There are two things in this world that I believe are flawless.
Snowflakes and Kris Wu.

Kris Wu is completely and impossibly immaculate. He teaches foreign literature at the university next door, plays a little basketball on the side and comes into my café every weekday afternoon at three o’clock to order a caramel latte and a chocolate tart.

I know that it’s pretty stupid to be infatuated with a teacher, but I just can’t help it.
His face is perfect. His voice is like honey on toast and I like how his gums show when he smiles.
When I go to the school’s field for my soccer games or practice, I see him on the outdoor courts or talking to his teacher friends and I wish I had become someone who had made it through school, continued my studies and had possibly become something great too.

But no, I’m almost halfway to fifty, own a café and still have the face of a sixteen-year-old boy.

~

“Luhan, are you drooling?” Kyungsoo asks, pushing cinnamon buns into the front display case.

I blink, lifting my palm to the corner of my lips, grimacing when I find spit dribbling down my face.

“It’s drool, isn’t it? That’s in’ gross.” His nose wrinkles and he straightens, placing his empty tray into a rack beside him.
“I have got to be the most repulsive human being on the planet. No wonder I’m still single.” I sigh, tapping my fingers on the countertop.
“You’re still single because your standards are Kris Wu.” Kyungsoo his finger, “That and you’re always talking about how painfully single you are. You literally reek of desperation.”
I wince, “Harsh.”
‘But you’re not denying it.” He winks, clucks his tongue and saunters back into the back room, tugging the rack in with him.

He’s right, of course. I’m always going on about how alone I am.
I mean it’s not like he has to worry.
He’s got this really tall dork of a boyfriend who wears glasses and plays guitar at the window seat when he visits.

“Hey, Luhan!”

Speak of the devil.

“Hi Chanyeol.” I smile, stretching out my back.
“Slow day?” He grins. His face is really attractive, “Where is Kyungsoo?”
“Yeah, Thursdays always are.” I lift a hand and wave toward the back, “He’s baking.”
“Ah, he’s so cute.” Chanyeol places his bag down on the couch by the window and then slides his guitar case off his shoulders.

“I’m not cute, you .” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, carrying a tray of washed glasses, mugs and teacups, “I’m in’ adorable.”
Chanyeol hurries over and I make a quick escape from behind the countertop, dragging a broom with me.

Kyungsoo laughs and I spare a glance, watching Chanyeol hug his waist and lift him so he can place some glasses in the cupboard on the top shelf.

Like me, Do Kyungsoo didn’t go to university. His parents couldn’t afford it, so he came to me looking for a job.
He’d been working for me for almost two years now and had grown rather attached to The Deer, as had I, and I was grateful to have him as my employee.

“Hey, it’s almost three.” Chanyeol calls, snapping me out of my sweeping, “Time for the Adonis to show up.”
“Shut up.” I groan, but I can feel my heartbeat speed up.

Kyungsoo laughs at how fast I move from the door to my place back behind the counter and tiptoes to slide his arms around Chanyeol’s neck.
“I’ve got to check on the cheesecake. I’ll bring you a hot chocolate.” He says, and they kiss.

~

It’s exactly three o’five when I hear Chanyeol say, “Incoming,” and I freeze with my hand on the handle of the waffle machine.

I find the will to turn and there he is.

Kris tugs off his scarf when he walks inside, making his way over to the counter.
Kyungsoo appears beside me and kicks the back of my knee, hissing for me to move my . So I find myself awkwardly sidestepping to my place behind the register.

“Welcome back.” I say, my heart doing flips when he smiles at me.

“Hey, Luhan.” He shifts his bag higher on his shoulder, “How are you?”
“Fine.” I squeak. He knows my name, “How are you?”
“Good, good. Long day.” He chuckles, shaking his head slowly.

I just stare at him. I can’t function. He’s too gorgeous.

I’m blank until Kyungsoo walks past as slaps my .

“So, the usual?” I mutter, praying my midget co-worker trips over something on his way back into the kitchen.
Kris smiles, “Make it two tarts this time and a hot chocolate too.”
My heartbeat accelerates; he has someone coming with him? That’s a first.

“Right, okay.” I nod and give him the total, take his money, give him the change and hobble into the back room to see Kyungsoo.

“You look real pale, kid.” He says, taking a fresh carton of milk out of the fridge.
“He knows my name, Soo.” I mumble, taking the bottle from him.
“You’re wearing a name tag, idiot.”
“Oh.”
“Get out there and make his drink. He could just be meeting a student, don’t lose your head.”
“Sorry, Jesus.”

Kyungsoo's foot hits my and I walk back out, starting to prepare the two beverages.

~

As it turns out, the person Kris ordered the hot chocolate and tart is for neither a student nor a lover. The person that enters the café and makes their way over to the table is in fact a ten-year-old boy.

Kyungsoo laughs really loud and customers glance over to scowl at him.

“Drama queen.” He chuckles, looking smug.
“Shut up.” I say, reaching around to undo my apron.
“Where are you going? Do you have practice?”
“Yeah, starts in fifteen. If Yeol isn’t busy, he could always give you a hand.”

Kyungsoo just smiles and bobs his shoulders, eyes flickering to his boyfriend who sits strumming his guitar with a blissful smile on his face.

I roll my eyes, shaking my head as I pull the apron off, “Someone’s completely smitten.”
“Shut up. Go get hit in the head or something.”

And with a grin, I pick up my bag and head to practice.

~

I’m bouncing the soccer ball between my foot and knee when someone shouts, “Fresh meat!” and everyone turns to check out the collection of first years from the college and outsiders who are looking to get lucky.

“I didn’t know we were having tryouts today.” I jog over, falling into step beside my closest pal, Minseok.

Kim Minseok is probably the sweetest, most wonderful human being you could ever meet.
He’s my age and Korean, not Chinese, is straight and has a girlfriend.
Minseok is extremely cute and usually on the receiving end of compliments from both women and men alike, but his loyalty lies with Hwayoung, the perfect girl who holds his heart in her own.

“Sorry, I forgot to mention it. I just hope this time there’s no accidents, you know, not like last time.” Minseok says, running his fingers through his brassy hair.

I vaguely recall two boys being carried on a stretcher and a couple broken bones.

“I can’t afford to stay late today anyway, got big plans for tonight.”
“Do I want to know what that means?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.
“Well I don’t have work and I’m meeting Hwa. Can’t you guess?” He looks at me with a smile that creases his eyes.

I pause, considering the options and then, “You’re proposing.”
“Bingo.” His smile grows.
“Oh my god, Seok, that’s amazing!”
“You think she’ll say yes?”
I laugh, “Hey, you’re a top-notch lawyer with billions of dollars and on top of that you are incredible and love her to death. You know she’ll say yes.”
“Aw, you’re such a good friend.” He punches my arm then looks toward the team.

The visible transition from sweet, chubby cheeked best friend to firm, loud soccer coach almost scares me.

“Listen up, today we’ll be trying out new kids. Don’t be gentle on ‘em.” He looks at the line of about fifteen boys whose expressions range from confident to terrified, “Show me what you’ve got.”

~

It’s been maybe an hour and I’m watching the not-so-in-shape boys sweat even in the cold air and grimace at the mud covering them from the waist down.
I’m on the bench as Minho takes my place on the field for our team, standing with a towel over my head.

“Pass it, Jongin!” The usually quiet Taekwoon shouts to a particularly unmotivated boy, sprinting at him to snatch the ball from beneath his feet.
The boy, Jongin, sighs and wipes his forehead, tugging his shirt up and off, holding it in his hand as he jogs after Taekwoon, well toned stomach shining with sweat even though the wind is freezing.

Minho comes over and calls me back into the game, picking up a water bottle and drinking.
I throw down my towel and walk back onto the field, my eyes still on the attractive unenthusiastic boy.

“Luhan!” Someone, I think it’s Minseok, bellows.
But just as I turn, the soccer ball connects with my nose and I’m out like a light.

WOW IT HAS BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME.

It's literally been a year and a month since I told you guys I was rewriting this story... And I guess I did keep my promise, it just took a long time?
There's been a lot of crazy stuff that's happened in my life since I was last writing, and I finally decided to actually just sit down and write because you all deserve to know how this story is actually going to go.

The major changes are pretty obvious (if you've been around since day one, you'll know what they are) but ultimately this is still a hunhan fic... Because no matter how hard everyone ships xiuhan I will be faithful.

Thank you for being so very patient with me, my darlings! I hope you enjoy the rewrite, and if you're just joining now, welcome and I hope you enjoy this story!

Much love,

Tea x