"You want us to what?" Jun-seo asked, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Represent the bakery at the festival," Kwang-su's grandfather repeated, adjusting his apron like this was the most normal request in the world. "You two are young, fresh, and... well, semi-capable."
"We nearly set the kitchen on fire yesterday," Kwang-su pointed out.
"That's exactly why you need redemption," Jun-seo's grandfather added sweetly from the counter.
So now, here they were: side by side behind a festival booth, forced into matching aprons that said "Sweet Boys, Sweeter Bread."
Jun-seo was dying inside.
Kwang-su was thriving.
"You know," Kwang-su said, handing a little girl a pastry with a grin, "I think we make a pretty cute team."
"In your dreams," Jun-seo muttered, fixing a crooked stack of cinnamon rolls.
"Oh, I've dreamed," Kwang-su teased. "It involved fewer pastries and more—"
"Stop."
But the customers kept coming, and somehow they managed to not kill each other. Jun-seo barked orders, Kwang-su flirted with grandmas, and the tray of cookies disappeared fast. Between their bickering and the actual quality of the food, they were somehow the hit of the festival.
That was until Mrs. Han, the local busybody, leaned in and asked too innocently, "So... are you two together?"
Jun-seo choked on his own breath. "Wh—No! We're not—!"
Kwang-su, without missing a beat, leaned over the table and wrapped an arm casually around Jun-seo's shoulder. "Not yet, ma'am."
Jun-seo's eyes widened in horror. "WHAT—"
Mrs. Han giggled. "Oh, young love! Adorable!"
As she waddled away, Jun-seo shoved Kwang-su's arm off. "Are you insane?!"
Kwang-su shrugged. "What? She liked it. We got bonus cookies sold."
"You can't just fake flirt with me!"
Kwang-su raised an eyebrow. "Why not? Did your heart skip a beat?"
"It did not!"
It totally did.
Later that evening, they returned to the bakery, tired and still arguing. But even their insults had lost some of their bite.
As they packed up leftovers, Jun-seo caught Kwang-su watching him. Not teasing, not smirking. Just... watching.
"What?" Jun-seo asked, instantly defensive.
Kwang-su blinked. "Nothing. Just... you looked kinda happy today."
Jun-seo glanced down at the box of pastries. "Well. The customers didn't hate us. I guess that's something."
There was a quiet moment. Not awkward. Just still.
Then, Kwang-su grinned. "So. You wanna wear matching aprons again tomorrow?"
"Only if you want a rolling pin to the head."
"Flirt."
Jun-seo let out a soft laugh before catching himself. "Ugh. I hate you."
But his cheeks were pink again.
And Kwang-su, for once, didn't say anything smart.
He just smiled.