Leo closed his eyes and slowly counted to ten. His heart has been thumping on and on as if it wants to come out of his chest just because his new neighbor had smiled at him when they were riding the same elevator on the way down that morning.

It has only been two weeks since Hongbin celebrated Christmas in his apartment. It was a very memorable night. They ate and shared stories. He also got to know his new neighbour a bit more thanks to his friends.

That very same night, he had promised his friends especially Hakyeon that he would do something about his feelings for his new neighbor. Unfortunately as soon as the man woke up and flashed that heart-stopping smile of his, Leo's courage vanished like a bubble popping from a touch.

He was acting like a puddle of goo in front of the good-looking male and his shyness just went back to smack him on the head as if remind him that he’s coward and went back to being too reserved even to his own liking.

Never had he liked someone like Hongbin. In fact it was the first time he’d been inclined to be attracted to the same . In the past, he would see a cute girl he liked but then, he would act his normal idiotic self: just watching not doing anything about his feelings. In addition to that, it’s been 2 years since he had been interested on someone.

He never thought he would like a guy, not that he was against it. It was just a surprising thing for him.

When his best friend, Haekyeon, confessed that he’s gay and it didn’t matter to him. For him, nothing changes whether his best friend bat for the same team. That person was still human and a friend, which was all that matters for him.

“See you around Leo” Hongbin’s musical voice snapped him out of his thoughts and was left to watch the male to disappear in a distance.

He let his head hit the wall of the elevator with a thump and groaned at his hopeless self. It was another failed attempt to ask the male to a date. He just stupidly stood there with his eyes closed. Not even one word came out of his mouth. Was it even possible for him to ask Hongbin out? The only improvement he has since they last talked was he wasn’t close to passing out.

Still, at the rate that he’s going, he would be 50 when he would have enough courage.

Leo had tried numerous times to ask the male to a date or just a cup of coffee. It’s just that whenever the opportunity came, his tongue would tie itself in knots and his shy self would kick him really hard, making any attempt almost impossible.

So in a sense, the only way he could communicate his affection for the male was through deeds. All he could do was help Hongbin in some way. He wasn’t good with words but he’s capable enough to let his presence known.

From what he knew about Hongbin, the male has been struggling ever since he came to the city. He was still having a hard time adjusting to city life and funds often run low on essentials. Knowing this, Leo made it his personal mission to make sure that Hongbin could eat a hearty meal at least once a day and it’s often dinner.

Leo made sure to leave wrapped food in front of Hongbin’s door and hide, waiting for the male to get it. He always hides. He didn’t like showing his face because of his nature.

He wasn’t sure whether Hongbin knew it was him delivering dinner but every time he came to collect the containers, there was always a note thanking him for the delicious food. Those notes had been enough to keep his heart beating so fast and provide a smile on his face that would last throughout the following day.

Leo looked at his watch and saw that he was going to be late if he kept up with wallowing in his own misery. Giving Hongbin’s already faded figure one last look; he forced himself to walk forward to his work.

Working for a publishing company was a lot of work that most people would expect. For an editor like himself, it takes a lot of time and skill to transform those manuscripts that has a potential to become a bestseller to a draft that can be produced as a book. And right now, he’s stuck with highlighting the errors and edits at their current find and relaying it to the boss so that it can be redirected to the author. Normally he could do it at home but at this stage, he had to work hours in the office to make sure there wouldn’t be a lot of questions once corrections are done.

His eyes and back hurt from hours spent on reading and sitting. His head was beginning to hurt too but unfortunately the manuscript he was working on wouldn’t finish by itself. Someone had to do it and that was him.

An inescapable sigh went out of his lips as he tiredly looked at his work laid out in front of him. The manuscript was on his table and a marker on his hand, making notes on which scene to change, what to emphasize and whatnot. It was a mess. He wanted to go home already, but there was nothing he could do but it up until 4 in the afternoon and it was only 1pm.

He tried to look at the bright side. There was only 3 hours left until 4.

Life for the likes of him has always been… simple. It was an endless cycle of going to work and then going home. Thanks to his best friend slash neighbour Hakyeon, the noisy guy sporting a red hair, he managed to get a life outside his apartment.

He closed his eyes and wished hard for time to move a little faster. That way, he could catch a glimpse of the male he had been fantasizing ever since the male moved in.

Leo was working at home during that day but was forced to go out of his apartment due to his best friend’s insistence to meet out for an afternoon snack. It was a rather unusual excuse but Leo was used to Hakyeon’s whims to hang out.

Wearing all black attire, he was almost unnoticeable. The elevator on his floor opened, showing Hongbin with stacks of bags and boxes surrounding the said male. It wasn’t the male that Leo noticed first but the amount of things the male needed to carry. It was clear that the man had no one to help him and so, Leo offered a hand.

Hongbin smiled widely at him, thanking him profusely. Sweat beaded over the man’s skin and he looked a little tired too. But for Leo, it made the man more beautiful. It was also the first time he described any male as beautiful.

With that smile, he forgot everything even his friend waiting at a local café just a few blocks away. He was mesmerized and enjoyed helping out his new neighbour.

That memory may be simple and unimportant, but for him, the boring guy; it was a cherished memory. It was a bit sad that Hongbin didn’t seem to remember that day when he invited the male over Christmas dinner.

Helping Hongbin made him realize a lot of things. Love does have no bounds.

But still, even with liking a guy, who would have been made easier to talk to, he’s the same doofus who couldn’t get a word out properly or backing off at the last minute.

That fact brought him back to the matter at hand. Leo bent backwards, letting the kinks on his back loosen up. He wanted to go home so badly that he was considering playing hooky. But that would mean a memo for him as warning. He didn’t like breaking rules.

Frowning, he closed his eyes and repeated a mantra. “paycheck Leo. Paycheck.”

The mantra seemed to work as he survived the next three hours without incident.

As soon as the clock hit 4 o’clock in the afternoon, Leo stretched and stood up, leaving the manuscript unfinished. There were only a few pages left and he knew he could finish it at home.

An almost unnoticeable smile formed on his lips.