nytis
news of the invitations traveled around like lightning. all the people who didn't receive a fancy letter from the castle were clearly more down than usual and selected few who did receive the letter were quite obvious, especially those who liked to show off. effervescent smiles adorning their faces, heading to dress shops and tailors, some of them even bold enough to bring the invitation out in public.
walking slowly down the streets, soonyoung eyed a group of people huddled around in a circle. when he looked between the bodies, soonyoung spotted a particularly nice looking card held by an overjoyed woman. so that's what the invitations look like.. he thought as he walked away.
it wasn't a surprise to soonyoung when he woke up to absolutely nothing and no one at his door. he technically wasn't even allowed to be here. soonyoung has been to his fair share of balls and to be honest, they were boring. deathly boring.
so it was expected that this whole "not getting an invitation" thing shouldn't have bothered soonyoung at all, but it did. why? because of one person and that person was none other than lee jihoon. ever since jeonghan mentioned taking jihoon to the ball, soonyoung hadn't stopped thinking about it.
it was risky for him but...
"jihoon would really like that"
and it would be the perfect way to confess. he had already planned it all out in his head. first, he would find a nice and quite place to ask jihoon if he wanted to go to the ball with him. and if jihoon said yes, aside from dying from happiness, on the night of the ball, he would pick him up and they would walk all the way to the castle and then once the music started he and jihoon would slowly dance through the night. it was be so romantic and maybe that's when he should confess...
lost in his own thoughts, soonyoung didn't even realize there was someone walking beside him until they giggled. "you have a stupid look on your face." startled, soonyoung whipped his head to the side to find minghao strolling beside him.
"minghao..." soonyoung gave him a small smile. minghao popped by the bakery ever once in a while and soonyoung was starting to get use to having him show up. it turns out, the guy really isn't as bad as he looks.
the boy grinned, "watcha thinking about?"
"oh.." soonyoung sighed, "just.. what i would do if i got an invitation to the ball."
"you didn't get an invitation?"
soonyoung shook his head, "i guess it's better this way." it's safer for me to stay away from the castle anyways.
minghao suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled him to a more secluded area. "god, why are your hands so cold.." soonyoung said, rubbing his wrist. the boy raised a finger to silence soonyoung.
untying a bag from his waist, minghao handed it to soonyoung. "don't open it yet! later! do it later!" he whispered giddily. "make a move soonyoung." he grinned, "oh, i want a strawberry strudel as payment."
"what?"
with a very pleased look on his face, minghao strolled away. listening to minghao's instructions, soonyoung didn't pull open the bag. feeling the outside, he couldn't help but ponder, what is it?
"lee jihoon!" jeonghan called out as soon as he entered the bakery. jihoon looked around the shop, seeing that soonyoung hadn't arrived yet. maybe he received an invitation..
"morning han." he responded plainly.
"ah jihoon.. don't 'good morning' me," the man tsked, "they delivered the invitations today!"
"and did you get one?" jihoon asked curiously.
"if i got one, you'd be able to tell," jeonghan sighed, "so no. i didn't get one. but did you get one?"
jihoon didn't respond and proceeded to put on his apron. jeonghan rushed over and grabbed his shoulders. "you got one?!" he gasped, "you got one, didn't you?" the boy still said nothing, only a small smile form on his face.
"yeah fine. i got one."
jeonghan let out a little shriek. "this is wonderful jihoon! you're going right? it's a once in a lifetime experience, you're crazy if you say you're not going. oh! and maybe.." jeonghan smirked, "soonyoung... oh i wonder if soonyoung got one. if he did.. perhaps you two could-
jihoon slapped his hand over jeonghan's mouth, "stop talking!" he squeaked out. "i don't understand why you're always mentioning soonyoung! it's not like that, we're just- just- friends.." he said, voice faltering.
jeonghan sniffed."fine, fine." he shrugged, "i won't say anything but remember when you two get married-
the door opened, cutting jeonghan off before jihoon could. soonyoung walked in twirling a brown bag on his finger. "morning jeonghan, morning jihoonie! what were you guys talking about?" he asked, stuffing the bag into his pocket.
jihoon shot jeonghan a cold glare saying, if you continue talking, i will end you.
"you're late." jeonghan said after a pause. "this is new, right jihoonie?" the other hummed in agreement.
"oh- i am?" soonyoung looked at the clock hanging on the wall. he was indeed. "sorry! don't fire me!"
"i'll let it pass for today, only because... guess who got an invitation?" jeonghan said, grinning.
soonyoung's eyes widened, "you got an invitation?"
jeonghan's smiled dropped to pout," i wish i did..." he them eyed jihoon, "but a certain jihoonie got one!" jihoon just sighed. "you're gonna go right jihoonie? it'd be such a waste if you didn't.."
for the briefest second, jihoon's eyes met soonyoung's. "hm. who knows?" jihoon opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else but then quickly shut it. jeonghan sighed,
"he should totally go, right soonyoung?"
"well, i think it's up to-
jeonghan coughed loudly, "right soonyoung?" he gritted out.
jihoon rolled his eyes, "jeonghan, please. let's just get to work."
halfway through the work day, that lump in soonyoung's pocket was really starting to bother him. later? what did "later" mean. halfway through the day should be considered as later right?
finally once he could no longer contain his curiously, he headed to the storage room and opened the bag. soonyoung was at a loss of words. how did minghao get his hands on this? did he steal it? there's no way.
he thought back to minghao's words from earlier,
"i want a strawberry strudel as payment."
"make a move soonyoung."
minghao was unbelievable. completely, utterly, unbelievable. soonyoung shook his head. all he could do was stare down at the slightly creased invitation inside the bag.
