Mingyu is tired. By 9.30, he closes the cafe. Wonwoo and Jisoo left 30 minutes ago. As the manager, he wants to make sure everything is set for tomorrow. Contingency, contingency. He's short with two employees.

Seungkwan and Hansol aren't around so he had to move more covering the two. They have their exam week. He feels their absence at 9 in the morning.

By the time he calls it a day, he is exhausted. Yet he still has to drag himself to the bus station.

---

Jeonghan is never the type to stay outdoors late. He is usually inside the four corners of his room, contemplating about life and doing his never ending writing - his job. 

It is a typical night but he has the urge to go out. It isn't writer's block. Just a special tug in the gut.

He remembers a typical painting displayed on a store's window. Somehow it is calling him. 

Or so he thought.

---

Mingyu's plan is simple - drag himself to the station, stay awake for the rest of the time he is on the bus, and sleep the entire night.

But a particular scent alerted his brain cells. Midway to the station, he finds himself very aware. Mingyu realizes he wouldn't get a wink tonight.

---

Jeonghan finds his painting. It isn't special. Now that he sees it. A typical scene anyone could say. In the painting is a vast sight of the blue sky and some fluff clouds. The field is a strong yellow of sunflowers looking up. 

But all he could notice is the absence of the sun. A little evidence of the bright orb would add a little touch too, he told himself. A smudge would change the way he sees it.

A loud gulp of air removes him from his reverie.

"HEY!" Jeonghan skips back at a bolt from the guy whose face so close to his just when he turns around.

The other party's eyes widen. His eyes flickers in confusion. He eyes the gray haired stranger.

Definitely taller. 

And a looker. 

Something with those lips. 

His bloodshot eyes reminds Jeonghan of his own before and after deadlines. 

"Sniffer," he grimaces at the thought of this guy smelling him.

"Sorry," the boy smiles lopsidedly as if a sudden idea amuses him.

Jeonghan nods queing the end of their will be short encounter. But before that, he takes in his features, for character reference, convincing himself.

Now is the time to go back.

"There was something about your scent," he says softly but still audible, amusement and exhaustion is noticeable.

Jeonghan wishes he did not hear it. Or isn't curious about it. Or did not turn around once again to ask for it. But his mouth got ahead of him. 

"What?" His brows furrows, inwardly scolds his brain for the reflex. 

The taller boy crosses their distance in two strides. He was in front Jeonghan before the latter could react. The boy's head is as near as he can get from his neck.

Another loud gulp of air.

"Intoxicating -," 

This time, the weirdo receives a push from him.

"Right, okay, ert level now," Jeonghan could feel the ends of his hair raising. His dormant heart is beating jinjan hard.

It really is time to go back.

ASAP.

---

Mingyu blames it all to exhaustion. But his senses knows better. 

The shorter boy had soft eyes. Suits his smell, he commented. 

When the other is to leave, Mingyu's inner thoughts had come out of his mouth.

And when his face was beside his, he understood how drowning felt.

"Jeonghan, Yoon Jeonghan," 

"Stalker," Mingyu smirked that eventually ended to a hearty laugh. 

"I never knew fatigue could make me crazy," he managed to say, "Or is it you who's making me mad?" 

He looks into those soft eyes now throwing daggers his way. But Mingyu could only smile. 

He feels more of a drunk than a tired man. His name leaves quite a roll on his tongue. Lingering in the depths of his brain. The perfection of intoxication.

"Kim Mingyu," he offered his hand.

---

Jeonghan runs away. 

Before you pull his hand, his brain taunted him. 

When he was in a good distance, catching for breath, he thought of a good plot. It isn't so bad of an experience at all.

"But how the hell did he know my name?" Taking a seat inside the bus.

"Young man, you might want to transfer to the next bus. We're changing tires. It may take a while,"

He thinks about it. Quite cold at ten in the evening in his not so thick of a shirt. 

"Ill take my time sir," he told the driver.

"Ya sure?" The driver went to his business after seeing him nod. 

He crosses his arms and leans against the window. He should have taken a taxi after all. The painting was somehow acted like a mirror. Something about the painting is undeniably familiar. He was summarized in a meer picture. 

Someone takes the seat beside him. He didnt bother looking up. He is plainly grateful for the radiating warmth his seatmate gives. 

Mingyu. The stranger has a name. Jeonghan heard Kim Mingyu say his name before he dashed off. 

Im making him crazy, he scoffs. Maybe he's also mad for sparing it a thought. For all he know that Mingyu-guy was just drunk. But he smells like coffee, his brain nags. Can't coffee make you drunk? He even talks back. 

Jeonghan clicks his tongue in amusement. His mind wanders to things he could control  - at least. His write ups should be on revising period now. He isn't finish proofreading the article sent to him. He'll be on a high dosage of caffeine again. The impending deadlines and the increasingly depth of the night sends small shivers to his body. He hugs himself some more.

I should have taken a taxi after all, was what Jeonghan thinks staring at lamplights across the road.

---

Yoon Jeonghan made him laugh. Mingyu figures the first wasn't the type to hear cheesy lines. He couldn't help the reflex. His boldness from a tired-like-drunk state must be so overwhelming that made the other boy ran for his life.

Mingyu also deduced that Jeonghan isn't good at lying. He was sarcastic at the best. He caught a glimpse of a name written at the bottom back of his shirt. He tried calling the name out loud. And boy was he falling more for those brown eyes. It went from a startled to a suspicious state in a blink of an eye. Jeonghan is cute.

And charming.

The last bus should have gone fifteen minutes ago but luck is with him tonight. A wide toothy grin spreads across his face when he sees a dear face inside the bus. He was wearing a soft expression. A very naive and delicate aura. Mingyu frowns at the loose shirt Jeonghan is wearing. He is indeed fortunate because the long-haired guy he now has a crush on strolls this night of all nights, Mingyu realized. Maybe the last lone stroll of his life, his mind dared.

So he takes the seat beside him, close enough but does not touch.

On how he felt tired and rejuvenated he does not understand. Is this the feeling drug abusers have? He keeps on stealing glances here and there. His hair is much silkier. It seems soft that his right hand is in mid-air before he notices it. He sees him shudder by sudden coldness he wants to hold him. But he wont. Not now, his mind taunted.

Mingyu remembers his phone. It wont hurt to record this moment. It will be one of the first. 

The guy who smothers him with a smell like home. 

The guy whose hair so silky his heart goes mushy.

The guy with eyes so warm he feels the sun rises from him.

The guy whose voice tinged with sarcasm just fills every memory.

The guy who --- HOW CAN I FALL LIKE THIS?

So Mingyu takes his phone, picks an angle and clicks---

 

, damn phone. He almost drops the thing and panics in his seat.

His seatmate turns. Mingyu freezes. From a sniffer to a ert to a stalker, now he felt more of a saesang. 

Fortunately, Jeonghan laces his arm around his, and leans on his shoulder. He is sweetly sleeping.

Which is good but totally good.

Mingyu freezes even more. 

And remembers to silent his phone before taking the sweet memory he was talking about.

---

Jeonghan is warm. Camping under the sheets ain't comparable to this. He curls in. The warmth is really something. 

"You look cute together," there is a conversation going on outside his body. All he care is this warmth. He must be overhearing it.

He hears a soft chuckle and feels little vibrations so near, he thought he did it himself. 

"He must be waiting for you,"

"Looking at him now, I must be the one waiting for a long time.."

Jeonghan feels  upon his hair. He felt very loved every time someone is doing that. It is really soothing this time that he doesn't want to wake up. 

Flashes of memories streams in his mind. That halted on one person. He does not understand why. 

"Mingyu--" a word that escapes from his lips. 

---

Mingyu could hardly breathe. He might burst his heart. He wants to shout or jump - anything to express this feeling of ecstasy.

Sure it wasn't I love you.
Or I miss you.
Or I've wanted to see you.
Or let's go out.

Jeonghan remembers his name and speaks his name in his sleep. It was more than enough.

Enough to fill his energy gauge.
Enough to dream about it every night.
Enough to raise his hopes.

Indeed, what hopes? He chuckles inwardly.

 

"Young man, it's the last station already. Tell sleeping beauty you found him now,"

---

Jeonghan literally is comfortable. He keeps curling in. 

"Yoon Jeonghan," he hears his name.

"Yoon Jeonghan," spoken so softly.

"Yoon Jeonghan," little taps on his shoulder.

"Y-yeah?" 

"Sleeping Beauty, please remember that I have to bring you back to our castle, and we are still in our carriage," someone chortles.

"That's crazy," he smiles coyly.

"You know what, if you don't stand now, ill carry you bride style,"

The bus stops abruptly. And Jeonghan has to open his eyes to know what's happening.

Luckily he has two strong arm for a seatbelt.

Unluckily, the arms aren't his.

His eyes widen. 

Since when did his dream and reality muddle ?

"Sleeping Beauty is awake Sir," this man, the man who has strong arms tells the driver.

"Back to the castle," the driver chimes in.

Jeonghan has to see the exchange before he hurriedly went off. He hears the driver laugh. 

Right, happens.

--- 

"Hey, wait up," 

Jeonghan, you piece of a klutz, scatterbrain, nuts Jeonghan, what in the world did you do?

He is walking away briskly from the person who was hugging him for pete's sake when.

When did he start hallucinating?

When did he start talking?

When did he start embracing?

When did the warmth---

. Wasn't that face familiar too, huh, Yoon Jeonghan?

Could be one of your story characters?

Characters are fictional, muck of brain.

But the guy was beside him in no time, taking one step with his two at a time.

Talk about fairness, his eyes rolled.

"Yoon Jeonghan wait up," 

"How in the world did you know my name? Who in this big of a world are you?" He refuses to look at the other's face nor look up. 

"Oh I'm hurt. My shoulder sores - coupled with little punches on his right shoulder - and my arms felt odd - he made small random slaps on his right bicep, you were hugging me all the time! I felt drowning you know. And my heart feel like exploding. How could you not know my name?" 

Jeonghan's head starts throbbing. He maybe is drunk. Or perhaps, sick. This guy must be telling stories. All lies. Embarassing accusations.

---

Mingyu swears he has never appreciated how the hair flew when you turn. Just like how Jeonghan do it.

Or he has never seen furrowed eyes so adorable. Until Jeonghan did.

Or he has never seen how beautiful the wildfire in his soft brown eyes. 

"I - can't possibly do the hugging. I, ah, --

"Let me give you evidences your honor," the man fishes for his phone and flashes towards Jeonghan its screen, "See?" He says swiping the stolen pictures. 

Jeonghan must have said every cuss words he knows with every picture. Horrified when he runs out of creative trashtalk as the photos still went on and on like forever.

It was all taken in perhaps continuous mode for every swipe felt like motion film only slower.

Mingyu has a good time looking at the long haired male's expression. He tells himself it wasn't blackmailing or what. He doesn't want another creature to discover the beauty he found one fateful night. 

"What do you suppose to do with all of these? Are you a maniac or something? This is ridiculously frightening. Why --  hey!! You're horrifyingly familiar too!!" 

For the first time, he stops walking and looks at him in the eyes without averting. Sure it wasnt the nicest eye to eye contact he dreamt of. But the heck, anything for the blonde boy. He smiles at him.

"You dare smile! What is it again? -his brows keeps meeting at the center which Mingyu find certainly amusing - Ahm, something with Kim, Kim Minhyuk? Kim Minwoo? Kim Soyu? Kim --- 

Mingyu cups his face. "Min-gyu, Mingyu. Remember that please." And he lets go.

---

Jeonghan felt his knees buckles. Or perhaps, a big mass of a wave hits him in the face. He is blushing lava red. He chokes a little and covers his face with his left palm. 

"Fine. Mingyu," he murmurs.

The maniac but very handsome who has a name, Mingyu smiles haughtily. 

"Hey," he looks up at him.

Mingyu tucks his arms in and makes a fart sound. He did it a few times laughing in between that Jeonghan's mind couldn't process a thing.

"You. Are. Freaking. Me. Out,"

"Im trying to make you smile, and break this awkward atmosphere for good," 

Jeonghan thought of this. It isn't in the least very funny, "It's gross."

And Mingyu goes back to laughing madly again.

---

The two goes silent. Jeonghan is walking ahead of Mingyu. The first's mind revolves around finishing his work and when in the world will this guy leaves him. 

Jeonghan takes a big sigh before talking, "So how far d'you want to follow me?"

Mingyu sees the opportunity to walk beside him, "Wherever you go?" And smirks.

"I take it that you talk smoothly, but really, it's been a long night" 

"You see that old building three houses more? That's where I live. In case you wanna visit,"

"Cool.."

"Cool i'll visit or cool i'll pass?"

"Pass.." Jeonghan smiles and shakes his head. This guy cant keep his mouth shut. 

"Ten-o-four,"

"First my name, now my birthday, you.re plain creepy Kim Mingyu," Jeonghan wants to run but he knows the other guy is faster given his longer legs.

"Really? Wow, you're definitely an angel! I was talking about my room number," Mingyu stops talking and faces him.

Jeonghan looks up. The tall guy is smiling like mad his left foot steps back. He is even more surprised when Mingyu takes both of his hand. 

The guy is beaming. Jeonghan thinks of sunrise with him-- what.the.

"We are meant to be!!" He announces jumping up and down. "You want to live with me?"

Jeonghan's soul left his body. 

Why is this guy like this?

Why does he not use his brain?

Did he really say live? With him?

Insane. 

"YOU.BLOKE.OF.A.DOG" He pulls his hand, "what in the world are you?" 

"Well, my heart-" he touches his chest, "beats wildly at the smell of your skin. Even when you glare at me like this, and must have murdered me a million times in that brain of yours, i still find it endearing. And you, you speak of my name in your sleep. If this isn't love, then i really must be crazy." 

"You are crazy. Now go up your building," - to which Mingyu pouts, which Jeonghan finds shockingly cute - "don't - no pouting - no pouting please, go home. You're sleep deprived. You're exhausted. This is lack of sleep. You need to rest. Like long rest," He pushes pouting Mingyu inside the building elevator.

"We'll see each other again?" Mingyu sparkles like he's the firework himself.

The elevator closes.

"No," Jeonghan takes the other elevator. His room is o-four-o-six.

----- 

"This is too long," arms cross, eyes tired, Mingyu stands in front of his department head, calculating the mood of his boss.

"Sir, that's the last three pages," he tries to reason.

"And it's too fictionated. What is up with the cuddling on the bus?" 

"It's new sir. I have not read that anywhere," 

"Because it is not possible to happen," Jeonghan, the department head, fixes Mingyu's writing draft neatly and places them inside the folder.

"Isn't it the point of every fiction? To remove inhibitions any human has, and explore what could be and what might be?" Mingyu takes the folder and looks at his boss whose brows furrow. "What, sir?"

He receives a smirk from the mean person who does not appreciate his fiction.

"So i spoke my mind, literally?" To which he is answered by a nod. "Great. Am i fired now?"

"No. But try to adjust the story and come back after one week," Jeonghan said tapping his fingers on the table.

"Sir," Mingyu whines.