Yang Zi and Yu Han were sitting at the table, eating their breakfast, when Yang Zi finally broke the comfortable silence.
"Today, we should clean our house," Yang Zi announced, spearing a piece of scrambled egg. "It's been weeks since we last cleaned it."
Yu Han, midway through a mouthful of toast, choked violently on his food.
"What?!"
he sputtered, still coughing and grasping for his water glass. "Today?"
"Hmm, what's wrong?" Yang Zi asked, calmly taking another bite. "Today is Sunday, a perfect day for it, don't you think?"
Yu Han finally managed to gulp down some water, his mind racing.
"What should I do now? Today I had planned to go shopping with Li Hao! Damn it, why do I always get into these struggles?"
He clutched his head. "But... I had plans," he mumbled, hoping Yang Zi wouldn't press.
Yang Zi, however, was in full cleaning-mode planning.
"Oh, no worries," he said cheerfully.
"I'll clean the kitchen, and you can tackle the living room. It won't take long. Is that okay, Yu Han?"
"Living room?" Yu Han echoed, a hint of dread in his voice. The living room was notorious for accumulating his scattered belongings.
"Yep. Start cleaning after you're done eating. I'm going to the kitchen; bring your dishes there," Yang Zi said, standing up from his chair and walking towards the kitchen, already humming a tune.
"Ahhhhh... what should I do now? How can I refuse him?" Yu Han pulled his hair, desperately trying to conjure an excuse.
He groaned, imagining the endless sorting of forgotten books and stray socks.
"I can't just tell him I have a 'date' with Li Hao. He'd never let me live it down."
Then, a glimmer of a scandalous, but brilliant, idea sparked in his mind.
"Run! Yes, run... I should just run away... without telling him... Hmm, that's right, I'll apologize to him later," he thought, his eyebrows raising with a mischievous glint.
He practically gulped down the rest of his breakfast, already planning his escape.
______________
Near the alleyway leading to Yu Han's apartment, there stood a luxurious black Mercedes, looking utterly out of place in that narrow, relatively rundown street.
Leaning against it was Li Hao, wearing a plain black shirt and black pants, paired with black leather shoes and sunglasses covering his dark, sharp eyes.
This bastard had actually spent extra hours today, just to decide what to wear for his unofficial "date" with Yu Han.
He glanced at his expensive analog wristwatch:
10:20 AM.
He sighed, a faint frown creasing his brow. "How long is he going to take?"
Everyone in the vicinity was taking small glances at the young, handsome man, and, of course, the Mercedes. Girls whispered, and boys eyed his car with envy, wondering who this enigmatic figure was.
Li Hao, who never waited for anyone, was today willing to do what he had always considered beneath him. He felt like a teenager experiencing puppy love, his usual impatience replaced by an unfamiliar flutter in his chest.
And finally, the silhouette of the boy Li Hao had been waiting for so long appeared in the distance.
Yu Han was slowly running towards Li Hao, anticipating a scolding for being late.
But for Li Hao, the world seemed to stop. The surrounding noise suddenly went silent, and the people around him became a blur as he watched Yu Han's figure approach, as if in a movie, everything else fading into insignificance.
Breathless, Yu Han stood before Li Hao, bending over with both hands on his knees, taking large gulps of air, panting heavily, his chest rising and falling vigorously.
After a few more heaving breaths, he finally spoke through gasps.
"I... I'm really sorry... I didn't want you to wait for me, but I was caught in some... other problem."
He straightened up slightly, still winded. "Yang Zi decided it was 'cleaning day' and I had to sneak out before he made me scrub the entire living room floor!"
Li Hao gently patted his head.
"Calm down, Yu Han. You look like you just ran a marathon." His voice was gentle and comforting, reserved only for Yu Han.
"You could have just told him you were busy."
"And face his 'disappointed hyung' look? Never!" Yu Han shuddered.
"How long have you been waiting for me?" he asked, still slightly winded.
Li Hao glanced at his watch. "Um... not more than twenty minutes. Though it felt like an eternity." He gave a small, playful wink.
"I'm really sorry for keeping you waiting. It's all because of Yang Zi; I had to sneak out like a thief!" Yu Han grumbled, smoothing his messy hair.
Li Hao chuckled softly, adjusting the collar of Yu Han's T-shirt.
Yu Han was a stark contrast to Li Hao; while Li Hao was dressed quite formally, Yu Han had simply worn his casual, baggy clothes. Yet, he looked astonishingly handsome and youthful, enough to attract many girls with his natural charm.
"You're looking different today," Li Hao said, admiring him from top to bottom.
"Huh?! Really?" Yu Han blinked.
"But today I just took a bath and wore my regular clothes, nothing else... Am I looking that bad? Did I sweat through my shirt while running?" He sniffed his armpit subtly.
Li Hao laughed. "Nah, not bad at all. It's maybe because of the charm you have on your face after my countless kisses."
Li Hao smirked, leaning forward, close enough to Yu Han's ear for his warm breath to tickle it.
"I want to give you more charm. May I?"
Hearing this, Yu Han's face flushed cherry red. He still managed to punch Li Hao's chest, though with less force than usual.
"Ow!" Li Hao winced in mock pain, clutching his chest dramatically.
"Do you know how many times you've punched me?" he asked, narrowing his eyes playfully.
Yu Han rolled his eyes.
"Then what should I do? You always behave like you want a punch, especially with those cheesy lines!"
Li Hao cupped his face gently, his thumbs tracing Yu Han's cheekbones.
"Then I'll continue behaving like this."
A smirk curved his thin lips. He leaned forward and landed a soft, swift kiss on Yu Han's lips.
Yu Han's eyes widened at the sudden action. He immediately looked around, worried someone might have seen them.
"What the hell is wrong with you!" he yelled, embarrassed, pushing Li Hao away slightly. "We're in public!"
Li Hao just chuckled shamelessly, finding Yu Han's reactions endearing. He opened the passenger seat door for Yu Han.
"Come," he said, gesturing inside with a flourish. He then got into the car after Yu Han had settled in.
"This is the first time I didn't have to force you into the car," Li Hao remarked, a triumphant glint in his eyes.
Yu Han didn't respond, simply fastening his seatbelt, still flushed from the kiss and the public display.
Li Hao turned in his seat towards the backseat, where a large box was kept. He reached out and took out a packet of chips.
"Here, your chips," he handed the packet to Yu Han.
Yu Han's eyes flickered between Li Hao and the packet of chips, then to the large box in the back.
"What's in the box?"
"I ordered a whole box of chips just for you," Li Hao said casually. "They're your favorite flavor. Take those with you, okay?"
Yu Han was bewildered.
"A whole box?!"
He stared at the large carton. "That's too much, Li Hao! How am I supposed to finish it alone? Are you trying to make me gain weight?"
"They're yours. Do whatever you want with them," Li Hao said casually, igniting the engine. "Share them, hoard them, build a fort with them. I don't care."
"You're just showing off your money, huh!" Yu Han leaned back in the seat, muttering curses under his breath about Li Hao's extravagance, but a small smile played on his lips as he ripped open the packet of chips.
The Mercedes glided smoothly onto the road. The sun's reflection made its sleek form shine, attractive enough to catch the attention of passersby.
"Are we going to the mall?" Yu Han asked, munching on the chips.
"Hmm, I'm taking you where I shop the most," Li Hao said, without shifting his gaze from the road.
"And where do you shop the most?" Yu Han pressed, already anticipating a luxurious, expensive place.
Li Hao just smirked. "It's a secret. You'll find out soon enough."
______________
[At Apartment]
The sharp scent of lemon cleaner hung heavy in the air as Yang Zi, his T-shirt thoroughly soaked in sweat and water, continued his vigorous assault on the kitchen tiles.
He scrubbed with a focused intensity, every inch of the sink gleaming, every dish sparkling.
Ding-dong.
Yang Zi's eyebrows rose slightly.
"Who could it be?" he murmured, not pausing his work.
He knew Yu Han was in the living room, presumably engrossed in something.
"Yu Han is in the living room, he can open the door."
He called out from the kitchen, "Yu Han, who's at the door?"
No response.
"Yu Han."
Silence.
A crease formed on Yang Zi's forehead.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang again, more insistently this time.
Yang Zi sighed, a frustrated growl escaping him. He strode out of the kitchen, towel still in hand, yelling,
"Yu Han, are you fucking deaf? Why didn't you open the damn door?"
He scanned the whole living room. It was empty. Books, socks, and clothes lay scattered across the floor, a testament to Yu Han's recent presence, but no Yu Han.
"Where is he?" Yang Zi mumbled to himself, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion.
He walked towards the front door, his hand reaching for the doorknob. Still perplexed, he slowly opened the door.
His eyes shifted downwards, spotting expensive, polished leather shoes. Slowly, his gaze drifted upwards, fixing on the smiling face of Shi Wang.
"SHI WANG!"
Yang Zi's voice rose in a surprised shout.