Tearless
Title: Tearless
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, drama
Pairing: Onkey, implied 2min
Word count: 1654
Disclaimer: Do not own.
Summary: Key owns a special restaurant; a place where people treat their heartbreaks and sadness. He listens to them and cooks for them and the people tend to leave completely refreshed and with a new enthusiasm for life.
I went a little cray on this; it was supposed to be a short drabble but poofed into this. Also, the ending’s a little weirdo because I was lazy.
He had wandered aimlessly on the streets for close to two hours- dazed- before realizing he was in a strange part of town he’d never been to before.
He rubbed his temples tiredly; he was lost?
Only when he stopped and looked around, he realized that the street he was on was quiet, but not in a ‘help-going-to-be-mugged-any-moment’ way, but in a surreal, serene and gentle manner. It was adorable really, that such kitschy little streets still existed in the heart of bustling central Seoul. Being so close to Christmas, many of the shops (this was part-residential area, part-commercial space) were dressed in brilliant colors of gold, green and red, adding to the very Christmassy aura that permeated the air.
Jinki walked a bit further down the strange street, hoping it would lead him out to the main road where he could catch a taxi back to the law firm(his car was still parked there!), when he inexplicably stopped.
There actually wasn’t much to it; the homely shop had a tiny white picket fence in front of it with a holly wreath hung on it. The clear glass windows, framed by lovely grey crepe, white organza curtains were the full length kind that looked more suited for a trendy downtown café than a mom-and-pop establishment that Jinki guessed this was.
Like a moth to candle light, Jinki moved towards the restaurant and before he knew it, pushed past the gate. The bells on the gate gave a soft but resonant tinkle and Jinki thought he heard an “Ah!” come from inside the shop.
“Hello.”
The young man-presumably the shop owner- that stood in front of him was one of the most beautiful things ever. He had jet-black hair that complemented high cheekbones and a defined, delicate chin. His lithe, skinny frame was clad in a black turtle neck and chocolate brown pants with a pink apron above it.
He bowed slightly, politely.
And when their eyes met, Jinki found them to be the most intriguing and engaging ones. The lawyer stood awkwardly for a moment (and thought that logically, why should he be) as the owner looked at him with his beautiful eyes as if scanning for something.
Their eyes locked once more and the owner gave a tiny, dazzling smile.
“Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Eh?” Jinki was terribly confused. Once again, he entertained the notion of just walking away and returning to the office where there were probably tons of paperwork that awaited him.
But like the proverbial moth, he walked closer to the man who reached out and slipped his hand in his leather gloved one. And oddly, he suddenly felt as if a weight in his chest had been released.
Jinki hadn’t been aware he was that high-strung until now, or that he’d been holding his breath.
And when the owner maneuvered him into the restaurant; he felt a sense of comfort that he’d not had in ages.
Like… he was home.
There were three other men already in the shop; seated at a table. They looked at him curiously for a moment as they came in and one of them- a blonde, slender boy- hopped up and smiled as he bowed slightly.
The owner simply seated him at the bar counter.
The blonde kid walked into the bar area and Jinki realized he was wearing almost the same thing as the owner but with a sunny yellow apron instead. The owner whispered something to the kid and suddenly ducked inside to the kitchen area and Jinki was left staring at the pretty youngster in front of him.
He seemed to be stirring at something and peeked at him surreptitiously through his bangs.
The smell of cinnamon and vanilla wafted in the air as the boy placed a cup (mug? But it was too small to be a mug yet, bigger than the average cup) in front of him, smiling winningly.
“Hyung, enjoy!”
The boy… just called him hyung? But… he didn’t even know him!
He was too adorable to chastise though, all feminine prettiness and angelic baby looks.
“Yah, Taemin-ah. Don’t be rude.” A low voice rumbled next to him. Jinki turned to his left and was met with another pretty man, though slightly more masculine. He looked highly familiar though- as if he’d seen him somewhere…
“Minho. Choi Minho!” Jinki inadvertently called out. The said man angled his head a fraction, in part acknowledgment and greeting.
It was strange that the heir to one of the biggest shipping firms in Korea was standing next to him in this odd hole-in-the-wall. The last he’d seen him (and from afar too) was at a glitzy ritzy high society party about half a year back.
The young boy- Taemin? - pouted but in a shy manner.
“I… ah. Hyung, I do that to everyone.”
Jinki thought he saw something flash past the young heir’s handsome visage-something that Jinki thought vaguely looked like, ‘But I don’t want you to’. It flitted away quickly though, when the younger produced a smaller cup from the counter and handed it to him.
“Drink up!” he urged both of them.
Jinki took a sip and felt the wonderful liquid run through his body; soothing and easing. The drink (spiced milk of sorts) was probably the yummiest he had ever.
“I want some too!” demanded the last man from their table cheerfully as he walked up front to the bar. He wasn’t tall in stature-dwarfed by the tall shipping heir next to him- but had very charming features.
Taemin smiled easily as he magically pulled out a last cup from beneath the counter and gave it to him. As he sipped the drink he stole a look at Jinki and almost dropped the cup as he exclaimed,
“Lee Jinki! Oh my gosh.”
Taemin tried to hush him frantically but he seemed a little oblivious and continued.
“The case that you’ve been on, the one with the unscrupulous building owner, it concluded just a while ago didn’t it…”
Jinki felt dread rise up again with the reminder of the case. Taemin and Minho exchanged a look.
“Shut up, Jjong.” The owner reappeared from the kitchen and gave the short boy a piercing glare.
“Aww. Key.”
“You know the rules. Otherwise I’m banning you for life.”
“I… Ah never mind. I’ll check up on the case later.”
“You do that. Besides, don’t you have to go to the party?”
“Oh yes, luckily you reminded me. Wait, you’re not coming?”
He shook his head with a small smile.
“And you two, aren’t you all leaving yet? You were waiting all afternoon for him.” he jabbed Taemin in the ribs teasingly and the younger boy went completely pink in the face. Minho gave a strange smile- a mixture of amusement and arrogance. Taemin mumbled something under his breath, removed his apron and left with him.
“They’re finally all gone. I thought they’d never leave.” The pretty owner mused.
“I’m really really sorry. Jonghyun was being a busybody just now. It’s in his nature, being a journalist and what not. He’s positively annoying sometimes.” He said exasperatedly.
Jinki blinked for a moment before he found his voice.
“It’s… ah, okay. I’m not offended.”
“Really? Oh and Taemin was being rude too wasn’t he. I’m sorry about that too. Gits, all of them.”
Jinki just shook his head, a small smile starting to form on his weary face. The owner considered him for a moment before remembering,
“Oh! And I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Kim Kibum, the shop owner. You can call me Key.”
This was a very strange restaurant. Yet, he felt at ease.
“I’m Lee Jinki.”
“Nice to meet you!”
“Since Taemin brought you a drink already, let’s have dinner!”
Before Jinki could say a word, Key had already disappeared into the kitchen. When he re-emerged, he brought out a whole tray full of dishes.
He settled them in front of Jinki then sat on a high stool opposite him. A couple of thoughts ran through the lawyer’s mind, first and foremost,
He was going to eat with him?
Followed by, there isn’t a menu?
Key seemed to be able to read his thoughts as he scooped out the kimchi fried rice for him in a bowl and thrust it into his hands.
“Nope. You found this place, so trust me and trust your heart.”
That sounded awfully vague and mysterious but the delicious aroma called out to him. Jinki was too hungry to ask and tucked in.
The taste could only be described as stunning.
How could any dish be so good? It strangely brought tears to his eyes; he actually really felt like crying. He bit back a sob.
What was wrong with him? What was this place doing to him?
He slowly raised his head and looked at Key who gave him a gentle look and mouthed, ‘it’s okay’.
Tears slowly ran down his cheek and Key wiped his face gently with a tissue.
“Let it all out. You’ll feel better.” So he continued to cry till finally he didn’t feel the need to cry anymore.
Key was right; there was a strange sort of catharsis.
The owner urged him to eat- aside from the stunning kimchi bokkeumbap; there was a superb dumpling soup and japchae plus many other side dishes- and talk.
Key had simply said, ‘tell me’ and Jinki found himself telling a stranger everything that happened.
“I really hated my client. Really really detested that loathsome man- he treated all those tenants as if they were dirt, like they were worthless. I should never have accepted the case. And I really rather wished I lost instead.”
The moment Jinki said it, the remainder of whatever that plagued him seemed to dissipate and he felt light once again.
Key just smiled his beautiful, mysterious all-knowing smile again and this time, Jinki returned the smile.
Rating: PG
Genre: Romance, drama
Pairing: Onkey, implied 2min
Word count: 1654
Disclaimer: Do not own.
Summary: Key owns a special restaurant; a place where people treat their heartbreaks and sadness. He listens to them and cooks for them and the people tend to leave completely refreshed and with a new enthusiasm for life.
I went a little cray on this; it was supposed to be a short drabble but poofed into this. Also, the ending’s a little weirdo because I was lazy.
He had wandered aimlessly on the streets for close to two hours- dazed- before realizing he was in a strange part of town he’d never been to before.
He rubbed his temples tiredly; he was lost?
Only when he stopped and looked around, he realized that the street he was on was quiet, but not in a ‘help-going-to-be-mugged-any-moment’ way, but in a surreal, serene and gentle manner. It was adorable really, that such kitschy little streets still existed in the heart of bustling central Seoul. Being so close to Christmas, many of the shops (this was part-residential area, part-commercial space) were dressed in brilliant colors of gold, green and red, adding to the very Christmassy aura that permeated the air.
Jinki walked a bit further down the strange street, hoping it would lead him out to the main road where he could catch a taxi back to the law firm(his car was still parked there!), when he inexplicably stopped.
There actually wasn’t much to it; the homely shop had a tiny white picket fence in front of it with a holly wreath hung on it. The clear glass windows, framed by lovely grey crepe, white organza curtains were the full length kind that looked more suited for a trendy downtown café than a mom-and-pop establishment that Jinki guessed this was.
Like a moth to candle light, Jinki moved towards the restaurant and before he knew it, pushed past the gate. The bells on the gate gave a soft but resonant tinkle and Jinki thought he heard an “Ah!” come from inside the shop.
“Hello.”
The young man-presumably the shop owner- that stood in front of him was one of the most beautiful things ever. He had jet-black hair that complemented high cheekbones and a defined, delicate chin. His lithe, skinny frame was clad in a black turtle neck and chocolate brown pants with a pink apron above it.
He bowed slightly, politely.
And when their eyes met, Jinki found them to be the most intriguing and engaging ones. The lawyer stood awkwardly for a moment (and thought that logically, why should he be) as the owner looked at him with his beautiful eyes as if scanning for something.
Their eyes locked once more and the owner gave a tiny, dazzling smile.
“Welcome. We’ve been waiting for you.”
“Eh?” Jinki was terribly confused. Once again, he entertained the notion of just walking away and returning to the office where there were probably tons of paperwork that awaited him.
But like the proverbial moth, he walked closer to the man who reached out and slipped his hand in his leather gloved one. And oddly, he suddenly felt as if a weight in his chest had been released.
Jinki hadn’t been aware he was that high-strung until now, or that he’d been holding his breath.
And when the owner maneuvered him into the restaurant; he felt a sense of comfort that he’d not had in ages.
Like… he was home.
There were three other men already in the shop; seated at a table. They looked at him curiously for a moment as they came in and one of them- a blonde, slender boy- hopped up and smiled as he bowed slightly.
The owner simply seated him at the bar counter.
The blonde kid walked into the bar area and Jinki realized he was wearing almost the same thing as the owner but with a sunny yellow apron instead. The owner whispered something to the kid and suddenly ducked inside to the kitchen area and Jinki was left staring at the pretty youngster in front of him.
He seemed to be stirring at something and peeked at him surreptitiously through his bangs.
The smell of cinnamon and vanilla wafted in the air as the boy placed a cup (mug? But it was too small to be a mug yet, bigger than the average cup) in front of him, smiling winningly.
“Hyung, enjoy!”
The boy… just called him hyung? But… he didn’t even know him!
He was too adorable to chastise though, all feminine prettiness and angelic baby looks.
“Yah, Taemin-ah. Don’t be rude.” A low voice rumbled next to him. Jinki turned to his left and was met with another pretty man, though slightly more masculine. He looked highly familiar though- as if he’d seen him somewhere…
“Minho. Choi Minho!” Jinki inadvertently called out. The said man angled his head a fraction, in part acknowledgment and greeting.
It was strange that the heir to one of the biggest shipping firms in Korea was standing next to him in this odd hole-in-the-wall. The last he’d seen him (and from afar too) was at a glitzy ritzy high society party about half a year back.
The young boy- Taemin? - pouted but in a shy manner.
“I… ah. Hyung, I do that to everyone.”
Jinki thought he saw something flash past the young heir’s handsome visage-something that Jinki thought vaguely looked like, ‘But I don’t want you to’. It flitted away quickly though, when the younger produced a smaller cup from the counter and handed it to him.
“Drink up!” he urged both of them.
Jinki took a sip and felt the wonderful liquid run through his body; soothing and easing. The drink (spiced milk of sorts) was probably the yummiest he had ever.
“I want some too!” demanded the last man from their table cheerfully as he walked up front to the bar. He wasn’t tall in stature-dwarfed by the tall shipping heir next to him- but had very charming features.
Taemin smiled easily as he magically pulled out a last cup from beneath the counter and gave it to him. As he sipped the drink he stole a look at Jinki and almost dropped the cup as he exclaimed,
“Lee Jinki! Oh my gosh.”
Taemin tried to hush him frantically but he seemed a little oblivious and continued.
“The case that you’ve been on, the one with the unscrupulous building owner, it concluded just a while ago didn’t it…”
Jinki felt dread rise up again with the reminder of the case. Taemin and Minho exchanged a look.
“Shut up, Jjong.” The owner reappeared from the kitchen and gave the short boy a piercing glare.
“Aww. Key.”
“You know the rules. Otherwise I’m banning you for life.”
“I… Ah never mind. I’ll check up on the case later.”
“You do that. Besides, don’t you have to go to the party?”
“Oh yes, luckily you reminded me. Wait, you’re not coming?”
He shook his head with a small smile.
“And you two, aren’t you all leaving yet? You were waiting all afternoon for him.” he jabbed Taemin in the ribs teasingly and the younger boy went completely pink in the face. Minho gave a strange smile- a mixture of amusement and arrogance. Taemin mumbled something under his breath, removed his apron and left with him.
“They’re finally all gone. I thought they’d never leave.” The pretty owner mused.
“I’m really really sorry. Jonghyun was being a busybody just now. It’s in his nature, being a journalist and what not. He’s positively annoying sometimes.” He said exasperatedly.
Jinki blinked for a moment before he found his voice.
“It’s… ah, okay. I’m not offended.”
“Really? Oh and Taemin was being rude too wasn’t he. I’m sorry about that too. Gits, all of them.”
Jinki just shook his head, a small smile starting to form on his weary face. The owner considered him for a moment before remembering,
“Oh! And I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Kim Kibum, the shop owner. You can call me Key.”
This was a very strange restaurant. Yet, he felt at ease.
“I’m Lee Jinki.”
“Nice to meet you!”
“Since Taemin brought you a drink already, let’s have dinner!”
Before Jinki could say a word, Key had already disappeared into the kitchen. When he re-emerged, he brought out a whole tray full of dishes.
He settled them in front of Jinki then sat on a high stool opposite him. A couple of thoughts ran through the lawyer’s mind, first and foremost,
He was going to eat with him?
Followed by, there isn’t a menu?
Key seemed to be able to read his thoughts as he scooped out the kimchi fried rice for him in a bowl and thrust it into his hands.
“Nope. You found this place, so trust me and trust your heart.”
That sounded awfully vague and mysterious but the delicious aroma called out to him. Jinki was too hungry to ask and tucked in.
The taste could only be described as stunning.
How could any dish be so good? It strangely brought tears to his eyes; he actually really felt like crying. He bit back a sob.
What was wrong with him? What was this place doing to him?
He slowly raised his head and looked at Key who gave him a gentle look and mouthed, ‘it’s okay’.
Tears slowly ran down his cheek and Key wiped his face gently with a tissue.
“Let it all out. You’ll feel better.” So he continued to cry till finally he didn’t feel the need to cry anymore.
Key was right; there was a strange sort of catharsis.
The owner urged him to eat- aside from the stunning kimchi bokkeumbap; there was a superb dumpling soup and japchae plus many other side dishes- and talk.
Key had simply said, ‘tell me’ and Jinki found himself telling a stranger everything that happened.
“I really hated my client. Really really detested that loathsome man- he treated all those tenants as if they were dirt, like they were worthless. I should never have accepted the case. And I really rather wished I lost instead.”
The moment Jinki said it, the remainder of whatever that plagued him seemed to dissipate and he felt light once again.
Key just smiled his beautiful, mysterious all-knowing smile again and this time, Jinki returned the smile.