‘Good morning’, he turned his head, with his eyes half closed from the shock of the rays of light coming from his window. ‘Did you sleep well?’, he asked, stretching his back from sleeping on the floor. ‘Why did you sleep there?’. I asked, ‘You should have woke me up so I could have gone home’. He shook his head, ruffling his hair. 

- I fell asleep crying on your shoulder. It would have been too mean to wake you up after you were so gentle to me – He shrugged – You can take a shower if you want

- I can’t, I’m going to have to wear this same clothes and they smell like hot pot so shower is pretty much useless – I chuckled

- I can help you with that

Yixing stood up and shook his legs in a funny manner. ‘I’m not going to wear your girlfriend’s clothes!’, I yelled, as he disappeared into another room. He came back after a while, carrying a bag from a department store. ‘I bought this for Mei but didn’t have the chance to give it to her so you can have it now. I think it fits you’. I blushed. 

- I don’t think I should take it – I said softly – You should give it to her

- I won’t – He smiled – I already said I will break up with her. 

I smelled like hot pot and his perfume. And I had to go back home, eventually. 

Oh crap it was Saturday. 

I had promised my mom we’d meet for lunch. 

I grabbed the bag and smiled. Went to the bathroom and took a shower. When I got to the kitchen, Yixing had prepared a typical Chinese breakfast. Hard boiled eggs, noodles, soup, dumplings… my stomach grumbled joyful. 

- You look so cute – He smiled. I fixed the long skirt I had put on, and smiled nervously 

- Thank you 

- No problem – He winked – Come on, I prepared all of this for you. I actually microwaved those dumplings and eggs but still, I did it

- Thank you – I bowed shortly 

I sat in front of him and we had breakfast together. I have to be honest, I hadn’t feel this relaxed in a long time. 

I guess that’s who Yixing is, after all. He’s so relaxing, it’s so soothing to be around him. I just wish I could get to know him better. He’s like the friend I’ve always wanted. 

‘What’s your plan for today?’, he asked, as we were doing to dishes. ‘I have to go to my brother’s apartment for lunch with my parents’, I shrugged. He nodded, slightly opening his mouth. 

- How about you? – I asked

- I’ll give Mei a call, we need to talk after all.

- That’s true – I agreed – Are you sure you want to break up with her?

- I think so. But I don’t want to talk about that now. I can take you to your brother’s house. 

- Can you? 

Yixing nodded. ‘I have an electric bike, but I don’t use it much because Mei says it’s too Chinese to carry her around the city’, he explained. I chuckled, ‘I used to have one of those too. And you have no idea how much I missed it when I was in China’. Yixing nodded happily.

My phone began ringing. It was Minyoung. I felt my soul heavier. ‘Hi Minyoung’, I tried to sound normal. ‘Yebin! I was just calling you to let you know that Joonmyeon and I are not going out together or anything. He’s just helping me to find a new job at the firm’, she said quickly. I lifted an eyebrow, Yixing did the same. ‘Why are you telling me this?’, I asked her. ‘Uh, nothing. I just thought you’d be feeling weird after um, after you saw us talking yesterday’. I sighed, ‘It’s ok. I have to go now’. I hung up the phone. Yixing opened a cabinet by the door and picked up his helmet and an additional one. 

- What did she want? – He askes casually

- She just wanted to tell me that Joonmyeon and her have nothing to do together. 

- Yebin, can I ask you something? – He asked, signaling me to sit down on the couch – Listen, I know we aren’t the best of friends, but judging by the way you reacted last night you are in love with that guy and I’m sorry, but I don’t think he feels the same way. 

I lowered my head, and a single tear stained my white shirt. ‘Yebin, it’s such a terrible thing to love the wrong person’, he began, ‘It’s like torture to be next to the one you love and to be hesitant… I know how you feel, I just want you to be alright again. I hope he realizes how much you love him, you know? You are so beautiful’, he said, caressing my cheek. I smiled weakly, wiped up my eyes and stood up, grabbing my helmet. ‘Shall we go?’, I asked smiling. 

I honestly didn’t want to think much about what he had said to me. Everything is so confusing when I think about Kim Joonmyeon. And he called me stupid. He had never done that before. 

But I can’t let myself stop loving him. It’s like I’m sick. 

Phone ringing again. Kim Joonmyeon. 

‘I was just calling to tell you I’ll be at your brother’s house because I have a great announcement to make’, he said, and then hung up. 

Yixing took me to my brother’s house, where my mom was looking at me, especially delighted. ‘Yebin! My Yebin!’, she jumped in to hug me. I gave my brother a confused look, only to see he was as happy as my mom. What in the world is going on. 

- I was so happy when I heard the news! – My mom began, fixing my hair as we sat on the living-room – You’ll be so happy now<