Lu Han has always been clear about what he wants.

He knows that he wants to get a stable job. Wants to fall in love, date, propose, get married. He wants to have three boys; not girls because they're whiny and Lu Han doesn't want es (pardon the language) for teenage children; and the middle boy shall be the most handsome one because middle children tend to be neglected but no, his handsome boy will be the centre of attention whenever the family goes out and everyone will openly gape at how gorgeous the Lu family (or just Lu Han and his Adonis-looking middle child) is.

So yes, Lu Han is very ing clear about what he wants.

Unfortunately, all his beautiful planning goes to ruins the moment he sees Yixing.

"Hello," Yixing greets, a dirty towel in his hands and the server shoots the customer a dazzling dimpled smile. Lu Han goes blind. "Table for..."

"One," Lu Han hastily replies, his fingers twitching and itching to fly upwards to his eyes and hold them open because , this server is still smiling with that ing dimple and Lu Han suddenly wants to prod it out of sheer fun (and fascination). Thankfully, the dimple disappears when Yixing nods and he stops smiling.

Lu Han frowns at that, but doesn't say anything (not that he could anyway; who the hell asks a stranger if he could continue to show off that adorable facial feature). He follows Yixing, and together they wind through the numerous tables where Yixing finally gestures to an empty two-seater table.

"May I have hot green tea, thanks." Lu Han quickly says, not bothering to hear what his server has to say because Lu Han practically survives on Japanese restaurants and their (powdered) green tea throughout college. The fact that his family are extremely well to do and always punctual in wiring his monthly expenses to his bank account helps his quickly-depleting wallet very much. (Why must Japanese cuisine cost a bomb, whyyyyyy?) So it doesn't come as a surprise to Lu Han that the first job he wants to undertake after graduating from his business major in college is a position at a Japanese restaurant.

"Sure," Yixing chirps, and Lu Han resists groaning out loud when the dimple pops out once more. He's had enough of that– that atrocity! How dare this young man test his patience and wavering determination to not throw himself at him and just– Wait a goddamn moment. Lu Han is straight. He's as straight as his best friend, Jongdae, who's gone and hooked up with some dude whose name starts with a ‘b’ and oh, wait: Jongdae's gay.

Ah, . Lu Han ain't as straight as he thought he is. So yes, now you understand why his thoughtful planning, especially the part of having kids the right way, just crumbles when a certain dimpled server comes along. Lu Han's future is screwed.

---

Yixing collapses onto the couch and lets his body melt into the leather of the furniture. He makes the mistake of inhaling and earns himself a noseful of the leathery scent he's never grown to appreciate despite making half the decision to purchase the couch when the previous one had literally exploded into feathers and cotton when a stupid Huang Zitao thought that he was still five and couches are bouncy castles.

Though right now, Yixing still doesn't know why in world he had agreed to his flat mate, Minseok’s, request when the elder pointed to (in his words) the most gorgeous piece of leather on Earth at the furniture store. He dare not tell Minseok that he would very much rather have the larger, softer-looking couch next to it, and it's so much cheaper as well–

"Please?" Minseok brandishes his baby face, never mind that the young man is almost reaching twenty-three, and pouts. He knows that he will get his way whenever he does this because Yixing is so ing softhearted. "May we please get this baby? I promise I'll clean him and you won't have to do a thing."

Him? This expensive-half-my-monthly-salary piece of leather is a him? Holy . Minseok's so gone, he's fallen far too deep into the clutches of this devious furniture but, "Alright," Yixing just resignedly sighs and nods his head. As they always say, if you can't beat them, join them. Yixing is willing to give this expensive piece of the most gorgeous piece of leather on Earth a shot.

But of course, leather is and never will be Yixing's thing and the moment after he inhaled, he shoots up and erupts into a coughing fit. And Minseok has the nerve to cackle. "I don't understand why you behave as though you're allergic to leather."

"I think I'm allergic to anything that's half my monthly salary."

Minseok just scowls at the younger's feeble attempt at humour and sarcasm, and traipses to his room before crossing the narrow corridor to their only bathroom. The door locks and Yixing punches himself in the face for letting his flat mate take the first wash. Minseok showers as though he’s never going to shower ever again, ie. a ing long time. On some nights, Yixing thinks that he’ll probably be ninety and on his deathbed by the time Minseok comes out of the bathroom. At that thought, he flips a finger in the direction of the bathroom.

It's not that Yixing doesn't respect his elders (even if Minseok's only older by a year). He's been a very polite and respectful boy while he was growing up and all the adults that he meets always praises him for that. His grandparents and parents have always been very vocal about their expectations of his behaviour when they're outside but that doesn't mean that his behaviour differs when the Zhang family remains at home. Yixing's respectful and polite at all times, and still is.

But his disposition doesn't stop him from unleashing a string of silent curses and swearing that is directed at no one in particular. His exhaustion and foul mood stem from two things that have happened today. One being the fact that he regrets buying one-half of the bloody leather couch (which he laments everyday without fail); the other is the customer that keeps staring at him as he works.

And Yixing groans at that and collapses onto the couch again and breathes– ugh !

---

"He's here again." Minseok's whisper travels to the subconscious stage of his mind and Yixing promptly shoots up from his sleepy, sprawled position at the sushi counter. He ignores his flat mate's amused gaze to find the living one-half of his everyday problems smiling (a little) down at him.

"Hello," Yixing's problem greets him, and Yixing sees a hand being ed into the space between them. He momentarily marvels at his problem's pretty fingers and thinks about how amazing they'd be around his– "I'm Lu Han, the new assistant manager. This is my first job so please take care of me!"

Lu Han bows and Yixing stares at the top of his head. He sees black at the roots of his hair but when Lu Han straightens himself, the brown that he has dyed his hair in reminds Yixing so much of the caramel sauce that he indulges himself in once in awhile and Yixing wants to thread his fingers through those silky-looking locks and–

"Hi, I'm Minseok, the only sushi chef in this establishment, and that's Yixing, our head server. Say hi, Xing."

–and earns himself a painful whack at the back of his head with a glove when Yixing doesn't continue his flat mate's introductions. He opens his mouth to speak but it goes dry when Lu Han giggles, ing giggles, and a halo appears around his head. Yixing goes blind.

---

"So all those times you came and ate are to scout the restaurant?" Zitao asks, shoving an overflowing spoonful of rice and miso soup into his mouth. Yixing looks at him in disgus