Genre: Slice-of-life, fluff, slight!angst, romance, humor, late teens!Taohun

Rated: PG

Word Count: 2.8k words

Pairing: Taohun

Requested by: N/a

Short Description: The story of how Sehun and Zitao met at Sehun's favorite diner.

This might just be one of the worst Fridays that Sehun's ever had.

Earlier at school, he found out that he failed an important World History test. On top of that, one of his close friends isn't talking to him anymore over a stupid- misunderstanding. And once school was over, he rushed out to the school-bus like usual only to trip on his untied shoelaces and fall down hard onto the palms of his hands.

Now an hour and a half later (because he had to wait to catch a public bus), he's sitting inside of his favorite diner--hoping for things to turn around.

It's a classic Southern-style diner, and it's one that he and his family used to go to all the time back when they lived in this town. But, they moved to the next city over about four years ago, and with new surroundings, means new places to eat at. But, because Sehun's one for nostalgia and the food's still as delicious as he remembers it being, he likes to pop in every now and then to order his usual: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, mac and cheese, and a slice of sweet potato pie. (His new retainer be darned.)

So, it's with a grimace (that he tries to force into a polite smile) that he orders his usual and sits back down into his booth-seat to wait for his food to arrive. It's not too busy inside right now, and so Sehun glances at the main door whenever someone new enters and the bell at the top rings.

This time as someone new enters and he turns to see them, his done expression instantly turns to one of intrigue. Because the guy who just entered looks amazing.

The guy's tall and Asian too with deeply-tan skin, a nice lean body wrapped up in an actually fashionable bow, and a chic confidence about him that makes Sehun not want to look away. The guy then heads towards the front counter and Sehun 'slyly' angles his head past the wall near his booth to see the guy better. Then the guy smiles at Qian, the woman who works behind the counter, and Sehun feels butterflies appear in his stomach.

The words that Qian then says in Mandarin to greet the guy with get tuned out when Sehun makes sudden eye-contact with the guy and quickly leans back into his seat. He then quickly pulls out his phone and feigns texting a friend for a good moment as he feels himself blushing. A few more seconds go by, and he no longer sees the guy when he angles his head again, and so it's with a frown that he opens up a game on his phone to play and pass the time.

Should be about a few more minutes or so until his food's finally ready.

---

When Sehun plays any game, he tends to get really immersed in it. And so, when his food's finally been prepared and his waiter's walking up to him with the plates in hand, he doesn't even notice or glance up.

Then, it takes a clearing of a throat and a raspy Uh, would you like your food? for Sehun to finally look up and immediately choke on his own spit. His waiter now is that super hot guy from before! (Only difference is, he's wearing an apron and more casual clothes.)

The guy worriedly asks if he's alright before carefully setting his food down on the table, and looking at him with wider eyes. All Sehun can focus on though as he stops coughing is how the guy looks even cuter like this, how nice he smells up close, and on how he himself must be looking like such a loser right now.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sehun says, shyly looking away and down at his food. "Thanks."

"No prob."

Sehun gulps at the raspy tone and looks up again, noticing the name-badge on the guy's built chest that reads Zitao before he looks back at the guy's eyes. The guy's lips then subtly tilt into a small smirk as they give each other 'the look' before the guy, Zitao, glances away as he says, So yeah um, enjoy your meal before he gives him a small half-smile and heads back towards the counter.

Sehun watches his fine go before inwardly cursing at his own awkwardness and turning his head to look back down at his food. Everything's how it usually looks, but this time as he digs in, he finds that every bite tastes even better than usual...

Is this what love is? he thinks to himself.

---

The week after, Sehun stops by his favorite diner again at around the same time and sits at a table with a better view of the door. He wonders if he'll see Zitao again, then wonders if he's being a stalker for coming back just to see him before frowning and deciding that he's overthinking things.

The whole week after first seeing Zitao was spent doing the usual, but with the added bonus of the guy occupying more of his thoughts. Sehun spent time wondering about the guy's likes, his dislikes, does he like bubble tea too, just how built is his body underneath those clothes and other questions in that manner.

And now that he's back at the diner and the chance of seeing him has increased, Sehun finds himself smiling as he imagines the different scenarios that he came up with happening in reality. In every scenario, Zitao's his waiter again and the majority of the scenarios amount to Sehun working up the courage to smoothly ask Zitao out on a date.

Some time passes with no sign of Zitao though, so with a souring mood and because he doesn't want to just loiter, Sehun finally gets his out of his seat and walks over to the main counter. Qian gives him the usual smile when he gets to her before asking him what he'd like.

"Yo, is my waiter from last week, um...Zitao, coming in today?" Sehun asks her, not even caring about his lisp for once.

Qian simply blinks at the question. "Um...no, I think he's off today."

"Oh."

Sehun frowns before they both hear the bell chime and turn their heads to look at the door. It's just a random man though.

Sehun's lips then stretch into a thin line before he mumbles out a Thanks and goes back to his booth in silence. He waits there for a good minute or two before a waiter who's not Zitao comes up to him and asks him what he'd like to order. And with a dramatic sigh, Sehun orders his usual.

Even when his food arrives and he eats it slow as heck while glancing at the door every so often for a miracle to happen, Zitao still doesn't show. So, after spending a good hour at the diner (eating and then texting on his phone)--Sehun decides to just give up and head home.

-------

The following Monday,