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Yushi didn't mind going to the dentist, necessarily, except that changing offices was always such a hassle.
His previous dentist had retired suddenly, and had somehow disappeared without bothering to give Yushi a way to send any of his information or x-rays to his new dentist.
When he brought it up on break at work, eating glumly across from Sion and Riku, who were sitting a little too close for comfort, Riku had brightened immediately. "You should go to Ryo! Or, Doctor Hirose, I guess. He's relatively new in Seoul, but I promise he's great. I've known him since forever, too, so you shouldn't have too much difficulty getting an appointment."
"Ryo's a nice kid," Sion said, nodding in approval. "I think you would like him, Yushi."
"Alright," Yushi said reluctantly, feeling a bit deflated now that there wasn't an outlet for his annoyance. He searched the location, raising an eyebrow at the high compliments he saw online. "Thanks, Riku."
When Yushi called, drumming his fingers anxiously against his thigh, he found with pleasant surprise that everything was a lot easier than he expected. There were no complications with his information, insurance, setting up appointment times, or anything - except for his x-rays.
"We know it's inconvenient," the woman over the phone apologized, "but can you come in twice? Once for x-rays and another time for the cleaning? We just don't have availability until a few months out."
Yushi sighed, but forced himself to agree. It wouldn't be that big of a deal. It was his old dentist's fault for retiring.
The office was clean and new-looking, Yushi remarked as he entered the building. Riku had texted him a simple tell Ryo I said hi if you see him! which Yushi was ignoring. He had already filled out all of the new patient forms, and so after checking in, he sat down to wait.
The walls were decorated cutely, with abstract art paintings as well as a few locally voted awards. What caught Yushi's eye, however, was the photo on the wall of Doctor Hirose and his staff. Most of the hygienists and secretaries were young, and there was a fair mix of men and women. When Yushi had searched Ryo's name, he had been surprised to see how young he looked - but then again, Riku had said that Ryo had just started. This practice was also meant to serve patients of all ages, apparently. It was definitely clear from the coloring books placed next to the dusty magazines in the corner.
The door opened, and a youngish looking man poked his head out. "Tokuno Yushi?" he called, turning towards Yushi, whose body jerked itself upright.
The hygienist's face was covered by a mask, but Yushi's eyes were stuck on the way his eyes crinkled into tiny, downwards crescents as he smiled. He was tall, his hands endearingly large in comparison to the clipboard he held in his hand. He looked… exactly like Yushi's ideal type.
"I'm Daeyoung," he said brightly, motioning for Yushi to follow him. His hair was very shiny, Yushi noticed; it looked much healthier than his hair that he had fried from dying too often. "It's your first time here, right? Well, x-rays are never fun, but I'll have them done as soon as possible so you can get out of here before you know it!"
There was something so cheery about Daeyoung in the way he talked, never faltering at Yushi's lackluster answers or nods. Before Yushi knew it, Daeyoung was already holding the sensor out to him.
"Open your mouth as wide as you can," Daeyoung said, lengthening the word "wide." Yushi's stomach flipped nervously as he opened his mouth, and strangely, all he could think about was whether he brushed his teeth enough that morning. Did his breath smell bad? Did he look nervous?
Yushi frowned, and Daeyoung laughed awkwardly. "A bit wider than that," he encouraged, and Yushi quickly opened his mouth more, chastising himself internally. He was getting distracted, which was incredibly unusual and strange for him. He knew he had brushed his teeth in preparation, and this was just the dentist; it shouldn't matter. They probably saw people with worse teeth than him all the time.
"Sorry," Yushi mumbled as Daeyoung settled the sensor between his cheek and gum, gently telling Yushi to bite down.
Yushi was really trying not to think about Daeyoung's fingers in his mouth, the way his thumbs pressed firmly but gently against his chin. This was a random dental hygienist he wouldn't see again, he reminded himself. Well, maybe he would see him at his cleaning, but there was no guarantee, and then he wouldn't be back at the dentist for another -
"Alright, that looks great!" Daeyoung said, hurrying back into the room. Yushi unclenched his jaw, looking up at Daeyoung expectantly. "Er - yeah. Um, the next one is…" Daeyoung looked at the computer anxiously, taking the sensor out of Yushi's mouth. "Right. Sorry."
The next one was further back in Yushi's mouth, and embarrassingly, he made a small noise of discomfort as Daeyoung pushed it in. "Sorry, sorry," Daeyoung apologized, and Yushi's mind blanked as he focused on how shockingly endearing Daeyoung was.
"Okay, just a few more!" Daeyoung said brightly as he returned.
"It better be," Yushi said, unconsciously pouting as he looked up at Daeyoung, who was fiddling with the computer.
Daeyoung happened to look over at that moment, and his hand slipped on the keyboard, the screen freezing from the random arrangement of keys he pressed. "Oh no," he said, a beat too late, his voice sounding awfully dismayed as his face turned a cute shade of red. "Sorry, I didn't mean… it'll just be a bit while I fix this. I'm normally not this clumsy…"
Yushi suppressed a smile. Really, what was going on with him today? It must have been the rush of not having to go into the office in the morning and sleeping in a little bit longer, or the adrenaline of going to a new office, or maybe meeting a cute puppy like hygienist…
Tensing as he registered his thoughts, Yushi shook himself back to reality. It was nice to observe, though, he thought distantly as he watched Daeyoung struggle with the computer. No one at his office was nearly as cute as the man in front of him. Not nearly as nice or friendly either. And he was certain they wouldn't be able to pull off the scrubs and mask as well as Daeyoung could.
"Your teeth are so perfect," Daeyoung mumbled from the corner, causing Yushi to jump a little in his seat. "I mean - ! They're very evenly aligned. Very… square?"
Yushi flushed, mumbling a thank you as he sank into his seat.
The rest of the x-rays went smoothly. Yushi, unable to help himself, stared at Daeyoung the entire time. Strangely enough, Daeyoung seemed a bit quieter for the rest of his time, avoiding looking at Yushi for too long. It should have made Yushi wonder if Daeyoung had noticed his staring, but he was too shameless to care.
"And you're done," Daeyoung announced, coming back into the room at last. "It sucks that your previous dentist wasn't able to send us the images. But on the bright side, you won't have to get your x-rays done for a long time."
"Okay," Yushi said uselessly, standing.
"You'll be back for your cleaning, then?" Daeyoung blurted out suddenly, and Yushi's heart fluttered against his will. Would Daeyoung be the one cleaning his teeth? Maybe that wasn't something he should think about…
"Oh, yes," Yushi responded after a moment, shy. "Thank you for everything. Um, Daeyoung, right?"
"Yes!" Daeyoung said, brightening. "You're welcome, Yushi. You were much more pleasant than some of the children I have to coax into keeping the sensor in their mouth."
"I would hope so," Yushi said, trying to banish the image of Daeyoung with tiny children out of his mind. It would probably be silly to ask if Daeyoung would be working when he came, right? Right? That was invasive. An invasion of HIPAA, maybe. Except that was for patients and not for dental hygienists.
"I'll walk you back to the front," Daeyoung said, clearing his throat. "Just in case you forgot."
Yushi nodded, following Daeyoung wordlessly. He really made a fool of himself, hadn't he? It wasn't his fault that the dental hygienist was so cute, though. And had such nice eyes and nice hands…
"Goodbye, Yushi, I hope you have a good rest of your day!" Daeyoung said before waving goodbye to Yushi, who stared at him in an attempt to commit him to memory before gathering his belongings. Before he left, his eyes found the photo of Doctor Hirose and his employees, and more specifically, Daeyoung in the back. Yushi frowned, wishing futilely that Daeyoung wasn't hidden behind everyone else. His smile was really cute, Yushi noted distantly as he stared. Really, really nice when it wasn't hidden behind a mask.
When Yushi exited the building, it was with the knowledge that he was going to do as much research on Daeyoung the dental hygienist as possible.
When Riku and Sion asked Yushi how his appointment went, Yushi succeeded in saying nothing about the very handsome dental hygienist and merely said that the x-rays were fine, and no, he hadn't met Ryo.
No, Yushi hadn't spent an awful amount of time at home searching for everything he could about Kim Daeyoung who worked for Doctor Hirose. According to the dentist's website, Daeyoung had worked there when Doctor Hirose opened his practice after a few years of working at some other practice. When Yushi looked him up, he found no social media accounts, unfortunately - or fortunately, because Yushi probably would have done something very unprofessional - so there was little he could find on him except where he went to university and when he got his degree. The photos of him on the website were cute, though, Yushi thought. Very cute.
Apparently, he usually did pediatric dental cleanings. According to his profile, at least, and the reviews left on the website, Daeyoung was very good with children. Very kind, friendly, and calming. Yushi certainly didn't feel calm around him, but he understood how someone like Daeyoung would make children feel that way.
Was this relatively insane behavior? Yes. Yushi was ashamed to have done this all over a hygienist who had taken his x-rays for maybe twenty minutes, and who he would likely never see again. But. Yushi had never felt so taken by someone in recent years, and it had been many months since he had gone on a date, so maybe he was just feeling considerably lonely.
It wasn't crazy. Maybe Yushi just needed to take Riku on his offer to find him a date sometime.
When Yushi woke up on the day of his cleaning, he turned to his closet with new determination. Even if Daeyoung wasn't the one cleaning his teeth, he might be in the office, or in the hallway passing by and see Yushi… right?
Yushi settled on a sweater, striped and loose on him, and a pair of nice jeans. This was normal, he thought, holding the clothes in front of him. Sure, he would have to change once he went back to the office, but wearing office clothes to the dentist would be a bit much.
He stared at himself in the mirror as he brushed his teeth, wondering if he should fix his hair somehow or if the bags under his eyes were too noticeable… No, that was ridiculous, he told himself.
At the familiar office, Yushi's eyes fixated on Daeyoung's image in the group photo on the wall, internalizing it. The same secretary greeted him, and as he sat down, Yushi strained to hear any other voices in the back of the dentist's office. But to his dismay, he didn't hear anything or anyone.
"Tokuno Yushi?" Unfortunately, the woman who called for him this time wasn't Daeyoung, and Yushi felt his heart sink in his chest against his will. Really, he was here for a cleaning. It was okay. Daeyoung probably hadn't thought of him at all in the week after his appointment.
"The hygienist who will do the cleaning is still finishing up, so it'll be a few minutes," the woman apologized, gesturing for Yushi to take a seat.
"Oh," Yushi said, feeling stupidly hopeful. "Thank you."
Sitting in the dental chair in the tiny room, Yushi fought the urge to turn around and stare at the open door into the hallway. The ticking of the clock was terribly loud, and Yushi counted the seconds until he heard rapid footsteps and his heart leaped -
"Good morning, Yushi," a familiar voice said, and Yushi twisted around to see Daeyoung entering the room. Unlike before, he wasn't wearing a mask, and Yushi's gaze dropped to Daeyoung's wide smile and his white teeth. It was a crime to hide it behind a mask, Yushi thought disappointedly as Daeyoung put a new one on. "Sorry I'm late! I was finishing up with the last patient. How are you doing today, Yushi?"
"I'm good," he replied nervously, swallowing as he took Daeyoung in. He searched in his brain for something else to say, something intelligent or funny, but came up short.
"Well, we may as well get started then, so I don't waste too much of your time," Daeyoung continued, not missing a beat. Yushi frowned - he'd prefer it if Daeyoung took as long as he wanted. "Do you have any plans for the rest of today?"
"I'm going back to the office after this," he said, staring at Daeyoung's hands as he put on his gloves. "It will be boring, I'm sure."
Daeyoung laughed, throwing his head back as he slid into the rolling chair and wheeled over to Yushi, turning on the overhead light and reclining the dental chair. "Really? So is the dentist visit the highlight of your day?"
"Yes," Yushi said a bit too quickly, flushing at how eager he sounded. "It's a nice break."
"That's good," Daeyoung said cheerfully, unwrapping plastic and moving around the tools on the side table. He gave Yushi the cup of mouthwash to rinse with, and Yushi did his best not to look stupid swishing it around in his mouth or spitting it back in the cup. It was ridiculous, Daeyoung probably saw dozens of patients doing the same thing every week. "Well, open wide, Yushi! I'll try to make this as painless as possible."
Yushi opened his mouth, looking up at Daeyoung, who stared with determined focus into Yushi's mouth. His fingers pressed gently into Yushi's face, the latex covered fingers probing at his gums.
"Your teeth are so cute," Daeyoung mumbled, and Yushi almost jumped out of the seat. "I mean, I said this the other day, but they're really perfectly aligned! Did you ever have braces?"
"Yes," Yushi said around Daeyoung's fingers, knowing his ears were probably turning quite pink.
Yushi closed his mouth and swallowed drily as Daeyoung reached for the mirror and scaler, running his tongue over his teeth in an attempt to feel for anything that could have magically appeared since he brushed and flossed that morning.
"You don't even have that much plaque, either," Daeyoung said in amazement, the mirror clinking against Yushi's teeth as he tapped and poked at his molars. Yushi barely registered the noise of the scalar scraping lightly against his teeth, still staring right at Daeyoung. His eyes were slanted in focus, his dark hair falling over his forehead. It was so unfair for him to look so handsome in a mask and white coat.
"As much as I enjoy working with children, I don't mind the adult patients at all because there's usually less squirming," Daeyoung joked. "And less push back when I tell them to floss more! Not that you need to, at all, really, your teeth are so healthy. So… er, yeah."
Daeyoung's eyes flitted to Yushi - who was still staring at him - and then looked away immediately, the scalar bumping against Yushi's gum awkwardly. "Sorry," Daeyoung squeaked, his ears reddening as he focused back on Yushi's mouth.
"It's okay," Yushi tried to say stupidly, still not breaking his stare despite being caught by Daeyoung. It was normal for patients to look at the hygienist as they worked, right? Even though there was a television in the corner Yushi hadn't noticed, playing some baking competition reality show he hadn't seen before.
"I used to be afraid of the dentist," Daeyoung said as he continued cleaning Yushi's teeth. "I had a snaggletooth when I was younger, so I had braces for a long time. But now they're pretty even, I would say. Just not as square as yours."
Was it normal for a hygienist to talk so much about how nice their patient's teeth were? Yushi didn't know if he was looking too much into things, but Daeyoung was making him go crazy.
"I had a few cavities, too, which wasn't fun," Daeyoung continued conversationally. "You haven't had any, or any fillings or anything. That's amazing, really. Your gums are perfect, too. I can tell you brush and floss regularly. I don't even think I'm cleaning much plaque off."
Daeyoung pulled back, and Yushi closed his mouth and swallowed again. "Thank you," he said awkwardly, craning his neck as he watched Daeyoung getting the toothpaste and toothbrush. Was there anything he could say? He couldn't see Daeyoung's teeth right now, so it would probably be weird if he told Daeyoung he thought his smile was very nice. Very cute. No, that would be weird.
Turning around, Daeyoung smiled at Yushi, his eyes crinkling and slanting downwards. Yushi really wanted to take the mask off his face. "Well, it's time to brush your teeth now."
Daeyoung was careful with Yushi. So, so careful, unlike the way some of his previous dentist visits would lead to spit and toothpaste ending up on his face. As Daeyoung carefully cleaned every part of his mouth, Yushi's eyes tracked Daeyoung's movements from the side of his vision to above his eyes and then on the other side. He had never been so fascinated by someone before, especially not in such a setting like this.
All the while, Daeyoung kept chatting about various things. "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to work in an office," he said. "You didn't come in a suit, but I'd imagine you're not supposed to wear jeans in an office. Not that I dislike it! It's actually very cute and handsome on you, er, I mean, it suits you."
Yushi was very thankful he had spent time on his appearance, and couldn't help the smile that overtook his face.
"Maybe I should stop talking," Daeyoung said suddenly, and Yushi's heart dropped as he realized Daeyoung had stopped smiling. "Erm, is my talking bothering you? You haven't replied much, not that that's possible when I'm brushing your teeth, but I can also just stop talking about, well, your teeth and appearance and everything because that's probably weird…"
He pulled back from Yushi's mouth, done brushing, and Yushi ignored the weird taste from the toothpaste still coating his teeth to blurt out, "No, it doesn't bother me."
Daeyoung froze while getting the suction tube. "Oh," he said, embarrassed. "I'm glad! I guess some patients just prefer it when I talk the whole time, huh? Better than sitting in awkward silence, I guess." He removed the suction tube from Yushi's mouth and busied himself with the tools. "Flossing time now. It'll be quick!"
Yushi nodded, opening his mouth again as Daeyoung returned, the look of concentration on his face back again. This time, however, Yushi couldn't help but fixate on Daeyoung's pink ears.
"Doctor Hirose will be in shortly," Daeyoung said cheerfully. "Ryo tells me you know his friends, Riku and Sion? I've met them a few times, and they're quite nice. Ryo's quite fond of them, even though they like teasing him."
Yushi would have words with Riku for hiding Daeyoung from him.
"I knew that they worked in an office, but they never mentioned you, Yushi," Daeyoung said, before pausing, the string of the floss awkwardly still between Yushi's teeth. "Er, not that they would need to! I mean to say, they never said someone they knew was looking for a new dentist. Though I guess they wouldn't tell me, but ask Ryo instead."
"They didn't tell me about you either," Yushi managed to say around Daeyoung's fingers, and he could tell Daeyoung frowned from the way his eyebrows furrowed.
"Well, I guess I didn't make that much of an impression on them. They can be a little intimidating, you know? Sion's very nice, but I don't think he was a little possessive over Riku. Not that that's a bad thing, it was just a bit awkward for me, Ryo, and our friend."
"Ah," Yushi mumbled as Daeyoung turned away to throw away the floss. Riku and Sion were in so much trouble when he saw them for lunch. But then again, Yushi realized grimly, he was in for a lot of teasing as well once they figured out Yushi's obsession with his hygienist. But at least this didn't mean that Daeyoung would remain someone he would only see once or twice a year. Right? Riku and Sion owed Yushi a lot, enough to pull strings and bring Daeyoung to a meal with Yushi.
"Anyway, I'm all done. I'll just apply the fluoride and then I can call Doctor Hirose in to see you. But I'd imagine that wouldn't take that long, considering there's nothing really to inspect. Ryo just likes to meet everyone and introduce himself," Daeyoung explained as he brushed the minty, odd tasting fluoride over Yushi's teeth.
"Okay," Yushi mumbled as Daeyoung rolled the chair back, ripping off his gloves and mask and disposing of them in the corner of the room. Really, it was so unfair how handsome Daeyoung looked in his hygienist uniform.
"Alright, it was nice to see you again, Yushi," Daeyoung said, suddenly a bit awkward. "Um. Right, I'll get Doctor Hirose now."
And with that, Daeyoung scurried out of the room, Yushi's gaze never leaving him until he disappeared down the hallway.
When Doctor Hirose came in, he was just as young as he looked in the photos online - that is to say, much younger than Yushi would have ever thought. "Hello, Yushi," Ryo greeted. "Riku's talked about you before, so I know a little bit about you. He told me a little bit ago you were looking for a new practice, and I'm glad you chose us."
"Yes, it's nice," Yushi said, turning to look at Ryo. "I'm glad Riku made the suggestion."
"Daeyoung told me about you, too," Ryo said as he rolled on his gloves, lowering the dental chair slightly. "He said you have the best teeth he's ever seen. I guess I won't be looking for much, then?"
"He did?" Yushi asked, but it came out as more of a mumble since Ryo was busy inspecting his teeth.
"Yep. And it looks like he's right, because everything looks great. You can head up to the front now, you're all set. It was nice to meet you! Maybe we'll meet properly some time through Riku and Sion."
"Thank you," Yushi said, standing up and watching Ryo leave.
On his way to the front desk, Yushi passed by another room from which Daeyoung's voice was floating into the hallway.
"Open as wiiide as you can," Daeyoung was saying, his face hidden from where Yushi stood. "Perfect! Great job. It looks like you're doing a great job brushing, huh? That's awesome."
Yushi forced himself to keep walking. No, he was not thinking about Daeyoung the hygienist talking to children. He was thinking about very innocent, proper things like going back to work and not strangling Riku as soon as he sat at his desk.
"So did you meet Ryo this time?" Riku asked at lunch, staring expectantly at Yushi. Sion wasn't there, thankfully, because Yushi knew Sion was a lot pushier than Riku at times.
"Yes, I did," Yushi said. "It was fine."
"How was it?" Riku continued, slurping on his noodles messily. "You usually complain about missing work for appointments, but you came in a lot later than I thought today."
"I had to change," Yushi said absentmindedly, cursing as soon as he saw Riku sit up straighter.
"Change? Why?"
"I didn't want to dirty my work clothes," Yushi said stiffly, trying and failing to suppress a smile at the memory of Daeyoung complimenting his outfit.
"You're smiling," Riku said in disbelief. "What happened there? Did you meet someone? Oh my god, did you? Ryo's too young for you, and the secretary's a woman, and -"
"Hold on, Riku," Yushi said, with growing alarm as Riku gestured wildly.
"Oh, it was Daeyoung, wasn't it?" Riku exclaimed, pointing at Yushi. "Daeyoung's totally your type. I should have known."
"And why didn't you tell me about him sooner?" Yushi snapped, scowling at Riku. "I probably looked like an idiot the way I was staring at him."
Riku was grinning a little too wide for Yushi's tastes. "Knowing Daeyoung, he wouldn't mind," Riku said. "He's cute, isn't he? Like a very big puppy. Ryo says he's very good with the children."
"Yes," Yushi grumbled. "Riku, when am I going to see him again?"
"Don't pout at me," Riku said. "It's your fault for crushing on a dental hygienist instead of meeting new people or going on dates."
"But you said you know him," Yushi said insistently. "And he said he's met you before!"
Riku sighed. "I guess I can see if I can figure something out," he said. "Ryo owes me a favor, somehow. Or if I can get Sion involved…"
"Don't tell Sion," Yushi said, alarmed.
Cackling, Riku stood up to throw away his tray. "It's too late for that, Yushi," he said. "This is too funny to pass up."
And surely enough, later that day Sion passed by Yushi's desk, grinning suspiciously. And then Yushi got a text saying so i heard you're down bad for the dentist, and Sion was quickly blocked.
While Riku and Sion remained terribly unhelpful - Riku said they were working "behind the scenes" or whatever that meant - Yushi went back to internet stalking in hopes of finding more about Daeyoung.
And shockingly enough, it was Ryo's instagram profile that Yushi finally found that gave him a new lead.
"Sakuya," Yushi said as he sat across from his cousin at a restaurant. He knew Sakuya wouldn't give him anything without something in return, which was usually food. "Do you know Hirose Ryo?"
"Yeah, we went to school together," Sakuya said calmly, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Do you know anything about the people he works with?" Yushi said, trying not to betray his emotions. "Like… Kim Daeyoung?"
"Kim Daeyoung?" Sakuya asked incredulously. "Yeah I know him, I met him through Ryo and he treats us to dinner sometimes. Yushi, why did you ask me to eat just to ask about Daeyoung? How did you even meet him?"
"I had an appointment at Ryo's office the other week," Yushi said mulishly. "That's not important, though."
"Wait," Sakuya said suddenly. "You're short. And you have good teeth. And you work at an office."
"Yes?" Yushi replied, confused.
"Oh my god," Sakuya said, laughing. "Oh wow. No, I know why you're asking about Daeyoung. He did your cleaning, didn't he?"
Yushi frowned. Maybe Sakuya was closer to Daeyoung than he thought. "Yes. Why?"
"Well, Ryo told me Daeyoung was really flustered by a mysterious new patient," Sakuya began, a menacing grin overtaking his face. "I didn't know that was you."
"What do you mean?" Yushi demanded. "What did Daeyoung say about me?"
Sakuya ignored Yushi, poking at his food and sipping his water. "I shouldn't say," Sakuya said mysteriously.
"Then who is paying for your food today?" Yushi grumbled.
"Hold on," Sakuya said. "I just don't want to expose Daeyoung. But I can find a way to set you guys up, because as far as I know, he was really disappointed he couldn't find out more about you. I think he was planning on asking Ryo to ask Sion and Riku about you, but I'm not sure because he was worried you would think it was invasive."
"He's so cute," Yushi blurted, immediately covering his face in his arms. "Forget I said that."
"Okay," Sakuya said brightly, chewing on a piece of pork happily. "Wow. I get free food today and information about you."
"Don't talk," Yushi said darkly. "How am I supposed to get in contact with him? Can you give me his number?"
"I don't have it," Sakuya said, shrugging, and Yushi was about to walk out of the damn restaurant because why was everyone useless? First Riku and Sion, now Sakuya. Yushi was about to show up at the dentist's office himself for answers. No, that was very invasive and probably a violation of some honor code.
"But I can get it. At some point!" Sakuya promised. "I think Ryo would be happy to give it to me, especially since Daeyoung's apparently been very pouty and sad since you left."
Yushi brightened against his will, a smile creeping onto his face. Poor Daeyoung. All of his stuttering must have been nervousness, then. And the way he complimented Yushi as well, it was so endearing. Yushi's heart was thumping just thinking about it.
"Alright, I don't want to see that look on your face," Sakuya complained. "Ick. Daeyoung and Yushi. Huh, I guess it makes sense."
"Aww, I love you too," Yushi said teasingly, turning back to his plate with a lighter mood. He would see Daeyoung again, somehow. "Well, you better get me that number, Sakuya."
The same evening, Yushi's phone lit up with a text message from Sakuya. Yushi would be lying if he said he didn't lunge for his phone as soon as he heard the familiar chime.
All that Sakuya sent was a phone number, an instagram handle, and a middle finger emoji. Well then. Yushi ignored the last part and immediately opened instagram while trying to think of what to say.
Hi this is Yushi! I was your patient a few weeks ago could be a bit alarming. Maybe he should lead with the fact that he got Daeyoung's number from Sakuya, or something.
Hello, this is Yushi! I asked Sakuya for your number seemed too formal, though. Hm.
Daeyoung's instagram was thankfully public, just under the username kim_jaehee_, which was probably why Yushi couldn't find him anywhere. There were sparing pictures of him, as he only posted once a year with mostly photos of scenery and meals with cheesy captions. You're better than this, he told himself firmly, even though he knew a smile was already creeping onto his face. You're better than falling for someone like this.
Yushi hadn't noticed Daeyoung's right canine was so prominent. It was cute.
After he finished swiping through all of Daeyoung's photos, Yushi's thumb hovered over the tantalizing follow button. They had mutual followers, after all, so it would be possible for Yushi to find Daeyoung through normal means.
Maybe it would be better to message Daeyoung on instagram first, then? That way, Yushi could pretend he never asked Sakuya about Daeyoung. After all, Yushi didn't want to make himself look more like a fool than he already had. It was better if Daeyoung still thought Yushi had some dignity.
Losing all inhibition, Yushi hit the follow button. It wasn't weird. Right? Maybe he could wait for Daeyoung to follow him back or something before messaging him, just in case Daeyoung blocked him for some reason.
But before he shut off his phone, Yushi liked Daeyoung's most recent post because really, he wasn't nonchalant whatsoever.
After he took a long shower to distract himself, Yushi got into bed with the determination to sleep well before the next day. He had been slacking off a little at work with how distracted he was (totally not by Daeyoung, he was firm in telling Riku and Sion) and needed to catch up. But when Yushi looked at his phone, his heart leapt to his throat at the sight of what was over twenty instagram notifications.
Frantically opening instagram, Yushi saw with disbelief that Daeyoung had followed him back and liked not one, but all of Yushi's many posts from the past two years. Well then, it appeared Yushi had met his match in forwardness.
And there was a message from Daeyoung. Yushi took a moment to compose himself before opening the message, rolling over in his bed to shield his phone screen.
Hello! I can't believe you found my profile. Is it weird to say I've been hoping we could meet again?
It was terribly cute. Much cuter than Yushi could take, because he couldn't stop smiling, suddenly wide awake. There would be no sleep tonight, he thought grimly.
If it is, I don't care because I feel the same, Yushi responded, quickly going through Daeyoung's account and liking the rest of his posts because he may as well match Daeyoung's energy.
This is my number if you want to talk more, Yushi sent as well as a selfie of himself in bed. Really, he had no shame.
No less than a minute later, Yushi's phone lit up with another notification that an unknown number had messaged him. Surprisingly, Sakuya had given Yushi the correct phone number. But what was more important, though, was the photo Daeyoung had sent Yushi - him in soft pajamas and glasses. Yushi didn't know Daeyoung wore glasses.
yushi
you wear glasses?
daeyoung
yes! i find they slip a lot when i work so i wear contacts instead.
it's very nice to talk to you again, yushi!!! i hope i didn't embarrass myself too much at work the other day.
i thought you were very cute
really??? omg
um
Thank you!
are you free this weekend? i want to get to know you more
not as a patient
YES!
i mean yes, of course i am.
um just a question
as a date, or? just as friends?
sorry if i misunderstood! i just thought you were really cute
and i would love to get to know you more as a friend or as something more
no pressure though! at all
yes, as a date
oh!
i would love to!!!
Yushi didn't get much sleep that night, but he still showed up to work in a very cheerful mood. For one, he had sent Daeyoung a photo of himself in a suit, which prompted a lot of compliments from Daeyoung and a photo of still-sleepy Daeyoung in return. Yushi had saved the photo, potentially like a psychopath, but there was little he felt ashamed of now that Daeyoung had agreed to go on a date with him.
As soon as Riku saw him, however, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You look awfully happy," he remarked, turning in his chair. "And you're not as early as you usually are."
Yushi smiled mysteriously - it wasn't mysterious at all, but he liked to pretend. "I just had a good night."
There was no one but them in the room, so Riku stood up to corner Yushi. "Alright, spill," he said. "You've been so distracted all week, and now you show up smiling like a cat who just -"
Riku paused as Yushi's phone buzzed and lit up, Daeyoung's name flashing across the bottom before Yushi turned his phone over and slammed it back on his desk.
"Ah," Riku said, looking awfully satisfied. "I would say I'm surprised you managed to contact him without me, but I'm not. Well, you'll be hearing from me later, Yushi!"
Grumbling, Yushi turned back to his desk and turned on his computer. Quickly, he looked at Daeyoung's message. His heart thumped quickly as he read it - good luck at work, Yushi! - really, how cute could Daeyoung be?
There were only two days until their date. Yushi was feeling very nervous about it, because he told Daeyoung he would plan everything. Daeyoung had seemed to sulk over it, but Yushi was determined to take Daeyoung somewhere nice. He had already made a list of restaurants he thought would be suitable, and had already asked Daeyoung what kind of food he liked to eat.
The work day went by slowly, with Yushi's eyes growing tired of looking at the screen. Daeyoung sent him a photo of himself on break, though, and Yushi perked up enough to make it through the rest of the day.
yushi
im finally done with work today…
daeyoung
me too!! a little girl wouldn't stop crying and it made me feel really bad :((
this might be crazy but
are you free?
we could meet up
i am!!
Daeyoung was taller than Yushi remembered in person. A lot handsomer, too, when he wasn't in scrubs and the white coat. And sitting on the couch in Yushi's small apartment, Daeyoung looked a little too appealing to Yushi.
"Your eyes are really pretty," Daeyoung blurted out, smiling awkwardly. "I was so nervous looking at you when I was cleaning your teeth."
"Really?" Yushi asked, pleased. "I thought it was such a shame you had to wear the mask the entire time."
"I hadn't brushed my teeth, so I was worried about my breath," Daeyoung confessed in a rush, running his hand through his hair. "I wasn't expecting someone so handsome to be waiting for me when I came out! I almost messed up your x-rays. I was worried you were going to complain."
"I didn't notice," Yushi said honestly. "I was too focused on you."
Daeyoung blushed a lot more than Yushi realized, he thought. It was cute. He liked it. He also seemed very nervous, judging by the way he kept trying to wipe his palms on his pants.
"Well, because this isn't our first date, we can just be casual," Yushi announced. "No need to worry. Unless I make you nervous?"
Daeyoung let out a laugh that sounded awfully anxious. "Well, you're more forward than I expected," he admitted. "When you were in the dental chair, you were so quiet I thought I was annoying you. I was really worried I was talking too much and being a bore."
"No," Yushi said. "I just didn't know what to say that would be appropriate."
"Oh," Daeyoung breathed, turning quite red. "Well, it was difficult for me, too, if that makes it any better."
"It does," Yushi said, satisfied. "Well, do you want to order food? I'm really hungry, I didn't have enough time to eat lunch today, and I usually order food as soon as I'm done with work."
Daeyoung turned to Yushi, horrified. "Do you always eat out?" he asked, concerned.
Shrugging, Yushi looked at Daeyoung with little concern. "I'm not very good at cooking," he admitted easily.
Frowning, Daeyoung glanced between Yushi and his kitchen, which was spotless mostly because Yushi used it to make tea or coffee only. "Is it weird if I cook for us?" he offered timidly. "I can run and get stuff from the store. Something really simple that I'm sure you could also make."
Despite Yushi's half-hearted protests - because Daeyoung cooking for him did sound exciting - Daeyoung ran out to the grocery store and came back with pasta and a few other ingredients. Yushi settled into watching Daeyoung cook for him, admiring his concentrated face from a new angle. Daeyoung also narrated everything he did so that Yushi could replicate it, but Yushi was planning on just asking Daeyoung to cook for him again and again. "You know how to boil pasta," Daeyoung said, and Yushi didn't refute him because it did seem simple enough for him to look up if necessary.
Yushi would have offered to help, except Daeyoung had rolled up his sleeves to chop the vegetables and his arms looked very nice. Like he went to the gym, or something, because there was no way he was maintaining that muscle from cleaning teeth on the daily. Daeyoung's hand would be nice to hold, Yushi thought.
It didn't take that long before Daeyoung served Yushi a plate, sitting across from him at Yushi's small table. "Does it taste good?" he asked anxiously before Yushi even took a bite.
Yushi took a bite, and even though Daeyoung being a good cook made sense in his brain, he was still pleasantly taken aback by the flavor of the meal. "It is," he said, swallowing. "It's very good, especially for pasta."
"For pasta," Daeyoung repeated incredulously, taking a bite of his own and humming. "Well, I'm sure you can make this yourself, Yushi. Really, take out every day…"
Yushi shrugged, inhaling the noodles as quickly as possible. Of course, as typical of him, he choked on a swallow and started coughing, drinking water in an attempt to save face. Daeyoung looked incredibly worried, however, reaching over to refill Yushi's water and pat his back.
"Are you okay?" he asked, standing up.
Yushi held his hand up, coughing once again before smiling. "Yes, sorry, I ate too fast," he apologized. "I do that a lot."
"Okay," Daeyoung said, sitting back down, still frowning a little. "You should slow down when you eat. I can make this for you another day."
Against his will, Yushi perked up at that. "You should," he agreed. "I'm sure the food we're eating together later won't compare to this."
"Don't say that," Daeyoung whined, and Yushi grinned at him. "We haven't gone on our date yet."
"So just because we're not dating, you feel nothing for me?" Yushi teased.
"I didn't say that! That has nothing to do with what I just said -"
"God, if I knew you were going to be this disgusting, I would never have told you about Ryo," Riku groaned one day as he sat next to Yushi, who was busy messaging Daeyoung.
"And prevent me from meeting my husband?" Yushi replied, not even looking up.
Riku threw his hands up, turning his back to Yushi. "You're not even married! Ugh, it's so typical that you met your one true love at a dentist appointment. And he thought it was cute that you internet stalked him."
"I did not," Yushi mumbled. "Daeyoungie loves me."
"I'm going to throw up," Riku said, and Yushi chose to ignore the fact that he was just as disgusting with Sion.
Dating Daeyoung was very easy. Outside of the dental office, Daeyoung was just as charming and kind and sweet as Yushi would have expected. He let Yushi cling to him and toy with his hands without complaint, only his ears and tiny smile giving away his embarrassment. Yushi liked Daeyoung's smile a lot and wanted to see it every day. Beyond just that, Yushi liked learning as much as he could about Daeyoung, like how he was very good at singing or the way his favorite perfume was fig scented.
Daeyoung was equally obsessed with Yushi, much to Yushi's pleasure. A few months into their relationship, Daeyoung revealed to him that he had requested to do Yushi's cleaning, and that made Yushi feel very satisfied. He liked cooking for Yushi - which was good, because Yushi used it as an excuse for Daeyoung to spend as much time as possible in his apartment - and complimenting Yushi. He liked Yushi's smile and eyes and laughed at all of his jokes. Yushi couldn't even say the same thing about Daeyoung, but that was mostly because not all of Daeyoung's jokes were funny.
Anyway, Yushi was very happy that Daeyoung liked him just as much as he did. Daeyoung was very shy, puppy like, cute, everything Yushi could have ever dreamed of in a man. Especially at the beginning of their relationship, when Daeyoung was still embarrassed that he liked his patient so much.
Really, it wasn't weird at all. Except for when Yushi still went for his cleaning on days Daeyoung worked and stared at him the entire time he worked, until Daeyoung's ears turned redder than he had ever seen - "It's embarrassing, Yushi!" - and Yushi giggled so much that Daeyoung had to hold his face still.
No, there was nothing weird about the way they met.