Work Text:
Jungwon is certain that if he takes one more step, his aching legs will give out on him.
One would assume that spending the day at Disneyland would be a thrilling, joyful experience. Rides, snacks, chances to snap photos… what’s there not to enjoy?
Factor in a stubborn, overly-excited seven-year-old, and reconsider.
Eunji is sweet. When she’s on her best behavior, Jungwon can even say he adores her. Spending more than six hours with her is rapidly increasing the chances of that opinion being changed.
He had seen this coming from the moment his aunt had walked into his room with his mom in tow. Ever the polite boy, Jungwon had sent down his pencil to give her the utmost attention.
“Jungwon-ah,” His mom began, her honey-sweet voice sending a cold chill running down his spine, “Auntie has a favor to ask of you.”
“A… favor,” Jungwon repeated. He did not like where this was going at all. From where she had taken a seat on his bed, his aunt cleared her throat.
“Eunji-yah has been so bored sitting at home,” she said, “constantly begging me to take her out. You remember how much she has wanted to go to an amusement park, don’t you? Like… Disneyland or whatever it’s called.”
“Right…”
A deep sigh. “I would love to take her but both her dad and I are so busy,” His aunt lamented, and Jungwon barely resisted quipping a snark “what does that have to do with me?” She reached over, patting him on the knee and he recoiled at the touch, the reaction thankfully gone unnoticed. “I’m sure you’ve been so busy, with studies and all that, and I hate to ask you of this… But if you could take Eunji-yah to the park, we’d be so grateful.”
Jungwon digested the words. “You want me to take Eunji-yah?” He’d said, dumbfounded. “That’s-”
Before he can tack on the “crazy” to the end of his sentence, he spotted his mom from the corner of his eye and tenses. Her features had been drawn together into a nasty scowl, promising nothing but misfortune if he dared to speak out of line. Gulping, he looked back to his aunt. “I mean—I can do that.”
The gratitude that flooded her face had done nothing to dampen the creeping horror of his impending doom. “Thank you, Jungwon-ah,” she cried out, sweeping him up into a hug and planting wet kisses to his cheeks while Jungwon nodded along, his plastered smile twitching.
Over his shoulder, his mom nodded in approval.
Fuck, Jungwon had thought.
Now, over thirty rides in, six sticks of cotton candy later, and wallet substantially lighter than it had been before he walked into this godforsaken park, Jungwon is more than ready to leave.
“Eunji-yah,” he calls out to the seven-year-old who totters ahead of him, wondering how the little girl still manages to have so much energy in her small body even after walking throughout the entire park, “Aren’t you missing Eomma now? She must be missing you too. Let’s go home-”
Eunji whirls around to him, fury written all over her face. “No!” She shrieks, planting her tiny fists on either side of her hips, scowling heavily. Her childish pout and the Mickey Mouse ears sticking up from her head eliminate any attempt at looking threatening. “We can’t go yet!”
“You said we’d go if I bought you ears,” Jungwon points out. He knows he’ll still be regretting the purchase weeks later. He jabs at the matching ones settled in his hair—this pair, unlike Eunji’s, sports a bright red, sparkly bow, catching the light with every step. It had taken an hour to quell the heat that flushed through him whenever anyone glanced at him for longer than a second. “And if I matched with you. Which I did!”
“I want more candy!” Eunji snaps, face turning an alarming shade of red. “And I want to see Cinderella! You’re being mean!”
Passersby eye them as she continues to holler, growing pinker and pinker, and Jungwon is quick to raise his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay! We’ll get more candy! And go see your Cinderella!”
Eunji quiets at that, allowing Jungwon to take her by the wrist and tug her along in search for the nearest gift shop, the latter already bemoaning the loss of his cash.
A stick of cotton candy in her hands and Eunji is finally placated, quiet as she chomps away at the wobbling tower of bubblegum and mint. She offers it to him and Jungwon refuses it, stomach rolling unpleasantly from one too many sweets.
While she feasts away, Jungwon pores over the creased map he had stuffed into his pocket. He wants to rip it apart. Instead, he searches for where they can meet Cinderella and then (finally!) leave, but the useless scrap of paper offers no hints. Cursing (and immediately covering it up with a cough when Eunji’s head whips up), he spots who looks to be Peter Pan.
“Hey!” He calls, and the character glances up. “You wouldn’t happen to know where Cinderella is, would you?”
Peter Pan cocks his head, all sly grins and youthful charm, true to his character. “That’s not a name I’ve heard in Neverland.”
Jungwon’s eye twitches.
Making sure that Eunji is thoroughly distracted, he leans forward. “Listen, Peter Pan,” he whispers. “I’ve been at this park for hours and just want to get home before I go insane, and more importantly, broke. So please just cut to the chase and tell me where this damn princess is.”
Peter Pan blinks at him as he draws back. Jungwon gestures for him to continue.
Minutes later, they’re merrily on their way to Fantasyland. One more stop, Jungwon thinks. One more stop, and he’ll be free.
It won’t take longer than a few minutes, right?
Wrong. Jungwon gapes at the line that seems to go on for miles, people like ants. “No way,” he says, “I am not going to stand in a line for an hour just to get a picture-”
“No Cinderella?” Eunji’s voice pipes up, a tug on his sleeve forcing him to look down. The girl stares up at him, eyes big and round, lower lip jutted out. Jungwon is hit with the epiphany that if he dares to take her back upset, there will be hell to pay.
Specifically, from his mother.
“I never said that!” He hastily amends. “Come on, let’s go!”
With a defeated heart, they join the line. At least one of them is excited; Eunji talks his ears off as the line crawls forward at an impossibly slow pace. She rocks on the balls of her feet, darting here and there to try and catch a glimpse of the princess.
“Lift me!” She demands, and Jungwon heaves a sigh and complies. Eunji squeals, jolting so violently in his grip he nearly drops her. “Princess and prince!”
“Prince?” Jungwon repeats, and in the next moment, he is hacking out a cough as the heel of her foot kicks back and drives into his chest. “Ouch!”
“Prince Charming!” Eunji splutters as he lets her down, tugging on his shirt. Her cheeks are rosy, eyes shining. “He’s there! With Cinderella!”
It clicks. “Obviously,” Jungwon harrumphs. “Who did you think he’d be with, Belle?” Eunji ignores him in favor of craning her head in an attempt to catch another glimpse.
The closer they get, the more agitated she gets. “I need to see him again!” She insists as she nearly crushes his toes with her hops and Jungwon grasps her shoulders in an effort to calm her down, mumbling apologies to the parents who shoot them miffed looks.
“You will, so be quiet-”
“I have to!” Eunji exclaims. “He’s so… he’s so dreamy!” The last part is rushed and she covers her face with her hands. Jungwon scrunches his nose at her silly behavior. Is Eunji at the age where boys make her blush? His mom and aunt would be having a field day.
“Yeah, well, tone it down. Or else he won’t like you.” The look of betrayal Eunji fixes him with almost has him feeling bad. Her eyes fill with tears, mouth opening and Jungwon prepares himself for the shrill scream she will surely release-
The pair in front of them move forward, finally allowing for the view ahead to be seen clearly. Eunji immediately whips around, straining forward and gasping as she points at the princess and prince. Despite himself, Jungwon can’t help but look curiously as well.
With her royal blue dress and wig of shining blonde, Cinderella takes up the attention of nearly everyone, a jewel glowing at her throat. His eyes shift past her, to the prince at her side.
Jungwon has a very big, important realization.
Namely, that Eunji is right.
Prince Charming is dreamy.
Dark hair slicked back save for a few strands, falling just right onto an exposed forehead. A square jaw chiseled from marble itself, blessed with the face of a Greek god. The prince smiles, and another bout of dizziness washes over Jungwon as long dimples groove themselves into his cheeks.
Suited in an assembly of bright red and soft creams, gold jewelry draped across his shoulders and hands gloved in white, he should not look as good as he does as he bows with a sweep of his arm, practically reeking princely charms.
“Holy shit,” Jungwon mutters, too caught up staring to care about his crude choice of words. “No one told me he’d be hot.”
The words have hardly left his lips and the prince is rising from his bow, eyes catching onto Jungwon’s. Jungwon freezes in place.
Oh, God. He’s looking at him, isn’t he? Who else would he be looking at? Or maybe he’s just overthinking it and it’s someone else behind him? Just to make sure, Jungwon glances over his shoulder. A mother cradling her chubby child frowns at him.
Jungwon swallows. Definitely looking at him.
Looking back proves to be a bad idea. Prince Charming is still looking his way, eyes dancing with amusement and the corner of his lip quirked up. A woman briefly blocks Jungwon’s vision, but even when she moves aside, the other hasn’t budged.
Before Jungwon can break the contact, the prince winks. Jungwon nearly chokes on his own spit, coughing violently into his fist.
No way what he thinks happened had actually happened.
Had the other just-
When he’s recovered enough to glance back, the prince is already kneeling by a little boy, speaking to him avidly. Right, he’s playing a character, Jungwon reminds himself, even as he wipes his sweaty palms. Nothing but a fun interaction with the amusement park guests.
His suspicions are confirmed with how as they draw closer, he picks up on just how playful the prince is, showering attention on not only children but parents as well, prompting them to fluster and reluctantly be whisked away as the prince waves them off. Playing the part, after all.
What defies his suspicions, however, is the attention the prince seems to be bent on giving Jungwon.
It’s when their gazes meet for the third time Jungwon is certain it is purposeful. The prince is all clever smiles towards and even waves at them at one point (Eunji positively nearly bursts from excitement then and there), thoroughly distracted to the point Cinderella has to nudge him in the ribs.
Is this considered flirting? It has to be, doesn’t it? Distantly, Jungwon wishes Sunoo had been here with him—out of the two of them, the latter was the one who was more educated when it came to these things.
There’s no chance to ponder over it any further because before he knows it, they’re next in line. Eunji is positively losing her mind, bouncing in place as she frantically waves at the two actors, Jungwon’s firm grasp on her arm the only thing keeping her from bolting. Jungwon, on the other hand, scrambles to figure out how to not make a fool of himself.
The staff gestures them forward and Eunji rushes forward, pulling Jungwon along with him. “Hold on-!” He gasps out, stumbling from the sudden movement and-
This is it, some part of his mind which isn’t weeping in grief whispers. He’s making a fool of himself, in front of the only hot guy he’d seen in three years, and it’s all Eunji’s fault-
A firm hand grips his arm, hoisting him up. Jungwon’s head jerks up, butterflies exploding within his stomach as his gaze meets the one that had been lingering on him.
Prince Charming’s smile is blinding as he takes in Jungwon. “Well, well, well,” he says, and it’s unfair for someone with such a face to have just as much of a nice voice. “You’re looking a little different today, Snow White.”
The name takes a moment for Jungwon to digest as he finds his balance. “I’m sorry?” He squeaks, too caught up to wince over how his voice comes out high and shrill. “I’m not-”
“‘Lips as red as roses, hair black as ebony, skin white as snow,’” the other quotes, Jungwon blinking dumbly at the flood of words. Another quirk of his lips. “You fit each condition, don’t you?”
Eunji chooses that very moment to interrupt. “Prince Charming!” She exclaims, and the other lets go of Jungwon’s arm to immediately sink to a knee, allowing Eunji to throw her arms around his neck without hesitation.
“My princess!” He exclaims back, and it’s truly wondrous, how he manages to be just as enthusiastic as her. “I’ve been waiting for your arrival! You are looking as beautiful as ever.” At his sweet words, Eunji giggles, and Jungwon raises a brow, unimpressed. The prince nods at Cinderella, who surely must be used to having the show stolen by her prince. “Cinderella, won’t you welcome-” His eyes dart to Jungwon, who takes a shamefully long time to realize the other is asking him a question.
“Eunji,” he mouths.
“-Princess Eunji to our kingdom?”
Eunji jolts, as if just realizing Cinderella is there. To Jungwon’s relief, she rips herself out of the prince’s arms and runs to Cinderella instead. The prince rises, turning to him.
“Greetings to you as well, Snow White,” he says, and it seems that this will be a running gag. A gloved hand tugs his upward and Jungwon can only watch, heat flushing hotly through him as the prince bends lower, raising the back of his hand to brush against his lips.
The warmth finds its way to his cheeks as the prince grins up at him, devious. “Just as the rumors say, you are most definitely ‘the fairest of them all.’”
Well, Jungwon supposes the most he can make of this is playing along.
“And you’re just as charming as your name,” Jungwon replies. He cocks his head, a smirk playing out across his lips. “I didn’t know it was part of your princely duties to flirt with someone other than Cinderella.”
It’s worth it with how the other’s face lights up, delighted he’s playing along.
“There are many things you might not have heard of, princely duties amongst them,” he says, and he’s leaning closer, voice dropping until he’s nearly whispering. “Just as you might not have heard that I prefer to go by the name ‘Jay.’”
He’s pulling back just as quickly as he had leaned in while Jungwon digests what had just been relayed to him, eyes widening. Aren’t employees forbidden to share their names? His gaze darts to the staff, who seem wholly unaware.
Prince Charming—no, Jay —only offers him another one of his clever smiles. His stomach twists into knots, excitement building up to his throat.
Before he can reply with an equally playful reply, there is a scandalized gasp—Eunji, who gapes at them, looking between Jungwon and Jay and the hand that is still held by the latter. Realization flits over her face and she jabs a finger at them, tugging Cinderella by the collar.
“He just kissed oppa's hand!” She splutters, Jungwon hastily withdrawing his hand. Cinderella only looks unamused by her coworker’s antics, even as she continues smiling. “He’s cheating on you!” She cries out, and Jungwon starts, aghast.
“Eunji-” He begins, only to be interrupted as Jay is moving forward, not even batting an eye. “Oh, Princess, don’t worry,” he reassures, so convincing Jungwon nearly believes him. “This is only a greeting!” To prove his point, he’s taking Eunji’s hand in his and planting a kiss on the back of it. It’s effective in shutting the girl, a deep red seizing her face.
“Really?”
“Oh, yes.” Jungwon has to press his lips together to keep from laughing at the absurdity of it all. “It is a necessity that a prince greets his guests with a kiss. Especially the cute ones.” The last words are punctuated with a wink at Jungwon.
“I am the ‘fairest of them all,’ after all,” Jungwon says, and Jay’s lips twitch with humor.
Eunji is ignorant to whatever is going on between her oppa and Prince Charming, too dazed and starry-eyed. “I want a fairy godmother!” She demands Cinderella. “So I can be pretty! And-” A blush as she bows her head, “get a prince like him!”
Cinderella lets out a dainty laugh. “Princess, do you want to know a secret?” At Eunji’s eager nod, the princess beckons her forehead so she can whisper into her ear, loud enough for everyone to hear. “To become beautiful on the outside, one must become beautiful on the inside.”
“It’s true,” Jay agrees while Eunji blinks owlishly. “I saw not how beautiful Cinderella was on the outside, but on the inside.” A nod at Jungwon. “Just like with Snow White over here.”
This prince is out to fluster Jungwon, and he hates that it’s working.
“Yes,” Cinderella continues, a little sharply, and Jungwon doesn’t miss how she shoots Jay a warning look. “Only then, your prince will come.”
“Without a fairy godmother?” Eunji says, looking unconvinced.
“Without a fairy godmother.”
“But it’s strange,” Jay says. “I don’t see your prince around.” He glances around as if expecting someone to join Jungwon. “Where is he?”
It’s a blatant question and Jungwon feels as if he may very well combust on the spot.
Resting a hand against his cheek, he makes a show of tilting his head as if thinking over it before perking up with realization. “I’m still waiting for him,” he says cheekily.
Eunji, sweet, unhelpful, irritating child. She sweeps in at the very wrong moment. “Oppa doesn’t have any prince,” she says. “Eomma says it’s because he spends all his time in his room!”
Of course, Eunji would ruin everything. Jungwon blubbers, attempting to search for something to defend himself with, only for Jay to cluck his tongue. “Princess Eunji, didn’t you hear what Cinderella said? You need to be beautiful on the inside-” A tap on her nose, “before you are beautiful on the outside. You want that, don’t you?”
“Of course!”
“Then you need to be nice to everyone ,” he glances at Jungwon. “Isn’t that right?”
“That’s right.”
“You know what to do, Princess.”
Eunji hesitates, nose screwing up. The prince nods at her encouragingly and she slouches, turning to Jungwon. “Sorry, Jungwon-oppa,” she mutters, and all three of them clap.
“Already, you’ve become more beautiful!” Cinderella exclaims and Eunji beams, pleased.
The staff overseeing gestures to them, indicating they’re running out of time and need to wrap it up. Eunji doesn’t hesitate to claim the place next to Cinderella, already pulling out the sassiest expression she can. Jungwon makes to move back, only for his wrist to be caught.
It’s Jay, pulling him back. “Won’t you take pictures with us?”
“Oh, no, only Eunji-yah wants-” He is effectively interrupted as the prince frowns, looking genuinely disappointed at the idea of Jungwon not joining.
“I insist,” he says, and Jungwon stares at him and the only place left for him to take: at his side. His shoulders sag.
“Well, I guess it won’t hurt…”
“Excellent!” The disappointment is gone in a moment, Jay grinning brightly, and nothing can prepare Jungwon for the arm that snakes around his waist as he steps closer, pressing him far closer than needed to Jay’s. It’s over the roar in his head and what part of him that is not focused on Jay’s hand resting against his hip that catches the other’s murmur. “Come on now, smile.”
The camera goes off just as he does. Mentally, he thanks Eunji for her obsession with Cinderella, because who would have thought it would end up like this, with Prince Charming flirting with Jungwon?
Jungwon makes to move back as both Eunji and Cinderella do as well, only to be kept in place by Jay’s arm. He glances up questioningly to find the other nodding at the camera. “Another with the two of us,” he says, meeting Jungwon’s eyes, and any more of this and he will not be able to function any longer. “If that’s fine with you, of course.”
“It is!” His voice squeaks embarrassingly and Jay doesn’t even bother hiding his amusement, chuckling.
“It’s not fair that oppa gets to take pictures with Prince Charming!” Eunji sulks, and if Jungwon hadn’t been so caught up in how he can feel every shift of Jay’s muscles from where he’s pressed against him, he would have stuck his tongue out at her.
A thumbs up from the cameraman and Jungwon masks his disappointment at unsticking himself from the other. “They will come out wonderfully, I’m sure,” Jay says, “as you are in them.”
“Do you ever let up on flirting?”
“Not with those who are as cute as you.”
Jungwon rolls his eyes, even as his face burns. Jay’s smirk does not help with the irregular beats of his heart.
To fulfill the character meeting experience, they are handed uncapped markers to sign an item of choice. Eunji is more than eager to present her (to no one’s surprise) Cinderella plush toy. Cinderella’s signature is dainty and neat before she passes it on to Jay, who holds the toy out as if he is comparing it to the other. “I can’t tell the difference between the two,” he gasps. “When did you shrink, Cinderella?” Eunji giggles at that, entirely taken by him.
(She’s not the only one.)
Jay’s signature is larger than life, the name of his character written out in flourishing letters. He holds his hand out to Jungwon expectantly once he has finished. “Oh—I don’t have anything to sign-” Jungwon says, waving his hands, only for them to be stopped by Jay’s own.
“I beg to differ,” he says before he’s bringing Jungwon’s hand towards him, turning it over until his palm is facing up. Jungwon watches, confused.
“What-”
The felt tip of the marker presses to his palm and in the same flourishing handwriting, Jay is writing out a series of numbers. He only catches sight of a single one before Jay is closing his fingers over it, hiding the writing.
Question on his lips, he looks up. The prince’s eyes glitter at him. “Call me, hm?” He hums. Before Jungwon can respond, he’s leaning closer than he had anytime before, until Jungwon can feel breath against his ear. “Cute ears, by the way.”
“Next!” The staff ushers them forward and Jungwon stumbles forward obediently. Eunji seizes his hand, waving with her free one.
“Bye Cinderella! Bye Prince Charming!” She calls, Cinderella blowing kisses her way.
Jay sinks into a bow, charming as ever. “Goodbye, Princess Eunji!” His gaze shifts to Jungwon. “See you in another fairytale, Snow White.”
And just like that, they are gone from sight. Jungwon’s fist is clenched to his side, and he doesn’t dare to open it.
It takes him a moment to process Jay’s last words. Cute ears.
What had he-
Wait.
With growing horror, he touches his head, confirming his suspicions. Where they had been since he had bought them and Eunji had forced onto him, the mouse ears with the obnoxiously large bow sit there innocently.
Then—the entire time that they had flirted, Jay had called him Snow White—he’d had these ears on?
This is it then. He had managed to lose every last bit of his dignity. In front of someone as hot as Jay.
Ignorant to Jungwon’s crisis, Eunji is perfectly content, skipping through the park as she babbles on and on. “She said I can get a prince without a godmother,” she says, ``determined. “So I’m going to be nice to everyone!”
Jungwon seizes the chance. “Then we can go home, right?”
An argument is no doubt ready to rise to her lips but Eunji pauses. She wilts. “Okay,” she mutters, and Jungwon keeps himself from whooping.
The memory of Jay replays itself over and over in Jungwon’s mind, the reminder of his kiss against Jungwon’s hand and the shameless yet somehow endearing flirts serving to have his face heating up once more. It all had really happened, hadn’t it?
“Call me,” he remembers and nearly walks into a pole.
They reach the exit of the park and Jungwon pauses, turning back. Now, as the sun sinks into the earth, the land of fairytales is stained with the colors of the sunset, the castle gleaming in the distance. If they walk out now, Jungwon wonders, will the writing stained onto his skin disappear along with the magic?
“Oppa?” Eunji blinks up at him, imploring. Jungwon shakes his head, lips curling upwards.
“Let’s go.”
It is only when they have seated themselves on the bench as they wait for the bus does he take a deep breath and uncurl his fingers, preparing himself.
And there, in slightly-smudged writing, is a nine-digit number.
A giggle is falling from his lips before he can stop it, followed by another. Clapping a hand over his mouth does nothing to stifle them as they keep coming, each one more maniacal than the last. Eunji is more than concerned, eyes wide and afraid.
“Oppa? What happened? Are you okay? Wha-” Her sentence abruptly morphs into a yelp as Jungwon crushes her into his embrace, peppering kisses all over her cheeks.
“I’m so thankful for you, Eunji-yah!” Jungwon chirps, ignoring her thrashing limbs and scratches of “let me go, let me go!” “Have I told you that you’re the best cousin ever! I love you so much-”
She successfully wriggles from his grip and darts as far as possible as she can, shooting him frightened looks. “Let me treat you to some ice cream,” Jungwon says as he punches the number into his phone, a warmth tingling at his fingers as he does. Eunji cocks her head at him, surprised.
“But why?”
His phone goes off and Jungwon glances down at the notification, a grin unfurling across his lips.
“Consider this a thank you gift.”
prince charming:
Knock Knock.
I bring with me a delicious apple.
Is this the home of Snow White? • (now)
jungwonie!
nope
this is jungwon • (now)
prince charming:
Even better!
Wait for me, Prince Charming is on his way to save the fairest of them all. • (now)