Hearts can break.

Yes, hearts can break.

Sometimes I think it would be better

If we died when they did,

But we don’t

Hearts in Atlantis –Stephen King

Step 1: De-tangling Lose Strings

                Lu Han wakes up with a bounce in his step. It’s not so much because the floor is cold and he has to walk on them barefoot. Today marks Day One of ‘Lu Han is going to get some’ or whatever he’d be able to get. The title sounds lame but Lu Han doesn’t really have time to care about things like that when he had bigger things ahead of him.

                Kyung Soo doesn’t miss the odd smile on Lu Han’s face when he entered their small kitchen. The latter was dressed to the nines, hair swept up to show his forehead and looking like he’s about to go to someone’s movie premiere. “Did you win premiere tickets to that movie… Back to 20’s was it?”

                “What?” Lu Han is still smiling like an idiot munching on a star cereal.

                “That Chinese movie adaptation with that popular guy from a boy band named after a planet…”

                Lu Han shakes his head no. He hasn’t checked movies since his failed attempt at dating a few months after he moved here. Maybe he should start now just in case.

                “Where are you going then?” Kyung Soo is curious. His housemate has been cooped up in his room for an entire week now. So seeing him all upbeat makes him suspicious.

                “Min Seok-ssi doesn’t have a shift today, right?”

                “Yeah… It’s his off but usually he has a class—“ A sheet of paper with a schedule was waved in front of Kyung Soo’s face interrupting him mid-sentence.

                “I already know those things…”

                “Hyung, that’s absolutely illegal… It counts as stealing.”

                “Of course not, his boss gave it to me…”

                “Joon Myeon wouldn’t give you anything. He prides himself in being righteous. It’s impossible for him to just hand that over, unless…” Kyung Soo’s eyes grew bigger than its normal size. “Hyung, you did not—“

                “Desperate times calls for desperate measures, Kyungie-ya… And it’s a double date. It’s not like you’re going to be left alone with Joon Myun-ssi. Not that I think you mind being alone with him, I heard you moa—“

                Kyung Soo doesn’t need to speak for Lu Han to know he’d probably lose a limb if he continues what he’s about to say so he just casually smiles his beatific smile. “In front of Ilsan Stadium at 4pm later… But Joon Myeon would probably pick you up so, I’ll see you…”

                The younger doesn’t budge. Eyes still intent on murder. He should probably be really scared by now but the prospect of a date with his favourite barista makes that a miniscule of a worry.

                “I hope Min Seok-hyung says no to you…”

                “If he does then you’re going to be alone with Daddy Short Legs…”

                Kyung Soo stalks off but not without kicking Lu Han in the shin. That’s going to bruise and Kyung Soo is happy to leave a mark.

~o~

                All this time Lu Han thought that the world is small, he didn’t know it could be smaller. Turns out his baozi is studying at the same university as he is just in a different department, on a different building just a few blocks away from his. Drama clichés aside, he feels so lucky today. Everything’s going his way and his positive he’d be able to do what he’s planning to do smoothly.

                He can’t wait to inform Min Seok that he has an extra ticket for the most awaited soccer match of the century (he is exaggerating, ignore him). It’s not Man U or Liverpool but it’s a very important game still, so it equates to that. The earlier incident on how he was able to acquire the tickets was a bit weird. Finding out who Yue Lao Wannabe from the Under the Moon chat room was a bit anti-climactic.

                He isn’t expecting anything grand but getting the tickets from the same lanky who’s been engraving Min Seok’s name on a stone is a bit unnerving. So he’s actually not there to monopolize his baozi but it’s odd that he’s there to help. Well at least now he has a face to the person that he’s been chatting with. Maybe this time they could plot everything together. Or maybe not, the guy still looks suspicious.

                The architecture building is in view of his own International Relations building. He just needs to wait a few more minutes for Min Seok’s class to be over. He feels nervous about all this, there is a possibility that Min Seok would say no and he’d make a fool of himself but he can do it a thousand times over. He already did it before and he will do it again like every lifetimes before this. It’s crazy thinking about it like this. But most of those lifetimes he wasn’t aware of it. He isn’t aware of how important it is. Now that he is, he’s not going to wait another lifetime.

                “Lu Han-ssi?”

                He perks up hearing that voice. This is it, Lu Han. This is your lifetime in a minute.

                “It is Lu Han-ssi, right? You study here?” Min Seok walks a little closer, looking at Lu Han with curiosity.

                “Oh, Hi Min Seok-ssi… I’m yeah… Here, study…”

                Kim Min Seok smiles and it renders the already tongue-tide Lu Han even more tongue-tied. He panics, how to go through with this if he can’t even speak properly.

                “Tickets… You have tickets in your hand…” Someone whispers to him.

                Lu Han jumps a foot away, WTF??

                “Your friend… The guy with the dimples… Just passed by…” Kim Min Seok would now officially think he’s insane. And that he hangs out with weird people.

                “I’m… He’s not my friend. He’s ermmm…” Helping me get laid. Lu Han clears his throat. “I’m… Are you free this afternoon? I mean… Ihavesoccerticketsinhandandthere’sagameat4pmtodayandIheardyou’reabigsoccerfanandIamtooandyoumightbe—“

                “I lost you after you said afternoon…”

                “Oh…”

                “Breathe, start over… I don’t bite… No unless necessary…”

                “You can bite… It’s okay with me…” Lu Han face palms, literally. He can’t believe he just said that out loud. Today is a bad time to be stupid. He needs to stitch his mouth shut.

                Min Seok laughs. Kim Min Seok is laughing (at him?) Is this a bad thing? Lu Han zones out, fascinated by how small and cute and pretty Kim Min Seok’s teeth are. He could wax poetic about those teeth. He wants to take a picture of it and put it in a frame. “Your teeth are really pretty…”

                Kim Min Seok stops laughing; Lu Han wish he was a puddle. “Thank you, ermmmm for the compliment on my teeth. I really should be going, there’s a soccer game I wanted to see. I’m not sure if they’re still selling tickets. But I’ taking my chance…”

                Opening! He believes in the gods now. “I have tickets… for today’s game. I’m… I was going to ask you…”

                Kim Min Seok smiles his gummy smile, wider this time. More gums than teeth, if that’s humanly possible.

                Lu Han free falls.

a/n: Hi~ lol. Yes I decided to continue this, the follow up post might take longer but I won't give up on this so yeah... Thank you for your patience~