Winters in Seoul doesn't get any worse than this. It was excruciatingly cold outside, and since the phenomenon called 'global warming' has been affecting all the climate changes and the erratic periods of seasons, the winter season this year is expected to last longer. It's not that Oh Sehun is complaining. He likes cold. He likes the feeling of the snow below his winter leather boots and the feel of his synthetic wool coat wrapping around his neck. He loves the way that the cafe is always  more crowded inside during winters, and he gets to serve more people, look at more people, and imagines the story behind those people's lives.

His shift was over earlier because his 22 year old boss, Junmyeon, is feeling kind.

"Sehun-ah!" Junmyeon calls for him. The time is thirteen minutes past 7, and the crowd is getting thicker by the minute as the night is getting colder. "Do you want to go home earlier?"

"But hyung." Sehun started. "More people are coming in to the cafe. Jongin told me we're short of one today because Chanyeol is down with a cold. If more people comes in, which I'm sure will happen, the kitchen will be a mess."

"You didn't answer my question." Junmyeon pouted. "Do you want to go home earlier?"

Sehun stared. "I guess-- I guess I do, hyung?"

"Then you can." Junmyeon smiled. "It's really cold outside, and I don't want my favorite dongsaeng to catch a cold. It's bad enough Chan-chan is sick. I might have to go visit him tonight."

"Hyung, you really don't need to do that." Sehun reasoned. "I love the cold, and if you didn't notice already, I am a healthy young boy who have quite the great stamina. Me and Jongin will be fine."

"I know Jongin will be. I want him to stay until the next shift." Junmyeon clapped his hands together. "This old soul needs some young kindred spirit to keep him going." He sighs dramatically. "Jongin will stay today, you will stay tomorrow. It's just to keep the both of you healthy. Plus your hyung is being kind today." He grinned.

Sehun gives Junmyeon a look. "Seriously?"

"Yes, you ungrateful bastard!"

***

It is indeed cold out. If Sehun got home later than this, the streets of Myeongdong will be filled with people and it will be harder walking home. It's not like the flat he lives in is really far away from the cafe, but it's just the fact that he really doesn't like how the streets near his place is at night. Drunk people here and there, his young and attractive soul is always a prey for uncles who are too intoxicated to see that he is not a girl for gods sake. Getting his d at a crowded street is a daily happening for Sehun. Especially if he doesn't have Jongin kicking the uncles asses on his side. He passed the second turn to his place and stopped to find a young blond haired man crouching by the lamp post, clutching a stick of tteokbokki while playing with his phone.

Sehun tried to ignore him, but then one look at the young man's face and he knows he's not supposed to let this man be. (Because the guy was a young attractive soul like himself, and one does not simply let his own kind suffer the evilness of this adulterated world).

"Hey." Sehun called out. "What are you doing?"

The young man looked at him with confused wide eyes. Confused, but not scared. "Hmm?" He seems to be chewing on his tteok. 

"What are you doing here?"

"Eating?" The man answered, still with wide eyes. 

Sehun realized then that he is not Korean. It was far too accented and awkward.

"Where are you from?"

"China."

"Oh, on vacation? Are you lost?"

"No." 

Sehun didn't know what else to ask because the man looks ok despit