Chapter Text
Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas, a man named Nathan manages a Walmart. Being in a small town, the Walmart isn’t large. It’s just big enough to offer a good selection of items, with just enough part-time employees to keep the place running smoothly. But Nathan knows they can do better. Admittedly, the store is barely being kept afloat, and a lot more work needs to be done for it to move from being okay to pretty good. That starts with hiring more people.
Considering the lack of open positions anywhere else in this town (he’s checked), Nathan is surprised they haven’t gotten more applications. Or any applications, actually. The last time Nathan hired someone was nearly eight months ago, and since then, the application portal online has been silent. At a job like this where people are often in and out, especially those who only have part-time positions, it doesn’t take much thought to understand why this would be concerning. Their number of employees only seems to be dropping, especially over this past year. If the trend continues, it could very well be the end of the store’s life.
Nathan is willing to admit he isn’t above begging. As much as this store is “just a Walmart,” it’s also his Walmart, the store he’s been managing for just over a year now and working at for even longer. He doesn’t want to lose it when it’s almost become his second home (perhaps only because of the amount of time he spends there). If he could hire even just one more person, their prospects would be much more hopeful.
So, Nathan sets out on a mission to scout his new employees among his customers.
When Nathan is next on the register—something that happens way more often than he’d like, considering he’s supposed to be the manager—he declares that today will be the day that this Walmart gets its next employee. No customer will pass him by without at least agreeing to fill out an application. He can’t guarantee they’ll actually do it, or that they’ll accept the position, but the promise of an application is better than Nathan has seen in months.
It only takes five minutes for the first customer to approach. This is a Walmart, after all—a Walmart will always be a bit busy, no matter how small. Nathan is ready to shove the application in the customer’s face, but he chooses to stay calm for now, hoping he can reel them in.
“Good afternoon, how are you today?” Nathan plasters a wide smile on his face and uses his best customer service voice as a young man takes his place on the other side of the counter. He returns a smile just as wide, one that Nathan thinks would make his heart race in any other circumstances.
“I’m good, I’m good! How are you?” He leans in slightly, the corners of his eyes crinkling with his smile. Nathan thinks he might be asking out of a genuine interest in his well-being judging by the sweetness in his expression.
“Doing just fine. Nothing to complain about here.” He decides to start the subliminal messaging now and throws in, “It can be nice to spend the afternoon in here and get away from the heat, the AC’s great.”
The man’s smile grows as he hands Nathan his items. He only has a few groceries; he’ll have to make this conversation worth it quickly. “I’m sure. It’s so hot outside.” Once Nathan is scanning his items, the man starts to rock back and forth slightly on his heels. He seems too energetic to be idle for too long. “At least the weather is similar where I come from, so I was prepared.”
At that, Nathan looks up. The man has just given him an opening without even knowing it. “Oh, are you new around here? Enjoying it so far?”
The man nods, positively beaming. “Yes, I just moved here a week ago! It’s very nice. I needed a change of scenery.” He doesn’t say anything else, but he’s already given much more information than expected to a complete stranger. Nathan is grateful that his first customer of the day is one so friendly.
“Well, you came to the right place. This town is the perfect size for you to get some peace and quiet without being too boring. I’m born and raised here, so if you ever need any help or want to know where to find something, you know who to ask.” A branch of friendship, he thinks, might draw him in further.
He’s almost there. Nathan opens a bag for the man’s groceries, then looks up once more. “Do you have a job around here?”
As soon as he says it, Nathan curses the awkwardness of the question. Fortunately, the man doesn’t seem to find it strange at all. “Ah, I’m… well, I think I just need to get settled first before I find what I’m looking for. My dream is to do something with music, but I know it takes time.”
For a moment, Nathan forgets about his hiring mission. This man is into music too? The fact that they’ve met today is starting to feel more like fate and less like coincidence. Nathan wonders what exactly the man does, whether he sings or dances or plays an instrument. He almost asks what he’s hoping to do with music, but stops himself before he can get too sidetracked. If he can hire this guy, they can talk about music every day. “I hear you. Are you… you know, looking for any easy work in the meantime?”
The man seems to pick up on what he’s implying. “Are you offering?” He leans against the counter now, already seeming rather comfortable at the store, which Nathan would joke about if he’d known the man for more than five minutes. “I don’t have anything immediate lined up right now. I could take a job.”
Nathan can’t help the smile that splits across his face. “Well, we’re currently hiring. We really need some more full-time employees. I’ve been working here for a while, so I can promise you that the work isn’t too boring or draining.” The man is nodding along, seeming to truly consider the offer. Nathan wants to cry with excitement.
When a silence settles between them, Nathan starts to worry. The man hands him his card to pay after Nathan reads him his total. After an agonizingly long moment made even longer by the slow registers, Nathan hands the card back. Only then does the man finally speak up.
“Well, why not?” His bright smile returns, practically blinding Nathan. “Walmart doesn’t seem too bad, and I’d be happy to see you again.”
This time, tears do actually prickle at the corner of Nathan’s eyes. He may finally have another employee, and this man made it so easy. “Well, I’m actually the manager here, so you’ll be seeing plenty of me.” The man’s eyebrows raise, and he claps a few times before Nathan continues. “I’d be happy to direct you to our online application portal.”
The man is more than willing to simply hand his phone over, and Nathan worries for a moment that this man may be a little too trusting for his own good. For some reason, it makes Nathan feel even softer for him. He takes the phone and searches up the Walmart website, even going as far as to pull up the application portal specific to his store location. He then hands the phone back, and the man smiles again. “There you go. The application shouldn’t take long, and I’ll get to it right away. If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name? I want to know which application to look out for.” Of course, Nathan isn’t going to confess that there won’t be any other applications to confuse his with; he just wants to know the name of his future coworker and, hopefully, friend.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Hyuk.” Hyuk extends his hand to shake Nathan’s. His grasp is firm and warm, just as comforting and friendly as his face.
“No worries. I’m Nathan.” Hyuk lets out the softest laugh, glancing down at Nathan’s name tag and reminding him that he’s known his name since the start. Still, a verbal introduction feels far more proper and welcoming.
Finally, Hyuk pockets his phone and takes his bag of groceries. The exchange is done, but he still hesitates to move away from the counter. He stares into Nathan’s eyes for another minute before starting to turn away. “Well, I hope I’ll be seeing you again soon, Nathan.”
“Same to you. Good luck settling into town.” Hyuk waves, then heads towards the door. As he does, Nathan calls out, “Don’t forget about that application!” He knows it sounds silly, but he has to be safe.
Hyuk turns back, a melodic laugh leaving his lips. “I’ll do it tonight!” His mission is a success.
Hyuk’s promise makes the rest of Nathan’s day go by unusually quickly. He’s itching to check for the application, but he has just enough work that there isn’t a moment of free time to do so. Knowing he has something to look forward to makes the work feel easier, at least. As soon as the store closes for the night, Nathan rushes to the computer in the office and opens the application portal. For the first time in eight months, a red circle appears in the corner, indicating that a new application has been submitted for review. Warmth fills Nathan’s heart as he’s overcome with a newfound excitement, and not just for the future of his Walmart.
Nathan knew he would interview Hyuk regardless of the quality of his application, but he’s more than pleased to find that Hyuk has experience in customer service and passed the standard (and, by Nathan’s belief, completely pointless) personality test with flying colors. He barely skims Hyuk’s application before sending him an email to set up an interview time, which Hyuk promptly responds to.
Three days after their initial meeting, Hyuk returns to Walmart for his interview. Nathan, who is once again stuck at the register, lights up when he sees Hyuk walk in five minutes early. His timeliness only gives him more reason to hire him. After calling another employee to take over, Nathan leads Hyuk to the office.
“Welcome back. It’s nice to see you again.” He greets Hyuk with a wide smile, trying to mirror the one that Hyuk gives him.
“You too! I appreciate you setting this interview up so quickly,” he replies, grabbing Nathan’s hand to shake it with an amusing level of formality, considering their circumstances. Nathan is simply relieved that Hyuk didn’t think the immediate interview was a sign of desperation.
“Of course, of course. I’d really love to have you here, and I wouldn’t want to wait so long that you find a different opportunity.” The playfulness comes naturally, as if they’ve known each other for years rather than mere days. They reach the door to the office, and Hyuk leans in close as Nathan enters the door code. He thinks he should feel uncomfortable having a stranger hovering over his shoulder, but he welcomes it.
Nathan gestures towards a chair, prompting Hyuk to sit down. Across from him is Nathan’s chair, as well as a sheet of interview questions. He tried to memorize them all beforehand, but he hadn’t seen them in so long that they all felt completely new. Nathan glances at the paper, determined to commit at least a few questions to memory, before looking back at Hyuk.
“Okay. This interview shouldn’t take too long or be too stressful. I just want to get to know you a little better and make sure you’re the right fit for our location. Try not to worry too much; you’ve already gotten through the hardest part.” Nathan struggles to keep a straight face as he recites the standard company lines. He’s never been a fan of scripts and having to use one to create a false persona, and reading one out to Hyuk feels especially silly. Hyuk is so genuine, and Nathan is sure he can see right through the generic lines and finds them rather unappealing.
Yet Hyuk only laughs, the sound coming from deep within his chest, but still soft enough to be pleasing to the ears. “Alright. I’m ready.”
Nathan lets his gaze soften for a moment. Hyuk is so bright to him, and he doesn’t want to act artificial with him. But it’s just for this interview—he needs to focus on hiring Hyuk first, then he can bond with him.
“As you might expect, this job will involve a lot of customer service. Can you describe a time you’ve worked with others and what you did to make that experience effective for everyone involved?”
Hyuk nods and looks up at the ceiling. “Yes… I used to work at a music store where we sold instruments and occasionally gave lessons. My highest priority was getting to know each individual customer so I could meet their needs and go beyond just their basic requests.”
Nathan’s heart aches as Hyuk continues. He sounds passionate about the music store; why would he leave, and why would he come to a random town in Arkansas, of all places? The music store was surely better than Walmart will be. He’ll have to ask him about it later.
Hyuk finishes his story with another nod, and Nathan moves on to the next question. “Great. I’d also like to know more about…” Nathan glances at the paper again and has to fight to keep from laughing. What are your motivations and goals, what do you hope to get from this job? He is not asking Hyuk either of those questions. Walmart is never that serious—he’s not even sure he could provide a decent answer. “...about how you work with others. What type of work environment are you hoping for, and how would you contribute to it?”
“I care a lot about collaboration and friendliness. I’d like to build strong connections with my coworkers, and I’d like to work together to solve problems and lift each other up.”
Nathan nods along as Hyuk gives more specific examples. He’s taking the interview very seriously, which Nathan is grateful for. He can’t afford to be picky with his employees right now and would hire anyone, and fortunately, Hyuk is saving him from the dangers that could come with that.
“Amazing. Now, what strengths do you have that would make you a good fit for this position?”
“I’d say I’m very friendly and social, I learn quickly, I care for people, I’m organized…” With each of Hyuk’s answers, Nathan feels more relieved. He’s answering everything perfectly, and he truly seems to care about the job. He was planning on hiring Hyuk either way, but now he can do so without any regret or second-guessing.
When Hyuk finishes his answer, he stares at Nathan with the same smile from earlier, waiting for the next question. However, Nathan doesn’t have it in himself to ask any more. The questions only get more ridiculous as the list goes on; why should he expect Hyuk to have a change he hopes to make to the company, or an idea of how working at Walmart will shape his future? He’d be wasting both of their time if he continued, especially when they already know what the outcome is going to be.
“Well, Hyuk, I think we’re done here.” Hyuk’s expression falters, and Nathan is quick to explain. “All of your answers have been wonderful. I don’t want to make you do this any longer when there’s no reason. I’d love to have you as part of our team.”
Hyuk opens his mouth in shock, as if he wasn’t expecting to be hired, as if Nathan didn’t directly ask him to apply a few days ago. He’s sure Hyuk noticed how empty the store was last time he came in; it shouldn’t be a surprise that Nathan isn’t really narrowing down his best candidates.
“Well,” Hyuk replies, beaming, “I’d love to join you.”
“Great. When can you start?”
“Whenever you need me.” Excitement radiates off of him in waves; Nathan isn’t sure if anyone has ever been more happy about a job at Walmart. If he cares this much about a retail job, Nathan can only imagine the effort he must put into his musical work.
Nathan wants Hyuk back as soon as possible, not just for work, but to get to know him as well. He feels drawn to him, his personality igniting a light that Nathan hadn’t even known was off in his life. “How about this weekend? I’ll be working, too, so I can help you get comfortable and show you around.” The promise to get to know each other as well remains unspoken, but Nathan is sure Hyuk understands by the way his eyes glow.
“That sounds wonderful.” They say their goodbyes, and Hyuk leaves, still smiling. As Nathan walks to the back to print out Hyuk’s name tag, he internally celebrates the hiring of, in addition to him, this Walmart’s second full-time employee.