Chapter 5:

Dongwan opened the door when it had been knocked impatiently. Behind it stood a tall man, very thin, very pretty, as he was panting like he had run.

“Hi! I am looking for Eric Mun?” The guy asked out of breath.

“He is not here at the moment.” Dongwan smiled. “But who is asking?” He questioned, preventing Gomdori and Goguma from going outside the apartment.

The tall guy was regulating his breath as he exhaled, “Jung Pil Kyo.”

Dongwan’s face showed understanding now, as he realised that this man was the other date of his best friend. Interesting, he thought, holding his hand on the doorframe. Hyesung looked around the apartment as if not believing the short man. Dongwan was about to let the man get inside – since he figured Eric would not take that long at grocery shopping – when they heard a husky question, “Pil Kyo-sshi?”

Dongwan turned his head at the best friend and smiled at him. Jung Pil Kyo heaved a long sigh as he strode towards the man and kissed him. Dongwan widened his eyes and stared at the two, before he turned his gaze at the dogs and shrugged. When the ravenous make out in the corridor ended, Eric blinked his eyes, lips still on a pout.

“See you tomorrow Mr. Mun.” Pil Kyo bowed and walked away.

“Woah, what was that?” Dongwan interrogated the CEO when he entered the apartment and undressed the jacket.

“I have no idea…” Eric responded.

2 days earlier:

Minwoo waited for Eric outside the nearest gas station. He could not let the man near the apartment, because there were risks with that. Soon a car halted in front of the short guy, and a man stepped out, smiling widely at the date. Minwoo advanced the car and stepped in front of the door.

“Hi.” He said.

“Evening.” Eric sang.

“Where are we going tonight?” Younger man questioned, holding Eric’s collar in his hands.

The CEO took other one of the hands and held it in his, when he replied, “We’re going to watch a movie.”

Minwoo loved that though it was the easiest thing to pull and the cheapest thing to make happen. But it was nice and kinda decent for a nice Monday afternoon. He quickly got into the car, after playing with the older man’s hand, and then fastened the seatbelt, waiting for Eric to sit down to his side. When the CEO had fastened his seatbelt he noticed something on the younger guy.

“Hey…is that a new shirt?” he asked.

“Yes.” Minwoo answered.

“Oh, when did you buy it?” Eric the car and backed from the station, looking through the rearview mirror. “Was it a gift?” Why did the man sound so jealous all of a sudden?

The short man grinned.

“It was a present…kind of thing.” He replied. “I bought it myself but the money was a generous gift from a customer.” He added.

Eric nodded understanding, driving on the road quite fast, like they were in a rush. But Minwoo did not mind, because he had some plans for the night. He had been hoping the whole day that Eric was on a willing mood today, if the date went well. And of course they would go well, because it was Minwoo who he was going out with.

“Oh, nice customer.” Eric muttered.

“It was that friend of yours…” Minwoo spoke. “Mr. Dongwan or something…” he continued inaudibly.

The CEO seemed to be surprised by that as he spilled out, “But Dongwan hates you? I mean—“

The short man burst into laughter and then shifted his head at Eric, telling him that there was no one in the world who’d hate Mr. Kim as much as Minwoo did.

“If you say so…” Eric chuckled.

                The cinema was empty. Eric had rented the whole place just for the two of them and to Minwoo that sounded perfect. He loved the idea of watching some romantic comedy – because sure what else would they watch – in a room all alone. No one would annoy them, no one would make them feel insecure, and no one would see them cuddling.

“Popcorn?” Eric whispered.

“Yes, please.” Minwoo took a handful and gorged all of them into his mouth, munching them while staring at the screen. “This is a great movie.” He said while chewing.

The older man chuckled at the cute sight and brought his hand onto the cheek, as he pulled the face closer and pecked the lips. Minwoo ogled at him surprised, but then s his hand behind the neck and crashed their lips together to a hungry kiss. The box of popcorn fell, the delicious snacks scattering everywhere, as the two guys were kissing loudly. That was why Minwoo loved empty movie theatres.

                After the very romantic – Hyesung style – dinner, Eric brought Minwoo to the same gas station – still not thinking why on earth he couldn’t bring him to all the way to the apartment – and wanted one last kiss. They made out for seconds, until Minwoo pulled off to breathe.

“It was very nice today.” He commented eyes shut.

“Mm…” Eric nodded, embracing the small guy. “Best date ever…” he added.

Minwoo opened his eyes and smirked, before he pecked the thick lips again and bade goodbyes to the handsome CEO. Eric waved at him and sighed infatuated, before he got back into the car and drove away, pondering on the next day’s date.

                A day earlier:

Eric was in the elevator when the doors were prevented by a hand. A grin appeared onto his face when Hyesung entered the thing, talking to a phone really loudly, and pressing a button to the highest floor. The CEO had a sudden urge to touch his , but found that inappropriate and therefore never executed the desire. Besides, Hyesung would have seemed very unprofessional in the phone.

“I can’t talk about him, mom,” Eric blinked his eyes. “He is right behind me.” The tall guy mumbled into the gadget. “No, we haven’t—mom!”

The CEO chuckled and exited the lift as soon as the doors opened, sensing how the secretary tensed next to him and just blushed as red as the file he was holding. Their eyes met, but Hyesung turned his gaze away immediately, and cleared his throat while still listening to his mom explaining how he has not had ual since Christmas and needed something now.

“Mom! Stop it!” Hyesung screamed and hung up, almost collapsing to the floor. “I am sorry Mr. Mun.”

“Don’t be.” Eric said and sat down onto the desk, staring at the beautiful secretary with his handsome, dark eyes. “Everyone loves their moms.” He added.

Hyesung looked up at the man and smiled.

“What?” Eric asked.

“Nothing…I just…” the secretary cupped his own face. “You’re really handsome today, Eric.”

The tall man’s cheeks turned adorably pink, as he could do nothing else but stutter something as an answer. When he could not say a word, he escaped to his room loudly closing the door.

              “So…can I treat you a dinner?” Eric finally spoke after coming out from his office. “I’d treat you something you love?”

Hyesung snorted and continued packing his bags, obviously contemplating inside his pretty head for options to have late night dinner. The CEO was once again sitting on the desk, looking at the younger man like hoping that drilling gaze would have helped.

“I’d love that.” Hyesung whispered.

“Pil Kyo-sshi,” Eric reached his hand to the guy’s face and stopped when it turned red. “Just…hair…there you go.” The man shoved a strand onto the crown of the head, and then glanced at the big eyes.

If they hadn’t been at the office, he would have leaned in to kiss him. But because people walked back and forth on the hallway, some talking in it, Eric had to let the perfect moment slip through his fingers. He needed to wish that a perfect moment like this would come later again.

“Shall we?” the man gestured and Hyesung nodded.

                Older man parked the car in front of a small place and walked to the other side of the vehicle to open the door for his date. It wasn’t an expensive place, but something cozy. Eric figured Hyesung would love something like that since he was kind of a simple guy – and very romantic. Hyesung took a note how the tall man raised his arm and snapped his fingers. In a flash a man stood next to them and held a notepad in his hands, asking what they’d want.

“I’d love to drink something knew, and my date here would want a…?” Eric looked at Hyesung quizzically.

“Iced Americano.” The slender man smiled.

“Do you want something else?” the brown haired lad questioned. “We have some freshly baked cinnamon buns. I know Eric hyung loves cinnamon buns.” The barista grinned and then wrote the order down without even listening to what the older man had to say. “They’ll be here in a second.” The barista bowed and walked off.

“Thanks Andy,” The CEO murmured and then turned to look at the secretary. “So…Pil Kyo, where does that name come from?”

Hyesung chuckled and then rubbed his neck comfortably. “I…it is the name my parents gave me. I use that in occasions like work and family meetings.” He explained. “But to friends and everyone I’m usually Hyesung.” He smiled.

Eric ogled at the glowing face.

“I like Pil Kyo more.” He whispered.

                Hyesung told the man to leave him near a grocery store because he needed some walnuts for his friend. Eric stepped out of the car – just like with Minwoo – and walked to the other side of the car to bid goodbyes to the younger guy.  He lifted his palms onto the cheeks, and rubbed them, when he started leaning in. Hyesung closed his eyes and let the heart thud in his chest – repeating Minwoo at every beat -, when he abruptly gasped and crooned, “I can’t.”

Present time; an hour before the incident at Eric’s apartment;

Minwoo put down the phone and smiled lovingly. He grabbed his bag and put the device there before he turned towards the slender guy who stood in the kitchen, drinking his coffee. He was furrowing his eyebrows, when he put the cup down.

“He called you?” Hyesung interrogated.

“Yeah.” Minwoo sighed. “He’s been calling me since Monday…” he sang.

The younger guy pouted and looked down at his feet, before he lifted his head back up and stared at the shorter man.

“Why doesn’t he call me?” he spoke.

Minwoo shrugged.

“I mean we do the same things!” Hyesung screamed. “We go out, eat, then talk and laugh and he brings us home! How was I different than you!?” he almost cried.

The older man was looking at him, almost feeling guilty, as Hyesung kept repeating how much he had wanted to go out and how he liked the guy surprisingly lot. But because Minwoo wanted him too, he needed to lie a bit about his dates, right? Right?

“And I even said I can’t kiss and he asked why and I said, because I have flu and that was a ty excuse and now he doesn’t want me but you…” Hyesung babbled, eyes turning glossy. “You won Minwoo.”

“I can’t do this to you.” The short man exhaled.

“Huh?”

“We kissed…” Minwoo said embarrassed. “…a lot.”

Suddenly in front of him was only the wind mark of Hyesung, as the door gaped and was shut and the younger man was gone.

Present time; The incident; Eric's POV;

Eric stepped out of the elevator and advanced the corridor, the plastic bag hanging from his hand, when he heard familiar noises. The other one was Dongwan, but the other one...Pil Kyo? Somehow the CEO hastened the speed of his legs, as he soon was close to the talking guys. He cleared his throat and asked, "Pil Kyo?" 

The said guy turned, strode to him, put his hands behind his neck and kissed him. Eric dropped the plastic bag, oranges and what else falling from it, as he lifted his big hands up and awkwardly tried to find a place to put them to. When he finally placed them somewhere, Hyesung pulled off. That kiss had been way too short!!

“See you tomorrow Mr. Mun.” Pil Kyo bowed and walked away.

"What was that?" Dongwan exclaimed. 

Eric's heart was beating fast, gaze at the receding back, as he responded, "I have no idea."

The best friend scoffed and muttered, "I like Pil Kyo more than that Minwoo guy..."