Part One - True Love Awaits

“Jonghyun,” Minho spoke.

Jonghyun doesn’t look up from his meal but still responds with ‘hmm,’ with his mouth full.

“People are staring,” Minho whispered.

Jonghyun didn’t respond this time. Before they entered the restaurant, they had a whole discussion (which is what Jonghyun called it but it was clearly an argument) about how it was casual for two people of the same to have dinner together in Seoul, South Korea. Jonghyun was an exchange student from America, together with his aspiring fashion designer boyfriend Key—or at least that’s what he likes to call himself.

There wasn’t much of a difference between Minho and Jonghyun and Key. The only difference between Minho and the two was that Minho didn’t know how to speak fluent English whereas they did.

Back to the point, Jonghyun had convinced Minho that people wouldn’t misinterpret their night out. Obviously, Jonghyun was wrong.

“Jonghyun, this isn’t America. It’s odd when people see two guys have a romantic dinner together.”

And that’s when Jonghyun decided to look up. “Romantic dinner?” he questioned. “When did I ever say this was a romantic dinner?”

Minho paused. “Good point, but that’s how people are interpreting it!”

Jonghyun neatly wiped the corners of his lips with a napkin before responding frankly, “If you didn’t care what people thought about you then you wouldn’t be feeling this way.”

Minho exhaled deeply and leaned back in his seat. He picked up his fork and started poking his unwanted food with it, causing Jonghyun to snap at him and tell him not to play with his food because it annoyed him and because it was apparently rude.

“You know,” Minho began. “I thought this would finally be a night when I can get away from the Almighty Key but now I realise that you’re exactly like him.”

“He’s exactly like me. There’s a difference,” Jonghyun replied and shoved a mouthful of spaghetti in his mouth.

“Either way, you’re both irritable es who make me want to move back in with Onew.”

Jonghyun stared at him; confused. “I thought you said Onew was unbearable.”

“In comparison, life with him is much more lenient.” 

“Life with him is much more dangerous,” Jonghyun corrected and Minho chuckled.

 It was true. Onew wasn’t a safe person. No, it wasn’t because he was vicious. It was because he was clumsy. A year back, Onew almost burnt down Minho’s dorm. He didn’t know how he did it, but it didn’t end well and Minho ended up moving into an apartment by himself.

The two continued with their three course meal and people kept taking glances at them. Minho took note of every glance they were given. He was self-conscious. He didn’t want people to think they were…you know. Not that he wasn’t okay with people who were you know but it was frowned upon in their country.

“Sirs,” a waitress said politely as she stopped at their table. “Fortune cookie?”

“Oh! I love these!” Jonghyun exclaimed childishly.

The woman smiled. “He’s cute. Definitely a keeper,” she commented and winked at Minho and needless to say, he felt uncomfortable after that.

“Did you hear that Minho?” Jonghyun asked. “She said I’m cute.”

“She thinks we’re together.”

“Look at how much I care,” Jonghyun replied as he cracked open his fortune cookie. Jonghyun carefully read the small sheet of paper that fell out of the fortune cookie. “You will face many a conflict.”

Jonghyun stared at the sheet like a lost puppy before throwing it onto his plate. “Well, that made so much sense,” he mumbled sarcastically. “What does yours say?”

Minho easily cracked open his one and a small sheet of paper floated out of it and landed on his now empty plate. He picked it up and read it aloud. “True love awaits.”

Jonghyun grinned. “Oh, that sounds exciting. I wonder who it will be!”

Minho rolled his eyes. “You don’t really believe in these things do you?”

“Sure I do!” Jonghyun replied in a happy tone and now people were looking at him like he was on crack which Minho was pretty convinced that he was.

“Calm down boy,” Minho ordered him like a puppy. “Can we go now?”

“Sure,” Jonghyun replied and they left their table for the staff to clean and walked into the cool night.

Jonghyun skipped down the path along the road in front of Minho who trudged along behind him.

“You will face many a conflict,” Jonghyun recited. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“That we’ll get into an argument if you don’t slow down,” Minho replied and Jonghyun slowed his pace and Minho caught up with him.
They walked down the street, their car about 100 metres away from where they were, and the cold night breeze brushed against their faces. It was cold enough that they could see their breath in the air—which the lost puppy boy found highly amusing.

“True love apparently awaits you, Sir Minho,” Jonghyun said and God was his cheesy humour the saddest thing Minho had ever heard but it was so sad and pathetic that it was quite hilarious.

“Come on Jonghyun, it’s just a piece of paper,” Minho replied and Jonghyun looked a little hurt.

“Come on Minho. If you believe then maybe it will come true. God knows how desperate you are for a girl…or boy,” Jonghyun said as he skipped forward again.

“Hey!” Minho called to him and jogged after him. “I am not desperate, and how dare you question my uality.”

“Whatever,” Jonghyun scoffed. “All I’m saying is that you gotta believe sometimes and yes, I know that that was the cheesiest thing you’ve ever heard coming from a 19 year old guy but just think about it. Remember those joyous moments when you were little and you believed Santa was still real? Weren’t those the most magical moments of your life?”

“I was bullied when I was a kid,” Minho sighed sadly, frustrating Jonghyun.

“Well, they were pretty magical years for a normal, social kid without any height problems.”

Minho glared at him. “How was being taller than everyone considered a height problem anyway?” he asked. “Like, you were the ing height of a toddler in 3^rd grade. I’ve seen your photos.”

Jonghyun grinned at him. “I compensated with my good looks.”

Minho scoffed. “I was a pretty damn good looking kid too.”

“Yeah but you see Minho, back then they loved the cute smile and chubby cheeks—and they still do—which was me, you on the other hand were the alien eyes kid who got A pluses in demonic facial expressions.”

Minho laughed despite it was a harsh insult.

“I saw your school photos too and seriously, after looking at your first grade photo I got nightmares.”

“Shut up,” Minho told him as they reached the car. 

Minho jumped into the driver’s seat while Jonghyun into the passenger seat. Minho put the key in the ignition and turned it. The engine revved but then pulled to an abrupt halt. Minho chuckled nervously and tried again…it still didn’t work.

He tried again and again and again until Jonghyun convinced him that it was no use.

Minho slammed his hands on the dashboard. “I told you we should’ve filled up on gas earlier!”

“Let’s not get into this,” Jonghyun said calmly. “There’s a gas station nearby.”

“And how do you suppose we get there?” Minho asked.

…

And soon, Minho found himself having to push the car while Jonghyun was up front at the wheel pushing as well. Jonghyun was saying something but Minho didn’t pay attention because pushing a car wasn’t an easy task you know? And the last thing he wanted to hear was Jonghyun’s stupidity and cheesy remarks.

“The night breeze feels good against your face, don’t you think?” Jonghyun asked after rambling about God knows what.

“Can you not?” Minho groaned.

“Not what? Talk?”

“Yes!” Minho exclaimed and he stopped pushing to shake his hands a little.

“Hey, this is a two man job you know? Can’t do this by myself!” Jonghyun called to him from upfront.

It took about 10 minutes for Jonghyun to realise that the gas station he was talking about earlier was back the other direction and was about 20 minutes away—by car. Meaning that it would probably take them much, much longer if they were to try and push their car there. He didn’t tell Minho that. He knew that if he did then Minho would throw a Key-fit and tell him how dumb he was.

Plus, he didn’t have to tell him anyway because Minho had already read his mind. “We’re lost,” Minho said exasperatedly as he collapsed on the trunk. “Wait, let me correct that,” he continued. “You’re lost.”

Jonghyun sat down in the front seat and tipped his head back and sighed. “Yeah, I know. Thanks for informing me.”

Minho tapped his fingers on the trunk while Jonghyun on the steering wheel. They took that moment to catch their breaths. Minho tried his very best to not go hulk on Jonghyun for getting them into this situation.

“Well, isn’t this romantic,” Jonghyun commented and Minho could smell that cheesy grin on his face.

“I’m going to kill you,” Minho threatened seriously.

“Hey you have a phone right?” Jonghyun asked and turned around to watch Minho nod against the trunk.

“We can use Google Maps to find the nearest gas station!” Jonghyun said triumphantly; happy that for once he found a way out of a situation.

Minho chuckled. “Oh hey, I got a better idea! We can call someone to pick us up!”

Minho watched as Jonghyun reclined back in his seat and pout through the rear-view mirror. “Don’t worry buddy, your idea was good too.”

Minho took out his phone and dialled a few numbers. The first person he tried to contact was Key but Minho decided to immediately end the call before he answered. If Key were to found out that they were lost and didn’t have a way to get back home, Minho’s ears would be in great danger of a loud, angry fit.

Then he tried to contact Onew. At this time of night, Onew would probably be busy accidentally burning his dorm down. Or Onew would trip over while trying to get his phone and crack his skull and die. So Onew wasn’t really an option either.

“Is that it?” Jonghyun asked when Minho put down his phone.

“I’ll admit that I don’t have a lot of numbers.”

“Can’t you like, call your parents?”

Minho fake laughed. “And risk getting my whooped when they get here? Tch, yeah right.”

 Jonghyun rolled his eyes and got Minho to toss the phone to him.
“Who are you going to call?” Minho asked.

“Who else?” Jonghyun answered and waited for someone to pick up; leisurely tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to a catchy tune he created in his head.

“Key!” Jonghyun said and Minho’s eyes widened.

“Jonghyun, NO!” he yelled and tried to grab the phone off him.
“What the hell are you doing?!” Jonghyun snapped and they fought over the phone viciously. Minho and Jonghyun imagined Key rolling his eyes right now and concluded that he probably hung up.

“Give me the phone!” Jonghyun groaned.

“NO!”

So they fought over it for a good minute or so until Jonghyun gave in. “FINE TAKE IT!”

And he threw it, intending it to hit Minho’s chest, but instead collided with the concrete and breaking in the process.

Minho gasped and ran over to the fragmented device. He knelt down and stared at it.

“Remember when I said I was going to kill you?” Minho said to Jonghyun while he stared intensely at his broken phone.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…I’m going to kill you.”

Minho wasn’t kidding this time. He got up and dashed for Jonghyun who stealthily leapt into the car and locked the doors. Minho banged his hands on the window while shouting at Jonghyun to open the door—who just sat there in the car scared for his life.

Minho never got angry but when he did, it wasn’t an easy thing to deal with. Minho once told Jonghyun a story about when he was ten years old he threw a major hissy fit because his parents didn’t get him anything for his birthday. They baked him a cake though. Minho told Jonghyun that he tried throwing the cake at his dad and it just ended up splattering on his shoes and was grounded for a whole month.

Now, Jonghyun had to experience this ravenous bull firsthand.

“OPEN THE ING DOOR JONGHYUN!”

Jonghyun cringed at his voice and replied with a calm “Only if you promise not to kill me.”

 Minho didn’t comply and just kept banging on the window while Jonghyun just sat there and watched him.

A few minutes later Minho had ended up sitting on the ground leaning on the door. His breath was uneven and his hands were worn out. Jonghyun’s legs were propped up on the dashboard and he was whistling to pass time.

When Minho caught his breath, he stood up and Jonghyun quickly put his feet back on the ground. Minho sighed.

“Open the door Jonghyun.”

Jonghyun contemplated whether or not he should. He could risk getting his neck broken.
“Open the door Jonghyun,” Minho repeated and Jonghyun did hesitantly.

Minho signalled him to move to the passenger seat so he could sit down and thankfully, that’s all he did. Sit down. Minho was closing his eyes and inhaling and exhaling deeply to calm himself and Jonghyun watched him, not knowing what else to do.

“There’s a convenience store down the road,” Jonghyun spoke but Minho still didn’t open his eyes. “I can go get us a drink or something.”

Minho just nodded and simply told him to ‘go’ and he did. Jonghyun knew he needed time to calm down from killer mode.

Minho gripped the steering wheel tightly and exhaled deeply one more time before opening his eyes and staring out in front of him. When he opened his eyes, he didn’t expect to see a small white paper lying on the hood. Curious, Minho got out of the car to inspect it. It was just a small paper, probably blown onto his hood by the wind. He didn’t know why, he could’ve just left it there and let the wind take it away on another  journey but…he felt like it was of some importance. He unfolded it and it read three words.

“True love awaits,” he read out loud and his words flew into the open air. Minho shrugged and wasn’t bothered by the fact that he threw the piece of paper in the bin before leaving the restaurant. He turned it over and saw that there was another message on the back.

“I promise,” it read this time.

Minho placed it back down on the hood.

Jonghyun came back and they ended up finding a way back home. All through the night, the fortune was always on his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~