[soohyun/kiseop] purple
Soohyun drops his head on the bar. Go out, they said. Meet some people, they said. Have fun, they said.
So far the most fun he’s had is the third glass of whiskey.
He pushes away said glass with a sigh. Going out is fun, sure, but it’s infinitely more fun if all of your friends don't ditch you for their respective loved ones. Or children.
The air outside is a little cold but it’s nice, helps Soohyun clear his head. Not enough to see where he’s going, apparently, because the next thing he knows he’s run into - into someone’s chest. So the alcohol might have been stronger than he thought, okay.
The stranger stumbles but his hand flies out to steady himself on Soohyun’s shoulder.
“Whoa there, big guy,” he says and Soohyun is about to grumble something about how he’s not that big but when he looks up the words die in his throat.
The stranger’s hair is purple. It’s a weird hair color so it’s really not a surprise that it’s the first thing that Soohyun notices. The fact that he’s devastatingly handsome follows right after, though.
“I’m sorry,” Soohyun says too late. He must have been staring for a second too long, because now there’s a faint smirk on the strangers’ lips. Soohyun has half a mind to be embarrassed about it but, honestly, he’ll probably never see this man again. Any second now one of them will move, the moment will be over, the stranger will leave. Soohyun plans to make the most of those few seconds left.
“Hey!” Someone shouts behind them. It’s not really a shout, if Soohyun has to be truly honest but to him it might as well have been a death yell, because his stranger finally looks away.
He moves away, too, saying something along the lines of What took you so long, I’ve been waiting for you for twenty minutes… Point in case is, he’s no longer looking at Soohyun, which is sad, but he’s not nearly drunk enough to do something about it.
So, with a last (hopefully inconspicuous) look at the stranger, Soohyun sighs and hails a cab.
*
“Your issue,” Hoonmin starts absentmindedly stirring his coffee, “is that you’re boring.”
“Excuse you,” Soohyun huffs, because fuck Hoonmin, “I am a delight.”
Hoonmin rolls his eyes. “I mean, sure, you can be entertaining when you’re being especially weird,” he stops to narrow his eyes at Soohyun (he may or may not have tried and failed to kick him under the table), “but you’ve become so...” Hoonmin taps his spoon against the cup. “Old.”
Soohyun suppresses the urge to try and kick him again. “I am only two years older than you.”
“But you act like you’re twenty years older than me! And before you say you’re old,” Hoonmin continues, effectively interrupting the protest Soohyun was about to express, “which is a dumb argument, by the way, twenty nine is not that old.”
Soohyun sighs. “But it is old enough! I’m going to be thirty next year. Three has never looked scarier.”
“Then enjoy the last year of your twenties, you idiot!” Hoonmin’s voice raises a little in the end, like he’s actually concerned. Deep down, Soohyun knows he is but the reminder that his friends actually do care about him is nice.
To Hoonmin, however, he rolls his eyes. “If I make something unforgivably dumb in the next few days, know it’s entirely your fault.”
“Doing dumb stuff is kind of your thing,” Hoonmin shrugs, but he’s smiling and Soohyun can’t help but smile back.
It is kind of his thing.
*
Soohyun proves that fact on his way to a hair salon the next day.
On his way out of the salon, he questions his life choices.
His shade of purple isn’t quite as bright as the man from the club had been but it’s still very much purple. Especially in daylight.
He doubts anyone will say something about it in the office - their appearance policy isn't all that strict and, well, Soohyun is the boss, after all. Knowing how much he’ll stand out among his employees, though… It still gives him a heady feeling. He hasn't decided if he likes it yet.
He snaps a quick selfie to send to Hoonmin.
The day is too good to be wasted lazing at home, Soohyun decides, and good days deserve good coffee.
The café he ends up choosing is one with walls painted a pretty pastel pink that seems to fit his current mood. Once inside, however, he instantly feels terribly out of place.
All the patrons, all the staff look a lot younger than him and Soohyun, with his almost thirty years and his purple hair, feels he sticks out like a sore thumb. In a moment of weakness, he pretends he suddenly remembered something he has to do and makes a hasty retreat.
Out on the street, his predicament seems silly but it’s too late to go back now. It’s his own fault he chose a café close to the university campus anyway.
Once again, Soohyun’s too busy to lament his age to pay attention to where he’s going. Suddenly there’s a body colliding with his and a hand on his shoulder, trying to steady both of them.
What are the chances he runs, literally runs into the same man twice in a week? Pretty high, apparently.
“We have to stop meeting like this,” the man laughs. His hand is still on Soohyun’s shoulder.
Soohyun squints at him. “You could have easily moved away, though.”
The stranger tilts his head, eyes glinting. “Maybe I didn’t want to. My name is Kiseop, by the way.”
“Soohyun,” Soohyun replies automatically. Kiseop grins and his hand finally falls from Soohyun’s shoulder.
“Nice. I like your hair, Soohyun.”
And this, this is the perfect time for a decidedly age-unappropriate blush. The last time they met Soohyun’s hair was very much not purple. Realistically, Kiseop has no way to be sure he’s the reason behind the new color but something in his eyes tells Soohyun he’s been exposed.
Soohyun decides, fuck it. He’s enjoying the last year of his twenties, damn it. “Likewise,” he tells Kiseop. “Actually, how about I buy you a coffee? As an excuse for always bumping into you, of course.”
“Of course,” Kiseop laughs. “I’m always up for free coffee,” he adds with a wink. Soohyun never really stood a chance.
Just then, Soohyun’s phone pings with a new message. It’s from Hoonmin, and it reads, see? name one old person that can pull off purple like that. And a second later, i mean apart from you.
*
(They end up at that same café. The barista takes one look at them and says, smiling, eyes trained on Soohyun, “Welcome back! You could’ve waited for your boyfriend here.”
Kiseop doesn’t stop laughing for a full minute, the barista looks incredibly confused and Soohyun has never wanted to melt into the floor more in his life.)