🐶⌇ pottery crush pt2
pairings: mingyu x reader
genre: fluff, college au, first date
world count: ~1.5k-ish
minnie's note: since @yashawixme and yall wanted a part 2, here u go 👅
read part one
the saturday sun was aggressive, bouncing off the shop windows and hitting mingyu hard in the eyes which was more like sun slapped rather than sun kissed him as he paced a frantic rhythm in front of the café.
he had changed his outfit four times.
seungkwan had eventually reached his limit, physically shoving him out of the dorm and threatening to burn down every beige shirt he owned if he didn't leave immediately.
now, he was here. five minutes early, lungs feeling a size too small, until he saw you.
suddenly, the world shifted gears.
the bustling campus noise, the rhythmic clack-clack of skateboards on pavement, the distant, muffled chatter of students—faded into a dull, underwater hum
it was like someone had hit the slow-motion button on the universe.
you were wearing a soft, floral sundress that caught the breeze, the fabric dancing around your knees as you walked.
the sunlight filtered through the overhead branches, dappling your skin in liquid gold.
mingyu felt his heart do a slow, heavy thud against his ribs.
he’d seen you in clay-stained aprons and oversized, cozy sweaters, but seeing you like this?
he felt like he was seeing color for the very first time.
at that exact moment, the cafe’s live acoustic group started their set. the first few chords of a soft, jazzy melody drifted through the open door, perfectly timed with the way you caught his eye and beamed.
it was too much.
it was cinematic. it was a k-drama cliffhanger come to life, and mingyu was currently forgetting how to breathe.
he was pretty sure he looked like a malfunctioning npc, frozen in place while the main character walked toward him.
“hi,” you said, your smile easy and bright, like you hadn't just single-handedly ruined his ability to function.
“hi,” he replied, the word jumping out a little too quickly. he cleared his throat, trying for a deeper, cooler tone. “hi.”
great. amazing recovery.
you laughed softly, and somehow that made it better instead of worse. “have you been waiting long?”
mingyu shook his head immediately. “no, i just got here.”
it was a lie. a blatant, embarrassing lie. he had been there long enough to witness the entire lunch rush cycle through. but you just nodded like you believed him, or maybe you were just being kind.
“should we go in?”
“yeah, yeah,” he said, stepping aside so fast he nearly tripped over his own feet to hold the door open for you.
caffeine and confessions
the warm scent of roasted beans and sugar wrapped around you both as you stepped inside. the music from the live band filled the space, gentle and steady, like a collective heartbeat.
you looked around, eyes lighting up. “this place is nice.”
“i come here sometimes,” mingyu said, finally finding his footing. “the coffee’s good.” he almost added i hoped you’d like it, but he bit his tongue just in time.
you found a small table tucked by the window. sunlight spilled across the scarred wooden surface, catching on the stray edges of your hair.
mingyu sat across from you, trying very hard to act like a normal human being and not like a man hyper-aware of every breath you took.
you tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. it was that same small habit from the pottery studio. he noticed. of course he noticed.
“what are you getting?” you asked, glancing at the chalkboard menu.
“uh… iced americano,” he said.
“consistent.”
he blinked. “what?”
you smiled, leaning your chin on your palm. “you got that after class last time too. i saw you.”
mingyu’s ears turned a vivid shade of pink. “you noticed?”
“i notice things,” you said lightly.
he wasn’t sure what to do with that. if you noticed things… did you notice him staring at you during the demonstrations?
did you notice how his hands shook slightly when you helped him center his clay?
he hoped not. and yet, he desperately hoped yes.
once the drinks arrived, the nerves began to melt away. it was different from the studio. there, your conversations were punctuated by spinning wheels and the splash of water.
here, it was just you and him. no distractions. no clay to hide behind.
“so,” you said, stirring your drink absentmindedly, “do you actually like pottery now?”
mingyu huffed out a quiet laugh. “i like it more than i thought i would.”
“that’s not very convincing.”
“okay,” he admitted, a sheepish grin spreading across his face, “i like… parts of it.”
“like?”
he hesitated for a heartbeat. then he just said it. “like when you help me.”
you paused. just for a second. then your lips curved into something softer. “you only like it because you’re bad at it.”
“that’s also true,” he said quickly, relieved you’d kept it playful. but his heart was still racing.
you leaned forward. “your bowl last time was actually decent, you know.”
mingyu gasped, hand over his heart. “decent? that was my magnum opus.”
“i could tell.”
the afternoon moved on, and mingyu found himself really relaxing. you talked about childhood stories, the absolute chaos of his roommates, and the places you both wanted to travel to. at one point, you reached across the table to show him something on your phone. your fingers brushed his. just a graze.
mingyu froze for half a heartbeat. you didn’t pull away immediately. and when you finally did, it felt intentional. like you were lingering.
“i’m glad you asked me out,” you said, your voice dropping to a softer, more honest register.
“yeah?”
you nodded. “yeah.”
he smiled, the most genuine one he’d worn all day. “i’m glad you said yes.”
the walk to your apartment felt shorter than physics should allow. mingyu noticed it halfway through—how the streets that had seemed so long on the way to the café were now disappearing too fast.
you walked beside him, close enough that your arms brushed every few steps. neither of you moved away.
“so,” you said softly, stopping at the base of your building. “this is my place”
the evening had settled in, the sky painted in deep indigos and fading embers. mingyu stopped, wishing he had a reason to keep walking. “oh. right.”
there was a pause. not awkward, but heavy—like you were both standing on the edge of a diving board.
“i had fun today,” you said.
“me too. like… a lot.” he rubbed the back of his neck, then dropped his hand when he realized he’d done it for the hundredth time. “we should… do it again sometime?”
your smile softened. “i was hoping you’d say that.”
before he could overthink a response, you stepped into his space. mingyu’s brain stalled. then—you leaned up and pressed a quick, soft kiss to his cheek.
it was warm. it lasted barely a second. it completely short-circuited his entire nervous system.
“goodnight, mingyu,” you said, acting far too calm for someone who had just changed his life.
“goodnight,” he echoed, his voice a ghost of itself.
you gave him one last look, then disappeared inside. mingyu stood there for a full twenty seconds. processing. his hand came up to touch the spot on his cheek.
“…she kissed me.”
he turned around and started walking. then he was power-walking. by the time he reached the dorm, he was practically vibrating out of his skin.
-
he fumbled with the door, slammed it shut, and—
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—”
“WHAT THE—!” seungkwan nearly vaulted over the back of the couch, clutching his chest. “ARE YOU BEING HUNTED?!”
mingyu lunged forward, grabbing seungkwan’s shoulders and shaking him. “SHE KISSED ME.”
seungkwan froze. “…what.”
“ON THE CHEEK. HER LIPS. MY FACE. SEUNGKWAN.”
a beat of silence. then seungkwan let out a high-pitched, glass-shattering shriek. “I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!” he jumped up on the couch, grabbing mingyu’s face. “details. now. don’t you dare skip a single second.”
mingyu was grinning so hard it actually hurt. “we walked home and then she said she was hoping i’d ask her again and then—she just did it.”
seungkwan collapsed back onto the cushions like his soul had ascended. “my child,” he whispered to the ceiling. “he’s in love. he’s actually gone.”
“i am not—” mingyu started. then he stopped. “…i might be.”
“did you text her yet?” seungkwan demanded, sitting up with terrifying intensity.
mingyu’s eyes went wide. “oh. no.”
“OH???” seungkwan snatched a pillow and pelted him with it. “text her! now! i am supervising this operation.”
mingyu scrambled for his phone, fingers hovering over the glass. he typed, deleted, typed again. seungkwan watched like it was a live sports broadcast. finally, mingyu hit send.
one second. two seconds. buzz.
mingyu gasped. seungkwan gasped louder.
[you]: glad you reached home safe :) i had fun today
and then, a follow-up:
[you]: don’t forget you owe me another pottery masterpiece
mingyu slumped against the wall, a dazed, soft smile on his face. “she texted me first, too.”
seungkwan grabbed his arm, shaking it. “this is it. this is the love story of the century.”
mingyu laughed, shaking his head. he couldn't stop smiling.
his cheek still felt warm, and somewhere between the coffee and the sunset,
something real had finally begun.
