⟟ convenience store

@α tae jiyong『ᴛᴀᴇʏᴏɴɢ』 late into the night, xiaomei found herself cocooned in the cozy confines of her room, surrounded by the soft glow of fairy lights strung across her walls. her laptop screen illuminated her face as she watched live videos of her favorite idol groups and artists performing on stage. the rhythmic beats and melodic tunes filled the air, transporting her to a world where worries faded into the background and only the music mattered. as the night deepened, her stomach began to protest, a reminder that her indulgence in online concerts couldn't suppress her body's basic needs. reluctantly tearing her gaze away from the captivating performances, she sighed and stretched, feeling the stiffness in her muscles from hours of sitting in front of her screen. with a resigned smile, she finally conceded to her hunger and decided to make a late-night snack run to the nearby convenience store.

grabbing her wallet and keys from the cluttered dresser, she ventured out into the quiet hallway of her apartment building. the dimly lit corridor echoed with the hushed sounds of distant voices and the occasional creaking of floorboards, creating an eerie yet strangely comforting atmosphere. with each step she took, the anticipation of satisfying her cravings grew stronger, driving her forward into the night. outside, the cool breeze brushed against her cheeks, sending a shiver down her spine. the streets were deserted, bathed in the gentle glow of streetlights that cast long shadows across the pavement. as she made her way towards the convenience store, her senses heightened, attuned to every sound and movement in the stillness of the night. it was then that she noticed a figure ahead of her, moving with purposeful strides down the deserted sidewalk. dressed in dark clothing that seemed to blend seamlessly with the night, the person exuded an air of mystery that piqued her curiosity. she quickened her pace, her footsteps echoing in the silence as she followed in the stranger's wake, her imagination running wild with thoughts of who they could be and what secrets they might hold.

finally reaching the convenience store, xiaomei pushed open the glass door and stepped into the warm embrace of fluorescent lights and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. her eyes scanned the shelves, searching for her late-night snack of choice, when suddenly, she collided with the mysterious figure from the street, sending his noodles crashing to the floor in a chaotic mess. "oh my god, i'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she bent down to help clean up the spilled noodles. yet, as she looked up, her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the person standing before her – none other than alpha's taeyong, the idol she had admired from afar for so long. for a moment, time seemed to freeze as she struggled to process the surreal turn of events before smiling sheepishly, ready to offer him some form of compensation for her clumisness. "let me buy you another cup of noodle, or maybe the whole shelf of noodles. OR, i can treat you to dinner to make up for it." she suggested, her voice tinged with sincerity and deep down, she hoped her offer would alleviate any frustration she had caused.

@✿ ling xiaomei a rainy, cooling night, the pitter-patter of raindrops hitting right outside the window where taeyong was, unexpectedly, wide awake at 2am. it was supposed to be soothing, but yet, thoughts that he didn't want to have kept replaying in his head, a melancholic mood slowly setting in. "man, this isn't the way," he chided himself, deciding it was best to head down to take a little breather, even if the weather wasn't that forgiving. below, the bright lights of the nearby convenience store seemed alluring and a little warmer, and he made a beeline towards it once he was out of his apartment, not bothering to disguise himself, dressed casually in a grey hoodie top with matching grey sweats, black nike air sneakers to shield his feet from runoff, and a clear umbrella held over his head.

he was right about the convenience store being warm and cosy, greeting the part-time worker with a soft smile, almost an encouragement for him working at this hour. the scent of coffee coupled with corn dogs rotating in the oven made him almost hungry in an instant, a snort escaping as he embarked on a quest that wasn't in his plan, which was getting a whole meal for himself. a cup of shin ramyeon, a side of instant coffee, a corn dog in his hand, taeyong walked over towards the cooking counter, though a sudden bump to his shoulder caught him by surprise. senses normally dull at this hour, everything seemed to be in slow motion when he saw an already cooked instant noodles falling to floor, hand immediately reaching out to pull the person out of the way, hot soup getting all over his precious sneakers, the edge of his sweats clearly stained. turning around towards the perpetrator, there wasn't any sign of hostility but one of concern, gazing back at the bright eyed female, eyes full of worry as he bent down, checking if there were any scald marks on her shin. "are you okay? are you hurt anywhere?" his corn dog was still in his hand, a miracle that was, though the coffee and cup noodles were far by the shelf, thank goodness it was still sealed and uncooked.