Sehun was learning bit by bit how to work on his father Dry Cleaning Shop. He was hanging some recently pressed shirts on the rack when he heard a familiar voice.

 

“Hello Mr. Oh how are you?”

 

“Hello Luhan! What are you here for today?”

 

Sehun pretended to work, trying not to give much importance to Luhan talking to his father.

           

“I come with a business proposition.”

 

“You have a business proposition for me?”

 

“Actually, is for the other Mr. Oh here.”

 

Sehun froze a bit. What did Luhan wanted with him?

 

“Ah, I see. Sehun, your friend is looking for you.”

 

“Not, my friend…”

 

Sehun said as he turned to face Luhan.

 

“What do you want?”

 

“Later today I need help with a delivery. I got a new client and he wants me to take some boxes to the port but they are kind of heavy. So I thought you could help me.”

 

“No.”

 

“Oh come on, hear me out!”

 

Luhan kept talking even when Sehun pretended to busy himself with some laundry tickets.

 

“The port is a bit far so it would take me a long time for making two trips. This client works at Park Company and if I do this I might get more errands later.”

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

“Of course I don’t pretend for you to do it for free. I’ll split the payment in half, and its good money.”

 

“No.”

 

“Ok, so how about I’ll split the payment in half and pay for lunch?”

 

“Still no.”

 

Silence

 

“Alright, I see.”

 

Luhan said before he left. Sehun’s dad came out from the back.

 

“What did he want?”

 

Was he imagining things or his father sounded kind of giddy?

 

“To take something to the port.”

 

“The port? That’s quite far. I’m sure its important other wise he won’t ask for help. You will help him right?”

 

“No.”

 

His father was taken aback by Sehun’s answer.

 

“Oh, um, ok.”

 

His dad looked a bit disappointed.

 

Luhan was back at the shop a bit later with an errand from the beauty parlour.

 

Sehun was hiding in the back.

 

“Luhan, I heard about your errand to the port. What are you going to do?”

 

“I think I will have to make two trips, or take a cab.”

 

“But if you take a cab you will spend everything you earn on the job.”

 

“I know, still the client is important.”

 

“That’s a bit dangerous too. Don’t do it, it’s not worth it.”

 

“Don’t worry Mr. Oh, I’ll be fine. See you later!”

 

Sehun was feeling guilty as hell. His father was treating Luhan like his own son.

 

 

Sehun walked towards the beauty parlour where he was sure he would find Luhan. And surely he saw as the smaller guy came out of the shop and was about to hop on his bike.

 

“Hey!”

 

Luhan stopped and looked at Sehun.

 

“At what time do we leave?”

 

Luhan scoffed and then smiled.

 

“If you were going to do it why not say it on the first place?”

 

“Half of the payment and lunch.”

 

“See you in a half hour in front of the market.”

 

 

Sehun wasn’t sure which guilt led him to help Luhan but here he was, loading a few boxes on the back of his bike and getting ready to pedal all the way to the port.

 

They arrived at the port faster than they expected and apparently Luhan already knew the place.

 

They dropped the packages in one of the offices and there were a few workers outside. Luhan said hello and many of them waved back. Even they knew him.

 

Sehun followed Luhan and they made their way back to town. They made it back just in time to grab a late lunch.

 

“Wah we made it back early. Thanks for your help.”

 

Luhan patted Sehun’s shoulder.

 

“You stink.”

 

Sehun pointed out.

 

“Well, you smell worst than me. What did you expect? We’ve been pedalling for a long time now, its only natural. Anyway, what do you want to eat?”

 

“Lobster.”

 

“Kimchi stew it is!”

 

“Young man, the ladies at the beauty parlour were looking for you. A pipe broke and they need to fix it.”

 

A man from town interrupted them. Luhan looked at Sehun.

 

“Ah, sorry. I’ll buy you a better meal later. Promise, ok. Got to go!”

 

“Yah!”

 

Sehun had just been ditched and denied his promised lunch. He let out a sigh and went back to the dry cleaning shop.

 

 

A few hours later Sehun was sitting behind the counter, bored as usual when Luhan walked in.

 

He was dressed differently from what he usually wore. Luckily there was no sight of his neon green rain poncho either. Contrary to his usual shorts and t-shirt, he was wearing black skinny jeans and a short sleeve light blue button shirt.

 

“Hey, let’s go.”

 

“What?”

 

“To eat, I told you I would buy you a better meal later. Now its’ later so let’s go.”

 

“Wait, why are you wearing that and not what you had before?”

 

“You told me I smelled bad.”

 

“And you went and changed because of that? Since when do you listen to me?”

 

“I’m a human. What person would like to smell bad?”

 

“This is not a date.”

 

Sehun blurted out. Luhan raised an eyebrow incredulous.

 

“Nobody said it was…”

 

“But if you are dressed like that people are going to get the wrong idea.”

 

“Look if you don’t want to go that’s fine by me, but lets make it clear that you declined your dinner part of the payment. Thank you for saving me some money.”

 

Luhan bowed as he said the last part with his friendliest voice and turned around to leave.

 

“Wait! Agh ok, ok.”

 

Sehun gave up and came out from behind the counter. He was still wearing the same clothes.

 

“Wait, you haven’t showered? You smelled worst that me!”

 

Sehun let out a sigh.

 

“Alright, but wait here, don’t try and not pay.”

 

“I don’t go back on my word. Just hurry up!”

 

Sehun went towards the back and climbed up the stairs to the house he shared with his father.

 

Luhan goes behind the counter and occupies the seat that Sehun was previously using.

 

Mr. Oh comes in a few minutes later.

 

“Luhan, what are you doing here?”

 

“I’m waiting for Sehun. I promised him to pay for lunch but something came up, so I’m paying for dinner now.”

 

Mr. Oh laughed.

 

“I’ve never seen you with those clothes.”

 

Luhan smiled a bit embarrassed.

 

“Yes, I’m always working and don’t get the chance to use them so I thought today would do since I’m sure I can’t ruin them.”

 

“You look very nice.”

 

Mr. Oh patted his shoulder as a father would. Luhan smiled.

 

“Let me go hurry Sehun; he can take quite some time.”

 

 

Mr. Oh climbed up the stairs and found his son getting out of his room. Sehun was wearing sweatpants and a black t-shirt that had a hole in his armpit. His hair was wet and there was no obvious attempt at combing it. In short, he looked like a hobo, a very handsome one, but still a hobo.

 

“Is that what you are wearing?”

 

“Yes. I don’t want people having the wrong impression.”

 

“What is that?”

 

“Well, that is a date, because its not.”

 

“I see, so you prefer people to think you are taking advantage of a very nice boy?”

 

“What?”

 

“That’s exactly what it would look like. He is dressed nicely and everyone knows how hardworking he is but you dressed like this… it look like you are leeching off his hard work.”

 

Sehun let out a sigh and closed his eyes contemplating what to do.

 

“Just wear something normal.”

 

Sehun changed his clothes. He put on some jeans, a white t-shirt and combed his hair.

 

“Here have some money.”

 

“What for? He owes me the food.”

 

“Just keep it. You don’t know if you might need it.”

 

Sehun put the money on his pocket and walked out.

 

 

Luhan was reading an old newspaper to keep himself busy when Sehun walked back into the shop.

 

“Finally! It took you forever.”

 

Luhan said as he stood up.

 

They walked into the street together and were met by Mrs. Kang from the bakery shop who was about to go into the Dry Cleaners.

 

They said hello and kept walking down the street while she looked at them.

 

“Was that your son with Luhan?”

 

“Yes, they became friends really fast.”

 

“Looks like they are going on date.”

 

“I think they are, but they don’t know it yet.”

 

 

Luhan and Sehun were walking down the street. Sehun was still a little reluctant since he didn’t want people to think he was dating Luhan, he still found the other a bit annoying.

 

“So I was thinking that since I promise you a better meal we could go get some galbi, what do you think?”

 

At the mention of galbi Sehun completely forgot his reluctance.

 

“Call!”

 

They made their way to the restaurant. It was a normal place, nothing too fancy and rather nice. Luhan asked for the food.

 

“Please also bring a bottle of soju.”

 

Sehun called to the restaurant lady and Luhan gave him a staring look.

 

“What?”

 

“Don’t go asking for more than one bottle. I’m not carrying you back to your home drunk!”

 

“I’m not going to get drunk.”

 

“You have been warned.”

 

Luhan looked as one of the ladies in the restaurant was trying to hang a frame from a wall. The space were she was trying to put it was high and she was having lots of trouble with it all. He quickly got up to help.

 

“Let me help you with that.”

 

Luhan helped the lady get down from the chair and went up to hammer a nail to the wall. He put on the frame and saw that there were in fact two.

 

“Do you need to put that one as well?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“No problem. Sehun come and help me.”

 

Sehun who had been looking at the scene got up from his chair reluctantly.

 

Luhan got down from the chair and made Sehun get up to hammer another nail somewhere higher.

 

“From now on if you need to do something like this you can give me a call.”

 

Luhan produced a card and handed to the lady.

 

“Thank you so much. I should pay you.”

 

“No, don’t worry about that. This was just one neighbour helping another.”

 

Sehun and Luhan returned to their seats.

 

“Why didn’t you let her pay you?”

 

“Is not only about getting paid. Is about making relationships with people, besides she needed some help so we did just that.”

 

When the food came out the portions were really generous and the lady gave them many complimentary side dishes.

 

 

“Ah, I’m so full!”

 

Sehun said while they were walking, having finished their meal. It was delicious and they ate more than they originally had expected.

 

“Thank you for all your help today. We should be business partners, I could use the help and I’m sure you could use the distraction.”

 

“Why me? I’m sure there must be someone else that could help you.”

 

“You are my friend. You must have noticed that this place isn’t bursting with young people. Is nice to have someone my age to talk to. Otherwise I think I would get older earlier.”

 

Sehun smiled. He had noticed and thinking about it, it was nice to have someone young around. He put his hands on his pockets and felt the money that his father had gave him.

 

“Let’s go get some ice cream.”

 

Sehun said and Luhan gave him a strange look.

 

“I’m paying, come on.”

 

“Really? Ok!”

 

Luhan smiled too and they made their way to the ice cream place.