I’m sweating. I’m doing nothing, but I’m sweating. How can I be this pathetic? I don’t sweat when I’m in situations like this! I guess it’s because I’ve been in this situation one or two times too many.

My hands were fidgeting underneath the table so my friend wouldn’t notice how nervous I actually was. Sure, outwards I looked cool, composed and the most honest person you could meet, but on the inside I was just that, just turned hundred-eighty degrees; the exact opposite.

Wufan, my friend, was silently judging me, slurping his iced coffee through a straw. He had this solemn gaze no matter where he went. Really, everywhere. He once went on a date with this really beautiful and attractive girl — even I found her attractive and I’m gay — and he had that gaze throughout the entire date. Maybe they lit slightly up when he laughed, but how should I know? He was one of my best friends, but it wasn’t often that I saw a genuine smile on his lips and in his eyes. That solemn gaze was just a part of his face. His incredible handsome face. I envied him to be honest. Yeah, I was pretty, but a guy can’t be pretty! He’s either handsome or cool, but not pretty. It’s almost the same as criticizing him. That’s the way I see it.

“Will he show up this time around?” Wufan asked with the straw still inside his mouth. I had already drunk my beverage; iced tea with two point five per cent fat milk in it; five sips. I had a habit of biting the top of my straw flat because the texture of soft plastic between my teeth felt kind of chewy and made goose bumps appear on my arms. 

I nodded, trying not to be too hesitant, which was really difficult because I knew no one would come this time either. I lied to him; I lied to all of my friends. I felt bad about lying to them, but they’d brought it upon me. Suddenly Yixing had gotten a girlfriend, Zitao was going on his third date in two weeks and then the question ‘hey Luhan, why don’t you date or try to get laid?’ came up. I had blushed so hard when I heard that question. And because it went so well for all the others I replied with an ‘oh, I don’t date. I already have a boyfriend’ more nonchalantly than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I had the urge to face-palm myself right after the words slipped out of my mouth, but if I had done that they would have known I was lying.

 And that’s the reason why I’m here. I’m sitting in this coffee shop with Wufan right in front of me, an empty chair beside me and two iced drinks in front of us; one for Wufan and one for me. I think it’s the fifth time we’re sitting here and aimlessly waiting for nothing, but only I know that. And Wufan doesn’t have to know either. I’ve already decided now that next week will be the week where I announce that my imaginary boyfriend and I have decided to go separate ways after four wonderful months of dating. I know, I’m a horrible person. I’m so pathetic.

“That Minseok guy better come this time Luhan,” Wufan said in a warning tone. I could feel that he was beginning to get tired of waiting, the same was I. “If he doesn’t I’ll tell the others that you’re a freak for making up a boyfriend.”

I knew he was joking, we were friends after all. So I just rolled my eyes at him, giving the image that I didn’t care about what he’d tell the others.

He leaned back in the chair and got comfortable. ”Oh wait…” Wufan put a finger to his lips. He was making fun of me and I could see a teasing glint in his solemn eyes. “What if you really just have made up a boyfriend? Are you really that lonely Luhan?”

I could hear him chuckle. He was so creepy when he laughed or chuckled or whatever he did, and I was probably the only one who found him creepy like that, but I only found him creepy because I found him intimidating, so maybe deep down — really deep down — I actually kind of admired him.

Out of nowhere hands touched my shoulders. I didn’t know those hands; they were foreign.

Wufan’s face paled as he looked up at the owner of the hands. A slight pink tinted his cheeks and his mouth was slightly agape, but he would probably deny the blush later.

The hands shifted lightly as a cheek neared my cheek. I felt plush — or maybe plump, they were definitely soft — lips graze my cheek. The hands were so comfortable around my shoulders; grab not too tight and not too loose.

“How have you been babe?” a whisper, but above whisper-level so Wufan could hear, pushed into my ear. It was a male voice, but it was light, cute and something I could get used to hear at least once a day.

I was totally frozen. I didn’t know the voice, I didn’t know the hands and I didn’t know the soft lips that had pressed against my cheek. Out from Wufan’s stare and expression he didn’t know the person either.

Even though my mind was a mess — it probably wasn’t because there were no thoughts when there usually were a lot — I knew that I indeed wanted to hear that voice again. I was so confused about everything, but my mouth worked on its own.

“I’ve been fine,” my mind still didn’t function and my mouth continued with words I would never say in front of others, “I’ve missed you though. You?”

I looked up at the stranger and got a good look at him. His face… it was so pretty. His chin was pointy, eyes small and tilted, nose a little big and slightly flat. His mouth, the mouth that had pressed a short and soft peck on my cheek a few seconds ago, was so small. His lips looked just as soft as they were and he wet them. A nervous gesture I think, because he didn’t know me and I didn’t know him. His mouth spread into a cute smile. Brown, almost black locks framed his face. His hair wasn’t extraordinary or anything, it was a little long, around ear length, and it suited him very well. He looked young, maybe eighteen or nineteen, and his hairstyle didn’t make him seem any older; it did the exact opposite. Chocolate brown orbs sent me a calm stare.

“I’ve missed you too,” the stranger put a light hand on my head. I usually hated when people touched my hair, then I had to fix it again, but weirdly enough, I didn’t care at that moment. “Let me go grab a drink and then I’ll join you. Okay?”

“Okay sweetie.”

What? How did that word leave my mouth only to be thrown at some random cute-looking stranger? I didn’t know and right now I didn’t have the right mind the think about it.

When his cute little swayed away from us to approach the register, Wufan looked me right in the eyes.

“You said he was cute,” Wufan said in a kind of accusing tone. He had a weird glint in his eyes and he looked awful. Probably because I’d never seen that handsome man ever flush. A bright pink was still on his cheekbones and he blinked so many times that it almost made him look innocent, but only almost. His skin looked so pale with the contrasting pink colouring his cheeks. I wanted to take a picture of it so I could show it to the others. We could probably get a good laugh over a flustered Wufan. But hey… wait… did he just imply that the cute stranger wasn’t cute? “But you didn’t say he was that cute.”

That was what I wanted to hear. Even though Wufan and I seemed very different, we did have the same image of cute, ugly, y and average. That made it pretty easy for us to find dates for each other, or when we went clubbing to pick up strangers. Luckily, or unluckily for me, Wufan was biual so I knew that when he said a guy was cute, he meant it.

“He is, isn’t he?” I took the card box cup in my hands and tilted it in circles and watched the remaining tea swirling around with my motions. I looked nonchalantly at him. “I told you he was cute.”

Wufan nodded, the blush getting less and less noticeable. “He looks young.”

I only nodded. It sounded like he said it to himself, so I didn’t have any need to actually reply to him.

My eyes went up the stranger who energetically ordered something to drink. I almost couldn’t wait to see what he’d bring. My mother always told me that you knew your man through his drinks. For example; Wufan drinks iced coffee, which means he’s cold outside, but soft on the inside and a real man. I drink iced tea, which means I’m smart and sweet. If a man drinks coffee, pitch-black coffee, it means he’s hardworking and probably rather frustrated with something. My mother always told me to stay away from guys with drinks consisting mainly of alcohol because those guys were most likely alcoholics. So I did as my mother told me… most of the time, because sometimes I was one of those guys with alcoholic beverages in my hands.

The stranger flashed a smile at the shop assistant as he got his order and walked to our table. The wide smile where his gums showed made him look even younger. I couldn’t handle it anymore. What had he brought himself into by playing my boyfriend? He would gain absolutely nothing and I’d already told a lot about this ‘Minseok’ guy that obviously didn’t exist. How would he know what to answer if Wufan asked any questions I’d already answered for him? The answers would be total opposites or maybe just slightly close, but they would never be the same, only if he was really lucky.

Before he sat down beside me, he extended his arm towards Wufan, wanting — with a welcoming hand — to shake his hand. Wufan grabbed the hand lightly.

“I’m Minseok,” he introduced himself. “And you’re Wufan right? Not to sound creepy or anything, but Luhan has mentioned you once or twice.”

“No-no,” Wufan smiled. He ing smiled. “It’s okay. Luhan has mentioned a few things about you too.”

Minseok smiled back and sat down beside me. I stole a glance at him and then my nostrils caught the bitter scent of coffee beans. Not that it surprised me, since we were in a coffee shop, and then I looked down at Minseok’s cup.

“What’d you get honey?” I asked in a sugar-covered tone. It would have given me goose bumps if that tone was directed towards me, but Minseok just smiled that cute little smile.

“Latte,” he answered, voice just as sweet as mine. I didn’t get goose bumps like I thought I would, but something else grew inside me; the urge to just throw my arms around him and hug him tightly into my chest and never let go again. “You want some?”

He drank latte. Latte. That means he’s a man with a sweet and kind side. He’s creative and hardworking. Probably someone who would give in to pretty much anything you asked for if he loved you with all his heart and most probably gay. The latte guys were always the best ones. Unfortunately most guys drink black coffee to seem manlier and more mature.

“No thank you,” I replied with a smile, while my finger unknowingly went up to swipe over the tip of his nose. His cheeks turned beet red. It was so cute and he looked so scared and confused. He quickly pulled himself together and the look disappeared from his eyes. His cheeks had faded to a pink as the shock left his body.

“Not in front of Wufan,” he murmured and looked down at the table. He raised his gaze to look at the man sitting a meter, or maybe just a half, away from him. “I’m sorry I cancelled so many times.”

Did he know about that? How could he know about that?

Wufan waved his hands in the air in a forgiven motion. “It’s alright. Luhan said you were busy with school and your job.”

Minseok smiled pleased.

I couldn’t stand it any longer. The anxiety was building up in my body. I was so afraid that either him or I would everything up and the truth would get out. I would look even more pathetic when they all found out that I actually didn’t have a boyfriend and that I’d made one up and I’d gotten someone to come and pretend to be my boyfriend. The strange thing was that I didn’t even know who this stranger was. I knew he said he called himself ‘Minseok’, but that might not be true and I couldn’t find out right now either, then Wufan would notice that it was all just a lie.

I decided to make this unpleasant meeting end as fast as possible.

“Well,” I began, voice wavering a little bit, but I don’t think they noticed, “now you’ve seen that my boyfriend really does exist. Are you going to interview him now?”

“Actually, I do have a few questions,” Wufan nodded and eyed me suspiciously. He could probably feel how nervous I was and I hoped he thought it was because my boyfriend and friend met for the first time and I wanted them to accept each other. His attention went to Minseok and I could only let an inaudible sigh of relief out. “How old are you?”

A small smile was on Minseok’s lips when he replied. “I’m twenty-three. Born in March. Why?”

Wufan’s eyes were suddenly almost hopping out of their sockets and I’m pretty sure I looked almost the same — just less handsome, but prettier than him — but if Minseok was born in March that meant—

“You’re older than both of us,” Wufan finished my sentence. He looked quite shy to actually continue with where he was going and considered for a few seconds if he should or not — I could see that he did because of the way he chewed his lip. “You look younger.”

A clear laughter left Minseok’s throat. It was high pitched and it sounded very genuine. “I hear that a lot.”

“Okay,” Wufan quickly changed the subject. I was glad he did because I couldn’t control the blush creeping onto my cheeks. His laugh had been so captivating. “What are you studying? Luhan never mentioned anything about that, he only said you were busy with school and such.”

“I,” Minseok started and I feared the worst. What would his answer be? Wufan would know everything was a lie if Minseok said he studied something like biochemistry. He knows I’m not into those kinds of types. I’m more into the creative type. Minseok continued: “don’t study anything exciting and not many people find it interesting. There are a lot of numbers and I have to put a lot of effort in to it… at least I find it interesting.”

And that busted us. I would never want to date anyone who was good with numbers and it sounded like it was very uncreative and boring. Why would I even associate—

“I major in architecture,” Minseok just saved the both of us before we got out butts burned. My heart’s pace had unknowingly sped up and it now relaxed a little bit, but not much, because a failure could lure in the next question Wufan would ask. I couldn’t relax, not at all; my hands were in my lap and I couldn’t control my fingers. They played with the zipper of my pants and I even took out my phone just to hold something.

“You have a part time job?” Wufan asked and received a nod from Minseok in return as he drank some of his latte. “What is it?”

When Minseok put the beverage down again he wiped his mouth with a napkin lying abandoned on the table. He’d abandoned it when he’d sat down his coffee. “I work at the little video rental store down the street on the left. You should both come sometime. It would be nice with some good company instead of that lousy friend of mine I have some shifts with.”

Wufan smiled as Minseok smiled at the mention of his friend.

Minseok seemed more relaxed than me. Shouldn’t he be the most nervous?! How could he be so calm? He lied about everything! The main lie being my boyfriend. How could he even kiss a stranger’s cheek and say he’d missed him? He’s a strange guy. He’s strange, but definitely interesting. I couldn’t deny that I admired him a little bit.

“I know that store,” Wufan said as he placed his elbows on the table. It made him seem more interested about the newly found out information. “It looks cosy, but I’m always too busy to enter the store. You know, with studying and projects.”

“Oh,” Minseok sounded kind of… surprised? It was false though; I could hear that. It sounded like he already knew that piece of information. It made me look suspiciously at him for a second or two, but stopped so Wufan wouldn’t notice it. Minseok continued: “What do you study?”

“Korean language,” Wufan said proudly, “the same class as Luhan. Hasn’t he told you that?”

Minseok shot me a glance I couldn’t really read what was trying to tell me, but when Minseok turned back to Wufan he looked just as before. “He must have let that slip.”

Wufan laughed. “That’s so like him. He hasn’t told you we’re Chinese either, has he?”

“I knew he was Chinese,” Minseok smiled kindly. “But he never mentioned anything about you being Chinese either.”

“I’m sorry on Luhan’s behalf.”

Okay… this conversation was going a little bit too well. It was actually a little scary. They chatted like they’d known each other for years. But well, I guess Minseok indeed was an approachable person with all his cute features and average hair.

“We have to get back on track,” Wufan announced. “This is the last question I’ll ask and then I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone.”

Minseok snuck his hand into mine and squeezed it lightly to assure me that everything was going to be all right. His hand was soft, but also slightly dry and it wasn’t warm and sweaty like you would have thought if he was nervous. It wasn’t cold either, it was just… normal. Minseok was obviously just a normal and average person that had suddenly decided to help me. Something didn’t seem right…

“What would you do if you found out that Luhan was cheating on you?” Wufan asked the question with a smile on his lips, but his tone was serious.

I don’t know why he wanted to know the answer to this question from every single person I dated. I really couldn’t see any point in it when both of us knew that I would never in my life ever cheat on my boyfriend.

Minseok looked thoughtful for a few seconds, then he seemed to have come up with an answer. “I would yell at him. I would probably, I’m not saying I would, hit him, but just lightly in the chest. I would end up crying and say that he should never consider calling me again and then I’d leave and block him everywhere so he couldn’t contact me.”

The small shift in Wufan’s neck told me that he accepted the answer. It was strangely enough the right answer.

I remember one time where he’d smiled after getting his answer and then he just said ‘good luck’. And that was it. The answer had sounded ‘I would give him another chance’. That obviously wasn’t the right answer, because Wufan had sent me a text later that evening where he said that I should drop that guy; that he wasn’t good for me. He didn’t “deserve” me because he didn’t take something as cheating seriously, and even more important: He didn’t take dating and relationships seriously. He was just some young confused guy. I’m happy I dumped him.

“That’s good,” Wufan nodded as he replied. He grabbed the edge of the table and rose up from the chair. “I’ll leave you two alone now then. You have my blessing, so Luhan, don’t screw up, because I’ll blame you no matter what you say.” He gathered his stuff, swung his laptop bag over his shoulder and looked at us. “I’ll see you both later hopefully. Bye.”

“Bye,” Minseok bid farewell clearly and I murmured the response. When Wufan had left the shop and we both knew that he couldn’t see us anymore, Minseok slipped his hand out of mine. I missed the heat; it had even become a little sweaty between our palms.

We stayed quiet for about a minute or two. Minseok didn’t look at me and his gaze was at the table. He didn’t smile anymore and it almost looked like he was being scolded.

I cleared my throat and he looked hopeful up at me. I didn’t look at him, but focused on something in the other side of the shop. “Thanks.”

I could sense a smile, not a stiff one, but a genuine one. Oh God, this was so awkward. I didn’t know what I was thanking him for because I didn’t even ask for his help in the first place. It just felt right to thank him.

He didn’t mutter a word, but I could feel him relax beside me. Somehow it made me relax too. And then he rose from his chair. I felt confused all of a sudden and looked up at him. He had a small smile on his lips and then he bowed slightly to me.

“I have to go,” Minseok said and looked at me. His smile turned apologetic. “My shift is in ten minutes.”

I rose up from my chair too. I didn’t know what for, but it just felt like the right thing to do.

“Can we… talk tomorrow? Same place same time?” I screwed up. I screwed up so badly. ‘Can we talk tomorrow?’ It sounded like I was going to scold him. I ed up! “You know… so I could thank you properly. Buy you a drink.”

I tried, okay? I tried to save myself. I really tried. It just sounded like I… wait. Did I just ask him out?!

“Sure,” he replied, smiling that cute and captivating smile. “See you tomorrow, Luhan.”

His voice… saying my name. I could feel my insides melt. My name didn’t sound foreign at all on his tongue. He said a clear ‘L’-sound instead of the usual mix between ‘R’ and ‘L’ Koreans usually use. It sounded like he’d practiced saying my name perfectly and his pronunciation was indeed perfect.

“Yeah,” I said dumbly and then he left me, melting my heart with that smile. When I’d heard the ding indicating that the door had closed behind the guy I let out a sigh. “See you tomorrow, stranger.”

A/N: The next and last chapter will be uploaded soon, hopefully.... ^^