LOVE YOU CRAZY; TIE

Lu Han wakes up to the smell of eggs and bacon. Pancakes maybe? Waffles? French toast? He can't identify it well, although he knows its food. At least he thinks. Minseok isn't asleep on his shoulder like he remembered from last night. The blanket is fully covering him and a pillow is now placed comfortably behind his head. He groaned and stretched his body while still sitting on the couch, yawning in the process. "Minseok?" He says as he stands up, he scratches his head and ruffles his hair as he walks towards the kitchen. 

There was Minseok, cooking. He had just turned off the stove and placed the pan in the sick, he meets Lu Han's eyes and gestures towards the table. "Hmm?" Lu Han said, still dazed as his eyes felt a bit droopy. He realized there were two plates neatly placed on the table, orange juice in glasses, perfectly cooked bacon, scrambled eggs, sausages, and a napkin placed beside it. Lu Han raised his eyebrow and turned to look at Minseok, watching him wash the pan in the sink. "Uhh, did you do this?" 

"I did." Minseok answers firmly, "A thank you for helping me when I was drunk." 

Lu Han nods, peering back at the food and back to Minseok. "Where'd you get the food from?" 

"Oh! I got them from you-oh." He put a hand through his hair, "I took your food to make it." He said, giving Lu Han an apologetic look. 

"It's all right, don't worry about it." Lu Han smiles, patting Minseok on the head and then taking a seat in one of the chairs. "I didn't even know I had orange juice." He chuckled to himself, then gesturing for Minseok to sit down. In which Minseok did. "I apologize for not giving you proper clothes to sleep in last night." 

Minseok shook his head, "No no, it's all right. Don't worry about it." Lu Han nodded, a bit of regret left in him. They both ate in silence and the only noise that could be heard was the sound of each others munches. Lu Han had the tendency to lean in his chair, when he leaned down slightly his feet kicked Minseok's feet. He was about to apologize and sit back up correctly, then instead Minseok smiled and looked down at his food, kicking back as he chewed. 

Lu Han grinned at him, he and Minseok were now playing footsies under the table, giving each other glances every now and then. Once finished with their food, Minseok was the first to get up and place his plate in the sink, "Are you finished?" He asks Lu Han, he nods, Minseok grabs Lu Han's plate and decides to rinse both of the places and places them in the dishwasher. 

"Do you normally do this?" Lu Han wonders out loud, Minseok smiles and leans back on the counter. 

"Of course I do. I live alone. I sorta have too." Minseok says, "Don't you?" 

Lu Han his lips, thinking back to his other mornings in his apartment. "I do, but I usually don't have the time to cook for myself, I wake up, put on a suit, take a trip to Starbucks on the way to work to buy a hot cup of coffee, and enter work as usual." 

"Ooh, don't you sound sophisticated." Minseok joked, "I'm just a pianist." 

"Well, that can't just be it, don't you have a crazy schedule and bajillion shows you attend?" Lu Han continues, "You must be greatly admired." 

Minseok sighed, a frown appearing on his face, "I haven't had a recital in four months. Not with that dude wanting to target me." His face droops, staring at his feet and wiggling his toes. 

"I'll get him for you, you'll be free to play your music in peace and in front of many in no time." Lu Han replies, strongly believing that he'll let Minseok go free from the the guy who wants to murder him so badly. 

Minseok's face brightens up. 

- 

"Lu Han ge!" Zitao enters the apartment and opens his arms wide to give Lu Han a hug. Lu Han chuckles and hugs back gladly. "I haven't seen you in forever." Zitao says in Mandarin, Lu Han puts his arm around Zitao, slightly pushing him inside the apartment. 

"How'd you find out where I live?" Lu Han questions, a little confused and delighted at the same time. 

Zitao chuckles and places his hands in his pockets, "Yixing." Lu Han eyes brighten up, Zhang Yixing, his best friend, ever since the younger days, grade school to high school. 

"I haven't spoken to him in a while." Lu Han scratches the back of his head, awkwardly looking down at the ground. "How's he doing?" 

"He's doing great. Did you know he has his own dance studio? He's becoming a famous dance choreographer." Zitao says proudly, then takes a seat on the couch and admires the apartment behold him. 

"I'm glad. He always had a passion for dancing." A smile forms on his lips once again, thinking about the days back in high school, the moments he and his friends shared. He had his own crew back in China, he was the eldest, then Wu Yifan, then Zhang Yixing, and Huang Zitao. After school ended and Zitao was still stuck there for another year, they all distanced from one another. Especially by the fact Lu Han decided to go and live his life in South Korea. "Since when were you in Korea?" 

"It's been a week since I flew in." Zitao answered honestly. Lu Han then scrunched his nose and slapped Zitao on the back. "Arghh! What was that for?" He complained, rubbing his back. 

"For not contacting me earlier! Why'd you decide to come find me a week after anyways?" Lu Han says, curious about the answer, it was unlikely for Zitao not to show up at Lu Han's front step as his first destination. 

Zitao avoided Lu Han's stare, "..I had other plans." 

"Mmhmm." Lu Han sighed in defeat, not wanting to get it out of him. A sound was heard from the guest room and Lu Han sprinted up from his seat on the couch, Zitao had been startled.

'Did you get a dog or something?" Zitao chuckled, commenting on the sound heard from the other room. 

Lu Han gave him a weak smile, "Not really." 

"Lu Han! Do you know how to put this tie on?" Minseok sighed, walking out of the bedroom and into the hallway and meeting face to face with Lu Han and Zitao, but hadn't even noticed due to the fact he was too busy concentrating on the tie around his neck. "What type of ties do you even own?" He says in frustration.

Zitao's eyes widen, standing up from his seat, "I-I didn't know you h-had company Lu Han ge." Still speaking in Mandarin. 

Minseok finally looks up from his tie and notices a tall figure cowering over him, his eyes widen and his body leans backwards a bit, clearly surprised. 'Minseok, this is my dongsaeng Huang Zitao, he came to Korea from China last week." Lu Han says in Korean, "He doesn't know much Korean." he says, referring to Zitao. Minseok slowly nods, his mouth open in shock. "Zitao, this is Kim Minseok, he's a.. a.. friend of mine." He tells Zitao in Mandarin, trying his best to keep up with the two languages. 

The both of them shake hands and bow to one another awkwardly, Zitao introduces himself in Korean, surprising Lu Han. "Didn't expect me to know Korean did you?" Zitao smirked at Lu Han, speaking in Korean and clearly pleased by the surprised look on Lu Han's face. Minseok greets back, still a little confused. "You guys dating?" Zitao questions in Mandarin, Lu Han's eyes widened, his mouth spitting out no in english multiple times. 

"Hmm?" Minseok squeaks out, noticing how he wasn't able to understand what Zitao had said. Lu Han shrugged it off and Minseok mouthed the word oh in understanding that it wasn't anything he had to know. "I think I have the tie stuff down now, thanks."

Zitao watched as Minseok quietly walked away towards the wall mirror to adjust his tie, a smirk plastered on his face. "What's with the tie?" he asks Lu Han. 

Lu Han doesn't hear Zitao's question, he was staring at Minseok up and down, gulping. Zitao chuckles and lightly smacks Lu Han's arm to get his attention. Lu Han bolts up from surprise and gives Zitao a innocent look. "What?" 

"My goodness, stop drooling." Zitao rolls his eyes and looks at Minseok, he's still fumbling with his tie. "Go help your man with the tie." 

Lu Han gasps, "He isn't my man, I'm his bodyguard." 

"Really? Why does he need a bodyguard?" Zitao questions, "And why are you the bodyguard? Couldn't they of gotten someone better?" 

"Hey!" Lu Han shouts, which makes Minseok turn around in surprise, wondering what the problem was, his tie completely wacked up. Lu Han notices this and fixes it for him, "You still don't know how to put on a tie?" A slight chuckle leaving his mouth. 

"M-My stylist usually does this for me." Minseok answers truthfully, guilt in his tone. 

"You have a stylist? What for?" Zitao asks, now speaking in Korean for Minseok to understand. 

"I'm a pianist, and I kind of have to look good a lot, for interviews and such." Minseok answers truthfully, "Lu Han are you sure if I wear this for my interview soon, my stylist can't make it." 

Lu Han nods, "Of course, I'm supposed to take care of you, I wouldn't let you wear nothing." 

Zitao's perky voice could be heard beside him, silently muttering out, 'He'd like it if you wore nothing though." in Korean. Lu Han spun around and stared wide eyed at Zitao, ready to hit him. Minseok didn't hear Zitao's comment and was highly confused, wondering what was going on. 

Lu Han stops himself and spins his body around to face Minseok, "Let's go to that interview, shall we?" 

Minseok nods, but scans Lu Han's appearance steadily, "Yeah, but.. Lu, shouldn't you change?" Lu Han is taken back by the comment and notices hes still wearing sweats and a tshirt, an ah escapes his mouth before he exits to change, but before entering the hallway, he points at Zitao with his fingers, mouthing the words 'Don't you dare try anything.' Which makes Zitao chuckle. 

Once Lu Han enters his own bedroom and searches in his closet for clothing, he realizes something. "Minseok called me Lu." Why'd he call me Lu?  

"How old are you?" Zitao questions Minseok, considering on how tinier Minseok was compared to Zitao. 

"25 in Korean age, you?" (24 years old) Minseok answers calmly, looking at himself in the mirror once again. 

Zitao's eyes widen, surprised at that fact that he was younger than Minseok. "Really? I'm only 22 in Korean age." (21 years old) "You didn't seem too much older than me." He covered his mouth with his hand, "I-I mean, not that you're old or anything, I-I'm ju-" 

"I understand, don't worry." Minseok smiled, turning around to face Zitao, having to look up to meet eyes. "How do you know Lu Han?" 

Zitao is taken back by the question, Minseok seems more straightforward than he had thought earlier. "Oh, we've known each other since we were kids. We've grown up living next door to each other." 

"Ah, I see. How'd you adapt to the korean language? Do you also work in the same field as Lu Han?"

"No, actually, I don't. I-I just happen to have a really good looking korean boyfriend." Zitao snickers, his cheeks turn a slight red as he stares down at the ground. What a cute kid, Minseok thought to himself. 

"Does Lu Han know about this?" Minseok raises an eyebrow at him, a cute smile plastered on his face. Zitao shakes his head no and scratches his head, sighing. 

"Do I know about what?" Lu Han says as he zips up his jacket and places an arm around Minseok, entering the conversation. 

"Do you know what time it is? It's 12:15 and I have to be there by 1! You'e so slow." Minseok says, covering up the secret for Zitao kindly. He takes Lu Han's arm off him and heads towards the door, "Hurry up! Zitao, you coming along?" 

Lu Han chuckles and drags Zitao out the door, taking him along with them. 

- 

"Finally!" Minseok's manager says as he sees Minseok enters, pulling him into a somewhat friendly, but aggresive hug. Minseok shakes it off and bows politely. 

"I apologize, it was foolish of me to be so late." Minseok apologizes, bowing once again, to mostly everyone in the room. 

"You aren't late at all! 10 more minutes to spare until the live interview." The interviewer says before she takes her seat. 

Minseok almosts chokes, coughing, "Did you say, live?" His eyes wide. 

"It's nothing to worry about, just some questions, a normal interview, it's just a thing we do. On our channel we put our interviews live for the viewers to comment and ask questions." The interviewer replies, her hands folded onto her lap, completely calm. Minseok nods, he's a little worried. Lu Han notices this and stands up from his seat in the back, going towards Minseok to pat him on the back and reassure him it's alright. It wasn't something a bodyguard would normally do. This time he wasn't acting as a bodyguard, but instead as a friend. 

"You'll be fine. Interacting with the viewers seems fun doesn't it?" Lu Han says, waiting for Minseok's reply. 

"Yeah, of course. It's not that I'm worried about though." Minseok sighs, looking down at his feet.

Lu Han tries to meet eyes with Minseok, he lowers his head to look at Minseok, catching him by surprise and making Minseok nearly jump up. "Sorry," Lu Han says with an apologetic expression, "What are you worried about?" 

Minseok his lips, "They're bound to mention about the attack right? The fact that I'm targetted to be assainated. What would I even say?" 

Lu Han wraps an arm around Minseok, squeezing him tight, "I doubt that it'll even come up, sure, they'll be comments like so, but you won't have to answer them. If you do, just look at me. Tell them that you're being protected, and that'll be cleared up in the near future." 

"Don't you think he's watching?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Don't you think he's watching, watching the livestreamed interview?" Minseok answers the question for himself, nodding his head, "He'll be watching. There's no reason for him not too. He wants me dead." 

Lu Han squeezes Minseok once again, closer to him, "I'm here. I'll protect you." Lu Han smiles, "It's what Ludyguard does, I protect you. You aren't dying." 

Minseok squirms out of Lu Han's embrace, giggling, "Ludyguard? Is that what I should call you from now on?" 

"Mmhmm, of course." Lu Han says before he rubs Minseok's arm and walks back next to Zitao. 

"Flirting huh?" Zitao laughs, obviously had been watching them earlier. 

Lu Han smacks Zitao's arm, "Of course not. I don't flirt." 

Zitao nearly bursted out into laughter before yelping a cackle and then covering his mouth with his hand, snickering. "Lu Han Ge, not flirting! I'd love to see that happen!" Lu Han punches him in the arm. 

Kyungsoo enters a few minutes after, wearing a dark sweater and jeans, with his cap covering his eyes. Kyungsoo walks past Lu Han and barely notices that he had been there and sits on the opposite side of Zitao. Lu Han doesn't notice this either and watches Minseok from afar. 

"The livestream will be starting in sixty seconds!" The cameramen shouted, making sure everyone had heard him. Minseok sat comfortably in the chair beside the interviewer, trying his best to keep a smile on his face. "Thirty seconds!" Minseok takes a deep breath, "20 seconds!" He breaths out. 

The camera's red light begins to blink, Minseok smiles and waves as the interviewer says the intro. He's calm and focuses on the interviewer speaking to the camera, nodding his head. "Kim Minseok, this is probably the question that everyone must be dying to ask you, but, when will you go back to performing on the stage again?" 

"Soon, I promise." Minseok smiles, "I've been writing my own pieces lately, I would love to be able to play them during an event." He glances towards Lu Han and recieves an eager thumbs up from the younger. 

"Can you give us a little taste of how the future pieces will be like?" 

"One of my pieces is based off a tragic story that had happened to me when I was younger. It expresses the sorrow and the guilt I felt in the past, it's message is an apology. The apology isn't anything you'd expect, it's more like pity. Pity I had felt for someone, and the guilt that had dragged me down while feeling this anxiety towards this situation." Minseok his lips and hesitates, "That's all I can share for now." He smirks. 

Lu Han wants to find out this story, badly. Really badly.