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“Come on, Junnie~” Minghao has been relentlessly convincing Jun for the nth time that day to agree with the blind date that Minghao has set up for him.
Jun likes it, don’t get him wrong. He likes meeting new acquaintances that may segue into a potential lover and whatnot, but it’s draining sometimes. It’s frustrating for him to have his high hopes up, but ends up disappointing himself in the end when his dates don’t meet his imaginary standards that he established in his mind.
“Xu Yiyang, she’s my cousin. I’ve known her my whole life so I know that you two are a perfect match! I’ve also told her all about you and she agreed to have a date with you. And trust me, she’s your type, I promise,” insisted Minghao.
“I dunno, Xiaoba. The last few dates have been a wreck lately. Remember that one time the boyfriend attacked me because he thought her girlfriend was cheating? Turns out she was just using me as a rebound because he’s been ghosting her. How original. I was scarred for life, Hao!” Jun dramatically emphasized the last part. “Where’d you even get that girl from?”
“She’s Mingyu’s classmate.”
“You even hooked Mingyu in your blind date plan?!”
“I was desperate!”
“Desperate for what exactly, Hao?” Jun asked Minghao sternly he swore he can see Hao melting in front of him.
The other only murmured a lot of unintelligible words that Jun can’t quite catch up.
“What was that?” He asked once again.
“I said I was desperate to find you someone! Happy?” Minghao outcried.
“But I already have you though.” Jun had that smug look on his face again; lips smirking, voice teasing, and that eyes Minghao can’t resist looking.
“You know what I mean, Junhui.” Minghao tried so hard to prevent his voice from faltering due to Jun’s intense eye contact with him. “Someone that will always be there for you and make you happy,” he added.
“Like what you’re always doing to me?” Jun pushed.
“Junhui!” Minghao sounded like he heard something scandalous.
“What?”
“Best friends can’t be lovers.”
“Why? Because we’re both men?”
“N-no! It’s not like that! You know it’s not like that!” defended Minghao.
“Then why?”
“Just because!”
“Because what?”
“Because there’s something tragic in a friendship so colored by romance!” Minghao blurted, surprised by his choice of words.
“Did you just quote Oscar Wilde to me?” Minghao is such a book nerd, Jun can’t help but smile.
“How did you even know it was from him anyway?”
“You told me to read his novel months ago, right?”
“You remembered that?” Minghao seemed surprised at how Jun remembers small details about him.
“I always remember everything about you, Haohao.” Jun smiled fondly.
Minghao could only roll his eyes, then smiled too.
“Wear a choker or a necklace, or something. Don’t you have anything other than that to wear? You look too plain for my liking, Junhui,” Minghao suggested.
Jun is wearing a casual white oversized Cuban collar shirt, with its front being tucked inside his go-to black skinny ripped jeans. With a face like his, he’s sure girls would be fawning over him even if he wears ragged clothes.
“But I’m dating your cousin, not you though,” Junhui teased.
Even though Minghao knew it was a joke, he still looked hurt after hearing that.
“I’m just kidding, Hao. You know I was joking, right?” Junhui reassured after noticing the change of his expression.
“No, you’re absolutely right. You’re dating her. Who knows, maybe she likes plain-styled boring ass men like you,” Minghao replied rather flatly. “Hurry up, you’ll be late,” he added.
As he was about to exit the room, Jun grabbed him by his arms.
“No,” Jun was too quick to reply.
“Excuse me?”
“I’m not going anywhere till we solve our problem.”
“What problem? You were right. You’re not dating me, so I can’t go around suggesting what you wear, right?”
“Come on, Xiaoba. You know I didn’t mean it like that. It’s the first date anyway, I don’t want dressing up like I try so hard to impress her.”
“Isn’t that the point of dating? To impress her?” Minghao inquired.
“I’m sorry, Minghao. I didn’t know you’ll get hurt,” Junhui apologized, kissing Minghao by the forehead.
“I’m sorry too. I never should have told you you’re boring, even though I was totally right,” Minghao chuckled, hugging Jun by his chest and tucking his head under his chin.
“What was that?”
“I said hurry your ass up, old man!” Minghao said as he detach himself from Jun.
“Shut up, you’re just one year younger than me.”
“And yet here I am, being a total baby.”
“My baby,” Jun said while winking.
Minghao fake-gagged. “Get outta here already!”
Jun got his phone and wallet and he’s ready to go. “I’ll be back before 10,” he told Minghao, then kissed him on the forehead once again.
“Have fun! Treat my cousin right, Junhui.”
“If that’s what makes you happy, then I will.”
Jun arrived at the location Minghao texted him a day prior. It was on 13th street, just four blocks away from their shared apartment. The restaurant just opened a week ago and is already popular because of its delectable menu and affordable but worth-it price. Mingyu was the one who suggested the Shining Diamond Restaurant to Minghao because it was where Gyu’s crush, Wonwoo, works.
“Slip in to the diamond life! Welcome to Shining Diamond Restaurant!” greeted the waiter Soonyoung, as it was on his nameplate, enthusiastically.
“Good evening,” said Jun, “uhm, 7pm reservation for Xu Yiyang?” Jun sounded unsure. It was, after all, Minghao who arranged and planned this date.
“Right this way, sir. Follow me,” Soonyoung announced. “Nervous for the first date?” he asked in a friendly manner as they were walking towards Yiyang’s booth.
“First date? Not really. Nervous? Yeah, I am.” Jun laughed at himself to ease his jitters.
“I’m sure it would turn out just fine,” he assured Jun.
“Hope so. Thanks, man.” Jun can’t help but smile at how friendly the staffs are.
When they finally reached the booth, it was when Jun finally saw her.
As what Minghao said, Yiyang is tall and slim, but she looks like three inches shorter than Jun. Minghao also said she has nice vocals that boys would absolutely drool over. Her sunflower blonde hair complements with her fair skin perfectly. She simply looks ethereal, the kind of elegance that every girl wants and every boy fights for. (But not as ethereal as Minghao.)
“I got to finally meet you in person!” Yiyang exclaimed, hugging Jun as he was walking towards her. “Hao told me a lot about you!”
“All good things, I hope,” Jun answered, smiling at the mention of Minghao’s name.
“Oh, I can assure you they’re all good.” She smiled back.
The date went well, surprisingly. In all honesty, Jun never thought he would have such kind of connection with someone opposite of his sex.
Yiyang listened to all his stories, as well as giving replies when necessary. She never interrupted Jun once when he is talking, unlike all the other girls he dated before. He can tell that she was raised well, just like how Minghao was also raised.
“… so there I was, all alone in the house when suddenly the electricity went off, I was so scared that time. Luckily, Minghao was quick to respond to my text. He literally came to our house at an ungodly hour, bringing ice cream so we could eat while waiting for the lights to come back,” Jun was retelling his memories with Minghao when they were in high school.
Yiyang took longer to respond, but she was smiling all along. “But Minghao never eats ice cream though, he gets stomach ache when he eats too much,” she explained.
“Oh I know, but he also knows I like ice cream so he sacrificed a lot for me.”
“You’re so lucky.”
“Hm?”
“I mean, when Hao and I were still kids, when we were still back in China, he was the least social one from all our cousins,” she said in between biting her rib steak. “Uncle and auntie would often get worried when he stays and plays too long outside. When we have sleepovers at our grandma’s place, he doesn’t stay for too long because his parents would worry when he was not by their side.”
Jun knows. Jun knows all about Minghao’s rants about how his parents are too worrisome, or how caged he is sometimes. But Jun also knows that Minghao loved his parents as much, and understands that what they are doing are for his own safety.
“One time, when our cousin offered him ice cream, he got stomach ache and was rushed to the hospital immediately,” Yiyang continued.
“It’s that bad?”
“Maybe. He really has a sensitive body. But he’s not weak, you know.”
“I agree,” Jun stated. “If he’s not one of the strongest people I know, he is the strongest person I met.
To migrate to a foreign country knowing how your parents would not want you to leave, that’s a big leapt of faith right there,” Jun denoted.
Yiyang smiled fondly at that.
“Okay sooo, uhm, favorite books? Author?” Yiyang tried to change the topic.
“I’m busy nowadays though, so I don’t get to read as much. But the recent one I’ve read is ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, pretty much I’m starting to like Oscar Wilde now too,” Jun replied.
“Let me guess, Minghao recommended that one?”
“How’d you know?” Jun sounded so surprised.
“A wild guess, I guess. He’s the bookworm of the family, he also recommended me that but I never get to finish it. I can’t believe you even finished it,” she wondered.
“I always do what he tells me though.”
“What a major simp!” Yiyang laughed. She sounded like an angel, (but not as angelic as Minghao’s.)
“Hey! Rude,” Jun pouted.
“You’re cute when you pout, Junhui,” she giggled. “No wonder you got Minghao head over heels for you.”
Jun felt the blood on his face rise up at the compliment, but other than that, he really didn’t feel any butterflies inside his stomach.
“What?” Jun asked, didn’t quite hear what she said last.
“Nothing,” she smiled, “just enjoy your food.”
“Do you want wine? I heard their wine tastes heavenly here,” he inquired.
“Didn’t pegged you the type to drink, Jun.”
“I don’t really, but sometimes when Xiaoba has his exams coming, I usually join him drink to cool our brains down, you know,” Jun shared.
“Xiaoba?”
“Oh, didn’t I tell you yet?” Yiyang shook her head. “He likes the number 8 so that’s what I always call him,” Jun continued.
“Hmm, interesting~” she sing-songed.
“So, do you want wine?”
“No, thanks for offering though. I already ate a lot, I’m full.”
“Did you enjoy this date so far?” Jun didn’t know why he asked that. Something from the back of his mind always reminds him to satisfy Yiyang this night, or worse, Minghao would not talk to him if he did not.
“Yes, I did! It was nice meeting you, Wen Junhui,” she beamed.
“And so did I, Xu Minghao.” Confusion from Yiyang’s face was visible. “Oh no! I mean Xu Yiyang. Yiyang, yes. Xu Yiyang. Nice meeting you,” Jun panicked, he’s sure he fucked up this date so bad.
Yiyang did nothing but bursted into laughter. “No problem, Junhui. I get it, you’re nervous,” she reassured.
“Y-yeah, I guess I am.”
When Jun was done paying for the bill, Yiyang told him to wait outside for her.
“Is there a problem?” Jun worried.
“No, no, I can assure you. I just have some business to attend to. Uhm, girl stuff and all,” she sheepishly grinned.
“Oh, of course! I’ll go now, I’ll wait for you outside.” And just like that, it was cue for Jun to exit.
When Yiyang made sure that Jun was out of her vision, she headed for the counter and asked the staff, “Can I have one of your finest red wine, please?”
“Thank you for this night, Junhui. I had a lot of fun.” Yiyang hugged him after she joined him outside the restaurant.
“No problem, Yiyang.” Jun hugged back, but not sure with what to add. Will he say ‘see you next time’ or ‘will there be a next time?’?
Sensing Jun deep in thought, she replied, “There will be no next time, by the way.”
Jun heaved a sigh of relief. He genuinely like Yiyang, but not in that way.
She laughed at his response. “Wow, you never really liked me, huh.”
“No! It’s not like that. I swear-“
“It’s fine! Don’t worry at all! But I really had a lot of fun.”
“I know, but-“
“But what?”
Jun took a moment to reply the question. “Minghao would kill me if I didn’t make you happy.”
At the mention of Minghao’s name, Yiyang held up the paper bag she’s been holding and gave it to Jun.
“Here, a gift. For our friendship,” she said.
“Wow, wow.” Jun took the bag. “I never even prepared a gift for you, I feel like a trash.”
“It’s no biggie! I just recently bought that while you waited outside,” Yiyang reassured Jun. “And Jun?”
Jun took off his gaze from the bag and turned his attention to her. “Yeah?”
“Go tell him.”
Jun just looked at her dumbfounded. “I’m sorry. I don’t-“
“Go tell Minghao.”
“Tell him what exactly?” he asked reluctantly, not quite getting her point.
“Tell him you love him! Silly!”
And then it dawned on him.
“Tell him you love him. Tell him that he’s always running in your mind. Tell him that you’re thankful he stayed the night with you eating ice cream even if he knows the consequences when he eats too much. Tell him you read the book he recommended you anyway even though people would just dismiss or forget all his recommendations. Tell him he’s the strongest person you know and you met. Tell him you dated me just for his sake, just to make him happy, just so his efforts for arranging this night would not go to waste. Tell him a million other things I don’t know about, Jun. Tell him you love him.”
Jun seemed to be interested with the paper bag, because his gaze has been fixated on it ever since.
“When you get home, drink with him.”
Jun looked back at Yiyang.
“Open the bag.”
And he did. “Red wine?”
“Drink with him, for me.” And with that, Yiyang kissed Jun on his right cheek, and started to leave.
It took Jun good seconds to realize what just happened. When he got his consciousness back, he turned and shouted, “Yiyang!”
“Yes?” she shouted back, a good fifteen feet distance between them.
“Do you need a lift?”
“No! My girlfriend is waiting for me right at that corner!” Yiyang pointed at the direction and sure enough, a woman riding on a big bike was waiting for her.
“Your girlfriend?!”
“Yes! I’m a lesbian! But it was nice meeting you though!” She finally reached her girlfriend and rode on the back of the bike. “Tell Minghao I said hi!!” Yiyang shouted one last time.
Just like that, Junhui was left on a restaurant parking lot.
It was 10:15pm when Jun finally arrived at his apartment. He promised Minghao to arrive before 10, he also promised Minghao that he would treat his cousin right. Let’s just say he broke a lot of promises that night.
“You’re late,” was what Jun first heard as he stepped inside the living room.
“I’m sorry. I have no excuse.”
Sensing Jun’s weak response, Minghao turned soft. “It’s fine,” he consoled. “Did you guys have fun?”
“Yeah, we did. She’s nice. She’s great.”
“Okay. Tell me more? Did you get to know each other much more? Did you like her? She was beautiful, right? She’s totally your type, right?” Minghao pushed.
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes, to all the questions. Except the last one.”
Minghao took a moment to remember what the last question was. “Oh, okay. But… you’re going on a second date, right? The first date was successful, yes?” he pushed more.
“It was a success, but no more second date.”
“Alright, uhm. Okay. I’m sure there’s a lot of girls I can meet you wi-“
“Minghao. Just. Stop. Stop it please.” Junhui sounded so defeated. He doesn’t want Minghao’s efforts to go to waste, but even once, Minghao never asked him what he really wanted.
“Did I do something wrong, Junnie?” Minghao feels small and weak. He feels like as if he was a kid again, frail and delicate, to the extent that people would be scared to touch him as if he would turn into ashes and scatter away into oblivion.
“Drink with me, Xiaoba.”
Minghao let out a breath he never realized he was holding. “We don’t have-“
“Yiyang says hi, by the way. And she bought this wine for us,” Jun says as he was holding the wine from the paper bag.
“Tell me what’s wrong?” Minghao offered.
They are now situated in their living room, lounging on the couch they first bought three years ago when they planned to live in an apartment together for their college years. Two foreigners in a foreign land, but somehow, they made it work together and establish something they now called home.
With wine glasses on their hands, Jun sat cross-legged on the sofa, while Minghao sat while folded his knees in front of his chest, feeling extra small, shoulders brushing.
“Nothing, Haohao.”
“Then why’d you tell me to stop it?”
Jun looked deep into his eyes, the same eyes he always stares at when they were in high school stargazing at Jun’s rooftop at 1am, not that Minghao knows, he always had his gaze on the moon every time. “Have you asked me what I wanted all along, Hao? Ever?”
Minghao stared back at those eyes, the same eyes he always stares at when someone confesses to him back in high school, not that Junhui knows, he always had his eyes at everyone else. “What is it that you want, then?”
“Let me rephrase what I said, have you ever asked me who I wanted all along?”
Minghao’s afraid that his voice might waver, so he never said anything.
“Ask me, Haohao. Ask me who I wanted all along.”
“Who?”
But instead of answering his most-awaited question, he grabbed Minghao by the chin and pursed his lips against his.
It was a gentle and a shy first kiss. Like a flower blooming and opening his petals for the world to wonder upon; like a sunset flaunting its colors for the people to look up to; like the soft ocean waves Minghao always paints every time he’s happy for all his friends to be amazed at. Minghao was all those things to Junhui, maybe even more.
When Minghao spilled his wine all over his shirt, it’s where things got a lot bolder. Their kiss turned into something more. Like a thunder grumbling signifying that a storm is coming; like a fire igniting implying their burning passion for each other; like a strong current drowning them together, but as long as they got each other, the world is theirs to conquer.
Eyes closed, lips sucked, necks bruised, clothes gone, backs arched, hands touching, they got lost in their own little world,
With their wines long forgotten.