Mall

@lee minho jeongin laughed at minho's grumble, but stifled it as they approached the counter. he put their conversation on hold as he exchanged pleasantries with the staff, reluctantly separating their hands to get his wallet out. after swiping his card and taking the shopping bag off the counter, jeongin's free hand immediately went back to find minho's. "okay, i'll take you up on that offer then," jeongin laughed. it was like a never-ending cycle of giving and receiving, despite the repeated phrase of 'just this once'. even as they made their way to a cafe, jeongin couldn't wait for their 'next time' already.

@yang jeongin minho nearly froze up at the new warmth in his palm, yet he welcomed it gratefully, gently squeezing his hand a few seconds later out of habit. even if he still felt somewhat dizzy with worry, holding jeongin's hand was enough to help ground him. just when he was ready to open his mouth, ready to refute jeongin paying as he usually did when they spent time together, he had already been beaten to it. "okay, fine. just this once, though. next time, i'm paying," he grumbled without being genuinely upset, because there was still a beam twitching at lips as he placed the box on the counter for the cashier.

@lee minho jeongin shook his head, letting minho know that it wasn't a big deal. or at least, it shouldn't have been a big deal, even if jeongin's quickening heart rate said otherwise. jeongin and minho were never awkward with each other, but the younger couldn't help but think, it seemed like little moments like this seemed to happen more often as of late. refusing to accept the thought, in the spur of the moment, jeongin slipped his hand into minho's as he led them to the counter. "okay, and after that, we can get dessert," he said before turning to look at minho with a smile. "my treat, as thanks for you coming with me today." and knowing minho, jeongin quickly added, "and no 'but's!"

@yang jeongin minho wasn't sure what he was expecting, but it came as a pleasant surprise to see jeongin so excited to meet his family. it wasn't like when he first said it that he wasn't being serious, but now after seeing jeongin smile like that, he was reinvigorated with the idea of it happening for sure. "then it's settled," he replied simply. "they'll love you."

he stared, confused, trying to understand why jeongin had suddenly held the bottle tighter, especially when the both of them were trying to read what was printed on it. when he turned to give a silent look of inquiry, it had then hit him just how close they were, or rather, how he had practically invaded jeongin's space. minho blinked for a second, then for another before quietly breathing out, "sorry." sheepishly taking a few steps back, he had nodded rapidly, scratching at the nape of his neck. "yes, yeah, right, that seems like it'll be fine." he nerves seemed like they were in well enough check, because it wasn't long until he was rolling his eyes playfully at jeongin. "glad to be of service. let's go pay."

@lee minho what might have seemed like a simple offer to others made jeongin's heart swell, eyes widening and corners of his lips tugged upwards. "i'd love that," he said. was this what minho felt when jeongin asked him to meet his family? jeongin was already wondering what kind of people minho's grandparents were like.

jeongin rotated the bottle, trying to find if the base notes were written anywhere, but suddenly he felt minho's face close to his, and he froze. he clutched the cologne tightly, suddenly more conscious of his breathing as he felt his cheeks warm up. still, he didn't pull away. minho's second question made him realise he hadn't even answered the first one, and his hands clumsily turned the bottle. "...yeah, cedarwood!" he quickly confirmed once he spotted it on the packaging. he hummed in thought, glancing back and forth between the bottle in his hand and the box in minho's. "i think i'll go with the ebony wood," jeongin finally decided, putting the cologne in his hand back on the shelf. "something new, but not too different, might make the gift more special. plus, it's approved by the cologne expert," he explained, giving minho a cheeky nudge. giving a nod in the direction of the counter, jeongin asked, "shall we?"

@yang jeongin "thank you, they definitely did. maybe one day i can take you to meet them?" his hand had clutched the bottle a bit tighter. if his ears weren't red before, he was sure they were by this point. compliments from jeongin always made him a dangerous mix of nerves and bashfulness, as if he had never received any in this lifetime before.

"okay, i'll grab it just incase." he let jeongin roam freely while he put the item back in it's place, reaching for the box underneath the display case that contained the sealed version of the cologne. a lot of the ones he had eyed but didn't grab were definitely ones he hadn't seen before. it truly must've been a while since minho last had the chance to go to the mall. when he returned back to jeongin's side, he hummed questioningly, taking a whiff of what the younger had found. "oh! this is... cedarwood, right?" by pure accident and in a moment of pure focus, minho leaned closer to the side of jeongin's face, trying to read what the name was in his hand. "think you wanna get it?"

@lee minho jeongin let minho's hand play with his hair with a smile, soaking in every drop of affection from the other's touch. again, he read the label of the cologne in minho's hand, the name unfamiliar to him. he watched as minho sprayed the sample paper and taking his cue, he put his near closer to the paper to take a whiff. it was woody like the previous one, but definitely a little different. "this one's good too!" jeongin gushed. "it's not completely the same as the one he uses, but i could see my senior wearing this scent." he nodded as he listened to minho, cologne-searching sidelined in favour of minho's childhood story. "that's cute. your grandparents sound like classy people," he chuckled. "but i guess i should've known, since their grandson's a classy person too. it seems like they had a lot to do with raising you."

jeongin went back to looking at the colognes after minho's story. "i think we can hold on to that one for now," he said, referring to the bottle minho was holding. "we can just explore a few more options." he scanned the shelf until he found one that caught his eye, another woody fragrance. as minho had done, he prepared the sample paper. he smelled it, eyes widening at the familiar scent, before letting minho do the same. "hm, this one smells more like him, but sorta like a dupe?" jeongin gave his review with a laugh.

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@yang jeongin minho could feel and hear how earnest jeongin was, as he usually did whenever jeongin was trying to return the same sentiments he was given. it made his heart clench, momentarily forgetting it's pain from moments before. to show his affection without just grinning as wide as he was, his hand raised to gently fluff the younger's hair. "i appreciate it, innie."

he repeated his previous action of picking up a bottle, examining it and tilting it in the slightest so that jeongin could also read the name, a similar scent to the one he had recently mentioned. "here, smell this one. it's really good," he hummed after spraying another sample paper, waving it and then holding it out for the other's nose. the comment made him laugh, eyes twinkling with further amusement. "i kind of learned from my grandpa? he had tons and tons of cologne when i was kid. used to spend hours in his closet just looking at all the shelves he had. my grandma was the same way with perfume."

@lee minho jeongin had never been the best with words, and even now he couldn't find the words to express the gratitude he felt for minho. he would have felt thankful even if minho wasn't free, anyway. "thank you," he said, the best he could do. "as your friend, i'll look out for you in return!" he declared. "i'll be at your service, only for you."

jeongin nodded at minho's reasoning, having full faith in the other's knowledge. minho was truly his reliable friend; what would jeongin do without him? "something similar, it is," he said. jeongin followed behind minho closely as the elder gently took him by the wrist. "i don't think so," he said. "but i don't know my scents that well, so maybe i have? it could even be my senior's fragrance we're looking for." he smiled at the view of minho's back guiding him, heartened by his friend's dedication to helping him. "and i didn't know you were so well-versed in colognes."

@yang jeongin "thursday," he repeated after jeongin, keeping the date away in his brain for later, even if he knew he wouldn't forget it. he'd have to put it in his phone calendar for extra measure. "that still works fine with me. i don't have much to do that day anyways." his thursdays were usually pretty free but even if something did come up, he made a promise to his friend, and was set on making sure that he got home safe. "nah, that's what friends do, they look out for each other." the word 'friends' stung a bit more than usual this time around.

his ears twinged an even darker shade of red, but only chuckled in response to the younger confirming his scent. "that's okay," he reassured jeongin. "i think it would be best if we found something similar. i only say that because if it's different than what he usually wears, he might not wear it often, right?" minho placed the bottle back on the display rack, reluctantly removing himself from jeongin's side so that they could find another type of cologne. his fingers clasped themselves around the younger's wrist for collateral, once again tugging him along behind him. "have you ever smelt ebony wood cologne?"

@lee minho the knot in jeongin's stomach slowly unraveled, smile forming on his face. he knew that minho had meant his words the last time he had offered help, but jeongin had let his nerves get the better of him. he didn't want to burden minho, but if minho said it was okay, jeongin would trust him. "it's on thursday, actually," jeongin corrected, smile widening. "is that still okay? and thank you, i owe you one."

jeongin studied the bottle as he listened to minho, better able to see the words thanks to minho's small action. "mm, you do smell sweet," he said, memory of falling asleep to the smell of flowers in his dorm surfacing in his mind. jeongin kept minho's preference he had just learnt safely in his mind. jeongin leaned in to smell the sample paper, taking in the fragrance. "mm, it does smell good," he nodded. "but it's not really what he wears, i think." he turned to minho for help again. "do i get something different to what he usually uses for variety, or would something familiar be better?"

@yang jeongin minho pulled his hand from his pocket to wave it, as a nonverbal way of showing that he didn't mind at all. "of course, of course! is it tonight? i literally won't be busy at all. plus, i want you to have some fun at the party." it was such a small act, one that shouldn't have made his heart leap the way it did, but he was more than happy to help out jeongin, even if it was something as small as coming to get him from the party.

he turned the glass so that jeongin could see it easier, the tips of his ears reddening at their close proximity, but making zero effort to separate from him. "i'm more of a floral scents kind of guy. anything sweet smelling, but for the most part anything floral or anything with vanilla in it," he hummed, now taking a clean sample paper, holding it away from the two of them to spray it with the bottle. "if you think he smells more woody scented, this is probably one of the best things to go with." he shook the paper a bit before finally leaning in to give a whiff. it definitely smelt really good. maybe he'd have to come back to scents like this for himself. he gave a nod of approval, now letting jeongin take a sniff of the cologne.

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@lee minho jeongin could have sworn that minho had said something, and that it wasn't just a whisper in the wind. however, he knew minho, the older would speak his mind if he wanted to, so jeongin chose not to pry further. "thank you once again," jeongin said with a giggle. as they weaved through the different shelves in the store, jeongin let minho lead him to the cologne section, in thought for a while before speaking again. "speaking of help, would you be able to pick me up after the birthday party?" he asked. "but if you're not free, i could just not drink!" he added hurriedly.

jeongin hummed in thought for a moment. "well, i'm actually not too sure," he admitted sheepishly. "i didn't really pay attention to what he usually uses either." he leaned into minho, trying to take a closer look at the bottle that the other had picked out. "sandalwood?" he read off the smaller lettering on the bottle. "he does seem like that kind of guy, but i'm not sure. is that what you like?"

@yang jeongin "he smells nice," minho repeated under his breath to himself, but put no further input on the comment of jeongin's. he wondered throughout this week if he happened to know who this friend of the younger was; maybe he had a class with him in the past, or seen the two walking together whenever jeongin was a freshman. a strange yet unfamiliar feeling was blossoming in his chest and it definitely didn't make him feel good, but the sight of jeongin smiling so brightly beside him was enough to make him feel dizzy, enough to nearly forget about it.

"well, i'm happy to provide as much help as i can," minho offered with a smile, walking in step with his friend inside the store. he hummed, eyes scanning the as much of the area as possible. gently, he tugged jeongin along the perfume department until they reached the cologne a row over. "they actually have some good ones out today." minho's fingers skimmed the various bottles, eventually picking up one to examine closer. "does he like sweet smelling things? spicy?"

@lee minho jeongin could have easily went shopping for the gift by himself, but he would never pass up to hang out with minho, especially not when he had been missing the other. entering the mall, he slowed down his pace as his eyes scanned the place. "well, i did have some ideas, but i wanted to look around a bit in case i chance upon something different," jeongin said as he looked at his options of where to begin his search.

"he's into fashion, so i was thinking something along those lines?" he began, before thinking about minho's question. jeongin thought back on his meetings with the senior in question. "hm, he's never said it, but he does smell nice, so i suppose so," he reported, almost matter-of-factly. feet already walking in the direction of the department store, jeongin suggested, "we can go take a look at some!" turning to look at minho by his side, jeongin gave him a smile. "see, this is why i need you here to give me a new perspective!"

@yang jeongin it had been quite awhile since minho last had the chance to go to the mall, so when jeongin had asked him of course he agreed to go, other than the obvious fact that he was always eager to spend time with the younger. if it weren't for jeongin, he'd be so ending the rest of his day in the house, which probably would ultimately bring him back to doing his work. so after parking his car and making their way to the entrance of the building, he looked around at each shop with the same thing in mind as the younger. "where to first? what type of stuff does he like?" he questioned, adjusting his glasses that he decided to wear out today, eyes too agitated to wear contacts. the mall wasn't as packed as he expected and for that he was grateful. "is he one of those people that like cologne and stuff?" minho asked again, blinking over at jeongin.

@jang wonyoung /takes a spoonful of the icecream as well and plops it into my mouth, humming at the taste/
oooh yummy. and if you say so~ i won't hesitate to call you whenever wherever then! well, to me you're famous and bright like a star, so there's that.
/eyes immediately goes wider when you say you have time, grinning/
Okay! then i'll see you there, will scan around the stands for a glimpse of you~ first time watching a sport match huh... then i better make it so that it's exciting and fun for you to enjoy! do you... vaguely know the rules of soccer? do you want to watch a match together?

@shin yuna Still though, I want to help even if just a little. So dont hesitate to call me, okay? And I'm far from being famous. I'm still nobody.
/takes the ice cream cup happily while thanking you, taking a spoonful of the ice cream on the way back to our seat/
Oh? SNU? wow... then of course I have to come and watch the match! I think I have no schedules after the classes on Thursday, so I can make time. It'll be my very first time watching a sport match... hehe

@cho hyeokgeun ( ._. oop )

Because he was expecting a text back, Yuta kept his phone in hand and scrolled through the group chat to pass some time - this was the only occasion he was bummed by not having downloaded any games. Thankfully there was not much time to waste as a cup of coffee was held out to him not long after sending his message. A bit surprised at first, questioning dark orbs followed the extended arm to meet with their initiator. He was quick to realize it was Hyeokgeun though; face very recognizable from his profile pictures, and the name used definitely confirmed that fact. And a charming smile spread across Yuta's lips immediately, pulling on either corner to show a bright set of teeth. Before accepting the beverage, however, he stood up from his seat and tucked his phone away.

"Thank you, Chocho." Knowing very well how the other felt about that very nickname, the Japanese male still used it for the fun of it. He joyfully received the hot drink whereafter he politely bowed his head. "And it's nice to finally meet you."

Hastily studying the features of the other male, he concluded he'd indeed fit the role of the good-looking CEO fairly well. "Seems like I didn't get lost. And neither did you," He started, bringing up one of their previous conversations as an ice-breaker, "yet."

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@jang wonyoung Ahaha it's fine~ i don't have much stuff to bring over anyway~ mostly training fits and a few clothes when I want to dress up, that's all. Something like I'm wearing today hehe. Noted~ though I still want an autograph from you, since you're a model so you're a famous person~~
/goes to take the ice cream once it's ready, handing over the cup to you before going back to the seat, taking out my phone and checking the schedule while gesturing for you to come over/
Hmm.... my next match is next Thursday evening! Against Seoul National University woah.... it's going to be a big match... now I'm a little stressed, ahaha. The match is going to be played in our school though, will you be coming?
/my voice goes a little higher at the end, excited about your appearance, maybe a little too excited before i clear my throat, going back to normal but still can't help but to smile from ear to ear/
I'll most likely be in... but I don't want to be haughty, so you'll be sure I'll train so hard to be in the starting eleven!

@shin yuna next week, okay. Just tell me if you need any help to move your stuffs in. I might be not as strong as you but I can still help carrying things to the room. And please no, or if you're curious, buy it when I'm not around. I still get shy whenever I saw my pictures in magazine hehe
yeah, that's true. When will you have the next match? I'm curious to see you in action.
are you in the starting line-up~?

@jang wonyoung I'll move in by next week so you won't get too lonely... or do you prefer being alone? Yup, i think the magazine is out, we can drop by a bookstore to get one copy later on~ I'm curious to see it anyway hehe
/stifles back a chuckle when i see your face literally brighten up, shaking my head a little as i found the reaction really cute; nods along as well/
True true... homeworks are the worst.. classes are fun because i do physical education and I actually am interested in what i'm learning~ this is why one should always do what they like~

@shin yuna Yep, moved in last Sunday. Oh? The magazine is out already? I haven't see it yet hehe
/follows you to the counter, eyes literally light up at the sight of the mintcho ice cream, smiling excitedly while waiting for the ice cream.
nodding in agreement/
yeah, its nice to have free times like this. but the classes are fun though
minus all the homeworks and papers though~ hahaha

@jang wonyoung Mmhmm~ and I'm in the midst of packing to move into the dorm- our dorm... have you been staying there already? Modelling and photoshoots huh~ I think I saw you on a magazine once while walking past a bookstore but I wasn't sure, haha. And yes, let's!
/stands back up again and heads to the counter, ordering two scoops of mintchoco for you, and a strawberry shortcake + cookies and cream scoops for myself, leaning against the counter while I wait/
Now that it's finally a lull period... schoolwork seems like a chore..

@shin yuna I see. No wonder I haven't see you around the campus area nor the student chat group. I've been good. Pretty much the same as you were. Busy here and there. With school works and thankfully modelling gigs also photoshoots too. Well, shall we order?
/smiles as she gestures to the counter with a wide smile, cant wait to finally get a taste of the ice cream

@jang wonyoung Ah- you're here!
/stands up to greet you with a wide smile before settling back down on my seat/
It really has been a while, huh... ever since that valentine's ball. I've been well, I reckon. Busy with training and all and had a tournament which was why I haven't been around the past few weeks. You?

@shin yuna /arrives just as she expected, about ten minutes later and walks toward the seat you've seated on. Waving her hand when she sees you/
Hello sunbaenim. It's been awhile. How have you been?