Beautiful Tonight
Title: Beautiful Tonight
Pairing: Jongkey (Jonghyun/Kibum)
Raiting: PG-13
Genre: Fluff, Romance
Summary: To say that Kibum has been crushing on the local talent that plays in the coffee shop every Friday evening is a bit of an understatement. As he stands behind the counter in his apron, leaning on the marble with his head in his hands, Kibum is pretty sure that he is in love with said Kim Jonghyun.
To say that Kibum has been crushing on the local talent that plays in the coffee shop every Friday evening is a bit of an understatement. As he stands behind the counter in his apron, leaning on the marble with his head in his hands, Kibum is pretty sure that he is in love with said Kim Jonghyun. He could honestly stand here and listen to the guy’s smooth, melodic voice all night every single night. The problem is that Jonghyun only stops in on Friday evenings, and it honestly makes Kibum look forward to his closing shift.
They’re slow tonight, only a few couples and some students occupying the booths and tables. Jonghyun is singing some acoustic cover of a pop song, smiling to himself as he sings the overly cheesy lyrics. Kibum smiles along with the silver-haired man, in some sort of a daze.
“Kibum, did you even hear me?”
Jinki’s voice is an absolute interruption right now, and it’s way too close to his ear. He glances over at his co-worker with a snarl, intending to be vicious, but Jinki has a knowing smirk on his face and Kibum can never really be mad at the elder.
“What?” Kibum askes, sounding annoyed. Jinki looks unsure as to if Kibum is asking about what he said or why he’s smirking. He goes with the first option.
“I need a tall iced mocha.” Jinki answers, his face going back to its usual friendly state. Kibum sighs heavily, picking his limbs up and walking over to the coffee station to get to work.
They close an hour later, and Jonghyun always stays until they lock the doors. Something about wanting to use up every minute of public performance time or whatever. All Kibum knows is that he can literally feel his face heating up as the other approaches the counter with that cute lopsided smile.
“Hey Kibum.” Jonghyun greets him, and this is definitely not the first time he’s ever talked to Jonghyun so why the fuck is he acting like a high schoolgirl?
“Hi Jonghyun. Want the usual?” Kibum asks, trying to keep his tone sounding bored. Jonghyun just beems back at him, his perfect white teeth almost blinding. Kibum notes that his bottom canines are very prominent, and he melts inside. He wonders what it’d feel like to have them sink into his skin, followed by that plush tongue teasing the sensitive area and-wait is Jonghyun talking to him right now?
“I mean I think I did too many pop songs tonight, and I hate them, but they’re just so catchy and sometimes the lyrics just highlight things in my life, you know?”
Kibum nods his head dumbly, like he’d been listening the whole time and not thinking about Jonghyun’s teeth on his body. Jonghyun smiles at him sweetly again, and Kibum melts for the fifteenth time tonight. Snapping out his haze, Kibum remembers that duh Jonghyun ordered a drink? How rude is Kibum, holding the singer up like this.
“You’re voice sounds amazing no matter what you sing, so it’s really whatever.” Kibum offers, blushing when Jonghyun’s smile grows wider and more genuine. He didn’t mean for that to sound so flirty. He internally grimaces at himself.
“Thanks, Kibum.” Jonghyun says, and his voice sounds appreciative as Kibum hands him his drink. “For the drink and for the compliment. How much do I owe you?”
Kibum thinks it over for a split second. “I actually already closed the register, so don’t worry about it.”
Jonghyun raises a questioning eyebrow at the other. “No, I can’t let you do that. I feel bad.”
Kibum hears Jinki fucking snickering from where he’s sweeping the floor across the café. He’ll be damned if he lets Jinki go another night making fun of him for not acting on his crush. He’s spent a year now hearing shit from Jinki. Swallowing his pride, Kibum flicks his blonde bangs from his face in a way that probably looked stupid. “It’s fine. You can always repay me with your number.”
Everyone falls silent, and Kibum even stops breathing as he waits for Jonghyun to reply. A small smile falls onto Jonghyun’s face, and a light pink dusts over his cheeks slowly. Good.
“Uhm, yeah, sure.” Jonghyun’s voice is small now, and it almost sounds nervous as he looks around for something to write on. Kibum grabs the notepad they use for extended orders and a pen, handing it over to the other. Jonghyun scribbles down his number, handing the notepad back to Kibum and his blush has gotten so much worse. It’s cute, seeing the usually confident guy so flustered all of sudden.
Jonghyun leaves, Kibum bidding him farewell with an, I’ll talk to you soon,as he backs away from the counter with his guitar in its case. Jonghyun smiles at him, nearly from ear to ear. Kibum hears him say goodbye to Jinki before the bell on the door rings, signaling his absence.
Kibum hears Jinki’s mouth open to speak, and he snaps his head up from where he’s started wiping the counter down.
“I don’t want to hear shit, Lee Jinki.”
And the older man just laughs, melodic and amused. “No, I’m proud of you ‘Bummie! That’s the first time I’ve seen him so flustered, ever.”
Kibum just smiles to himself and continues wiping the counter.
-
They end up going out for a date later in the next week, and it goes over well. So well, in fact, that Kibum sees Jonghyun the next day and the day after. A few weeks pass like this, Jonghyun lingering longer on Fridays after they close to chat with Kibum. And then it’s a really busy Friday and Kibum is running around. But it’s okay because Jonghyun is there too, singing.
There are so many more people in the café tonight than the previous Fridays, and Kibum would be lying if he said he wasn’t annoyed. He’d rather just sit at one of the tables and enjoy the performance Jonghyun is putting on. Tonight is different, with Jonghyun singing all slow songs, gooey ones about being in love and it’s making Kibum melt all over again. Jonghyun’s voice is his latest obsession.
A pause between songs makes Kibum glimpse over to the corner Jonghyun has occupied for the night because Jonghyun never takes this long of a pause, not even for water. He looks nervous and Kibum is so curious that he temporarily forgets what he was making. He glances down, trying to remember what exactly the drink in his hands was supposed to be when Jonghyun speaks into the mic over the crowd of chatting people.
“Uhm, hi.” Jonghyun begins, his voice quiet as a few people greet him back. “So I don’t usually do this, but I’m going to sing a self-composed song tonight.”
Someone in the audience speaks up, asking what the occasion is. Jonghyun just laughs, a little smile fighting its way to his lips. Briefly, he looks across the café, meeting eyes with Kibum behind the counter. “I’ve recently met someone, and although I’ve known them for a while now, I’ve only just recently really gotten to know them, you know?”
The interested girl nods at him, and he continues. “I just can’t stop thinking about them, and I decided to write about it.” Jonghyun ends, smiling brightly at the young girl who smiles back. Kibum would be jealous, that is, if Jonghyun’s eyes didn’t keep flickering to him.
Jonghyun clears his voice, beginning the song. Kibum listens to the lyrics carefully as he attempts to finish making the drink he forgot about five minutes ago.
Another late night, on my way taking you back
The moon is filled up, it must be a full moon
Kibum’s face heats up because it was a full moon just a few nights ago. At the repetition of the chorus, Kibum smiles a small little smile, because he in no way finds himself to be beautiful. Jonghyun must think otherwise, though. Jinki clears his throat somewhere in the distance at him, and Kibum glares over his shoulder at the other.
“Shut up! This song is about me!” Kibum whispers harshly, pointing at himself dramatically. Jinki makes an ‘o’ with his lips, nodding at Kibum and shooing him over to the end of the counter. There are a few more people scheduled tonight, so he tells Kibum to go listen to the song while Jinki makes drinks for the time being.
Kibum rests his head in his hands and his elbows on the marble counter, watching Jonghyun, who’s got his eyes shut and his fingers moving swiftly among the strings.
Why can’t I let go of your hand or have you?
I’m just staring at your pretty eyes, flushed cheeks, and lips
He feels the blush on his cheeks, knows he looks like a little child, but Kibum can’t help it. As the song comes to a close, Kibum is practically swooning. His eyes meet Jonghyun’s over the crowd and Kibum looks away shyly, the heat in his cheeks still ever-present. He avoids eye contact with Jonghyun the rest of the night, not trusting his body and mind and focusing on making orders.
The last customer leaves, and Jinki walks over to lock the door, stopping by the counter that Kibum is wiping down.
“Hey.” Jinki says, softly. He has that damn knowing smile on his face again as Kibum looks up. “Go catch up with Jonghyun, we’ll clean up.”
Kibum flushes, looking at Jinki with guilt. “Are you sure?”
Jinki nods at him happily. “Sure am. There are a few more people here tonight. Go!” And Jinki literally shoos him toward Jonghyun, who is packing up his guitar carefully. Kibum takes off his apron, laying it on the counter before walking over to Jonghyun slowly.
“Hey.” Kibum says, obviously startling the other a little.
“Oh, hey.” Jonghyun replies, smiling at the other with relief. “Shouldn’t you be cleaning?”
Kibum just shakes his head, fighting a bubbly smile from winning over his features and losing said battle. “Jinki is letting me go early.”
Jonghyun raises an eyebrow at him but doesn’t question it. “Want me to walk you home?”
Kibum accepts the offer, mainly because he doesn’t live far away at all, only a few blocks south and one block east. Jonghyun has walked him home many Friday nights already, but tonight feels different. The breeze is still chilly from the last bit of winter that has seeped into late March, but it feels nice on Kibum’s heated skin. The walk is mostly silent, Jonghyun going on about how he’s been trying for a record deal but people are so rude these days and don’t appreciate true talent. It’s really just an excuse to ignore the elephant in the room of the night. Kibum just takes Jonghyun’s hand in his and gives him a small smile as they walk.
When they reach Kibum’s apartment building, they just keep talking, as if trying to postpone saying goodbye. There’s a moment of silence, and Jonghyun is biting at his lip.
“Kibum?” Jonghyun’s voice is quiet now, barely above a whisper.
“Hm?”
“Can I kiss you?” He asks, and Kibum feels his heartbeat pick up.
“God, I thought you’d never ask.” Kibum jokes, trying to sound cool when, in reality, his insides have turned to straight goo. Jonghyun laces their hands together at their sides, leaning in slowly as his eyes flicker from Kibum’s eyes to his nose to his mouth and then back to his eyes before they close altogether. And then they’re kissing, finally. Kibum has been waiting weeks for this, and it doesn’t disappoint. He feels his head getting fuzzy, and he backs into the brick wall for support as Jonghyun tilts his head to the side slightly. Their noses bump lightly and Kibum smiles into the kiss, sneaking his tongue out to lick at Jonghyun’s full lips. Jonghyun smiles back against Kibum’s lips, but pulls away slowly. Kibum is looking at him in confusion because oh my god did I do something wrong?
“Sorry, I just don’t want to rush things.” Jonghyun offers, and Kibum thunks his head against the bricks lightly.
“Kim Jonghyun, we have been seeing each other for weeks and you just now kissed me!” Kibum whines dramatically before leaning his face close to Jonghyun’s. “Do you know how long I have been trapped in my toxic thoughts about your teeth on my skin?” He whispers. Jonghyun’s face reddens at the words, and he shakes his head dumbly. “Well, it’s been a while now.” Kibum supplies, leaning forward to catch Jonghyun’s bottom lip between his teeth, drawing him in for another kiss.
Kibum isn’t confident in much, but he is confident in this, and he lets Jonghyun know as he presses him back into his living room couch. Did he even get the door shut behind him? He has no clue, and he doesn’t really care right now. Jonghyun is making little whining noises as Kibum straddles him, the other’s hands finding their way to Kibum’s hips.
“You really think I’m beautiful?” Kibum asks, his breathing slightly heavier from their kisses. Jonghyun takes a deep breath, biting his bottom lip as his fingers skate over Kibum’s clothed ribs.
“You’re one of the most beautiful people I have ever come to know.” Jonghyun says, his voice small and cute, just like himself. Kibum smiles down at Jonghyun like he’s the sun in the sky, his fingers toying with the short hair at Jonghyun’s nape.
“Where the hell have you been my entire life?” Kibum asks into Jonghyun’s ear as he leans down, and it’s meant to be rhetorical, but Jonghyun answers him anyway.
“Waiting.” Jonghyun whispers, nosing at Kibum’s cheek affectionately. “For you, for this. And it was worth the wait.”
Kibum feels his heart expanding, as if it’s going to explode. He closes his eyes tightly and nuzzles into Jonghyun’s grey hair, inhaling the other’s faint shampoo. He’s definitely going to have to bug his boss to let Jonghyun play more often at the café. He shoves that thought to the back of his mind, however, when Jonghyun’s lips find their way to his neck, the hands on his hips gripping a little tighter.
Jonghyun was right; it was definitely worth the wait. And Kibum would be damned if he wasn’t going to indulge himself now that he had Jonghyun.
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A/N: Fluffy fluff fluff hey I'm back