You weren’t expecting anyone to be in the convenience store at 7 a.m.

It was quiet — the kind of quiet where the refrigerators hum louder than anything else. You walked in, still half awake, intending to buy strawberries and maybe something sweet before work.

Then you froze.

Because standing in front of the refrigerated section… in a big hoodie… hair messy and eyes still puffy with sleep… was Yang Jeongin.

He had two things in his hands: a pack of strawberry milk and a tiny bag of marshmallows.

He looked like a baby deer caught in the headlights.

“Oh— I—I didn’t think anyone else would be here,” he said, voice soft and sleepy.

You blinked. Then smiled. “Good morning.”

His ears turned pink. “Morning…”

You reached past him to grab a carton of fresh strawberries. As you did, your sleeve brushed his, and he froze like someone had hit pause on him.

He watched the strawberries in your hand, eyes widening slightly.

“You like those too?” he asked, sounding genuinely interested — like you’d just revealed a secret.

“Yeah,” you said. “Strawberries make mornings better.”

Jeongin nodded slowly, hugging his strawberry milk closer to his chest like it was precious.

“…Same.”

His shy tone made your heart flutter. He looked so soft. So sweet. So unintentionally adorable.

He followed you to the counter, both of you walking in that awkward little silent bubble that only happens between strangers who kind of want to keep talking but don’t know how.

When the cashier told you the total, you reached into your bag.

But Jeongin suddenly stepped forward.

“I got it!” he blurted.

You blinked. “The strawberries?”

He nodded hard.

You shook your head gently. “Jeongin, you don’t have to—”

He cleared his throat, cheeks fully pink now. “I… I want to. You like strawberries. I like strawberries. I thought maybe… we could… share?”

Your heart stopped.

For a moment the convenience store felt too soft, too warm for this early in the morning.

You tried not to smile too hard. “Okay. Then… thank you.”

He paid quickly, ears red. As the two of you stepped outside, the early sunlight made him squint and scrunch his nose in the cutest way.

He held the bag out to you.

“Can I walk with you?” he asked shyly. “Only if—only if you want. It’s just— I don’t usually see people this early, and you’re… um… nice.”

You bit your lip to hide a smile.

“Yeah. I’d like that.”

Jeongin looked at you like you’d just handed him the sun.

He walked beside you, holding the strawberry milk in one hand and the bag of strawberries in the other, occasionally glancing at you with tiny smiles he tried (and failed) to hide.

After a minute, he held out a strawberry toward you.

“For you,” he murmured. “Since… you like them.”

You took it gently, your fingers brushing his. Jeongin inhaled sharply — the shyest, quietest gasp you’d ever heard.

You popped the strawberry into your mouth and smiled.

“Sweet,” you said.

He looked at you — eyes soft, warm, glowing.

“…Yeah,” he whispered, staring at you without realizing it. “Really sweet.”

And that early morning walk — quiet streets, soft sun, shared strawberries, hearts beating way too fast — felt like the beginning of something small and pink and impossibly cute.

Something strawberry-sweet.