Chapter Text
Jisung can only take so much of being Changbin’s wingman if the latter was going to behave like this.
People often said that Jisung was the most outgoing introvert they ever met and Changbin was the most socially awkward extrovert they ever met (that was of course assuming all introverts were socially awkward and extroverts were outgoing). But Jisung likes to sometimes flip expectations.
Makes things fun and exciting.
Changbin was definitely flipping expectations as he fumbled over his words, stammering in front of this pretty boy he can’t maintain eye-contact with.
Besides, his social battery was starting to drain and the loud music isn’t really helping though Changbin doesn’t seem to really hear the loud synthwave-esque music that’s filtering through the slightly too bass-heavy sound system in this club lounge. He’s too busy trying his best to strike up a conversation with a tall willowy man maybe around their age, long blond hair half-tied up in a manner that was both careless and elegant. Things Jisung will never be able to achieve.
But blond willowy dude seems to actually like Changbin back if the way he leans in to listen doesn’t make it clear, laughing brightly at everything he had to say in a way that suggested some form of social awkwardness from the blond. Or at least Jisung thinks that, seeing as no one should be finding whatever Changbin had to say that funny.
So Jisung takes his leave, noting to himself with amusement that his absence is certainly not noted, taking slow steps back. He needed to sit for a while, maybe scroll mindlessly on social media and drink some club soda. If he has another mocktail he’s going to need to a sugar-rush nap immediately.
He glances back to where Changbin is still talking to the blond dude. They were actually having a conversation, one they were both enjoying apparently even if they can’t look each other in the eye for more than 3 seconds.
Jisung snickers to himself before he walks up to the bar that’s mostly empty save for a few people scattered about.
Jisung is not about to be one of those people who come sit right next to you when there was plenty of empty seats to be taken (he hates it when people come sit right next to him at the movie theater when the rest of the row is EMPTY!), but then as he’s walking up the 2 steps that lead to the bar (a design/architectural mistake, Jisung thinks, not just a health hazard but also surely, just a way for the club to lose money over medical bills from all the drunken falls these steps have caused?) he glances at the man sitting at the edge, on his phone.
Jisung can only see his side profile and wow, that’s a nice side profile. Chiseled features, sharp eyes, a soft curve to his lips. His hair has that same careless but elegant vibe to it like Blond Dude, but it’s short and some sort of grey-brown colour. And then his gaze slides over to his phone and-
Was that Stardew Valley?!
Jisung, without realizing it, pauses a moment, willing his eyes to zoom into the man’s phone screen to make sure that yes, he was playing Stardew Valley (a man with taste. Also, a man who was somehow charging his phone from the electric port behind the bar. Was he a frequent customer? At a 2 star hotel club lounge?).
But he doesn’t need to somehow obtain zooming abilities because there’s no mistaking the visuals of Calico Desert. Was he headed to Skull Cavern? Does that mean he has the Galaxy Sword? Still eyeing the phone, he approaches the bar and waves at the bartender who immediately comes up to him.
‘Can I get a club soda? With lots of ice!’
‘Sure thing.’
I should get him one too.
‘Oh, can you make that two?’ Jisung adds, ‘With bright straws?’
The bartender nods with a small laugh, eyes turning to sharp slits, and gives him a thumb’s up.
‘Thanks man!’
And before he can think twice about it, he walks up to the empty stool next to Stardew Valley man, still leaving a respectable amount of space.
‘Hi!’
The man looks up and wow okay he’s at least 50 times more stunning than Jisung can mentally perceive immediately.
‘Hi,’ he replies, tone quiet but not in a meek or shy way.
‘Can I sit here?’
The man gestures towards the stool with a shrug, looking around the bar as though to imply that he had no right hogging stools at the bar where people came to sit and drink.
‘Thanks,’ Jisung hops on the stool, ‘I’m Jisung, by the way, Han Jisung.’
The man looks up from his phone again and gives him a polite nod.
Okay awkward. Jisung thinks it’s just going to end like that and maybe it should, because he’s not about to push someone into conversation if they clearly want to be left alone.
But then Stardew Valley Man looks up again after pausing his game in the middle of the Skull Cavern (brave!) and looks Jisung straight in the eye.
‘Lee Minho,’ he smiles and it’s a little unnerving, ‘I’m asexual.’
As far as self-introductions go this was certainly a first for Jisung.
‘It means I have no interest in sex! Not just with you, but with anyone, of any gender identity!’ he continues without much tone, like he’s had it memorized. The flat delivery is starting to become more than unnerving, his eyes dark and almost hypnotic.
‘Oh-? Okay that’s cool-.‘
‘-and yes it’s a real thing,’ Minho continues smoothly, eyes not leaving Jisung’s once and he’s definitely terrified now, ‘and there’s no hard feelings, thought I’d let you know before you got too invested, you don’t need to try and politely back out now, no harm done.’
Jisung’s head goes a little blank- white noise pleasantly rushing in as he tries to process what Minho said.
‘Huh?’
Minho smiles politely, looking very much like that one cat-meme, ‘It was nice chatting, have a good evening, bye.’
Then Minho turns back to the front and picks up his phone again.
Jisung’s brain is still very much empty.
First of all, that was hardly a chat. If a chat consisted of introducing each other then sure, that was a chat.
Lee Minho simply goes back to Stardew Valley, readying to attack a Serpent when the bartender comes up and slides their drinks over to them.
The bartender has a sort of suppressed smile on his face. He’s clearly witnessed everything that just took place. he nods at Jisung, not looking at Stardew Valley Minho and addresses him with a cheery tone.
‘Your drinks sir.’
At this Minho stares down at the frosty glass filled with ice and club soda and a bright purple straw that’s been placed before him, and then at the almost identical glass in front of Jisung with a bright blue straw instead. Then he looks up at Jisung.
I need to leave.
‘Ah, I can take them-.’
‘You wanted to hit on me and decided to get me a club soda?’
‘Uh- impulse decision?’ Jisung replies though it’s more of a question. How does he tell Lee Minho he was yes, indeed somewhat trying to hit on him but also he really genuinely wanted to ask Stardew questions without coming across as some weirdo. ‘I mean, not all people who come to a club with bars actually come to drink.’
‘No,’ Minho has a gleam in his eye that Jisung finds mildly (very) threatening.
Jisung is acutely aware of the bartender who was clearly listening in on their conversation.
‘They’re either here to drink, hook-up with people, or both.’
‘Well…yeah.’ Jisung can’t say Minho’s wrong.
Minho hums, and to Jisung’s surprise, picks up the club soda and takes a sip.
‘So you’re not here to drink,’ Minho announces, ‘So that means you’re clearly just looking for a hook-up.’
Jisung is feeling very scrutinized all of a sudden and he did not come out here on a random Thursday night for a change of atmosphere with Changbin to be randomly accused of things even if the accuser is increasingly getting more and more good looking the longer Jisung looks at him.
‘No?’ is what he manages to say. He notes that Minho has paused his game literally a second before a Serpent is about to attack him.
‘So you’re not here to drink, nor are you here for a hook-up at an establishment where most people come to hook-up?’ Minho intones flatly.
‘Honestly? No?’ Jisung replies very honestly, glad to find his tongue and defend himself, ‘Wait- if that’s the case, or well, you’re saying that, then why are you here?’
He saw no drink before him, and Minho didn’t appear to be drunk either.
Minho smiles serenely at him before pointing towards the side of the club lounge Jisung had just left.
‘I’m the best wingman to ever wing.’
Of course the willowy blond Changbin had lost his coherence to was Minho’s friend.
‘So, why did you come talk to me?’ Minho asks with absolutely no actual interest in his voice, as though he’s just humoring Jisung. Like Jisung was trying to prove something, not to Minho, but to himself.
‘I saw you playing Stardew Valley and wanted to know if got the Statue of Perfection yet?’
Minho stares at him, his expression finally morphing to something else other than boredom. Even the bartender drops his pretense of not listening to their conversation and straight up just stares at Jisung.
Jisung is pretty sure he’s started sweating.
‘…yeah? I’m on the fourth year.’ Minho replies slowly, glancing at his phone, and then the bartender, and then at Jisung.
‘You didn’t cheat?’
‘Cheat?!’ Minho’s expression morphs into something comically indignant, ‘Excuse you, I did not fish for sturgeon at every given opportunity to be accused of cheating!’
Okay so Lee Minho was genuinely a Stardew Valley farmer; time to compare farms.
‘I can’t fish!’ Jisung groans, reaching for his own phone. ‘I just never get it right! I’ve read some people say fishing on mobile is tougher than on PC- but I don’t want to switch to PC and start all over again! I got my greenhouse just a few days ago and I’m thinking of setting it up into a fruits only greenhouse. What does yours look like?’
He loads up his game and peeks over at Minho’s phone.
But Minho is just staring at him, game still paused, seemingly studying him.
Jisung feels very naked.
‘I’ve planted Cactus Fruit.’
‘Oh-!’
‘I think it’s a better investment than Starfruit.’
He’s so right, wow he’s so smart-?!
‘No, you’re right!’ Jisung exclaims, legs bouncing a little as he turns a little more to face Minho, ‘Once you harvest it, you don’t have to replant it right? You just get fruits again after a few days right?’
Minho nods.
‘That’s such good idea! Might have been cheaper than getting all those trees but I really like the way the- oh forgot to pet my doggo,’ Jisung starts his day in his farm, quickly making his way to the greenhouse only to back peddle to find his dog and pet him. ‘But I really like how all the trees look. My farm is always a little overwhelmed with trees.’
He angles his phone to let Minho see the greenhouse.
‘Oh,’ Minho nods, ‘It’s nice.’
‘Thanks!’ Jisung makes his character walk around aimlessly, ‘I like how the tea plant looks, but I’m not sure if I think they’re quite worth it?’
‘Oh I keep mine in the garden pots as decoration,’ Minho tells him, tapping on his phone as well. Jisung notes that he was teleporting back home using a totem.
‘Do you have a lot of bee hives?’
‘Around 8,’ Minho replies.
Jisung proudly shows Minho his farm, pointing out all of the decoration he’s invested in. Minho is clearly a veteran player, his farm neat and completely set up to get him the most produce for each season but he’s also made it pretty.
‘Okay but there’s a shortcut hack, I guess, for fishing squid,’ Minho tells him.
‘What?!’
‘I mean, it has to be winter,’ Minho explains, waving his phone a little as he explains, ‘And you need to get to one point in the beach. I’ll show you.’
What was this man- the Stardew Valley Wikipedia Page?!
Jisung pauses his game and leans in a little to watch Minho get his horse and head towards the beach.
Jisung observes that Minho has not bothered keeping lamps anywhere.
‘Oh yeah, I have the Ring of Yoba,’ Minho tells him, ‘No need to waste resources like that.’
‘I need everything as bright as day,’ Jisung tells him seriously, ‘I need to see every pixel brightly lit.’
Minho laughs, a short chuckle more than anything. It’s excessively charming and softens up the sharp features of his face exponentially.
Minho shows him the spot to fish squid in, explaining the distance he had to throw the line.
‘I’ll need to wait 2 more seasons before winter,’ Jisung frowns, unpausing his game to make his way to the beach as well. ‘I’ve never been able to get the fishing achievement and I’ve already technically completed 3 farms.’
‘I have every achievement,’ Minho announces.
‘God I hate you,’ Jisung groans, ‘It’s the fishing! It’s always the fishing!’
‘You could try buying it from that woman with the pig?’ Minho offers.
‘I try my best to catch her,’ Jisung explains, ‘But sometimes I’m at the mines, or I’m too caught up rearranging my farm. I have this thing where I can’t leave my ores alone, I have to stand there by the furnace and watch them turn to bars, it’s so dumb.’
Minho snorts.
‘Yeah, I know what you mean, I wake up every morning and the first thing I do is go to the farm to watch the sprinklers- if I don’t, the day is going to be unlucky.’
‘Isn’t the fortune teller there for that though?’
‘Yes, but the sprinklers never lie.’ Minho tells him seriously.
‘So do you watch the TV?’
‘Mostly for weather.’
Jisung has no idea how much time has gone past, just sitting here and talking about Stardew Valley and playing Stardew Valley. But he doesn’t feel tired and the too-much-social-interaction-headache that was starting to build in his temples has completely gone away too.
‘Hey, you know, it’s okay, you don’t have to like, sit with me or anything,’ Minho tells him suddenly as Jisung starts crafting 150 basic fertilizer after ranting about capitalism and Pierre’s lack of business skills.
‘Huh?’ Jisung pauses his game to look up at the other man.
‘Like, there’s no need to just stick around because you feel bad or something,’ Minho tells him, ‘Just- you can just go, again, no hard feelings or whatever. This was nice, and thanks for the club soda.’
‘What?’
‘You didn’t come here to play Stardew Valley with some random stranger,’ Minho explains patiently, ‘There are plenty of other people here to chat to, or like, hook up with.’
‘For someone who is ace, you’re really bent on me wanting sex,’ Jisung blurts out.
Minho blinks twice at him before he says, ‘I mean, honestly, that’s how it always is? Isn’t it?’
There’s a very loud silence.
Wow what?
‘Wow…,’ Jisung stares at him. ‘You…you must have had some really shit experience.’
Minho has a myriad of expressions on his face, all subtle but somehow so loud at the same time before it’s all gone and his carefully constructed expression of indifference is back on again.
Talent, Jisung thinks to himself.
Jisung thinks he should probably do some explaining.
‘Did I come to talk to you because I thought you were attractive? Sure, you’re very good looking but you were also playing Stardew and honestly the combination made me want to talk to you,’ Jisung explains very honestly. ‘Did I come here to look for a hook up? Not really but if it was in the horizon I wouldn’t have minded but I was starting to get socially exhausted and came to get a drink,’ he adds even more honestly as he gestures to the bar, ‘But am I thoroughly enjoying myself playing a farming simulation with another person and complain about how expensive Quality Fertilizer is? Absolutely. This is the most fun I’ve had this whole week.’
‘That sounds like a tough week,’ is all Minho says before adding, ‘You must have a pretty boring life then.’
Jisung cackles, making Minho look at him with confusion as he realizes something.
‘Wait- wait, oh my god, are you trying to be rude to put me off?’ he wheezes before stopping abruptly, ‘Oh my god, wait- I’m actually being rude aren’t I? You clearly want to be alone and I’ve just been sitting here and yapping-‘
Real panic and mortification builds up and Minho is waving his hands hurriedly, looking a little panicked too.
‘No it’s- not it’s not that,’ he says hurriedly, ‘I just- defensive, I guess. Honestly I’m just really confused. I don’t like it.’
‘I can go,’ Jisung says earnestly, putting his foot down from the edge of the barstool.
‘No, as in, it’s not that I don’t like this,’ Minho explains with a small sigh, ‘This is nice. I’m just- I don’t like that I’m confused.’
‘Why are you confused?’ Jisung asks slowly, not sure if he should be asking but also he feels like this conversation is headed somewhere- where exactly he’s not sure, but he sits back down properly again.
‘That you’re still trying to talk to me even though I’ve made it very clear we’re not going to hook up and I’ve been intentionally rude to you?’ Minho says bluntly. ‘Also you don’t seem like you’re going out of your way to be nice in hopes I’ll change my mind and want to hook up.’
‘…maybe I’m one of those guys who says they don’t care about boobs or butt but the personality?’ Jisung offers brightly.
Minho first looks incredibly unimpressed, and then amused, and then embarrassed, and then amused again, and then he bursts out into laughter. Jisung laughs with him, realizing that Minho actually found what he said funny.
‘Uh, I guess,’ Jisung begins, ‘Just so we’re on the same page, I’m actually genuinely thoroughly enjoying myself, playing Stardew and drinking non-alcoholic drinks with you with absolutely no expectation of sex. You said you’re ace- and you know, that’s absolutely fine? I don’t expect you to be un-ace because I dunno, we’re having fun dissing Shane. But if you want me to leave, I will- uh, like you said, you don’t have to feel like you need to be polite to me and humor me or something. I’m sorry if I came off like that, I can absolutely fuck off!’
Jisung ends his speech with two bright thumb’s up.
Minho looks at him with an unfathomable expression before looking off for a while.
Jisung wonders if he’s completely lost Minho at this point before the latter chuckles, a sort of lazy smirk forming on his lips.
‘Me? Polite? Is that you think of me after all of this?’
Jisung wheezes.
There’s a change in the air, and a somewhat sheepish expression from Minho, less sharp- actually no. If Jisung were to describe Minho as a whole, he would be a very sharp elegant knife. And this entire time Jisung was talking to the sharpened glistening stabbing point of the knife. Now it was facing away- slightly.
Somehow, Jisung feels incredibly proud of this.
‘What’s your Community Center stats like?’ Minho asks and Jisung takes it as an invitation to continue to sit next to him.
‘Still trying to complete the Enchanter’s bundle,’ Jisung groans, ‘It’s the rabbit’s foot!’
Minho graces him with a beatific smile and Jisung hopes the way his breath stutters isn’t too audible.
He meant what he said. Didn’t mean he didn’t find Minho any less handsome.
‘Let me show you a secret.’
Minho is apparently some sort of genius hard-core Stardew Valley gamer. He knew literally every secret, every back story, and every small trick.
‘Are you sure you’re not Concerned Ape.’ Jisung asks for the third time.
Minho just smiles, shrugging one shoulder.
They continue to play, each on their own phone. At one point Jisung’s battery runs dangerously low and Minho graciously offers his charger. Jisung feels all sorts of giddy.
They’re in the midst of discussing why the Wizard was without a doubt Abigail’s father when they’re interrupted.
‘Hyung,’ Willowy blond man is suddenly there, smile on his face, ‘I’m gonna get going.’
‘Oh?’ Minho gives him an amused half-smile, pausing his game to look up at his friend.
‘Yeah, just going on a walk.’
‘Is that what the kids call it these days?’ Minho asks with an amused smirk.
Jisung covers his laugh as a cough- it only half works. He looks away as Hyunjin leans in to say something to Minho, giving them as much privacy as he could.
‘I’ll text you!’ Hyunjin is saying in his normal volume before he squeezes Minho in a half hug. He even throws a small wave at Jisung and walks off towards the exit.
‘Well, I guess my job as the best wingman is done for the night,’ Minho announces before he exclaims, ‘Ah that brat, he made me accidently harvest the poppies.’
Jisung turns to look around and doesn’t find Changbin anywhere. He glances at his watch and to his surprise it’s already been nearly 3 hours since he sat down here.
‘My job as wingman is done too,’ he laughs as he turns back around before adding, ‘I think if you get Tub of Flowers it should work just as well as planting flowers.’
Minho looks at him with disbelief.
‘Is that what you do with your bee hive?’
‘Yes?’
‘Does your honey have a different name or does it just say honey?’
‘It just says honey?’
‘Yeah, Tub of Flowers won’t work.’
‘They get different names with different flowers?!’ Jisung exclaims.
His whole Stardew Valley life was a lie.
‘When this day is over I’m gonna follow my avatar and head back home to catch some sleep,’ Minho tells him, waving his phone in his hand a little.
‘Ah yeah, I should probably head back myself,’ Jisung nods, ‘Did you drive here or you got a taxi?’
Minho’s eyes narrow slightly, almost imperceptibly.
‘Taxi.’
‘Me too!’ Jisung realizes his question might appear to be implicit so he quickly adds, ‘Can I wait with you to grab a taxi too?’
The muscles around Minho’s eyes and mouth aren’t as tight anymore so Jisung considers that a small win.
Jisung pays for their drinks (literally only club soda, the bartender seemed to enjoy giving them ludicrous accessories with each glass they order) and picking up his jacket he had taken off about an hour ago, he follows after Minho out of the club lounge and into the hotel lobby and into the street.
It’s definitely a lot cooler outside, and Jisung shivers a little at the change in temperature. He tries not to stare too much at Minho though, now no longer only illuminated by the atmospheric lighting of the display rack at the bar.
His features are less sharp, a little tired, but still effortlessly handsome.
Wow, fuck.
Jisung wishes he could ask Minho for his number but he doesn’t want to sound false alarms or come off as pushy. He was already pushing his luck the whole night, in a sense.
‘You should get into sewing.’ Minho says suddenly.
‘Huh?’
Minho turns away from the street and looks him straight in the eye. There was something about the way Minho spoke, the way he addressed you- Jisung is filled with a sort of flustered thrill, but also an odd sense of surety in knowing he had Minho’s full attention.
‘Sewing,’ he repeats, ‘Emily sews, you can make custom clothing.’
‘Oh- oh?’ Jisung’s mind is now filled with endless possibilities in the form of tiny bright pixels.
‘You know the golden pumpkin?’
‘Yeah?’
‘If you sew with that, you get a witch’s hat.’
‘Oh my god,’ Jisung whispers, ‘I want a witch hat.’
Minho smiles, clearly pleased with himself as a taxi pauses before them.
Without so much as a goodnight, Lee Minho steps into the taxi and leaves Jisung behind in his wake, making him wonder if he somehow imagined everything up.