“Alright!” Lu Han exclaims once the end of the reading is done; promptly closing the script on his hands. “Just reminding everyone that the first day of filming will be the day after tomorrow and our call time is at 6:30 AM if there will be any changes, Zitao will give you a call. Now, take the day off to rest and prepare.”

The actors nod in response and despite having a long day they all look excited and ready for the coming months. Lu Han himself is.

The director had taken a break after continuously working for two years and the word eager doesn’t even begin to describe the excitement he has to be behind the camera again.

In that month-long break, Yixing came to him with the project in hand. He could have turned it down in favor of the other stories waiting on his desk at home but it’s his best friend and he knows Yixing can’t trust anybody that quickly hence the reason he asked to be in charge of choosing the cast and crew. Although he only just literally chose the director and Wu Yifan and the rest was Lu Han’s decision, he knows he wouldn’t have let it if it was somebody he didn’t know.

As much as Kim Jongin trusted Yixing that is also the amount of trust his best friend gave him for his book to turn into what he envisioned it. And he’s more than ready to take on that challenge.

“Before you can all go home,” Jongin barges through the door after learning that they’ve finished for the day, “let’s all have dinner, shall we?” A chorus of approval and cheers answered when Zitao translated the producer’s words and everyone is filing out in a minute. Jongin decided to give the cast and crew a good dinner before they officially start the filming as a way of boosting them up and showing his full confidence in them.

“Where’s Mr. Zhang?” The producer belatedly realized that the author was not in his seat to the left of Lu Han where he stayed seated until the director tells him they’re going already.

“He had some family matters to attend to.” Lu Han swiftly explained and the producer nodded in understanding when Zitao translated in his broken Korean.

“You think he’ll make it to the dinner?” Jongin asked as he eyes the people in the room leaving one by one, ushered by Zitao and Joonmyun who informed them of the location of the restaurant they had reserved.

“I’ll let him know.” Lu Han assured the producer, making a show of reaching for his phone at the same time.

“That would be great. I’ll see you at the restaurant.” Jongin tries to convey his gratitude as best he can in Chinese as Zitao disappears from beside him.

Lu Han noticed that Yifan was staring at the empty seat where Yixing should be but then he shook his head and moved to get up and before he can go Jongin catches his attention.

“You can’t be absent for the dinner, Mr. Wu.” And without even listening if Yifan confirmed or protested, the producer left without another word. Minseok is already at the door, waiting for him with a grin plastered on his face.

“You coming, Lu Han?” The manager asked, all too bubbly, too bubbly for Lu Han’s liking. He nodded in response before putting his phone on his ears.

“Zhang.” Yifan stopped in his tracks mid-step when he heard Lu Han say Yixing’s last name and he knows it’s him because, who else would it be?

“There’s going to be a dinner that Mr. Kim wanted us to be in as a celebration, I guess. Has Shixun settled in?” By now Yifan has found his way to Minseok already and the mention of another name, probably a male’s, nags at the back of Yifan’s head.

“Great. I’ll text you the restaurant.” Yifan is already out the door but Lu Han has a smirk playing on his lips that is edging on a full smile at his own antics.

“You’re scaring me, ge.” He realized that Kyungsoo was still beside him and the scriptwriter had a mixture of pure shock and fright on his face as he looks at the director. He ruffles the mop of hair of the wide-eyed boy before giving a small laugh, offering the younger a ride to the restaurant afterwards.

“He’s riding with me.” Jongin popped in again, he went back when he realized that it was taking Kyungsoo so long to go down. Lu Han directed a pointed look at Kyungsoo before looking at the producer who’s still standing at the door. He beckons for the scriptwriter to come and the younger scrambles to get up on his feet to follow the producer.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Lu Han shakes his head as he watches Kyungsoo trudge after the producer with obvious hesitance in his steps. “I’m getting too old for this.” He closes his backpack with a grunt before making his way out the door as well.

***

The room is abuzz with scattered chatter and loud music as the cast and crew enjoy each other’s company before the months of hard work starts. It’s the first time for Lu Han to experience something like this; a celebration as a kick starter for their film. Most of the time, the producers of his film will only do such gatherings after the film has been successful. He looks around the room and sees a wide gap between him doing low-budget (most of the time, independent) films and high-cost ones. For one, the crew is larger. Back when he was starting he only had a few friends from college who would willingly help him to act and to double as his crew. Next is the overflowing food. He knows it’s a necessity and that KJI is just making sure that they’re being cared for and he remembers almost to tears how sometimes they would get by, only sharing a few packets of noodles before and after filming.

The biggest difference, however, is the presence of Wu Yifan. They’re paying a hefty price for the actor to play the role the author wants (needs, Yixing would argue) him to. Lu Han has worked with other actors before but not as big as Yifan. One, because the budget will never allow it and two, he finds himself allergic to A-listers.

But along with Wu Yifan’s presence is another and it’s currently trying to invade Lu Han’s private bubble with his big cat eyes and perky tone.

“Here.” Lu Han stares at Minseok suspiciously when the manager shoved a rolled lettuce in front of his face. Yifan who’s sitting beside him also watched with incredulous eyes as his own manager took care of the director’s food instead of his. The producer decided to bring them to a Korean restaurant that mainly served beef and the Korean manager was more than eager to show everyone (mostly Lu Han) how they usually ate it.

“Thanks.” He gingerly takes the wrap in his own hands, brushing Minseok’s fingers in the process and he can’t help seeing the blush that slowly bloomed on the manager’s cheeks. He scrunches his nose because he’s never seen someone so obvious with their crush for him.

“Try it.” He wants to wipe off the smile on Minseok’s face. It’s too cheerful for his liking and he knows the manager knows he looks adorable when he’s smiling but Lu Han doesn’t buy it. He puts the wrap whole in his mouth as they were instructed moments ago and he likes that the flavors of the ingredients mix well with each other with the beef’s flavor still standing out.

“Do you like it?” Yifan looks annoyed now at how his manager is acting but he doesn’t let it spoil his dinner; focusing on putting just the right amount of ingredients in his lettuce so he can wrap it properly without its contents spilling. Lu Han just nods, mouth still full of the wrap and he wants to roll his eyes at how Minseok practically glows with his reaction.

“Great!” The manager moves to make another wrap and Lu Han wants to tell him not to make him anymore and that he can do it on his own when he sees Minseok put the wrap in his own mouth.

Stop thinking ahead, Lu. He reminded himself before reaching for more beef on the grill. Kyungsoo has the tongs on his hand, grilling the beef with expertise. The scriptwriter pointed out the beef cuts that were good to eat already and Lu Han thanked him for it. At the corner of his eye, he can see the producer engage the other actors in a loud conversation with his broken Chinese, from time to time he would look at Kyungsoo for help. There was an obvious flush on the apple of the younger’s cheeks whenever Jongin would reach out and touch his arm to get his attention. Lu Han shakes his head and focuses on his food instead.

Why can’t people just focus on their job and leave flirting for later? He thinks as he chews on his beef.

“You’re doing it again.” Minseok’s voice pulls him out of his thoughts and he furrows his eyebrows in response and an obvious sign for the manager to continue.

“That look.”

“What look?” There's straight up irritation in Lu Han's voice but Minseok doesn't look fazed as he answers.

“That,” Minseok points at his face before continuing, “You always have this look when you’re thinking too much. Stop doing it.”

“Stop doing what?” Lu Han looked affronted; feeling like someone is trying to control him.

“Thinking too much.” Minseok answered as calm as he could as if the director doesn’t look like he’s close to punching his face.

“Well, it’s not like I can tell my brain to stop doing it, right?”

“You can at least divert your attention to something else.” He doesn’t know what Minseok is trying to get at until he said his next words. “I don’t like seeing your pretty face all scrunched up like that.” 

Lu Han choked on his food and if not for Yibo clapping his back after ing a glass of water at him, he probably would have died.

“I ban you from doing that.” Lu Han says with a finger to Minseok’s face who just laughs at him. “You want me to die, don’t you?”

“Why would I want that?” Minseok splayed a hand over his chest, playing the victim of the director’s harsh words but he doesn’t really mind. He knows the director already has some soju in his system (so does he) so he will forgive him. And he can’t deny that he likes Lu Han snarky, even if he initially thought that the pretty face came with a pretty pleasant personality. Beside him, Yifan snorts at his manager’s acting skills.

“You –” Before Lu Han can do anything, like maybe gouge Minseok’s eyes out with his spoon, Yixing puts a hand on his shoulder.

“Play nice.” The author tells Lu Han as he takes the empty space beside the director which he knows, without saying, is his.

“But this –” Yixing gives him a look that instantly shuts him up and he sulks in his seat, ignoring his friend who’s nudging his sides with his elbows.

“That hurts.” He finally replies when his best friend gave a particularly hard nudge. Yixing just smiles at him with mischief in his eyes then it’s gone in a moment to smile a genuine one at Kyungsoo who offered him a wrap.

“Why didn’t you bring Shixun?” Lu Han saw how Yifan stopped at the mention of the name again but the actor tried his very best not to look at their direction; head bowed to look at his bowl of rice.

“No need to bring him here.” Lu Han was intently watching the actor now, seeing that Yixing is more focused on his food than their conversation. At the confirmation of the gender of their subject, Yifan looked conflicted before taking one of the pancakes and shoving it in his mouth in one piece. There’s a shadow of a smirk growing in Lu Han’s face and he wants to see how far he can push Yifan to the edge before the actor actually explodes.

He’s been watching the actor since the reading started and he can see him stealing glances at Yixing, during the reading, in between breaks and even when he’s on his way to leave. Sometimes, Lu Han thinks he even has something to say but he always ends up leaving before Yixing can turn to look at him. The director doesn’t know the actor’s preference and intentions but he thinks maybe Yifan just wants to befriend the author to know more about the role he’s playing.

However, Lu Han thinks, it’s not bad to confirm a few things.

“Why not? You don’t want everyone to meet someone important to you?” There’s a visible gulp that Yifan made before he reached for a glass of beer mixed with soju. Lu Han is forcing himself not to laugh at the hidden struggle that the actor is currently having.

It looks like Yixing has caught up to his act though and throws him a narrowed look; eyebrow raised in question of his older best friend’s actions.

“What are you up to?” There’s venom in Yixing’s words but Lu Han knows it’s empty threat because the author is too gentle for any form of violence no matter how small.

“What? Nothing. I was just asking. Don’t you wonder what Shixun feels being left behind at home while you’re out here having fun?” Yifan is audibly choking now and Lu Han can’t stop the laugh bubbling in his throat anymore. Yixing looks at Lu Han then at Yifan and it dawns on him what his best friend is doing. He doesn’t want to embarrass Yifan so he tries not to look at him and just scolds his best friend.

“Who’s Shixun?” Kyungsoo finally asks when he’s had enough choking from people around him. And Yixing is glad he did so he can clear the air without making it seem like that’s what he was actually doing.

“My nephew.” Yixing throws an angry look at Lu Han who just shrugged, that he misses the look of complete relief on Yifan’s face from just a few words.

“What about him then?” Kyungsoo looks eager to know about the kid since there’s really nothing to talk about because as much as possible he didn’t want to talk about work or the filming, they’ll have enough of that in the coming months.

“He’s going to study at Peking University so he’s going to stay at my place. Saves money that way.” Kyungsoo nods in understanding, so does Minseok and Yifan who has recovered quite fast in Yixing’s opinion.

“He’s Korean, actually.” The two Koreans’ eyes widen at the information and the possibility of meeting another fellow Korean in a foreign country. By the look of confusion on their faces, they needed more explanation which Yixing was more than happy to supply.

“My cousin adopted him when he was five. They lived in Korea for quite some time before returning here.” They nodded again at the given information. Not much was said afterwards, other than the two Koreans telling Yixing what were the food on the table.

***

After the dinner, Yixing pulls Lu Han to somewhere more private to properly reprimand him for his previous antics. Everyone is bidding each other good byes at the entrance of the restaurant; managers running frantic to get their talents home before anyone can see them in their intoxicated state.

“What were you doing back there?” Yixing says sharply as he lightly pushes Lu Han to a corner. “And don’t lie to me.” He adds when he sees the director smirking.

“Yifan has eyes for you.” The words make Yixing blush but since he’s had his fair share of shots he can blame it on the alcohol. He looks at Lu Han straight in the eyes again before replying.

“You’re the one who told me not to associate myself with those kind of people. What do you think you were doing a while ago?”

The director huffs before answering: “I was just making sure, Xing.”

“He’s probably just astonished that I’m gay.” Yixing now has one of his hands to his forehead and the other on his hip; the stance Lu Han knows he only takes when he’s worried. The director thinks he looks funny every time he does that. “No thanks to you.”

“He doesn’t know that.” Lu Han pushes himself off the wall he’s been leaning against since they started their conversation. “You did clarify that Shixun is your nephew.”

The author looked like he was about to say something but it seemed like he lost his words since he closed his mouth again; eyes darting from his shoes to the wall then back down. Lu Han places his hands on his best friend’s shoulders to get his attention.

“There’s nothing to worry about, right Xing? Nothing’s going to happen between you two anyway, right? It was all just for fun.”

“Fun?” Yixing furrows his brows because he doesn’t think that qualifies as something fun. “You could’ve killed the guy.” He adds when he remembers the actor choking after Lu Han’s suggestive words.

“Oh, please.” Lu Han pulls back from his friends and places a placating hand before him. “I’d Heimlich the out of him before he can even try dying.” That was enough to make Yixing laugh; imagining his best friend’s tiny frame doing the Heimlich maneuver on the much larger actor.

Yixing pushes aside thoughts that maybe the actor does have an interest in him. He knows that the actor is as straight as a ruler from past rumors of him dating his former leading ladies. Although those remained as just rumors since they were never confirmed by neither party, looking at Yifan strut around in his masculine persona is enough for Yixing to know that he will never swing the author’s way. Just like he said the first time they met, the actor is the picture of a real man. And that is sufficient reason for Yixing to calm his nerves and know that Lu Han’s warnings are not necessary.

***

Yixing walked to the curb to wait for a cab to take him home and he didn’t even notice that there was another person behind him until he heard a heavy sigh. When he turned around, he had to look up and up and up before he was welcomed by bushy eyebrows and a scowl. The actor was probably too drunk to even sense how Yixing is openly staring at him, so he continues to watch him as the opportunity is given to him. The author did remember that Yifan emptied five bottles of soju and three cans of beer all by himself. Being his lightweight self, Yixing only had two shots and even that, he knows, will be enough to give him a bad hangover the following day.

Yifan slowly opens his eyes and the time from him looking like he’s knocked out to him looking fully alert was enough for Yixing to look away so that he won’t be caught gawking at the actor.

“Yixing?” He turns around when the actor’s thick gravelly voice calls out to him. Yifan pushes himself off of the wall to walk closer to Yixing with wide eyes since the lighting is dim.

“Hi.” He replies shyly as the actor stands on the spot beside him after making sure that it is Yixing.

“Hello!” Yifan, Yixing thinks, is friendly when he’s inebriated. He’s giving Yixing a huge gummy grin in place of his usual scowl; something that he’s never seen the actor sport before.

They fall into comfortable silence; Yixing not really knowing what to say to Yifan. He thought of apologizing for Lu Han’s actions earlier but he decided against it because he’s afraid that it will make things weird between him and the actor. He’s not even one hundred percent sure that the reason for Yifan’s choking fit was Lu Han mentioning Shixun and making it sound like he and Yixing are in a relationship. Yixing shudders at the thought.

The actor was the one who broke the silence, much to Yixing’s surprise; his deep voice penetrating Yixing’s thoughts.

“How are you getting home?” Yifan asked and Yixing belatedly realized that Minseok was nowhere to be found; probably gone to fetch their car,he thought.

“Cab, most probably.” He answered when he realized that Yifan was still looking at him intently. “Lu Han still has somewhere to be and I’m exhausted so I need to get home.”

“Would you like a ride?” Yixing doubted Yifan can surprise him anymore but he’s done it three times in a span of less than ten minutes. He splutters for an answer since the actor is looking at him expectantly. He wants to say yes because that will save him the cab fee and he knows he’ll get home safely.

But he hears Lu Han’s voice in warning.

“There’s nothing to worry about, right Xing? Nothing’s going to happen between you two anyway, right?”

He doesn’t want to be judgmental, even if Lu Han had given him plenty of caution to be careful around these actors. The author doesn’t know the man before him quite well for him to judge his character based on a generalization made by other people.

Egotistical, ill-mannered exploiters.

There’s so much more and Lu Han reminds him every time he can about what these people with name and fame can do. But when he looks at Yifan, the actor doesn’t seem to possess any of those traits. He does look arrogant but he’s never disrespected any of the other casts and that extends to the crew. He is quiet and doesn’t make much conversation with the others but he does respond when addressed. Yixing can’t seem to point anything wrong with the actor just yet but then again he’s only spent two days with him and that amount of time isn’t exactly sufficient to know somebody. He currently sees Yifan for the image he has, cold and isolated, but he also feels comfortable around the older man.

But still…

“No,” he doesn’t miss the flash of disappointment on Yifan’s face, “I just don’t want to burden you guys and you look like you need your bed soon,” he notes that Yifan is having a hard time keeping his eyes open. Even if the actor looks like he wants to protest, he just nods in understanding.

Fortunately, Minseok arrives seconds after so he has an excuse to look away from Yifan who looked too lonely in his custom-made Off-White clothes. The manager offers Yixing a ride as well when he sees the author at the curb waiting with his talent. However, before Yixing can answer, Yifan does it for him.

“He doesn’t want to. Don’t force him, Minseok.” There’s no heaviness in his tone but Yixing still feels miserable with the realization that Yifan probably knows what half of the people in the industry thinks of him and other actors. What saddens him more is with the mere rejection of a ride home, he has included himself in that category of people who have generalized the kinds of Yifan.

Minseok closes the van door and it jolts Yixing back to reality. The manager looks like he will offer Yixing a ride again but shakes his head and bids the author a good night.

As Yixing watches the van drive into the night, he can only hope that Yifan doesn’t think that way of him and maybe one day he will be able to explain himself. Right now, to tell Yifan that he didn’t accept his simple offer because he doesn’t want to fall for him and his kind gestures would probably make the actor freak out and distance himself from the author. Yixing doesn’t want any of those to happen, at least not in the early stages of their friendship.

Better yet, Yixing hopes, just let him forget what happened. That way, he will never have to explain himself because he knows even if Yifan doesn’t need it, he will end up spilling it to the actor. He just doesn’t want him to think that he has condemned him without getting to know him completely.

Yixing waited for another fifteen minutes before his cab arrived. And in between waiting, he continuously cursed himself for turning down Yifan’s offer.

A/N: If you didn't know (which I doubt would be the case) Shixun is Sehun :) Just in case, someone didn't know his Chinese name XD Man, Lu Han is a confusing character XD

PS Happy Halloween~ Boo! ;p