Okay... I am fully aware that I haven't updated in almost a year. But I'm back now!

Chapter 4, or, first date!!! lunch!!!

Donghae is squirming uncomfortably in his seat and willing himself not to throw up. He didn’t eat anything wrong — it’s just, it’s 5 minutes now to his first date with Hyukjae. 

Wait, did he say date? He meant lunch. 

Whatever it is to be called, the point still stands. Donghae is nervous and he can feel his palms getting sweaty and oh my god, so this is what having a crush does to people?

Hyukjae walks over exactly at 1 and an unhelpful voice chips in to tell Donghae that look! He’s punctual too! And it’s uncalled for because Donghae is whipped enough. 

Donghae shoves his belongings into his bag unceremoniously and glances at Hyukjae from the corner of his eyes. Hyukjae, who’s fiddling with the buttons on his shirt and wearing a bashful smile on his face. It makes Donghae feel a little better that Hyukjae seems so shy about the whole situation — which doesn’t even make any sense — but he’s still nervous enough that he’s praying silently his face isn’t red. That’d be embarrassing. 

They step into the blazing heat of a summer afternoon in Seoul, and Donghae lets out a soft curse. The soft boy aesthetics might end up with him being sent to the ER for heatstroke. He wishes he could take off the hoodie without, you know, seeming like he’s desperate for Hyukjae’s attention. Which he is, but that’s not the point of this discussion, okay?

“Maybe don’t wear something this thick tomorrow,” Hyukjae says, a smile playing on his lips. “Or, you know, any other day that you’re coming. If you are.” 

Donghae offers a smile in return. Sweet, thoughtful Hyukjae. How much more perfect can he get?

They stop at a traffic light and Donghae’s too busy staring at his feet to realise they haven’t exactly decided on where they’re heading. 

Naturally, it is Hyukjae — the one who isn’t whipped, at all, or so Donghae thought — who asks, “Where do you want to go to for lunch?”

Naturally, it is also then that Donghae recalls his identity as a broke university student who just splurged on a cup of Starbucks coffee that he didn’t even enjoy all that much and what is he going to do if he goes to a fancy high-end restaurant for lunch now? He’ll be eating the grass that grows on the football field he spends most of his days at, that’s what. 

Naturally, Donghae bites the inside of his cheek and suggests, “Want to go to my university’s canteen?”

Hyukjae raises a brow in confusion but tries to hide it anyway, nodding amicably. 

He wonders when Donghae would ask if he’s a university student, if he goes to the same school as Donghae does and just… anything. But Donghae is too busy watching the ground and making sure he doesn’t trip over himself or step onto Hyukjae’s pretty Stan Smiths by accident to realise that Hyukjae tapped into the school compound just as easily as he did. 

On hindsight, that was kind of stupid of him. 

Oh well… what is it that the kids on the internet say these days? Hindsight is 20/20?

Donghae doesn’t bother with giving Hyukjae a tour of the school. His reasoning is that if all goes well, Hyukjae would end up seeing him a lot then, and well, they’d have all the time in the world to explore the school compound. Hopefully holding hands while they’re at it.

Hyukjae lets out no exclamation of joy or amusement when they step foot into the canteen, and Donghae doesn’t blame him. It’s the most boring looking canteen he’s ever seen, and the food is mediocre. But he is also Not Ultra Wealthy, so obviously he’s got to make do. 

Hyukjae lets Donghae order for him and sits down by the windows, and Donghae thanks the gods above that Hyukjae is kind enough to say ‘you can just get me whatever you’re getting’ because Donghae was really worried he’d have to splurge here. That’d be the most ridiculous thing to ever happen to him — spending way more than is intended at the goddamned university canteen.

He gets the food quickly and is silently mumbling to himself not to trip and fall and spill the noodles and break his face and disappoint Hyukjae and his pretty looking eyes. God, he’d hate to make Hyukjae sad. 

—

“I got you ramen. I don’t know if you’ll like it, but it’s one of the first items on the menu that I’ve tried and managed to finish without having to chug down a whole bottle worth of water because of the way it tastes,” Donghae says, sliding the tray onto the table between them. He is fully aware he’s rambling, thank you very much.

Hyukjae smiles, picking up one of the bowls for Donghae before taking the other for himself. Table manners!!! “That’s alright. I like ramen,” Hyukjae says. It’s not a lie.

Donghae finds himself smiling back instinctively, and doesn’t bother hiding the blush that’s threatening to spill across his face when he realises Hyukjae’s still smiling at him.

“Um, maybe we should eat?” He suggests. Believe it or not, though the overwhelming amount of attention Hyukjae’s giving to him is very flattering, it is also very anxiety-inducing. 

Hyukjae seems a little embarrassed to have to be pulled out on his reverie, but nods and picks up his utensils nevertheless. 

They dig in and remain in a comfortable silent for a while, taking in the budget noodles all while Donghae pretends this is an okay kind of food to treat a potential partner (!) to the first time they have lunch together. Donghae hopes he has other opportunities to make up to Hyukjae, though from the looks of it, Hyukjae does actually seem to be enjoying the meal. And if he’s going to be at Star fricking bucks everyday, dining somewhere else is but a distant dream.

“Where do you usually go for lunch?” He finds himself asking. 

Hyukjae looks up from his bowl, his cheeks full with food. This is going to drive Donghae insane — how can he be so cute doing anything? “Sometimes the cafe has leftovers from the breakfast hours. The manager offers it to us at discounted prices.” 

Donghae raises an eyebrow. He can’t help himself and mutters, “Discounted prices? Not even for free?” 

He’s about to retract the statement for its bluntness when Hyukjae chimes in and agrees. “I know right!” He chews for a bit and Donghae waits (excitedly) for whatever he has to say next. “In all honesty, the last thing I wanted to spend my summer on was to work for a company like Starbucks. But I guess I have it better than most, what with my manager agreeing to offer me a fixed schedule.” 

Donghae remembers reading about this in a book. “Is this about how employers are allowed to change schedules more often to constantly optimise, all at the expense of the workers’ lives?”

This is not exactly first date (or lunch, he corrects himself) conversation material, but sometimes you don’t know what you need until you have it. Donghae is, if he may say so, falling deeper and deeper with every indication that Hyukjae’s political beliefs m