A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks for reading. 

Please enjoy this very short chapter.

Warnings: none! I think.

 Fourth Thread – Xiumin

Xiumin takes his coffee from the barista and sits in his usual spot: the long bench farthest from the entrance of the cafe. With his plastic cup in one hand, he discreetly slides the other along the underside of the seat. His fingers brush nothing but smooth, worn-down wood. He can’t help but feel relieved.

If Tao needs to communicate with Xiumin for any reason, he leaves a coded note taped under the seat. Sunroom Coffee Shop is ideal for that purpose. Xiumin frequents the shop every day for his usual order of iced Americano so nobody questions his presence. The bench is nailed to the floor which means it can’t be stacked like the other chairs at the end of the day and the note is unlikely to fall into the wrong hands.

It has been almost a year since Xiumin became Minseok and he has heard from Tao only a handful of times, mostly just to reassure him that he hasn’t been forgotten. But Xiumin doesn’t mind. He finds his new life surprising easy.

A young man slides in next to him. He sighs loudly and says in a soft accent, “this shift is going by so slow. I’m bored, Minseok.” He fiddles with his strawberry blonde fringe.

“Go clean off the tables or something,” Xiumin suggests. He picks up one of the magazines from the side table and flips through it, killing time until he has to go to class.

“Already did. And I cleaned the back, restocked everything, and made a fresh batch of coffee.” Luhan glances up at the clock. “I still have four hours and 32 minutes until my shift ends.”

“Maybe it will get busy soon,” says Xiumin although he doubts it. Sunroom Coffee Shop has lost a lot of customers to some of the newer cafes on the same street and isn’t as busy as it used to be.

*

Tao hadn’t known about Minseok’s Chinese pen-pal because he didn’t think that people still engaged in writing letters on paper and sending them via international post.   

Xiumin found the letters in an empty shoebox under Minseok’s bed. He read through nearly a year’s worth of weekly letters in a single night.

Dear Minseok,

How come you didn’t sign on to play Diablo last night? Well, I’m sure you had your reasons and by the time you get this, we’ll have already played again.  

The potential problem I had with my student visa has been worked out. I’m officially going to meet you in two months! It’s strange to think we’ve been writing to each other for over a year and have never met. By the way, my hair is different from the picture I sent you. It’s currently a dark red but I might change it again before I come to Korea.

I’d like to do something really crazy with my appearance while I’m still a student because once I’m a functioning (ha) adult, I’ll have to be boring. Purple or blue hair? I was originally leaning towards purple but then I watched a cartoon where the main character had blue hair and he was so cool.

I’ve thought about what you wrote last time. I guess if you really insist, we can exchange email addresses in case of an emergency. My email is [email protected]

Don’t forget – last Thursday of October in front of Yonsei University. Be there or be dead.

Your friend,

Lu Han

There was something Xiumin liked about this Lu Han and he was curious to know what kind of person insisted on writing letters when there were faster ways to communicate.

He wrote back a few times, keeping his messages short and vague. He asked what time they should meet and Lu Han replied, letter arriving two days before their first in-person encounter, suggesting they have lunch so around noon?

Xiumin marked the date on the calendar with a red pen.

On the last Thursday of October, he made his way to Sinchon and fought his way through the crowds. He hoped that Lu Han would recognize him since he never found the picture that Minseok supposedly received.

Xiumin wished there was some place to sit down near the front gate of Yonsei University. While the weather had cooled off somewhat since his arrival to Seoul, the humidity drained him of what energy he did have. He started to sweat even though he was hardly moving, partly from nerves. He had been Minseok for less than two months and still not completely at ease in his role.

At 12:15, someone lightly tapped his shoulder. He turned.

“Excuse me, are you Minseok?” a wide-eyed young man asked.

Xiumin, more out of habit than anything else, made close note of the pretty boy speaking to him.  

His face was tiny, the size of a CD, and pale. His nose was small and round, his eyes even rounder and large. His hair was an unnatural light pink and swept to the side. Height, weight, posture, voice – he took it all in as bullet points of a report.

Xiumin extended his hand. “Yes. Hi, it’s nice to meet you, Lu Han.”

“It’s nice to finally meet you too!” Lu Han took Xiumin’s hand and shook enthusiastically. “You look much better than your picture.” Without letting go, he tugged him towards the busy area across the street. “Let’s eat, I’m starving.”

*

“The coffee is good,” Lu Han says. “But the décor leaves a lot to be desired. Like this.” He pats the bench they’re sitting on. “I wish the owner would take my renovating ideas more seriously.”

“Oh, I think the bench is fine,” Xiumin says carefully. “Maybe they need new baristas. You’re not pulling in the female customers like you used to, Lu Han. You’re losing your touch.”

“What! How dare you?” Lu Han squawks. “I’m the only reason we still have any customers at all.” He fiddles with his hair again. “But maybe I should go back to bleach blonde.”

“Or maybe you should stop mentioning your girlfriend,” Xiumin suggests. “I’m serious. It breaks the fantasy of the cute barista who serves them beverages with a wink and cheeky smile if they know that you’re unavailable.”

Lu Han seems to contemplate this for a moment. “You really think I’m cute?”

Xiumin pushes him off the bench. “Idiot,” he mutters.

“Oh, speaking of girlfriend…” Lu Han stands up and dusts off his apron. “She’ll be here any minute. She has something to ask you.”

“Lu Han, no.” Xiumin groans. “For the millionth time, I don’t want to be set up on any more blind dates.”

The chime above the door spins and tinkles. A petite girl, no more than 150 cm tall although her heels put her closer to 160 cm, enters and looks around the empty café.

“You might as well tell her that yourself.” Lu Han raises a hand and waves. “We’re over here!”

She flips her long, black hair as she walks toward them, her skirt bouncing dangerously high with every step. She is Lu Han’s fourth girlfriend since he came to Korea ten months prior, a fact Xiumin is sure that she is unaware of.  “Hey, sweetie,” she says. She stands on her tiptoes and gives Lu Han a quick kiss. She turns and smiles. “Hi Minseok.”

“Hi Subin. How have you been?” Xiumin asks politely.

“I’ve been really well, thank you for asking.” She suddenly drops herself in the spot that Lu Han had recently vacated. “Now, before you say anything, I want you to take a look at some pictures.”

“I don’t – ” Xiumin starts but Subin cuts him off with a glare.

She begins rummaging through her oversized purse. Xiumin sends Lu Han a silent plea with his eyes but he merely laughs.

“I’m so happy right now. My two favorite people in the world sitting together at my favorite place in the world,” he says.

Subin finds her phone amidst the contents of her bag. “Here we go,” she says and pulls up the photo gallery. She swipes until she finds the picture she is looking for. “Her name is Soyeon. She’s pretty, isn’t she?”

Lu Han squeezes into the space next to Subin’s other side, interest obviously piqued. “She’s very pretty,” he agrees. “Minseok, don’t you think she’s pretty?”

Xiumin grudgingly admits that yes, the girl in the picture is pretty, very pretty in fact. But all of the girls that Subin tries to set up with him are attractive. He’s not sure if she knows any ugly people.

“Best of all, Soyeon is recently single,” Subin continues, “and she’s not looking for anything serious so it’s low pressure. I showed her your picture and she thinks you’re really cute.”

“What picture?” Xiumin asks suspiciously.

Swipe, swipe, she holds her phone out for them to see. The photo is a slightly candid one since Xiumin is looking off to the side and he doesn’t remember it being taken. But Lu Han is next to him, his arm slung around his neck, staring straight into the lens, caught mid-laugh. He looks extraordinarily ugly.

“This picture is no good,” Lu Han says, attempting to the grab the phone. His girlfriend moves it out of his reach. “It’s misleading. And the angle make Minseok look taller than me which we all know is not true.”

Xiumin reaches over Subin and pushes Lu Han to the floor with a single shove, exactly where he landed before.

Subin ‘tsks’ and stands up. “I’m going to use the ladies room. Minseok, let me know what you think about Soyeon when I get back.” She steps across Lu Han, the sharp point of her heel falling less than an inch from the delicate space between his legs.

The hem of her skirt swings just below the top of her thighs. Xiumin’s eyes follow the back and forth motion, hypnotized. His stomach coils in a not unpleasant way.   

Lu Han scrambles to his feet. “So what do you think of Soyeon?” he asks eagerly. “I have met her personally and can vouch that she is as pretty as in her picture.”

“It’s not that she isn’t pretty,” says Xiumin. “I just…” He shrugs.

“What?” Lu Han puts a hand on Xiumin’s shoulder and leans in close. “It’s not as if you don’t like women. I saw you checking out my girlfriend just now,” he says playfully.

Xiumin blushes. “Oh, you noticed.”

Lu Han nods.

*

How can he tell Lu Han that he is living a stolen life? That once his assignment is over (and who knew how long it would last), he would disappear without any warning? Lu Han, Minseok’s parents, Minseok’s aunt would never find out what happened to him. He doesn’t want to make it harder for anyone else…or for himself.

*

“Is this about Hyun?” Lu Han asks in a low voice. “Minseok, you need to get over her and move on with your life. I understand she was your first love but you’re not going to find your second love or third love if you refuse to meet anybody.”

Xiumin has to remember that Lu Han would know about Hyun. No doubt that Minseok would have written to him about his ex-girlfriend. “I know but it’s hard,” he says and sighs, seizing the chance to evade another blind set-up. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to trust someone after what happened with Hyun.” He sighs dramatically again for good measure.

Lu Han gives him a sympathetic smile. “Hang in there.”

Subin returns from the bathroom. “So can I give Soyeon the good news?” she asks, eyebrows raised in a hopeful gaze.

“Sorry,” says Xiumin and he means it. “I’m just not ready to meet anyone yet.”

She looks disappointed but not surprised. “It was worth a try.” She needlessly glances around the café, as if someone might overhear them, and whispers, “I also know a lot of really good-looking men if that’s what you’re looking for.”

“No,” Xiumin says a bit loudly. “I…appreciate the offer but I’m fine for now.”

She hitches her purse into the crook of her elbow. “Fine. But if you change your mind, just let Hannie know and I’ll set up everything.” She glances at the clock. “I have to run. You two have fun tonight playing video games or whatever it is you do when I’m not around.” She gives Lu Han another kiss before heading towards the door.

“I think I’m in love,” Lu Han confesses as the door swings shut.

Xiumin doesn’t reply to this declaration, having heard it many times before about different girls. “She’s a very nice young lady,” he says instead.

“Yeah.” Lu Han sighs. He absently waltzes back to the counter with a dreamy look on his face.  

Xiumin refrains from rolling his eyes. He stands up and drains the rest of his coffee which has cooled to room temperature.

“Are you leaving me too?” Lu Han asks, breaking out of his daze. “Don’t go to class. Stay here with me.”

Xiumin does roll his eyes this time. “I think you’ll be fine for a few hours by yourself. I’ll see you at home.” He leaves amidst Lu Han’s protests, stepping into the sunshine.

A girl giggles as she grabs her boyfriend’s hand. He smiles down at her. A couple walking in the opposite direction stop to take a picture together. A girl snakes an arm around another girl’s waist and pulls her close.

Everybody seems so happy.

Xiumin wonders if it’s too late...could he have that as well? Not just but the intangible benefits of a companion, someone he loved and trusted, bliss, joy, contentment, even heartbreak.

Would that ever be his? 

A/N:

I think this story is confusing. It will get less confusing as it progresses but this chapter did not help matters. 

Off to write D.O's chapter!

Thank for reading.