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The cheery ding that rings from Jungwon’s phone does little to lift the sardonic tilt of his lips, nor does it erase the frown deeply set into his face. It takes him a moment to locate where the vibrations are coming from, finally spotting his beaded phone charm wedged between a haphazard array of brightly-colored spoons and boxes. 

It’s hardly a surprise to discover that the one blowing up his phone is Sunoo. It’s even less of a surprise that Jungwon pulls up their KakaoTalk chatroom to find himself bombarded by a slew of pictures, all featuring no one other than Sunoo himself. Sunlight bounces off his blonde hair as he poses with a peace sign, eyes waned into crescent moons and greenery visible in the distance behind him. 

ddeonu!!:

the sun here is amazing ^o^! • (now) 

All in all, Sunoo looks like he’s having the time of his life, vacationing off at some luxury resort in Jeju Island. Meanwhile, Jungwon is squandering away his summer, working in this hot, hot ice cream truck, dealing with snotty children who try to pay him in sticks of gum instead of bills, all the while dressed in a ridiculous assemble of a striped, short-sleeved shirt and a baby pink apron, complete with frills, tied over it. 

God, Jungwon thinks, a little mournfully as he absently piles a scoop of praline pecan onto a cone while watching the distant shadows of little children playing in the sun, why did university textbooks have to be so expensive? 

“Um,” a shrill voice pipes up, and Jungwon glances down at the sunburnt kid before him, “I wanted butter pecan.”

The scooper in his hands nearly bends under his grip. 

He must fail to disguise his irritation because the boy looks quite afraid when Jungwon hands him the right cone, scampering off while sending fearful looks over his shoulder. Heaving a sigh, Jungwon picks at the slightly-melted scoops of ice cream that’ll be wasted if he doesn’t eat them. 

He doesn’t even like praline or pecans.

The paycheck is worth it, Jungwon attempts to convince himself, but that notion dies as quickly as it surfaces. Who is he kidding, the paycheck isn’t worth it at all, but no one else had been willing to employ a freshly-graduated kid who was in desperate need of money.

University, he thinks, full of scorn. It’s not the first time.

The ice cream now scraped clean and his stomach churning from the nutty flavors settled in his belly, Jungwon busies himself with lining up the utensils, planning what half-hearted reply he’ll send Sunoo. It’s all more so a distraction from the unforgiving sun that beats down on him than anything else, the roof of the truck doing nothing to shield him from it—if anything, being inside the truck only serves to have him burning hotter.

He’s arranging the utensils around for what must be the third time as he peers out of the truck once more. Soon, his shift will be over, and he will be free, like all the other people roaming the street. Like the two boys squatting on the sidewalk as they take turns trying to flip each other’s takjis. The woman who is outfitted in designer gear and sunglasses as she struts briskly, busily arguing into her phone. The old man leaning on his cane, soaking up the warmth of summer. The shirtless boy coming Jungwon’s way, all lean muscles and firm biceps, tan skin glinting in the dying light of the sun. The-

Wait.

Jungwon jerks to attention, jostling the utensils with the sudden movement. His head snaps back to where his gaze had skated over, squinting into the distance as he attempts to figure out whether the heat has him hallucinating or not.

For better or for worse, he’s not. The boy with no shirt isn’t a figment of his imagination after all. For a singular moment of insanity, Jungwon chooses to forget everything he’s learned about staring at strangers because holy shit.

Golden skin that seems to go on and on, stretched over lean muscles that ripple underneath. Broad shoulders that would be perfect to hold onto, tapering down into a slim waist that has him feeling dizzy. Those arms are no joke either, and Jungwon briefly wonders if he’d be able to wrap his hands around them. 

Fucking hell.

The boy takes that very moment to lift his head from where he’d been bowed over his phone, shaking closely-cropped, dark hair out of his face. Jungwon catches an eyeful of strangely-recognizable features, from thick brows to a strong jaw and he frowns, because why is he-

It hits him. 

Oh, God, Jungwon realizes with dawning horror. He knows that face. 

Without a thought, he’s diving under the counter, out of view from the truck window. His heart hammers in his chest, his palms slick with sweat because-

What the hell is Park Jay doing here, in Seoul, when it’s thirty-three Celsius out, and more importantly, shirtless?

Hurriedly, he’s scrambling for his phone, groping blindly at the counters without daring to get off his knees. Relief jolts through him as his hand closes around beads, fingers nearly flying with the haste he unlocks the phone and races to Sunoo’s number.

The number you have dialed-

A curse hisses itself from between his teeth. “This isn’t the time, Sunoo-hyung,” he whispers furiously as if he sounds desperate enough, the other will sense it and pick up his phone. “Pick up, please-”

It only goes to voicemail and Jungwon crumples, staring in disbelief at the blinking screen. He’s ready to toss the useless box of wires but pauses because he has yet to pay it off.

Fuck installment plans. 

This can’t be happening. Last Jungwon had checked, Park Jay had been long gone to the States, living out his merry American Dream. But there’s no mistaking it—Jungwon would recognize those features from a mile away. And now the owner of said features is advancing, getting closer and closer with every moment he spends cowering under the counter. 

What sort of punishment is this, for Jay—who has seemingly materialized in Seoul—to stumble upon Jungwon working at his summer job at an ice cream truck? And not only is he working in one, but he is also working while outfitted in a pink apron, complete with frills and bows, and to put the cherry on top, a cap snug around his head . Whoever had designed this uniform, Jungwon solemnly swears to haunt them after his death. 

It doesn’t help that he’s sporting a head of raspberry blue, and why had he thought it had been a good idea to let Sunoo convince him to dye his hair? 

Jungwon weighs the pros and cons of freezing himself in the ice-cream fridge. 

He doesn’t get too far into detailing his will (with nothing left for Sunoo, of course), when he hears that low voice he knows far too well and had never expected to hear again, hesitation seeped into it. 

“Hello?”

Maybe, he can just hide here forever. Camp out under the counter until Jay gives up and goes on his way because surely, there are stranger things in Seoul than an unattended ice cream truck, aren’t there?

Unfortunately, for him, Jay doesn’t let up. He’s rapping his knuckles against the side of a truck. “Anyone here? I swear I saw…” 

It dawns on Jungwon that there’s no running away from this. One way or another, he’ll have to stand up and face Jay. He may as well rip off the bandage as soon as possible.

He just needs to play it cool, as if Jay does not affect him whatsoever. Sucking in a breath, he unscrews his eyes from where they had been shut, exhales. He’s shooting up from where he’d been sitting, scaring the wits out of Jay, who jumps back with a yelped curse as Jungwon appears into view-

And subsequently, bangs his head against the sloped roof of the truck. 

Pain bursts along his forehead and he’s staggering back. “Ouch-” He groans as he cradles his poor, poor head, stars flickering in and out of his vision, and really, this day couldn’t get any worse.

It can, because Jay is spluttering, concerned as he peers over at where Jungwon’s doubled over. “Holy shit, are you okay?”

The pain numbs into an afterthought and Jungwon is acutely aware that he just hit his head in front of Park Jay. 

“Kill me already,” Jungwon whimpers, wishing for his organs to turn into ice cream so he can melt to the floor then and there. Jay doesn’t seem to hear him, too busy craning his head to check on Jungwon.

“That was a hard hit, do you-”

Jungwon holds up a hand, stopping the other in his tracks. “I’m fine,” he forces out, somehow managing to sound collected—if there’s one thing Jungwon has ever been good at, it is feigning calmness. “Amazing actually, perfectly okay.” 

He finally looks at Jay properly, and the way the churning of his stomach picks up its pace as their eyes meet is not a good sign at all. Jungwon makes the mistake of looking downwards because lord, those muscles are far more prominent up close-

Jay speaks and Jungwon hurriedly tears his eyes away from where he’d been shamelessly ogling at the defined  lines of his abdomen. “You sure you’re alright?” 

Jungwon’s shoulders are tense as he nods, not trusting himself to speak over the confused droning of his thoughts. Why is Jay speaking to him formally? Polite and unfamiliar, as if he is stranger, as if-

He doesn’t know who Jungwon is? 

Jay cocks his head as Jungwon continues to stare, offering him a hesitant smile. He didn’t, Jungwon realizes. He didn’t recognize him. 

He’s not sure whether to cheer or cry. 

Hurriedly, he averts his eyes, grabbing onto the register more to busy his hands than anything else. If Jay doesn’t recognize him, then this is going to be much easier than Jungwon had expected. Save for keeping his gaze from slipping to Jay’s chest, that is. 

“What can I get for you today?” Jungwon chirps, hoping that his plastered smile isn’t twitching the way it feels it is. Jay lifts a brow, amused, something he shouldn’t have done if he wants Jungwon to remain sane and coherent.

He really needs to get himself together. 

“A scoop of chocolate chip in a small cone,” Jay says, still looking entirely too amused. Jungwon punches in the order with shaking hands and he’s more than grateful for the excuse to turn his back on the other, hurrying to fetch the cone from the end of the truck. 

His hand finds the cones and he stills. This must be a dream, right? Jay, shirtless, sauntering up to his ice cream truck, Jungwon clad in this horrendous uniform? 

Just to test the waters, he pinches himself, and yelps. He thinks he hears Jay chuckle and a new wave of warmth rushes to his face. Most definitely not a dream.

What had Jay wanted again? Chocolate cake? Cookie dough? He’s blindly scooping up whichever is closest to him, more caught up with the fact that this is very much taking place right now. When he returns to the window, Jay’s smirking, mirth in his eyes. “I hope you didn’t hurt yourself again.”

Their fingers brush and Jungwon very nearly jolts back before he’s forcing a laugh. “I… didn’t,” he says, and Jay hums, thoughtful. 

He’s taken only one lick of his ice cream and he’s pausing, frowning. “This is-” When Jungwon blinks up at him the other backtracks, shaking his head. “Delicious.” His gaze hasn’t left him, and Jungwon pretends he doesn’t feel it as he rings up the other. “So.”

Jungwon’s attention is once more dragged to him, hands pausing on the register. He nearly swallows his tongue at the sight of Jay leaning his arms onto the lip of the counter, licking at his ice cream with languid flicks of his tongue. 

“You come here often?”

A beat. Jungwon blinks. “I’m… sorry?” Jay only continues to look at him, and Jungwon fumbles. “This is—this is my summer job,” he says, gesturing unhelpfully to his hat. “I have to come.”

Jay follows his gesture anyway, grinning at the sight of the hat. “We’ll be seeing each other often then,” he says, pointing behind him, and Jungwon stiffens. “I live just around the corner.”

Oh, no, Jungwon thinks.

“Oh, no,” Jungwon blurts out. Jay pauses. 

“‘Oh, no?’”

A little too late, he realizes his mistake. “I meant—oh, no way!” He laughs again, the sound getting stuck halfway up his throat and coming out a little more than choked. “That’s—that’s cool.”

Jungwon’s quitting his job. 

The grin broadens before Jay’s finally, finally pulling away from the counter, giving Jungwon very-much needed space. It also means he’s treated with the full sight of Jay’s bare chest once more. “Cool. I’ll be seeing you around, Jungwon.” 

He nods dumbly before his brain catches up with the full sentence, head snapping to stare at Jay, who’s just begun to retreat. No way. “You-” 

Jay pauses from where he’d been stepping away. “Me?”

Jungwon closes his mouth, opens it again. “You remember me?” 

A frown. “I’m sorry?”

“You—how—my name-?”

Understanding floods Jay’s face before he’s wordlessly gesturing to… Jungwon’s apron? Following where the other is pointing, Jungwon glances down to— oh.

His nametag.

Of course.

“Oh,” Jungwon says. “Oh. Nevermind. Have a-”

“Wait.” Jay’s studying his face and Jungwon resists pulling down his cap to hide his face, because shit, this is how his cover gets blown, isn’t it? Because of his idiocy? “Am I supposed to remember you?”

“Not at all!” Jungwon chirps, nodding his head so violently his chin nearly smacks against his chest. “I must’ve gotten confused, sorry! Thank you for your patronage! See you next time.” 

There’s a crinkle between Jay’s brows but to Jungwon’s relief, he doesn’t press. “No worries. See you around, then?”

Jungwon nods, mostly just so Jay can finally, finally, turn and trudge off. He most definitely doesn’t gawk at the other’s strong back as he does, and it’s only when he’s a distant shadow does Jungwon realize that the receipt is crumpled in his fist. 

“Wait, your receipt-!” He pauses as he catches sight of the order, eyes widening. 

Chocolate chip, the receipt reads. Jungwon had not given Jay chocolate chip at all. 

His phone rings just as he’s trying to make sense of what the hell he just experienced and he nearly trips over himself in his hurry to seize his vibrating phone, sliding to accept. Sunoo filters into the screen, a pair of shades nestled onto his nose and grinning brightly. “Hey, Jungwonie-!”

“Kim Sunoo,” Jungwon all but growls into the phone, “you’ll never believe what just happened.”

To Jungwon’s utter dismay, he doesn’t quit his job after all. Neither does he manage to convince his employer, a grave-faced woman with ruddy cheeks and a stern disposition, to change his route. Or even, at the very least, swap his uniform for something less ridiculous. 

Sunoo is even less helpful—he listens to Jungwon’s absurd story and nearly blows a lung with his wheezing, smacking his palms together gleefully as if Jungwon’s life is a silly play and he is an avid audience member. 

“Have fun,” he chortles as Jungwon grieves over the misfortune that has befallen him, “and send me a picture, while you’re at it.”

Jungwon ends the call.

So here he is now, draped in baby pink and stripes, sporting his stupid hat, stationed where he had been yesterday. Claiming that he isn’t on edge would make him a liar—his fingers constantly drum against his thigh and every time the shrill noise of the bell ringer sounds he nearly breaks his neck checking who it is, earning him quite a few strange looks. 

“Do you think if you turn any faster, you’ll snap your neck?” Riki, the neighborhood kid who’s too tall for his own good and sports a choppy, short ponytail, wonders out loud, and Jungwon fixes him with a withering glare. “Dang, who shoved the stick up your ass?” 

“Get lost, Riki,” Jungwon sighs, counting out coins from the register for change and all but throwing them into the kid’s face. He catches them easily, unfazed.

“You’re going to chase away customers if you act like that,” Riki marvels. “I bet you don’t have a boyfriend.” 

Jungwon slaps a palm onto the counter, glower intensifying by tenfold. “What does that mean? I could have a girlfriend-”

Riki shakes his head, solemn. “Definitely not.” 

With that, he’s walking off without offering any further explanation. Jungwon watches him go, mouth agape.

His confusion is quick to morph into bitterness. So what if Jungwon doesn’t have a boyfriend, huh? It’s not any of the other’s business. He’s not unpopular by any means—Jungwon’s single by choice, because the last time he’d tried to ask out someone-

The memory resurfaces and just like that, his thoughts are led right back to Jay. Jungwon grimaces.

It might have been a year, but the events are still clear in his head—mustering up every last bit of his courage to approach Jay back when the other had yet to graduate, blurting out a “ will you go out with me, ” being met with a frown.

“Aren’t you Heeseung’s little brother?”

Jungwon’s cheeks flood with an embarrassed warmth at the memory and he slaps his hands over his cheeks. Even now, the reminder has humiliation burning hot through him, and it had been so much worse at the time.

He hadn’t been let down gently or even cruelly rejected, but—little brother-zoned.

To say Jungwon had agonized over it for days is an understatement. It’s safe to say that the news of Jay heading for the States had been a cause for celebration. Jungwon would never see Jay again and by extension, would never relieve that terrible memory.

Except the world thought it funny to throw a wrench into his plans, and now Jungwon’s bristling, nervous as he glances out the window every few minutes as if expecting Jay to materialize out of thin air.

At least Jay didn’t recognize him, although that, too, stings. Humiliate a boy and proceed to forget who he was in an instant? Jungwon wants to dig his fingers into the other’s unfairly-broad shoulders and shake him vigorously. 

Heaving a sigh, he banishes the thought of the other from his head. It’s not as if he’ll come back today in the same way he had yesterday, lacking a shirt and glowing in the sun. 

Somewhat collected, Jungwon turns on his heel to count bills once more-

And nearly screams because Park Jay is right there , arms resting on the counter and a cheek pillowed against a palm as he watches Jungwon. 

He’s also shirtless. 

By some miracle, Jungwon doesn’t scream. What he does do is stumble backwards, back smacking against the counter behind him as he stares, wide-eyed, a strangled “Jay?” escaping him. 

Said Jay raises a hand in greeting. “Yo.”

Jungwon attempts to speak. Nothing comes out but an unintelligible garble and he swallows, trying again. “Who does that?”

Jay tilts his head, the epitome of innocence. The black cord around his neck shifts at the movement and Jungwon’s eyes are drawn to the silver pendant that he’d missed the day before, glinting against his chest in the shape of a cross. “Does what?”

“Just watches?”

“You seemed deep in thought,” Jay says, “so I didn’t want to bother you.” His eyes are bright, playful, and Jungwon wonders just how much he had witnessed. Had he seen Jungwon slap his cheeks? That’d be embarrassing. “Besides,” he continues, “I thought I’d get back at you for scaring me yesterday.” 

His heart finally slows to a steady pace. “Just now, that’s something a creep would say.” 

One of Jay’s brows lifts. “Funny you say that when I could've sworn I just heard you call me by name, which I’ve never shared with you. Sounds like someone is doing some stalking, huh?”

“Stalking-” The gravity of the claim hits him and Jungwon shakes his head, aghast. “I did not—I’m not a creep, you’re the one without the shirt here!” 

The confusion deepens on Jay’s face. “What do shirts have to do with this?”

What sort of person walks around in public half-naked? Is what Jungwon wants to say, but instead opts for a muttered, “I didn’t stalk you. I… know you.” 

“You know me,” Jay repeats. “Do you mean in a ‘friend of a friend’ way or an ‘I searched you up online-’”

“I attended Decelis, alright?” Jungwon blurts out. He’s regretting the admission immediately as Jay’s brows shoot up, but it’s too late to turn back so he plunders on. “That’s how I know you. Everyone knows—knew you there.”

There’s a lull in which Jay just stares at him and for one, terrible moment, Jungwon’s convinced Jay remembers. It passes as a smile breaks out across his face. “Decelis! No wonder,” he chortles. “That makes sense. Why’d you hide it for so long?”

“I wasn’t hiding it,” Jungwon grumbles. “Pardon me for not wanting to associate myself with that school.”

“That’s fair,” Jay agrees before he’s leaning forward, peering into Jungwon’s face. “I’m surprised I don’t remember you.”

Jungwon chews on his lip. “We never had the same classes and I wasn’t in any clubs, so-”

“Still, I think I’d remember someone like you,” Jay says and he flushes, averting his gaze to the register. “Are you sure you weren’t in any clubs?” 

“I’m sure.” He clears his throat, ready to abandon this topic and get Jay’s scrutinizing gaze far, far away from him. “What can I get for you today?” 

The other’s still studying him carefully but to Jungwon’s relief, finally retreats. “Surprise me.”

From where he’s poised over the register, ready to punch in the other’s order, Jungwon glances up. “What?”

Jay shrugs, arms crossed over his chest. “You heard me. I’m curious to see what your taste is like.” 

You, Jungwon’s traitorous brain supplies. You’re my taste, he thinks before he’s jolting back into focus, horrified by his thoughts. He really needs to be put down. 

“Don’t ask for your money back if you don’t like it,” Jungwon mutters and Jay easily agrees. Voice sticky in his throat, Jungwon scurries to the assembly of ice cream and plethora of toppings, already overthinking his decisions. 

Jay had chosen a cone yesterday, hadn’t he? Does that mean he’s more of a cone person than a cup one? Jungwon had messed up his order but he hadn’t complained, so that must mean he isn’t picky. 

What had he wanted originally? Chocolate… crumble? No, that wasn’t it. Chocolate… 

Chocolate chip, Jungwon recalls in a moment of clarity. Perfect!

Without wasting any time, he’s ladening a cone with a scoop of chocolate chip, a little clumsy as he dabs on a dollop of whipped cream. Nervous but also confident about his decision, he presents the cone to Jay, who takes it with mild interest.

“Remembered my order today, huh?” An itch of embarrassment crawls up Jungwon’s neck and he stops himself from reaching up to scratch it. 

“That was an accident,” he says. “I was… distracted.”

It’s the wrong thing to say because Jay’s eyes glimmer, almost knowingly. “Do you usually get distracted by other customers?”

Jungwon chooses to avoid the question entirely, holding out a hand. “Are you going to pay or what?”

The humor is still playing across Jay’s face as he offers his card for Jungwon to swipe. “It’s nice to see someone from Decelis after a long time—makes it feel like much hasn’t changed.”

At the mention of it, Jungwon perks up. It’s his chance to search for answers and he grasps it with both hands. “You were in the States, right?”

“Keeping up with me, I see,” Jay says, prompting a wrinkle of his nose.

“It’s all anyone was talking about, it’d be harder not to know.” 

That draws a laugh from Jay. “You’re right, I was—stayed in Seattle and traveled around for a bit. It’s nice to be back here now, preparing for university-”

“University? You’re staying in Seoul?” The first dredges of a realization creep over him—so Jay hadn’t gone to the States to attend university after all? He’ll be staying in Korea? Which means-

“Mhm, I’ve been looking into it and I prefer to stay here for my studies and— shit-” The curse has Jungwon looking up just in time to see Jay thumb away a dollop of ice cream that had spilled onto his chest and bring the same very thumb to his mouth, his tongue darting out to lick it off.

Jungwon wishes he hadn’t looked up at all.

Jay’s still plundering on, something about acceptance rates and scholarships, but Jungwon isn’t listening at all, rooted to the spot. 

“-which is why I—Jungwon?” Swallowing, Jungwon rips his eyes away from where they’d been fixed onto Jay’s hands and meets the other’s gaze once more. “Went into a daze there.”

“Must’ve been the heat,” Jungwon lies, forcing a smile of normalcy. Jay makes a sympathetic sound. 

“Being in all those layers must be hard, I’d never be able to do it,” Jay muses, gesturing to himself. “Even without a shirt, I’m still sweating all over.” He accentuates his words with a pat against his chest and Jungwon’s thankful, for once, that his surely-burning face can be chalked up to the summer heat. “Good thing you’re just around the corner.”

“Yeah,” Jungwon repeats lamely because all he can think about is spilled ice cream and Jay’s hands and how they’d probably be able to hold him down without a struggle, “good…” 

What is he going on about? This is the worst thing that’s ever happened to him, second only to being humiliated by the very same smiling boy across from him.

He tries to speak again, only to be interrupted by the shrill sound of the bell ringer. It’s both their turn to jump, and Jungwon has never been more thankful for the appearance of Riki’s face. The younger spares Jay only a fleeting glance before he’s smacking a wad of one thousand won bills onto the counter. “Matcha and peanut butter in a large cone.” 

“Who do you think you’re commanding around?” Jungwon snaps, frowning, and Riki shrugs. Jay glances between the two of them.

“I should leave you to work then,” he says, Jungwon startling at the abrupt end of the conversation. “I’ll see you later.” 

With that, he’s taking off once more. Today, Jungwon manages to keep himself from ogling the other’s retreating back, instead diverting his attention to Riki.

His disgust at Riki’s chosen combination is overshadowed by his bewilderment. “Didn’t you already get ice cream today?”

Riki shrugs. “I wanted more. And also,” he leans over the counter as if he’s sharing a particularly juicy secret, making a point of glancing over his shoulder, “you looked like if he didn’t leave soon you’d kill him. Or kiss him.”

Any gratitude drains away. “Remember how I told you to get lost? That still stands. Get out.” 

“Man, not even a ‘thank you?’” Clicking his tongue, Riki swipes the bills off the counter and stuffs them back into his pockets. “If it makes you feel any better, Jay-hyung’s just as single as you-”

“Get lost.” 

Over the next few weeks, Jungwon learns three important things.

One: Jay is apparently incapable of wearing a shirt. Whether it be rain or shine, the only article of clothing on his torso is the corded pendant that’s slung across his neck, much to the suffering of Jungwon’s poor, poor gay self. He doesn’t think he’ll ever get used to the sight of a topless Jay waltzing to the truck. 

Second: whether it be for a minute or for as long as half an hour, Jay will find something to make conversation about with Jungwon one way or another. It can be a thorough discussion on his workout regime (a particularly scarring experience for Jungwon, what with all the flexing and flaunting) or droning about his love for cats (the two of them bond over their shared allergies) or, in instances that occur one too many times, blunt flirting from the other that has Jungwon fumbling and heat surging to his face. 

And third: Jungwon is so, so weak. Much to his dismay, his crush from his third year of high school resurfaces and before he knows it, he’s looking forward to Jay’s daily visits. 

Sunoo finds it all incredibly entertaining, entirely unhelpful whenever Jungwon video calls with his newest complaints about Jay. “Why not shoot your shot,” he suggests, blowing at his glittery, emerald green nails. “It’s not like he remembers you. Then again, if you do get rejected for the second time, that’ll be just embarrassing-”

He dissolves into cackles as Jungwon puffs his cheeks and threatens to revoke his best friend status. 

“It’s just this summer,” he says after his laughs have finally faded off. “You’ll never see him again after.” 

It doesn’t do much to offer comfort and Jungwon’s disgruntlement carries all the way to his shift, moody as he scoops ice cream into cones and all but shoves them into the sticky hands of little kids. 

Riki doesn’t help either, thinking it hilarious to decide to pull a prank on an already-grumpy Jungwon. “Whoops!” he says, cheerful as he grabs onto the ice cream rather than the cone, and now there’s a mess of sugar and milk on the streets. 

Jungwon doesn’t hesitate to hurtle the now-empty cone at the younger.

All in all, it’s been a terrible day. It’s bound to only get worse once Jay makes an appearance in all his shirtless glory, boyish smile wide and annoyingly handsome. God, Jungwon wants to wring his neck. And also cop a feel of his biceps while he’s at it.

Groaning, he drops his head onto the counter. The steel is cool against his forehead, doing little to stave off the summer heat. There are the sounds of approaching footsteps but Jungwon can’t be bothered to raise his head, opting to stay put.

The footsteps come to a stop before him and there’s a gentle hand poking at his head. “Falling asleep on the job?” 

“Shut up,” Jungwon groans. He’s not quite ready to deal with Jay just yet. “Leave me alone.”

Jay mutters something under his breath that Jungwon doesn’t catch. “I could complain to your manager, you know.”

“I’ve been trying to get fired.” Counting to three, he raises his head, lightheaded from the onslaught of the heat of the sun and the cold of the counter. “You’re just helping me out here-”

His eyes find Jay and he’s screeching to a stop because of the sheer shock that jolts through him. He doesn’t think it through when his mouth is opening, blurting out words. “You’re wearing a shirt.” 

The corner of Jay’s lips quirks upwards. “I’m also soaked.” 

“I can… I can see that.” 

There are no other words he can manage past that because Jay is wearing an actual shirt. A shirt that’s wholly soaked through, translucent as it clings to Jay’s torso, leaving nothing to the imagination. 

Somehow, the drenched shirt is far more obscene than Jay not wearing one at all, emphasizing every line and curve of his body. Similar to his body, his hair is wet, sticking to his forehead, messy in a way that has Jungwon’s stomach rolling. 

Droplets of water dot the column of his neck. Against his will, he watches as one rolls down his neck, soaking into the neckline of his shirt. 

Jungwon swallows.

“I was washing my car today,” Jay offers helpfully. “Had a little incident with the hose and…” He gestures to himself as if Jungwon’s eyes aren’t practically swallowing him whole. 

“Oh,” Jungwon says. “Aren’t you wet?”

The question leaves his mouth and his hands twitch with the urge to smack himself. To his relief, Jay doesn’t eye him in judgment or call his behavior, instead chuckling. “Yeah,” he agrees. “It’s uncomfortable, actually, so let me-”

Jungwon had been convinced this day couldn’t have gotten any worse. He had, in fact, been gravely mistaken, and Jay must be bent on proving him wrong, because-

His arms are crossing over one another as he reaches for the hem of his shirt, snatching fistfuls of it. In one, fluid motion, he’s raising his arms, peeling off the wet fabric. Tan skin fills his vision and Jungwon’s brain proceeds to short-circuit. 

He doesn’t realize his fists have clenched until a loud crunch fills the air; Jungwon glances down to find the broken remnants of a waffle cone grasped in his palms. 

Without a word, he’s wheeling around. Grabbing onto the counter to hold his suddenly-weak knees up, screwing his eyes shut. Jay’s voice floats into the truck, thick with concern. “Jungwon-ah? You okay?”  

His knuckles have gone white from where he holds onto the counter. “Give me… give me a minute,” Jungwon somehow manages to grit out between clenched teeth. “Just going to—make this order real quick-”

Jay’s confusion only deepens. “I’m the only one here?” 

“It’s for me ,” he snaps. To hell with not sneaking free ice cream—at the moment, with his body running hot, he’ll gladly make an exception. Anything to cool down the uncomfortable warmth pooling low in his belly. 

Somehow, he manages to collect himself and turn back. It’s all for naught at the sight of Jay’s wet shirt slung over a bare shoulder, the other having the audacity to look worried. “Are you-”

Jungwon jabs his cone at Jay. “If you don’t shut up now,” he says clearly, “I am going to throw this at you.”

Wisely, Jay shuts up. 

Later, Riki swings by. He eyes the two of them from where they’re suspended in silence before hopping over to Jungwon, pressing a cool bottle of water into Jungwon’s hands, wet with condensation. “For you,” he says. “As an apology.” He dips a little closer, just enough so that only Jungwon can hear him. “And because you’re looking a little thirsty.”

Riki emerges with a new record of not one, but two cones thrown at him in a day. 

The cheerful ding-ding of the bell ringer has Jungwon springing up from where he’d been digging through the trunk’s compartments, searching for a stack of fresh cups. He’s greeted with that easy smile and tousled dark hair that are now a familiar sight after weeks on weeks of visits. “You’re late,” he says in ways of welcome.

“Memorized my schedule, huh?” Jay rests his arms onto the counter as he watches Jungwon bustle from one end of the shop to another, busily unloading cups and spoons. “Do you look forward to seeing me that much?”

“More like prepare myself for what you’ll pull today,” Jungwon grunts. “Are you actually here for ice cream this time or are you going to waste my time again?”

“Don’t be like that.” Jay flicks him with a finger and Jungwon pulls his arm away, frowning. “Be honest, you enjoy my company.”

“I think I’ll take Riki over you.”

A wounded noise. “Now you’re just playing with me.”

Jungwon suppresses the smile threatening to climb to his face and instead arranges the cups for the sake of doing something. “You didn’t answer my question.”

With a groan, Jay’s propping himself up onto his elbows. “I’ll get ice cream today.”

“About time-”

“But only if you eat with me too,” Jay finishes and Jungwon pulls up short, cocking a brow. 

“Just because I’m an employee doesn’t mean I can just eat my fill, you know-”

The other’s quick to wave him off with an impatient hand. “I’ll buy, don’t sweat it.” Noticing Jungwon’s hesitance, he’s shuffling closer, imploring. “Come on.”

“My shift isn’t over until…” 

“A break won’t do anything.” Jay sweeps a hand around them. “There isn’t anyone else here but us anyway.” 

That’s all the convincing it takes for Jungwon to cave, and he grudgingly sets aside the cups. “Don’t regret it when I choose all the expensive things,” he warns.

Jay remains unfazed. “Buy ten if you want,” he says, Jungwon eying him in disbelief. Damn rich kids.

Despite his threats, he settles for an ordinary cone of classic vanilla. By contrast, Jay’s is a chocolate-dipped waffle cone of peanut butter cup, smothered in hefty drizzles of chocolate syrup. Jungwon decidedly does not think about how similar the exchange is to a date as he hops out of the truck and hands Jay his cone.

They recline against the doors of the brightly-colored truck, licking off their loaded cones under the dying light of the setting sun. The first taste of the ice cream is near-heavenly and Jungwon understands Riki’s dedication to dropping by daily—the ice cream is the perfect balance of thick and creamy, just sweet enough on his tongue.

Here, seated on the ground, they’re the closest they’ve been all summer, no longer separated by a counter. If either of them shifts in place, their arms will brush. Jungwon does not entertain the thought. 

He briefly startles as a hand comes to nudge at his cap; Jay, peering at it curiously. “I’ve always found your hat funny,” he says and Jungwon growls, batting his hand away. “It’s just… there.”

The visor is ridiculous, just like the rest of his uniform. Pink like his uniform and featuring embroidery of a cone of ice cream. Jungwon hates it. “Let’s see you try to make it look good,” he huffs, ducking away from Jay’s curious fingers. To his surprise, Jay only shrugs, extending a hand.

“Sure."

Apprehension creeps in as Jungwon narrows his eyes. He has a feeling this isn’t going to go the way he wants it to but he’s taking the hat off anyway, handing it over. 

Jay’s smile turns sly as he ducks his head, carding fingers through his hair to push it back before he’s fixing the visor onto his head. Raising his chin, his grin widens. “What’d you think?”

God no doubt has favorites because somehow, Jay makes the dorky hat look good and Jungwon’s heart does something funny. Scowling deeply, he snatches it off Jay’s head, who lets out a grunt of surprise. “No.”

“No?”

“Just no.” With that, Jungwon tucks the cap under his arm and directs his attention back to his steadily-melting ice cream. Jay snorts a laugh but doesn’t push him any further. 

“Summer’s coming to an end soon.” Jay begins, Jungwon responding with a low hum. “It’s too bad—I’ll miss seeing you here.”

“You mean you’ll miss having sweets right next door.”

“That too.” He doesn’t elaborate but the implications are clear as day—Jay, Park Jay, the same one who had rejected him—would miss him. 

They ruminate in the silence before Jay clears his throat. “Actually, Jungwon,” he says, prompting Jungwon to look up from his cone, “I was-” His gaze skates downward and he breaks off. “You spilled some.” 

Jungwon blinks. “Huh?” 

At his confusion, Jay crooks a finger at him just as wetness against his hand has him glancing down to find rivulets of ice cream dripping onto his hand. With a curse, he’s sticking his hands out to avoid spilling any onto himself. 

“Shit-” Wasting no time, he’s on his knees, making a move to rise. “Let me go get tissues-”

He’s hardly gotten an inch off the ground and Jay’s hand is clasping around his wrist in a bruising grip, yanking Jungwon back down while drawing a yelp out of him. “You don’t need them,” Jay says and Jungwon’s forehead crinkles. He opens his mouth, ready to question the other-

-Only for all of it to rush out of him in the form of a gasp because Jay’s tugging his hand higher, the pads of his fingers rough and firm against his wrist, until his sticky palm is pressed to Jay’s parted lips. 

It is as if he’s been hypnotized, rooted to the spot, unable to move away. Any strength in him to yank his hand away has been drained from him into nothing, and all he can do is watch, eyes wide as that pink tongue he’d seen lick off countless cones darts out, swiping against his skin. 

Jay’s tongue against his skin is ticklish and wet, a surge of suffocating heat blooming within him at the sensation. He’s thorough, careful in licking off every streak of spilled ice cream, and Jungwon shudders at the rough touch , goosebumps no doubt peppering down the lengths of his arms. 

His lungs constrict, reminding him he needs to breathe. It’s all for naught as Jay’s gaze lifts, locking onto his. Jungwon’s never quite been as helpless as he is now, body limp against the truck and wrist held captive. The sound of his heart drowns out all others and he finds he’s incapable of tearing his eyes away from the other’s. 

After what must be only a minute but feels as if it had gone on for hours, Jay’s drawing back. His lips are slick and glossy, eyes dark and the sight has Jungwon’s chest seizing. 

“There,” Jay murmurs, and has his voice always been this low? “All clean.”

Finally, finally, his fingers slip from Jungwon’s wrist. It falls back into his lap. 

There are tingles at the tips of his fingers, a fire raging in his blood. All he manages to do is offer a weak nod, head cloudy from the searing heat, throat working around words that he can’t push past his lips. 

Jay rises to his feet, crumpling the wrapper in his fist. “It’s getting late,” he says, addressing a shell-shocked Jungwon. “Your shift should be over by now, right?” When Jungwon doesn’t answer, he cocks his head, worry washing over his features. “Jungwonie?”

Through some stroke of luck, he manages to find his voice. “Y-yeah.” His voice cracks embarrassingly and he coughs. “I’ll… I’ll pack up. You can get going.”

The “ please ” is left unsaid, and Jungwon pleads internally for the other to leave him because at the moment, he doesn’t think he’s capable of getting to his feet. Jay studies him and the world must be taking pity on him because he nods without protest. 

“Alright, Wonie. Thanks for agreeing to eat with me. I’ll see you?”

Jungwon offers another nod, smile tight-lipped and strained. The moment the other has turned his shoulders are sagging heavily as he crumples, a slow breath whistling itself from him.

Raising his hand, he stares at it, the phantom sensation of Jay’s tongue against his skin drawing another shiver from him.

It’s not entirely the summer heat that has his body burning hot, and for the rest of the week, Jungwon’s skin is radioactive, tingling with every brush of Jay against him. 

Three days.

Three days before Jungwon would finally be free from the shackles of his summer job. He’d never have to don this absurd uniform or deal with another one of Riki’s nasty pranks or suffer through Jay flaunting his stupid muscles ever again. Jungwon could weep from delight. 

As the end of summer draws nearer and nearer, Jay spends more and more time at the truck, whether it be to chat with Jungwon or loiter around for the hell of it, watching him as he works. After what had occurred last week, Jungwon’s not sure how he should behave around the other. 

His body decides to take that matter into his own hands, freezing up if Jay draws even a little close and proceeding to drop whatever it is he’s holding. It makes for a series of awkward situations, with Jay hesitant as he offers his help and Jungwon, blushing furiously and wishing to melt into the floor. 

Today, too, Jay’s here. Languid as he rests against the truck, Jungwon’s neck prickling from the constant eyes on him. For the most part, he chooses to ignore it; with the season of kids playing outdoors and ice cream trucks coming to an end, there are a flurry of tasks he has, the first of which is what will most likely be the most enjoyable of them all: taste-testing. 

A childish glee rushes through him as he pries open the lid of the freezer to find it filled with pints of flavors he has yet to try, a plethora of colors and tastes. The delight is dampened when he turns to fetch a spoon to begin his taste-testing sprint to find Jay still watching him.

Jungwon arches a brow. “It’s rude to stare, you know,” he says and Jay pushes off from where he’d been staring off in the younger’s general direction. 

He offers a cheeky smile that has no remorse or shame whatsoever. “Oops.”

With a sigh, Jungwon shakes his head and returns to his task. “If you’re going to hang around here, why don’t you make yourself useful?”

“Oh, yeah? And what do you suggest?” 

Successfully having retrieved a spoon, he’s gesturing with it at the line of flavors awaiting sampling. “Help me taste these flavors so I can give feedback on them,” he says, and the eagerness that fills Jay’s face is almost laughable as immediately, he’s springing up, eyes wide.

“Really? For free?” Giddiness rolls off his words and Jungwon holds back an eye roll—as if Jay wasn’t capable of buying all the ice cream stored here along with the truck itself. 

“Oh, hush.” He’s turning again, raising a brow at Jay who hasn’t moved an inch. “What’re you doing?” Jay blinks and Jungwon gestures to the truck door. “Get in here.” 

Jay doesn’t need to be told twice; the moment Jungwon is beckoning him in, he’s headed for the door, clambering inside. Jungwon realizes a little too late as the other glances around curiously that maybe inviting a half-naked, hot guy that he’s very much attracted to into a small space isn’t the brightest idea he’s ever had. 

“I’ve always wondered how it looked on the inside,” Jay marvels, peering at the clutter of colorful utensils and freezers crammed with ice cream in awe. “So this is where you’ve worked these past few months…” 

It’s almost endearing, how unnecessarily excited Jay is by everything in the truck, poking and prodding at every nook and cranny in interest. “Welcome,” Jungwon says dryly, busily securing the ties of his apron until the fabric is snug against his back. “I hope everything is up to your expectations.”

He leaves Jay to gawk at the details of the interior in favor of wedging open the nearest pint of ice cream, revealing a tantalizing blend of golden ribbons and creamy beige, chocolate wedged through it all—caramel chocolate chip. Eagerly seizing his pink spoon, he’s quick to dig into the concoction for a taste, nearly groaning at the sweetness that bursts across his taste buds. 

“That’s sweet,” he mutters, already tugging the second pint to him when Jay sidles up behind him, broad and warm from where his chest brushes against Jungwon’s back. 

“Leave some for me, will you?” Jay says and Jungwon nearly jumps because the other’s voice is right there, by his ear. To his credit, he manages to keep himself from startling even as alarm bells ring out through his head. 

“Keep up, then,” Jungwon shoots back around a mouthful of ice cream, choosing to focus on prying open the lid of the next pint instead of dwelling on the fact that Jay is all but draped over him and if he dares to take a step back, he’ll most definitely slam into the other’s chest – which is bare, his brain unhelpfully reminds him. “Or I’m finishing it all.” 

His elbow drifts just a little back, brushing against Jay’s arm, and his skin prickles. He swallows. 

Jay’s huffing, something between a laugh and sigh. “Touché,” he says before he’s shuffling even closer, and even Jungwon can’t resist the shiver that crawls up his spine when a hand is settling itself low onto his back, broad and steady. “Any of them look like good candidates?” 

The words shutter against his ears in the form of breaths and Jungwon’s thoughts seem to have slowed as if pushing through molasses. It takes him a moment to remember that Jay has asked him a question. 

“I-” Jay’s hand drifts upwards, finding the ties of his aprons to begin toying with them, gentle tugs that have him stumbling over his words. “I was thinking espresso…” 

His voice tapers off into nothing and he’s acutely aware of every shift from Jay behind him, every exhale and inhale. The spoon in his grip nearly slips from his sweaty palms, and he won’t be surprised if he looks down to find that it’s bent. 

Drawing a breath, he somehow manages to dig into a tub of cake batter and shove a spoonful into his mouth in the hopes it somewhat calms the tingles coursing all over his skin. It’s sweet, a little overwhelming, just as Jay’s presence is. 

The ends of Jay’s hair tickle against his ear. Warm breath ghosts against his neck.

“Good?” Jay asks, and Jungwon nods. “Can I have a taste?”

There are larvae cocooned in his belly, threatening to blossom into butterflies at any moment. “Let me get-”

Jungwon turns, making a move to brush past the other—only for Jay’s free hand to settle on the counter, next to his hip, effectively caging him in place. Pulling up short, he blinks at the hand blocking his path before raising his chin, ready to question.

He doesn’t get much farther than that, because glancing up proves to be a mistake; his eyes find Jay’s and-

Oh, Jungwon thinks. Oh.

Somewhere along the way, Jay’s hand has found the back of his head and the other, his hip. Jungwon has no recollection when either had gotten there—all he knows is that Jay is thumbing circles into the dips of his hip bones and his fingers are tightening in his hair.

“Hey,” Jay mutters, low, and Jungwon looks up at him with a slow flutter of his lashes. “I’m going to kiss you now.” 

“Oh.”

“This is the moment where you tell me if that’s alright or not.” 

Jungwon fumbles because holy shit, is this happening right now. “Oh. That’s-” A shuddering breath before he nods, the cocoons in his stomach ready to burst free. “Yeah-”

A chuckle; Jay is pushing off his visor and his fingers are threading through the dark locks spilling out of his cap and that’s all the warning Jungwon gets before he’s pulled in for a searing kiss. 

The butterflies burst forth, crowding the expanse of his stomach. The spoon falls from his grip, clattering against the floor, a mess to clean up for later. Neither of them pays any mind to it because Jay’s hand is pressed to the nape of his neck, his lips anchored over Jungwon’s, thoroughly stunning him into oblivion and forcing his mind to drown out their noisy surroundings until his accelerating heartbeat is the only sound that pounds in his ears. 

Jay’s mouth is hot and sweet and tastes like the caramel ice cream Jungwon had been sampling just moments ago. All too quickly, he’s breaking apart, bumping his forehead against the bridge of Jungwon’s nose. “Good?”

His palms are sticky—with sweat, with sugar. “G-good,” he agrees, “it’s-”

He’s dragged in by the nape again, Jay’s lips closing over Jungwon’s once more with a sense of urgency that had been lacking earlier. Jay kisses back all the words that had been working out of his mouth, ravishes the very breath out of Jungwon’s lungs—he shudders against the counter, toes curling in his sneakers—all of it in hopes of stoking the flame that flickers within him. Jay’s silver cross pendant presses cooly against his collarbone, the singular grounding force in the heat that threatens to pull him under.  

It’s a struggle to breathe, to formulate coherent thoughts. Jungwon’s hands scramble to find an anchor, somewhere to hold onto lest he be swept away and his palms end up pressing flat against muscles of Jay’s back that he’d eyed from afar oh-so-many times, firm under his touch. Just like that, the flame erupts, sweeping across his skin like a blazing wildfire, and with a desperation he hadn’t known himself to be capable of, he’s surging forward, all but crashing their mouths flat together.

He swears the truck shakes but the thought is overshadowed by Jay as he nips at the plush of his Jungwon’s lower lip, eliciting a surprised gasp from him. The other wastes no time, seizing the prime opportunity to slip his tongue past his parted lips and into his mouth, tasting and swallowing every whimper that escapes the other.

And well, shit. This most definitely outranked any of the clumsy, bumbling kisses Jungwon had been subjected to in high school—all of it now seems like a disgrace in contrast to how skillfully Jay raises his chin and suckles on his lips, drawing all sorts of shivers and shudders out of him. 

By now, with Jay’s hands braced on either side of him and being kissed more deeply than he ever has been before, Jungwon’s long abandoned holding onto the other’s shoulders, seizing fistfuls of dark hair instead. He’s hardly careful with how tight his grasp is and when Jay’s tongue scrapes against his teeth and presses to the roof of his mouth, he’s yanking in a manner that most definitely is painful but only seems to please him instead, Jay groaning into his mouth. The sound only serves to spur on the heat blooming down his skin. 

Jay’s quick to return the favor, slotting a thigh in between Jungwon’s and wasting no time in pressing it upwards, drawing a choked gasp from him before he’s yanking with all his might, and it’s Jay’s turn to again suppress a sound. 

“God,” Jay breathes out as they break apart just enough to gulp down much-needed oxygen, and his voice is hoarse and raw, utterly wrecked and just the sound of it has Jungwon shivering, “been wanting to do this for so long—since I saw you in that apron—all pretty-”

His babbles are hardly illegible and Jungwon latches only onto one word: pretty. He’s making a little, keening sound, nails tattooing crescent moons into the soft skin of the other’s neck and Jay inhales sharply before diving right back in. 

“So pretty, so fucking pretty for me-”

Their mouths, slick with heat, glide at a frantic pace, the friction of their swollen lips sending a delicious heat licking up Jungwon’s spine. A particularly rough scrape of teeth from Jungwon against the other’s lips has him pulling off once more and oh, the sight of Jay, hair mussed from where Jungwon had been gripping, mouth shiny and slick, the smolder in his eyes having only increased by tenfold—it’s enough to rob him of breath again. 

There’s no doubt he’s in a similar state as well: splayed against the counter with his apron crumpled, lips swollen with kisses and chest heaving. Jay isn’t shy in drinking him down hungrily, gaze heavy and shameless. 

His mouth opens and he’s blurting out the very first thing that comes to mind.

“Holy shit.”

Jay laughs, and it’s boisterous, genuine. “Holy shit,” he agrees, and it’s one thing to see that boyish grin from a distance and it’s something else entirely, witnessing it this close and Jungwon’s whisked into a bout of dizziness. “I have a feeling this truck isn’t meant for kissing.”

“Definitely not,” Jungwon says and he never gets past that because Jay’s hands are slipping lower, lower, all the way down to the underside of his thighs to scoop him up and the sentence is morphing into a squeak as he’s lifted and seated onto the counter and oh, yeah, that’s definitely the truck shaking. 

The question rising to his lips disperses instantly as Jay slots himself in between his legs, and there’s that damned hand fiddling with the ties of his apron again. With the other he swings a thumb over Jungwon’s chin to tug his face upwards, touch deceivingly gentle and sweet. 

“Let me know, hm?” Jay says, lazy and clear. “If you need to stop-” 

This time, Jungwon doesn’t let Jay beat him to his answer. Taking advantage of Jay’s momentary pause, he seizes him by the shoulders, pulling him to him. Jay smiles against his lips, murmuring a breathless “cute” into his mouth. 

Jay’s shameless when it comes to situating himself in between Jungwon’s legs more securely and the heels of Jungwon’s feet are finding purchase low on the other’s back. In no time, the kiss is blending into breathy groans and sighs, a messy tangle of lips and hands, of kisses and little gasps.

There’s that sound again, in the back of Jay’s throat, the one that floods him with such euphoria that even intoxicants couldn’t. It supplies Jungwon with a burst of courage, encouraging him to test the waters and rock his hips up against Jay’s; he’s rewarded with yet another stifled moan. 

It doesn’t go ignored. Jay abruptly pulls away for his counterattack that comes in the form of dragging his lips against Jungwon’s jaw. Without much thought, Jungwon tilts his head to the side allowing for easier access. These, the little kisses Jay peppers down the column of his neck, so sweet, so soft, have his knees trembling, his fingers fisting into Jay's hair. 

The sweetness doesn’t last long, the kisses quick to transition into nips at his throat, licks against the bites to soothe them. Jungwon whimpers, fists clenching even tighter. “Jay, please-”

Please, what, he doesn’t have a clue. What he does know is that Jay has finally undone the ties of his apron and is stripping him free of it, carelessly depositing it over his shoulder as he hitches one of Jungwon’s legs around his slender waist, and shit, is Jungwon about to lose his virginity to Park Jay in a fucking ice cream truck?

It sure seems to be that way as Jungwon mouths hotly along the damp skin of Jay’s collarbones, tasting salt as his tongue presses flat, as Jay squeezes fistfuls of the flesh of his thighs. The friction between their hips only escalates, gentle rocks morphing into jerky grinds that have them panting into each other’s mouths. 

It’s so much, and yet, it still isn’t enough. More—Jungwon needs more, whether it’s Jay’s teeth on his neck or his hands slipping under the hem of his shirt, fingering along the waistband of his jeans.

“More,” he pleads, “I want-”

“I’ve got you, baby,” Jay rasps, and the endearment is enough to send a rush of blood to his head. “Tell me what you want-”

What he wants? Well, for one, for Jay to keep kissing him because dear lord, is he good at this. And also to keep doing whatever the hell he is with his hips, pulling sounds from Jungwon he hadn’t even known he was capable of making. 

All of it becomes a blank as Jay kisses the sensitive spot under his ear, a garbled rush of words sprouting from him. “You, want you-”

Jay curses, and Jungwon really shouldn’t find it as hot as does. “Fuck, okay-”

Ring, ring, ring.

The bell ringer shrieks and they both jolt, heads whipping in the direction of it. Jungwon’s initial horror fades at the sight of that familiar, impish face before it morphs into anger. Who did this kid think he is, interrupting Jungwon’s long-awaited makeout session? 

Riki couldn’t look more uninterested as he takes them in. “Are you guys done yet? I want my ice cream.” 

That’s it. Jungwon will choke him. 

Jay’s still gawking at the appearance of the boy, no doubt baffled out of his mind. With a huff, Jungwon smacks his hands on either side of Jay’s face, yanking him back down. It’s less out of desire and more out of the intention to spite Riki as he sticks an arm out from behind Jay’s back, flipping the younger off in a rare moment of crudity. 

That’s what he gets for being a pain in the ass.

“Isn’t this a health hazard?” Riki asks out loud before he’s heaving a sigh and Jungwon can hear his retreating footsteps. He’s a little too distracted by Jay’s tongue pushing into his mouth once more to pay it any mind. 

The kiss intensifies before it relaxes, melding from molten heat into satin. Somehow, Jungwon flushes even hotter at these as Jay abandons his grip on his thighs to lock around his waist instead, hand pressed to the small of his back and their points of contact morphing from suffocating to downright intimate. Everything seems to slow down to this close-fitted beat of breathing bodies and swapping kisses and this time, when they separate, Jungwon finds he can’t meet Jay’s eyes.

What does one even say after being kissed within an inch of their lives? Thank you, wanna do this again next time? He contemplates the words seriously, but before he can make the most likely grave mistake of uttering them, Jay’s releasing a heavy sigh.

“Fuck,” he mutters, and Jungwon tenses as his head drops into the crook between his neck and shoulder, “Heeseung-hyung’s going to kill me.” 

It takes a moment for Jungwon to grasp what the other is speaking on because why is Jay saying another man’s name hardly a minute after making out with-

Wait. 

“Hee… seung?” 

Jungwon knows a Heeseung. Of course, he knows one. He’s lived with one. 

Jay also knows a Heeseung. The same Heeseung he knows, because they’d been joined at the hip back in Decelis. 

A slow, terrible suspicion creeps up on Jungwon. 

There’s no way, right?

“Jay-hyung,” he says, and with Jay pressed to him like this, he doesn’t miss how his shoulders seize up, “what are you talking about?”

It’s not a question, not really. It’s more of a demand and for a moment, Jay doesn’t move. But then he’s inhaling deeply, lifting off of Jungwon’s shoulder. He’s carefully avoiding making eye contact and the suspicion only intensifies. 

“I have… something to confess,” Jay says, and oh, this is not happening right now. “Remember how I said I was surprised I didn’t remember you?” 

This is happening right now, Jungwon realizes, horrified. 

“...I may or may not have realized who you were from the very first day.” 

The Earth pauses on its axis.

Or: Jungwon’s mouth falls ajar, gawping at Jay. Some part of his mind wonders if he had heard him right. He had. He had most definitely heard him right. 

“You… you knew all along?” 

A nod. 

“And you didn’t… say anything?”

Jay shifts, looking uneasy. “I swear I wasn’t trying to make a fool out of you or something, I had my reasons-”

“Reasons,” Jungwon repeats. “I made myself look stupid for the last two months and you-”

“I’m serious!” Jay insists, and Jungwon doesn’t think he’s seen the other ever this flustered before, a sheen of pink on his cheek as he scratches his neck. “I also may or may not have been threatened by your brother on the first day of your third year.”

What.

“Threatened—Heeseung-hyung—third year?” This is all too much. He blinks rapidly as if it’ll help him intake the information quicker. “What?”

Another nervous shift. “I found you cute and Heeseung-hyung was quick to let me know that… you were… off-limits, to say, and wouldn’t have any interest in me whatsoever.”

Jungwon’s thoughts lag. “You thought I was cute?”

Jay looks at him like he’s stupid. “Why wouldn’t I? Imagine my surprise when I see the same cute boy I’ve been warned away from just down the street. I thought maybe if I pretended not to know it’d stop me from being too familiar with you…”

He glances down at their position; Jay fitted between Jungwon’s parted legs, their arms wrapped around one another. “...Clearly, that didn’t work.”

“ Clearly,” Jungwon says, still having difficulty wrapping his head around the fact that apparently not only Jay had known who he was all summer, he’d also apparently found him cute , and Heeseung had threatened him? His forehead crinkles. 

But if that was the case, then why… 

“Then why did you reject me?” The burning question spills from him. “When I asked you out and you-”

He breaks off, choosing to rather not relieve that event again. His confusion reflects on Jay, a deep frown making its way to his face.

“I rejected you?” 

What proceeds is another long silence in which Jungwon stares at the other in disbelief. “Yes?”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Jay says and Jungwon’s mouth unhinges even further. “And—you asked me out?” 

“You—I asked you to go out with me!” Jungwon splutters because no way this was a whole misunderstanding or something equally stupid. “And you—you called me ‘ Heeseung’s little brother,’ how can you not remember?” 

“Oh— oh. Oh, no.” Now, Jay looks positively horrified. “You asked me out then?” 

“Yes?”

“Shit, I didn’t even hear you,” he says, eyes wide, “all I was thinking about how not to fuck up and say something that hyung would come after me for-”

“You did fuck up!” Jungwon squawks, affronted, and he isn’t gentle when he thwacks a heavy hand against Jay’s skull, the other whining. “That was the most embarrassing moment of my life!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry—I can’t believe I didn’t realize-” 

Jungwon sags down heavily. “This is too confusing,” he mutters. “Can’t we just—kiss again?” 

Hardly has the suggestion left his mouth and Jay’s springing back to attention, wicked grin unfolding across his lips. “Sure, but making out in a truck is hard, right? When’s your shift over, baby? My house is just down the street anyway.”

For someone who’d been scared shitless of Heeseung enough to miss Jungwon asking him out, he had remarkably no restraint in keeping himself in line. 

“Soon,” he says. “Which I should probably get back to.”

“You should,” Jay agrees, but he doesn’t move. Jungwon sighs and decides that summer is coming to an end anyway, what’s a little making out in the truck going to do? 

And so he crosses his wrists behind Jay’s neck and brings him down once more, Jay easily relenting. He’s sure to bite down hard enough for it to hurt. “That’s for making me look stupid,” he says. 

“I had no ill intentions in mind, I assure you-” The sentence cuts off into a yelp as Jungwon kicks him in the shin. 

“And that one for walking around shirtless all summer,” he mutters before another suspicion takes hold of him. “Did you do that on purpose?”

Jay’s sheepish grin tells him all he needs to know. 

He’s pulling back and Jay prepares himself for another attack, screwing his eyes shut. Jungwon smiles and presses a kiss to his cheek instead, the other blinking in surprise. “And that’s for calling me cute.” A pause. “You actually like my apron?” 

“It does highlight your waist nicely.” He punctuates his words by reaching down to wrap his hands around said waist once more, and Jungwon kisses him again to tamp down the embarrassment that rushes through him.

“Hey,” Jay says when they’re breaking apart for what must be their sixth or seventh kiss, resting his forehead against Jungwon’s. “Is that date still available?” 

Jungwon doesn’t answer; the corner of his lip lifts, just slightly. “Heeseung-hyung’s going to kill you,” he answers instead and Jay groans with mock fear. 

“I think I’ll take that chance just once,” he says, smacking a wet kiss to Jungwon’s cheekbone that has him giggling. 

Their mouths meet each other halfway once more and it’s with the taste of caramel and cream on his tongue and heat slicking his skin with sweat that Jungwon thinks, with a wry grin, that scooping ice cream for the summer is the best decision he’s ever made. 

…Sunoo’s never going to hear the end of this.