Take on me // Take me on (Chapter 5)
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“I’ve been thinking about your suggestion,” Taecyeon told Minjun that afternoon, after having lunch with the managers of the other Okcastra’s in Seoul, followed by video conferences with the ones from Busan and Jeju Island. He would have to make time to visit them in the next week and check how everything was going in person; he trusted his employees but he trusted himself the most. Besides, he liked to see how busy it got at night, to interact with a few customers and hear them out. He had always kept the business going in person, and he liked to believe that was part of the success.
“Which one?” Minjun kept flicking through music websites and forums, radio setlists and such. He would sometimes stop looking at the large screen in front of him to jot down some information, the title of a song or artist, his handwriting neat but difficult to make out from where Taecyeon was standing in front of the other’s desktop. “Are you getting a boyfriend?” Minjun asked, not looking at Taecyeon but letting a smile of mischief draw on his face.
Taecyeon concealed his own smile, and thanked the fact that Minjun seemed too busy to notice it. “That’s not what I’m talking about,” he said, which was far from the usual dismissal he’d give Minjun when he brought that up. Great. Now Minjun let go of the mouse and leaned back on his overly comfortable wheeled chair to give a good look at him.
“Watcha hidin’ from me?” Minjun got up and walked around him, stopping to put an arm around Taecyeon’s shoulders-- he was shorter, but he made it work. Taecyeon had a hard time keeping his amusement in check as Minjun scrutinized him like only he could do. “You smell different.”
“I showered.”
Minjun sniggered, but he also slapped at his back. “You look different, too. Almost as if you could be smiling all day but you--” his eyes widened a little. “Junho!”
Taecyeon’s surprise wasn’t fake, but he tried to cover it up with a shrug. “What about him?"
“When were you gonna tell me?” Minjun flicked his head and Taecyeon winced as he felt at it with his left hand, the other one holding the phone in his pocket. He couldn’t risk having Minjun take it from him.
“Never?” he said, knowing he was digging his own grave with that response.
Minjun gaped at him, but when he rounded on Taecyeon it was to crush him with a hug. “I knew it! As soon as you stopped talking about him, I knew it.” He drew back to look at Taecyeon with a smile so big that it made Taecyeon smile at him, too, though uncertainly.
“We just had one date.”
“You had a date?! And he didn’t tell me? When was that? Where did you go? What did you do? Does he hate you yet?”
Taecyeon could barely keep up, but he couldn’t hide his amusement at Minjun’s reaction. “I thought he hated me before.”
Minjun took a sharp intake of breath as if he had all the secrets of the world to deliver, but then he shut his mouth.
Taecyeon frowned at him. He didn’t ask about it, though. If he wanted to find something out, he knew he would have to ask Junho. It was the right thing to do. “I was actually talking about the votes on songs we could add to the playlists,” he said.
Minjun looked at him as if all he wanted was to ignore the abrupt change of subject and keep digging, but he ended up following his lead. He sat back down at the computer desk again and took a piece of paper that he put on top of the one he had been using before, pen in hand as he started scribbling things on it. “So, how is this going to work? Do you wanna do it in all branches? What could the prize be? I thought we could give people a discount next time they come to the karaoke, or have different prizes for each branch.”
“Sounds good. I’m gonna be away for a few days, so we can plan this for two weeks from now. I’ll ask Wooyoung to scope out prices at printing companies. Besides the song, people would have to fill out their names and maybe include an e-mail or a phone number so we could send them a message. We could also use that for other promos, later on.”
Minjun nodded as he wrote that down in summarized topics. “Okay. What else?”
“The prizes. I think a discount would be good for the urban bars, but we could do something different for the one in Jeju.” He paused as he thought about that, and Minjun stopped writing as he did the same.
“How about... A night of karaoke with you?”
Taecyeon snorted. “You’re crazy. What if a lot of people win for the same song? Besides, they would run away once I started singing.”
Minjun chuckled. “Just a night of karaoke, then.”
“Okay... But let’s keep thinking about that. If you come up with something better just write it down and we can talk about it. Anything else we need to discuss?”
Minjun lifted his eyebrows at him. “Your boyfriend.”
Taecyeon coughed. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Yet.”
“I don’t think Junho would appreciate you saying that.”
“Ohhh, so you know him that well already, huh? Think you know him better than I do?”
“I think you know more than any of us would like.”
“Awww, you’re already talking like you’re a unit. How cute.”
“That’s not what I meant--”
“Shhh, let me enjoy the moment.” Minjun leaned back on his chair again and clasped his hands behind his head. He closed his eyes and smiled like he couldn’t be any happier.
Taecyeon grinned, both content that he had such a good friend rooting for him and in disbelief that Minjun would act like that to show his support, though he should be used to it by now. But he felt good when he left Minjun, phone in hand as he called his mom. His dad was doing much better now that he was at home again, his mom had sounded cheerful last time they talked and he felt like he didn’t need to worry so much. Still, he should call and tell them he would be away on business, and maybe ask Jihyen to check up on them when she could.
While he talked to his mother, he also thought about Junho. Should he tell him he would be traveling? Should he be the one to get in touch with him again or should he wait for a day or two? Whatever he-- they decided to do, Taecyeon couldn’t help smiling when he thought of Junho. The expectation, that warm feeling in his chest that mixed fear of the unknown and excitement for new discoveries-- it wasn’t a bad feeling. It just seemed that he was enjoying a part of his life that he had forgotten for the past few years.
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Taecyeon felt relaxed as he left the Hanwha Therapy Resort. Extremely so. He would have to thank Minjun for insisting he went there after he was done with business, despite how far it was from his current work station. The Okcastra at Jeju Island was going through a renovation and there were a lot of decisions to make regarding what the building would look like. Taecyeon would have preferred moving but that would involve even more expenses, and he liked that the bar was located at Jungmun beach. Not only was the area surrounded by natural beauty, but it was also near the Lotte World hotel where he usually stayed when he came by. Taecyeon had chosen the place carefully, from the sophisticated design of the building to the target customers, and he didn’t want to give it up.
He went straight to his room when he got to the hotel. He would go back to Seoul the next day and there were still a few things he wanted to do, but he really needed to lie down for a while. The receptionist that gave him back his stuff before he left the resort had said it was normal to feel sleepy after the water massage, and Taecyeon had just nodded at her. Minjun had also warned him to get a taxi instead of driving, and now he understood why, as he kicked off his shoes and shorts and dropped on the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.
His phone was off for once, and it had been so since he arrived at the resort. He had been reluctant to do it at first, but he had no other option. And it made sense to disconnect from everything and everyone as he let his body be taken care of until it seemed like all the tension was leaving him. Thus, he woke up when it was already night, his mind all fuzzy and his limbs heavy. He was lucky there was light peering in through the large window opposite the bed; Taecyeon was prone to having ridiculous accidents in the dark. The light that came from outside was not enough to prevent him from stepping on his own shoes as he rubbed at his eyes, but that was just a close call. He sighed and turned on the light in the bathroom before looking for his bag; he took the cellphone out, turned it on and left it on the sink while he took a shower.
He heard it vibrating many times even after he was done, toweling at his hair and walking around the room in search for clean clothes to go out. He had intended to do some shopping in the afternoon or early evening, but nightlife in Jeju was intense in the summer, even during the week. He thus hoped to find some open shops, otherwise he would try his luck the next morning before going back to Seoul. If anything, he could still enjoy the pubs and bars in the area that night.
After getting ready and making sure he had the room card in his pocket and the phone in his hand, he headed out. He started flicking through the missed calls and texts of the day while waiting for the elevator. They were mostly related to work, but there was one invitation to a drama launch party by an actor that was a regular at his karaoke bar, a couple of messages from Chansung and Minjun asking how the trip was going, and a question from Junho that made him smile even as his brows furrowed in slight intrigue.
“What is your favorite kind of beer?”
Taecyeon thought about asking why he wanted to know that, but from what he got about Junho, he wouldn’t like anything except for a proper answer to that. However, Taecyeon couldn’t resist the temptation to tease him a little.
“Surprise me.”
He could almost see Junho’s scrunched up nose and twisted mouth at that, an imagery that only made him smile further as he stepped into the elevator.
“That’s the plan, but Minjun hyung had too much fun not telling me, and I know shit about beer. The surprise is about something else, but it might not happen if you don’t cooperate.”
Taecyeon was a little too excited to know that Junho was actually preparing something, whatever it was. They had been texting each other since Taecyeon came to Jeju, though it had been Minjun who told Junho he was there. Taecyeon tried not to think of what else the other two had talked about while he was away; Minjun could go overboard when trying to play the matchmaker.
“I don’t know what you’re planning, but there’s this Duchesse de Bourgogne I had a few weeks ago and I really liked it. I don’t really have a favorite. You could also get something I haven’t tried yet, and we can both be pleased or frustrated together.”
Junho’s next response took a while. Taecyeon had already taken a taxi and was walking among shops and pubs on the street when his phone buzzed again.
“That one will do. Call me when you have a free evening and it’s not raining.”
That seemed to end the conversation. Taecyeon snorted at Junho’s bluntness. If anything, he was even more interested and curious, determined to get to know him better.
And if Junho was up to something, Taecyeon was already on the way to surprising him too. He had just found the perfect shop for that.
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It was the next Sunday when Taecyeon finally called Junho. He had been back to Seoul for a few days and every evening he would be reminded that he could call the other if he wanted, but there were other things to be taken care of. He spent each day on one of the Okcastra’s in different neighborhoods, going there on the afternoon and staying until late at night, even when he could go home earlier if he felt like it. But owning the places only added to the pleasure he felt every time customers came in, every time he walked some of them out with some witty joke and an invitation to come back that was not always just implied in his manners towards the clients.
He wondered if Junho felt like that, if maybe that was part of the reason why he still worked as a barista even though he was his own manager. The thought only made him regret the fact that he hadn’t been to the coffee shop for over a week now. His days hadn’t been the same without the Irish coffee and Junho’s nonchalance permeated by sharp remarks to shake him up early in the morning. Taecyeon might have been silly not to go there, but he thought Junho might want the surprise to happen first. He had fought the temptation to see him by hitting the gym every morning and having some boring coffee after lunch.
Taecyeon wanted to laugh at himself, but even though he was home alone, he knew it would only sound like nervousness instead of self-mockery. He could have called or even texted Junho earlier, at least to check that he was available. What if it rained? What if they couldn’t meet? What if Junho hated the present Taecyeon had bought for him? What if Junho didn’t want to see him again?
He shook his head and called the other. He hadn’t been sure of Junho’s interest before but that still hadn’t stopped him. He just had to make sure that the impression he made on Junho now would be better than the first one.
Junho picked up after the fourth ring, and he must have checked who was calling him. “Hi, Taeclong.”
Taecyeon gaped for a second at the nameplay, but he let out a quiet laugh that he hoped didn’t give away how nervous he felt now. “Hi, Junho. How have you been?”
“Fine. Wondering how scared you are to see me.” There was no inflection of a joke on Junho’s voice. The pause between that and the soft chuckle that eventually came out kept Taecyeon hesitant and didn’t help him relax much. “I suppose you’re free tonight?”
“Yeah,” Taecyeon said, sighing as silently as he could. “And the weather’s great.”
Junho’s humming response had a slight tinge of amusement, though Taecyeon might be just hearing what he wanted. Just as he thought that, he told himself to stop being a chicken. Junho had been expecting his call, that should be enough to assuage his doubts. “Do you prefer driving or can I pick you up?”
Taecyeon couldn’t answer right away. He did prefer driving, he often felt uncomfortable on the passenger’s seat, but Junho had said something about a surprise. Taecyeon wanted this to go well and he wanted to show Junho that he appreciated what he was doing. “You can come,” he said, holding back any versions of “if you don’t mind” that he’d felt like adding at the end. Junho had asked if he could do that, it was an offer. Maybe something he wanted, even.
“Good. Text me the address. I shall be there in an hour.”
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Junho was very punctual this time. Taecyeon had showered, put on a pair of charcoal jeans and a white shirt with some red pattern on it. He presumed he should be wearing casual clothes since Junho mentioned beer that he himself was buying, and he was glad to be right once he met the other downstairs. Junho had on a pair of faded grey jeans that were just tight enough on his well toned legs, and a plain shirt of some pastel green shade that Taecyeon couldn’t name. There was a thin, golden necklace dangling on his chest. Taecyeon noticed the smile tugging at his closed mouth as Junho looked up from his phone to greet him. That turned into a look of surprise once he saw the package Taecyeon was carrying.
“What’s that?” Junho asked, pocketing his phone but not lifting his hands to take it. Taecyeon noticed his fingers curling slowly and stretching out again at his sides. He stepped closer until Junho could reach for it if he wanted, but Junho remained still, slightly leaning on his car. He kept looking from the cat-patterned plastic wrap to Taecyeon, blinking slowly and letting his smile show.
Taecyeon felt like giving it to him right away, just so he could see his reaction. But he decided to have Junho taste a little of the thrill he was feeling as well. “You’ll know when you tell me where we’re going.”
“Not until we get there,” Junho said, the curve on his lips as teasing as it made him look even more attractive. His dark caramel hair was styled in waves again, as opposed to the usual straight locks he displayed at work. Taecyeon felt the urge to touch them again, to touch Junho’s reddening cheeks and exposed neck. Junho didn’t seem bothered by his gaze anymore, and if Taecyeon could boast a little, he had felt the other’s appreciative eyes on him too.
“Then I’ll keep this on the back seat until we’re there.” Taecyeon tried to open the door, but it was locked. He heard Junho’s brief chuckle as he unlocked and opened it for him so that Taecyeon could place the somewhat heavy package on the backseat.
Junho’s eyes lingered on the concealed object before he closed the door, and then his eyes were on Taecyeon’s, who stood just a feet away from him. “Did you buy that at Jeju?”
Taecyeon simply nodded, and there was Junho’s smile again, more beautiful than anything Taecyeon could give him.
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They talked about Taecyeon’s trip to Jeju. Junho had last been there years ago, just after he graduated from college. He had visited the beaches and waterfalls and hiked in the mountains. Taecyeon regretted not having had the time to go to those beautiful places, but he could always go again, and he joked that Junho could show them to him sometime. Junho hadn’t answered, though his lips kept tugging up as he drove, his cheeks high and his hands confident on the wheel. It might be the fact that he had Junho’s graceful presence to distract him, but Taecyeon would later realize he had relaxed and he didn’t mind being on the passenger’s seat at all. It also helped that Junho was so handsome Taecyeon found it hard to stop looking at him whenever he had the chance.
They were waiting in front of a traffic light when Junho’s gaze slid to the backseat and then sideways at Taecyeon. “I like travel souvenirs,” he said. “They tell a part of our history. Things we did, things people we like did. Especially if it’s something that can be displayed on a shelf.”
“This probably won’t fit on a shelf,” Taecyeon said, grinning as Junho bit into his lower lip, visibly interested. “Unless you decide not to use it.” He tried not to stare as Junho’s teeth kept digging in wonder before the tip of his tongue barely appeared to lick at the abused lip. Taecyeon forced himself to look out the window for a while. He recognized some of the buildings and neon lights on this neighborhood. If they had turned right a few blocks ago, they would be on the way to Junho’s coffee shop. “Do you live around here?”
“I’m sure you’d like to know that,” Junho sounded genuinely amused, so Taecyeon had to turn and catch his smile.
“Hey, you know where I live,” he retorted, playfully offended that Junho wouldn’t just answer him.
“Yes, I know exactly where to drop you off if you don’t shut up.”
Taecyeon laughed. It seemed to be what Junho expected, for his face was beaming as he kept focused on the traffic. He pulled over soon, and asked Taecyeon to bring the package with him. While he did that, Junho opened the trunk and took a relatively big thermo bag and a basket out of there. When Taecyeon offered to carry them for him, Junho hesitated at first, eyes on the package. He took a look around them, put the basket back in the still open trunk and then walked to Taecyeon. Junho used the longer strap on the thermos bag to place it carefully over Taecyeon’s head and settle it on his right shoulder, Junho’s left hand making sure it wouldn’t disrupt the package.
“Heavy?” Junho asked, eyes down at Taecyeon’s chest level. He was probably just looking at the strap, but his hand still made Taecyeon shiver as it left the underside of the strap to fix a twist on his shoulder.
Taecyeon shook his head absently. As far as he was concerned, the only heavy thing at that moment was his own breathing as he tried not to react too strongly to Junho’s sudden but welcome touch.
Junho looked up at him, his gaze a bit clouded as he turned to get the basket again. Taecyeon let out a quiet sigh as he watched the other lock the car before joining him on the sidewalk. Junho opened his mouth to say something, but he seemed to think better of it and stepped ahead, Taecyeon following him for the few steps before they arrived at their destination.
It was a tall building, not a skyscraper but one could certainly get a nice view of the city from the upper floors. It didn’t look new but it seemed to be well taken care of, not just the facade but the interior as well. Junho unlocked the front gate, a door a couple of meters ahead and then they were in front of the elevator. There were cameras, and probably some concierge or janitor that Taecyeon hadn’t seen yet.
“I don’t live here,” Junho said, as if Taecyeon had actually asked him the question. The latter looked sideways at him, amused, and Junho swallowed before he spoke again. “Almost there.”
They were going to the upper floors after all. The rooftop, Taecyeon realized as he followed Junho up a staircase once they left the elevator. He was thankful for the cool air that hit his face as soon as they were outside, for being that close to Junho in a closed space with little room and nothing else to distract him had been a little overwhelming.
Junho left the basket on the floor, just next to the door they had come through, and walked up to the railing that secured the whole area. Taecyeon imitated him, placing the thermo bag next to the basket and the present in front of it. He would have tried and taken a peek at what Junho had brought but he was more interested in joining him, in watching the sunset happening before their eyes. It would be dark soon, but they would have the city lights all around them, and a starry night above them.
“It seems you’ve planned this well,” Taecyeon said, leaning forward as he held onto the handrail and took in the sights all the way down. Buildings, bigger and smaller, a few houses and stores, but most of all wide streets lined up with trees, a park a few blocks away, people that looked so tiny in the distance. “Wow,” he mumbled before he turned to look at Junho, who stood up straight next to him, his hands also on the rail, just one swift move away.
“I’m glad you like it,” Junho said, all cute as he tried not to smile but just gave in. There was the hint of the half moon in his eyes, and Taecyeon wanted to make him smile and laugh enough that he’d get to see it, full and unguarded. Junho was giving him the chance to do just that. Now he just had to find out how.
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