Converse High

“Oh? He’s that great of a guy? I have to know who he is-- if you think he’s that great and all.” Joonki teased. A little laugh bubbled up from him at her comments about the clothing and he found himself agreeing all too quickly. “I know, I know. I hate most of the costumes we have, but what can I do. I’m not in charge-- I should be, but I’m not. I just have to go with it and whatever bullshit concept that Seojin gives me to handle.” Even just sitting here, it wasn’t long before he found himself extremely close to nodding off. It’s been a long day and after failing to hide a yawn he tried to nuzzle closer to her. “Shut up. I am delicate. Just not in the conventional way. I cry during the titanic okay. And I am sensitive to loud noises. I bite when angry. Delicate.”

“A boyfriend? Well, fuck. Looks like I missed my chance.” He sighed, slumping in the chair a little and resting his arms around her waist. “But if you ask me, he probably couldn’t treat you as well as I could. Just letting you know.” He watched her grab for the tablet and even just glancing at the list of serial numbers has his headache coming back. He really just wanted to go home instead of spending all night working. Maybe he’d sacrifice an hour of being yelled at tomorrow to go home and curl up with Minah. He could suffer a bit of scolding if that was the case. “But it’s not very nice of you to lead a guy like me along, you know?” Joonki mumbled softly as he pressed a kiss to her forehead before adding, “I’m delicate.”

He was pretty sure this is exactly what being held captive felt like-- torture and all. Another vague and infuriatingly wordy concept from Seojin and he was holing himself up in the dressing rooms, going through lists and lists of clothing that they had on hand for something that would apply. The sudden intrusion startled him a little and he jumped in his seat, swiveling around and barely managing to hold on to the tablet. “Oh-- It’s just you.” He breathed in relief, shoulders slumping a little. Sliding the tablet to the next seat, Joonki wasted no time in beckoning her over with a pat of his lap. “Unfortunately, I do. And what about you, missy? I don’t see you around here too often.”

Yejin grinned. “Oh, god. I can see her stupid little face already. I hope she quits. She’s not cut out for this. Unless she ends up as a secretary or something.” She paused. “You know, now that I’ve said it out loud, it makes a lot of sense. She reminds me a lot of that stupid fucking receptionist that’s always hitting on my brothers. Maybe that’s this kid’s calling or something.” She glanced over when he cussed, looking away from her own wok just long enough for her to prick herself with her own needle, biting down on her tongue and exhaling. She was so damn fed up with this stupid chore. 

“Actually...” Joonki started slowly, fingers tapping his knee. “I can see that. I hate that little receptionist. Too nosy for her own good. I hope it comes to bite her in the ass one day-- the both of them actually.” If that’s the kid’s calling Joonki hopes it’s anywhere but here. Leaning over to shift through his pile, it was a good hour of work left yet and it was already nearing way too late to be here.

She tossed the repaired bodysuit on her own pile, sighing deeply and pushing her hair back, looking to the pile of things she still had to get to. It was significantly smaller than before, but she still had a lot to do, and it was almost enough to make her want to set all the stupid costumes on fire. “I can help. I’ll take the short little one with that pink streak in her hair. She’s been getting on my nerves since day one,” Yejin commented off-handedly, picking up a fitted shirt and going to work.

“Oh yeah, that little shit. Sure. We’ll surprise her one morning in the storage rooms. She’s got it coming anyways.” He huffs. If he pokes himself with a needle one more time, he’s going to quit. He’s going to march right up to the CEO and quit his job first thing in the morning. “Fuck.” Joonki grimaces as a little dot of blood pools on his thumb and he wipes it off on his jeans. He’d prepare his letter of resignation as soon as he got home. 

It was stupid and tedious, but it needed to be done, and if she didn’t do it, who else would? It’s not like anyone was volunteering for the job, and she didn’t expect them to; it definitely wasn’t one of the more glamorous parts of being a stylist. At least she wasn’t alone. If anything had the power to drive her to madness, it was stitching and sewing alone in a storeroom. 

“Yeah...” He sighed, casting a glance over his pile. He’d be happy is he never had to put his hands on another pair of hot pants in his life. Or another pair of skinny jeans or another dress or another needle. He honestly didn’t miss this part of his early days. “I should beat those interns for skipping out early.” Joonki mumbled as he got to work an another little tear that just wouldn’t do.

She sighed at him, curling up on his lap and pulling the blanket over them. “You were, babe, but if it means we can stop arguing about it then you didn’t.” Her eyes fluttered shut; him being there was easily putting her to sleep. “It’s okay. I was just worried about you….”

There wasn’t a moment he didn’t find himself just a little bit drowning in the sudden love he found himself in, but it was never in the suffocating sense, but more of a constant disbelief of just how lucky he was. This moment was one of the few that it’s just a little harder for him to breath and Joonki takes a deep breath. She was worried about him. Worried in a different way than the few people he does have worry. 

“Sure you weren’t, handsome. Sure you weren’t,” she mumbled as she settled down against him. He was so clearly about to have a panic attack before he found her; they both knew that, but she wasn’t nearly up to fighting him on it. She tapped on his chest for him to lean back further so she could get comfortable and go back to sleep.

“I really wasn’t.” Joonki mumbled weakly, not an ounce of fight in him as he gave into her prodding and flopped back on the couch, reaching up to blindly feel for the blanket he knew he had left out here just for instances like this when it was inevitable they would end up falling asleep on the couch. “Oh... sorry. I didn’t mean to,” 

“….Oh-kay…..” she mumbled, hesitantly stroking his hair. There was no way she was buying that he was just fine. He was too grabby to be perfectly fine. She climbed into his lap, readjusting herself so they were both a little more comfortable. Honestly, they’d probably end up falling asleep like that again; her laying on top of his chest, their legs tangling up together.

He didn’t want to be utterly disgusting and say that just her presence was calming him down, but that’s how it really was. Even just the few minutes he’s been out here, he was starting to feel better, not as worried and panicky. A soft breath of content and he was leaning his forehead on her shoulder, already feeling the drowsiness set in again. If her finger kept at his hair it wouldn’t be long before he was falling right back asleep out here. “’M not freaking out. I wasn’t.” Joonki tried to refute, even if it was clearly obvious that he had for a moment. 

She hadn’t been gone for long. At least, she hoped she hadn’t been. Minah’d woken up and not been able to fall asleep again, tossing and turning for the better part of an hour before finally getting up and heading for the kitchen. No luck finding any real food and she took to the couch to watch something, anything that would relax her.

“I’m fine.” Came his instant reply as he didn’t budge from his spot, only pulling her even closer. It was silly, it was so silly of him to be so worked up over a stupid nightmare, but he was so sure that it was true when his woke up to her not there. “I’m fine.” Joonki repeats, as if to convince her, but really trying to tell himself.