Seunghyun stood at the bus stop anxiously, hoping Jiyong wasn’t late coming down. He hadn’t told him when he was meeting him at his stop so he kept trying to inconspicuously look in the direction of Jiyong’s building. He had got ready for school and eaten breakfast just the same as any other day, although the breakfast table was predictably uncomfortable. Not more than 5 minutes later a bus pulled up and a few passengers popped off. Seunghyun sat down, trying not to look out of place for not getting on.

“Hey, hyung!” Jiyong called, beaming at Seunghyun as he walked down the sidewalk to the stop. “You ready?”

Seunghyun nodded. He had never done something like this but it was kind of thrilling.

“Did you bring clothes to change into?” Jiyong asked while patting his bag to gesture that he had.

Seunghyun hit his forehead. That was what he was forgetting. He was going to be caught for sure now. Jiyong laughed.

“Don’t worry about it. I came prepared in case you had forgotten.” Jiyong said, again patting his bag like it was a prized possession.

Seunghyun released a sigh of relief. “So, what are we doing today?” Seunghyun asked his dongsaeng.

‘Well, if you’re hungry, I have an idea.” Jiyong said smiling.

“Alright, but I’m just letting you know, I have almost no money to spend today so things have to be extremely cheap.” Seunghyun warned.

“Don’t worry about it, hyung. I’m paying today. My treat. I wouldn’t have invited you to places you can’t afford and not pay for you. That’s just rude.” Jiyong said.

Seunghyun felt really happy and burdened at the same time. Jiyong did have more money than him but that doesn’t mean he should be spending it on him. But he couldn’t turn down the offer now.

“Thanks, Jiyong-ah. I’ll find a way to pay you back.” Seunghyun said quietly.

‘I’m sure you will.” Jiyong said, pulling Seunghyun onto the bus that just pulled up.

Seunghyun’s eyes started to glaze over at the display. The scent alone made him want to jump the counter in front of him and stuff his face. Jiyong looked to be in a similar state.

“I haven’t had breakfast today so hurry up and decide.” Jiyong told Seunghyun.

There were tons of kinds of donuts behind a glass case in the small bakery. Some were small and round like ping pong balls. Others looked like large fluffy tires. Some looked really bumpy like they were thrown together in a hurry. All of them were covered in a thick sticky glaze that oozed onto waxed paper in gleaming silver wire bins.

Seunghyun took almost 10 minutes to come out of his trance and decide on which to have. He pointed it out to Jiyong who at this point was grabbing his stomach and whining.

“About damn time, hyung. My stomach was about to eat itself.” Jiyong grumbled walking up to the cashier. “I’ll take that one on the right and that one on the top, yes, and 2 small coffees.”

Seunghyun wrinkled his nose. Coffee? That bitter brown liquid? Even his parents turned their noses up at the stuff. Jiyong balanced the coffee and donuts while walking towards a small table. Seeing Seunghyun’s face looking at the coffee he said, “It isn’t as bad as you think. You just need to add some sugar to it. Trust me.”

Seunghyun sighed. “Where is the sugar?” He asked.

“Over there, next to the trash bin.” Jiyong gestured to the long table of condiments, straws, and napkins.

Seunghyun emptied one packet of sugar. That’s all? There wasn’t more in that dinky packet? One by one he emptied 6 packets of sugar into the brown liquid before stirring it with a straw and joining Jiyong who had already eaten his donut and was eyeing the display case, obviously thinking of getting another. Jiyong looked back at Seunghyun just in time to see him start slurping down the now sugary drink with the straw, lid left abandoned.

“Yah! You’re supposed to dip your donut in that!” Jiyong advised Seunghyun, obviously trying to hold back his laughter.

“Really?” He asked looking down at his almost empty cup. It was really good with the sugar; maybe the donut’s sugar mixed with the bitter coffee would taste good too.

Jiyong sighed, shaking his head with a smile. “I’ll get you another. They aren’t that expensive anyways, although I should have got you a larger size, looking back.”

While Jiyong got up to get himself another donut and Seunghyun his coffee, Seunghyun looked around the donut shop. There was an old couple in the corner eating donuts and drinking coffee in silence but otherwise the place was rather empty. It was a good place not to get caught for ditching class. He looked to the clock on the wall. It was 7:43 am. Morals class would be now. He smiled to himself. This was a lot nicer way to spend his time.

He looked at Jiyong, who loosened his tie, carrying the coffee and donut. Seunghyun let his jaw drop at the image. Jiyong carrying his favorite food and his new favorite drink with his tie loosened. He couldn’t help but stare. Jiyong sat down and looked at Seunghyun’s awkward expression.

“Something surprising you, Seunghyun?’ He asked.

“Huh? No. I just thought your donut looked really tasty.” Seunghyun said, embarrassed at getting caught staring so blatantly.

“It is delicious. Crispy donuts are one of my favorite foods and this is my favorite place to get them. Although, I’m not one to pass up any junk food.” He said before taking a giant bite out of his donut like a dinosaur.

“Donuts are one my favorite foods too.” Seunghyun said surprised. “Hey! Smaller bites! I don’t like the idea of you choking.”

“Why not?” Jiyong said muffled with donut in his mouth.

“It would ruin my ditching day, sitting in the hospital while they try to get fried dough out of your throat.” Seunghyun said jokingly.

“Yah! You wouldn’t be sad, if I choked?” Jiyong said leaning over to punch Seunghyun in the arm.

Seunghyun rubbed the spot. Jiyong really could hurt for such a scrawny guy. “Of course I would be.” Seunghyun said softly looking at the table before getting up to put sugar in his now lukewarm coffee.

That was flustering. Jiyong was just joking why did he have to make it all serious? Seunghyun hit his forehead. He poured in the sugar and drank a few swallows before sitting at the table where Jiyong had an earbud in his ear. Seunghyun tore off a piece of his donut dipping it in his coffee. Hey. It wasn’t that bad. He just wished it didn’t make the donut so soggy. Oh well. He his fingers off before tearing off each piece. After the 4^th piece a hand reached over and grabbed his wrist.

“Don’t do that.” Jiyong seemed to beg. Seunghyun stopped and looked up at Jiyong’s face, hovering centimeters from his. His lips were pouting slightly making Seunghyun start to sweat. Looking into his eyes, Jiyong seemed to be suffering.

“Okay, Jiyong-ah.” Seunghyun said, hoping he would widen the gap between them or just kiss him. Woah. Woah. Woah. Kiss? When did this happen? Sure it was kind of awkward between them sometimes but since when did he think of him as attractive? He wanted to kiss him?

Jiyong sat back down looking out the window, a pale pink on his cheeks. Seunghyun cleared his throat.

“Hey, Jiyong? We should get changed so we can go to the next place you had planned, unless you were planning on staying in this donut shop all day.” Seunghyun prodded in reminder to him.

“Right.” Jiyong said, snapping out of his trance. “I really think you’ll like the next place.”

“Jiyong. You have got to be kidding me.” Seunghyun said looking down at his clothes. No way he would be caught dead wearing these clothes.

“Seunghyun, these were in case of emergency. Emergency clothes are always ugly. Now come out.” Jiyong said kicking at the stall door.

“No way. I’ll just keep wearing my uniform.” Seunghyun said covering his face so he didn’t have to see any of the attire.

“No! We’ll totally get caught that way! Now get your out here in those clothes!” Jiyong said, kicking the door harder, like he was trying to break it down.

Seunghyun gulped, trying to convince himself that the clothes weren’t that bad. He could just wear his hoodie he had in his bag over it and blue and pink went together, right? Those idols were always wearing odd color combinations like this.

He heard Jiyong sigh from behind the door. “Seunghyun, do you like ice cream?” Jiyong asked pleadingly.

“Yes…” Seunghyun said cautiously. He loved ice cream but now wasn’t the time to show his enthusiasm.

“I’ll buy you some if you wear those clothes until around the time school is dismissed.” Jiyong said tauntingly.

Sold! “How big of an ice cream?” Seunghyun pressed, hoping to get a lot out of this arrangement.

“The biggest one they sell. Now get out here! I want to get there so we have enough time to wander around.” Jiyong pleaded.

Seunghyun walked out of the stall wearing blue jeans that really were blue with a couple bleach stains on the front. They almost made your eyes pop out. They were a few inches too long so he kept stepping on the bottoms. The shirt was a pastel pink polo. He wanted to die. His dad wore polo shirts.

Jiyong tried to hold back his laughter but a snort escaped from his mouth. Seunghyun glared at him.

“You look like an ajussi who is trying to look cool!” Jiyong burst out between fits of laughter.

“You did this on purpose!” Seunghyun said angrily.

“Sorry, hyung. It’s all that my appa had that I thought might fit you.” Jiyong said, settling down and wiping the tears from his face.

This had better be some amazing ice cream. These clothes make him look like a clown or worse, an idol. He shuddered. He just had to focus on what he did have. He was getting a huge ice cream and was spending the whole day with Jiyong when he could be in school. He smiled really big. He really was fortunate after all.

“Now, where are we headed, Jiyong?” Seunghyun asked.

Jiyong grabbed his wrist, “It’s a surprise, hyung, but I’m sure you will love it.” He said pulling Seunghyun out of the restroom and donut shop onto the street outside.