Ch 8

Haunted (Rewrite)

"Annyeong! Welcome to Petals!" A tall young man with dark hair pulled away from his face walked towards them. "I'm Heechul, by the way."

 Zhou Mi glanced over at Ryeowook, unsurprised when he saw that the other man was blushing. This was the man he liked then. "I'm Zhou Mi and this is Ryeowook."

 "Zhou MI? Oh, you're Chinese!" A wistful look crossed Heechuls' face. "I had a boyfriend who was Chinese. Oh well, you didn't come here to hear about my relationships. Come, come. I know just what will look good on you both."

 "I see why you like him." Zhou Mi murmured to Ryeowook as they followed the other man. "He's unique."

 The shorter man elbowed him in the side. "Shush! He'll hear you!"

 "He's already heard you!" Heechul called back, making them both jump. "Ryeowook, up here, please. I've got the perfect outfit for you. Go try it on."

 Ryeowook glanced at Zhou Mi before cautiously walking to the front, getting an armful of dark fabric before being pushed towards the changing rooms.

 "You're next, Zhou Mi. Come here."

 The redhead nodded, walking up to him. He was given a pair of black dress pants with a dark blue button-up shirt.

 "Go put them on. I'll be waiting out here."

 Zhou Mi nodded again, going into the other changing room. It wasn't until he'd locked the door that he remembered he hadn't given his sizes to Heechul. He checked the labels, arching his eyebrow when he saw that the sizes were correct. "How'd you know my sizes?"

 "I have an eye for things like that." Came the reply. "I was right, wasn't I."

 "Well, yeah." He admitted as he changed into the clothes.

 "He was right with mine as well." Ryeowook said, his voice sounding muffled through the wall.

 "Enough talking and more changing!" Heechul told them both.

 Zhou Mi grinned to himself. Something about Heechul's brusque manner was comforting, he genuinely liked the other man. He glanced at himself in the mirror as he buttoned the shirt, liking how it fit. The fabric was nice, feeling soft against his skin and moving with him. Satisfied with his appearance, he fixed his collar before stepping out of the changing room.

 Heechul was not there, instead he could hear voices coming from Ryeowook's changing room. "Come on! You look fine!"

 "I do not! I look stupid!"

 "No, you don't! Now come on!"

 Zhou Mi grinned to himself. Sounded like Ryeowook had finally met his match with Heechul. The older man seemed just as stubborn as his friend.

 The door opened up with a click, swinging open to reveal Heechul pulling Ryeowook out of the room by his belt. Ryeowook, for his part, was firmly holding onto the doorframe, equally determined to stay.

 "You're being ridiculous!" Heechul exclaimed, pulling harder on the other man. "Just get out here!"

 "No! I look weird!" Ryeowook said shrilly, his fingers digging into the wood.

 "You do not!"

 Heechul changed tactics, wiggling around Ryeowook's body. Zhou Mi couldn't see what he did then but Ryeowook instantly let go of the changing room door, stumbling out of the room with his hand over his mouth, followed by a smug looking Heechul.

 "You..! Th-that was cheating!" Ryeowook sputtered.

 "It got you out." Was the reply. "Besides, I never play fair."

 "What did he do?" Zhou Mi asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

 Ryeowook glanced over at him, his face turning redder as he remembered his audience. "Hekissdme.." He mumbled behind his hand.

 "....What?"

 "I kissed him." Heechul replied, still looking smug. "Now get over here so we can see how you look."

 Ryeowook threw him a dirty look, his hand falling away from his face. "I take back everything I said about you. You are not cute."

 "Oh, you were talking about me? I'm flattered."

 Ryeowook turned red again, his hands clenching on the hem of his shirt.

 His attention drawn by the movement, Zhou Mi finally looked at what his friend was wearing. A pair of dark jeans clung to Ryeowooks' hips and legs, drawing his gaze up to the black vest he wore over a dark purple t-shirt. "Wookie, you look good."

 "Are you saying I don't always look good?"

 "Of course you do. I've just never seen you wearing anything like that."

 "There's a good reason for that." Ryeowook frowned, looking down at the clothes he wore. "I don't look good in clothes like these."

 "Who told you that?" Heechul demanded, his hands on his hips.

 "An ex." Ryeowook replied, glancing at the other man.

 "Daeho." Zhou Mi groaned. "Wookie, you know that he only said those things to hurt you. Why are you still repeating what he'd said?"

 "Because," Ryeowook lifted his chin, his shoulders straightening. "He was right. I don't look good in clothes like these."

 "So, what, you want to keep wearing baggy clothes that hide what you look like?" Heechul asked, his expression shifting.

 "Well... Yes."

 "Too bad. I happen to like you in that outfit. I think you look y."

 "I do?"

 "Yes. I was even going to ask you out." Heechul's lips curved a little, his expression slowly regaining his smug expression.

 Zhou Mi shuffled over to the other man. "You better be serious about that."

 Heechul immediately whipped around to glare at him. "You think I'm just playing with him?"

 The taller man shrugged his shoulders. "He had a rough time with Daeho, ge. Don't ask him out if it's only to get him to buy the outfit."

 Suddenly Ryeowook was between them both. "Thanks, Mi, but I'll handle this." He said, seeming to have found his confidence again. "Heechul, I like spicy food. Where are you planning to take me?"

 Heechul grinned. "Not telling you. I can't reveal all my secrets, can I?"

 Zhou Mi smiled to himself, watching the two men, feeling confident that Ryeowook was in good hands.

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someday1965 #1
Chapter 4: Enjoying your rewrite of this story; it's fascinating. Can't wait to read more.