එසී

you swore you started seeing him everywhere now. and every time he walked by you, he looked at you with something you couldn't quite figure out.

by week four, you were sure he was doing this on purpose.

bumping into you and slyly looking at your lips, thinking you wouldn't notice. holding your waist just for a few seconds to pass by you in tight spaces, like near the tiny elevator.

you could never escape yang jungwon.

so it didn't surprise you when you saw him cooped up, trying to work one of the machines in the laundry room. you walked down the stairs, basket in hand with a little smile seeing his confused face.

"you're supposed to insert the coin." you said, walking next to him as you saw his eyes light up at the sight of you.

"i did, about four of them." he said, scratching the back of his with an embarrassed look.

you took a closer look at the laundry machine, hitting it once or twice. you sighed as you looked back at him, crossing your arms. "you got one of the faulty machines, there's only a few good ones that work around here."

"gosh really?" he said, you swore you could hear a whimper behind the hands that covered his face.

"i wonder why they still keep this shitty place up." he said, sighing.

"swear this place is some kind of money laundering scheme." you joked, trying to cheer him up due to his loss of four coins. "i'm telling you, i heard a slot machine at the back the other day."

jungwon laughed, his voice like honey. you've never heard his laugh before, but now you'd give anything to hear it again.

"didn't know you've got a sense of humour, honey." there it was again, that damn nickname. your breath hitched as he looked at you with his dreamy daze.

you cleared your throat, reaching for your basket but he moved faster. fast enough to block any exit for you to escape. his hand slid next to the machine next to you, leaning into you. everything moved so fast yet so slow.

"jungwon─" the air between you thickened as you let his name out your mouth.

"funny...we keep seeing each other everywhere." his eyes now locked onto yours.

"well, we live next to each other." you shrugged, trying to act unfazed by how nervous he made you.

"just feels more than a coincidence, yeah?" jungwon raises his eyebrow with a smirk plastered on his face.

"i don't...believe in fate." you say, looking away from him with a flushed face. truth is, you actually didn't believe in the word fate, not one bit.

it was merely a myth your mother told you during your nightly bedtime stories, it never felt realistic to you. so why did it feel like it was just out of arms reach now?

"mm, but i do, honey." jungwon leaned in closer, his lips just an inch away from yours. gosh, the things you'd do to pull him by the collar and join your lips together.

his eyes fell down to your lips, plump and so kissable. if only he could ditch everything that was hiding him back and pull you into his arms in that laundry room. your back pressed against the machine as his hand came incredibly close to your waist, but he never quite touched you.

he could see how nervous you looked, jungwon could almost hear your heart pounding out of your chest. it was the cutest sight he'd ever seen.

his eyes shifted, away from your lips and away from your face. he plucked a stray coin from the machine you were resting against.

"lucky penny." jungwon stepped back as he whispered.

you broke away from your daze immediately, clearing your throat quietly. jungwon smirked again, looking back at you with those eyes again, the eyes that said everything his mouth couldn't.

"see you around, honey." he said, leaving your place, going to the other room of the laundry place, leaving you there a blushing mess.

one more 'honey' from his mouth and you swore you would be his.