"..Coffee?"
Idol!KwonSoonyoung x Staff!Reader
The first time Hoshi saw her, he nearly ran into a wall. It wasnβt dramatic like a slow-motion movie moment, but it sure felt like one.
She was standing near the practice room, listening intently to one of the senior staff members. Her clipboard was tucked under one arm, her head tilted slightly as she nodded along. Then she smiled, small but bright, like it came naturally to her.
Hoshi, mid-step, completely lost focus. One second, he was walking out of the practice room, and the next... BAM!
He smacked right into the doorframe.
"Hyung!" Dino yelped, catching his arm before he could stumble too hard. "Are you okay?" Hoshi barely heard him. His ears were ringing, and not just from the impact. He glanced up quickly, praying that she hadnβt seen..
Her eyebrows furrowed in concern, her lips parting like she was about to ask if he was alright. Hoshi panicked. He spun on his heel and speed-walked back inside, slamming the door behind him.
Dino blinked at the now-closed door before turning to the staff members. "Uh⦠he's fine... I think.."
Over the next few days, Hoshi became painfully aware of her presence. She wasnβt around all the time, but when she was, he turned into a full-on puppy-eager, flustered, and ridiculously obvious about his crush.
"Hyung, you're staring again," Joshua said, nudging him as they sat on the practice room floor.
"I'm not!" Hoshi hissed, even though he absolutely was.
She was across the room, checking something on her clipboard while chatting with another staff member. She looked so calm and professional, and here he was, sweating over her mere existence.
Jeonghan smirked. "You're wagging your tail."
Hoshi shot him a glare. "I do not have a tail."
"You might as well with how excited you get whenever she's near."
Hoshi groaned, dropping his head onto his knees. This was ridiculous. He was Kwon Soonyoung, SEVENTEENβs performance leader, the energetic one, the confident one. Why was he turning into a shy mess every time she was in the same room?
His crush only got worse when he actually interacted with her. One day, she was passing out water bottles after a long practice session. Hoshi was mid-conversation with Mingyu when she walked up, holding one out to him with a soft smile.
"Here, you looked like you needed this," she said.
Hoshi forgot how to speak.
He stared at the bottle. Then at her. Then back at the bottle.
"Hyung, take it," Mingyu muttered.
Hoshi finally snapped out of it, grabbing the bottle way too quickly. "Thank you!" he blurted out, his voice a little too enthusiastic. She laughedβa soft, amused sound that made his heart go haywire. "No problem," she said before moving on.
Hoshi turned to Mingyu, gripping his arm. "Mingyu-yah. Did you hear that? She laughed at something I said!"
Mingyu looked unimpressed. "She laughed because you were weird."
"Doesn't matter," Hoshi whispered, clutching the water bottle to his chest. "She laughed."
Mingyu sighed. "You're hopeless."
The teasing only got worse when the other members caught on. One evening, Hoshi was lingering near the break room, psyching himself up to talk to her. "Be cool," he told himself under his breath. "Just go in, say hi, and act normalβ"
The moment he stepped inside, she turned and smiled. "Oh, hey Hoshi!"
"Uh-hi! Coffee!" he blurted out. "I mean...youβre drinking coffee. Nice. Thatβsβ¦ great."
She blinked. Then, to his horror, she giggled."Yeah," she said, looking amused. "Do you want some?"
"No!" Hoshi yelped, then immediately regretted it. "I mean, no, I just-I was gonna- umβ¦"
She tilted her head, waiting. Hoshi took a deep breath. Okay, just say it.
"I was wondering if...maybe...youβd like to get coffee with me? Not like this coffee but like outside coffee. With me. Together. If you want."
Then, she smiled. "Are you asking me out?"
She laughed, soft and genuine. "Iβd love to."
Hoshi blinked. "Wait, really?"
He barely managed to hold back a victorious cheer. Instead, he gave a very enthusiastic nod, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "Cool! Great! Uh, Iβll text you!" he said, practically vibrating with excitement.
As she walked away, Hoshi turned the corner and immediately collapsed against the wall. His heart was racing. His hands were shaking. His entire body felt like it was on fire.
And as he entered the practice room, he knew he was in for some good teasing by his members. And as embarrassing it will be, Hoshi didnβt even care. Because he had a date with her.
And that was all that mattered.
