For quite some time Dimples... Yixing stares at Joonmyun with his mouth hanging open, and just as Joonmyun has gathered his wits enough to say something (or try to say something, at least), Yixing exclaims: “Oh my God, you're Paisley!”

Joonmyun recoils. “Excuse me?”

“Paisley!” This time he points, and when Joonmyun looks down as well, it's not difficult for him to understand what Yixing is referring to. The print on his tie. Of course. Yixing suddenly seems to realize that pointing isn't very polite and he drops his hand. “It's just...” He scratches the side of his neck with one finger, flashing an embarrassed smile. “I kind of saw you every day at the park and I didn't know your name so I kind of just started calling you 'Paisley' because you kept wearing those hideous things.”

Joonmyun's face flushes with embarrassment, but also with content because Dimples gave him a nickname. Even if it's something as unflattering as that, it's still a nickname, and he's not sure why that makes him so happy, it just does. Maybe it's because no one ever gave him a nickname before. Yeah, that's probably why. Also, he should probably respond somehow because Yixing is staring at him. “H-hey, I think my ties are spiffy!” Joonmyun protests before his brain-to-mouth filter fails him and he ends up saying something about how Yixing makes his chest ache.

Yixing's eyes go a little round. “I don't know what that word means.” At this rate Joonmyun's face is going to burn right off, he's sure of it. “So, uhm, I...” Yixing shifts on the spot. “How have you been? I haven't seen you for a while.”

“I've been busy,” Joonmyun answers quickly. Too quickly.

“Hmm.” Yixing nods. His expression doesn't reveal whether he believes it or not. “I kind of missed having you around, you know.”

Joonmyun considers pinching himself to make sure that this isn't a dream, that this is actually real. He decides against it. “You did?”

“You're good company,” Yixing says with a shrug. “Even if you don't really talk to me.”

“Two minutes,” says the other waiter as he passes them again.

“I'm sorry, I have to go,” Yixing sighs. Contrary to what he just said he doesn't move, though. He stays where he is and he keeps looking at Joonmyun as if he's expecting him to say something.

Joonmyun swallows. “H-here.” In a gesture of spontaneity, he reaches into his pocket to pull out another card and he gives it to Yixing, who accepts it with a smile.

“Wow, you're spewing these things out left and right, huh?”

“Call me,” Joonmyun goes on without acknowledging his comment. “Or text me or... something.”

Yixing nods inattentively. He's busy studying the card he's holding between his hands. “Kim Joonmyun,” he mutters quietly almost as if he's testing the name out. He repeats it a few times, then raises his head to look straight at Joonmyun. “Joonmyun-ssi.”

“Just... just Joonmyun is fine.” There's this odd sense of satisfaction tinkling under his skin from hearing Yixing saying his name. It's confusing.

“Joonmyun,” Yixing repeats and he smiles that now well-known dimpled smile. “It's nice to officially meet you, Joonmyun. I'm Yixing. And now I really have to go or my boss is going to skin me alive.” He runs off before Joonmyun has the chance to say a proper goodbye.

Jongdae clearly witnessed what happened and he looks like has a thousand questions prepared when Joonmyun returns to their table. He seems to think better of it when he sees the expression on Joonmyun's face, though. Joonmyun feels a little shaken up. For more reasons than one. “Are you alright?” Jongdae asks as Joonmyun sinks down on the chair across from his.

Joonmyun nods absently. “I'm fine.”

“Did you know that guy?” He inclines his head in the general direction of the kitchen.

“Huh? Oh, uhm. Not really.”

“You seemed to get along pretty well, though.” There's this knowing glint in Jongdae's eyes as they search Joonmyun's face. “I saw the way he was looking at you. Are you sure you don't know each other from somewhere?”

Joonmyun flushes, embarrassed at getting caught in his lie. “Well, he's, uh... we're kind of acquaintances, I guess.” That's probably the closest he can come to labeling his relationship with Yixing without having to explain everything that has happened between them. They're not quite friends, but not quite strangers either. At least now Joonmyun actually knows his real name and can call him that rather than the pathetic nickname he gave him in his head. Reality belatedly comes crashing down on Joonmyun and he groans. “Oh God, I gave him my number.”

“Isn't that a good thing?” Jongdae asks, confused.

Joonmyun rubs both of his hands over his heated face. “I don't know yet,” he mutters.

It's kind of nerve-wracking, really. Usually Joonmyun is the one to receive others' numbers, he's the one who has to call people, and though that's a little scary in itself, this is so much worse. He's not used to sitting around waiting for someone to call him, it's almost always the other way around. Not that he's waiting for Yixing to call or anything. He certainly doesn't bring his cellphone with him everywhere on the off chance that Yixing would choose to call him while he was in the bathroom and he'd miss the call or something like that. Totally not.

Joonmyun falls asleep later than usual that night and when his alarm wakes him up at seven am the next morning he feels far from well-rested. Apparently he fell asleep with his phone lying on the extra pillow next to his own and he rolled onto it in his sleep so now there's a nice imprint on his cheek. Yixing still hasn't contacted him. No calls, no texts, nothing.

There's a heavy churning in Joonmyun's belly as he goes through his regular morning routine to get ready for the day. He's quick to brush it off as hunger pangs, and he tries to smother it by filling his stomach with coffee and breakfast. The feeling still lingers even after he's done eating, though. Maybe he's getting sick? Or maybe it's just because he didn't sleep well?

It takes Joonmyun some time, but in the end he recognizes it. The realization hits him kind of out of nowhere like a punch to the gut and makes him pause, one shoe halfway on his left foot. Disappointment. His brow creases. It's the feeling of disappointment and it's entirely unwelcome.

Joonmyun has never demanded much in life. Whatever he wanted he always worked hard to achieve. He wanted a cellphone as a teenager, he saved up his allowance until he could buy one. He wanted to go to Seoul National University, he studied hard to be at the top of his class and get grades that were good enough for him to get accepted. He's always been good at getting clients to sign deals with them too, persuading them with flattering words and disarming smiles.

Sure, Joonmyun thinks to himself as he rides the subway to work, there have been some moments of rejection as well. It's inevitable. The entirety of his adult dating life has pretty much been one big, constant bout of failure, a slew of “this isn't going to work”s and “it's not you, it's me”s, but none of those girls really did much for him, none of them meant anything to him not like...

He pauses. Without even meaning to he has gotten off at the stop before the one that is closest to his work place, and he now finds that his feet has lead him to stand in front of that familiar park. And he realizes with startling clarity that he's interested in Yixing. He wants to know more about this guy, he's intrigued by his character. Judging by the lack of contact, however, it doesn't seem like Yixing returns the sentiment. Joonmyun probably misread the whole situation. It would be so typical of him to do something like that.

Momentarily, Joonmyun entertains the idea of walking all the way around the park rather than right through it, but he thinks better of it. It would take too long and he'd be late for work. Again. Besides, he's a grown man. He shouldn't be afraid. Avoiding a problem is not going to make anything better, anyway, no matter how tempting it seems. He clenches his fists and uncurls them slowly, takes a deep breath. Then he enters the park.

Joonmyun very determinedly does not look in the direction of the benches where Yixing usually sits when he passes by them. Unlike other days, he can't hear any music playing and for a second he's tempted to look up and see if Yixing is even there today. He doesn't do that, though. Instead he keeps his head down, walking fast and straight ahead. It feels like a cowardly move, but even though he told himself that avoiding his problems isn't the solution he still feels like it's too early to actually deal with them. He's embarrassed. His pride is newly injured and he needs some time to nurse his wounds before he can face Yixing again.

Once more not paying attention proves to be a bad decision for Joonmyun. This time there's no actual impact, Joonmyun manages to stop before that happens. He mutters an apology under his breath and motions to sidestep the person he almost bumped into. He pauses, however, when there's a familiar laugh and an even more familiar voice says: “We have to stop meeting like this.” Slowly Joonmyun raises his head. Yixing is smiling at him, eyes twinkling more than ever. Today there's a beanie pulled over his hair. He has a guitar bag slung over one shoulder. He looks great. “And you need to start watching where you're going. I wouldn't like to see you get hurt.”

That's the comment that drags Joonmyun violently out of his stupor. He closes his mouth that has been hanging open and his jaw clenches. It's not fair. It's not fair that Yixing just says that as if it's no big deal, as if it's nothing. When he says things like that it makes it seem like he cares. If he cared he would have called Joonmyun, but he didn't so he doesn't. “You never called me,” Joonmyun says. His tone is cold and he knows it. He can't help it. He's hurt.

Yixing's smile fades and for a moment Joonmyun feels bad, but he pulls himself together. He can't afford to be soft now. “I know,” Yixing sighs and he pouts. Pouts. “This is really embarrassing, but I...” He slumps over in defeat. “I lost your card.”

Joonmyun stares. “You... lost my card?”

“Yeah! I could have sworn I put it in my bag after you gave it to me, but when I tried to find it after I got off work it was just gone and I looked everywhere for it, but I couldn't find it and I felt really bad because I really wanted to call you and talk to you and I'm sorry.” Yixing's brow creases and he looks so apologetic and miserable and Joonmyun's heart hurts a little in sympathy. “Do you think maybe you could give me your number again?”

“Uhm.” Joonmyun hesitates. He wants to, but he's still not sure if Yixing is really telling him the truth or if he's just trying to save face by feeding Joonmyun some kind of lie. But Yixing looks so pleading and he's still pouting. Joonmyun forgets everything about not being soft. “Okay.” Yixing beams. “How do I...? Your phone?”

Yixing slumps over again. “I forgot it at work yesterday,” he whines. Joonmyun kind of wants to pet him. “But, oh!” Yixing rummages through his guitar bag and manages to find a pen in one of the side pockets. “Here, you can write it on my hand. I'm pretty sure even my dumb won't be able to lose that, heh.” Joonmyun reckons that Yixing has a nice . You know, since the rest of Yixing is nice, his is probably nice as well. Logic. Yeah.

With shaky hands Joonmyun grabs Yixing's outstretched one. It's cool and his fingers are calloused from playing guitar, but somehow it feels nice, holding it like this. Joonmyun writes his phone number on the back of Yixing's hand and puts the cap back on the pen. “Will you really contact me this time around?” he asks. It's meant to be joking, but the anxiousness clearly shines through in his voice. He can practically taste it on his tongue.

Yixing looks up from where he has been studying the digits printed in stark black on his skin. “I'll text you as soon as I get to work,” he vows, smiling. And Joonmyun allows the dull flame of hope to flare up in his chest again. Just a little.

~*~

A/N: yo yo yo, what is good my dudes and dudettes. in my previous update, I promised that there would be more sulay in this chapter and, oh, what is this? that's right, more sulay. boom!

sooooo yeah. what is there really to say about it? I mean, you read the chapter yourself (I assume you read it, at least... you didn't? why are you reading this, then? what kind of person reads a story just for the author's notes???) so you already know what happened in it. not a lot to explain. joonmyun angsted some more because he's afraid he'll die lonely and alone, but then it turned out yixing was just being yixing. ditzy!xing strikes again!

anyway. I guess I'll stop myself now, hah. thank you for reading and commenting and subscribing and upvoting and existing and being you and you are precious and important. bye! ♥