#jitoofi

The mall is crowded, bright, and noisy

You walk through it like none of that matters.

Juhoon, on the other hand, is practically vibrating next to you.

“Okay—wait—wait.” He grabs your wrist gently, stopping you in front of a store. “This place. Please. Two minutes.”

You glance up at the sign. Then at him.

“…Alright.”

His grin is immediate.

Inside, he’s gone within seconds moving from rack to rack, pulling things out, holding them up like he’s presenting gifts.

“This one,” he says, holding up a hoodie. “This color? On you? Crazy.”

You nod once. “It’s cool.”

Juhoon laughs under his breath. “You say that about everything.”

You shrug. “Because it is”

He doesn’t seem offended. If anything, he looks fond.

He picks up a jacket next, draping it over your shoulders without asking. You don’t react, just adjust it slightly

“You’d wear this,” he says confidently. “I can tell.”

“Mm,” you hum. “You know me well.”

That makes him pause.

“…I try to,” he admits, quieter.

At the fitting rooms, you take the pile of clothes from his arms and disappear behind the curtain. Juhoon waits outside, pretending to be casual while failing misrably.

When you step out, he looks up—and freezes.

“Oh,” he says softly. “Yeah. I knew it.”

You glance at yourself in the mirror.

“It’s fine.”

“Fine?” He shakes his head, smiling. “You look really good. Like—really.”

You meet his eyes in the reflection. Hold them.

“…Thanks.”

It’s subtle, but he notices. He always does.

The rest of the trip, he caries your bags, walks a little closer, keeps glancing at you like he’s checking you’re still real. At some point, he reaches for your hand without thinking.

You let him.

Outside, the air is cooler. The mall noise fades behind you.

Juhoon stops walking first.

“Hey,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can I ask you something?”

You look at him. “Go ahead.”

“Do you ever get excited?” he asks, half-joking, half-serious. “Or is this just… your thing?”

You stare at him for a second too long.

Then you sigh.

“Okay,” you say. “Don’t freak out.”

He blinks. “What—”

You grab his sleeve, eyes lighting up, words spilling out all at once. “I’ve literally been holding it in all day because I didn’t want to seem weird but I loved everything you picked out and I was lowkey geeking the whole time and you looked so cute getting excited and I wanted to say something but—”

Juhoon stares at you, stunned.

“…You were?” he asks, voice cracking slightly.

You nod, cheeks warm. “Yeah. For you.”

There’s a beat.

Then he laughs—soft, disbelievingand pulls you into a hug without thinking. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for that.”

You relax against him, smiling. “Told you I liked listening.”

He pulls back just enough to look at you, eyes bright.

“I’m never shopping without you again.”

You roll your eyes but you’re still smiling.

@userrrwhatt @uhbuhhbuhbbhu @iminthenewhell