---
one: a phone call from johnny.
"yes, hyung. well i got out now didn't i. it's fine, this isn't even big news to you, you know me. okay, okay i will. i'll see you later. bye."
doyoung looks at the time after the call. 12:01 it says. 12 hours of detention for what.
"we won't be putting it on records. we just have to appease them is all. you shouldn't have put yourself in that position kid. being smart ain't it all." doyoung hears the police on duty say to him. he knew he saw him as an inconvenience, complete total waste of time, some kind of stain he needs to get rid of fast or else his mother will barge in and do an hour long monologue about her efforts and how it's unappreciated. the feeling was mutual.
"i was in the right. i was just defending myself."
there, a sigh and a shoo-ing action, a little roll of the eyes to say 'we heard you but you should really go.'
"yeah, yeah. you can go now. just don't try to come here again, it doesn't look good on you."
yeah. whatever. doyoung almost says but chooses not to. he's had enough for the next quarter. the year is gonna continue to go on and he can't be wasting it on something dumb twice with only 12 hours in between. he's better than that.
two: what comes after the release is hunger.
the sun is at high noon now and half of his day is wasted. hd hears his stomach growl as he starts walking away from the station, determined to go straight back home where there is ample air circulation and a soft bed to lie on. but again, hunger. his last meal was before they got him and after that, every hour was just water therapy.
"food. i need food." almost as a pinned reminder.
he gets inside the first shop he spots. some shady little shop right across the station with a sign that reads 'bass bot' and 'cold noodles and tofu available here.' none of it matches.
"welcome!" doyoung gets greeted by a male, around his age with a red cap tied around his head. the ones you see in chinese restaurants. it matches his apron tied around his waist. a pretty small one. the waist. and the shop. no one is inside except him and this guy.
"what can i get for you?" the guy asks, holding a small notebook and a pen on the other hand. his eyes are pretty. tantalizing even.
"isn't there a chef's choice? if there is, i'd get that."
the guy laughs a little but most of it ends up with a wide smile. he's pretty, doyoung finally decides after a while. really pretty. some kind of face that you won't expect to see right here with no crowd.
"okay. chef's choice, i'll get to that." the guy turns but stops before he gets back to the kitchen. "and plain tofu right?"
"tofu?" doyoung asks, confused.
the guy nods then points straight ahead from the glass window where he could see the station. "you came from there right? you need to have it."
three: redemption.
it must be the burning humidity or the loud red paint all over the walls of this shop or the uneven and shaky table topped with his hunger, but doyoung is pissed.
"first of all, i'm no prisoner." he starts as soon as the guy gets back. he seems to be the only one manning the shop, doyoung has seen no one else from his time waiting (and going over his points of argument).
"i didn't say you were." the guy says bringing over the bowl of cold noodles in front of him. doyoung's stomach growls from the smell.
"second-"
"second is you should eat." the guy breaks into his little talk and he tries to glare back at him only to be silenced again by his stomach.
"second is it isn't polite to accuse your customer about something like that. where's your manager, bring them over here." he says after grabbing the chopsticks, trying to keep the glare going on and make the guy feel intimidated, take him seriously, know he means business.
"there's no manager."
"what?"
"i'm the only one who works here. did you see or hear anybody around?"
no. but then saying that would mean defeat. he can't lose twice within a single day so he takes it against the noodles.
"well, this better be good 'cause there's no one else to blame if this is bad other than you."
doyoung gets onto the noodles, he takes the egg first, adds mustard and vinegar sauce before mixing it all together. he feels the guy looking over at what he's doing, probably waiting for his reaction. he starts with his first bite and doesn't find himself stopping until he's halfway into his bowl to take some more breaths before continuing.
the guy finally moves away from him, walking towards the kitchen, humming a tune doyoung's sure he's heard but can't name at all. he sounds satisfied.
four: plain tofu.
the guy, who doyoung finds out a little later goes by the name taeyong, came back shortly after he's done with his noodles. his bowl is empty, no drop of soup to be found and the side dishes are cleared, put atop one another in an orderly fashion and ready to be taken away from his table.
"tofu, if you're still hungry." taeyong says as he sets it down in the table after removing the used ones to the other table across where doyoung is. taeyong grabs one of the chairs and sits beside him, crossing his legs as he pushes the plate of tofu towards doyoung. taeyong introduces himself after this.
"so taeyong, out of all you have to offer me, it's this?"
taeyong shrugs but not without a small smile. he points the signage doyoung saw as he came in. "it's all i have here."
he tries to take a small bite. it's tofu, it's soft. nothing much else. uncomparable to the noodles. doyoung doesn't say this outloud.
"why do you even have your shop here?" he asks after two more bites instead. he can't take any more from there.
taeyong turns towards the window again and with a sigh he talks. "people who come from the station are usually hungry and rent is cheap here." he puts it simple like that, taking his turn with the tofu before letting a question out. "you, why are you there for?"
so doyoung tells him just because. it's nothing shameful, it isn't even his fault (not exactly at least) and it's still too hot outside. his house offers a more comfortable place to be at but at least there's a fan here in taeyong's shop and besides, he won't meet with johnny until much later.
"some oldies just won't listen is all. i got heated. they too. i haven't been in a debate ever since i took a gap."
he was taking a gap year from university since the past semester to take time to sort things out including his internship for the supposed next school year. he's done that in about a month ago, now he's just mostly lying in his bed. he could go back to university the following semester but he feels no rush to do anything.
"you're on a gap year?"
"that's what i said."
taeyong stands up and writes something on a piece of paper hidden he got from his apron's pocket. hands it to doyoung after.
"you could work here if you want." he tells him as he sits down again.
"i said i'm in a gap year." he replies.
"so? i've seen you around, you don't do much besides tend to your house plants."
and there should be finger pointing, doyoung screaming about him stalking him and he could bring him to the police right there and then, but doyoung just sighs. must be the heat. must be the weariness coming along now. must be because taeyong's cold noodles are the best he's eaten the entire month. must be because now that he's not 100% hungry, he could remember seeing taeyong back in his apartment complex. almost everyday too.
"at least, i'm keeping them alive."
taeyong stands up and starts clearing the table, putting the dishes in a tray to bring back to the kitchen. doyoung leaves his payment on the table and leaves with the piece of paper in between his fingers, faces the glaring sun on his way back to his apartment.
he could use a job.
five: another phone call from johnny.
"sorry hyung, i can't do today. what? no, no. i just got something up. some part-time job at some place. it's nearby. whatever. i'll see you when i have time. i have stuff to do okay? yeah yeah. bye."
