Archive of Our Own

1. The cats are adorable. (The owner is too.)

Wang Yibo had a secret.

A hideously humiliating, bona fide bonanza of a secret.

He liked cats – no. That was not it.

He visited cat cafes – yes, okay. Maybe.

He liked visiting cat cafes – well, if no one knew it was him frequenting that place, then did it actually count? His loyalty card had him at enough stamps for a free drink. He came by often enough that not only did the workers now know not to chat with him, but even the cats there recognised him by his scent and would greet him with a cheek rub against his leg. Hell, he had even considered adopting some of the cute cats despite having always wanted a pet dog first. What had been a one-off whim had easily become a terrifyingly torturous habit.

Yibo would admit it to no one. He had a reputation of reticence to uphold. He liked motorbikes, Lego models, and skateboarding. He defied the notions of fragile masculinity, being the spokesmodel for brands like Shu Uemura that involved a plethora of palette colours being painted on his skin. Yibo did not care for the opinions of others, and yet.

“Welcome!” A genuine, cheerful smile greeted him at the cafe counter. Nametag: Xiao Zhan. Wearing round spectacles and a soft knit white sweater, he looked both adorable and handsome at the same time. Yibo felt the faint urge to collect Xiao Zhan in his arms and squeeze him in a hug.

Pretending to be busy in thought, Yibo stared down at the menu, as the smile directed his way was far too bright like staring into the sun and being engulfed in heat. He had seen this man before, a few times, enough times to figure out he was the owner of the Xiao Cafe, with the Xiao cleverly being a play on the owner’s name and the small size of the cats as the sign showed the English letters ‘Xiao Café’ inside the black outline of a cat. Whoever designed it was clearly talented.

Scanning his loyalty card from his phone, Yibo looked resolutely at the fascinating intricacies of the maple wood counter. “I’ll grab a green tea, thanks. Also visiting the cats today.”

“Hey, it’s your tenth visit, so you know what that means: a free visit!” Xiao Zhan grinned as he input the order into the system. Cute… so cute… “You’re a valued regular, but I don’t think I’ve caught your name yet. Mine’s Xiao Zhan.”

Yibo considered giving a fake name but hearing Xiao Zhan say any other name wouldn’t do. Introducing himself as Wang Yibo, he waited for the inevitable revelation and star-struck over-reaction. Yet, Xiao Zhan made no indication of recognising the name, simply saying, “Oh, Wang laoshi, thanks for giving so much love to the cats. I’ll bring you your drink soon. Feel free to head on into the cat room and make sure to wash your hands before and after you touch them.”

Granted, Beijing was a large city and Yibo was decked in a grey beanie and face mask, making it difficult for anyone except his fans to recognise him. Still, he appreciated not having to interact with someone as a celebrity. Time off from his job was rare, and he usually spent those hours on his hobbies or resting alone. His overzealous fans failed to realise being an idol was a job, and no matter how much he enjoyed his job, he still needed time away from all of that. To rest, to enjoy his hobbies, to appreciate the finest beauty in the modern world.

So, here he was, at the cat cafe, trying not to stare too long at the mesmerising owner of the cafe. As an idol, Yibo saw his fair share of pretty faces. But pretty often coincided with fake, and he despised false authenticity more than anything. The pretend smiles from desperate faces always irked the part of him that longed for genuineness. Growing up in the entertainment industry, he had come to understand that having won the genetics lottery for a pretty face or having the talent for dancing or singing was never enough. Still though, it was rare to find a true beauty like Xiao Zhan, his beautiful smile so radiant that Yibo felt his worries wash away. Yibo had never believed a smile could be healing and soul-bewitching, until he saw Xiao Zhan’s directed his way. It didn’t make sense why Xiao Zhan was here and not working the tedious routine of a celebrity, but then again, Yibo would also rather the company of cats than people.

After paying for his drink, Yibo headed to the cat room with great reluctance. Rolling the sleeves of his hoodie up, he washed and dried his hands, spying the cats and trying to recall to the best of his ability whether the current assortment had any new additions. Being mid-morning, almost all of the cats were hidden away, napping or grooming themselves, and Yibo found that he didn’t mind. The first few times he had come here, he had wanted the attention of every cat and any cat, even when they weren’t interested in him. Especially when the cats weren’t interested in him.

The dreaded thought of being recognised by a fan or stalker, or god forbid, an anti, and having to forgo entering the premises again lingered as he settled down on a single couch. Thankfully the cafe was devoid of other customers. Just as he was getting comfortable, unlocking his phone and scrolling through his unofficial, personal Weibo account, a white bushy tail brushed up against him.

“Oh, hello,” Yibo greeted as the fat cat twirled around his leg. He had seen this cat before. Round owlish amber eyes, folded ears, a twinkling bell on the collar. Placing his hand on the cat’s head, he petted him gently. Pets with wholly white fur were generally the most popular, so he found it surprising that no one had yet to snag such a cutie since the cat cafe also acted as an adoption service. Perhaps the vetting service was extensive. He would expect nothing less from someone who loved cats like Xiao Zhan. “Feeling lonely? Yeah, me too.” Speaking to cats was somehow, for some reason, so much easier than speaking to people. Maybe because they didn’t expect any kind of response for him, or judge him for his words.

The door of the cat room slid open again, this time with Xiao Zhan carrying Yibo’s green tea, and Yibo unintentionally lost all interest in the cute kitty before him.

“Oh, I see you’ve met Aiyo already!” Xiao Zhan placed the drink on the table before Yibo, squatting down to muss the fat white cat’s fur. While most people wore smiles like a defensive mask, Xiao Zhan seemed at ease in his current atmosphere, displaying a tender smile as he interacted with Aiyo. 

“There’s another one like Aiyo but with some grey fur too… Kind of has a flat, squished face, and tiny legs,” Yibo mentioned, wondering if cats were ever insulted by the words of humans. He was never the type to start a conversation unless it was about his hobbies, but here he was trying to chat Xiao Zhan up. It excited him but gave him anxiety nevertheless, the feeling similar to hopping onto a new motorbike.

At the description, Xiao Zhan’s eyes lit up, his already twinkling eyes shining with fondness. “Ah, that’s Jianguo! Wanna hear a secret?" Xiao Zhan whispered, mock-conspiratorially. "She’s actually my cat, but she doesn’t mind others too much, so naturally, I brought her here. I don’t know if she prefers my parents’ place where I see her less, or here, having to share me with all these cats.”

“If I were her, definitely the latter,” said Yibo, characteristically direct. His job often took him outside of Beijing, which meant he didn’t get to frequent the Xiao Cafe as much as he might want to. Which meant he didn’t get to see Xiao Zhan as often as he wished to.

Laughing, Xiao Zhan let out a series of giggles that made Yibo feel the urge to squish his cheeks and pet him like he was the cat. God. As Xiao Zhan picked Aiyo up and plopped him into his lap, stroking his fur, he said, “Jianguo’s probably napping right now though. Actually, most of them are probably napping right now. Maybe that’s why hardly any customers come at this time, except you, Wang laoshi.”

It was eleven in the morning, right when the cafe’s doors had opened. Yibo sensed he should reply with some form of explanation for being here at this time but how was he to explain he had an unpredictable schedule born from filming dramas at midnight and doing studio photoshoots whenever was required by his company? He was never great at small talk and hoping Xiao Zhan didn’t mind, lapsed into silence, staring at the man before him. 

Xiao Zhan paid the quiet no mind, sitting by the table and rubbing his face in Aiyo’s fur. He looked content as he cuddled the cat, and Yibo couldn’t help the stirrings of envy as he watched the two of them. Xiao Zhan seemed the type to love with all his heart, to show his affection without regard for propriety, and Aiyo was revelling in it! That lucky bastard was purring, eyes shut, as he was held by Xiao Zhan. 

Yibo found himself unintentionally pouting although the action was hidden by his mask. With his green tea drink in front of him, he figured he should take a sip but he was worried about revealing more of his facial profile and possibly giving himself away, if the name Wang Yibo hadn’t already. Was it possible to drink through a straw with a mask on? Was that even hygienic? He would have to try drinking while no one was watching.

It wasn’t that he wanted to hide his identity as a celebrity – he had already given his name, after all. But he didn’t want to deal with the complexities associated with befriending a non-famous person. With the majority of other celebrities, they understood keeping things on the down-low would play in their favour unless they were serious about each other. Factor in the anti-fans, the stalkers, and the press, and it would be a nightmare for any normal person. Having grown up in the limelight, Yibo had soon realised intimacy couldn’t be fostered in the stifling atmosphere of the entertainment world. Those sorts of friendships—relationships—were for people who didn’t mind every element of their life picked and prodded at, and Yibo was not one of those people. He valued his privacy. Being a celebrity was almost antithetical. Despite that, he couldn’t fathom why any successful, self-respecting individual would trade away all that for five seconds of fame. In the end, people were far more interested in being famous by connection than in Yibo himself. 

Hence, the issue at hand. Why attempt a complex companionship when he could simply admire from afar? Things were easier when he didn’t complicate it with the context of his occupation. 

“Wow, so cute,” Yibo commented, gazing at Xiao Zhan, whose attention was still fixed on the darned cat! Why he was jealous of a cat, he didn’t know. It didn’t make sense that Aiyo monopolising all of Xiao Zhan’s time and attention had Yibo ready to jump into the depths of despair. Heck, Yibo wished he had the ability to transform into a kitty to join Xiao Zhan’s cat cafe and be blessed with his endless devotion. 

But Xiao Zhan, assuming he was speaking to Aiyo, looked up and grinned at Yibo. “Isn’t he the cutest!” Xiao Zhan said, agreeing, oblivious to Yibo’s inner turmoil. Aiyo’s eyes flickered over to Yibo, and if cats could wear smug expressions, well, this cat needed some lessons in humility. 

Seeing Xiao Zhan’s besotted smile, Yibo couldn’t exactly blame him for not clueing in. Aiyo was cute, but in Yibo’s frank opinion, that cuteness didn’t hold a flame to Xiao Zhan. 

Yibo didn’t know what possessed him to say, “I think Xiao laoshi is just as cute.” But he said it, words a mumble but still audible through his mask. He rested his chin on his hand and watched Xiao Zhan, heart flip-flopping through his chest as though it was competing in a skateboarding event. 

Xiao Zhan reacted immediately, his cheeks turning red, eyes unable to meet Yibo’s. “Wow, Wang laoshi, just how old are you anyway? So forward.”

“I was born in ‘97,” Yibo replied, smirking as Xiao Zhan’s eyes widened. 

“I’m six years older than you.” Xiao Zhan spoke as if it was a horrifying revelation, his smile disappearing. “I feel so old…”

“Don’t worry, Zhan ge,” and the friendly honourific sounded just right on his tongue. “You look younger than me. You must have invented the concept of a timeless beauty.”

What was this? What was he doing? Was he flirting? Yibo himself was astounded by the words emptying from his mouth. Grabbing his drink and readying to bolt out the door, Yibo wished for the floor to open up and swallow him when an amused, playful smile reappeared on Xiao Zhan’s face. The impulse to continue complimenting him flared up in Yibo once again. 

Oh no. Seriously, what was he thinking?

“Oh? Are we starting? Your face is so small even the cats here are jealous,” Xiao Zhan teased, stroking Aiyo one last time before letting him skedaddle away. Xiao Zhan’s gaze was full of mirth and directed at Yibo, an almost overwhelming sensation. 

Yibo couldn’t help but laugh at their exchange of words. He sobered up when he realised there was no cat around to distract from what they were doing, effectively leaving them as two people looking at and praising each other. Realising the questionable nature of the situation, Yibo stood up, quickly checking his phone. His muscles felt tense, as though his body was preparing for a fight or flight response.

“Gotta go?” Xiao Zhan offered, easing the apprehensive atmosphere. He still had a pleasant smile on his face that made Yibo wonder whether anything ever upset him.

“Yeah, I-I…” Yibo tried to think of an excuse. Tried and failed. Xiao Zhan was watching him with a genial slice of caution and wariness. Had Xiao Zhan seen through his piss poor disguise? Making the universal sign for shush, a finger to his lips, he said, “Please don’t tell anyone I was here, though.”

Xiao Zhan raised an eyebrow, bemused. “Of course, lao Wang. Won’t say a peep to anyone. It’ll be our little secret."

A secret between them sounded oddly intimate, but Yibo didn’t mind sharing this. He hoped Xiao Zhan didn’t think him too strange. Sparing one last glance for the cats littered around in their cubby holes and boxes, he bowed his head to Xiao Zhan and said goodbye before rushing out the door. Even though the visits were paid per hour, Yibo hadn’t used up all his time, running out like the coward he was. Due to gay panic. Classic.

Sighing, Yibo hailed a DiDi ride and made his way to his next official schedule, wondering if it was ever socially acceptable to want to waste a whole day lazing at a cat cafe. Yibo never really cared too much about social customs and norms, doing whatever he preferred, but for once, he found himself worrying how Xiao Zhan perceived him.

/

2. Cats are the perfect non-judgmental companion.

Ever since Xiao Zhan had informed Xuan Lu that the tall person decked in designer clothes and limited edition shoes whom always attended wearing a face mask and cap was six years younger than him, he had been subject to her endless teasing. As if it hadn’t been bad enough already with Xuan Lu harping on about how Xiao Zhan needed to get laid, stat, because he wasn’t getting any younger or any more flexible.  

"He told you his name but you forgot? What if he was a celebrity?" Xuan Lu huffed, scooping cat litter and poop out with a shovel. It was not a good look. Exactly why Xiao Zhan let his employees do it now that he could afford employees. "Think of how many more customers we could have if they knew there could be a celebrity sighting!"

Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes as he brushed Jianguo’s hair, the cat sitting obediently in his lap. "It’s not my fault my ailing old age is making me forgetful… I called him Wang laoshi – isn’t knowing his last name enough? No need to know any more. I doubt he even wants the celebrity treatment when he comes here, judging by his get-up."

An inkling of guilt at not telling Xuan Lu the whole truth passed when he remembered he had promised Wang Yibo to not utter a single word, after all, not even to his favourite star employee. As curious as he was, he hadn’t even conducted a quick Baidu or Weibo search, fearing falling down the rabbit hole into a crazed fandom. There was also the possible conflict of interest if he ended up knowing more.

Xiao Zhan saw himself as a simple man. It was how he conducted himself in life, to not embroil himself in scandal if he could help it, and it wasn’t going to change now. Maybe Wang Yibo wasn’t even someone famous but a rich kid hiding from his cat-hating parents? Maybe Wang Yibo was a repressed cat lover who didn’t like to admit to others he enjoyed the cat cafe? Maybe Wang Yibo simply had too much money and didn’t mind spending it on petting cats? Whatever it was, Xiao Zhan was in no place to judge.

"There are so many Wangs out there! I’m pretty sure it’s the most common family name along with Chen," Xuan Lu said as she refilled the kitty litter. "Whatever. The most important question is whether you saw him without his face mask and whether he’s as hot as he seems."

"I did not see." Xiao Zhan wasn’t exactly going to ask him to rip off his disguise either. No matter how curious he was! Looks weren’t everything anyway, and Yibo seemed an introverted, bordering awkward type. The last thing Xiao Zhan wanted to do was put him on the spot and scare him away forever. "Not that it’s any of your business."

Xuan Lu fake-grumbled. "Can’t a girl dream?" 

Xiao Zhan hadn’t thought crushing on customers was possible or realistic, assuming it to be the fanfare of romantic comedies. And it wasn’t like he was interested only because Yibo was a regular customer, for in the one year of having opened the cat cafe, he had plenty of regulars. If anything, most of the patrons of an animal cafe tended to be made of regulars. Their razor thin profit margin, as per the norm for animal cafes, meant every regular was to be treated like a deity, especially if they were interested in adopting any animals. But Yibo had an aura around him that was hard to look away from, least of all to not be clouded by thoughts of him. Thinking about it now, Yibo would most certainly be a successful idol, if Xiao Zhan was already wrapped up in thought over such a stranger.

In his lap, Jianguo decided she had had enough, standing on the paws of her feet and treading across Xiao Zhan’s thighs to jump down to the floor below, tail swinging back and forth. Xiao Zhan watched her leave with a fond smile. Looking down at his black pants, he saw the multitude of white strands of fur sticking to the fabric. He wouldn’t have it any other way, but that was exactly why it boggled him that any celebrity would come to a cat cafe. Wouldn’t they adopt their own cat, considering their wealth of money and connections? Or maybe they didn’t want the commitment?

Funnily enough, Xiao Zhan found it easier to commit to cats than people. Cats were clever but uncomplicated. Humans, on the other hand, were rarely forward with their intentions or motivations. 

Standing up, Xiao Zhan left the cat room and headed to the back of the counter to sit on a stool, opening his laptop. He performed his daily tasks of checking the business’ emails, posting cute tidbits and photos of the cats on the cafe’s social media sites, and responding to interested customers’ queries. In the midst of going through the emails, his eyes lit up at a familiar name.

From: Tian Tian Xiang Shang’s Public Relations team

To the owner of the Xiao Cat Cafe,

This is Hunan Broadcasting System’s TTXS PR team. TTXS is a variety show with five esteemed hosts, a live audience of a few hundred, and an undeniably popular viewership that reaches millions in all corners of China, and globally too. Episodes are generally ninety minutes long, although filming can take anywhere between a few hours to a few days, depending on the content covered.

As we are preparing an episode to cover the topic of Coffee, cafes are naturally a part of that discussion, and we would like to invite you, the owner, to participate in the filming of the episode. Filming is to start in 3-4 weeks’ time and will occur in Changsha, Hunan province. Since we are covering the topic of specialty cafes and your cafe will represent animal cafes, we request that you bring along a cat companion from your cafe, preferably two or three, for filming purposes. As you will be able to talk about your cafe and interact with hosts on TV in relation to your work, this is undoubtedly a valuable opportunity to advertise your business. 

As you are based outside of Changsha, return flights, food, and accommodation for the duration of filming will be provided free of charge. You will also receive a gratitude package from the TTXS team upon completion of filming. If you are interested, please read the attached files, and return all of them signed and dated no later than XX/XX/20XX. Please note that upon signing the non-disclosure form, you will be unable to discuss your involvement in the filming nor post any references to such until the episode itself has aired. You will not be paid for participating as a guest nor reimbursed for any losses incurred from participating.

Upon receiving the signed documents, our team will be in contact to discuss further intricacies and answer any questions you may have related to the filming of this TTXS episode.

We look forward to working with you.

Xiao Zhan had to read through the email three times before it finally computed in his brain and he let out a shriek of surprise. Thankfully there were no customers in the lobby to overhear, and if the rattling of cat toys weren’t so loud, he imagined Xuan Lu would come barrelling through the doors to demand what was going on.

Checking his calendar, he had nothing upcoming that was incredibly important or couldn’t be rescheduled. It was the first time he had ever received such an opportunity. Out of all the animal cafes out there, and they had chosen him? Xiao Zhan couldn’t believe his luck. He wasn’t going to push it either. He didn’t have the skills of a barista nor did he make coffee drinks as regularly as tea-based drinks, but his place was technically a cafe anyway. He could only imagine the list of animal cafes out there they could have easily reached out to and heard back from. Plus, it wasn’t like his cafe was drowning in customers, and he could use the extra business this might provide.

He read through the documents speedy quick, signed and dated them all when nothing jumped out at him as a human rights violation, and replied to the email within the hour. Now he only needed to figure out the logistics of bringing a few cats with him. Although the flight from Beijing to Changsha wasn’t too long for a cat, he didn’t want his cats to be locked up in a cramped, dark area for even a few hours and he had heard plenty of horror stories regarding the treatment of animals in transit. Considering a pet-friendly train ride instead, he readied an email to ask a few questions to the PR team.

There were a lot of preparations he would need to make prior to going on his trip, but oddly enough, out of all the people he would have to inform he was going away, he thought also of Wang Yibo, wondering what he might think and whether he might be missed.

/

3. Play with a cat and you’ll feel all your worries wash away.

Yibo was having a stressful morning.

Actually, a stressful day.

Actually, a stressful week, if he were to be wholly honest. 

Scratch that, he had been stressed the past month, the timing unintentionally coincident with the last time he had visited Xiao Zhan and his cat cafe. It wasn’t like he hadn’t wanted to see Xiao Zhan… or the cats. But he had been inundated with agendas to complete, and if he had a spare moment to breathe, it always ended up being at a place far from Beijing. He wondered if Xiao Zhan had already forgotten him. He wouldn’t be surprised if so.

Back to the stress on hand, Yibo was running late for the filming of today’s TTXS episode. It had started at the stylists’, where there had been an argument over how to clothe him when usually all they argued over was his hair. What he wore was often dictated by his brand sponsors, and for the show, also the show’s sponsors. Of course, the show’s sponsors took priority but the fiasco had still taken half an hour to sort out over which jacket to wear (a grey plaid jacket had been the final product). Then on his way to the studio in the car, he hadn’t been able to review the bare bones of the script or check who the guests might be. He only knew there would be one member from Rocket Girls 101, whom he would recognise from his days as a dance coach on Produce 101, and that the episode was coffee-centric. Yibo himself preferred tea over coffee but he never said no to free food or drinks.

As soon as he arrived at the studio, he was guided to the stage where the filming would take place. Although he was usually a reticent guy who hardly spoke, he said even less whenever he didn’t know the script and was unsure of what might happen next. For scripted lines, there was always a teleprompter, so he didn’t have to worry too much about those. Nevertheless, when filming started and Wang Han, the main host, started speaking, Yibo stuck to reacting and keeping the microphone close by in case he did have a thought to voice. 

The first part of the episode involved celebrity guests singing, drawing imaginative cafes based on the songs being sung, and once Yibo got into the swing of things, the majority of the stress washed away as he followed in the footsteps of his co-hosts. He wasn’t much of an artist but neither were the others. His scribbles of chandeliers and Da Zhangwei’s jokes were met with audience laughter, lightening the mood.

All throughout, he stuck to his side of the stage, to the right of Zhangwei. Whenever female celebrities around his age were invited, he had to take caution to not seem too interested (never a problem) or disinterested (always the issue), since he had a tendency to wear his emotions on his sleeve, which often made him useful fodder for memes and fake gossip. He had been told plenty of times, including from his good friend and label mate Cheng Xiao that he seemed to hate girls, which was not the case at all! He simply bonded better with men. Okay, maybe he had a gege kink, but there was a fine line between people questioning his lack of interest in females and people decoding his sexuality. Maintaining the perfect reaction face somewhere between apathy and invested, Yibo nodded his head along to what was being said even though the words going in one ear and out the other.

After the first segment, they gave the cast a short break. Yibo drank some water while others used the chance to go to the bathroom or network with the other celebrities. Once the five minutes were up, the audience still sitting in place, they started the next part that involved specialty cafes. While the lights dimmed, Yibo glanced at the ground, listening to the audio.

The four guests were invited on stage. Yibo glanced up, doing a double take seeing someone he hadn’t seen in over a month, but someone who he had surely and sorely missed. 

Xiao Zhan!

Yibo’s eyes flitted over his form, his styled hair that bared his forehead, making him look even more handsome than he already was. Xiao Zhan looked dapper, dressed in a prim white dress shirt and black slacks, with copper-coloured leather shoes. They had also popped some light make-up on him. While Xiao Zhan flashed a cute toothy grin to the audience, Yibo ogled him like a man stranded in the desert seeing an oasis. Xiao Zhan was taller than the other guests, taller than the hosts, and infinitely good-looking. How had no one snapped this man up and tried to sign a modelling contract with him?

As the fourth and final guest to introduce himself, Xiao Zhan said, "Hello, I’m Xiao Zhan from the Xiao Cat Cafe." Already, after Wang Han said welcome, they had moved their focus onto another guest, but Yibo’s eyes were glued to Xiao Zhan. In avid fascination, he watched Xiao Zhan’s movements as he walked off the main stage with two of the other guests. Only one guest stayed behind. In this time, the screen behind Yibo played, showing the first specialty cafe: a remote cafe situated at the top of a snowy mountain, boasting beautiful views and good air. Even while the hosts were interviewing the owner, Yibo tried to stare at Xiao Zhan as discreetly as possible, if that was even possible. Well, Yibo was willing to risk the frenzy of rumours anyway if the editing team didn’t cut out his ogling.

Xiao Zhan had sat down, long limbs in perfect posture, his back straight, doe eyes wide, watching those on the main stage. All this time, Xiao Zhan hadn’t looked at him for longer than a second, a quick sweeping glance dismissing him as a stranger. Did Xiao Zhan not realise yet? Or maybe he had forgotten him? Yibo berated himself for assuming Xiao Zhan had decided to participate because of him and not purely for business reasons. Yikes, what a narcissistic thought. 

Yibo returned his attention to the guest before him, finding he didn’t have much to say. A faraway cafe sounded nice in theory, but any influx of tourists would make the place unbearable for him. What appealed to him about the cafe was actually imagining skiing and snowboarding in its vicinity, but since the owner hadn’t mentioned that, he kept his mouth shut, not wanting to accidentally insult him. Speaking wasn’t his strong suit, so he was prone to such mistakes, although his co-hosts covered up for him well.

The next specialty cafe still wasn’t Xiao Zhan’s, and Yibo found himself growing impatient, tapping his foot against the floor. This time it was the owner of a cafe that had so many coffee options and minimal customer service that he received mostly negative reviews. Yibo couldn’t help but want to laugh, stifling the action by pursing his lips. He glanced across to see Xiao Zhan’s reaction, but Xiao Zhan seemed to be lost in thought, resolutely staring into empty space. 

Moving on, the next cafe was a clear contrast to the previous one, only ever receiving positive reviews despite being a tiny store and always having a queue of people waiting. Yibo was impressed, especially as the owner apparently operated by speaking so well that customers couldn’t help but like him. 

Then, finally, it was Xiao Zhan’s turn. Attention focused, Yibo grew acutely aware of Xiao Zhan making his way onto the stage, directed by staff, before ending in the middle of the cast between Wang Han and Zhangwei. For once, Yibo wished he could somehow alter the formation to his liking. Usually he disliked interacting with others and his TTXS brothers didn’t mind that he didn’t speak much, so there he was, situated on the furthest right.

Xiao Zhan’s cafe was introduced along with an adorable cat arriving in an open air glass box. "Hello, I run a cat cafe, a specialty animal cafe." As Xiao Zhan spoke, he received another cat—Aiyo!—from an animal helper, and he held Aiyo in his arms like a mother would hold a baby. Yibo refrained from cooing. Xiao Zhan continued, "Although we sell coffee, our focus is on the cats rather than the drinks we make. There are around ten to fifteen cats at the cafe at any one time, and we work with local animal shelters to help the cats find their forever homes."

Xiao Zhan had a calming, gentle voice, the kind that Yibo would never tire of hearing, but Yibo sensed Xiao Zhan was a little tense as he spoke into his individual microphone, Xiao Zhan holding onto Aiyo like a lifeline. Watching Aiyo plop his body flat against Xiao Zhan’s chest, Yibo tried to hold back his foolish grin over how cute the sight was.

"Aww," a female guest cooed, the name of whom Yibo had already unintentionally forgotten. She was a ballerina. "I love cats!"

"Me too, me too," echoed all the female celebrity guests, as they crowded around Xiao Zhan.

Sirens went off in Yibo’s head. Why were they crowding around Xiao Zhan and not the cat in the glass box? Not that he could blame them. As Yibo made his way towards Xiao Zhan then too, Zhangwei immediately took notice, saying, "Ah, Yibo likes cats too! Wouldn’t they make a cute pair?"

The audience went rowdy at that, and Xiao Zhan, without being instructed to, handed Aiyo over to Yibo. Yibo gave a short glance at Zhangwei, wondering if there had been another meaning to his words, but understanding the cameras were focused on him, returned his attention to Xiao Zhan. Xiao Zhan’s eyes were directed at Aiyo, not him, as he manipulated the fluffy cat into Yibo’s arms.

"Ah, sorry, you’ll get fur all over your clothes," Xiao Zhan said, embarrassed, motioning to the white cat fur sticking to his studio-loaned outfit.

Biting back a too-friendly reply of that’s okay, Zhan ge, Yibo cradled Aiyo in his arms, mimicking Xiao Zhan’s earlier position, and finally. Finally, Xiao Zhan looked at him for what felt like the first time in forever. It had been a long time, a month or so. Too long, in Yibo’s honest opinion. But they weren’t close friends, mere acquaintances. Yibo worried whether Xiao Zhan recognised him without the mask and hat, all styled up and on stage. Did he give off a completely different persona? Would Xiao Zhan like this side of him?

Xiao Zhan didn’t visibly react, didn’t flinch or act out, didn’t do a double take or speak as he met Yibo’s eyes. With a poker face that rivalled Yibo’s own, he held all the potential to become a great actor.

Before Yibo could say anything to Xiao Zhan, Wang Han read from the teleprompter and asked, "Animals are so cute and who wouldn’t want to drink coffee alongside a cute companion. But is running an animal cafe the same as running any other cafe?"

"No," Xiao Zhan said, eyes flitting away from Yibo. His words were displayed on the teleprompter screen but with an air of professionalism, he didn’t need to look there when he recited his lines. "You need a permit especially for animals when opening up a cat cafe. There’s also stringent hygiene rules, and all the cats are vaccinated and microchipped. That way both the customers and the friendly cats are protected."

"Cats are cute but they do have claws. Do the customers need to worry about getting scratched?" Qian Feng asked.

"Cats only attack when provoked and we have staff who are trained to handle them if they get upset," Xiao Zhan explained. Seeing him speak in such a serious manner was wow – boner inducing. Yibo had to look away but only for a moment, because his eyes brought him right back to Xiao Zhan. "All the cats have their nails groomed and cut, and since they interact with people and other cats all the time, it’s very unlikely for them to scratch anyone. The cats are really friendly and love being petted.”

While Wang Han made a joke comparing Qian Feng to Garfield, Xiao Zhan laughing along in his usual amiable manner, Yibo continued to stroke a complacent Aiyo between his ears and under his chin. Yibo wondered if Aiyo recognised his scent.

Oops, he was staring at Xiao Zhan again. Blinking his eyes, Yibo tried to look away, but then Xiao Zhan came forward into his field of vision, hands outstretched. It took a short moment to realise Xiao Zhan was indicating to give Aiyo back to him. 

Their hands brushing in the exchange, Yibo’s cheeks warmed, his heart beating faster before he tried to calm himself. Just because Xiao Zhan was handsome didn’t mean he should forget all decorum and act like a lovelorn teenager. Raising his microphone, he asked, "Can we feed the cats? Right now, I mean."

Looking at the audience instead of at Yibo, Xiao Zhan nodded as he retrieved a bag of treats from his pocket with one hand. "Sure, although at the cafe, we don’t allow it since cats can get sick if they’re fed the wrong thing." Xiao Zhan turned to hand Yibo the small plastic bag, now noticing him. Taking in the person whom he was speaking to, his eyes widened, the tips of his ears reddening.

Yibo accepted the cat treats, for once not caring if his skin brushed someone else’s. Usually he would do his utmost to avoid such contact but not this time. On the other hand, Xiao Zhan seemed to shy away at the contact almost immediately as though he had been scalded. Paying it no mind, Yibo poured a few treats into his hand and leaned down into the glass box, offering it to the lanky ginger short-hair cat that was prowling inside.

The ginger cat came to him straight away, the audience reacting loudly. As the cat ate from Yibo’s hand, Wang Han spoke some more about what made the cafe special. Then standing up, Yibo plopped a few more treats into his hand and lifted it towards Aiyo’s mouth. Xiao Zhan had no choice but to turn towards him since he was holding Aiyo in his arms. 

"I think the cats really like Yibo," Zhangwei commented, sticking his hand up to rally the audience. "Who wants to adopt one?"

Predictably, the audience went raucous. Xiao Zhan’s eyes widened even more, making him appear like a startled bunny. Seeing this, Yibo muffled a laugh, biting his tongue to stop himself. 

The teleprompter lit up once more with Xiao Zhan’s name. "We have a website and social media," Xiao Zhan said, eyes darting to look at Yibo and then away again, "where you can find all the details of the cats up for adoption."

With that, the segment ended, lights dimming, the cast being allowed another five minute break, while the cats were moved off stage, a helper taking Aiyo from Xiao Zhan. Yibo took the opportunity to hand back the plastic bag of cat treats to Xiao Zhan. Away from the prying eyes of the cameras, he whispered, "Zhan ge, do you remember me?"

Xiao Zhan bit his bottom lip, looking wary and almost frightened. "Wang Yibo? Wang laoshi?" When Yibo nodded, Xiao Zhan mumbled, "So that’s what you meant when you said to keep it a secret." 

"Maybe we can talk later?" Yibo asked, feeling shy, realising his TTXS brothers were watching the exchange with curiosity. He didn’t understand why talking to Xiao Zhan here and now was so much more nerve-wracking. When it had been the two of them surrounded by cats and no one else, bantering with Xiao Zhan flowed easily. It wasn’t like their dynamic changed in front of others, yet he was overcome with the need to shield Xiao Zhan. Yibo could only blame the length of time since last seeing him. 

“Okay, maybe,” Xiao Zhan said, closed off, expression unreadable, but that was hope enough for Yibo. Shooed to the side of the stage, Xiao Zhan was seated where the non-celebrity guests stayed.

The lights returned to high intensity, the director instructing the cast to start with the next segment. Already, no time to waste, no time to catch his breath, Yibo attempted to recalibrate his thoughts away from Xiao Zhan. After a brief screening of the related video, three people who made up their respective barista competition judging teams came on stage.

As someone who could not differentiate good and bad coffee beans and in a bid to be more professional and not stare at Xiao Zhan the whole time, Yibo listened intently to the process of how coffee was made, how the skill of producing a cup was judged, and how each cup of coffee had unique elements. His favourite aspect of TTXS apart from getting to form a cherished brotherhood with the co-hosts was the ability to learn about topics from people who had journeyed all walks of life. Endlessly fascinating, his curiosity bit him in the ass when he was given the chance to eat a coffee bean that originated from Kenya, tasting an acrid sourness, his face contorting into an expression of disgust. Less than handsome, true, but hopefully Xiao Zhan hadn’t been watching. He refused to glance at the sidelines where Xiao Zhan sat. At least Zhangwei had tried one too, so someone else knew his pain. 

After Wang Han explained the different types of coffee beans with a coffee expert, they were able to try their hand at judging the skills of a barista. Except this time, the barista was Gao Tianhe, a co-host, and the judges were an expert guest, Zhangwei, and Qian Feng. Yibo, himself, had no real role, and he had been content to idle around and maybe glance at the guests seated on the side every now and then, until Wang Han suggested to everyone that maybe Yibo should help Tianhe by providing commentary.

Having always seen small talk as his weakness, Yibo grew flustered and mumbled, "D-do I really have to?" He might have had media training for half of his life but whenever he was nervous, he would lose control of his mouth and stutter. Never mind that he was a host – he preferred scripted lines, not ad-libbed words. He had never thought of himself as someone with a flair for creativity or being devoid of awkwardness to do so, but his TTXS brothers encouraged him, the camera remained glued to him, and when faced with a challenge, Yibo refused to back down.

Trying to recall how the legitimate baristas had conversed earlier, he mimicked them to the best of his ability, standing up tall and confident. While Tianhe beside him continued to brew a batch of beans, Yibo described the process. Eventually Yibo was presented the opportunity to shake the brew in an enclosed cup, and wanting to show off, he threw it upwards, hoping to catch it in his hands and do a humble brag. Little did he know the two parts of the cap couldn’t be screwed together properly, and the momentum of the throw had the contents emptying onto the floor. Yibo could do nothing except watch helplessly with his arms outstretched in a poor attempt to catch Tianhe’s brewed coffee. 

Oops?

Mouth agape in shock, a few jokes made at his expense, Yibo laughed along as the staff came to clean up the damage. By the sidelines, Xiao Zhan was giggling too, hiding his laughter behind a sleeve. Somehow this was a better response than what Yibo had anticipated. 

An expert guest explained to them that in the competition, the baristas could still continue participating so long as they finished in a fifteen minute time limit, which included the time taken to grab more ingredients to re-brew the coffee. Despite this comment, the director advised they move onto the next part, and so, they moved onto making latte art.

As the process of making latte art was demonstrated, Yibo paid avid attention. The heart seemed simple enough and when given the opportunity to try, Yibo managed a heart too, albeit smaller, and without the little dot on the side that he had intended. Controlling liquids and foam was a lot harder than it seemed. Still, the barista was impressed, as were the audience and the co-hosts. When he looked to the side, he noticed Xiao Zhan smiling at him, although the moment their eyes met, they both looked away.

The remainder of the show finished filming soon after that. The hosts said goodbye as a group. The cameras were switched off. They paid their respects to the celebrity guests on stage, and then they were motioned to head backstage. 

With the minimal time before being carted off to his next schedule by his manager, Yibo made his way to where he knew the guests might be receiving their gratitude packages and shedding their program-sponsored clothing. Lo and behold, there Xiao Zhan was apologising profusely for the cat fur on his clothes, while the stylist was waving her hand and insisting that it was fine. 

Yibo had yet to change out of his own sponsored outfit into more casual clothes, but the studio rarely cared since he would be back next week and could return the garments. Sometimes they even let him keep the clothes out of goodwill. The benefits of being famous!

What wasn’t a benefit though was trying to talk to someone privately without others growing curious. He waited by the door, avoiding the gazes of passers-by and the guests who were leaving. Yibo’s eyes met Xiao Zhan’s, and Yibo nodded to the side, indicating he wanted to head somewhere else.

“Follow me?” Xiao Zhan suggested and they walked towards the changing rooms. He had already changed out of his attire meant for TV. In jeans and sneakers, dressed more casually, he seemed more like the Xiao Zhan from the cat cafe and less like the one who seemed to shine so brightly on stage. The dichotomy was easy to embrace but if Yibo were to be selfish… 

Once they were away from the throng of people, standing in front of the multiple changing rooms, Yibo raised an eyebrow, to which Xiao Zhan responded with, "Get your mind out of the gutter." Pulling Yibo by the hand into the change room, he slid the curtains closed behind them. 

As soon as they entered the fitting rooms, Yibo realised the location chosen had been smaller than he had initially imagined. He didn’t ever rendezvous in spaces so cramped, but Xiao Zhan was less than an arm’s distance away. Xiao Zhan was slightly taller so Yibo found himself slightly looking up to talk to him.

There was a pause of silence, Yibo wanting Xiao Zhan to speak first, to explain why he was here, whether this was a coincidence that meant something more or not. Fate or chance, weren’t they the same in this case? Was this a sign? Or, was he just a lucky bastard to be able to see Xiao Zhan on his turf this time?

“Yibo, am I here because of you?” Xiao Zhan, seeing the shift in expression on Yibo’s face, clarified, “I meant on this show, not in this changing room.”

Since he was serious, Yibo responded with equal gravitas. “No, I had no idea you’d be here. I mean, I usually review the guest list in advance in case there’s anyone I have beef with, not that I can do anything about it. And I might have talked about my interest in a certain cat cafe in Beijing to my co-hosts, but I don’t—we rarely have any say over the content anyway. I really don’t think this was because of my influence." He wanted to add that this opportunity was obviously from Zhan ge’s own hard work but didn’t want to come across as patronising, so he kept quiet although every cell in his body urged him to praise Xiao Zhan. 

"Oh." Xiao Zhan rubbed at his nose in what seemed like a habit when embarrassed. "I’ll be honest. I thought I had been invited because of you, that you’d been visiting the cat cafe to scout it out. It was kinda hard to tell why you were there since you always kept to yourself."

"You took the chance though, not because of me, but in spite of me, right?" Yibo liked that he hadn’t been the one to influence his decision, that it really had been a coincidence. He didn’t think he had a romantic bone in his body but Xiao Zhan sure was proving him wrong. “Did you know who I was, that last time when I asked you to keep it a secret?”

“I… I didn’t really know, but I also didn’t let myself search up who you were,” Xiao Zhan admitted, looking at the floor. His head was bowed, almost in deference to Yibo. “I was kinda scared. I didn’t want you to stop coming if I figured out who you were.”

“But I told you my name,” Yibo said, confused. Maybe he should’ve been more straightforward. Maybe he should’ve shown his face too. Maybe some secrets weren’t needed. “Not that I wanted you to search me up, but it’s not that I didn’t want you to either. I wanted you to know me, Zhan ge. I wanted you to know who I was, even though I was also trying to be careful.”

“Why?” Xiao Zhan’s voice sounded small, unclear. “Why did you want me to know?”

Crowding into Xiao Zhan’s space, their bodies an inescapable distance apart, Yibo met Xiao Zhan’s uncertain but hopeful gaze. “Why do you think?” Yibo wondered if they were running circles around each other right now. 

“Do you treat everyone like this?” Turning away, Xiao Zhan’s breath ghosted over Yibo’s neck. 

“If you had searched me up, you’d know the definitive answer to that,” Yibo quipped, not too harshly, staring at the mole under Xiao Zhan’s lip. If Xiao Zhan noticed his ardent gaze, he made no response to say otherwise. He supposed this was the equivalent of laying bare his intentions, possibly his heart too, although a small part of him wanted this to not be the end of whatever it was they had. “I don’t frequent the same places because I don’t like it when people recognise me and react the way they do. I’m averse to small talk, especially with strangers, and I never address people colloquially despite only knowing them for a short time like I do with you. Zhan ge, do you get it?”

“Then why me? What’s so special about me?” Their eyes met again. Xiao Zhan asked those questions as though he had no clue about what made Yibo gravitate towards him. They were acquaintances, and nothing more. If Yibo explained more, if he said more, if he moved any closer, then he would be implicating himself in something dangerous. Xiao Zhan didn’t owe it to him to keep any of his secrets, including the suggestion that he was more-than-platonically interested in the male owner of a cat cafe. But by his judgments, from having survived the entertainment industry since his teen years, Xiao Zhan seemed trustworthy, as though he might be a lifelong friend even if he rejected Yibo’s advances. 

Before Yibo could reply, before he could act on his whims, his phone went off with the notification of an incoming phone call. Regretting not having silenced it prior, Yibo refused to look away from Xiao Zhan until he did so first, and when he did, the spell was broken. Xiao Zhan seemed distant, his expression unreadable.

"You should go," said Xiao Zhan, voice quiet. Their skin almost brushed as he manoeuvred away. Almost, but not enough; close, but not close enough. How did Xiao Zhan seem so present in his life yet so far away? "You have a completely different life to live."

Yibo disagreed but he had no time to argue. "Can I still visit the cat cafe?" He meant can I still visit you? It seemed the safer version compared to straight up confessing, which had been what he had nearly attempted before he gathered his bearings. 

Xiao Zhan nodded, not looking at Yibo. "Yeah, of course." He seemed like he wanted to say more but didn’t, biting his lip.

What felt like eons of unspoken words between them had Yibo reluctant to leave. He never acted half-assed – that wasn’t in his nature. But Xiao Zhan now appeared uncomfortable, maybe because of Yibo’s true character, maybe because of their surroundings. So, Yibo pulled back and bowed out, taking his leave without another word. Glancing one last time at Xiao Zhan, Yibo clenched his fist, hoping he would see him again even if it wasn’t necessarily under the same circumstances as before. Even if what was between them had changed.

/

4. If you’re planning to have your own cat any time in the future, visiting a cat café is a must!

An influx of customers following the TTXS coffee episode airing soon after the filming kept Xiao Zhan busy, too busy to think about the extraneous aspects of his life. Work was safe, or safer than it had been before. How was he meant to admit to Wang Yibo of all people that the cat cafe had been on murky waters, only a few months away from closing permanently? Now with all the hourly spots available to interact with cats booked weeks in advance, Xiao Zhan could breathe a sigh of relief and move on with his life.

Or, so it was meant to go. But before he could even overthink what had happened, just when he had a moment to himself, Wang Yibo came walking in through the door of the cafe once more, right at opening time. Customers would be coming soon.

Sauntering in, Yibo removed and pocketed his face mask, heading straight towards Xiao Zhan where he was sitting behind the counter. Xiao Zhan could only glance around to needlessly check whether there was anyone watching.  

"I can’t stay long but I wanted to see you," Yibo said, back straight instead of leaning forward against the counter like he usually did. "I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I have a confession: I’m kinda more here for you than for the cats, although the cats are an added bonus. If you’re not comfortable,” he said, waving his hand and motioning to the two of them, “let me know and I’ll leave." 

Xiao Zhan nodded. Then realising how it could be taken the wrong way, he clarified, "I mean I’m not uncomfortable. But won’t you be – uncomfortable? With someone like me? I don’t really have much to offer? I’m not anyone special."

Yibo shook his head, disagreeing. "All I want is to spend time with you."

"I’m not famous."

"Don’t need you to be."

"I’m far older than you."

"I don’t feel like you’re that much older."

"We’re from two completely different walks of life." Xiao Zhan’s list of his own faults was endless, but getting to know Yibo, wouldn’t that make him realise even more how less deserving he, himself, was of the other man? How was he supposed to explain that the thought of using Yibo’s name to promote his cafe had crossed his mind? How was he meant to prepare for the deluge of hate from fans if anyone ever found out about their relationship? There was so much risk involved, and for someone avoidant of risk, it sounded crazy to him that Yibo might think otherwise.

"Do you want to go on a date?" Yibo said instead, the fire in his eyes never dulling. "Clearly I can’t convince you that you’re the greatest person I’ve ever chanced upon—"

"You barely know me," Xiao Zhan pointed out albeit flustered. "What if I’m not worth the trouble?"

"Maybe I just want to have a playpen of cats all the time without needing to go through the hassle of being granted a permit?"

"Okay, that sounds unrealistic," Xiao Zhan said, laughing a little before realising how close their faces were. The counter wasn’t enough to distance them if he could look at Yibo’s lips like this, one movement away from a kiss. "Wang Yibo, what are we doing?"

"Zhan ge," Yibo enunciated clearly, "give me your WeChat. Please."

Xiao Zhan didn’t think twice. No hesitation, and maybe that spoke louder than the words he had iterated earlier. And with that, they exchanged contact details, Xiao Zhan feeling like he had received something far too precious that he ought to protect.

"By the way, how are the cats? Since I don’t have time to see them." Yibo moved away first, taking a step back. He ran a hand through his hair, effortlessly handsome. How did something so ordinary look so graceful when Yibo did it?

Xiao Zhan stared too long at the movement, glancing away when caught. "They’ll be sad to hear that, but they’ve been kept busy with all the customers who grew interested after the TTXS episode. A lot of them, including Aiyo, have already been adopted. I’m not sure if you’ll recognise the bevy of cats here now."

"That’s good though." Yibo quirked an eyebrow. "I wish I could adopt a cat myself, but my lifestyle isn’t really suitable for one. Maybe that’s why I visit this cafe so much."

"Okay, you literally told me just a few moments ago you visited because of me – what’s the truth, Wang laoshi?" Xiao Zhan teased, laughter infectious in his voice.

Yibo shrugged his shoulders, playful. "Guess you’ll have to find out when we go on a date."

How did someone like Wang Yibo say such words so casually? Heart aflutter, Xiao Zhan asked, "Would you have come over again to visit if I hadn’t guested?"

"Of course," Yibo replied easily, his gaze full of determination. How did someone at his age act so unwavering, so confident in all his actions? Xiao Zhan could only admire. "Don’t doubt that for a second," he said, retrieving his face mask and donning it again. He didn’t say goodbye, simply giving Xiao Zhan a heated look that meant way too many things to decipher at that point in time, and walked out the door with the same amount of fanfare as he had entered.

Xiao Zhan breathed out, leaning on his arms as he plopped down on the counter. Yibo himself might not realise he emanated a tough, untouchable aura, even if unintentionally, but it affected Xiao Zhan all the same. Somehow, it was comparable to bringing in and befriending a stray cat that was both feisty and in need of affection. Imagining Yibo as a cute kitten had Xiao Zhan giggling to himself, and he quickly found a cat meme to send, starting a casual WeChat conversation with him despite Yibo having left only a few minutes ago. 

"Okay, ZhanZhan," came Xuan Lu’s voice. She popped up beside him, crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly. "Who was that? Spill!"

"Finished cleaning the cat poo?" Xiao Zhan said, hoping to distract her. How had she gotten here without him noticing? 

"ZhanZhan, if that was your new boyfriend, we can finally go on double dates without having people judge us for being gay," Xuan Lu pointed out, cheering.

"This guy isn’t really someone who can go on public dates," Xiao Zhan replied, swatting her hand away when she reached for his phone. He quickly locked it and hid it against his chest in case notifications from Yibo came through.

"Okay, so he’s shy? In the closet? That’s fine," Xuan Lu said, fluttering her lashes at him. "I won’t say nuthin’!"

"I’m still not gonna tell you," Xiao Zhan teased, laughing as Xuan Lu pouted.

"Well, I’m just glad he’s making you happy." Xuan Lu smiled as she lightly patted Xiao Zhan on the crown of his head like he was a cat. "If he ever hurts you though, I’ll beat him up."

Xiao Zhan laughed at the image those words conjured in his mind. To be fair, Xiao Zhan could only imagine how much worse Xuan Lu’s reaction could be, if he told her Yibo’s true identity, if he told her the other was a celebrity. Not that he knew Yibo that well, but he liked to believe in the best of people, even if that bit him in the ass later (and not in the sexual way he liked).

He knew he had to be careful – that was a given for any kind of gay relationship in China. "Don’t worry LuLu, I know what I’m doing," but even as he said it, he wasn’t entirely sure. 

/

5. Contrary to popular belief, cats can be incredibly affectionate.

By the time they had set up their date and the day had arrived, Yibo had filmed two more TTXS episodes, auditioned for a xianxia drama, finished three magazine photoshoots, and attended a Redmi sponsorship event, all of which Xiao Zhan had apparently been keeping track of through Weibo, having mentioned as such in his WeChat messages. Xiao Zhan teased him along the lines of: wow Wang laoshi is so popular, as expected! and your face is so small I feel my own growing smaller just by looking at you, and Yibo could only retaliate with his memes of himself and cat stickers since he had little Xiao Zhan content of his own to hit back with. Yibo was going through serious ‘missing Xiao Zhan hours’. Pleading for more selfies was all he could do, and Xiao Zhan had the nerve to respond with photos of the cats at the cafe instead.

Although it was what he called a date, Yibo knew the rules: keep it low-key, like a hang-out with an estranged friend, or Yuehua’s PR team would kill him. If stalkers were to find them, he feared that alone would scare Xiao Zhan away. While stalkers were often the bane of a celebrity’s career, no normal person would hang around him if they were pursued by stalkers or anti-fans. And antis, Yibo had plenty of, had seen them leave negative comments en masse on his livestream videos and Weibo posts and the like. In short, the downsides to being friends with someone like him outweighed the benefits. Plus, Xiao Zhan didn’t deserve to be touched by such filth. 

Having already informed Xiao Zhan he would be picking him up from the cat cafe, Yibo arrived at his destination via his beloved motorbike. The sun had already set, so hiding his presence was relatively easier. He texted Xiao Zhan he was there, then waited at the curb of the road as he played with the extra helmet he had brought along. Rather than nervous, Yibo felt excited, itching to show Xiao Zhan another part of his life, an aspect that wasn’t dictated by his occupation.

Originally, his manager and the Yuehua CEO had protested his interest in motorcycle racing, saying it was far too dangerous and reckless. Driving a motorcycle itself had been against their wishes; they urged him to stick to being chauffeured around in cars. But when had Yibo listened to others and not trusted his own judgment? He might be a young idol, but he had his own thoughts and his own wishes. Without his autonomy, without the freedom to be true to himself, then what would be the point of pursuing his dreams? With that kind of logic, Yibo had always refused to back down when it came to issues that mattered to him. So, here he was, ready to pick up a date on his motorcycle.

The twinkling sound of bells, and Yibo looked up from his phone, seeing Xiao Zhan exit the cafe. After waving goodbye to a female worker, Xiao Zhan made his way towards him, spotting the motorbike easily, his face lighting up with a cute smile. Wearing rolled-up jeans and an oversized Off White shirt, Xiao Zhan was only dressed casually but Yibo felt as though his eyes had been blessed by his gorgeous visage. Like a beacon of light, Yibo was a hapless sailor effortlessly drawn towards Xiao Zhan. 

“Hey,” Yibo greeted, regretting not having taken off his helmet earlier. He supposed he wouldn’t be able to kiss Xiao Zhan as hello either way, at this point in time, and he had to be careful of people recognising him as well. Propping forward the passenger helmet in his hands, he said, “This is for you.”

“Hi! I didn’t realise you’d be picking me up on your motorcycle,” Xiao Zhan admitted, taking the proffered helmet in his hands. “But I suppose it makes sense. It’ll be my first time though.”

Yibo refrained from making a joke about other first times he could contribute to, instead motioning to the backseat of the motorbike. “Riding a motorbike is pretty simple. Hold tight onto my hips and press close if you need to. Considering the low traffic right now, there won’t be a lot of weaving through cars, and the hot pot place isn’t too far either. If you don’t want to, I can always call a DiDi for us and I’ll leave my motorbike here."

"Nah, it’s fine. I trust you," Xiao Zhan said, that kind of statement striking a fierce bolt of desire through Yibo. Placing the helmet on, he allowed Yibo to make some adjustments so that it fitted properly. "Plus I’ve always wanted to ride on a motorbike. It’s just an added bonus that you’re the driver."

Oh, Xiao Zhan had no idea how horny those words made Yibo. Clearing his throat out of nervous habit, Yibo waited for Xiao Zhan’s legs to pop up on either side of him, hands secured, before he pulled out of the curb and onto the road. They zoomed from one place to the other, Yibo distinctly aware of Xiao Zhan’s full body contact. Xiao Zhan was a good passenger in that he didn’t fidget so Yibo could focus on the road ahead.

Since Xiao Zhan had chosen the cuisine, Yibo had the honour of choosing the restaurant. This hot pot place was renowned in Beijing for its malatang, and even though Yibo couldn’t handle overly spicy flavours, unlike Xiao Zhan who was from Chongqing, he didn’t want to disappoint with a menu of bland flavours.

They had decided on a time slightly later than peak traffic hour, so when they arrived at the restaurant, parking wasn’t difficult to find. He hadn’t made the reservation in his name nor used his fame to secure a table as he hadn’t wanted to be traced back to the venue or have stalkers waiting there, but because they had booked a week in advance, they had landed a spot at the popular restaurant. 

Riding a motorbike was almost an everyday sort of exhilaration for Yibo, but he understood that this was not the case for everyone. When he killed the engine and had the bike balancing safely, he removed his helmet, stowing it away. Xiao Zhan had followed suit, handing his helmet to Yibo, his feet a little unsteady when he stood on the ground. Yibo extended a hand to help, not expecting Xiao Zhan to take it. Even when it was obvious Xiao Zhan was fine, neither retracted their hand first.

“Wow. What can I say?” Xiao Zhan said, not needing to be asked, finally pulling his hand away so he could turn towards the direction of the restaurant. He offered a charming smile as Yibo started to put on his disguise of a mask, hat, and sunglasses. “I can see why you love riding your motorbike. Also that is so not suspicious.”

“Too much?” Yibo asked, taking the sunglasses off again. He supposed it was overkill for hot pot. 

"Definitely." Xiao Zhan leaned forward to adjust the fuchsia beanie atop Yibo’s head so that it covered less of his forehead. "There you go! You know, a neon pink hat is probably going to bring more attention than not."

"As long as it’s your attention, I don’t mind, Zhan ge," Yibo teased, sticking his tongue out. Figuring he better not risk placing Xiao Zhan into an uncomfortable situation, Yibo pulled off the beanie with little reluctance.

They headed into the restaurant then, Yibo leading the way since Xiao Zhan hadn’t been here before. As expected, the restaurant was brimming with people and the smell of various hot pot broths, making Yibo’s mouth water. Xiao Zhan beside him also looked famished and ready to eat. The attendant confirmed the reservation that had been under the name of Yibo’s manager and led them to their table. They walked past the main seating hall into an area that was even more fancily decorated, turning a right, and they were directed to their private room. Although hot pot places rarely had private rooms except for large banquets and VIPs, Yibo had insisted on paying an extra fee to get them a secluded room away from the rest of the patrons. 

"When you’re ready to order or need anything else, please press the bell," the attendant said, motioning to the call button beside the door and also on the table. "The order sheet is available on your table. Please enjoy your meal."

Once the attendant left, closing the door behind her, Yibo opened up a window, knowing that the ventilation available wouldn’t be enough to minimise the scent of malatang that would remain on their clothes after this. Hopefully after tonight, he would be stripping Xiao Zhan’s clothes off but one could not get too cocky about these matters.

The room itself was lavishly decorated in red and gold colours, complete with a dangling chandelier, which didn’t surprise Yibo all that much considering how much money hot pot restaurants brought in from simply supplying items of food to be boiled by the customers. Not that hot pot wasn’t great – just that if he knew how to buy groceries or had the right kitchen utensils, he would have attempted hot pot at his own place. Oh well. Yibo plopped down on the cushioned seat, watched and admired Xiao Zhan doing the same, sitting opposite of him, and then propped the order sheet in front of him.

"Ah, so it’s one large pot for the both of us," Xiao Zhan commented, looking at the array of broth choices available. Some hot pot places offered smaller individual pots for each person, but Yibo had wanted to share, cook, and eat his food with Xiao Zhan. Who knew he would ever dream of such domesticity?

"I know you’re from Chongqing so you love spicy stuff, but please go easy on me, Zhan ge," Yibo said, laughing when Xiao Zhan blushed at the double entendre. "How about half and half? Half spicy, half beef and mushroom stock?"

Xiao Zhan nodded, looking down at the checklist of a menu that they could choose ingredients from. "Sounds good."

"What would you like?” Yibo had already started putting 1s in every box without looking at the price, adding extra orders for the meat options, rice cakes, and fried tofu. Since he was an active and sporty type of person who didn’t gain weight easily, his company had never given him an official diet to follow, allowing him to eat whatever foods he wished so long as his skin and body shape remained in good condition. “How about one of everything?"

"Are you even human, Wang Yibo!" Flustered, Xiao Zhan reached out to slap Yibo’s arm with his sheet of paper, his ears red. "At the very least, please don’t order eggplants. I hate eggplants."

"No worries, the only eggplant you’re getting tonight is—" Yibo finished off his joke with a cackle of a laugh and a wriggle of his eyebrows.

"Wang Yibo!" Xiao Zhan reprimanded, even though he was laughing too. "Please."

"All right, all right. How about drinks? How about some baijiu, or red wine, or something else?" Yibo chose cola for himself.

Shaking his head, Xiao Zhan said, "I-I’m not very good at handling my alcohol. I think the last time I drank was in college and all I had was a few bottles of beer, and I was stumbling everywhere and cuddling everyone, and then I woke up on the carpeted floor of some random person’s apartment with drool on my face. Not my proudest moment."

Amused, Yibo couldn’t help but imagine the scenario, finding it oddly cute thinking of Xiao Zhan as a cuddly and sleepy drunk. If not today, he hoped he would be able to see that side of Xiao Zhan at least once. A fond smile stretched across Yibo’s face. When Xiao Zhan looked up and noticed, he grew embarrassed and used the ordering sheet to hide his blushing face.

"And!" Xiao Zhan added, finally putting down the ordering sheet, "You have to drive your motorbike, so definitely no alcohol for you. It’s not as fun drinking by myself."

"Okay, so coconut juice? Plum juice? I’m going to tick every single non-alcoholic option until you tell me what you’d like," Yibo teased, already putting 1s into each box.

"Yah! Wang Yibo!" Xiao Zhan reached across the table and grabbed the pencil from him, their hands brushing. He stilled for a moment, his ears still red.

Yibo pushed down the need to grab Xiao Zhan’s hand and hold it across the table. He stared at the pencil in Xiao Zhan’s hand, thinking that should be me. 

"I’ll just have whatever you’re having," Xiao Zhan said, clearing the air, changing the 1 to a 2 on Yibo’s sheet and crossing out the rest. Then he pressed the call button before either of them could change their minds or add even more food to their gigantic wallop of an order.

As the waiter confirmed their order, Xiao Zhan hid his face with his hands at the judgmental look directed towards them by the terribly unprofessional waiter. The waiter scurried away upon a death glare from Yibo. Soon after, their half-and-half hot pot arrived, one side swirling with red chilli soup, and the other a more mundane beige, smelling fragrant and inviting nevertheless. 

Once the waiter had delivered all their food and two cans of cola, the table completely filled up and extra trays of food set up in a trolley close by, Yibo removed and pocketed his face mask now that it would only be the two of them. Without pause, the both of them threw in plenty of slices of wagyu beef, lamb, quail eggs, fish tofu, wombok, mushrooms, and so on, until the pot could no longer be stuffed with more food. Then, they made their own dipping sauces – Xiao Zhan’s looked relatively redder than Yibo’s own, of which had dollops of sesame paste thrown in.

"So, what made you start a cat cafe anyway?" Yibo asked while he stirred the contents of the pot. If there was one thing he could cook, it was hot pot… if that counted as cooking. Since the thin slices of meat were already done, he retrieved some through the billows of steam and delivered them to Xiao Zhan’s bowl first before his own. "You’re definitely good-looking enough to be a successful idol or actor."

“Thanks,” Xiao Zhan said in complete sincerity, for once not hitting back with an exaggerated compliment. He wore a small frown that disappeared as soon as he shovelled food into his mouth. As Xiao Zhan chewed, Yibo noticed the action reminded him of a rabbit’s. How cute. Yibo was so distracted he almost didn’t hear the words Xiao Zhan said, too busy staring at how his lips and mouth formed sounds. "Originally, I was an artist. A graphic designer. I studied art at university. I was good at it, and my studio was decently popular. You’re not even twenty-five yet, so I don’t know if you’ll feel the same, but when I turned that age, I realised there was something more I wanted to do in my life. I thought about becoming a singer. I honestly love to sing, and I wanted to have an audience. I wanted to be a singer. The same month I realised what I wanted, there was an idol show that had auditions and I asked my parents if they thought it’d be a good idea. But they said no and were adamant I stay out of the entertainment industry, saying it wasn’t a stable career for someone who’s already… no longer young."

"You’re not old," Yibo interjected. If he didn’t say it, if he didn’t remind Xiao Zhan of this until Xiao Zhan himself rejected the idea just as easily, then he would regret staying silent. "You’re experienced. You’re knowledgeable. You know what you want. There’s plenty of idols and actors who aren’t teens, and dare I say, they’re usually way better than the teens who do come out of the idol factory. And the ones who are young, who are barely teens, who aren’t adults, rarely have the inner strength, the hardiness, the resilience to be a successful idol. Sometimes it’s not the talent or lack thereof that breaks you in this industry, but the attitude. You are definitely not ‘no longer young’."

"Maybe, but I didn’t want to hurt my parents by doing something against their wishes, especially as they’re getting older and have no one else to rely on for support." Xiao Zhan sighed, poking at the food in his bowl with his chopsticks. "So, after that, I thought to myself, do I want to continue art? What else do I love and want to try? And I guess I always saw art as a fall-back, a fail-safe, if I wasn’t successful in whatever I endeavoured next, so I did my research, thought about what else I dreamt of doing, and decided on a cat cafe. At the start, it was a bit rough, because there was so much more money being poured into it than I was getting back from the business, but then whenever I saw the stray and rescued cats being nursed back to health, being adopted and finding a home of their own, seeing people find cheer and happiness through interacting with cats – it became the only thing I wanted to do. Sure, I still love singing, but I love this too.”

"It doesn’t sound any easier than being an idol or an actor," Yibo said, remembering his own experiences. "Did your parents support you at least?"

"They did and they didn’t. They had wanted me to find a desk job, the usual kind of nine to five job at a cushy company, because that was their ideal version of a normal life for me. But I think they’ve accepted that running a cat cafe, even if different from the usual cafe, is something I want to do, and I’m doing it well enough that they don’t have to worry." Xiao Zhan stared off into the distance as though in contemplation before turning to look Yibo in the eyes. The sincerity there was what had drawn Yibo the first time he had seen him, and every time thereafter. "But tell me about your life. I’ve always been curious about being an idol. I guess I’ll always see it as a ‘what if’ since I’m way past my prime now. Back and waist issues all the time. I can’t imagine dancing like you do without straining a muscle."

Yibo laughed along with Xiao Zhan. "You’re exaggerating, right?" Realising Xiao Zhan had honestly believed what he was saying, Yibo said, "You know, Zhan ge, there are a lot of idols who are really bad at dancing but they’re still loved anyway. And the ones who are good at dancing, like me, have been learning since their childhoods. My teenage years were all dance and singing practice, media training, blah blah. I never lived a normal life. I don’t even have many friends. I never graduated high school properly since I barely attended. Maybe you see yourself as lacking in some regards, but you’re comparing yourself to people who were given opportunities that you never received, so doesn’t that also mean they missed out on things that you, yourself, have experienced? I seriously think you’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and the parts that you think make you not good enough are exactly the parts of you that make me wish I could cherish you more."

"Wow, Yibo," Xiao Zhan mumbled, blinking rapidly, eyes shining. "If you keep talking like that, I’m going to have to throw a quail egg into your mouth. I have to admit, though, you’re more mature than your age, lao Wang."

"Of course, isn’t that why you call me Wang laoshi, Zhan ge?" Yibo replied, teasing. It wasn’t every day that Yibo found the words from the bottom of his heart to say to others, and rarely, if ever, did those words flow out so easily like they had just then. But matching Xiao Zhan’s sincerity was the least he could do, and his heart had felt heavy thinking that Xiao Zhan honestly believed so lowly of himself. A career change after a successful foray in art design was no easy feat. Most people would never consider wandering off the road already paved, least of all to pursue their dreams. 

Xiao Zhan was not most people.

Xiao Zhan was more than a handsome face, a cute laugh, a serene smile. He breathed life into the air around him, like sunlight in the cloudy monotony that was Yibo’s routine. In that very moment, Yibo wanted to reach across the table and pull him into a kiss. But in fear of accidentally toppling the pot over or being caught on CCTV camera, Yibo pushed away the urge, chomping on his food instead.

They were less than a third through all the portions of food they had ordered, Yibo now realising how wasteful this was in his desperate need to impress. No time for regrets though, especially when the person he was trying to impress was Xiao Zhan. 

"Zhan ge, can I try your sauce?" He had already tried some food from the spicy half of the hot pot but found it set his tastebuds on fire and unsettling for his stomach. He hoped the sauce mixed by Xiao Zhan would be kinder. 

Nodding, Xiao Zhan dipped a slice of cooked beef in his sauce and then lifted it towards Yibo, hand cupping underneath it, as if to feed him.

Yibo couldn’t believe his luck. He opened his mouth and accepted the food, a pleased smile on his face while Xiao Zhan leaned back in his chair. Still spicier than he could handle and yet it tasted better than anything else he had eaten today. "Ah, Zhan ge, why does food taste so much better when you’re the one feeding me? Please keep feeding me!"

Xiao Zhan laughed, using his hand to cover his mouth. "No can do, I’ve got to feed myself first."

Pouting, Yibo returned to filling his belly while they spoke more about themselves. Stories about his TTXS co-hosts, about the dramas he had filmed, about debuting in UNIQ and the eventual fall out when the Chinese government banned K-Pop. Xiao Zhan had insisted Yibo say a few words in Korean, and after he had spoken something completely innocuous like ‘happy new year’, Xiao Zhan had started spouting words like sunbae and saranghae!

Eventually they were so full that they couldn’t bear to look at all the leftover food surrounding them. While Xiao Zhan insisted they split the bill, Yibo would never let him take on such an economic crisis that was clearly his own prerogative. They headed to the payment area, where Yibo used his company card. He hadn’t gotten his hands on a company credit card until last year, but now he was pulling in plenty of money from numerous advertisements and acting gigs. He wasn’t a showy person but the need to impress Xiao Zhan had yet to disappear. 

After the payment was finished, Xiao Zhan insisted on seeing the receipt, to which Yibo refused. Not wanting to make a scene, Yibo grabbed him by the hand, pulling him out of the restaurant. To placate him, he said, “Zhan ge, c’mon, you can pay for dessert. How’s that?”

They were out the door, and Yibo noticed Xiao Zhan was looking down, at their joined hands. “Not even close. Plus, I’m too full for dessert, but if you want some, I’m happy to accompany you.”  

Since Xiao Zhan didn’t let go of his hand, Yibo didn’t either. He led him towards where his motorbike was parked. "Okay, there’s this cute cafe nearby. I think they’re closed at this hour but I really like the green tea there and I’m sure the owner likes me enough to let me in." In case Xiao Zhan hadn’t caught on yet, Yibo added, "Also the cats there are really cute. But the owner, he’s the cutest of them all."

“Wang Yibo,” Xiao Zhan muttered, sending him with a mock-glare. “If I had known you were this flirtatious!” He lightly swatted Yibo across a shoulder, accepting the helmet given to him. “Not sure if you know, but I actually live above the cat cafe with one of my friends. Jianguo is the only cat who goes between though, so you don’t need to worry about me being a crazy cat lady when I’m not working.”

“I don’t mind if you’re crazy about cats whenever you want to be,” Yibo said as he felt Xiao Zhan’s grabbing his hips again. “So, I’ll take you home?”

Xiao Zhan nodded, a cute grin on his lips. “Yeah, take me home.” 

Yibo started the engine and they were off, this time no less exciting as the first thanks to Xiao Zhan’s warm presence.

When he parked by the back of the cafe, he noticed the staircase that led up to a unit. Lights were already on.

“I’d invite you in but I haven’t warned my flatmate about possible visitors,” Xiao Zhan said apologetically, handing the helmet back. "Thanks for the ride. And for dinner. And for hanging out with me. I liked it."

Cradling the helmet in his arms, Yibo replied, "I liked it too.” He wondered if he should risk it and say I like you, but the moment passed too quickly and Xiao Zhan was already waving goodbye. 

Yibo hated seeing Xiao Zhan leave but loved watching him walk away, especially in those jeans. He was surprised then, and unprepared, when Xiao Zhan turned around, saying, "Wait."

A brush of soft lips, Yibo was drawn into a kiss, light and barely there, Xiao Zhan already pulling away before he could even fathom the kiss. "Good night!" Xiao Zhan said, a grin on his face, as though he hadn’t turned Yibo’s world upside-down with such a simple action. What would it be like to kiss that mole under his lower lip? To kiss his cheek in greeting? To kiss him every night before bed? Yibo grew dizzy with such thoughts.

While Xiao Zhan hurried up the stairs, taking his time to wave goodbye a few more times, Yibo stared at him. Touching his own lips, the lips Xiao Zhan had blessed with a kiss, Yibo ached for more. No amount of kissing from acting in dramas could compare to the real deal, and even with such a fleeting kiss, Yibo had felt his nerves electrify, goosebumps on his arms, heart beating wildly.

Yibo realised then – he liked kissing Xiao Zhan, he liked spending time with Xiao Zhan, and he didn’t want to give Xiao Zhan up for anything. Maybe it was another secret being added to his ever growing list of secrets, but some secrets were worth keeping and protecting.

Glancing around and seeing no one, Yibo breathed a sigh of relief before driving home, thoughts trapped in the endearing and endless vortex that was Xiao Zhan. 

/

6. Cats are always deserving of love. Your local cat cafe makes that possible.

Post: on a date with my bf at this hot pot restaurant and guess who i saw!! WANG YIBO!!! wow, even without styling, just walking and talking, he’s still so handsome. he’s got this aura that makes him stand out amongst us muggles. he was with someone (another handsome gege!) and the way he paid for his bill was so cool… wish my bf was this cool haha. anyway, ofc i didn’t ask for an autograph or dare to approach him!! hope he doesn’t mind i post these pics of my first celeb sighting… apologies if it’s not fansite-level clarity, i took it with my phone, but at least you can see his face haha [3 photos attached]

Comments (18402):

• ah, so lucky to have seen wang yibo in person and so close too! drinking vinegar here.
• even if you saw him by chance, isn’t this still considered an invasion of privacy if you’re taking photos of him while he’s living his private life? delete please.
• this is wang yibo without styling??? but??? he’s so handsome!!! SO HANDSOME AHHHHHHHHHH 😍💚

• looks like he did his hair? and his skin looks good too. maybe he has a sponsorship with a malatang place?
• OP probably isn’t a die hard WYB fan. clearly this is his low effort look. some hair styling (that tousled, messy hairstyle is actually hard to get so perfect), maybe some eye makeup (he doesn’t wear eyeliner usually anyway), the bare minimum for any sort of public appearance
• [total: 7 replies]
• gonna visit every hot pot place now in the hopes of seeing wang yibo… also because I’m always craving hot pot hahaha
• the other guy looks kind of familiar? i swear i’ve seen him before… 🤔🤔🤔
• the coffee TTXS ep!! he’s the handsome ge who’s the owner of a cat cafe! look! [2 photos attached]

• huh, that ep was weird… wang yibo kept staring off into the distance… and then he kept looking at xiao zhan (that’s his name, right?) when they were both on stage... never seen yibo so interested in anyone like this before lol
• does xiao zhan have a weibo acct? i can only find his cafe’s acct… wanna follow this handsome gege
• all of wang yibo’s friends are pretty or handsome just like him😭😭😭 makes me wish i could be his friend too… unless that’s the criteria to be his friend… haha…
• [total: 239 replies]
• not to make this a big deal… but… doesn’t it look like they’re holding hands… 👀
• ??? why would they be holding hands??? they’re two MEN. plus the view is blocked so you ARE making a big deal out of nothing. wyb is NOT g*y!!
• so if the other person was a woman, you’d think they’re dating? h*mophobic hypocrite.
• men can hold hands and not be g*y…….
• OP can probably confirm or deny whether she saw them holding hands? and if she did see that, then i’m sure she would’ve already written it into her post lol
• holding hands my ass! you’re just desperate to ship wyb with another man, you trash. go back to writing your nasty danmei shit, no one wants you here least of all wyb
• don’t speak on his behalf. he’d never stand for his fans harassing others so don’t call yourself his fan if you’re going to say things like this.
• lol they really did make an innocent post about two friends eating together into something weird
• IT REALLY DOES THOUGH 👀 especially considering how xiao zhan is kinda red in the face and the pleased expression on yibo’s face 👀
• maybe he was drinking??????????? no way they’re holding hands. wyb isn’t that stupid even if he is g*y
• don’t call yourself a real wyb fan if you’re spreading sick rumours like this
• [total: 354 replies]
• queer fker. always knew there was something wrong with this kid
• the friend with wang yibo is @XiaoZhanDAYTOY (/xiaozhan1) but wyb isn’t even following him back! anyway i’m pretty sure that it’s his legit account since i looked through the official cat cafe weibo that the TTXS weibo linked and found posts that xiao zhan kept commenting on LOL also on his own weibo, he posts a lot of photos of different cats so he’s got to be the owner...
• WOW detective!
• lol just saw his follower count jump from 5k to 23k… and it’s still going up…
• ahhhhhh saving all those selfies of his hehehe. pretty, pretty, pretty. thanks!
• who is this ugly fker and why is he associating with the flawless wang yibo
• omg who wouldn’t fall in love with a face like that??? wouldn’t blame wyb hehe
• [total: 517 replies]
• wang yibo is actually smiling in these photos… which is… y’know… BIG WOOF
• what’s the address of this hotpot place?

Xiao Zhan stopped scrolling. He was probably going to go insane if he kept looking through all the comments. Never mind the crazy amount of private messages he had received and ignored on both his cat cafe account and his personal account. His social media hadn’t blown up like this before, even when he had appeared on TTXS, but he should have expected it. Nothing related to Yibo ever flew under the radar.

That being said, Xiao Zhan checked his own Weibo posts and deleted any that seemed to divulge too much personal information or anything that remotely suggested he had any sort of sexual orientation. His only life was work. Maybe a response like that wouldn’t please his parents whenever they asked why he hadn’t brought home a girl for the Lunar New Year, but it would have to suffice for the general public whom were poking their beaks into his private life.

He saw a comment under a selfie of him and Xuan Lu that read: oh they’re probably dating? lol thank god. Almost face-palming, Xiao Zhan kept the post and hoped Xuan Lu wouldn’t mind being used as his beard like they had done over the past few years when necessary.

By the time he had reached the end of his posts, he had already received a few messages from Yibo. 

zhan ge, can we talk?

sorry about my fans, sometimes they cross boundaries. i’ll tell them off if you want me to, but my PR tells me to just leave it since telling them off would make whatever between us more serious. also it’s not their business. also i haven’t told PR about us.

zhan ge, i miss you. can i see you? i’ll meet you at your cafe?

Xiao Zhan replied back with an OK, dilly-dallying around in his bedroom before heading down to the store, where Xuan Lu and Wang Zhoucheng, another friend, were working today. Before he even entered the store, he realised today was not like any other day.

Today, there was a legitimate queue of people waiting outside the store, all of them female and making him wary there was something ill at play. Feeling like he was stuck in a horror story, Xiao Zhan kept his head down, decided against entering through the front of the store, and used a spare key to open up the back where the cats were. 

Being cautious not to let any cats escape, Xiao Zhan quickly closed the door behind him, mumbled a hello to the tawny cat napping there, and tip-toed through the maze of cats and customers, careful not to draw any attention to himself. He figured a mask and a hat would have been useful at a time like now but he wasn’t used to the attention that Yibo received constantly. Nor did he want to be. Once he escaped and entered the lobby where Xuan Lu was sitting, playing on her phone, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh my god—" Xiao Zhan never began his rant to Xuan Lu, because there, seated in the corner was the very cause of all his problems, including this current predicament and being the star of his recent wet dreams. "Yibo!"

"Zhan ge!" Yibo greeted him hidden underneath a stylish cap and black face mask. Clad in a leather jacket and jeans, he embodied a suave handsomeness. Standing up, he walked towards Xiao Zhan and said, "Zhan ge, can I order a green tea? Unfortunately, I’m not here to see the cats though, just you."

From behind him, Xuan Lu interjected, "He wouldn’t let me make his green tea! He insisted it had to be you." Even though the green tea was poured from the same pot, made from the same tea leaves. 

Xiao Zhan almost readied to explain that to Yibo, only to have Yibo wink at him. Wink! "Yibo, I think those are all your fans outside," Xiao Zhan said, moving behind the counter to make him his green tea. Thankfully someone had already drawn the blinds to prevent the people in the queue looking in. "What if someone comes from the cat room and sees you? What will you do then? There’s nowhere to escape to, here. You were already on Weibo’s Hot Search because of our date. What if I’m the reason you get more hate? I don’t want that. I don’t want to hurt you."

“People will say what they wanna say. If they hate me, then that’s their problem. If they hate you, then there’s clearly something wrong with them. They don’t know us and they never will. What matters to me is being here with you.” Yibo shrugged his shoulders, as though he hadn’t just said something so painfully honest and soul-bearing that it made Xiao Zhan wish he could imitate such a carefree attitude. Unworried and unbothered, Yibo regarded him with a fervent expression that was inappropriate considering there was another person in the room. "Xiao Zhan. Zhan ge. Let’s go somewhere, just me and you."

Placing a glass of green tea in front of Yibo, Xiao Zhan turned to Xuan Lu but before he could even speak, Xuan Lu waved him off and said, “Don’t worry ‘bout me. I can handle the cafe fine.”

Watching Yibo drink his green tea, Xiao Zhan felt uncertain as to what exactly they were doing. Their relationship had no official status, nor did Xiao Zhan wish for it to be declared to anyone. But between the two of them, what were they? 

“It’s on the house,” Xiao Zhan said, biting his lip, motioning to the green tea, in case Yibo tried to pay for the drink. 

Yibo’s eyes were glued to Xiao Zhan’s mouth. Licking his lips, Yibo was uncaring for the body language he displayed. If his fans saw this, they would have made a dozen analysis videos and gifs illustrating Yibo’s interest. Even Xiao Zhan could no longer ignore it. 

“Where do you wanna go?” Xiao Zhan kept his voice low, so as to not bother Xuan Lu.

Leaning towards him, Yibo spoke quietly as if sharing a secret; Xiao Zhan nodded, agreeing. 

“I’ll see you later, LuLu!” Xiao Zhan said in parting, heading out the door. Yibo was close behind, their proximity easy to swathe with rumours.

As soon as they were in the line of sight of the fans in the queue, an uproar of shrill screams bombarded Xiao Zhan’s ears but he continued to walk forward. He wasn’t going to run, but the itch to escape was there nonetheless. 

Beside him, he saw Yibo turn around to face their audience. “Don’t follow us,” Yibo commanded, his tone serious. “Don’t follow,” he said one more time, and the cheers quietened before a chorus of agreement rang out. 

As they strode to where Yibo had parked his motorbike, the noise from the fans had dimmed, enough so that Xiao Zhan chanced a peek behind, relieved to see there really was no one following them.

“They actually listen to what you say,” Xiao Zhan commented, surprised. He had always assumed the die-hard fans, the stalkers who called themselves fans would have continued pursuing them. 

“Of course. If they don’t even listen to what I tell them, then they can’t call themselves my fans. Also helps that the crowd is big enough that they’ll be judged harshly if they try to go against my wishes.” Yibo nodded to his motorbike. “C’mon, let’s go.”

Like every other time he had ridden with Yibo, he never tired of the sensation. Although riding motorbikes, instructing fans on what to do in a private setting, being blatant in his wishes all seemed like reckless actions, Xiao Zhan had realised there was nothing reckless about Yibo at all. Not reckless but fearless. And that was a quality he found himself lacking in, a virtue he wished for.

Somehow, the anxieties he had alone, scrolling aimlessly through Weibo posts and finding comments about himself, were unburdened as soon as Yibo was by his side. They were two people from significantly differing walks of life, and yet the distance seemed so little in moments like this. Thinking such thoughts, Xiao Zhan wanted to bury his face in Yibo’s nape, but now was an inopportune time since they were on a moving motorbike.

Soon, they arrived at their destination after a short circuit around the outskirts of the city. Xiao Zhan grabbed Yibo’s hand once they had parked and stripped off their helmets, walking up the stairs together. Unlocking the door, Xiao Zhan introduced his humble abode, and Yibo took the time to remove his gloves and toe off his sneakers. 

Jianguo greeted them, slithering between their legs and nudging at them with her head. She hadn’t been brought downstairs yet, since Xiao Zhan hadn’t wanted to go to the cafe initially, but she seemed content to be here.

Having followed through with Yibo’s tactics of pretending to leave the premises, Xiao Zhan checked the front of the store by peeping through his blinds, and sure enough, the line of fans had cleared. They had returned to some form of normalcy. With no idol to see, Yibo having disappeared on a motorbike in front of their eyes, the fans had wandered off to spend their time on something more meaningful. Xiao Zhan could only imagine what they had posted about them, since he had been the lucky one to ride on the back of Yibo’s precious bike.

Even if Yibo wasn’t the type to care, Xiao Zhan was the kind of person to consider the optics, and their relationship – or whatever it was – was no longer a secret. Maybe trying to keep it a secret would have made things worse. There were parts that needed to stay hidden for both their sakes, but there were also parts that could be shared, the elements that Xiao Zhan didn’t care if others judged, because they weren’t the ones spending time with Yibo. And being with Yibo, whether out in public or in private, was fundamentally his choice, and no one else’s opinion could dictate otherwise. If they preferred to keep their more intimate interactions out of view, then that was ultimately his and Yibo’s choice to make.

Pulled into a hug, Xiao Zhan returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around Yibo’s lithe but strong body. His heart still quaked at Yibo’s acts of affection, the months-long result of trying not to overthink actions and words back when they had both been unclear in their intentions. "Yibo."

"Zhan ge," Yibo replied in the same overly fond manner. If there were cameras on them, Xiao Zhan couldn’t doubt that Yibo would speak the same, still wear his heart on his sleeve the same. Maybe some saw that as a weakness, a fault worth instigating the posting of negative comments, but Xiao Zhan did not. “Zhan ge,” Yibo said, as he stalked forward, crowding Xiao Zhan against the wall, wetting his lips, “can I kiss you now?”

A slow nod. Xiao Zhan was mesmerised. Caught staring at Yibo’s lips, Xiao Zhan closed his eyes. Leaned forward. 

Their first kiss had been on a whim from Xiao Zhan’s behalf, a daring excuse to forget the world around them and to act on instinct, to be more than the dull, ordinary person he saw himself as. This kiss was no less daring, Xiao Zhan defying the fears he had of being involved with a celebrity, of sharing his life with a prominent figure, of risking the easy balance of a mundane life. But Yibo was not just any celebrity, not just any name, as Xiao Zhan had come to realise.

The tender press of their lips together felt like a promise, the swipe of Yibo’s tongue against his mouth like a taunt. "Yibo," Xiao Zhan said, needing a moment to breathe, to gather his thoughts, but Yibo crashed against him again, again and again, like a ceaseless wave, kissing him with wild abandon. Xiao Zhan spoke Yibo’s name as though it was a lifeline, an utterance lost amongst the gasps and moans, a sound that echoed and reverberated in the chambers of his heart. 

"Zhan ge," Yibo said, his voice like fire, spreading warmth through every iota of Xiao Zhan’s being. "I want you," and Xiao Zhan whispered his equally fervid response against Yibo’s lips. 

As an eager Xiao Zhan started stripping himself, Yibo joined in too, removing his jacket. Then when Xiao Zhan’s shirt was off, Yibo revealed a sliver of his toned abs before he paused, realising something. As if sensing Xiao Zhan about to query him, Yibo said, ‘Wait, Zhan ge, there’s something…"

Bending down, Yibo unzipped one of the pockets of his jacket and retrieved a slightly bent object from inside. Xiao Zhan stared, far too long, at the object, wondering why and how on earth did Yibo manage to sneak such a thing around. What if he had unzipped his pocket and that had fallen out of his pocket when they had been running from the fans, or when they had been on the motorcycle?

"What is this?" Xiao Zhan asked, despite knowing exactly what it was. He just needed Yibo to confirm he wasn’t hallucinating.

Yibo pouted, as if it might make Xiao Zhan more accepting of the situation. Not that the mood they had worked up had disappeared, but it had shifted. "Wear it for me, please, Zhan ge?"

Xiao Zhan could hear the it’s only fitting quip on the tip of Yibo’s tongue. Sighing, amusement breaking out across his face in the form of a smile, Xiao Zhan muffled his laughter against a closed fist. "Yibo, please don’t tell me this is the reason for all your visits to the cat cafe."

"No!" Yibo’s back straightened, stepping forward to affix the cat ears atop Xiao Zhan’s head. "I saw these while online shopping after our date and thought of you. I wanted to buy couple things for us but then I wasn’t sure if we were at that stage of our relationship yet where you’d be comfortable wearing matching or similar outfits because I wasn’t sure if we were even dating but then when I think about how you kissed me, how you smile at me... my stomach does wibble-wobbles and my heart goes pitter-patter like in those stupid love songs I never believed in until now. And this seemed like an in-between, a compromise. I swear the thought hadn’t crossed my mind until I saw the cat ears being advertised! And it wasn’t like I could stop thinking about it once I saw it."

At the thought of wearing matching couple outfits with Wang Yibo, a high profile idol and actor but most importantly someone who wanted to d word him (date, not dick – or, maybe both), Xiao Zhan felt the same kindling of emotions as Yibo had described: the wibble-wobbles, the pitter-patters. Hard not to, when Yibo was staring at him with such hopeful puppy eyes. Moving the cat ears headband into a more comfortable position on his head, Xiao Zhan hoped he had at least delivered on the image Yibo wanted to see.

"Cute," Yibo commented, leaning in close. "So cute, Zhan ge. I think Jianguo and all the cats downstairs are going to start drinking vinegar instead of milk starting tonight."

"Outrageous." Trying not to laugh, Xiao Zhan slapped his palm against Yibo’s chest, deciding enough was enough. "Now take off your shirt. I’ve waited long enough."

Shirt removed, Yibo murmured another sweet compliment, pressing kisses down Xiao Zhan’s jaw and neck, a fiery trail of arousal, each kiss more heated than the last. Eventually, the remainder of their clothes came off, the cat ears too having fallen into some crevice of a sofa. 

7. You won't regret it.

When Xiao Zhan awoke in the morning after several hours spent with Yibo desecrating every surface of his place, his whole body felt sore but sated. Yibo spooned him from behind, a warm and familiar presence. Playing with Yibo’s hands that were larger than his own, Xiao Zhan intertwined their fingers, his breath caught by how such a simple action made his heart stutter.

Maybe nothing was set in stone, least of all their relationship, but did it have to be, when all he longed for was more time to spend with Yibo? Xiao Zhan had always promised himself to enjoy the simple aspects of his life, to not complicate what he liked. Neither naive nor impudent, he understood liking Yibo, wanting Yibo, dating Yibo wouldn’t be easy, but there was nothing to regret nor disregard. Sometimes all one needed in life was a willingness to see a reality blossom, and Xiao Zhan wanted to try.

In his tiny home above the cat cafe, Xiao Zhan held a secret close to his heart yet spilled it to Yibo nevertheless, whispering, their hands clasped together.

And Yibo whispered back, sealing it with a kiss to Xiao Zhan’s lips: a secret shared, a promise made.