series: part timer series
warnings: none but as usual this is unedited
summary: clothing store au but like in a mall?? i really don’t know how to describe it
notes: idk if i like this one as much it feels rushed but like it’s so hard to come up with juicy plot when jaemin is like so nice and friendly to literally everyone (except when evil jaemin jumps out uh)
when people first meet na jaemin they assume he’s like a stuck up privileged kid
bc his parents own this huge clothing store in that super trendy new outlet mall
and they think he got a job there without any real qualifications
and rumor has it his house is pretty big
so people who don’t like know him know him act rude sometimes
and it’s honestly so undeserved bc first of all if you see him like helping people with clothes and stuff
he’s so nice and polite and he even gives his opinion
and encourages people to get things that make them feel good about themselves
he also knows where literally everything is
like if you ask where to find the new nike shoes he can take you to the exact place and
if you wanna know where the vera wang tops are?? he knows that too
and once in a while you’ll find him secretly trying on all of these fancy blazers and ties
bc he thinks they make him look fancy
so overall people just misjudge jaemin,,, like a lot
and you lowkey misjudge him too at first only bc you think he’s a popular kid who’s mean irl (you’re not aware about the fact his parents own the store)
but that’s because you’ve never actually like?? talked to him
so the first time yall talk to each other you’re surprised by how nice and warm and welcoming he is
and also you won’t admit to it but your favorite pastime is eavesdropping on the conversations he has
with his 5 billion friends whenever they come to visit him
you even learn the names of some of the ones that visit most frequently
haechan is the one who has a bucket hat obsession and you also know he’s on the hockey team at your school
you already know jeno from being on student council with him
renjun is a true savage but he’s also always reminding people to put on sunscreen even when it’s cloudy so you think he has a soft side
at first you thought chenle was one of those people with a vaping youtube channel bc like
there’s no way he says some of the things he says with full intention
but you eventually learn he’s just hyper 25/7 and is basically a dolphin puppy in human form
jisung is just a cute lil bean and if he wasn’t two grades you’d def ask him out
anyway somehow you become friends with all of them except for jaemin even though you work together
and tbh you don’t even know how that happened
but you want to change that you just don’t know how
bc for some reason you get all nervous around him
he’s not even intimidating like you @ your heart: get over yourself u wimp
but you think it has something to do with the fact that you see each other more often so
if you screw up and say or do something stupid there’s no avoiding it
(lol sure that’s totally the reason it’s not like you like him-)
and you’ve pretty much given up on changing things and you’re just like
yeah this is how it’s gonna be we can just stay acquaintances ig
you just finish helping a customer with their purchase and it’s a really slow day
so you’re just resting your elbows on the counter and your head on your elbows
and jaemin is taking a break and he’s sitting like 10ft away from you but you won’t say anything bc like,,, annyeong anxiety chingudeul
(not trying to joke about anxiety or like make it seem like it’s not a big deal though that stuff is serious)
anyway you’re just kinda daydreaming when you get a notification from your school
about a grade on a sociology paper where you had to analyze ‘the protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism’
you type in your password and your fingers are sweating and your face is sweating bc this grade is hUGe
and then the school’s app opens and you see your grade
and then your eyes are sweating too
bc in bolded text at the top of the screen it says 47/115
and you’re like wtf how did i even score so low i even went to the teacher and he helped me
so at this point your eyes are all glossy and you’re sitting there trying not to make a scene
ofc jaemin notices you and he kinda hesitates to approach you for like 2 seconds
but he does and he leans down and he asks in the softest gentlest voice what’s wrong
you want the ground to swallow you whole bc you’re sure your face is an ugly mess and you can’t even form a single word without stuttering through it
but you manage to tell him that you bombed this huge paper for sociology
and you think he’ll make fun of you or think less of you but
he asks what the paper was and you tell him
and he says ‘i took that class last semester and i was basically the teacher’s favorite i could come talk to him about it with you if you want’
in that moment you’re thinking
na jaemin? a pure, soft angel
so ofc you take up his offer bc a) you’re not about to lose your high honor roll status over an analysis of the economy and b) you figure this is how you can become friends with jaemin
in the end it turns out your teacher just mixed up your paper with someone else’s and didn’t bother to check
you have to hold yourself back from just aggressively fake laughing at them like lmao sir i’m SURE it was SO EASY to mix things up when i came and WORKED on IT with you
but jaemin cheers you up bc hey you ended up getting a 99% and that’s: great!!
anyway so ever since then you and jaemin talk a lot more at work
and he admits he didn’t talk to you at first bc he thought you didn’t like him
you have to remind him that it’s physically impossible to dislike him
like name someone as pure n sweet we’ll all be waiting
and like you guys make up games and inside jokes when it’s a slow day
it’s v cute and all of the older employees are secretly taking bets on who’s going to ask out who first
like they already know it’s 100% going to happen
one day a huge group of boys stops by including some of your and jaemin’s friends
and they don’t even buy anything and they just kinda mess around in the store and quietly point at things and whisper and giggle
and you’re just like wow they’d get along so well with my lil cousin she just turned 7
and then they just?? leave
they don’t say bye they just like laugh and run out the door and you’re like
a cult?? wow i’ve never seen one irl before
you and jaemin just stare at each other and he looks confused too
and you’re lowkey relieved bc this means jaemin’s not in the cult
but then you backtrack and you’re like,,, uhh it’s not like i care or have requirements i don’t like him or think he’s cute what lol sHUTUP
over time though you keep noticing these little details about jaemin that just make you smile
like how his face lights up when a customer finds something they feel confident in
and how sometimes when you’ve had a bad day he goes to a nearby cafe and brings you hot chocolate and a cookie
one day you question him like jaemin can you just keep leaving like that won’t u get like uh?? fired
and he’s like nah my parents own the store i’m good as long as i don’t get into trouble
and you’re like wHAT HOW WAS I NOT AWARE bro are u rich
he laughs and he’s like nono we’re comfortable tho
and you just wanna tell him that’s what rich people say when they wanna sound humble
but you know that jaemin is actually the most humble, sweet person
bc he donates half his salary to a different charity each month
anyway so you kinda develop a crush on jaemin but you think he’s like wayy out of your league
so you don’t really act on it
but one day after the two of you get off work and go to the cafe
jaemin casually brings up how that group of boys came to the store one day
and he’s like yeah those are all my friends and they all wanted to come and see the girl/guy i like
you just go ‘you like that one lady in customer service?? i mean i won’t judge but jaemin you know she’s like 28 and has a kid already right?’
jaemin wants to bang his head on the table of the booth you two are sitting in
bc how are you so dense ohmygod
he sighs deeply and then inhales even deeper and he just speaks so fast you almost miss it
jaemin: no y/n i like janice
you: janice? we don’t even have a-
jaemin: !!!!!! i!! give!! up!!!!!!!
it eventually hits you tho
but he hasn’t really acted on it so you gather up the courage and you’re like
ok jaemin so you like me and i also like you a whole latte do you wanna go out on a date w me?
and yes. he absolutely would love to go on a date with you
so your first date is you two sneaking into the dog park even though there’s a rule you have to have a dog
and you pet all the dogs and get all the puppy love
then yall also go to the pet shelter and play with some of the animals there too
you swear you could spend your whole life just with you, jaemin, and a bunch of cute animals and you’d be satisfied
anyway so the employees at work find out you guys are dating and they all fawn over you and ask questions like who asked who out first
this is when you smirk bc you’re like heck yeah it was me i got that bde
out of the corner of your eye you see that lady from customer service talk to the manager and say ‘u were right they asked him out first here’s your $10’
and you’re like oho?? ohoho they’re profiting from this
after work you go to that person and you’re like hey technically i got you that money split it w me and they do
you just think to yourself that this is literally the dream relationship like jaemin is cute and smart and considerate and generous and a literal angel in disguise and also you’re making extra cash on the side what more could you ever want
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