Washington, DC

They really should have reconsidered trying to park anywhere in Georgetown, because it’s taken all of fifty minutes to finally find a parking spot on O Street.

“Finally,” Tao huffs, slamming the car door as he gets out of the front seat. “I’m dying of thirst. First stop is a grocery store.”

“But the cupcakes—”

“Lu Han, you saw the line,” Tao snaps, “it’s going to be at least a few hours until you get into the shop. I think a few extra minutes in the grocery store won’t hurt.”

“It could make a difference!” Lu Han protests, and finally Yixing steps in.

“Okay, Taotao, you go with Kris to the grocery store and I’ll wait in line with Lu Han. Deal?” Yixing proposes diplomatically.

“Deal,” Kris says, walking down the street with Tao on his heels. They drop Lu Han and Yixing off at the cupcake store (the line is almost two blocks long) and they continue down the street to Dean & DeLuca. “So, what are you going to drink?”

“Orangina. Sprite. Water. Lemonade. Beer, I don’t know,” Tao says. “Just something.” They step into the building, which looks more like a market than a grocery store, and it’s full of hipster college students and over-moneyed adults. It reminds Kris of home. Tao goes straight for the refrigerated section while Kris browses the impressive fruit selection.

Kris recognizes the Comme Des Garcons cardigan first, and then he proceeds to admire how tight the boy’s jeans are. Or, he does that until he realizes that he’s acting suspiciously like Lu Han, and then he goes for the boy’s face. He’s really something. Kris is sure that not even Lu Han is that pretty.

The boy notices Kris staring and he smiles back, shifting the bundle of organic parsley in his arms before approaching Kris. Kris’s heart nearly stops.

“I like your cardigan,” the boy says. “Comme Des Garcons Play, right?”

“Yeah, like yours,” Kris replies. “You like the brand?”

“It’s my favorite,” the boy smiles. “I’m Joonmyeon.” He holds out his hand and Kris shakes it with slightly too much enthusiasm.

“Kris,” Kris introduces himself.

“Oh, do you go to Georgetown too?” Joonmyeon asks.

“No,” Kris replies, “I just graduated from Yale. You go to Georgetown?”

“I’m starting grad school here in the fall,” Joonmyeon smiles. “I’m volunteering in the city right now.” Kris is about to open his mouth when Tao comes bounding up, stopping next to Kris with a giant bottle of Orangina in his hands.

“Oh, who’s your friend?” Tao asks, and Joonmyeon hardly even glances at Tao, which is somewhat of a rare occurrence. Kris has always been popular with girls, but Tao had been the one in their group of straight friends who got the interest from boys.

And then Kris remembers that he, too, is supposed to be in that group of straight friends. And that he’s just gotten out of a bad relationship. To take a random interest in a guy...it’s definitely not something Kris is quite ready for, in any case.

But then he turns back to Joonmyeon, who’s still looking up at him expectantly.

“Oh, Tao, this is Joonmyeon. Joonmyeon, this is my friend Tao. He and I and two other guys are taking a road trip across the country this summer,” Kris finally says, and Joonmyeon’s eyes widen.

“Wow,” Joonmyeon breathes. “So—so where’d you start?”

“New York,” Tao says, and Kris flinches momentarily before realizing that he really shouldn’t care which one of them replies to Joonmyeon. Joonmyeon smiles quickly before turning back to Kris.

“Are you staying here long?” Joonmyeon asks. Kris feels a pang of triumph as he realizes that Joonmyeon asked him specifically, and he’s got as long as you want on his tongue before he decides on something less clichéd.

“We’re here for like...a day. An afternoon? I don’t know,” Kris replies. “We’re just kind of going at our own pace.”

He sees Tao give him a sidelong glance before Tao bites his lip as he smirks, which he always does when he thinks he’s being sly.

“But we don’t really know our way around,” Tao adds, looking at Joonmyeon. “Do you know what we should see while we’re here?”

“Oh, oh, I could show you around if you want,” Joonmyeon replies, looking up at Kris.

“Yeah!” Kris says a little too quickly. “I mean, yeah, that would be great.”

He’s got a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach, as if he’s realized that his mouth has just disobeyed his brain. His brain is telling him that this is a very bad idea, that he likes girls for God’s sakes and he’s going through the obligatory phase of solitude after a bad breakup.

And even as he’s thinking that, he can’t stop listening with rapt attention as Joonmyeon talks about D.C.

Tao grins as he turns away from Kris and Joonmyeon. “I’ll just go pay for my Orangina,” he says, but the other two are definitely not listening to him anymore.

Joonmyeon is telling Kris all about the Smithsonian and Congress, and Kris wants to listen more closely but it's hard when Joonmyeon's face is shining so bright. Kris mentally kicks himself because he really shouldn't be thinking of Joonmyeon under any sort of romantic light.

But he really can't help himself. Joonmyeon is small but not to the point of fragility. He's pretty but not to the point of feminine. He's a man—

And that's Kris's problem. Joonmyeon is a man. He's male, and Kris is also male, and Kris is not like Lu Han or Yixing which means that he is not interested in males.

And besides, he thinks, I'm getting over a breakup. I can't be thinking about anyone romantically right now, gender aside.

That thought doesn't stop him from wanting to learn more about Joonmyeon.

Joonmyeon buys his groceries which include organic parsley, organic carrots and a small bottle of spring water, and then they're standing on M Street deciding what to do.

"Should we get Yixing and Lu Han or should we just let them be?" Kris asks. Tao frowns, looking in the direction of Georgetown Cupcake. He bites his lip again before turning back to Kris and Joonmyeon.

"I'll go check on them. Once we get the cupcakes, we'll meet up with you two later. How does that sound?" Tao asks, and Kris knows he really shouldn't feel so giddy with excitement at the thought of being left alone with Joonmyeon.

"Is that okay?" he asks instead, looking down at Joonmyeon.

Joonmyeon nods vigorously. "Yeah, that's fine!" He exclaims, and Kris grins brightly.

"Okay, Taozi," Kris says, "call me when you guys have the cupcakes." Tao salutes him and walks off, leaving Kris and Joonmyeon blissfully alone.

"Well? What do you say we go to the White House first?" Joonmyeon asks.

"Sure," Kris says, and he's never been so tempted to hold a boy's hand.

One presidential mansion and three Smithsonian visits later, the sun is already going down and Tao still hasn't called.

Kris doesn't mind. He's holding Joonmyeon's groceries and walking close to him as they amble past the Smithsonian Castle.

"Hey, what are you going to do when you get to California?" Joonmyeon wonders.

"I don't know," Kris replies. "We've just been playing it by ear all this time."

"You should send me a picture of your glorious arrival," Joonmyeon jokes, but Kris doesn't have California on his mind.

it, he finally thinks.

"Do you want to come with us?" he blurts out.

"What?"

"I want you to—I mean, do you want to come with us?" he asks again, slower this time, but he's pretty sure Joonmyeon heard him.

"I have stuff to do," Joonmyeon says, looking up at the sky, but Kris gets the distinct feeling that Joonmyeon is torn.

"Only as far as ia Beach, then. And I'll pay for your train ticket back. Please, Joonmyeon?"

Joonmyeon has a sparkle in his eye.

" it, I could use an adventure. To ia Beach, then," Joonmyeon laughs.

Joonmyeon's laugh is perfect too.

"Awesome," Kris says, and he hopes he doesn't sound as excited as he is.

When he calls Tao to tell him that Joonmyeon's coming along, Tao sounds unsurprised and informs Kris that he's found the most fantastic pair of jeans at Zara and that Lu Han has already tried on seventeen shirts.

"Well, tell Lu Han and Yixing that Joonmyeon is coming with us," he tells Tao.

"They know, and they're happy that you've fallen in love at first sight," Tao replies.

"It's not—" Kris begins, but he stops because yeah, it kind of is.

"Meet us at the car," Tao says lazily before hanging up.

"How do they feel about me coming?" Joonmyeon asks.

"They're excited to meet you. Just so you know, if Lu Han flirts with you please just ignore him. Oh, and Yixing is a little spacey sometimes so you can ignore him too. Tao can get really sarcastic so—"

"Ignore him as well?" Joonmyeon grins amusedly. "Only pay attention to you, is that what you're saying?"

And that is exactly what Kris is saying.

[A/N]: It's no surprise where they're going next, right?