If you have to ask Mino to recount the past thirty minutes with precise accuracy, he would have just given you a blank look as he reaches deep within the haziness of his memory. He too is still puzzled as to how in the world they managed to shake off the managers, the security guards and especially the fans along the way. Even though he should feel safe huddled in a corner of the moving subway with their caps pulled low over the top of their faces, he doesn't and his heart continues to hammer at hamster-in-fright speed.

His memory of the Hong Kong stop in their Asia tour remained sparkling clear: the usual screaming fans at the airport, the hotel (forced to room with the sulky magnae again), meeting with the press and the endless interviews before rehearsals and the concert itself. All in all, this place was just like all the other countries they had visited; nice, bustling and unmemorable.

That was until Seungyoon sidled next to him in the van with a clandestine invitation to "run away to a place where no one will know us and live happily ever after" (okay, so maybe these weren't Seungyoon's exact words) whispered into his ear.

He didn't even have any time to process the words before the doors of the van slid open, allowing the screeches of the fans and camera flashes to assault his sight and hearing momentarily. Among the blur of human bodies pressing close to him, a hand grabbed his wrist and if not for his nimbleness (hah), he would have toppled from the sheer force.

Apparently, his limbs worked way faster than his senses for it was only a block away that he finally realized:

1) He was running away from the crowd.
2) With Seungyoon pulling him along
3) Hand in hand

Life can be such a pleasant surprise sometimes.







The vibrations of the phone in his pocket is obnoxiously insistent, his hamster-in-fright heart picking up speed again as if the vibrations were electrical surges sending him to his swift death. He really does not want to pick up the phone if that's one scary manager-hyung everyone is secretly afraid of on the other line.

Thankfully it's just a text from Seunghoon.

Seunghoon to Mino: I know you're in love with our baby leader but you didn't have to steal him away.

Unfortunately for him, Seungyoon is also one hell of an annoying whose secret identity is really the ugly rejected son of the devil.

Mino scowls but is cautious enough to direct the screen away from Seungyoon (not that it really matters since the younger's eyes have been busy scanning through the pages of the handy guidebook ever since they entered the subway) before typing his reply with indignant aggression.

Mino to Seunghoon: I didn't steal him away, he was the one who asked and dragged me away!!!!!!
Seunghoon to Mino: Hah, so you do admit that you're in love with him! Whatever man, grab me those egg tarts after you guys have done the deed ;)
Mino to Seunghoon: I'll be sure to stuff you to death with rotten egg tarts when I get back.
Seunghoon to Mino: Terrible. Don't forget to collect tickets and recipts so that you can stick them into your diary with heart shapes drawn around them in memory of your date.
Mino to Seunghoon: Ever occured to you that you're a pain in the and you should start waking up as a better person?
Seunghoon to Mino: As far as I can tell, I have never stuck my up your so no.

Mino gags at the mental image of Seunghoon's being anywhere near him, his fingers ready to express his extreme disgust (an eloquent speech consisting of the guy-with-sick-mask emoticon x 100 and another hundred of the poop emoticon, for added emphasis) when Seungyoon's voice sounds in front of him.

"Who are you busy texting?" His voice is casual and nonchalant but the tinge of annoyance wrapped around his question can be sensed by Mino, who guiltily shoves the phone into his pocket. He hopes that Seungyoon has not already deemed the guidebook as a better travelling companion than him; his dignity does not really allow him to get jealous of a tiny book.

"Oh just Seunghoon-hyung. He's begging us to bring back some egg tarts when we get back. ... Assuming we get back tonight?"

The suggestion of the last few words is lost on Seungyoon as his eyes light up and his fingers thumb through the guidebook with the enthusiasm of a child unwrapping his Christmas presents. "There is a store that sells delicious egg tarts near where we are now. It's the best in Hong Kong! That should be our first stop!"

Seungyoon beams a bright boyish grin at Mino with a hopeful twinkle in his eyes and Mino's heart swells, blood full with adoration and love for the way the other gets excited over the smallest things. He grins in agreement to the suggestion and thinks that he can probably make an egg tart big enough so that the Earth could revolve around it, or eat a hundred egg tarts in a second (whichever is easier) if it would make Seungyoon this happy.







The thing about wandering in a foreign city, where the language of its people is not one which your tongue is used to wrapping around with a familiar curl, is that you tend to get very lost.

And lost they were, standing in the middle of the crowded pathway on Queen's Central Road where modern commercial buildings stood around them like a majestic and proud labyrinth. No matter how much they walked (boba tea in one hand and a bag of cold spicy noodles coupled with chewy shrimps, jellyfish and baby octopuses, in another), they constantly find themselves back at the same road, albeit at different points.

"Queen Central's Road is a tremendously long road that stretches from Sheung Wan to Causeway Bay with many roads branching off it..." The guidebook informed them without even a hint as to whether they should turn right or left at every junction they come to. Google Map was of no use whatsoever and the flimsy paper map that Seungyoon took from the hotel lobby had long been torn to pieces by the many times his fingers unfolded and folded it.

At some point, they gave up all attempts to find the bakery that sold the famed egg tarts and strolled unhurriedly amidst the crowded lunch-hour busyness of the professional working adults, entering any store or stopping at anything that caught their attention. Seungyoon was fascinated by the antique shops lining Upper Lascar Row, with their display of cheap jade ornamentals and various other trinkets, while Mino found his own sanctuary in the art galleries and design studios of a nearby art hub, known to the locals as PMQ.

The taste of heaven (at least to Mino) was also found just around the corner from Upper Lascar Row in an old cafe decorated with faded flower wallpapers and crammed with tables and chairs that looked like they have been there since the 1950s. The creamy goodness of the pineapple bun filled his senses immediately, overwhelming his ability to think as his teeth crunched on the crips and sweetened crust. He decided to try another with a piece of butter clasped between the folds of the bun ("a delight like no other!" and his tongue immediately soaked up the wonderful blend of the sugary with the saltiness of the butter, wondering how is it that the the contrast between the two tastes could be this delicate and heavenly.

"There is no pineapple in the bun. It is a pillowy-soft bread with a crunchy and sugary crush which looks like a pineapple, hence the name." Seungyoon read out loud from his trusted guidebook, attracting annoyed stares from the other patrons, while Mino chomped down on his third pineapple bun and was trying to decide wheter he should order a fourth one. (Of course, his stomach won the battle.)

Seungyoon very much preferred the egglet with the outside heated to such crispiness that he could hear the crunch in his mouth as he nibbled on it. The velvety richness of the soft filling oozed out of the small pockets, waves of sweetness gently spreading in his mouth also stirring in him a kind of "indescibable joy" (Seungyoon's exact words).

When Mino commented that it looked like the "giant bubble-wrap version of waffles", Seungyoon doubled over in hilarity on the stairs with his half-eaten egglet still clutched in his hand. The younger's laugher was infectious and the bewildering sight of the other crouching and shaking with laughter had Mino joining in too. A whole two minutes passed before they could calm themselves down and with their sides still hurting from laughing too much, they went on to order two more; chocolate from Mino and black sesame for Seungyoon.

As they walked down to the older district of Wan Chai, the modern buildings of the commercial industry gradually give way to housing estates, colonial buildings and open-air markets. The playgrounds and basketball courts were full of children and teenagers taking a break from their studies while elderly men sit around in pavilions with their chessboards and chess pieces.

Wan Chai was where they tried another of the locals' favorite street-food: chewy fishballs in tiny cups of hearty and piping-hot curry that was more sweet than spicy. Another surprise waited for them when they crossed the main road; a tiny truck parked at the side of the street with a crowd surrounding it and when they drew nearer, it wasn't hard to see the cones of ice-cream in hands and child-like smiles on the faces of people standing around the truck.

Memories of the ice-cream truck driving around his neighbourhood and the countless times he sneaked out with his younger sister to buy and share one cone of ice-cream, all the more enjoyable on a blistering summer afternoon, immediately brought a smile to Mino's lips. And he bet that similar memories flashed through Seungyoon's mind for the leader left no time at all to hesitate before rushing to join the queue. The boyish grin he wore was even more delightful and triumphant as he came back to Mino later with two cones in his hands. Quietly and blissfully, they stood at the side and their melting ice-cream like puppies lapping at their water bowl after a tiring day of sun, grass and play.

(If this was a date, it was perfect already. But it wasn't and Mino knew better than to expect anything more from this.)







Mindlessly winding through the alleys, they emerged at the corner of Tai Yuen Street where shops peddling goldfishes, plastic flowers and traditional toys lined both sides of the streets. Like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole into a magical world, they revelled in the old-school wonders that the stores had to offer for two grown men with the mischevous innocence of their childhood still perfectly intact in their wielding of plastic swords and guns. Their only regret was that they didn't to bring more money and they had to stare forlornly at the tin toy robots and collectibels through the thin sheet of glass before Seungyoon pulled the sulking Mino away.

And just like that, they spent the afternoon away, not noticing the darkening indigo of the night slowly blanketing the city and the tiny starts feebly competing with the bright lights on the streets. It must be their good fortune that when their stomach rumbled, calling for them to fill it soon, they passed an open area where two long rolls of earthy-beige pots, each sitting on charcoal-fed fire. Judging by the flavourful aroma wafting around the space, the pots were definitely cooking something delicious and they couldn't walk away without trying one of the mysterious pots.

"Traditionally slow-cooked over charcoal fire, various meats, spring onion, egg and rice are mixed in a special pot made from clay, which traps all the moisture inside, and so the rice soaks up all the flavours of the ingredients. The result is delicious and filling with a distinctive, smoky flavour to warm your stomach and heart on a wintry day." The guidebook informs them and they were glad that it wasn't exaggerating when the pot was delivered to them, looking as ancient and impressive as an antique chest containing the secret to immortality.

Lifting the brown clay lid of the pot, they were immediately met with the delightful smoke of aroma rising in wispy ribbons and sizzling sounds that did nothing but elicited the growls of their stomachs. Everything came together in a perfect blend of tastes and texture. The rice was cooked to such precision that it was soft but not watery and the chicken meat was tender, going well with the spring onion sprinkled on top and the egg slowly coating the rice with its pleasant lively yellow. This was no secret to immortality but it could very well be; countless generations have sat here struggling with the hardships of life and feeling defeated at the end of the day but with just a pot of rice, they managed to find the will to live another day, their stomach and heart warmed by the tinge of Chinese cooking wine in the dish.

The charred rice stuck to the bottom of the pot was intimidating at first but they braved on when they saw the other customers scraping the bottom in earnest zeal. (“Doing what the locals do is the best way to experience the city!”) Mino loved the crisp and crunch of the burned rice; it was nothing like the food back in Seoul. Seungyoon was more than happy to order another pot and they enjoyed the second one as much as the first, all worries of their weight thrown out of the window as they dug into the sinful rice and ingredients.

While Mino was busy scraping the bottom for the burned rice he loved so much, Seungyoon went to pay but moments later, Mino was woken up from his delight by spoken loud words near the counter. Looking over, he saw Seungyoon surrounded by three buff guys with their toned muscles bulging out of their tight singlets and the tallest of the three repeatedly jabbing his finger in the younger’s chest, speaking hostilely in the heated foreign tones of Cantonese and then Mandarin, this he could vaguely tell. But this was not the language he had been accustomed in Beijing and Shanghai; the polite greetings he received by emcees or the frenzy “I love you” by the fans definitely did not sound like this.

He didn’t recall the guidebook mentioning what to do when met with locals who looked like they will and can beat them into a pulp and with every jab the offending person sends to Seungyoon’s body, his worries and soon his anger grew. So he stalked over and did what the adrenaline pumped in his blood demanded him to do.

“ off!” He yelled as he tugged the younger back and stood as a shield between the gang of three and Seungyoon, who actually looked more annoyed than frightened.

No one dared to speak for a moment and tension brewed in the reigning silence of the store like the eye of the storm passing through the waters. With a nervous gulp, Mino knew that the message of the two English words had been eloquently communicated when the three edged closer menacingly, their hands ready in tight fists at their sides.

Okay, maybe he should have thought this through before springing into action.







There are times when clichéd slogans like “Don’t think, just act” flashed into his mind and he brushed them off with a snort but this was not one of them; he applies the slogan so hard into the situation now as if his life depended on it (literally). His limbs move faster than his brain could process as he pulls Seungyoon behind him and together they race out of the store and into the streets of the city, so similar to his favourite scene in A Moment of Romance (one of the early Hong Kong films his mother secretly collected) where Wah-Dee and Jojo ran away from both the triads and the police in the rain, their hands tightly woven around each other’s.

At the age of seven, he thought the scene was incredibly romantic and Wah-Dee a hero for risking his life in the name of love.

Now he thinks otherwise.

“SEI PUK GAI!” The three guys are still chasing after them and amazingly, the leader still has enough breath in him to yell out while in contrast, Mino feels like his lungs could deflate from the lack of oxygen any second. His heart is on the verge of bursting from the tired blood pumping through it and his calves ache but still, he continues with his panting and Seungyoon’s laboured breathing echoing in his ears.

In a desperate moment, he pulls Seungyoon closer and turns left into the first alley he sees, seeking temporary refuge in an abandoned wardrobe which thankfully is just big enough for the both of them, even with their long legs and everything. His knees jam into the doorway while getting into it and his eyes tear up from the pain and the distress but Seungyoon is okay and that is all it matter.

Darkness swallows them whole but Mino’s senses are too agonizingly sensitive to the closeness of Seungyoon; quick breaths puffed out against his cheeks, hands clinging to the front of his shirt and legs knocking into his own. His skin flushes when Seungyoon’s hand travels down his arm and wrist in search of reassurance and he tries not to think of reddened cherry lips close to his own, tries not to think about the way Seungyoon’s slim and long fingers are still gripping tight above his beating heart.

Time has a way of warping itself in dark and small places so Mino doesn’t know how long they have been holed up in the wardrobe; it could have been for a minute, it could have been for a hundred years and they could very well stumble out into a brand new futuristic world like what Captain America did. What he does know is that he is drawing closer to Seungyoon, the gap between them disappearing by the millisecond and if they don’t get out of here this second, he’s not going to be able to stop himself from claiming those lips-

“I think they didn’t follow us into the alley.” Seungyoon breathes out, his voice hushed and painfully husky in the cramped space.

“Oh... Yeah.” Let it be known that Song Mino actually has a few more words in his vocabulary bank but he’s way too busy thinking about a pair of moving lips so close to his own, lips he could have kissed if he was braver, to manage enough brain capacity for words that have more syllables.

Being the braver one, Seungyoon inches the door of the wardrobe open cautiously. Goosebumps crawl along Mino’s skin at the eerie creaking sound and the shrouding darkness of the alley, expecting the three guys to come charging from the shadows and ambush them any minute. His grip still tight around Seungyoon’s wrist and his heart hammering painfully in his chest, they creep towards the bright lights of the main road.

On the crowded street, the throngs of people passing them cover them in a cloak of anonymity and normalcy and they slump against the streetlamps, calming their pounding hearts and recovering what little of nerves they have left. Seungyoon shakes off the tight hold Mino has on his wrist, his face arranged in a scowl that Mino knows only appears whenever he has to deal with incredibly stupid and frustrating situations (in this case, person).

“Mind telling me what that was all about?”

Mino knew that it was useless trying to pretend that he didn’t hear the other but still he looked away, putting on an act of finding the couple kissing at the edge of the pathway oddly interesting.

“Song Mino.”

“Look, I’m sorry. I know it was dumb of me to provoke them further.” Seungyoon scoffs at the second sentence and both of them know that it was an understatement. “I guess I got worked up because I didn’t want you to get hurt.”

It feels strange saying these words out loud because even if Mino was known for his tender heart and his tendency to shed a little too many tears, he rarely expresses his concern (and growing affections) for Seungyoon (at least, not blatantly). They were after all, once rivals for the position of leader and though Mino has gotten over having to give up his leadership to Seungyoon, there still remains an invisible barrier between them that makes it hard for certain words to be said. Of course, it was something that Mino wishes did not exist (especially when he feels Seungyoon’s searching gaze on himself before it flits away) and he wonders regretfully whether it was something he said or did that unknowingly caused the younger to close up.

Seungyoon’s face soften and a slight blush spreads over his cheeks. He rubs the back of his neck embarrassingly, as if he didn’t know what to do with his hand all of a sudden. “I was waiting in line to pay at the counter but they cut in front of me. I wasn’t really afraid actually because I knew they would just walk away when they got tired of yelling at me.”

Mino feels like a fool, the worst kind of fool. Of course, he never needed to step in and make a mess of things when the mighty leader has everything under his control. Disappointment weighs down his heart when he realizes that Seungyoon never needed or expected him to look out for him the way close friends do. It doesn’t matter that they had just spent a wonderful afternoon together because they will always be the same; just a leader and one of his team members.

“But… thanks for… doing what you did. It’s nice that you had my back and I have to say, you were pretty heroic then, all dashing and suave jumping out like that. I would have fallen in love with you if I was a girl.” Seungyoon chuckles with that infuriatingly adorable dimple hanging on the side of his lips, shaggy bangs falling into his eyes and when he turns to head into the convenience store for a bottle of water, Mino is left standing on the street with an expression of bewilderment.