“You’re looking good, Mayor Kim.”

            “It’s all in the food, Mr. Choi.”

            “Or maybe because of this handsome man you’re with. Hello, son.”

            “Hello.” Luhan greeted back. “I wish your daughter a happy birthday.”

            “Minseok is really lucky. I’m sure most of the guest will envy you. Ah, before I forgot. I will just talk to you about a certain business of mine for Yeongcheon.”  

            “Okay.” Minseok looked at him. “Can you wait here, Luhan? Mr. choi and I will just talk about something.”

            “Okay. I’ll just get something to eat.”

            “Get some for me too.” Minsoek holds his arm and whispered to him. “By the way, you look really handsome tonight. I’m afraid most of the guests here will compete for your attention.”

            Luhan just smiled. He’s sure that no one will get his attention because it’s on Minseok. He’s busy thinking of what Minseok told him when he didn’t notice that he bumped into someone.

            “I’m sorry.”

            “No problem.”

            Luhan looked up. A familiar smiling face greeted him. “Heechul?”

            “And you are…?”

            Luhan smiled for the second time. Even him was not able to recognize him. This three piece suit really makes its wonders.

            “Wait, I know that smile.” Heechul said. “Luhan? The guy from the Exo guesthouse, right?”

            “Yes.”

            “Wow! I almost didn’t recognize you. You looked… different. You’re handsome when you’re dressed like that.”

            “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

            “So, how are you and Minseok? You’re with him, right?”

            “That’s right. But he’s talking with the birthday celebrant’s father. Business.”

            “That guy. His attention is always on business and Yeongcheon. Good thing you’re with me now. If not, you will be swarmed by the guests here.”

            “Huh?”

            “My dear, don’t you know how handsome you are?” Heechul placed his hand on his hips and looked around. “Remind me to kick Minseok’s when I see him for letting you roam around on your own. In the meantime, I will be the one who will look after you. Just a little favor to him since he and I are both members of the Exo Riding Club.” Heechul offered his hand. “How about a dance?”

            Luhan accepted Heechul’s offer. After all, he had been a part of his fantasies before he knew Minseok and fell in love with him. He doesn’t regret the fact that he had feelings for Heechul once. He’s not wrong on choosing the man to fall in love with. All of the guys that he liked in Exo Riding Club, Luhan is sure that the time he spent in admiring them is worth it. And now, one of the club members had successfully taken his heart.

            No regrets on his part.

            “You look like you’re in love.” Heechul said while they are dancing. “Is my observation right?”

            “It’s a secret.”

            “Ah, come on.”

            “Let me just… let me just savor this wonderful feeling for a time, Heechul.”

            “For a while?”

            “I’m poor. The man that I love is rich. And I know that whatever happens, I will never be with the man that I love. And I accept that.”

            “That’s a weird theory.”

            “That’s reality.”

            Heechul just smiled. But Luhan thinks that he is thinking deeply. Then the song finished.

            Heechul pulled out a chair for him. “Stay here. I’ll just get something to drink.”

            “Thank you.”

            “How was Cinderella’s night? Enjoying yourself?”

            Luhan looked at the one who talked. Two girls and one guy. He doesn’t know them but he has a feeling that they are prominent persons based from what they are wearing.

            “Ah, are you talking to me?”

            “Yeah, we are. You beggar!”

            Luhan straightened from his seat. He wants to put up a fight with these three but he’s a civilized person so that’s not going to happen. Instead, he’ll solve this in a cool, mannered way.

            “I’m sorry. Can I do something for you?”

            “Look at this social climber. You know, even if you try to hide it, your true colors will show up. Even your three piece suit and your styled hair aren’t enough to cover your filthy background.” The woman said.

            “It’s expensive though.” The man said, pertaining to his suit. “How much did you pay for? Or should I say… what did you pay it with?”

            “Obviously, with his body.” The second woman said. “He’s poor. So what do you think that he can give so that not just one, but two members of Exo Riding Club will notice him?”

            “If I were you, I’ll just wake up from my illusion. Don’t even think that MInseok will like you. We all know that he is very particular with persons that he meets. You’re just an amusement to him. After that, it’s bye-bye Cinderella.”

            Luhan turned to them. “You don’t have to tell me that because I knew that from the very start. You’re all right. Minseok and I are still together because he still needs something from me. So? At least, we’re together. And take note, we’re living under the same roof. How about you? Until now, you weren’t able to come near him, right?  That’s why you are turning your anger on me. You are all pathetic. You all lost to a Cinderella like me because even if I’m like this, I was able to be with the prince that you are all still dreaming to be with right now.”

            None of them was able to say anything. Luhan just smirked.

            “What now? Aren’t you going to say anything?”

            “How dare you talk to me like that, you poor person! This is my birthday party! And I want you out of here now! Don’t mingle with someone who is not on your level!”

            “Don’t worry, I don’t dream on being on the same level as you. I’ll just kill myself if that happens.”

            “Get out! Get out!”

            “Yujin! What the heck are you doing?”

            Right then and there, Luhan just noticed that almost all of the people have their attention on them. He just bites his lip. What did they hear?

            “Dad, I want him out of my party! Now! I want him out here right now! He’s ruining the atmosphere aroud here!”

            “Yujin, stop it!” Mr. Choi looked at him. “I’m really sorry about this.”

            “It’s okay.” He stood up and tried to go to the exit.

            Until someone grabbed his arm. “Let’s just continue our transaction next time, Mr. Choi.”

            “Mayor Kim. I’m really sorry about this.”

            “Don’t worry. Things will still be the same regarding our business deal.” Minseok pulled him towards the exit.

            But Luhan still heard the conversation of some of the people before they went out.

            “What a boring party. Chanyeol, honey, we better go home.”

            “Alright. Let’s go, Kris.”

            “Kai, do we have to stay here?”

            “We don’t need to, Soo. Let’s go somewhere else.”

            “Junmyeon, you said I’ll be enjoying here.”

            “You did, right?”

            “Yeah, but that was a while ago. But now, I don’t want to associate with someone who’s harassing other people.”

            “Jongdae…”

            “Let’s go, honey.”

            That was Luhan have heard before they went outside. And if he’s not mistaken, that was some of the members of Exo Riding Club with their spouses.

            “Most of your co-members are here.” Luhan said. “It’s embarrassing. They were able to hear what I have said to that ill-disciplined birthday celebrant.”

            “Just ignore what Yujin have said.”

            “Alright.”

            “Everything she said is bull.”       

            “I know.”

            “Luhan—”

            “Wait!” Luhan raised a hand, then he removed his bowtie and opened a button of his suit. Then he sighed. “Ah, much better.”

            “You were thinking of removing your tie and opening up your shirt all this time?”

            “Yeah. I can’t breathe properly. I feel like I’m choking.”

            Luhan looked at Minseok. There was something bothering him. Maybe it was because of what happened in the birthday party.

            “Don’t frown, Minseok. It doesn’t suit your… suit.” Luhan chuckled.

            “Luhan…” Minseok placed his own hand on his waist and combed his hair using his other hand. “I don’t know where to start. I know you were insulted with Yujin’s words.”

            “Yeah, well, a bit. But if you think of it, she has a point. I’m poor so I shouldn’t associate with rich people like you.”

            “Where did you hear that?”

            “That’s life, Minseok.”

            “That’s bull!”

            “Wow! You’re not mad, right?” Luhan just laughed at Minseok’s reaction. “Chill out, Minseok.”

            “There is no law that says poor people should not associate with rich people.”

            “Yeah, I agree. But then, society dictates the opposite.” Luhan just clucked his tongue. “So sad.”

            “Why are you listening to society? Are they the one who is feeding you?”

            “You have a point.” Luhan fixed Minseok’s tie. “Why are you so affected with what Yujin have said? I was the one that she targeted.”

            “I just don’t want you to think…” Minseok brushed some strands of Luhan’s hair away from his forehead. “That you don’t belong in my world.”

            “You’re really funny, Minseok. When it’s you that told me that you’re a club member and I’m just one of the people who works for you.” Luhan just smirked.

            Minseok froze. But after a while, he was able to recover. “A person can change his mind sometimes.”

            “Of course.”

            “Luhan.”

            “Yes?”

            “I wasn’t able to ask for a dance the most handsome guy in that party earlier.” Minseok offered his hand to him. “Would you care to dance?”

            “There’s no music. And we’re in the middle of the street.”

            “I don’t care where we are. I just want to dance with you.” Minseok gathered him in his arms. “And I can create music for us.”

            Then he started humming as their bodies swayed slowly to the tune of the music he created for them.

            Luhan buried his face on Minseok’s neck.

            For a while, he wanted to have this world only for the two of them. For a while, he wanted to feel he felt the same way as him. For a while, he wanted to have this man he had learned to love and accept all his faults at the same time. For a while, he wanted to dream that he loved him, too. After that night, Luhan will happily return to his life before this happened. Wherein he will look from afar the man that he loves despite of what they have been through.

            For a while…

-----------------------------

Krisyeol, Kaisoo, and Suchen ladies and gentlemen! I miss these pairings! If you're not aware, they have their own stories, and you can check them out here. LMAO shameless promoting at it's finest. Anyway, we're down to the last two chapters T^T I have grown to love this story and I don't want this to end. T^T Anyway, I will post the synopsis of the next story on the next chapter. And the pairing would be BAEKTAO!!! It means the maknae (Sehun) and the unicorn (Yixing) will be the last pairing for this series. 

Thank you so much for the upvotes, subscriptions and comments! And sorry for the long author's note. :)