Ling's POV

Just as I moved towards the fruit stand, Xiumin ran over to me waving my phone in the air.

"I'm keeping this for now!" He laughed playfully.

"What why!" I reached for it from his outstretched hand but it was way too high.

"Alright, "

We walked together to the orphanage, making short stops at corner stores to take pictures and joke around.

We ended up buying a bag of lollipops for the kids at the orphanage, purchased with Xiumin's money.

When we arrived at the orphanage, a few of the older girls, 16, 17 or so rushed out and greeted their Oppa

"I thought you said they wouldn't know me." He glanced at me sideways while signing their books and bags.

I shrugged and entered the small building leaving Xiumin by himself outside.

He joined in after a while and we greeted the owner, a kind hearted old man who goes by the name Huang. He patted Xiumin on the back and welcomed him to the orphanage. Xiumin smiled and bowed to him.

We joined the kids in the playroom where naturally the boys attracted to him. He took his hat and gave it to the children to wear and played tag with them. His face was as happy as the children he was playing with which relieved me.

After saying our goodbyes to the orphanage, we headed to a street parlour for a big bowl of ice cream.

"How about coming to Korea to visit?" He asked with a spoonful if ice cream in his mouth. "I can show you around Seoul."

I laughed. "You? Show me around Seoul, how? Are you going to wear a face mask and talk in a different pitch?"

He blushed and stuffed his mouth with another spoonful if ice cream.

"I've been to Seoul, I had an exchange program there." I smiled. "You know at that time I was actually a big fan of EXO."

"Wow, really?" His eyes lit up suddenly and smiled broadly. "Who was your bias. It was me wasn't it."

I shook my head. "Sehun."

I watched his face droop into a pout, his cheeks puffing out.

"I met him at a fan signing," I chuckled remembering the me back then. "And I said some nice words to him and he gave me his ring."

Xiumin groaned and tilted his head back in his chair. "That was you?"

I stared at him blankly and moved closer to him. "Why, did he talk about me."

Xiumin stared at me and smirked at me. "I'm not telling you."

I thought about it. "I'll tell you what I said to him."

"Deal."

"Okay, I said that I was a big fan, and that I liked his hair from last week a lot better," I paused. "Remember his rainbow hair?"

Xiumin looked at me blankly.

"Give me my phone, there's a picture we took together."

"Say something nice to me, and I'll gave you something too." He looked me in the eye, his expression was serious.

"You are so cute." I poked his cheek and he waved my hand off.

"I hear that one all the time."

I thought about it. And looked into his eyes.

A flood of emotions came to me when I thought about Xiumin. He was cute, sure but also strong as a human being. He was someone that I wouldn't mind entrusting my life to, someone that would make a good husband.

I stopped my thoughts. Not my husband of course.

"I like how direct and honest you are. You never fail to surprise me with the things you say. Being around you is always so fun, but at the same time," I paused, reluctant to say the next few words. "I also feel safe with you."

I let my mind do the talking while my eyes stared at the bowl of half eaten ice cream.

We sat in silence and the only thing that I could hear was the sound of my heart beating against my chest.

-----♡
Xiumin's POV

She didn't look at me when she talked, but the words that came out of her didn't need her to look at me to make me feel butterflies in my stomach. I realised then just how much I adored the girl that sat across the table from me. Every facial expression she made and everything she says.

She looked up at me after a while and smiled cheekily. "You know I'm still curious about what Sehun said about me."

The butterflies in my stomach died instantly. I frowned at her, not wanting to tell her.

"Oppa!" She whined, hitting my weak spot with no mercy at all.

"He didn't say anything in particular. He just couldn't stop talking about you when we mentioned his hair." I said quickly, then had to repeat it because she didn't understand me. "We nicknamed you ring girl."

She giggled. "If I come to Korea, will you introduce him to me."

That stung. "When are you coming?"

She giggled again and leaned in closer. "Luhan has a concert in Korea, and he asked me and Zhang-ge to go with!"

My heart raced in excitement. "Really? Really really?"

She nodded and laughed at my reaction.

Just then, a car pulled over on the side of the road and a masked figure walked out. He walked towards us and sat down on the seat next to Ling.

I stood up and pulled Ling over to my side of the table. I opened my mouth to say something then closed it realising that I didn't know any Chinese. Ling however didn't look scared at all.

"It's Lu-ge." She whispered in my ear. "He has my hat see?"

Her hat? He has her hat?

Ling returned to her spot next to the figure and continued to eat the ice cream.

The figure removed his mask and lowered his hood. It was unmistakably Luhan.

My heart sank. As much as I liked Luhan, he really didn't need to be here right now.

"What are you doing here?" I asked picking up the spoon to eat with Ling.

He reached over and grabbed my spoon. "Finished my shoot quickly, and came to find you."

"What how?"

"Her phone," he said mid bite. "Ling why didn't you reply any of my texts."

She shot me a glare. "He took my phone."

I laughed and returned the phone back to her. That is, after I gave her my number.

"So you're taking Ling to Korea?" I asked Luhan.

He nodded smiling. "I'm going to get her to be my assistant and Zhang-ge to be my personal barista."

"Oh that reminds me." Luhan straightened up abruptly and reached in his pocket. "Aish, Ling in my right pocket could you grab the ticket. Yeah, that's yours and I already gave Zhang-ge his."

I looked at the back of the ticket to see a date.

"Wait!" I yelled, and everyone around us stared making Luhan and I to duck our heads in impulse.

"That's the same flight I'm on tomorrow morning." I whispered.

Luhan nodded. "Could you take care of her for the time being, I still have some stuff to do here then I'll head over."

I smiled. "Lu-ge, thank you!"

He stared at me eyes wide holding the spoon with his mouth. "For what? You have to take care if her."

He reached over and ruffled Ling's hair. I watched as her face glowed red. "Ling, you have to be good to your Oppa okay?"

She nodded and looked up at me. Her facial expression was one that I didn't recognize, one I've never seen before. "Oppa, please take care of me."

She looked like a girl in love, and the one she was in love with was not me.

It hurts.