FIVE

‘So, do your marshmallows melt in hot chocolate?’ Donghae asks, and it’s as close as he’s ever come to actually flirting with Hyukjae.

‘Bring one next time and find out,’ Hyukjae says.

Donghae feels very pleased with himself.

Since the incident with the group of men in Hyukjae’s shop, Donghae has almost been able to hold a normal conversation with the other man.

Almost.

Mostly it’s because his genuine concern overrides his shyness and he’s been able to ask Hyukjae if he’s okay, and if anything else has happened. Hyukjae, of course, says no and smiles, and Donghae would believe him if it wasn’t for how tired he looked, and how he watches the street even when he’s talking to Donghae.

Donghae doesn’t know how to help.

Who were those men?

Have they come back?

Hyukjae had said next week to them, but he’s not mentioned anything has happened, and Donghae has seen no evidence that they returned.

Donghae wishes he could take a week off work just to sort of-

Keep an eye out.

‘Absolutely not,’ his mother tells him firmly when he asks if she thinks it’s too early for him to request time off from work. ‘You’ve not even been there a full year, Donghae! Do you want them to think you’re a slacker?’

Donghae is glad he did not tell her about the day he already took off. The senior dentists at the clinic had not actually minded, because Donghae is a hard worker and they all know he works weekends too.

‘Just give us more notice next time,’ Dr Jung had told him. ‘Was it an emergency?’

‘Yeah,’ Donghae had said. ‘Someone- my friend- he was in trouble and I wanted to be there.’

The staff at the clinic don’t ask any more questions but Donghae’s mother sure would if she found out. Donghae reassures her he is still putting nearly all his wages into his savings account (his only hobby at the moment is brushing his teeth) and then he thinks about Hyukjae walking at night with only tiny Choco, and he wishes he was in a position to be able to walk him home after work.

Like, a friend.

Or a boyfriend.

Donghae chews on his lower lip anxiously. Acquiring Hyukjae as a boyfriend would mean asking him out, and Donghae-

He barely managed to ask him about marshmallows.

In part it’s because Donghae knows the more he talks to Hyukjae, the more he will have to share about himself. That will lead to Hyukjae finding out that Donghae is a dentist, something Hyukjae hates.

Donghae looks at himself in the mirror anxiously.

Does he look like a dentist?

No, not really.

His clothes are nice, sort of professional (he wears a white coat over them at work anyway) but not overly expensive. His shoes are business-like and polished, but they are not designer brand. Donghae’s apartment (not- not that he’s thought of bringing Hyukjae there, he denies to himself, blushing) is probably the most expensive thing he has, because it had been arranged by the clinic before he moved to Seoul. It has only one bedroom but it’s spacious with minimalistic, sleek furniture and marble counter-tops. There’s a big TV and also a woman who comes once a week to clean.

Donghae hopes she comes soon, because he forgot to do the laundry himself and there’s a mountain of it on the washing machine. He could get it started or-

He stands in front of the mirror in his bathroom in his pajamas and swallows hard.

‘Hyukjae,’ he says to his reflection. ‘What are you doing after work?’

Too vague!

He runs his fingers through his hair and glares at the mirror determinedly.

‘Hyukjae,’ he tries again. ‘You look amazing in that apron! Wanna get a drink?’

Ugh, that is even worse! He’s cringing at his own lame line!

‘Hyukjae,’ he says, a bit more desperately. ‘I really like you. Can I buy you dinner?’

There is, of course, no answer.

If he practices for the next six hundred years, he might manage to come up with something smooth.

Although it's late, Donghae can’t face his large empty bed, not when his mind is so focused on Hyukjae; his plush lips and his slender neck, lean strong shoulders and slim waist, their slight height difference which would be just perfect for-

Donghae goes downstairs to the gym and gets on the treadmill with a very grim expression on his face.

The next morning he finds his last clean shirt, adds a waistcoat and feels quite fancy, especially with a pair of navy-blue socks with pale dots (okay those were just the last ones left in his drawer). At a coffee stall he buys Hyukjae a large hot chocolate and loves the way the other man’s face lights up when he walks in with it.

‘Idiot,’ he says to Donghae. ‘I meant bring one for yourself.’

He passes Donghae the giant jar of fluffy marshmallows and attends to the next customer while Donghae deftly uses a pair o