“Hanbin?”

“Hanbin, wake up!!”

“Please wake up. I’m gonna be late to work, oh my god!”

Hanbin felt himself being shook awake roughly by the shoulders and he blearily opened his eyes. Inches away from his face was Jiwon’s very own, eyes wide and frantic as he shook Hanbin manically.

Hanbin gasped in surprise when he awoke to a pretty boy on top of him, pink lips so close to his own- his breath smelled minty fresh too, did he brush his teeth already?Hanbin was so shocked that he accidentally leaned up and knocked his forehead with Jiwon’s, who groaned in pain, clutching his forehead and falling backwards onto the bed.

For a few seconds, it was eerily quiet. The two boys stared at each other in silence, Hanbin propped against his pillows and Jiwon balancing himself from the fall across the bed.  Then—

“, Jiwon. I’m so sorry!”

“Ugh, Hanbin. You’re so not getting a free coffee because of that!!”

Hanbin’s eyes widened because this boy is just too ing adorable and he quickly retaliated with a witty comment, “Me? How about being shook awake like a rag doll? I think I deserve a little something, love.”

Jiwon blushed prettily and Hanbin’s never been more proud of himself for being such a smooth thinker. He was never the best at flirting but maybe at 23, he was at his prime. The barista looked at Hanbin through his fluffy bangs and pouted, “I really need you to take me to work because I looked out your window and I have no idea where I am..”

Hanbin snorted, “We’re still in Seoul, Jiwon. I live in Gangnam district.”

Cheeks still pink, Jiwon started fiddling with his fingers, sitting cross legged on the bed across from Hanbin. He looked up, embarrassed, “I’m from Yeonnam-dong so I’m not used to the fancier parts of Seoul.”

Hanbin’s heart melted at the shy boy, “That’s near Hongdae, right? You’ll have to show me around sometime, I heard the art district is the best.”

The bunny-like boy flashed a grin so bright, Hanbin was stunned for a few seconds before he turned to concentrate on the words coming out of Jiwon’s pretty pink mouth, “Yeah! It’s so beautiful at night and the street food is honestly amazing. The honey pancakes are the best in the nation!!”

Jiwon frowned as he continued, “I haven’t been there in awhile though. I miss my mom..”

Hanbin tilted his head, curious about the cute boy on his bed, “How come?”

The barista pulled his teeth over his plush bottom lip before replying almost sadly, “I’m a student at Yonsei University and the bus trip back home really builds up after awhile.”

A student at Yonsei? That explains the part-time job at the cafe.

Before even thinking the words over, Hanbin blurts out, “I can take you to Yeonnam-dong sometime, if you want.”

Jiwon’s eyes widened in surprise, “Wait Hanbin, really? You’d do that for me? But why?” His looked down shyly before whispering, “We barely know each other.”

Hanbin’s heart thumped heavily in his chest, it’s now or never, “But I want to. I really want to get to know you better, Jiwon.”

Jiwon’s mouth fell open, shocked was an understatement. Hanbin quickly realized he might’ve messed up and rushed to say, “You don’t have to say anything right now, Jiwon!! Just please think about it. Okay now let’s get you to work, you’re probably late already.”

And just like that, Jiwon was back, eyes shiny with life, “Oh , yeah I have to get to work, Jinan’s gonna kill me.”

The bunny curses, huh? Cute.

Jiwon jumped off the bed, and brushed off his clothes before turning around to look at Hanbin, “Also, I used your toothbrush.. I hope you don’t mind but I really needed to get the gross alcohol taste out of my mouth.”

This time, Hanbin’s mouth fell open in surprise, that’s like an indirect kiss, right? He felt like a high schooler again, getting excited over the stupidest things and he hurriedly brushed his thoughts off, “Yeah, it’s fine. Wait but Jiwon, we really should talk about what happened last night. Are you okay?”

Jiwon crinkled his nose, not really wanting to talk about it right now, “Let’s talk later. Some of us actually have to work to make a living. I’m a starving college student, remember?”

Hanbin laughed, he’s really something. “How can I forget when you literally shook awake this morning, screaming about needing to go to work?”

“You clashed foreheads with me!!”

Hanbin put his hands up in mock defense, “Okay, okay. Let’s actually get going or else you might just get fired.”

“Nah, I won’t. Everyone there loves me too much, including the boss. I might stop getting freebies though.”

Hanbin smiled. Too ing cute.

10 minutes later, the two boys were sitting in Hanbin’s red Lamborghini as the latter drove Jiwon to work. The ride had been mostly silent, with the barista dozing off to sleep, listening to the comforting keys of piano.

As Hanbin parked on the curb outside of PLATTE, Jiwon woke up, rubbing at his eyes sleepily. Hanbin turned off the engine and turned to look at the tired barista, “Jiwon, we really need to talk about what happened last night.”

Jiwon groaned but nodded, “Okay, we will. I’m off at work at 7 tonight, do you want to talk here after? I can get us free drinks.”

Hanbin smiled, shaking his head, “How about a free meal? My treat.”

Laughing, Jiwon replied, “You’re really taking the whole starving college student thing seriously. But okay that sounds nice, I’ll never turn down free food. Especially when a hot guy is buying.”

Surprised at Jiwon’s blatant flirting, Hanbin asked, “Can I walk you in?”

Jiwon blushed, rubbing at the back of his neck shyly, “Actually it’s better if you don’t. Jinan’s gonna blame you as the reason why I’m late. And I want you to leave a good impression the first time you meet him. He’s my best friend.”

Hanbin nodded understandingly, the shortie’s his best friend, not his boyfriend? Thank . “Okay, love. I’ll pick you up at seven, then?”

Jiwon was already at the door, smiling and waving goodbye, “See you, Hanbin!! Thank you for the ride, I’ll bring you an iced milk and honey coffee when you come later!”

And then Jiwon was rushing into the cafe, and Hanbin was left sitting in the car, big smile adorning his face. Even with the pounding headache of a hangover and the little red mark on his forehead, Hanbin thinks, I wouldn’t mind waking up to this this every morning.

*** 

Hours later, Hanbin found himself sitting in his office, watching the minutes tick by on the face of his gold Rolex as he waited impatiently for the bigger hand to slowly approach the 7.

God, what am I doing?

Hanbin‘s no stranger to going on dates with beautiful, eccentric people but this is the first time in his 23 years that he’s ever felt this excited. He felt giddy and nervous and hot but he loved it. Hanbin loved the burn and the exhilaration and the thrill of whatever this was. He thinks it’s better than any high he’s ever felt and Hanbin really wouldn’t mind riding this one out for a long, long time.

Is this what falling in love feels like?

But that’s the thought that scared him the most. Falling in love is dangerous; it’s delicate and risky and Hanbin’s seen what bad love could do to a person. Fragile hearts turned into stone cold glass. Love was liquid venom, trickling into the blood stream until it consumed everything and you were left with nothing.

Hanbin’s never seen pure, good love and for that, he doesn’t believe in it. Doesn’t think true love can exist when he knows people are deceiving, they’re dirty, and they lie. Hanbin, himself, was not made out of genuine love, but only raw lust. Or maybe it had been love, but most definitely not the good kind, it was the kind of love that was one-sided and left Hanbin’s father broken, wondering why’d you leave? What about our son? What about me?

Growing up, Hanbin had seen his father’s sad eyes and how sometimes he would go for days not talking to anyone, overworking himself to the point of exhaustion and even landing himself in the hospital a few times. At night, Hanbin would sometimes sneak into his father’s bedroom seeking warmth and comfort, but instead he’d find his father alone, shaking with teary eyes and sad cries. The sight was unforgettable and scary, and little Hanbin would run back to his own room, left wondering why is appa crying? Who made him this way? Why are they doing that to him?

And as Hanbin grew older, he realized it was his own mother who broke his father’s heart. Ran away from them both before Hanbin ever even got the chance to mumble “eomma”.

So yeah, Hanbin didn’t believe in love. How could he when knows just how deceitful and evil people could be? Everyday at the office, he hears his secretary exclaiming about new gifts her boyfriend bought her when just two floors down, the same boyfriend is ing another woman. Love couldn’t be real when people willingly hurt the ones they claim to love in ways that shattered them and left them with unexplainable scars. Scars that they tried to heal with expensive gifts, as if they were covering up shallow cuts with small bandaids.

Hanbin’s no angel, but he won’t ever feign a saint, won’t try to cover up his sins with pretentious words and shiny accessories.

Hanbin couldn’t be falling in love, because this feeling blooming in his chest was something so much bigger than the small definition he knew of. The feeling was beautiful and bright and pure and it was nothing like the dirty, malicious thing he knew of as love. No, this was better than that vile word and if Hanbin could create an entire new meaning to describe what he felt for Jiwon, he would in a heartbeat.

Glancing down at his watch that read 6:27, Hanbin groaned. This day feels like it’s gone on for-ing ever. He sits up straight in his chair and decides to just go early and visit Jiwon while he’s still working. Because really, Hanbin just wants an easy excuse to go and see the beautiful boy.

As he walks out of his office, everyone on the floor immediately stops chattering and his secretary finally zips shut, standing up to bow at Hanbin respectfully.

Hanbin stares at all his employees and it’s almost sad how he doesn’t even know all their names, much less recognize their faces. He stands there with his blazer thrown over his shoulder and scratches his neck awkwardly before looking directly at his secretary because she’s the only he really knows.

“Uh- so I’m gonna be heading out early. You’re all free to go too, if you want. Have a goodnight, guys.”

Hanbin walks towards the elevator and as soon as the door opens, the chatter starts up again and he can hear his name being thrown around. The loud, obnoxious voice of his secretary sounding extra squeaky in his ears.

“The boss never leaves that early, I wonder where he’s going.”

“I bet he’s off to meet a secret girlfriend.”

“Wait-Hanbin is seeing someone?”

“I mean, have you seen him? I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“Bet he’s wicked in bed too.”

Hanbin rolled his eyes as he listened to very inappropriate comments being made about him and turned around so he was facing the entire floor. Just as the elevator doors were closing, he made direct eye contact with the paper boy, letting him know Hanbin had heard his dirty remark. Hanbin’s pretty sure death was alive in his stare, judging by how the boy turned sickly pale and dropped all the papers he was holding. Left alone in the mirrored elevator, Hanbin smirked.

He steps out into the lobby and walks towards the big glass doors opening to Seoul at a leisurel