Joonmyun feels like something is lodged in his throat and he's not sure why. Apparently there are a lot of things he's not sure of these days. Earlier, Yixing had texted him suggesting they meet up after they both got off work and Joonmyun had readily agreed. It was convenient that his office hours ended only an hour before Yixing was off, too. That way Joonmyun could just stay at work for a bit longer and then walk to the restaurant like they had planned. It seemed like a great idea.

Except, now that Joonmyun is actually standing here, he feels jittery with nerves. He's been waiting for about ten minutes, but to him it feels like a lot longer than that. His heart is thumping and his pulse is racing far too fast for it to be considered healthy, that is something he is sure of. He continuously tries to convince himself that it's just dinner and that there's nothing to be worried about. It doesn't help much.

There's this part of him that really, really wants to make a good impression on Yixing for some reason and he can't explain why. At the same time another part of him keeps trying to convince him that he's definitely going to screw this up, that Yixing is going to end up despising him and won't even want to talk to him again after this, that–

“Sorry I'm late,” someone says and Joonmyun practically jumps three feet into the air, spinning around to face Yixing, who's smiling as usual.

“S-stop sneaking up on me like that,” Joonmyun gasps while clutching his chest. This isn't the first time Yixing has surprised him like this and Joonmyun would very much appreciate if he didn't have a heart attack before he turns thirty.

“Stop letting yourself be snuck up on, then,” Yixing counters, wiggling his eyebrows teasingly. Joonmyun has no idea how to respond to that. If his heart wasn't giving him enough trouble before it certainly is now. And just to make matters worse, Yixing looks really, really good. It's almost unfair how good he looks. Even though Joonmyun is the one wearing the expensive suit, he feels kind of underdressed. “Are you ready to go?”

“Lead the way,” Joonmyun says. And with a smile, Yixing does just that.

They take the subway a few stops and get off at one Joonmyun only knows by name. He's never actually been in the area and it scares him somewhat, being in a place as unfamiliar as this. It's a big step out of his comfort zone. Yixing's right there with him, though, and Joonmyun tells himself that everything is going to be fine. Yixing seems to know what he's doing and where he's going. The cynical voice at the back of Joonmyun's mind questions him for trusting someone he's just met so blindly, but then Yixing is smiling at Joonmyun, and that suppresses the doubt.

“This is my favorite place to eat,” Yixing tells Joonmyun. “I've been going here for years and, I mean, it's nothing fancy or anything, but the food is probably the best I've had in Seoul, and the owner is... well, you'll see.” Joonmyun doesn't know whether he likes the sound of that or not, and the impish look on Yixing's face, as if he's biting back a grin, isn't really all that reassuring. He makes a mental note not to let Yixing and Jongdae be together for longer periods of time. That could without a doubt end badly for him.

“Can't wait,” Joonmyun says a little uncertainly. Yixing just keeps smiling.

They turn down a less crowded street and walk for a while longer before they end up at a small cluster of street food stalls. It's not until they get closer and Yixing picks up his pace a little, walking towards a particular one, that it hits Joonmyun that this is it. At first he thinks Yixing must be joking. Then he sees the excited look on his face and realizes that he's completely serious about this. This is really it. “Halmeonim!” Yixing greets the tiny, wrinkled lady standing behind the trays of food and when she raises her head, Yixing bows a perfect ninety degrees. “Hello.”

“Omo!” The lady clasps her hands together in front of herself. She peels off her plastic gloves and waddles around the grills to approach Yixing. “Aigoo, our Xing, you get more and more good-looking every time I see you,” she coos, patting his face in a way that makes it seem like it's a common thing for her to do. Then she slaps his arm. “How come you never visit me anymore?”

“I'm sorry, halmeonim, I've been busy lately.” The lady clicks her tongue is disapproval, but goes back to patting his face again, and Yixing just lets her. There's a soft smile on his face and Joonmyun is starting to realize exactly how much Yixing loves this place. “I brought a friend today, halmeonim,” Yixing says after some moments of face-molestation, and he gestures towards Joonmyun, who has been hovering hesitantly in the background.

Now he steps forward and bows like Yixing had done. “Hello, it's very nice to meet you.” He has barely stood back upright before there are hands on him, pinching and squeezing his cheeks.

“Oh, so handsome,” the lady clucks delightedly. “What's your name?”

Joonmyun, overwhelmed by the very sudden, very unfamiliar touching, takes some time to find his words. “I, uhm... Kim... Kim Joonmyun.”

“Joonmyun-ah~.” She squeezes his face until his lips pucker and his cheeks are sore. Joonmyun casts a helpless glance at Yixing, who's standing there watching everything with that same fond smile. Joonmyun can't tell if he's oblivious to his mental cry for help or if he's choosing to ignore it on purpose. “Are you married, Joonmyunnie?” the lady inquires. “You aren't, are you? I would love to introduce you to my granddaughter, she's very pretty. You'll love her, I'm sure.”

“O-oh,” Joonmyun stammers, flustered. “I, uh... well... th-thanks for, uh... I–”

“Hey, you never offered to introduce me to your granddaughter,” Yixing interjects, sounding genuinely offended, and the lady finally lets go of Joonmyun's face to pat Yixing's cheek instead.

“But that's because I want you all for myself, Xing,” she says with a cheeky wink and Joonmyun is almost fully convinced that he sees her reach around to squeeze Yixing's while she's at it, but Yixing is laughing so maybe Joonmyun is wrong about that. Maybe.

Once the lady has left them to go back to her food, Joonmyun clears his throat. “Is she always so...?” He trails off, unsure of how to finish his sentence without sounding rude.

“What? So handsy? Only with people she likes.” Yixing smiles brightly at him. “I guess that must mean she really likes you, then.” Joonmyun doesn't know if he should be flattered by that. At the moment he's mostly still shocked. “Hey, do you mind if I order for us?” Yixing asks.

“No, go ahead.” Yixing obviously knows this place better than Joonmyun so he probably knows what's good. Yixing steps up to the stall and without much hesitation he starts listing off dishes one by one until he has ordered about two thirds of the items on the menu. He nods, then, satisfied with himself, and the lady chuckles and goes off to get them their food. Joonmyun is a little shocked. “Do you really think we can eat all that?” he asks. “Isn't it too much?”

“But everything here is so good, how do you expect me to pick?” Yixing says, and Joonmyun instantly surrenders to the pout directed at him. Sighing he reaches into his pocket to take out his wallet, only to have Yixing grabbing his wrist to stop him. Joonmyun's head snaps up as he looks at Yixing in surprise, only to see Yixing is smiling. “Don't worry, I got it.”

“But–”

“I got it,” Yixing cuts him off decisively. He gives Joonmyun's wrist a squeeze before pulling away, and he shoves his hand into his pocket to pull out a few crumbled bills. Joonmyun's skin tingles where Yixing held on to him, and he shakes his arm discreetly in an attempt to get rid of the feeling. It lingers, though.

There's enough food to take up several of the trays the lady lets them use, and they carry those trays one by one to the wobbly table until its surface is covered entirely. Yixing plops down on one of the plastic chairs, and Joonmyun sinks into the one across from him, taking in the vast amount of dishes scattered in front of them with a sense of apprehension. There's so much food, and he seriously doubts they're going to be able to finish all of it.

While Yixing digs in happily, Joonmyun hesitates. He feels weird and stuffy and completely out of place, sitting there in a plastic lawn chair eating street food in his expensive suit. So he shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over the chair standing next to them. While he's at it, he loosens and removes his tie and undoes the top button of his shirt as well.

Satisfied with the change, Joonmyun picks up his utensils to start eating, but when he looks up, he finds Yixing watching him intently, the tip of his chopsticks nestled between his teeth. There's something in his eyes that Joonmyun can't place, something that makes Joonmyun's skin feel hot all over. He recoils. “What?” he asks warily.

Yixing shakes his head and his dimple comes out again when he smiles. “Nothing,” he says lightly. He grabs a piece of pajeon and holds it out in front of Joonmyun. “Here, try this. It's really good.” Joonmyun stares skeptically at the proffered food, not because of the food itself, but more so because Yixing used his own chopsticks to pick it up.

The moment Joonmyun parts his lips to decline, Yixing shoves the jeon into his mouth. It takes Joonmyun some seconds to remember that he needs to actually chew. When he does, he can't help the noise of content that escapes him. “Wow.”

Yixing grins. “Good, right?”

“Amazing,” Joonmyun agrees, nodding. He takes a piece of gamjajeon for himself. It's just as great. The ddeokbokki is some of the best he's even had. So is the twigim and the soondae and... all of it. It's all great. Now he really understands why Yixing keeps coming back to this place.

They make smalltalk as they eat. Joonmyun finds out that he's only a couple of months older than Yixing, that Yixing is originally from China and that he came to Seoul to go to school several years ago, that on top of being a waiter and a street musician he also plays in a band with three other people, and that he's a bad person to have a text conversation with because he almost always forgets that he's actually having a conversation and ends up not replying.

In return, Joonmyun tells Yixing about his job and his apartment and Jongdae because those are the only things he really has to talk about. He feels somewhat inferior, his life is in no way as interesting as Yixing's is. But Yixing listens to him nonetheless with a smile on his face and he asks Joonmyun questions about his work as if he's actually interested in hearing what Joonmyun has to say despite the fact that even Joonmyun thinks some of these things are boring. And he's the one who has to do it for a living.

Before Joonmyun even realizes it, three hours have passed like that. It doesn't hit him until he coincidentally catches a glimpse of his wristwatch and realizes what time is it. He had totally lost track of the hours with Yixing, but the sun has long set and the people walking by outside are fewer in numbers now. It's getting kind of late.

Yixing slumps back in his seat and pats his stomach. “So full,” he sighs, letting his head fall back so it's hanging over the back of the chair.

Joonmyun's eyes linger on the exposed line of Yixing's pale throat for a little longer than he'd like to admit before he drags his gaze away to look over their table instead. “I really didn't think we would be able to eat all of that,” he says. He's simultaneously disturbed by and proud of how little food is left on their trays. They ate so much, but it was so good.

Yixing just hums and for a moment Joonmyun fears he has fallen asleep, but then Yixing raises his head again. “Do you have work tomorrow?” he asks. The question comes out of nowhere so it takes Joonmyun a second to nod. “We should probably get you home soon, then.” He motions to stand up. Joonmyun feels a sense of loss. He doesn't want to leave. Not yet.

He brushes it off. Yixing is right. Joonmyun stands up as well and despite the lady's protests they clean up the mess they left behind. Just as they're about to leave, she s hoddeok into their hands. “On the house,” she says. “As long as you promise to come back to see me.”

With their hands full, Yixing and Joonmyun are unable to fend off any incoming assaults and the lady manages to pat both their faces and their butts several times. This time Joonmyun is barely even fazed. He just smiles and accepts the compliments she coos at him. The fond smile on Yixing's face makes it a lot easier for Joonmyun to handle the excessive touching, too.

They eat their hoddeok as they walk, and talk is minimal until they reach the subway. The way there feels shorter than Joonmyun would have liked. A lot shorter. Yixing stops Joonmyun with a hand on his arm before he can begin to make his way down the stairs, and Joonmyun turns to him, surprised. “Actually, I live nearby,” Yixing says.

It takes Joonmyun a moment to realize that it means this is where they have to part. “Oh,” he says inarticulately. “Uhm. Well... goodnight, then.” He's not sure how this is supposed to go. He's used to driving girls back to their houses after going on dates with them. Except this is totally not a date, not like that. A friend date, maybe. Yeah. A friend date.

Fortunately Yixing takes the reigns. “I really enjoyed tonight,” he says in a subdued tone. “I like spending time with you. It would be nice if we could hang out again some time soon.”

“I'd like that.” For some reason Joonmyun's voice comes out a little breathless. Yixing's smile is brighter than all the colored neon signs lighting him up from behind.

~*~

A/N: this chapter is pointless. this entire story is pointless. but I love halmeonim so I'm not even sorry.

but yeah. they went out and ate their own weight in street food and talked a whole bunch and that's literally all that happened for 2500 words, how is this even considered plot, ugh, what am I doing... oooooooooohhh, and I should probably reiterate that joonmyun believes this to be a friend date. just a friend date. that's it. also, I am no expert on korean street food, so forgive me if there are any glaring mistakes in here somewhere. yeah.

that's all, folks! thank you for being here despite the lack of actual story!
bye~ ♥