13.“Remember that time when…”

     “Remember that time when you asked me out for the first time and you ended up puking because you were so nervous?” Yongguk asked Daehyun one morning at the breakfast table. Daehyun damn near choked on his toast and his faced flushed red with embarrassment. Cinnamon went everywhere because of the sudden outburst of air from his nose and it landed all over the table and Daehyun’s plate as well which caused him to frown. Cinnamon and eggs did not mix. He should know. He’s tried everything.

    “To be quite honest, I try to forget that as often as I can. It was and still is humiliating.” Daehyun replied as he picked up his napkin from his lap and brushed the granules into his hand and he got up from the table to discard them into the trash. Yongguk smiled a little because normally Daehyun would just brush them onto the floor.

     “Come on, it wasn’t that bad. I think it was pretty cute.”

     “And you’re pretty weird for thinking that vomiting is cute.” Daehyun said back with a slight grin playing on his lips, and Yongguk smiled back and shook his head.

     “You know what I mean. You being all nervous and jittery was adorable. You had even dressed up and your eyeliner was smudged because only the coordi noonas know how to do it.” Yongguk said, and Daehyun’s smile faltered.

     “I… I thought it was pretty good for my first time. I even had Himchan help me.” Daehyun said back and Yongguk just looked on with adoration for the younger male. “Was it really that bad?”

     “I didn’t say it was bad, Daehyun. I said it was smudged. And like I said, it wasn’t bad. You looked incredible to me.” Yongguk said, reaching across the table. Daehyun put his hand on top of Yongguk’s and then they laced with fingers together. “You always look incredible, but that’s beside the point. You showed up in the studio and I was a mess even though it was only like, what, nine at night?” Yongguk asked for clarity. Daehyun shrugged.

     “Something like that.” he said, and Yongguk went on.

     “You had walked in with such confidence even though you slammed the door against the wall because you opened the door with so much force and you flinched when it made a loud bang and then I looked up like a zombie and do you remember what I said?” Yongguk asked, grinning. Daehyun smiled back and he furrowed his eyebrows in order to mock Yongguk’s expression.

    “What do you want? I don’t have time to joke around.” Daehyun said in his best low toned voice. Yongguk busted out into laughter and the blush reached down Daehyun’s neck and to the tips of his ears now. He hated it when Yongguk made him copy his vocal tone because he never could get it right. Daehyun’s voice just didn’t go that low.

     “Actually, I didn’t have time to play games, but close enough.” Yongguk laughed and Daehyun took his hand away and slapped Yongguk’s playfully.

     “Oh, whatever!” Daehyun said with a play scowl on his face. “Why are you bringing this up anyways?” he asked, and Yongguk shrugged and picked up his coffee and took a sip. He was going to need about two more cups in order to even reasonably function as a human being but Daehyun always energized him a little more. Maybe one would be fine today.

     “I just wanted to reminisce. Is that so bad?” Yongguk asked, and Daehyun shook his head and slumped down into his chair like a child would, pouting.

     “No, but you keep embarrassing me.” Daehyun said. Yongguk sniggered and flipped his had so his palm was face up, asking in a way for Daehyun to hold it again. He obliged, but only because his hand was warm from the coffee cup. That was the only reason. Nothing else. Daehyun didn’t want to hold Yongguk’s hand just because it was nice to hold because that would be just dumb and sappy. Yongguk spoke up again.

     “Anyways, I felt so bad when you asked if later I wanted to just take a trip to the convenience store with you and then about halfway to the store I realized it was a date and I was like, ‘oh , I was a massive jerk’ and that’s when I’m pretty sure you ducked into an alley and wretched up all your dinner and that’s why you bought a ton. That and more nerves.” Yongguk said, rolling his eyes as if to recall all that went on. Daehyun nodded along and he still wanted to shrink into a hole and die remembering it because he was so mortified when he went back to Yongguk’s side, face pale as the moon and glossy lips looking chapped as ever now. He wanted to kiss Yongguk that night but that was out of the question.

     “I still feel kind of bad our first date was just out to go get cupped ramen that wasn’t even cooked and some chips of drinks and stuff. We just had junk food and it wasn’t anything nice at all.” Daehyun said, but Yongguk brushed it off and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms behind his head and looking up at the ceiling.

     “I don’t know. I think it was nice and slow and different from the pace of everything. I’m just glad Dispatch never caught wind of you and I and I still think no one aside from the people in TS know. I’m amazed no one has said anything.” Yongguk said, and Daehyun winked.

     “I’m sure they’ve said things but I don’t think the media wants to make a scene of settled dust. You and I aren’t entertainers anymore and that’s that.” Daehyun said. “Though, if it came down to it, I’d throw up again to redo our first date.”