Chapter 3

So i thought I would take a break from my inteeeense studying and update! Who needs exams! (I have seriously done next to no studying goodbye endorsement)

I would just like to say thankyou for the upvotes, subscriptions and especially comments guys! They really make my day!

Hope you like this chapter, still not into the juicy bits but be patient young grasshoppers 😜

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10g

"Wow look at that shine!"

Luhan nodded in awe at the overly enthusiastic woman on the screen trying to sell him a steam mop. If you had told him he would be eating ramen at while watching informercials at 6:30am year ago, luhan would have laughed in disbelief.

But a lot can change in a year.

He sat crosslegged under a scratchy pink blanket on the sofa he slept on, waiting for the city to wake up.

"Meoooowww"

"Dragon shut up"

Luhan was still mad at his cat for attempting to suffocate him. He had been ignoring the latters constant meows for about 15 minutes but he felt himself give in after the millionth meow from pure laziness and lack of moral resolve.

"MeoOOoooWWwwwW"

"What do you want!!!!"

Setting down his ramen bowl he reluctantly got up, and waddled to his makeshift laundry room - still tightly burritoed in the blanket.

"You're kidding me"

His food bowl was empty.

"What?! i swear I bought some a week ago!" Luhan groaned at the empty cupboards that were usually stocked with cat food and cursed himself.

"I'll go get some later, you'll survive..."

Luhan looked at his cats judgemental eyes. He could tell without dragon speaking what the cat was thinking and it was along the lines of: "get it now or I'll make sure i kill you properly tonight".

He groaned one more time before putting on his shoes, letting dragon watch him out the door.

Beijing was getting cold around this time of year, as winter edged nearer. Xiumin rubbed his hands together, weakly attempting to warm them. His hot breathe made clouds in the early morning air.

The street vendors hadn't set up their stalls yet as xiumin made his way to the nearest supermarket. He made a mental note to make sure to pick up some chuanr on his way back.

The supermarket was as full as you would expect at 6 in the morning. A big sign advertised a 2 for 1 deal on ramen. He looked at Chen's list and sure enough sees that his thrifty roommate had done his research since he had written "lots of ramen! Good deal!" In bold and circled it.

"He is a housewife at heart" xiumin said to himself and chuckled gaining a side eyed glare from an old lady.

Xiumin took his time roaming the empty aisles and found everything on the list. By the time he got to the checkout he realised more people were filling up the supermarket.

Lining up behind the same old lady that glared at him, he waited his turn.

10g

Luhan dragged his feet along the footpath, scuffing his sneakers and cursing his cat with each step he took.

The smell of grilled chicken from the chuanr vendor made his stomach growl, but he had to stay focussed on his goal.

Luhans goal: get cat food so dragon will shut up.

Rubbing his hands together for warmth, he arrived at the closest supermarket to his apartment and spotted a huge red sign for an offer on his favourite ramen. "stop tempting me" he whispered and picked up a basket.

basket in hand, he looped the supermarket picking up things and putting them down after seeing the price. He picked up cat food, looked at price and sighed. "Students shouldnt have pets".

In the end he only ended up purchasing the cat food. Luhan lined up in the shortest looking line and stepped from foot to foot as the old lady at the front took her time checking out.

As she left he looked up to see the person in front of him start to check out. It was a boy, about his age, round faced, brown hair, overall very youthful looking. He looked like a pixie as his single eyelidded eyes blinked every 3 seconds. His high cheekbones looked like they were sculpted from marble, as did his perfectly arched nose ending a few centimetres above his lips.

But then luhan's artistic eye noticed the bags under his eyes, his slightly chapped lips, the shadowed hollows of his cheeks, and found himself wondering is this boy was okay...

"That will be $32.50" Luhan looked at the boys expression of surprise and frowned... He probably didn't have enough money, he looked like a student after all. Luhan checked his pockets for some change and sure enough found $3.00. "Uh i can-"

"Ill pay for it"

luhan watched as a girl from the checkout line next to theirs gave the boy $4.00. The boy looked hesitant to take the money, until she basically it into his hands. he purchased his goods and left in a hurry.

Luhan sighed and put his money back into his pocket, watching the boys back disappear. He quickly checked out and walked home.

"Why do i feel strange?" He couldn't shake the weird feeling that hadn't left his stomach.

As he opened his apartment blocks door, he saw someone in the elevator. The door began to close.

"Hey! Hold it open will you?"

Luhan saw the man inside press a button quickly and the door closed.

"What the hell?! You total son of a..."

Luhans day just got 100x worse

What are you going to do?

How will you repay that girl

now you are in her debt

You will probably never see her again

How will you repay it

How

Xiumin didn't know how he got to his apartment. He felt like he couldn't see. Couldn't breathe. His hands shook as he gripped his shopping bags and gasped for breath. He battled the voices in his head...

It's just $2.50

Xiumin felt his heart rate begin to slow. His breathing became less forced.

It's just $2.50

His hands shook less till they came to a complete stop.

He took a deep breathe in.

And out.

Why the hell am I freaking out about this?!

He realised that his legs had guided him back to his apartment block and he was standing outside. He went to open the door when he remembered

"That painting!"

Sure enough it was still behind the door where xiumin had left it from before. Looking at it xiumin felt even more relaxed for some reason.

Does it belong to anyone? Would it be wrong to take this? Oh well.

Xiumin managed to carry both his grocery bags in one hand and the canvas in the other, and awkwardly made his way to the elevator.