The Changtique Shoppe, 6 of 21
Title: The Changtique Shoppe
Pairings/Characters: Jaejoong/Changmin, Yunho/Heechul, Yoochun, Ryeowook, Kyuhyun, Leeteuk, Donghae, Junsu, G-Dragon,
Rating/Warnings: T for language and (eventual) making out
Disclaimer: I own nothing; written just for fun
Summary: Changmin owns an antique shop. Jaejoong is an interior decorator. Ryeowook is a genius who bakes delicious cake.
A/N: (cross posted to AO3)
The Changtique Shoppe, Part 6
Changmin tapped his fingers against the steering wheel until his fingertips started to throb. He checked his watch again: 10:17 already, and no sign of Jaejoong. He sighed and reloaded kakao. He was too tired to even be annoyed; he’d been up late the night before packing and labeling a large influx of orders that had come in late on Thursday afternoon.
He’d finished in time to squeeze in a shower and a quick nap before driving across town to wait in line at the post office before it closed for the weekend. Then it was fighting the traffic back across the city to pick up Jaejoong. Or wait for Jaejoong, apparently.
Changmin sighed again and slumped further into his seat. He would try calling again, but that involved effort. Maybe he would just take another quick nap here in the car…
Changmin’s eyes flew open when a sharp fingernail stabbed at his slack jaw through the open window.
“Let me drive,” Jaejoong said, one palm upturned, ostensibly for Changmin’s keys.
“No way.” Jaejoong’s lips twitched downwards into a pout, but his hand stayed extended, the long white fingers wiggling expectantly.
“You look kind of dead.”
“Just, get in the car.” Jaejoong smirked, eyes lazy and half lidded.
“If you unlock the door, I will.” Changmin punched the lock button with a scowl, his hair falling into his eyes. “You look like a zombie.”
“Well, just be glad you don’t have any brains, or I would’ve jumped you for them by now.”
“Is now a bad time.” Jaejoong’s voice was small in his throat and he paused with one hand on the open passenger door. Changmin looked up to find an impassive face.
“I’m…sorry, I,” Changmin gulped down the sudden urge to yawn. “I got like two hours of sleep last night. Actually this morning.” Changmin rubbed the heel of his hand hard against his right eye socket. “But I’m fine,” he was quick to add. “Just get in.” Jaejoong gave him a sideways look but got in.
Two hours, a stop for coffee and doughnuts, and a stressful traffic jam later, they finally made it to the Gangnam branch of Kyobo.
“Why are we at a bookstore.” Jaejoong scuffed a heeled boot on the tile outside the front of the store.
“Because books are wonderful and mysterious things. You should buy one and see for yourself.” Changmin shoved Jaejoong past the security sensors at the front entrance and nodded pleasantly to the shop girl who greeted them with an enthusiastic welcome.
“Um, because books have big words. Books don’t have bling. Books smell weird!” Jaejoong wrinkled his nose. Changmin shrugged.
“Suit yourself.” He started for the biographies section.
“W-wait!” Jaejoong grabbed his shirt sleeve. “I don’t wanna get lost in here. There are too many people…” Changmin kept walking but didn’t shake him off.
They emerged at the registers more than an hour later, loaded down with a stack of biographies including those of Rachmaninoff and Sinatra, volumes 1-3 of 1Q84 in the original Japanese, and a thick collector’s guide to 20th century celadon ceramics (plus a few volumes of manga for good measure, of course).
Jaejoong rushed dramatically through the doors to the hall of the shopping center and to gulp the “clean” air.
“Do you have anywhere else you wanna go today?” he asked as Changmin joined him, shoving the shopping bags at Changmin to dig for his cell phone.
“How about my comfy bed.” Changmin stifled a yawn.
“Um, I think I’ll pass on that one,” Jaejoong smirked.
“I meant--! I mean...I’m finished Hyung,” Changmin groaned into the muffler looped around his neck. It was getting hot inside with his coat and gloves still on.
“Good.” Jaejoong clapped his hands lightly and tugged on Changmin’s scarf. “I wanna go one more place. We still have time before my next appointment. Let’s go.”
Changmin dutifully followed after him but soon came to wish he hadn't.
“I can’t believe you actually dragged me in here,” Changmin pouted, hovering by the fitting rooms of the stylish boutique like a skittish gazelle, long legs suddenly forgetting how to stand still. The narrow shop was crowded with racks of rhinestone encrusted peplum tops and fur trimmed cocktail dresses.
Changmin’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he jumped, knee crashing into a rack of sparkly neon tights. He hissed in pain and scrambled to pick up the shrink wrapped packages but dropped his book bag into a pile of shoe boxes that toppled like maze of dominoes.
“Are you ok?” Jaejoong called anxiously.
“Yes,” Changmin grunted, his face probably mottled ten different shades of red if the heat he felt spreading towards his neck was any indication. “I’m really sorry!” he apologized to the store clerk as she stalked over in heels and a cloud of fruity perfume and waved him away. He grabbed his bags and scooted into the nearest corner.
“What do you think?” Jaejoong slid back the privacy curtain on the changing stall and struck a swaggering pose, one hip cocked, eyes dark with a confident smolder. Changmin shrugged.
“Looks gay.” Jaejoong’s face crumpled like a 500 thread count Irish linen napkin. Changmin felt his stomach crumple like a cheap brown paper bag.
“Your face looks gay.” Jaejoong snapped the curtain closed with a sharp yank.
“That’s because it is,” Changmin mumbled quietly.
“What did you say?” Jaejoong craned his neck around the curtain, a sharp look in his eyes.
“Nothing, geez, keep your shirt on.” Changmin was all kinds of ready for a nap in a dark, quiet room. The flickering fluorescent lights on the low ceiling were making his eyes ache.
“In a changing room?” Jaejoong snickered.
“Do you really need your shirt off to try on jeans?” No answer. “Hurry up already and choose a pair!” Jaejoong stepped out from behind the partition, adjusting his bulky black sweater over narrow hips, this time clothed in his own pants. He reached through the curtain for armful of rejects which he thrust at the attendant who scurried off to rehang them.
“Seriously, which ones do you like better?” Changmin turned back to see Jaejoong holding up two pair of heavily distressed jeans. They kind of looked exactly the same. “The sexy slim fit, or the princess paramour ones?” Jaejoong shook the clothes expectantly.
“Um, acid wash denim kind of belongs in my shop, so maybe the other--”
“You’re right! Vintage! I totally need these.” Not what Changmin meant, but whatever. “I’ll take both!” Jaejoong slid his card across the counter. The girl snapped her gum noisily and shook out the pants to fold them into a pink bag.
“Wait. Are those rhinestones on the back pockets?” Changmin groaned incredulously. Maybe he should’ve paid more attention… The clerk rolled her eyes.
“That’ll be 250,000 Won,” she announced in a flat voice. “Do you have a point card.” Jaejoong handed her a lime green card with a wink. “Would your boyfriend like to sign up for a point card and receive 10% off on his next purchase of hose or lingerie.” She swiped Jaejoong’s card without looking up. Changmin coughed and choked.
“We’re good thanks have a good one.” Jaejoong thumped him hard on the back, already dragging him towards the exit.
“Thank you for shopping at Shiny Tacky LUV Rags. Please come again,” the girl called after them, voice slightly muffled by the magazine that hid her nose.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Changmin wailed as soon as he recovered his breath on the crowded sidewalk outside.
“Do you really care that much what other people think.” Jaejoong was three steps ahead and focused on reaching the parking lot.
“No. No, but--”
“Then what do the stupid assumptions of one stupid shop girl matter. It’s not like you’ll ever see her again.”
“How do you know that? What if she collects Catalin in her spare time? What if she shows up tomorrow--” Jaejoong stopped short at the corner and laughed. Changmin tripped to a halt beside him and yanked his coat sleeve out of Jaejoong’s grasp. “Things like this would never happen if you just went to the men’s department to buy clothes. Or at least didn’t try the women’s stuff on,” Changmin reasoned.
“I do shop at the men’s department,” Jaejoong said very seriously. “How would I know if they fit if I don’t try them on.”
“Hyung, not the point. Next time--”
“I’ll take Yoochun instead. Let’s go home.” The light turned green and Jaejoong squeezed back into the flow of traffic, shoulders twisting to sidle between a matronly ahjumma in a large fur coat and a lamp post. Changmin hurried after him, bowing apologetically to the disgruntled woman and dodging the elbow jab she aimed at his chest.
“Sorry…” he mumbled to Jaejoong’s back once he had caught up to him, but the other showed no sign of hearing him. Jaejoong climbed wordlessly into the car pretended to be asleep the whole ride home.
Part 5, Part 7
Pairings/Characters: Jaejoong/Changmin, Yunho/Heechul, Yoochun, Ryeowook, Kyuhyun, Leeteuk, Donghae, Junsu, G-Dragon,
Rating/Warnings: T for language and (eventual) making out
Disclaimer: I own nothing; written just for fun
Summary: Changmin owns an antique shop. Jaejoong is an interior decorator. Ryeowook is a genius who bakes delicious cake.
A/N: (cross posted to AO3)
The Changtique Shoppe, Part 6
Changmin tapped his fingers against the steering wheel until his fingertips started to throb. He checked his watch again: 10:17 already, and no sign of Jaejoong. He sighed and reloaded kakao. He was too tired to even be annoyed; he’d been up late the night before packing and labeling a large influx of orders that had come in late on Thursday afternoon.
He’d finished in time to squeeze in a shower and a quick nap before driving across town to wait in line at the post office before it closed for the weekend. Then it was fighting the traffic back across the city to pick up Jaejoong. Or wait for Jaejoong, apparently.
Changmin sighed again and slumped further into his seat. He would try calling again, but that involved effort. Maybe he would just take another quick nap here in the car…
Changmin’s eyes flew open when a sharp fingernail stabbed at his slack jaw through the open window.
“Let me drive,” Jaejoong said, one palm upturned, ostensibly for Changmin’s keys.
“No way.” Jaejoong’s lips twitched downwards into a pout, but his hand stayed extended, the long white fingers wiggling expectantly.
“You look kind of dead.”
“Just, get in the car.” Jaejoong smirked, eyes lazy and half lidded.
“If you unlock the door, I will.” Changmin punched the lock button with a scowl, his hair falling into his eyes. “You look like a zombie.”
“Well, just be glad you don’t have any brains, or I would’ve jumped you for them by now.”
“Is now a bad time.” Jaejoong’s voice was small in his throat and he paused with one hand on the open passenger door. Changmin looked up to find an impassive face.
“I’m…sorry, I,” Changmin gulped down the sudden urge to yawn. “I got like two hours of sleep last night. Actually this morning.” Changmin rubbed the heel of his hand hard against his right eye socket. “But I’m fine,” he was quick to add. “Just get in.” Jaejoong gave him a sideways look but got in.
Two hours, a stop for coffee and doughnuts, and a stressful traffic jam later, they finally made it to the Gangnam branch of Kyobo.
“Why are we at a bookstore.” Jaejoong scuffed a heeled boot on the tile outside the front of the store.
“Because books are wonderful and mysterious things. You should buy one and see for yourself.” Changmin shoved Jaejoong past the security sensors at the front entrance and nodded pleasantly to the shop girl who greeted them with an enthusiastic welcome.
“Um, because books have big words. Books don’t have bling. Books smell weird!” Jaejoong wrinkled his nose. Changmin shrugged.
“Suit yourself.” He started for the biographies section.
“W-wait!” Jaejoong grabbed his shirt sleeve. “I don’t wanna get lost in here. There are too many people…” Changmin kept walking but didn’t shake him off.
They emerged at the registers more than an hour later, loaded down with a stack of biographies including those of Rachmaninoff and Sinatra, volumes 1-3 of 1Q84 in the original Japanese, and a thick collector’s guide to 20th century celadon ceramics (plus a few volumes of manga for good measure, of course).
Jaejoong rushed dramatically through the doors to the hall of the shopping center and to gulp the “clean” air.
“Do you have anywhere else you wanna go today?” he asked as Changmin joined him, shoving the shopping bags at Changmin to dig for his cell phone.
“How about my comfy bed.” Changmin stifled a yawn.
“Um, I think I’ll pass on that one,” Jaejoong smirked.
“I meant--! I mean...I’m finished Hyung,” Changmin groaned into the muffler looped around his neck. It was getting hot inside with his coat and gloves still on.
“Good.” Jaejoong clapped his hands lightly and tugged on Changmin’s scarf. “I wanna go one more place. We still have time before my next appointment. Let’s go.”
Changmin dutifully followed after him but soon came to wish he hadn't.
“I can’t believe you actually dragged me in here,” Changmin pouted, hovering by the fitting rooms of the stylish boutique like a skittish gazelle, long legs suddenly forgetting how to stand still. The narrow shop was crowded with racks of rhinestone encrusted peplum tops and fur trimmed cocktail dresses.
Changmin’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he jumped, knee crashing into a rack of sparkly neon tights. He hissed in pain and scrambled to pick up the shrink wrapped packages but dropped his book bag into a pile of shoe boxes that toppled like maze of dominoes.
“Are you ok?” Jaejoong called anxiously.
“Yes,” Changmin grunted, his face probably mottled ten different shades of red if the heat he felt spreading towards his neck was any indication. “I’m really sorry!” he apologized to the store clerk as she stalked over in heels and a cloud of fruity perfume and waved him away. He grabbed his bags and scooted into the nearest corner.
“What do you think?” Jaejoong slid back the privacy curtain on the changing stall and struck a swaggering pose, one hip cocked, eyes dark with a confident smolder. Changmin shrugged.
“Looks gay.” Jaejoong’s face crumpled like a 500 thread count Irish linen napkin. Changmin felt his stomach crumple like a cheap brown paper bag.
“Your face looks gay.” Jaejoong snapped the curtain closed with a sharp yank.
“That’s because it is,” Changmin mumbled quietly.
“What did you say?” Jaejoong craned his neck around the curtain, a sharp look in his eyes.
“Nothing, geez, keep your shirt on.” Changmin was all kinds of ready for a nap in a dark, quiet room. The flickering fluorescent lights on the low ceiling were making his eyes ache.
“In a changing room?” Jaejoong snickered.
“Do you really need your shirt off to try on jeans?” No answer. “Hurry up already and choose a pair!” Jaejoong stepped out from behind the partition, adjusting his bulky black sweater over narrow hips, this time clothed in his own pants. He reached through the curtain for armful of rejects which he thrust at the attendant who scurried off to rehang them.
“Seriously, which ones do you like better?” Changmin turned back to see Jaejoong holding up two pair of heavily distressed jeans. They kind of looked exactly the same. “The sexy slim fit, or the princess paramour ones?” Jaejoong shook the clothes expectantly.
“Um, acid wash denim kind of belongs in my shop, so maybe the other--”
“You’re right! Vintage! I totally need these.” Not what Changmin meant, but whatever. “I’ll take both!” Jaejoong slid his card across the counter. The girl snapped her gum noisily and shook out the pants to fold them into a pink bag.
“Wait. Are those rhinestones on the back pockets?” Changmin groaned incredulously. Maybe he should’ve paid more attention… The clerk rolled her eyes.
“That’ll be 250,000 Won,” she announced in a flat voice. “Do you have a point card.” Jaejoong handed her a lime green card with a wink. “Would your boyfriend like to sign up for a point card and receive 10% off on his next purchase of hose or lingerie.” She swiped Jaejoong’s card without looking up. Changmin coughed and choked.
“We’re good thanks have a good one.” Jaejoong thumped him hard on the back, already dragging him towards the exit.
“Thank you for shopping at Shiny Tacky LUV Rags. Please come again,” the girl called after them, voice slightly muffled by the magazine that hid her nose.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Changmin wailed as soon as he recovered his breath on the crowded sidewalk outside.
“Do you really care that much what other people think.” Jaejoong was three steps ahead and focused on reaching the parking lot.
“No. No, but--”
“Then what do the stupid assumptions of one stupid shop girl matter. It’s not like you’ll ever see her again.”
“How do you know that? What if she collects Catalin in her spare time? What if she shows up tomorrow--” Jaejoong stopped short at the corner and laughed. Changmin tripped to a halt beside him and yanked his coat sleeve out of Jaejoong’s grasp. “Things like this would never happen if you just went to the men’s department to buy clothes. Or at least didn’t try the women’s stuff on,” Changmin reasoned.
“I do shop at the men’s department,” Jaejoong said very seriously. “How would I know if they fit if I don’t try them on.”
“Hyung, not the point. Next time--”
“I’ll take Yoochun instead. Let’s go home.” The light turned green and Jaejoong squeezed back into the flow of traffic, shoulders twisting to sidle between a matronly ahjumma in a large fur coat and a lamp post. Changmin hurried after him, bowing apologetically to the disgruntled woman and dodging the elbow jab she aimed at his chest.
“Sorry…” he mumbled to Jaejoong’s back once he had caught up to him, but the other showed no sign of hearing him. Jaejoong climbed wordlessly into the car pretended to be asleep the whole ride home.
Part 5, Part 7