking at your meal while your first love continues to talk
• the food looks fantastic, but… there’s just something about the humble little family restaurants seokmin takes you to that interests you so much more
• and that’s when you realize that you’ve been comparing your first love to seokmin the entire date
• you can’t believe you actually chose to go with someone who has barely ever showed any interest in you versus someone who accepts you for everything you are
• you suddenly get up from you chair, interrupting your first love and making them look up at you in surprise
• you say “i’m sorry… i have to go.”
• you leave some money on the table and rush out of the restaurant
• you start running in the direction of seokmin’s house, but while passing by yours, you swore you saw him on your porch, and you slowly backtrack to see if it’s really him
• and it is
• he’s sitting on the steps of your porch, fiddling with the plastic bag in his hands
• you slowly approach him and your footsteps and heavy breathing catch his attention, making him look up
• seokmin asks “(name)? your date’s already done?”
• you say “uhhh, kind of?” you look down the plastic bag in his hands and you ask “what are you doing here?? and what’s in the plastic bag??”
• seokmin smiles “i just wanted to make sure you got home safe and i bought a bunch of your favorite snacks to cheer you up in case something went wrong.”
• you say “oh… that’s sweet of you, seokmin.” and after a moment of silence, he asks “did the date go well?”
• you say “um, it didn’t exactly go as planned…”
• seokmin quickly gets up on his feet and worriedly exclaims “what??? did they hurt you???”
• you start “it’s not that, i just—”
• he quickly interrupts you “i knew i should’ve stopped you!!
• you can see the longing in his eyes and you can see his knuckles turning white from how tightly he’s clutching the plastic bag in his hands
• but what surprises you is seeing how upset he is
• you’ve known seokmin since birth, but this is the FIRST time you’ve ever seen him so upset, sad and frustrated all at the same time
• you ask “why are you getting so upset??”
• he says “because you shouldn’t have gone with them!!”
• “and why not??”
• “because…”
• seokmin takes a step forward
• “you should’ve gone with me instead.”
• seokmin drops the bag of snacks he’s holding
• and he cups your cheeks to kiss you
• when he pulls back, he stares at you in silence before realizing what he’s just said and done, and he instantly screams “I’M SO SORRY I DIDN’T MEAN TO—I MEAN I DID BUT—NOT LIKE THIS—”
• you just shut him up by kissing him again
• after pulling back, you say “i like you, too, seokmin.” and he just presses his forehead against yours while grinning happily
• the next day, the owner texts you and seokmin last minute that they decided to close the bakery for the day to bring in new baking equipment and ovens
• you hear your doorbell ring, and you open it up to find seokmin all dressed up
• he asks “since we have the day off… how about that date?”
• you smile and say “alright, just let me get ready.”
• after letting him inside your house, you ask “do you think you can wait about half an hour?”
• he laughs “i’ve waited since the first grade, half an hour is nothing.”
• his words are enough to make you turn bright red, and he just laughs even louder as he pulls you into his chest

Countdown to Seokmin’s Birthday: D-17 ⤷ abc’s of Seokmin: J is for Jawline