~Chapter 1- Meeting~

Minseok shivers as he walks his usual route to the cafe where he works. The morning is dreary and grey, the clouds seeming to be seeking revenge on the sunshine that has been dominating for the past week. He hopes it won't start raining. Or snowing even. It's so freaking cold that it feels like it might! In an attempt to warm up he burrows his face deeper into the huge scarf around his neck, and attempts to slouch further into his jacket. Onlookers might assume that Minseok is a giant grey, walking marshmallow instead of a 23 year old Korean boy. His chubby cheeks and fluffy hair also add to the marshmallowy look, as well as making him look younger than his 23 years.

Minseok slows his pace as he passes by a familiar concrete platform alongside the street. An audience is gathered around it, as usual, and a small blonde boy is in the center of everything. He's sitting on the platform, a guitar in his lap, as he is pretty much every morning that Minseok walks by. He's singing a love song to his attentive audience, his delicate facial features mirroring the sweet lyrics of the song. Minseok stops to watch the familiar scene, not caring if the delay makes him late for work. Jongdae will cover for him, and watching the boys performance is worth any form of punishment he might receive.

His voice is beautiful. His face is beautiful. His confidence is beautiful. He's just... Beautiful and perfect.

And I wonder why I don't have a girlfriend... Probably because I keep thinking things like this about this guy...

Minseok sighs, suddenly depressed by his thoughts. The beautiful boys song ends, and a flock of girls crowds around him, yelling his name, asking him to marry them, all of the usual fangirling antics. Honestly, you'd think that he was an SM idol or something, the way they treat him.

But I can't really make fun of them. If I was a girl, that's probably what I'd be doing too. Sadly, I'm just that pathetic.

Minseok pulls out is iPod and puts in his earbuds, hoping to drown out the screaming girls, as well as his own fanboy thoughts. An Exo song comes on, and since he knows it well, he sings along. People glance at him curiously a he passes by, but he pays no attention to them. He sings along to every song that comes on as he continues his way to the cafe. It helps to distract him, and when he reaches his destination his mind feels light and free, and he's ready to face the day of work. Music always has that affect on him. He opens the door, and pulls his earbuds out in time to hear the bell jingle, signaling his arrival. The cafe is empty of customers, but the lights are on and the coffee machines have been started up.

Good, I guess I'm not quite as late as I thought I was.

He quickly heads to the back room where he finds Jongdae and Wufan, who are just finishing getting ready, and heading out to open shop.

"Minseok! Finally! Hurry and get changed, you're on server duty today!" Jongdae exclaims and slaps Minseoks shoulder on his way by the smaller boy.

"I'm sorry! I was... Um... Distracted..." Minseok mumbles vaguely. Jongdae stops mid-stride and turns around with a knowing smirk, "You were watching him perform again, weren't you?"

Minseok doesn't reply. He just stands there staring at the floor, trying to control the blush that's threatening to creep into his cheeks.

Jongdaes smirk turns into a full out grin, "I'll take that as a 'Hell yes.' Did you have a nice view when you stripped him with your eyes? Hmm?"

Minseoks gaze snaps to Jongdae in embarrassed astonishment, "N-no! I didn't strip him with my eyes! I just... I... It's not just his appearance that I love you know! He's got an amazing voice!" Minseok sputters, tripping over his words, embarrassed beyond belief.

Jongdae steps towards Minseok and places his hands on both of the short boys shoulders, "I know I make fun of you, but I approve of your choice of guy crush. He'd turn anyone gay. Even me! I'm just lucky that I've got myself a hot, wonderful girlfriend." he says all of this very seriously, staring into Minseoks widened eyes.

"Umm, thanks?" Minseok isn't quite sure how to reply to his friend. Even after a year of friendship, he still doesn't understand most of what Jongdae says to him.

"No problem man! now, let's get to work!" Jongdae removes his hands, and steps back, still smiling. As if on queue, the front doors bell jingles, signaling the arrival of the first customer.

"Crap..." Minseok says under his breath before running into the back room and rushing to get changed into his uniform. Once he's ready he rushes back out, grabs the customers order of a coffee and the cafes new pumpkin steamed bun, which has already been prepared, and hurriedly scans the tables to find the customer. He spots a blonde head looking out the window in the corner, and walks towards it.

"I'm sorry for the wait!" Minseok apologizes as politely as he can, easily slipping into his well known role of server.

"Oh, it's no problem!" The blonde boy says warmly, turning to give a friendly smile to Minseok. When they make eye contact, they both freeze. The boys smile widens, and Minseoks slowly melts away, replaced with an expression of utter surprise.

"You! I found you!" The beautiful boy exclaims, automatically standing up.

"You.. What?" Minseok stares in disbelief. The perfect boy with the amazing voice, adorable doe-eyes, and soft-looking blonde hair is there, standing in front of him. Smiling at him. At him. It's all just too much for him to handle. He collapses into the chair opposite the boy, and concentrates on breathing like a normal person.

The boy sits down as well, "I heard you singing earlier, on the street when you walked by. You have such a cute voice, so I had to follow you! I saw you come into this cafe, and now here we are!"

I have a stalker. Is all Minseoks dumbstruck mind can think at the moment. A beautiful stalker.

"I'm Luhan by the way." The boy, Luhan, smiles at Minseok, patiently awaiting a reply.

"Um. I'm Minseok..." Minseok responds, unsure whether to address what Luhan had said before or not. In the end, curiosity gets the better of him.
"So, you followed me?" Strangely, the fact that Luhan had followed him here was actually flattering.

"I didn't mean to be creepy! I just really wanted to talk to you for some reason. After hearing you sing." He smiles, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head, fluffing up his hair into an adorable puff. "I sing too! I'm a street singer actually." He blushes and laughs softly.

Minseok smiles back, "No, it's not creepy!"

I'm the creepy one!

"I umm... I've actually seen you perform before."

Every day.

Luhans face lights up to its full cheerful intensity again, "Really?? Wow! What do you think, am I any good??" He bounces in his seat excitedly, causing Minseok to compare him to a hyper puppy. Or maybe a baby deer, since his eyes are so round and wide

"Yeah you're wonderful! Judging by the reactions of all those girls always screaming over you, I'd say you're doing pretty well."

"Aah, yeah I guess so. Thank you! It means a lot coming from you!" Luhan beams, staring at Minseok with pure admiration and affection.

Affection?... Like, love affection? Minseok mentally shakes himself. No. He just met me, and all he likes is my voice. Nothing more. Stop thinking so irrationally, Kim Minseok!

"You're welcome." Minseok manages to squeak out.

Luhan seems to notice his discomfort, but he misinterprets it, "Hey are you okay?" He frowns and reaches across the table to place a hand on Minseoks forehead, checking his temperature. "Hmm you're a little warm. Maybe you shouldn't work today. The weathers been getting colder so you should take care of you're health!" He moves his delicate hand to Minseoks cheek, his features radiating complete concentration.

Wow, he's really concerned about me?

Minseoks face gets even warmer. "I-I'm fine.... Thanks." He stammers.

Why am I reacting like this?? I have to stop... I have to get him to stop.

Minseok grabs Luhans hand from his cheek and lowers it to the table. Before he can pull his hand away, Luhans other hand has come up to join the other, holding Minseoks between them. His hand tingles. Luhans hands are really soft...

"No really! What if you get sick??" Luhan exclaims, staring into Minseoks eyes with concern. Minseok is dumbstruck. He can't think of a decent reply. Nobody has ever shown him such compassion before! Especially not someone he's just met not even 5 minutes ago! Minseok sighs. As much as he's tempted to skip work and possibly hang out with Luhan (He assumes that Luhan would ask him to.... Just assumes. And hopes) he knows that the cafe needs him today. This season is their busy season. When the weather starts to get colder, the prospect of a hot drink and pasty to enjoy is appealing for a lot of people, after a summer of being limited to cold drinks. Add to that the fact that their autumn themed line of products is debuting today, which always draws in a lot of customers, Minseok knows that today will be a busy one.

"I can't skip work, the cafe needs me! I'm the only server until the next shift... But thanks." Minseok explains, giving Luhan an apologetic smile. He tries to pull his hands away, but Luhan holds tight.

"I don't want to let my new friend get sick though..." He mumbles, his doe-eyes getting even bigger. Minseok didn't think it was possible for the tiny boy to get any more adorable, but it just happened. Minseok is rendered speechless.

The bell jingles, announcing to Minseok that there is a new customer that he will have to serve. Minseok stands up automatically, forcing Luhan to finally release his hands, leaving them feeling cold and exposed.

I can't let him do this. He doesn't mean it in that way... I can't let him break my heart. Minseok rationalizes the reason that he's leaving the object of his feelings.

"Thank you, really, but I- I have to work. Oh, yeah, here's your coffee and pumpkin bun!" He'd almost forgotten the order that he had set down earlier, still on the serving tray.

"Oh, thank you!" Luhan smiles and glances at the food that Minseok deposits from the tray to the table. He looks at the bun, and then at Minseok. Back to the bun, and back to Minseok, tilting his head to the side, a contemplating expression on his face. "Hey, has anyone ever told you that you look like a cute little baozi?"

He thinks I'm cute!? Minseok thinks this, but what he says is, "Baozi?"

"Yeah! Chinese buns! I guess Koreans don't know what those are?" Minseok shakes his head. He assumes this means that Luhan is Chinese. "Well you look like one. Baozi! I like it." Luhan beams, staring at Minseok.

Great, I remind him of a bun. Thanks, chubby cheeks.

"Baozi, huh? It's... Cute..."

When you say it.

Minseok smiles on the outside, and happy dances in the inside. Minseok doesn't even care that he's been named after a bun, it's a nickname that came from Luhan, so he'll take it!

"Well I really should get back to work. I'll see you later." He decides heshould probably leave before he ends up getting so attached to this boy that he won't be able to leave without breaking his own heart. Minseok offers a friendly smile, and the adorable deer returns it.

"Yes definitely! Actually... What time does your shift end?" Luhan asks thoughtfully.

Oh my god.

"2:00." Minseoks mouth automatically answers, before he can stop it. His heart beats faster and his skin gets warmer, also without his permission.

Luhan smiles, "Then I'll be back then. Bye Baozi!" With that he picks up his coffee and bun, and walks out the door, waving to Minseok on his way.

Luhan. You have no idea what you've just done to me.

Minseok knows that he had loved the boy already, before there was a name to the face, and a personality beneath the image. But he had never expected that his love would ever be anything but distant and unacknowledged.

Please change that, Luhan. Please come back like you said you would. Please let me be your Baozi."

"Minseok! Quit slacking off! You're painting a bad image for this cafe!" Wufans commanding voice breaks through Minseoks dreamy bubble.
"Crap!" He mutters for the second time that day. He rushes to serve the customers that he has been neglecting, this time not able to fully slip back into server mode because his mind is racing with thoughts of Luhan. He can't really believe that what just happened had actually happened. Maybe it didn't. Maybe he had just dreamt it all up.

"Minseok you lucky bastard!" Suddenly Jongdae is there, an arm around his smaller friends shoulders. "What did he say to you? Did he confront you about the eye stripping?" Jongdae teases.

Minseok punches his arm, "I told you I didn't do that! He just told me that he likes my voice and that I look like a Chinese bun." Minseok briefly explains. That's all that happened, really, but to Minseok it had been a lot more special than he made it sound. He smiles uncontrollably, and Jongdae doesn't miss it.
"Ooh, and what else??" He presses for more.

"What are we, teenage girls? If you must know, he said that he'd be back to see me at 2:00." Minseok states, somewhat reluctantly.

"YOU'RE GOING ON A DATE!!! WUFAN, MINSEOKS GUY CRUSH IS TAKING HIM ON A DATE!" Jongdae yells loud enough for the whole cafe to hear. Minseok flushes in embarrassment and roughly pulls Jongdae to the back room.

"It's not a date! He didn't even ask me, he just told me that he would see me then. It's not a date."

Oh, but how I wish it was...

"Alright, alright, whatever you say!" Jongdae holds up his hands in defeat, but Minseok knows that he's still sticking to his ridiculous idea.

"Don't let him hurt you, Minseok. It's always the pretty ones who give the most heartbreak." Wufan, who had silently come in during the other two's argument, warns Minseok.

Minseok smiles gratefully at his other friend, "Thanks, I definitely won't let that happen."

"Good, now we really have to get back to work." Wufan says before leading the other two back out into the warm energy of the cafe.

For the whole 7 hours of his shift, Minseoks thoughts shift between Luhan, and Wufans warning. Despite what he had told Wufan, he knows that his heart gets broken way too easily, so it's very likely that Luhan will hurt him. But, he also knows that he has to take that chance. He has already loved the beautiful boy who comes up with funny nicknames, says whatever comes to mind, and gives off such a warm aura, for far too long to let this chance slip through his fingers. Even if his fingers are shaky and unsure.

Heart, please don't fail me...