This chapter is rated PG-13 for kissing and cuddles, nothing more! 

The next day goes by quickly, Jongdae is back at the café and Luhan shows Minseok around the university campus. They have a small lunch in the cafeteria and then Luhan walks him home, and then returns to his own place for dinner.

All he can think about is Minseok, Minseok, Minseok. He can hardly focus on his schoolwork, and his roommates are noticing. They see each other nearly every day now, but Luhan can’t help but feel lonely every second that they’re apart. He knows that he’s being extremely clingy, but he can’t help it. One day Kris confronts him “Why don’t you two just move in together already?”

“Aigoo, Kris…we can’t just do that…”

“Why not? I mean, you’re together 24/7 anyway.”

“Do you want me to leave you guys? Plus, we haven’t made anything official.” Luhan doesn’t know why he’s dodging Kris’s comment like this. He wants to say Yes! Minseok and I should live together! But some part of him still wants Kris to think that he’s not as in-love as they both know he is.

“Just a thought,” Kris throws a sock at him “You left these on the couch the other day, lover boy. Gross.”

“Sorry!” Luhan removes the sock from his shoulder and waves it at Kris until he leaves the room. Then, tossing the sock into the laundry basket, he checks his phone hoping for a text from Minseok. And, to his delight, there is one.

Kind of random but, do you want to go for a walk?

-M

Luhan thinks for a moment, considering his schedule, and then responds with an enthusiastic yes. He then changes into something more acceptable and brushes his hair before settling down in the main room and waiting for Minseok to get there as they had planned over text.  Two quiet knocks signal his arrival and Luhan answers the door. There is Minseok, standing on the doormat in a much-too-large jacket and a slouchy hat. They hug in greeting, and then Luhan closes up the house behind them before they go.

Minseok has plans for where they should go and so the taller just follows him. They hold hands on the subway and then walk through downtown, stopping to take pictures by the fountain and to feed the birds in the park. Soon Luhan has to ask: where are we going?

You’ll see. Minseok smiles a mischievous smile and raises one eyebrow slightly. He has something in mind, Luhan can tell. What it is he has no idea. They turn towards the bay area of town and walk down a side road that curves toward the cold, green-blue river. It’s peaceful here, just the sounds from the motor boats and the chilly wind that bites at their noses. Minseok zips up his jacket and tugs his hat over his ears, and then turns to Luhan to make sure that he is warm enough. He is, and they continue on their way.

By the bridge, Minseok steers them abruptly to the right, across a stretch of grass, and to a well-hidden gap in the fence that separates the grassy area and road from the river bank. To Luhan’s surprise there is a concrete stairway leading down, under the bridge. Minseok beckons and they walk down, clutching the hand rail, to a small outcropping with a park bench that seems perfect for two people to sit and watch the river.

When things got really bad I used to come down here and watch the river until I felt better. Nice, isn’t it?

Luhan nods and settles on the bench, and Minseok comes and sits beside him. Their knees bump and Luhan places his hand on top of Minseok’s, and they watch the river swirl by for several minutes. A fishing boat passes, the captain waving to them from his place at the wheel, and a bird calls from somewhere perched in the rafters of the bridge.

The wind ruffles Luhan’s hair and he wishes that he had a hat. He cuddles closer to his companion who turns to smile at him, the corners of his eyes turning up in a genuine grin. Luhan smiles back and he is suddenly aware of how close their faces are to each other, how easy it would be to just lean in and kiss Minseok. Acting on a whim, he closes his eyes, leans forward slightly, and to his delight he feels Minseok’s palm on the small of his back, pulling them closer together and into a perfect kiss.

After a minute or two the kiss subsides into a long hug. Minseok rests his chin on Luhan’s shoulder, his face buried Luhan’s his neck. Luhan breathes in the scent of his minty shampoo and feels at rest. Minseok is a ball of warmth and he forgets about the chill of the wind and his wish for a hat. The smaller boy sits up slightly, blinking at Luhan with long-lashed eyes, and smiles again. You’re a good kisser, he writes, do you kiss people often?

Luhan shakes his head. It was only my second time kissing someone, he admits. The other time was in grade school.

Oh! Minseok giggles a little, It was my second time as well, although my first was with Jongdae on the playground when I was five, so it doesn’t count. Luhan reads the responds and snorts with laughter and the two of them crack up, clutching their sides. It’s a purely happy moment.

Do you want to go back to my place? Minseok asks after a bit and Luhan nods his head vigorously. Now that they’re not hugging he’s getting chilly again. They look around at the scenery for a minute more and then stand, evacuating the location as quickly as they had came. A taxi seems like the best way to get back to the house, and so they split the deal with Luhan doing the talking and Minseok doing the paying. The driver doesn’t try to make conversation, which is good because neither of his passengers want to do any talking at the moment.

Back in Minseok’s apartment Luhan checks the time, and Minseok suggests that they might cook something for dinner. It sounds like a good idea- neither of them are great at cooking but they are both sure that if they work together something tasty might come out of it. Looking at the assortment of food items in the fridge and the cabinet, which isn’t a lot, it seems to both of them that the best bet may be to go to the store and buy the fixings for the meal that they choose.

I’m not really in the mood for anything in particular, what about you? Minseok leans on the counter, pencil behind his ear.

How about we choose a recipe based on how fun it sounds to cook? Luhan suggests. Like…cake. It’s not really ‘dinner’, but I made a roll cake once.

I’ve never had roll cake. It’s worth a try! Minseok rummages around in the cabinets to see if he has any flour, which he doesn’t. Milk and eggs are already in the fridge, but the rest will have to come from the store. With the help of a recipe on the internet, they create a shopping list and head out yet again.

The corner store the next street over provides everything that they need. They pick up everything on the list plus fresh strawberries and some food color as a bonus. From the way that Luhan’s bubblegum-haired companion is looking around Luhan can tell that he has many memories with this place, and he gives him a little time to look before they buy the groceries.

The clerk-ahjussi at the counter studies them as he puts their items in the bag “Are you two brothers?”

Luhan laughs a little bit “Oh, no…no. Friends.”

“Mmm…” the ahjussi nods “Keep your friendship. Close friendships are to be treasured.”

“We will,” Luhan smiles over at his companion “Thank you.”

The sun has begun to go down by the time