“Kyungsoo!”

The addressed male turned his head to the caller. “Good morning, baby,” the male greeted with a warm smile.

Jongin watched the shorter male’s hand dropping more magazines into the flaming pit. “What are you doing?” He was surprised to hear his voice in a loud and demanding manner.

On the other hand, Kyungsoo’s smile disappeared instantly, replaced by a hurt expression and eyes started to tear up.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice. I was just—,” he stopped explaining and watched the shorter male pass by him, back into the house.

How can someone be so sensitive?

“Oh, man, you’ve got a very thin piece of glass as a husband,” someone said from the other side of the fence. A new face, Jongin thought, or maybe the tanned male was just never aware that his neighbor was Chinese. Last time he checked, an old couple lived there.

“Oh, I’m Yixing. My grandparents live here and I’m on vacation,” the new man said with his weird Chinese accent.

Just then, Jongin noticed that Yixing was watering the plants with a watering can. He thought it was kind of old fashioned. “Jongin, Kim Jongin. I live here.”

“Of course,” the Chinese man nodded. “Kyungsoo, your husband, am I right?” When Jongin nodded, he continued. “He’s a really nice guy. I thought it was funny to see him burning all those stuffs. He said he just had the urge to get rid of them right before his eyes. He sounded sadistic so I was surprised he cried just like that after you kind of raised your voice.”

“Yeah,” Jongin nodded. “He’s very fragile.” His eyes wandered over the boxes to find them empty. He wondered where his ographic CDs had gone to because he hadn’t spotted one in his room.

“Interesting.”

“I guess so,” he muttered, looking up to the other male. “So nice meeting you, Yixing. I need to go back inside because, you know.”

“Right, good luck with that.” Yixing continued on his activity immediately.

But Jongin stayed for a moment, watching the last bunch of glossy papers turn into ashes. So long, magazines. Thank you for the bond.

Chanyeol parked his car just right outside an unfamiliar café. He contentedly sighed, proud of himself that he didn’t get lost like he had expected.

Café Hot Box, he read the big sign on top of the main entrance door. This is it, he thought after remembering what his chat mate, slash, future lover had mentioned last night. Setting aside the thought of the café’s name being kind of weird, he got out of his car and entered the shop.

It was a cozy place with light, patterned wallpaper unlike some usual cafés he had been into with the typical warm colored paints and bricked walls.

He already likes his future boyfriend’s taste with places.

At the corner of the shop, there was a special place for those people who preferred not sitting on chairs. There was a high wooden platform with a short coffee table and a few cushions to sit on. But none of it caught the man’s interest but the familiar face of a pretty man sitting on one of the cushions and leaning against the wall, reading a newspaper and drinking some iced coffee.

Chanyeol made an order at the counter before approaching the familiar figure. As he got nearer, he realized how small the other man looked like and it’s perfect for him. “Baekhyun?”

The man looked up from the newspaper, the straw still stuck between his lips as he flashed a smile. “Hey, uhm, Chanyeol, right?”

“That’s me,” Chanyeol confirmed and climbed up the platform before sitting across the other. “Did you wait long enough?”

Placing his cup on the table and folding the newspaper neatly, Baekhyun flashed another smile. “Not really, maybe ten minutes. I just got here too early. My apartment’s just a few blocks away—excuse me, did you say something?”

“I said you’re pretty,” Chanyeol dreamily sighed. “Prettier than how you looked in your profile photo.”

The blush on the other male’s cheeks was undeniably adorable, or so Chanyeol thought.

“Thank you,” Baekhyun meekly smiled back, hand rubbing his nape. “You look much better in person too, I mean, I never thought you’re so tall.”

“Please don’t tell me you don’t like tall people because I just had my last heartbreak a week ago.”

“Like I actually said that,” Baekhyun deadpanned.

“So, uh, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol searched for something else to talk about and hoped that he wouldn’t give the impression of talking a lot of nonsense either. “You like to read newspapers?”

“Not exactly, but these last few days, I have been reading them.” Baekhyun shrugged, face turning into a frown.

“Change of routine?”

“No, it’s not like that. I’m just hoping to get something interesting from the news. I’m way too behind for local events.”

Chanyeol nodded, noticing how slender and perfect Baekhyun’s hands were as the other male started unfolding the newspaper. “I like your hands,” h