It was 9:42 PM.
The bakery lights were still on.
Jun-seo was at the counter, sleeves rolled up, kneading dough in the dim yellow glow of the kitchen. It was quiet. Too quiet.
No Min-jae.
He had texted Jun-seo, saying something had come up and he couldn't make it.
Shame.
Jun-seo smiled to himself.
"Let's see how long it takes for a certain idiot to show up."
Two minutes later—
SLAM.
The door flew open.
"WHERE IS HE?!"
Jun-seo didn't even flinch.
"Invisible, apparently."
Kwang-su stepped inside, wild-eyed, still in his hoodie and mismatched slippers.
"You said you were working with him!"
"I was," Jun-seo said, not looking up. "He canceled."
"Oh." Pause. "…So why didn't you tell me?"
Jun-seo looked up slowly.
"Why should I?"
Kwang-su opened his mouth. Closed it. Walked over, grabbed an apron from the hook and tied it on with way more aggression than necessary.
Jun-seo raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
"You're not pulling an all-nighter alone."
"Worried I'll overwork myself?"
"Worried you'll get bored without someone annoying to argue with."
Jun-seo gave him a dry look, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
"Fine. You handle the dough. I'll prep the trays."
They worked in silence for a while. Until—
"Hey," Kwang-su said suddenly, voice low, "did you really want Min-jae to stay?"
Jun-seo didn't look up.
"Would it matter if I did?"
"It would piss me off."
A beat.
Jun-seo set down the tray, walked over, and tugged the front of Kwang-su's apron, pulling him just a little closer.
"I didn't want him to stay," Jun-seo whispered. "I wanted you to show up mad like this."
Kwang-su blinked.
"…Are you seriously flirting with me while I'm holding dough?"
Jun-seo smirked.
"You're the one who nearly broke a spatula because I smiled at someone else."
Kwang-su tried to glare. Failed. Looked down at Jun-seo's hand still gripping his apron.
"Let go," he mumbled.
Jun-seo didn't.
"You're such a brat," Kwang-su muttered, cheeks heating up.
"And you're such an idiot," Jun-seo shot back.
Then added, softer—
"But you came anyway."
Silence.
Then the oven dinged.
And just like that, Jun-seo stepped back.
"Cookies are done."
Kwang-su stood frozen. Face flushed. Dough forgotten.
"…I hate you," he mumbled.
Jun-seo smiled as he opened the oven.
"No, you don't."