They walked down the street, and Luhan had gone through the route again and again in his head, so he knew exactly where he was going. Minseok followed him silently, as if nervous to open his mouth and say something that would drive Luhan away. Luhan didn’t think that anything would make him leave, mostly because if he did, Fei would kill him.

                But the silence was a little awkward, and Luhan could think of only one topic to fill it.

                “So that was the guy who kissed you in the street,” Luhan said, trying to pull off a nonchalant tone.

                “Well, yeah, but the thing is that I wasn’t into him,” Minseok tried to explain quickly.

                “No, I get it,” Luhan replied.

                “Really though, I didn’t like him in that way. I just…he was trying to get me to like him like that and I was telling him that I wasn’t interested and then he kissed me thinking that that would make me suddenly somehow fall for him, but it really didn’t. Really.”

                “I get it,” Luhan said, more forcefully. Minseok looked dejected as they continued in silence. He didn’t think Minseok understood how he got it, though. He really did understand. He wanted to make that clear. “I get that you didn’t like him in that way. I heard you in the shop, remember?” Luhan continued quietly.

                “That’s—” Minseok stuttered, but didn’t try to finish his sentence. “Sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable.”

                “This thing was my idea so whether or not I’m comfortable it’s my fault and not yours,” Luhan told him, speaking quickly to mitigate his embarrassment. “And I’m not uncomfortable right now,” he added. Minseok blushed, smiling at him, and Luhan’s heart skipped a beat. He pressed his hand to his chest, trying to tell his heart to stop acting up because then it would seem like he liked Minseok, which he definitely did not.

                Convincing himself of that fact was getting much, much harder, though.

                Luhan had never actually been to the café Fei had suggested, but from what she and Hangeng had said, it was one of the best in the city.

                Luhan went in first, opening the door and holding it for Minseok out of habit. Minseok glanced at Luhan with a smile before entering. Luhan couldn’t help but smile a little too.

                They sat down at a two seater, and neither would make eye contact with the other. Luhan willed the waitress to come over, and when she finally did, Luhan wondered if her slightly confused expression and the exaggerated bounce in her step weren’t because of his gift.

                “Here are the menus, please take your time,” she said, handing them elegant, bound booklets. Luhan opened his and realized just how high the prices were, hoping he wouldn’t be expected to pay for Minseok as well.

                “What are you getting?” Minseok asked. Luhan looked at the menu, remembering what Fei had told him to get.

                “A…a café au lait,” he said. Minseok nodded, looking back at the menu.

                “I don’t know what I should get,” he mused. Luhan looked at the pictures of the coffee.

                “How about a cappuccino?” he suggested timidly, pointing out the mug piled high with foam. Minseok looked up, his eyebrows high. “Fei says they’re good.”

                “Okay,” he said, still watching Luhan, “I’ll get a cappuccino. Should we get a pastry or something?”

                “Biscotti,” Luhan said. Minseok nodded in agreement. “Chocolate?”

                “Sure!” Minseok smiled. “I didn’t peg you as the chocolate loving type.”

                “Don’t be silly; everyone loves chocolate,” Luhan said, and Minseok laughed.

                “I guess you’re right. Well, chocolate sounds excellent to me,” he said. Minseok flagged the waitress and she took their orders. As she walked away, Luhan glanced at Minseok, who was looking at a painting on the wall.

                Luhan didn’t want to say it, but Minseok really was beautiful, staring off into the distance like that. He had interesting cat-like eyes, sharp yet elegant eyebrows, a perfect button nose, adorably chubby cheeks, and that smile. That smile that Luhan suddenly found himself thinking about, wishing he could see it bloom on Minseok’s lovely face.

                He slapped himself, and Minseok looked over.

                “Are you alright?” he asked, and Luhan nodded grimly.

                “Fine,” he replied. “Just getting some nonsense out of my system.” Minseok grinned, and the nonsense found its way back into Luhan’s system once again.

                “I have a question,” Minseok said, and Luhan looked at him sharply. Minseok didn’t recoil.

                “What?”

                “Why did you ask me out?” The tables had turned and Luhan didn’t like it.

                “I don’t know,” he replied. “I wanted to. Or something like that. Is there a problem?” Luhan demanded, trying to sound tough but knowing it wasn’t working in the least.

                “Well, no,” Minseok replied. “I’m happy. You’re giving me a chance to be friends.”

                “More than th—I mean, yeah, right. Isn’t that generous of me,” Luhan mumbled, shaking furiously with anxiety due to his slip. “Damn,” he whispered to himself. Minseok was blushing again, and Luhan looked away from him.

                As if on cue, the waitress reappeared with their drinks and biscotti.

                “Enjoy,” she told them.

                “I never know if it’s acceptable to dip the biscotti into the coffee,” Minseok said, and Luhan looked up. Minseok looked completely serious, so Luhan laughed.

                “I don’t think there’s etiquette that comes with dunking,” he chuckled. Minseok grinned.

                “Well, just to be safe, I’ll not dunk,” he said, biting into the biscotti. “Wow, it’s good! I think it’s the best biscotti I’ve ever had!”

                “That’s because I know the best places,” Luhan said boastingly, and Minseok laughed. Luhan liked his laugh. He did. He’d even admit that to himself. Minseok’s laugh was interesting and addicting. So addicting that he wanted to make Minseok laugh again.

                But it was hard to think of how to make Minseok laugh when the foam from Minseok’s cappuccino was settled teasingly on Minseok’s lips.

               Minseok knew how teasing it was, too, because every time he caught Luhan staring at his lips, he’d give a tiny smirk.

                “There’s something on your mouth,” Luhan said, motioning on his own mouth to where the foam was sitting. Minseok would it off with a quick flick of his tongue, and Luhan’s heart would skip another beat.

                He looked away, having been mercilessly teased by Minseok and that damn cappuccino, just as the café door jingled.

                All breath suddenly left his lungs.

                There she was, in the café, where he was sitting with Minseok. Mistress Jina was in the food district.

                “No, no,” Luhan whispered.

                “What?” Minseok asked, and Luhan quickly turned away from Jina, trying his best to stay undetected.

                “Don’t move, don’t say anything, just look away from the door,” Luhan said, trying to stay calm. Minseok glanced towards the door, then turned back to face the same way Luhan was facing.

                “What’s wrong?” he whispered.

                “It’s a long story,” Luhan replied, “and I’ll tell you sometime. But right now, it’s really important that she doesn’t see us.”

                He heard a gasp and knew the worst had come.

                “Luhan!” he heard Jina cry, sounding disgustingly sugary and artificial as she walked up to their table. “I haven’t seen you in ages.”

                “Leave me alone,” Luhan said quietly, not making eye contact.

                “Who’s your friend?” she asked, looking at Minseok. “Very cute…” She took Minseok’s chin in her fingers. And suddenly, Luhan was furious.

                “Don’t touch him!” Luhan cried, standing up and slapping Jina’s hand away. Minseok looked shocked, but Jina just smirked at him.

                “I guess he must be an important friend,” she surmised, looking Minseok up and down like a wild animal judging her prey.

                “Leave us alone,” Luhan snarled at her. “Go back to where you belong.”

                “It was so nice to see you today, Luhan,” she said with dark eyes. “I can’t wait to have you back home.”

                “I’m never going back,” Luhan growled.

                “We’ll see,” Jina trilled, walking away with a flourish of her hand. Luhan had won, but he felt inexplicably terrified about her threat.

                “What just happened?” Minseok asked with fear in his eyes. “Who is she?”

                “That’s Mistress Jina and she runs an club in the red light district and if you ever see her again run as if the devil is after you, because she is basically the incarnation of Lucifer.”

                “You slapped her hand away,” Minseok looked at him, sounding impressed.

                “Yeah, of course I did. I don’t want her touching you! She’s disgusting and horrible,” Luhan explained. It was the most obvious thing in the world to him.

                “Thank you,” Minseok said.

               “Minseok, I don’t think you understand. She’ll taint you.” Minseok gave a shy smile at Luhan, who didn’t understand why Minseok was suddenly all embarrassed.  “She’s terrifying,” Luhan explained. “I almost ended up working there instead of Galata. I was stupid and naïve to think she was a nice person. She’s not. And I didn’t think she’d find me here, but she has.”

               “Are you scared?” Minseok asked, looking at Luhan. Luhan nodded.

               “I’m really scared. I’m hoping I can avoid her.”

               “If there’s anything I can ever do to help, you can ask me, okay? Even though I know I’m not your favorite person in the world,” Minseok offered, and Luhan felt a rush of affection for him all of a sudden.

               “Thanks,” he said. “I don’t want to get you involved with her, though. I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself if she got someone else because of me.”

               “That’s good to know,” Minseok said. “How did you get a job at Galata, anyway?” Luhan explained everything (except he left out the parts where he sounded unmanly) and Minseok watched him closely the entire time.

               “That’s amazing,” Minseok breathed at the end.

               “Well, now I’m at Galata, and I deal with annoying customers instead of ones who want to bang me.” Minseok laughed and Luhan narrowed his eyes at him, realizing Minseok fell under both categories of customer.

               “Sorry,” Minseok chuckled, “my mind is in the gutter.”

               “Anyway,” Luhan changed the subject, although it had been quite funny, “are you coming again tomorrow? You haven’t been to the shop in ages. I feel like you’ll be running low on meat buns.”

               “But I thought you think I’m annoying,” Minseok said, looking at Luhan. Luhan really didn’t want to let his guard down.

               “You are annoying, but everyone needs some annoying in their life,” Luhan replied. Minseok looked a little disappointed, and Luhan couldn’t have him feeling that way. “Sometimes I say things in a weird way. I hope you understand.”

               “Oh,” Minseok said, realizing what Luhan was trying to say. He smiled, his cheeks tinged pink.

               “Your face looks like one of the buns we sell in the shop,” Luhan said, looking at Minseok’s chubby face.

               “What?” he asked, putting his hands to his cheeks.

               “You have cu—I mean, chubby—cheeks,” Luhan said, his mouth betraying him again. Minseok laughed.

                “Thank you,” Minseok smiled, his cheeks rising. They looked so soft, and Luhan knew that he shouldn’t have been wanting to touch them.

                “Damn,” Luhan muttered.

                “Sorry?” Minseok asked, looking confused, and Luhan shook his head.

                “It’s nothing,” he replied.

   “Okay,” Minseok replied, taking the last few sips of his coffee. “Do you think we should go back?”

                “Probably,” Luhan sighed. “Who knows if Jina will come in here again?” He stood up, and he collected both his and Minseok’s dishes. Minseok smiled shyly, and Luhan returned the gesture. For some reason, he suddenly felt far more favorable towards Minseok.

               They neared his shop, and Luhan’s heart started pounding. Because nearing the shop meant nearing the end of the date and the end of the date meant figuring out how to say goodbye. And how to say goodbye depended on the state of their relationship. But Luhan didn’t even know what that was.

                “Um, well,” Minseok said awkwardly, standing outside of his shop. “I guess…thanks a lot for this afternoon, even though I know you aren’t really into this. I had a really good time.”

                Luhan’s mind wouldn’t stop racing. Minseok smiled at Luhan, waiting for some sort of response, those chubby cheeks looking so soft and those lips strangely inviting.

                “Fei told me to do this so it’s not my fault,” he finally said, grasping Minseok’s cheeks between is hands and smashing his lips against Minseok’s. It was by no means a graceful or comfortable kiss, but it sent sparks through Luhan’s spine anyway. He pulled away, absolutely sure that his face was at least ten times redder than Minseok’s, and turned away as fast as he could. “I’ll call you tomorrow because I will.”

               And with that, he retreated back to the shop. It wasn’t nine yet, but there was no way Fei could make him into a meat bun after what he’d just done. He would tell her all about it when his heart stopped racing and he stopped grinning like an idiot.

He knew he couldn’t deny that he had feelings for Minseok any longer.

And somehow, he was perfectly at peace with that fact.

A/N: Hi guys um I sort of went on a writing rampage yesterday and today and this happened. That was fast.

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