"Hey Yixing, where ya headed?" The forgetful male- he once forgot Luhan at Walmart, even though they had gone together hence in the same vehicle sitting side by side, and took over an hour to go back and pick him up because he was a "child of the law" and did not speed- had placed his backpack around his shoulder as he made his way out of the University. 

"To El Dorado." Luhan deadpanned at the dreamy tone in his younger friend's voice. Yixing visited the building often because his father entrusted him with working with the consultant to better their future and make good and proper use of the things they owned. When his father let go of the reins and let him handle the consulting session on his own, it took little to no time for he and Junmyeon, who were already slightly smitten with each other, to progress their relationship. For this reason, Luhan was unamused because he was sure there was little consulting going on as much as there was hanky panky on Junmyeon's desk. Deep inside however, he wished he had someone to experience an office affair romance with. These thoughts of his were mainly caused by his slight introverted nature. Because of his antisocialness, he had taken to reading and as the years progressed, so did the types of books he read. a, dare he say, was a guilty pleasure of his.

"Please tell me your talking about the city made of gold lost in the jungles of Mexico somewhere and not that consulting firm. Because, truthfully, I'd rather you try to discover the city of gold than go to that creeper infested building." Luhan didn't have anything against the building or the work done at the facility; it was most of the people inside, rather a certain person, that twisted his feathers...had he had any. 

"But you've been there with your mom quite a few times." Yixing pointed out matter-of-factly, a tone he rarely used.

"Yeah! To protect her from the vile scum lurking that hole." Luhan spluttered as Yixing smacked him on the arm, warning him of his language.

"I don't understand why you hate that place so much. There's some admirable people "lurking" around as you put it."

"Fine fine. Joonmyeon doesn't count as one of the creeps. He's actually alright from when I've met him and I'm not just saying this because you two get down on the usual, but because he seems like a genuinely nice person. But don't you feel like they put him in the wrong position. He should be in finances or something dealing with money because he looks about as crazy for it as he does for you." Yixing gave his rambling friend his signature lazy smile. He knew why Luhan seemingly hated the consulting firm so much. Apparently it had to do with a bumbling idiot with silver hair and a vending machine.Yixing had never been sure as to whether he wanted to dig further into the vague description his fuming friend had given him that one time. But now, seeing Luhan mumbling to himself once more about bumbling silver haired idiots, he thought it the absolute best time to ask. Anyways, the walk to El Dorado from campus, if he didn't take the bus or his car, was of good length to hear the story.

"What ever happened with you and that guy at the vending machine anyways?" Luhan gasped, shocked that Yixing wanted to hear his story. As long as he'd known him, which was forever, if a book or story didn't contain a happy ending or magical creatures vomiting rainbows and love on everyone, Yixing didn't even spare it a second. 

"Are you sure?"

"Of course. You're my bestest friend. Maybe listening to your story will give me an idea on how to help you see the nicer, prettier things surrounding you." Ah, that's why he wanted to hear it. Forever about world peace.

"We can give it a shot. Okay, here goes. Brace yourself. Picture it, a summer day in South Korea. My mom asks me to accompany her to a consulting firm...

"Luhannie Sweetie Pie. Come here please."

"Ma, what's wrong?" His mother was seated at the table, papers scattered all around her as her reading glasses rested on the bridge of her nose. He had never seen his mother actually use her reading glasses before which made him wary. 

"Nothing's wrong. It's just that...well, you'll be heading off to college in two years which is very close and I want you to be taken care for financially."

"Ma, I'm able to work. Don't stress yourself out about that. I can make enough for the both of us." Luhan moved to sit near his worrying mother.

"I know, I'm well aware. It's just that it's been a few years since your father has...passed and I don't want the trust fund he built up for us and your future by working very hard to be ill managed. His dream was to see you study and do something great with your life but he also wanted you to follow your dreams. I'm getting old now and that money will eventually be yours to handle. I trust that you'll use it the right way. However, I was speaking to Yixing's mother and she told me about a consulting firm they often visit that has guided them in nothing short of excellent ways. I want you to accompany me to this firm and we'll speak to a financial agent regarding how to best keep our lives financially stable."

"I- Ma, you're barely thirty eight...that's not even old. But I'll go with you because I want to be able to care for you too when you really are old."

"Great. Well, since you say I'm not old yet. I had an idea..."

And so the next day, they went to the consulting firm, The El Dorado, and told the receptionist that they had an appointment with Mr. Byun Baekhyun, the then part time financial consultant until he realized persuading people to buy useful things and marketing them was more his forte.

The first half of the meeting went extremely well. Baekhyun was actually very smart about financial matters, they just bored him, but he offered excellent advice to the Lu's and even made budgets and helped go over Mrs' Lu's annual expense chart. When she told him about her idea, which was to design, manufacture, and sell Chinese-Korean culturally fused modern clothing, Baekhyun was all aboard and offered marketing tips and strategies as well. Luhan approved of him as he saw his mother's eyes light up in an excitement and joy he hadn't seen much since his father had passed when he was nine. The meeting, taking longer than what he originally thought - once Baekhyun was revved up about spreading the word of a fabulous product, it was hard to cool him down- Luhan excused himself from the two, who were eagerly making plans to call up old shops to rent, to head to the vending machine Baekhyun quickly told him about during a break he had taken from talking.

He hadn't had breakfast and he was sure his stomach was about to let out a beastly growl. Skipping his way along to the hallway with the supposed machine, he skidded to a halt when the smell of sweet sweet coffee infiltrated his senses. After grabbing himself a cup out of the employee's lounge nearby, he went back to his original quest of naming the Rice Krispies treat he spotted from afar his. 

On his way to approaching the machine with sparkling deer eyes, he felt around in his pocket with his free hand for any loose change he may have rolling around.

But as he looked up, a man with silver hair moved his hand to push the buttons F and 4. F4 was where his Rice Krispies was located within the machine. He had imprinted the number in his mind as he made his way to get the coffee earlier. It was the letter number combo that flashed in his mind as he looked for the coins. It was the number that silver haired man had just finished pressing. 

Because you're not you when you're hungry, Luhan, who really was a docile and shy creature very much akin to his namesake the deer, stomped his feet hurriedly toward the now rather tall man.

"Hey Mr. I would appreciate it if you chose another snack from this machine." Luhan was manly, but he was also snackish and that lowered his manly strength to do anything but bargain with the man, he reasoned to himself.

"But I already bought this one." The silver haired man's voice certainly did NOT send shivers down his spine.

"Well I will pay you for it then."

"What kind of man would I be if I took a little boy's money?"

"I-I am Not a little boy!" Luhan huffed indignantly.

"Are you sure you're not ten? Or is it that you're really a little girl?" He wasn't sure why, but teasing the short boy in front of him felt so nice. Being the clingy person he is by nature, at first he was being serious about having already bought the treat and not giving it up. But seeing the boy who spoke set a warmth in his chest that would take years to quell. The blush adorning his peachy skin and the pout in his pretty pink lips really only added to the fire. The boy's untamed blonde curls framed his face quite nicely and his lashes fluttered along the tops of the apples of his cheeks. His oversized sweater and slightly baggy jeans only added to his very young appearance.

"I am a boy- a man! Forget it. I'll just get something else." Luhan moved to search for something that would satisfy him as much as the Rice Krispies would have. He felt humiliated by the admittedly handsome- he had stolen a peek- man. But a part of him...liked it. Maybe it was all the a he had taken to reading lately that was messing with his thoughts.

Preparing to make his choice, the gummy bears were eyeing him from the corner, he stopped when he felt warmth envelop his back. The man swiftly bought the gummy bears and the mini pecan pie he had been eyeing as well - he had a giant sweet tooth-. Turing around, Luhan was stopped halfway, the man's breath ghosting on his ear.

Dropping the bag of gummy bears, the carton containing the pie and a halved Rice Krispie treat in his open hands, the man having taken away his coffee cup, he heard the man's voice in his ear which was hard to describe. It wans't velvety smooth, but it had a nice huskiness and while there was a slight lisp, the voice was pleasant to hear. 

He shouldn't have asked because the story, mixed with Luhan's pauses and interjections, lasted longer than the walk to the building. And so they found themselves sitting outside as Luhan finally got to the conclusion of his experience.

"And then. You can't just pause there." Yixing was intrigued. Long story or not, he needed to know the ending.

"And then the creep grabbed my coffee, gulped it down and said..."

"A boy your age won't be able to handle his caffeine so make better drink choices, alright. Coffee is bitter anyways. It'll ruin your sweetness."

Luhan wanted to tell the man that he wasn't his father and that he could make his own decisions...but the man did buy him the snacks and he even left him the other half of the Rice Krispie. Truthfully, it felt nice having a man that handsome look out for him and offer him those words, even if it was teasingly. But the man had already left, only his scent lingering by the machine.

But Luhan wouldn't know that to that silver haired man, the words that flowed without filter from his mouth were not said teasingly. They were genuine...stemming from a secret, unknown, very hidden desire.

"And so it has been..four years that this incident occurred. I do not wish to relieve it. So please say hello to Joonmyeon and get back home safe." Luhan began to get up from the bench they had been sitting on, his backpack straps tugged by Yixing. 

"Walk back home with me please. It gets dark sooner."

"Don't you usually take the bus?" Luhan raised a questioning brow.

"I forgot the schedule again...."

"Okay I'll walk back with you don't worry. I brought my pepper spray this time so we're all good." Luhan assured the younger.

"I'll be quick this time. I just needed to pick up some paperwork for my dad and we can be off."

"No problem Xingie."

The two entered the building, Luhan on guard. A part of him hoping to see the silver haired man who's face was a bit of a blur in his mind but his eyes as clear in his memory as a sunlit day.

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Buo Xian: Oh, you know...just been working.

Sehun: What does your job entail?

" me sideways over a rail."

"Keep your fantasies away from the work place Byun."

"Can it Jongdae."

He had been chatting with Sehun for nearly three weeks now. He and Chanyeol often took turns which led to confusion when Sehun mentioned something to one that he had spoken about with the other. Baekhyun liked to tell himself he was being a good friend and doing it for Sehun's own good. He wanted his friend to find someone. The problem- one that he had overlooked in his excitement- was that there really was no Buo Xian...well technically it was his Chinese name but Sehun couldn't know that. He had to find someone quick because Sehun had asked him to describe himself so that he could envision who it was he was talking to and so that it would make it easier when they went out on a date to fine one another.

Buo Xian: I work at the bookstore in my university part time while I study.

Sehun: Oh that's great because you really like to read you've mentioned. And with a major in Literature that's really an excellent job for you.

Buo Xian: You bet!

Baekhyun sighed for the nth time that day. He was in too deep to quit. He would perservere for the sake of friendship and loyalty!!

Lowering his eyes from the ceiling, Baekhyun caught sight of a very familiar figure.

And he knew just then how to describe his appearance to Sehun.

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Thanks for the comments guys!! Thanks for reading too <3

Hope you enjoy :)