Bc Minseok in a cafe is too manly to be true >_< (and kind of related with this oneshot XD)

 

Home Is Where the Heart Is

 

 

 

 

A/N: I just want to precise something before you begin your reading! In my idea, Minseok did learn mandarin and he understands it quite well if it's not too fast. He only has difficulties to make proper sentences on his own in an acceptable rhythm because he didn't have any occasion to practice it back in Korea. Thanks for your understanding! :D

---

 

Lost in a city too big for him, a young man looks all around like if he’s never seen a city before. His big eyes wander from one skyscraper to another, the bright neon signs nearly blinding him. It’s already nighttime, but he’s wide awake. His embarrassing suitcase behind him, he tries to make his way through the compact night population of Beijing. He has wanted to come to China for years and there he is, lost on his way to his hotel. He could have been mad or terrified for that, but he is not. Instead, his big eyes shine under the nearly unnecessary streetlamps and his smile could have melted down the biggest glacier ever. He is realising his dream: see China with his own eyes, and if possible, restart a whole new life there.

 

When he bought his plane ticket, he chose a one-way trip. He has money in a bank account, just in case, but he doesn’t want to use it. When he talked with his mom about his decision, she did not want him to go, but finally agreed because she knew her son was a determined and a resourceful person: she had no doubts he would fulfill his dream, as he always wanted. In his suitcase are the only possessions he brought with him: some clothes, essentials hygiene products, his EXO CDs and DVDs and a few photos. He has planned to stay at the hotel for a few days, but find somewhere to stay permanantly was now his ultimate goal.

 

His stomach brings him back to Earth. Too impressed by the unknown environment, Minseok forgot his vital needs. He lowers his gaze in order to find a nice place to eat, a cheap one, preferably. He spots a small coffee shop crammed in between two overpriced-looking boutiques. When he reaches the shop, he is slightly breathless: the amount of people on the streets at this hour is impressive.

 

He takes place near the window of the cafe, his large suitcase blocking a part of the way. A waiter is prompt to come by his table and take his order. Minseok thinks the man talks with a slight accent, but he pushes the thought aside, thinking that his knowledge of Mandarin is too low to tell precisely. The nametag on the waiter’s uniform reads “Chen” and that is definitely a Chinese name. Minseok uses the best of his knowledge in Mandarin to order his favourite coffee and a sandwich and the waiter seems to find it quite endearing to see him struggle with his words. He doesn’t comment, though, and Minseok is quite thankful for that.

 

The waiter soon comes back with his order and Minseok thanks him with a smile. Then, he takes out the map he found at the airport and his IPod, playing his song of the moment: Thunder by Exo-M. The map contains too much information to see the streets names precisely and it frustrates Minseok, because he can’t event tell where he is right now. He doesn’t know if he has to go left or right when he will leave this cozy coffee shop. Now he starts to feel the fright he should have felt a few hours earlier. What if he has to sleep on the streets like itinerants?

 

He jumps when the waiter arrives near his table again.

 

“Is everything alright, sir?” The man asks, and Minseok stares at him in shock for a second, because he did not notice earlier, too preoccupied with stuffing food in his stomach, but the waiter looks exactly like EXO’s Kim Jongdae and Kim Jongdae is Minseok’s favourite artist of all times.

 

Minseok blinks and quickly takes off his earphones, clearing his throat. “I think I am lost” he starts in his broken Mandarin. “Where am I?” He uses basics sentences to make sure he doesn’t say anything inappropriate and points out the map in front of him.

 

The waiter takes a look at it and points out a zone Minseok thought was at the opposite of where he actually went. He curses in Korean and ruffles his hair. “And where is the Y. hotel?” The waiter points another zone, but surprisingly, it’s closer than how Minseok feared it would be. “Thank you” Minseok thanks the man, but the other seems to hesitate besides his table.

 

“I can take you there after my work is over.” The man offers and it takes Minseok by surprise. Kim Jongdae’s doppelganger is offering to walk him to his hotel. What is going on?!

 

“I do not want to disturb you, sir. I can’t accept.” Minseok kindly refuses, embarrassed by the generous offer.

 

“I insist, sir. I wouldn’t want you to get into trouble during your trip. And the hotel is on my way home so it will not cause any problem.” The waiter smiles and Minseok feels his reluctance melt.

 

“Okay.” Minseok finally agrees, only because he would be crazy to refuse the help he absolutely needed. And also because this waiter is too cute for his liking.

 

The waiter smiles again and adds “My shifts ends in 45 minutes.” He is gone before Minseok has time to react.

 

Minseok listens to his IPod while he waits for his guide to end his work. Now that he doesn’t need to study his map anymore, he takes a good look at the waiter. He is clearly not a debutant and moves around the shop and behind the counter like someone would do at home. His interactions with the customers are polite yet friendly and Minseok surely did not miss the way he was interacting with his workmates, especially with the tall black-haired barista. Both of them make coffee, talking quietly and a part of Minseok’s brain flashes him images of EXO, because the two workers look so much like their members that it’s disturbing. He would not admit it out loud, but the EXO fanservice is Minseok’s favourite thing to look at [after his collection of photos of Kim Jongdae] and having a “live role-play” made him want to write it all down and them up on paper.

 

Soon, the waiter is ready to go and makes a sign towards the lost traveler. Minseok leaves a little of his freshly converted money on the table before he grabs his suitcase and follow the other outside.

 

 

 

They walk side by side for a moment before the man talks.

 

“My name is Chen, by the way. What’s yours?” His tone is casual.

 

“Minseok. Oh, and thanks for showing me the way.”

 

“It’s nothing, I assure you. I have to go that way anyways. So, what brings you to Beijing, Minseok?”

 

Minseok looks at him with his eyes wide open. First, because he called him by his name so easily it was scary. Second because Minseok just realised Chen was casually conversing with him in Korean.

 

“What?” Chen asks when he notices the look Minseok is sending him.

 

“You speak Korean?” Minseok’s tone is surprised.

 

“Well, I am Korean after all. It would be strange if I didn’t, wouldn’t it?” A half-smile linger on his lips and Minseok does not know if he wants to hit him for not telling him earlier or kiss him for being so kind and cute. “My parents and I moved when I was 10 and we changed our names to integrate into the Chinese lifestyle.” That explained the accent.

 

“Oh. You are lucky.” Minseok wished his parents had done the same.

 

“Yeah. So, why are you here?”

 

“Move to and live in China has always been my dream, so here I am.”

 

“Wow! That’s awesome! It takes a lot of courage to leave a whole life behind and start from nothing.” Chen smiles and he sounds so sincere that Minseok can’t contradict him, so he only nods. “We’re here. The hotel is just there, across the street. Give me your phone.”

 

Minseok is reluctant to give him his phone, because his desktop wallpaper is the best photo of Kim Jongdae ever and Chen resembles Kim Jongdae so much it would be awkward if he saw the photo. Seeing that Chen is not going to abandon the idea, Minseok sighs and hands out his phone. Chen grabs it and once he sees the photo he says: “Wow, you like EXO too! Aren’t they too good to be real?!” Minseok is reassured by Chen’s reaction. At least he would not have to explain why the guy on his phone looked exactly like him.

 

Chen gives him back his phone and get his out when it rings, not even a second after. It’s a text. “Now we have each other’s number, so don’t be afraid to call if you get lost again or if you want to hang out.” His tone is teasing. “You can pass by the cafe too. I spend all my time there anyways.”

 

“I’ll make sure to call. Thank you.”

 

“Goodnight, Minseok.”

 

“Goodnight”

 

Minseok takes a moment to watch him leave. Was it a miracle or just a mere coincidence that made him meet such a man? Minseok had never been the lucky type of person, but he now likes to believe that moving to China was not his worst idea after all.

 

That night, finally safe in his hotel bed, he looks at his newly saved contact. ‘Kim Jongdae’s doppelganger Chenchen’ was the name Chen used for himself. Minseok never liked a contact name as much as he did right now.

 

 

~~~

 

 

Minseok spends the next few days out running all around the city to find an apartment or a room to rent. The first morning, he gathered all his courage to send a text to Chen, asking where he could find a good map of his surroundings. The latter’s answer was highly unhelpful since he didn’t need a map himself, but he tried his best to describe the way so Minseok could at least know which direction take to reach his destinations. It helped a bit, but Minseok still needed double the time it would have normally taken for a native.

 

After only a few visits, Minseok realised he couldn’t afford to live alone in the capital. The rents were too high for a still unemployed boy like him, so he tried looking for collocations instead. For four days, he made calls, met strange and scary people in need of a roommate, asked for help in specialized agencies, but nothing was to his liking (not that he could allow himself to be picky, but really, those places were not suitable for normal human beings!)

 

It’s a little after nighttime on the fourth day that Minseok goes back to the coffee shop where he first met Chen. He sits himself near the window again and Chen is quick to approach his table with a light smile.

 

“Hey! Did you find something interesting?” Minseok has told Chen about his research for an apartment since they have been exchanging texts since the map question. “Do I bring you something? Latte, was it?”

 

“Hm, yes latte, please.” Minseok feels bashful for a moment. Chen remembered his usual order after only one time. How was he supposed to interpret that?

 

“Zitao! A latte please!” Chen yells at the tall black-haired barista Minseok saw the other night and sits at Minseok’s table, facing him. “So, anything interesting?” He seems really concerned.

 

“Nope, nothing. This is so frustrating! How can anyone accept to leave in a 16m² room that has the rent of a 100m² one?” Minseok rigorously scratched the back of his head.

 

“Welcome to Beijing” Chen’s tone tells him that he totally understands what he means. “Hey, want me to ask some friends? Maybe they know someone who needs a roommate.” Once again, Chen’s offer takes Minseok by surprise. Was he like this with everybody?

 

“That would help me a lot! I can’t refuse. Thanks, Chen.” Minseok accepts nonetheless, because he really needs to find somewhere to live before he burns all his money on hotel rooms and restaurant meals.

 

Zitao brings his coffee at that exact moment and the latter makes a discrete sign to Chen to come back to work, the latter only nodds before he turns back to Minseok.

 

“I need to get back to work now. Will you be able to find your way back?”

 

“Haha. I’ll manage, thank you.”

 

Minseok stays there for around an hour, sipping his coffee and watching Chen work with his usual ease. Lost in his thoughts, he did not notice the smiles Chen was sending him, but it will only be a matter of time before the fact catches his attention.

 

 

 

 

By lunchtime the following day, Minseok receives a text form Chen saying that one of his friend is currently searching for a fourth roommate. Yes, a fourth, but the apartment has a kitchen and two rooms, which was a rare encounter with university students. Minseok agrees to meet the said friend the same night. He spends the rest of the day continuing his researches with a little excitation in his stomach. What if Chen had found him the perfect place?

 

When he reaches the coffee shop, Chen is already seated with another guy. He joins them and Chen introduces him to the other: Zhang Yixing, dance major at the nearby university and, inevitably, Chen’s best friend.

 

They talk for a moment. Yixing is a nice guy, Minseok decides. He talks quietly, seems a little bit off, but is definitively a sweet little thing. The dancer describes the apartment and the other guys who live with him and Minseok is more and more interested in the offer. Chen, who’s already been there a few times, can only agree with Yixing in his descriptions. Minseok believes that if Chen thinks it’s a good place, then he should give it a try.

 

Soon, Yixing and Minseok are walking to the apartment, which is, Yixing says, at a reasonable distance from the university, Chen’s place and the coffee shop. Yixing opens the door and calls the other to meet him.

 

The first one to enter the kitchen is a rather tall and well-built guy, but his face contradicts all the manly feelings the rest of his presence projects. “What is it, Xing? You are late…” the guy starts, but interrupts himself when he sees Minseok. The second after, his palms are squishing Minseok’s cheeks and he’s talking so fast that Minseok does not understand what he’s babbling. 

 

“Calm down, Luhan. You’ll scare him and he won’t want to say with us.” Yixing pushes the guy, Luhan, away from Minseok. “And talk slower if you want him to understand.”

 

“Stay with us? Talk slower? Who is this, Xing? Who are you, cute little bun?”

 

“Kim Minseok. Nice to meet you.” Minseok bows politely, a bit embarrassed by Luhan calling him a cute bun. Luhan hears the accent and recognizes his name as Korean and a tiny light of understanding flashes in his eyes.

 

While Luhan was trying to press the life out of Minseok’s cheeks, another guy has entered the kitchen. He was tall and his face was a little scary, too solemn.

 

“Guys, this is Minseok, a friend of Chen. He’s looking for a place to stay and since we are searching for someone too… Minseok, this is Luhan and Yifan.” Minseok bows politely again. “Come with me, I’ll show you around.”

 

The apartment is small so there is not much to show. The place may not be spacious, but there’s a feeling that tells Minseok that he won’t find another place like this. When he announces his decision to the others, they seem to be really satisfied. They communicate him some important things to know, like the monthly rent and some rules in the block.

 

Later in his hotel bed, Minseok sends a text to Chen. I’m moving in tomorrow. Thanks!!! I owe you one.  D:  ^_^. The answer came in only a few minutes later. How about you treat me to a meal as a payback? Minseok really did have to get used to Chen’s forwardness.

 

They agree on a place and time and wish goodnight. It is already late and both of them have a lot of stuff to do in the morning. However, Minseok can’t get the thought out of his head: Chen did ask him out. Well, he forced Minseok to treat him to a meal, but it means they will be together, eating and chatting like a couple would. There again, was he acting like this with all his friends? They did not know each other enough for Minseok to be able to tell for sure.

 

~~~

 

The next morning, Minseok happily throws his discarded clothes in his abandoned suitcase. He will finally leave his stuffy hotel room and its artificial comfort. He wonders how all his stuff entered there in the first place and once he succeeds in zipping the luggage up, he lets out a satisfied breath out. He checks out at the main desk of the establishment and after seeing the bill, he makes a mental note to properly thank Chen once again for finding him somewhere to live.

 

On his way to his new home, Minseok can’t help but to look around him like he’s done when he first came to Beijing. However, his steps feel lighter, as if his body knew he was currently accomplishing his biggest dream. He easily reaches the door to the apartment, but as he turns the doorknob, he realises that it’s locked. And that Yixing forgot to give him his key the previous night.

 

A gush of panic runs through his veins. Is he going to wait there until someone come home? What if he waits there and someone calls the police thinking he’s a weirdo? Minseok takes a few deep breaths and then remembers that someone mentioned that Yifan was supposed to be home all day. Reassured, he knocks.

 

Silence.

 

He knocks again and waits. Still no answer. Damn, is Yifan out already? It was still quite early in the morning and Yifan didn’t seem like an “early” kind of guy. He’s surely still in bed. But Minseok wants to get in, so he knocks and knocks again until he hears the door unlock.

 

A massive aura of fury surrounds Yifan when politely opens the door.

 

“What?” His tone is cold as compressed liquid nitrogen. Minseok shifts uneasily on his feet.

 

“Hi, hm, you forgot to give me a key yesterday so…”

 

“Who the ar… oh! Right, Chen’s boyfriend. Come in.” Yifan finally remembers him.

 

“Hm… Chen’s not my… We’re not…” So Chen did like boys after all. Minseok does not quite know how to react to Yifan’s statement.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Tell that to others. You’re the first friend he ever introduced to us. And God knows he has a load of friends. Why would he help you out that much if he didn’t want to get in your pants?” Yifan brushes off Minseok’s justification while walking away to their small kitchen. He was awake anyways; why not use this occasion to eat a little before going back to bed?

 

Yifan’s deduction is making sense. And Minseok internally wishes he’s right. He feels his cheeks heat a little at the thought and tries to ignore it by taking his suitcase to his new shared-room in order to finally make official his moving to China.

 

He decides to stay home today. He deserved a break from running all around the city. Home. It’s such a strange feeling call home a place he still barely knows. He would have to get used to it. He wonders how much time it would take.

 

Minseok is rooming with Luhan, he notices as he unpacks his messy suitcase. The clothes and random objects are manly, but some of them are suspiciously pink, purple and cute. What is going on in this guy’s head? Minseok decides he’ll give him a chance. Who knows, maybe he could befriend him and everything.

 

Minseok also uses his holy free time to chat with Yifan. He learns that the tall guy is actually a psychology major graduating soon and that he has known Chen from Yixing who has known him from high school and that all of them go out sometimes to dance or eat. Yifan, despite his cold image, is surprisingly easy to talk to and understanding towards Minseok’s struggling with expressing himself in mandarin.

 

By the end of the afternoon, Minseok is relatively at ease around Yifan. He is asking him where to start his researches for a stable job when the door opens and Luhan almost throws himself on his back, giggling happily.

 

“How was your day, cute little Baozi?”

 

“Cu…? Baozi? What? Can you repeat slower please?” Minseok asks, confused. Luhan laughs and ruffles his hair.

 

“I said: how was your day, cute little Baozi?” Luhan smiles and Minseok can’t do anything but like him at the moment.

 

“Oh, hm, good, I guess. And yours?”

 

“It was so long! I almost came back to see how you were doing! But Xing made me change my mind when he said we would spend the night all together!” Luhan is so expressive. It’s heart-warming.

 

“Guys, what do you want to eat for dinner?” Yixing asks from the fridge he’s looking into. Minseok didn’t notice him before. He’s that kind of guy, discrete and caring.

 

“Actually” Minseok answers, “ I could cook you a korean dish, you know, as a way to tank you for taking me in and everything.”

 

“Oh! It’s been such a long time since I ate Korean food! Do you want me to help you?” Luhan is prompt to accept.

 

“Na, it’s okay. It’s a simple dish. It won’t take long. But thanks for the offer.”

 

And as Minseok starts preparing the ingredients, Luhan sits near him to engage a simple conversation. In the end, Luhan helped him prepare the dish. Not that Minseok cared. The guy was funny and easygoing. How to refuse help from such a cute human being?

 

The four of them spend the night around the kitchen table, chatting, playing cards and sipping beer. Minseok had friends back in Korea, but never has he spent an evening so relaxing and carefree. He secretly hoped that things wouldn’t change. If that was what home felt like, he was ready to stay like that for the rest of his life.

 

~~~

 

On Sunday, Minseok is still unemployed. The doorbell awakes the small Korean. Who on Earth visits people so early in the morning? he grumbles. But then he looks at his phone for the time and the clock shows 11:37AM. Already? He sighs and rolls out of bed. He had spent the two/three previous days looking for a job and it seems like his long escapades have tired him.

 

He totally forgets the doorbell just rang and gets out of his room in his pyjamas bottom, his head sporting an impressive bed-hair style. He’s yawning gracelessly and scratching his head and tummy when someone salutes him.

 

“Good morning, Minseok” The voice is clear and horridly familiar. Chen.

 

Minseok turns around and slams his door behind him. He was not mentally ready to find Chen in his kitchen right after waking up. And obviously not physically ready either. He hears laughter in the kitchen. At least, Chen did not take badly his strange behaviour. He gets out a few minutes after with a t-shirt on and his hair a little bit less messy.

 

Chen is sitting in front of a cup of coffee with Yixing.

 

Of course Chen is allowed to visit his best friend when he wants, right? Minseok almost forgot that the two of them knew each other before he knew any of them. It must be a week of non-stop running everywhere that started to affect his poor brain.

 

“Good morning” Minseok grumbles and heads right to the old coffee machine in the corner of the kitchen. Maybe coffee would kick some self-control into him because Chen smiling and joking with Yixing has a weird effect on his stomach. He inhales the bitter aroma of the drink with a satisfied look on his face before he joins the two at the table. “Where are Kris and Luhan?”

 

“Kris has a date with… I don’t remember his name this time” Yixing answers him, laughing at his poor memory. “And Lu went out to play soccer with some friends.”

 

“Oh, yeah, right. I member he told me last night. I wanted to tag along but seems like I slept in…! Anyways, Chen, why are you here so early? I thought we were meeting at 1.”

 

“Well I was afraid you’d get lost on your way there” Chen teases him and Minseok pouts and hits him lightly.

 

“Yah! Quit it! I’m used to the neighbourhood now!”

 

“I know, I know! I was joking! I just thought I’d drop by to see Xing a little. It’s been a long time you know, with his classes and my work.”

 

Minseok nods and keeps quiet. As he watches Chen and Yixing chat and update each other on random anecdotes, Minseok remembers in a flash that he still didn’t contact his mother. More than a week in a totally foreign country and no sign of life, she would be dying for some news of his only son. He silently excuses himself from the table and barricades himself in his room.

 

“Hi mom~!” he chirps when the communication is on.

 

“Minseok!? How are you? Is everything okay? I was so worried! Almost two weeks and still no news! Did you find somewhere to live? Did someone try to hurt you? Answer me!”

 

“Mom! Calm down would you? I can’t speak if you keep exciting yourself like that!” Minseok laughs because now that he thinks about it, he kindda missed her. Hearing his voice warmed his heart.

 

“Sorry, Honey. Now, tell me!”

 

Minseok does just that. He tells her how he got lost on his first day and how Chen helped him finding his way. He told her how he found this minuscule but cozy apartment, how he was still unemployed. He speaks and time flies without him noticing. It’s only when someone screams through the apartment that they were leaving that Minseok remembers that he has other plans for the day.

 

“Sorry mom, I have to go. Chen forced me to treat him to a meal since he found me somewhere to live. I’ll call you later okay?”

 

“It’s okay, Minnie. Have fun on your date!”

 

“Mooom! It’s not a date!” Kris and now his mom? Why does everyone think there’s something more between them? Not that Minseok would complain but…

 

“Of course it is! Treat him well! Bye, son!” Moms know.

 

She hung up before he could answer anything else. With a shrug he abandons his phone on his bed and changes into casual but clean looking clothes. He wouldn’t want to look dirty on a first date, would he?

 

About half an hour later, Chen and Minseok are walking to a restaurant where Chen has insisted to go because “the food’s so good your tongue will refuse to touch anything else after.” It’s a good point.

 

Their walk is punctuated by Chen chatting as it seemes that this guy isn’t able to close his mouth for more than five seconds straight. Not that it matters that much: Minseok is the quiet type so Chen’s rambling only compensates for his own lack of words. It’ pleasant though, having someone talking to you as if you were the only one and nothing else mattered.

 

They had just crossed a main street in downtown Beijing when something catches Chen’s attention.

 

“, , !” Chen panics. “Not her!! Please, just hold my hand and play the game, okay? I’ll explain after!” He then quickly grabs Minseok’s hand and entwines their fingers. He barely has time to do so that a high-pitched voice calls his name. He flinches at the sound.

 

“Chen!! Hiii! How are you!?” From the crowd emerges a short longhaired girl. She is prettily dressed and her face isn’t that bad either with her big bright eyes, Minseok evaluates.

 

“Lilin, hi! What are you doing here?” Chen asks with a fake tensed smile on. Minseok wonders what’s going on.

 

“I went out with a friend to do some shopping, you know. There are a lot of sales and I thought ‘why not, I need new shoes anyways.’ So here I am, and I fall on you, I had no other choice that to salute you, no? ……” If Minseok believes Chen talked a lot, this girl is 10000 times worse.

 

She’s not even interesting. Minseok thinks, refraining from rolling his eyes. This is when the girl seems to notice him.

 

“Oh, Chen, who is this?” The girl asks with fake interest.

 

“Lilin, this is my boyfriend, Minseok. Minseok, this is Lilin, a friend of mine.” Chen introduces them. Minseok’s stomach does a roll, but he plays the game just as Chen asked him to.

 

“Nice to meet you, Lilin.” And he smiles and extends his hand for her to shake.

 

“Oh” the girl said, shaking the hand offered to her. She seems taken aback by the ‘relation’ between them. Maybe she just had a little too much hope. Or maybe she was stuck on the false idea that Chen might like her back because he was a little friendly. Too bad, girl. “I’ll just leave the two of you alone then. Sorry for interrupting. See you later.”

 

And with that, she is gone. Chen relaxes. Minseok didn’t notice he was so tensed. They resume their walk to the restaurant, naturally still holding hands.

 

“So, who was she?”

 

“It was Lilin. We worked together a few years ago and she keeps hitting on me even if I tell her I’m not interested! Man, I even kissed a random girl so she would leave me alone and she keeps coming back!”

 

“Wow. She’s… quite persistent.”

 

“She’s a real stalker you mean! I see her everywhere I go and it’s like she has radars or something! I can’t escape. Sorry I brought you into the story though. You were kind of my last resort. Still, I’m glad she bought the salad…”

 

“Ahaha. It’s okay. I’m happy to be the one to help you this time! You’ll have to treat me to a meal to thank me” Minseok replied jokingly. In a way, he is quite reassured that Chen doesn’t have any real interests in that girl. It would save him from killing her…

 

“Ahaha, yeah. Now, come. We’re here.”

 

And there they are. The restaurant, rather small but flashy seems to attract all the high school students of the city. Minseok raises an incredulous eyebrow at Chen.

 

“This is your oh-so-holy restaurant? A snack bar?”

 

“Hey! Don’t look at me like that! This place is awesome! I spent hours here with Xing in high school. Their music is cool and you MUST try their french-fries!”

 

“And I thought we were going to an actual restaurant.” Minseok half-smiles.

 

“This IS an actual restaurant! Besides, I know you still have no job so I wouldn’t want you to spend all your money on expensive crap, would I?” Chen winks and holds the door for Minseok to enter before him. Such a gentleman. Minseok hides his embarrassment by quickly entering the shop.

 

What surprises him the most is that the place is pleasant, just as Chen told him it was. He thought they would have to yell at each other because of the music and chatting noises, but at the contrary, those kids speak quietly and soon enough, Minseok is at ease in his old yellow-greenish wall seat.

 

As they eat, Minseok finds himself laughing freely at Chen’s antics. He is usually the reserved type, but Chen’s playful energy is contagious and Minseok feels just like that: playful and full of energy. And those french-fries definitely are the best crap he ever ate! He kicks Chen for not showing him this place earlier.

 

After their lunch, Chen decides to show him the best places to hang out in the neighbourhood. They walk almost all the afternoon. They are in a park surrounding a small artificial lake when Chen’s phone starts to ring. He doesn’t answer at first but the caller is insistent and on the third time, Chen finally picks up.

 

“Hello? Xing? What’s up?… Oh okay………No… Yes, I’ll bring him back safely... Ciao.” And he hung up. “It was your Yixing-mama” He announces. “He said he tried to call you but you left your phone at home. So he called me instead. He wanted to know if you were coming back for dinner. And I said you weren’t.”

 

“I am not?” Minseok doesn’t know what is going on.

 

“Nope! I still have plenty of places to show you. And I owe you a dinner, no?”

 

“Hm, oh, yeah. Where are we going next?” He asks in an attempt to contain the excitation he feels when he understands Chen just want to stay with him a little longer.

 

“I still haven’t decided. We’ll walk and see if we pass across something interesting.” He vaguely answers, as he was about to shove his phone back into his pocket. He changes his mind at the last second. “Hey, wanna know who’s my favourite EXO member?! Since I know yours is Kim Jongdae!”

 

“I bet it’s Kris. Or Kai. Or Sehun. I’m sure you have a thing for tall and classy men.” Minseok replies and hit him in the shoulder.

 

“Well, I could. But no.” And he places his phone right in front of Minseok’s face, showing him his wallpaper. Xiumin. “It’s Xiumin. His big eyes are so cute and he can be so damn y when he wants to. In a way, he reminds me of you.” Chen grins besides his phone screen. Minseok blushes for real, this time.

 

Minseok doesn’t reply anything, too surprised, delighted. Chen then ruffles his hair and pulls him by the hand to another random destination. Minseok is at ease. Surprisingly, Chen keeps quiet for a moment, seeing that Minseok is lost in his thoughts and wouldn’t listen to him anyways.

 

In Minseok’s head were re-playing his memories of all the times he has wanted to move to China. And now, he finds himself in the country of his desires, walking hand in hand with another guy, a kind and perfect Korean looking exactly like his idol and wonders how in the world he ended there.

 

He doesn’t regret his decision. Not at all.

 

They say ‘Home Is Where the Heart Is.’ At that exact moment, Minseok knows that his heart feels at home here. He found unique friends, a roof to hide during stormy nights, but most importantly he met Chen.

 

 

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A/N: I'M SO SO SO SORRY ABOUT THAT!! This was requested from a friend and it took me forever to finish it and it !! I'm sorry!!

Uh! I could have written 98493875 chapters again T_T I think I wanted to put a little too much details and it ended superficial and light. I'm sorry!! 

I corrected it on my own so sorry for the poor gramatical quality!! :D Feel free to make a sign if something really is incomprehensible!