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Yangyang, to be completely honest, did not expect much when Xiaojun and Hendery asked to hang out at his place. Maybe he should've claimed his place was too dirty and there were bugs everywhere to dodge the idea of them spending time together.In spite of the potential change of mind, Yangyang sat down on the ground with the other two by his side — casually playing a game of truth or dare. They played a couple of rounds. Around seven, Yangyang assumed.He had been forced to post silly things on his Instagram account and scream the oddest lines in the middle of the night. As for his revenge, he successfully got Hendery to kiss Xiaojun — on the cheek. What a bunch of killjoys!“Yangyang,” Xiaojun said, snapping Yangyang out of his daze. “Truth or dare?” He asked, shifting in his position to create some space between the three of them, also because he probably felt sore due to sitting down on the floor for a while.Yangyang pretended to think about it for a second or two before bluntly answering it with a confident smile. etched across his expression “Truth.” If he picked dare again, it could get a bit boring for him.“Did you get laid yet?” Hendery abruptly inquired, the questioning causing Yangyang to freeze in place.While Yangyang processed the question, Xiaojun would then sharply slap Hendery's shoulder before speaking. “Idiot,” he yelled, “I was supposed to ask!”“Ow!” Exclaimed Hendery, turning to face Xiaojun with an obvious frown on his face once the stinging feeling slowly subsided. “Come on! Just let him answer. Right, Yangie?”“N—” the man paused, “Of course, I did!” Yangyang quickly blurted out with one singular clap before forcing a loud laugh to escape from him. The room would immediately go silent at Yangyang's horrendous acting.Xiaojun and Hendery would no longer be angry with each other because they now cast aside that anger to just stare right into Yangyang's pitiful soul. “...What?“ Yangyang tilted his head, leaning himself back a little.Xiaojun squinted his eyes, leaning forward with suspicion. “You're lying,” Xiaojun eventually concluded without hesitation. He nodded his head in approval; Xiaojun found that he was pretty good at analyzing.Yangyang swallowed thickly, all the air he previously sucked in almost leaving his lungs for. “Dejun, what? No!”“You're really tense,” Hendery pointed out, ganging up on the younger man. Yangyang, left to defend himself, merely continued saying whatever idiotic reason first pops up in his mind.“I do have a partner!” Yangyang crawled towards Hendery and shook him while placing his hands on both of Hendery's shoulders. “I'll prove it to you both. My partner's the most gorgeous person on earth."“Uh-huh,” Hendery nodded his head a few times, yet it was still clear that he wasn't fully convinced. “So why do we not know anything about them?”“Well, we're... a little secretive with our endeavors." Yangyang rubbed the back of his neck. “We don't want other people meddling in our business, you know?”“So can we meet them?“Yangyang blinked once or thrice at Xiaojun's sudden and most definitely not welcomed request. “Oh my god — uhm, yes. I'll go call him.” With a trembling hand, Yangyang fumbled as he began checking his pockets.After his fingers managed to curl onto his phone properly, Yangyang brought himself to stand on his feet and run to the corner of his living room.With his back turned from his closest friends, Yangyang spoke to his shut phone like a maniac. “Hey babe,” Yangyang mumbled, internally cringing at the corny use of pet name. “You miss me? Actually, I wanted to ask if you want to see me soon...”Shortly after, Yangyang managed to build up some confidence to walk back to the two. “You can meet him in two days,” He informed, sitting himself down again with a soft groan leaving his lips.Hendery tilted his head to the side curiously. “Not tomorrow?"“I got a job. It has to be a Saturday.“ Not like the date would matter since Yangyang doesn't actually have a partner and was just lying through his teeth due to his own stubbornness in admitting to being pretty much a total loser.
+ + +
The following day, Yangyang found himself awake early in the morning. Lying on his bed, he glared at the ceiling as if it were his longtime enemy. Truly, he did not at all comprehend why his mind decided to tell the rest of the organs contained beneath his skin to lie like that. Because now, if Yangyang came without anyone together with him, he'd see hell and forever be made fun of.“Damn it,” Yangyang muttered under his breath. Pressing the back of his hand against his eyes, he'd let out a relatively long sigh. “What the fuck am I supposed to do now?” He asked himself before his thoughts were cruelly interrupted by his alarm loudly ringing.The sound made him click his tongue, and he'd drag himself out of bed, tapping his phone to immediately cancel it. Of course, he didn't get any sleep and ended up staying awake until his alarm rang. This was total hell. He's practically already getting a VIP experience of it even as his heart is, nevertheless, able to pound intensely.Yangyang gently opened the door to his bathroom. He took his time in there and only walked out after forty minutes had passed. Yangyang then throws on whatever cool street-styled clothing he owns, or more like sees first, then he exits his shabby apartment without grabbing anything to eat beforehand.He strode across the empty road outside until he found a place that seemed to have at least a decent amount of people.He placed a tiny can beside his feet and performed a little dance while singing. This was how Yangyang's life would go every day and he might just start to utterly lose his mind.People threw in a few coins in the can and Yangyang, staring at it, wondered if he should have just gone on a dating app to find a rich sugar daddy. Maybe his life wouldn't be this terrible if he did.Once the number of people slowly began to reduce, Yangyang grasped onto his hair, an ethereal platinum blonde, and roughly stomped his feet. He could just wail in frustration, really. “God, I need a boyfriend!” Yangyang exclaimed, not noticing the man who happened to just now be walking past him.“Excuse me?” Asked the stranger, stopping in his tracks. “You swing that way?”The question took Yangyang aback. His eyes darted from side to side in hopes of finding out that the question wasn't directed to him. Seeing that there was no one else near the both of them, Yangyang hurriedly shook his head.“That's nothing to be ashamed of. So if you're still interested in looking for a boyfriend, there's this website you can use.” He places the piece of paper with the website name in Yangyang's hand without waiting for an answer.The moment the gears in Yangyang's mind finally managed to twist and turn, the man had, to his dismay, already taken his leave. “I don't need this...” Yangyang muttered under his breath.Bending down to take his small can of coins. The piece of paper slips from his hold and Yangyang's irises can't help but focus on the words written in perfect cursive with black ink that was slightly smudged.“It wouldn't hurt actually.”Without reviewing the site further, he let it charge his account for whatever service they could offer to him.Once Yangyang finally received the notification saying the payment was processed a few seconds after, he — without hesitation, threw the piece of paper aside on the ground.Alright, he officially gets a session tonight according to the notification. For now, he needs to continue earning more money to pay back all that money he lost. So with a swift stretch of his arms, Yangyang prepared his body for another exhausting walk.
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Once Yangyang strided down the cramped alleyway, a dark and clearly dirty space for only one person to walk on. That made him occasionally turn his back out of his own faint anxiety because he happened to be, to his knowledge, alone — in a silent area around 7 pm.The walk felt pretty long, and Yangyang was unsure whether it was him walking at a slow pace or if the narrow path just happened to be insanely long. Either way, he began to ponder his choice of outfit and whether it was a hit or a miss .Though the black leather boots with a chain wrapped around them were classy — the red, slightly cropped top he wore made him shiver, hands wrapping around himself as if he were ready to curl up beside a fireplace.Yangyang quickly stopped in his tracks, dark eyes glued to his phone as the light from it faded. He shook his phone for a second or two. “Of course,“ he groaned, “my phone died! How amazing.” Like the lead in a horror movie, everything seemed to go wrong.Spinning around in a circle once, he stumbled over and was met with the sight of a decent-looking house that looked totally out of place here. If he remembered correctly, this should be his destination. “What kind of rent-a-boyfriend website makes you go through all this?“ Yangyang muttered, hastily climbing the small steps that led him right to the terrace of the house.A warm pair of arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him inside the room before Yangyang could react. Yangyang's cheeks flush a pinkish red color. He laughed awkwardly, slightly shaking in the process. And as the stranger's hands move away, only then would Yangyang finally start thinking properly.“Sorry if that hug made you uncomfortable.” The tone of voice was almost soft, smooth — like an angel's caress. “I set up a trap there a day ago. You would've been hit.” Yangyang turned his head and turned back to face the other once he saw a large plank fall on the ground. Wasn't that practically more than just 'enough' to commit murder?“It's fine,” Yangyang assured. “Are you... Mr. Lee?” he'd ask, remembering the name he saw on the website. The other, bathing in his presence, beamed a bright smile.“Just Ten,” the person now known as Ten sat himself down on the couch. Crossing his legs with a ballerina's grace, he questioned, “What do you need from me?“ Yangyang, at that point, finally realized that it was quite literally too late to take a step back and make a hasty retreat, as he had, to his horror, already paid in advance. That's how you get scammed! Now he was beginning to have second thoughts regarding this matter.With a sharp inhale, his fingers began fidgeting with the hem of his sweater. "...I really need to get a fake boyfriend for two months," Yangyang declared, eyes drifting to the side and avoiding the idea of boring his gaze into Ten's own.“Honey," called out Ten, his voice having that certain edge to it. It felt as if his voice were silk brushing against Yangyang's skin, and it frankly felt immensely dizzying to the senses. Could Yangyang just sink to the ground and die? Hell, is it too late for him to buy a plane ticket to the other side of the earth?"...I only sell sex services." Yangyang would evidently jolt in response to Ten's thankfully somewhat indirect rejection. Those sharp words, said without a hint of hesitation, were akin to a large sword being dropped — cutting off the long string of Yangyang's barely comprehensible thoughts in the labyrinth of his mind.Yangyang, now extremely confused, questioned himself. How exactly was that possible? No way the kind stranger set him up for this! In spite of it all, his lips parted to speak, too stubborn to back down. Taking a tiny step forward — Yangyang, terribly broke, blurted out his next words. "I'll pay you double!"At the sudden offer from the desperate Yangyang, Ten would gorgeously tilt his head to the side in question. Raising a brow in his own utter amusement, a sly smile would form on his face shortly after. "Only if you're interested in paying me per week.” He added his own condition, leaning back against the couch.“Fine.” Yangyang nodded, boldly approaching Ten, who sat down like a prince whilst watching Yangyang stand as if he were his joker — a means of delightful entertainment. “But you have to follow my conditions,” Yangyang added.As Yangyang took multiple steps closer without giving it a sufficient amount of consideration. Ten raised his own chin, looking up at Yangyang as the other suddenly closed the distance between. He stared — his gaze accidentally lingering too long at Yangyang's lips. A small smirk danced on Ten's lips, his hand tugging on the sleeve of Yangyang's shirt to pull him down until he was at proper eye level with him. “So demanding.” Ten hummed, “What to do with you?““...Gosh.” A sigh left Yangyang, and he grasped Ten's wrist, pushing it back without any harsh force to it. “W… What is with your fanservice? ” He stammered out a complaint.Ten could only laugh at Yangyang's reaction, which he, of course, found to be adorable. “I’m only teasing you.”“Then here's the rule. I'm not going to fuck you.” Yangyang frowned as Ten opened his mouth to speak up. Not risking the chance of receiving a sly remark from the other, he interrupted Ten. “—Nor the other way around,” he interrupted.Ten placed his hand on the arms of the plush chair, then standing on his two feet. His eyes met Yangyang's own, yet for some reason, Ten's hands remained idle. Not once did they reach to run their fingers through Yangyang's hair or touch his skin. Yangyang isn't sure whether he should be thoroughly disappointed. Not like he was looking to get fucked in the first place.“What if you beg me to?” Ten's words are only heard by the blonde now. Any other sentence said moments prior by the ethereal man fell on Yangyang's deaf ears. Yangyang could easily gag at the thought of it. This man's ego was insanely high already. “What? That's nearly impossible.”“If I convince you to spend a night with me. You'll fulfill one wish of mine,” Ten stated, aiming to leave no room for rejection. Nevertheless, if Yangyang were to be truly uncomfortable, Ten could understand.
On the other hand, Yangyang was overly skeptical of accepting such an offer. Frankly, the consequences could one day become unbearable to the point there's a tangible hand dragging Yangyang down into a puddle of regret. Be that as it may, Yangyang peered at Ten, resisting the urge to draw out a long sigh at the man’s antics. Hopefully this attitude doesn't become infectious. “What wish?“”That’s a secret.” Ten winked, circling Yangyang, who instinctively reached for Ten — Ten who almost fooled the other into thinking he was leaving. “I’ll tell you whenever I win.” Subsequently, Ten would slip his hands into his pockets. “Only if you're comfortable with it, okay? I won't force you into anything.”Clearing his throat which was beginning to get sore, Ten asked, “So when do you need your fake boyfriend?”“Tomorrow,” Yangyang replied to him instantly, not a single thought going on in that head. .“What?” A scoff left Ten's lips. “Then you'll need a new set of clothes.” And Yangyang still couldn't help but notice how Ten avoided touching him as he reluctantly followed Ten into his room. Wait. That was a terrible idea. What's with the closet update anyway? Yangyang's taste in outfits aren't below the standards like Ten might be making it out to be.
Ten, moments after, proceeded to lead the way to that of a grand walk-in closet room. Pulling open the door for Yangyang like a gentleman, he added a little sass by doing a bow. Yangyang wouldn't be able to stop himself from letting out a chuckle, even as he rolled his eyes in reaction to Ten's dramatic attitude.“Pick anything you like,” Ten told him. Yangyang obeyed easily. He, after all, had a knack for fashion, and being in a large closet like this was practically a haven for a fashion fanatic like Yangyang. With the amount of clothing on display, maybe Ten was the sugar daddy Yangyang so desperately needed. Meanwhile, Ten went to browse through his own drawers, unfamiliar with his own stuff.Hands holding onto necklaces and other accessories, he eventually pulls out a headband and a choker. “On second thought, I want to pick your outfit. To match mine.”“Your outfit already matches mine. It's dark as well,“ Yangyang commented, to which Ten would easily shrug off.
Yangyang cocked a brow, feeling the faint brush of Ten's skin against his own as the man personally put on an accessory to adorn his outfit. “What's with this choker?““It's cute on you.” The remark slips past his mouth like he could get used to complimenting Yangyang. A tease and a flirt. That's who this guy is. Where did Yangyang go wrong in life to be stuck with someone like this? “Next time, I'll get one with a bell.” Ten carefully set a headband with fluffy cat ears attached to it on Yangyang's head. With a toothy grin, he'd take a long step back to admire his work. “You're my pet, Yangyang.“ Assessing Yangyang's appearance, Ten's eyes wandered over his new acquaintance's form.“What—” Yangyang came to a stop. “Wait,” he slowly, and I mean slowly, tilted his head in inquiry, “you know my name?”“Of course?” Ten could seriously burst into a fit of laughter at that kind of question. “The website told me. Besides, what kind of partner doesn't even know their boyfriend's name?”“In public. Not in private.” Yangyang reminded Ten, who would click his tongue at that.“Yes, yes.” Ten nodded multiple times, running a hand through his hair. Turning on his heel, he held onto a hanged outfit and spun back to face Yangyang. “Now wear this. Okay?” Yangyang laughed as Ten let Yangyang's eyes feast on the bunny costume.As Yangyang's laughter died down, he kept his smile intact — joy still thankfully etched across his remarkable features. “A bunny outfit? Am I supposed to seduce my friends?”Faster than the speed of light itself, Ten's smile faded into a pout. His mood shifted, akin to the way the sun sunk and disappeared as the skies faded into Ultima darkness. With, of course, a few glistening stars amidst it. “Now I'm extremely jealous.” Ten crossed his arms over his chest.“Alright, alright. What do you want me to wear?” Ten pushed a bag of clothes into Yangyang's grasp. “This. Show up tomorrow with this.” Yangyang finds himself gradually reaching for the bag planted in his hand, Yangyang's hands shaky to a certain extent in the process of wrapping his arms around it.“Thank you,” Yangyang suddenly mumbled shyly, pressing it against his chest firmly. Yangyang fell silent. Now — his embarrassment, to his dismay — was only continuously growing evident. Only now did he remember that Ten was a stranger and he was receiving a gift from him right away. “...I'll take my leave.““What?“ Ten suddenly gasped out loud. Yangyang walked towards the door before stopping in his tracks at Ten's exclamation.“Huh? Don't tell me you thought I was gonna stay overnight?“ Ten was about to say something, but he chose to be a coward and not say whatever he was going to say, which was something he'd likely never do once in his life.
“At least let me take you home.”
+ + +
In the end, Yangyang ends up sitting in the passenger seat as Ten drives him near his house. Not exactly where it is, just near it.Yangyang still needs to be wary of Ten regardless of their odd first meeting and questionable negotiations. The ride home was silent. The car didn't have a single tune playing in the background. None of them spoke up. Only when the car stopped would Ten muster up the courage to speak.“Your phone's finished charging. Mind if I open it?” Yangyang did plug it in earlier in case his mother called him. Yangyang who was dozing off in the car did not use up much energy in thinking about it.“Sure, the password is my name and add a two at the end.“ Ten's lips began to start twitching as if he were holding back the urge to beam smile at those specific words.Yangyang raised an eyebrow in inquiry as Ten shifted his gaze from Yangyang to his phone's screen. Ten glanced at Yangyang, who appeared to be staring at him, and had to respond in case Yangyang ended up misunderstanding him. “You should change your password.”Listening to Ten's suggestion, Yangyang did not budge as if his consciousness was beginning to start drifting elsewhere—placed in a different vessel. “Your phone screen's cute,” Ten would make a remark, glancing at the intentionally blurry picture of Yangyang sat on the edge of the staircase.The small compliment effortlessly caused a smile to adorn Yangyang's enchanting expression. “Right? The background is so cute.” He happened to be proud of that picture since it was his own idea.Ten, Mr. No Filter, hummed at the response, which, to be completely honest, was one he wasn't expecting at all. “I meant you,” yet his seemed more tinged with sarcasm than sincerity. Hence, Yangyang arrived at the conclusion that paying it no mind and just not responding to him was the best thing to do.After some time with Yangyang wasting away bits of his lifetime on something as odd as watching a complete stranger do whatever he sought to do on his phone. Nonetheless, one way or another, this ended with Ten giving it back. “Here you go.” Ten planted the phone into the other's hand with a sing-song tone. The car door's open, by the way,“ Ten said, and Yangyang would only stare at it.“What? Do you want me to open the door for you?“ Yangyang's response was a simple shake of his head. In spite of Yangyang's rejection, Ten quickly got out of the car. Get back here. Yangyang wanted to command, but to be honest, Ten would simply listen to such a demand, and Yangyang isn't that sure he can handle his obedience. Or is that too much of an odd thing to say? Yangyang exhaled, forced to step out of the car with Ten politely holding the door for him. Yangyang tapped open his phone as he walked on the path towards his house. Browsing through his contacts, Yangyang's interest was immediately caught by a new number saved as 'Honey' with about 10 hearts beside it.His eyes shot open. With that, Yangyang would be fully awake now after seeing the nickname he just saved himself as. “Hey!“ Yangyang turned to Ten's car with a piercing exclamation that nearly faded into a whine.On cue, Ten rolled the windows down. Waving goodbye, he'd wink at the other in hopes of provoking their anger. “Call me soon, baby.” Then he'd just drive off without giving Yangyang the chance to speak his mind/talk shit about him.
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All it takes is one sudden reminder to have Yangyang practically crashing out on the floor. No, it's not but a metaphor to express the chaos he's in—he's actually lying on the ground and he might just die on it too. “Fuck,” he cursed, “how am I supposed to pay Ten?!”Yangyang's hand reached into his hair, fingers tangling into the soft strands until they're in a state of disarray. Yangyang’s hand reached for his wallet on the couch, rolling over to hold it in his hand. Checking the money he contained in the wallet, he harshly threw it onto the ground. “No way I have to work part time!” Yangyang's lips parted with a loud exclaim, gaze wandering over to the continuously ticking clock.Sitting up, Yangyang rolled his shoulders to drive the sore feeling away. “Is it possible to get a job before 12pm?” He asked himself. If it were to be 8am right now he would only have a total of 3 hours left to find a job, crossing out the estimated amount of time it should take for him to get ready. “Gosh,” he sighed, “no way I have to do this.”+ +This was his 4th stop today. Most jobs required an appointment before applying, and this office was one of the only ones where he could just walk in to get the interview. This could also just be the 4th interview Yangyang has where he's instantly rejected.Yangyang slightly pushed open the door to the office, leaving a gap so his head could peek out a bit. Before him was a grand office that he once dreamt of having. And then a sophisticated man with a perfectly straightened suit sat on his expensive office chair with a stoic expression. “Are you Mr. Qian?” inquired Yangyang, taking the awkward eye contact they made as acknowledgement — or basically him being allowed inside.“Mr. Kun is fine. Besides, wasn’t Lucas supposed to deal with you?” Muttered Kun, adjusting his glasses carefully.Yangyang, head turning to face Kun properly after he scanned the entire room as if he were ready to scam Kun of all his riches, blinked multiple times. “Pardon?“ “Nevermind.” Kun shook his head, “do you know how to do math?” He pulled out a clipboard, clicking his pen and sliding it elegantly across the expensive paper with every letter he wrote.Yangyang thought about it briefly. He was pretty sure that he wasn't what you'd call completely horrible and clueless when it comes to solving equations, but he wasn't a total genius either. Average at best. Not worth crying over though. It's how life is to him. “Mostly?” he paused, “Sure…?”“Do you have experience with jobs like this?” This question was Yangyang's worst enemy. There goes his chances at a decent paying job. “No,” Yangyang answered. “This is my first job.”Kun dropped his pen, placing it down on the table with a loud thud. He flipped a few of the papers over, observing them for about three seconds and then stared at the other person. “Alright… You can leave.”Yangyang walked out of the building. “Rejected.” he mumbled to himself with a groan of annoyance and loss of hope. Pulling a crumpled up flyer from his pocket, he saw that it was an ad promoting a cafe. “Should be fine.” He shrugged. When he comes marching inside, the bell infuriatingly rings loudly.At the noise, the owner of the place would giddily emerge from the messy counter and jump in excitement. “Oh my god! My first customer.”“Oh…” Yangyang would trail off, rubbing the back of his neck. “Actually, I'm only here for the interview.” He spoke as he simultaneously closed the door behind him.The owner would stop in his tracks. He quickly approached an empty table and pulled a chair for the other person basking in his presence. Sure, that was frankly gentlemanly of him, but he seemed to already be making himself comfortable in the seat across from the one he pulled for Yangyang before Yangyang could even sit down so he loses aura points. “I won't take permanent employees, I'm only looking for someone who can fill in whenever I'm absent. This is really just part time work.”Yangyang stole a small number of glances around the small, cozy place as he strides towards his seat. The bright hanging lights over the walls painted with a cool color, and the plastic hanging leaves added something to the ambience which made the cafe feel strangely soothing despite it not having even a single customer. “It’s nice here,” he remarked through a delicate whisper.As Yangyang finally sat down, Yangyang could read the owner of the cafe just by staring at his face. He really seemed as if he were extremely disappointed and just longed to travel to another country, start a career there, and just abandon all his hard work here like it was nothing but lowly trash to him. “So can you do the dishes?”Then he'd craftily pull out a set of papers out of nowhere. “Sure,” Yangyang answered with a simple shrug of his shoulders. I mean, who couldn't wash a couple of plates? He isn't a baby, of course he's capable of doing something that wouldn't need that much effort on his part.“...Cook?” Yangyang blinked a lot at that certain inquiry. To him, he was better than most since he can at least cook without burning the food—worse, burn the entire kitchen itself. Therefore, Yangyang wasn't a lost cause. “Err… Sorta?”“Goodness!” the man suddenly yelled out in complaint, his hands flying to hold onto his hair and tousle the strands with a harsh tug. “Have you been pampered your whole entire life?” his face contorted as if he were about to crash out on the spot.Yangyang chuckled softly in response, a mask to hide the fact he was internally contemplating his next move with a mix of uncertainty and desperation. Maybe it would be better if Yangyang were to reveal the harsh reality of his financial struggle—barely making ends meet and having to resort to dancing on the street for a few meager coins like a fool.But the idea of exposing his vulnerability in such a manner could effortlessly make him squirm with immense discomfort. The thought of humiliating himself just to secure a job was utterly repugnant to him. Dear god, he'd rather die! Okay, that might be an exaggeration.“Alright, I accept you. I'm Dong Sicheng. You can call me Winwin.” Winwin’s sudden declaration hit him like that of a powerful wave, igniting him with a surge of newfound determination.With a toothy grin adorning his perfectly crafted lips, Yangyang gazed at his new employer with a mixture of both intense astonishment and sincere gratitude. Now in a state of utter disbelief, Yangyang managed to build up the courage to voice his surprise, excitement, and gratitude all at the same time as he queried the cafe owner. "Woah, really?"“Yes, your shift starts now.”+ +“Yangyang won’t pick up my calls.” Xiaojun tucked himself in a small booth inside the cafe, staring at the phone screen and the number of dials to Yangyang's number he made which all went unanswered. “I’m worried…” He pressed his back harder against the seat while a groan escaped his already parted lips.“Probably trying to ghost us because he's totally single.” Hendery, always one to inject humor into situations, playfully jokes while removing the cap that he had perched on his head and extends it towards Xiaojun with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Xiaojun gracefully takes it back, taking a moment to appreciate the elegant calligraphy of his own name adorning the cap with pristine precision before he would then place it down on the table until their food came.The mentioned Xiaojun looked around, scanning the place which was not as crowded as he expected a place to eat at to be. Narrowing his eyes, his gaze would sharpen at the sight of one lonely soul occupying a table alone. “Wait, is that guy Yangyang's partner?”“What?” Hendery cocked a brow at the sudden question and odd observation. There was a one in a million chance for Yangyang’s boyfriend to know the meeting area when they haven't even gotten the chance to go and tell Yangyang where it was. “Hell no, he's way too hot for Yangyang.”“Ahem,” a voice cleared their throat. “May I take your order?” Yangyang not having their attention due to their gossip when he had quite literally been standing by their table for a while would result in him slamming the menu on the glass table harshly. The force was enough for the table and the vase decoration on it to shake, but thankfully not enough for it to break.Xiaojun jumped. Leapt. God he thought he jumped to heaven at that specific moment. His breath hitched in his throat, chest tightening in shock. The concept of breathing felt strangely far for a split second until he finally managed to muster a few words. “What the fuck, you work here?” Xiaojun asked.“Hey!” A striking voice called out loudly, interrupting the conversation that was just about to start thriving. At that, Yangyang looked over his shoulder and there sat Ten in the corner beside the window, looking as heavenly as ever and Yangyang began to hate it—Ten’s charm. Ten was attractive, no one could deny that. In spite of that, it wasn't like he was head over heels over Ten because of his looks? So don't ask if he's in love. Please.“Baby,” Ten waved with the sweetest smile ever plastered on his face. It seemed almost perfect, highlighting his features perfectly. Surely Ten's parents high five when they see the gorgeous specimen they've created. “Take my order first.”Meanwhile, Xiaojun and Hendery looked at each other—a silent conversation brewing between the two of them. And so Yangyang let out a soft sigh of frustration, his brow furrowing as he shook his head slightly. He could just ignore Ten and continue speaking to Xiaojun and Hendery, but something tells him that Ten wouldn't stop pestering him if he did so. “Just a moment,” he reassured, before he swiftly made his way over to where Ten was sitting.Curious, Yangyang couldn't help but ask, “Ten, how did you even manage to track me down so quickly? I wasn't going to call you yet.”Ten’s beaming smile widened, a mischievous glint sparkling in his eyes. “Oh, me?” He tilted his head, placing his elbow against the table and resting his cheek against the palm of his hand. “Just good timing, I guess. Plus, I do frequent this place often,” Ten boldly replied with a playful wink.The corners of Yangyang's rosy lips twitched into a wry smile at Ten's response. “Ah, right. It seems my friends go to the cafe where my pretend boyfriend goes, and it is also where I apparently work now.” He murmured under his breath, casting a quick glance at his friends at the nearby table to ensure they couldn't overhear his comment, which was just sarcasm on his part.Soon taking on a more professional tone, Yangyang cleared his throat and poised his pen, ready to take Ten's order. Something he didn't expect to do in this lifetime. “And what can I get for you today?" Yangyang inquired politely.Without missing a beat, Ten promptly replied, adding in a snap of his fingers. “I'll have an iced americano, please.”As Yangyang wrote down the order, a sense of familiarity and comfort washed over him, knowing that today might not be so bad when he's in the company of nice people. “Okay, I'll get it in a bit.”But it seems Ten had other plans and giving Yangyang peace was not in today's to-do-list. Somehow, Ten seemed to delight in clinging to Yangyang like he was the light of his life—continuously bothering him like a lover constantly whining for more praise and attention from their beloved. “Baby, I asked for only three ice cubes in my iced americano,” Ten's voice rang out, filled with a hint of frustration as he directed his request towards Yangyang.Yangyang flinched and looked over to Ten before looking to Xiaojun and Hendery because he decided that this conversation was much more important. Yet, Ten's patience wore thin, and not long after, he interjected once more, disrupting Yangyang's conversation with Xiaojun and Hendery. “Baby!” he yelled, “I want to get this to go,” he emphasized, gesturing towards his, in fact, barely touched drink.As the seconds passed by, the scenario grew more chaotic, with Ten's impatience becoming palpable. Xiaojun couldn't help but express his thorough exasperation, his voice piercing through the din of the cafe. “Yangyang… For the love of god, please just call him over.”“We can't even manage to place an order.” Hendery finished Xiaojun's sentence for him. “It would be better for you to call him over before Xiaojun explodes.” he suggested.Yangyang let out a groan that cut through the silence. Looking over at where Ten was, he beckoned him to approach with a subtle gesture, his hands moving in an urgent motion to signal for Ten to join them at their table. At that moment, as Yangyang's eyes met Ten's from across the room, Ten swiftly began to make his way over to where Yangyang was.Xiaojun crossed his arms in disapproval. “So can you guys stop joking now—” Ten kissed Yangyang's cheek and Xiaojun's eyes widened. Gagged, his eyes darted between Ten and Yangyang. “Holy shit, you're both serious?“Bowing politely, even though Ten was seriously being anything but polite earlier, he casually hooked an arm around Yangyang’s waist. “Ten Lee, Yangyang's boyfriend. It's nice to meet you both.”