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First dates are always a nerve wreck. The anticipation of finally spending a day with someone you have been pining for quite a semester after manifesting the courage to ask them out is both an exhilarating and anxious feeling.
A first date outfit matters. Mingyu examines his look in the mirror, turning and twisting his body in different directions so he could finally decide if this outfit is the one for today. It was not; he isn’t feeling a white t-shirt today. Groaning, he aggressively takes off his top and tosses it to his bed where several others shirts and pants lay after being sadly rejected. He makes a thought that he needs to buy more clothes since none of these are working for him.
A button-up dress shirt seems great for a first date. It shows off his build with maybe two buttons unbuttoned to tease a little of his chest, but what if it screamed too formal? What if he looks better than his date who could possibly wear something casual instead? What if the button-up made him look like a snobby rich guy just looking for someone to hook up with for the night?
He could go for more of a casual route to wear a simple blue shirt with a blue or maybe white pair of pants. But then what if he looks too casual? Like someone who really didn’t care about making a good first impression and just throwing anything on because they couldn’t care less about fashion?
A graphic shirt could be just a good level of casual. He has a beige shirt designed with words of poetry and other nice graphic elements. He could wear it with his nice dress pants he already has on. But then what if it was too much of a look? What if the wording on his shirt is too distracting or loud that it messes with his date’s concentration on his personality? What if the huge letter ‘C’ pasted on the shoulder piece would be the only thing his date sees all day?
Annoyed and shirtless, Mingyu stomps with a minor tantrum in front of his mirror. He pulls his hair, feeling the heat of anxiety rushing to his cheeks only to realize after choosing an outfit, he still needs to do his hair. His reflection looks defeated, staring back at himself like he’s telling himself he’s the messiest person in the world which, contrary to whatever Minghao says, he is not that messy.
He has about an hour and a half before he needs to meet up at the rendezvous point, which effectively means he has an hour to finish deciding an outfit, doing his hair, and arriving at the date spot. With no more second thoughts, Mingyu grabs his plain white shirt–no words, no buttons–just a shirt that’s a good stretch around his chest to show off his assets but loose and flowy enough to feel comfortable in. He tucks the bottom hem into his grey dress pants that accentuate his long legs if that was even possible.
Quite satisfied with his choice, Mingyu rushes to his bathroom to start his hair which leads to another problem. What kind of hair looks best for a first date? He could style it upwards with more forehead that gives him more of a manly look, or perhaps styling his bangs so he could seem more boyish and youthful. Grunting, he’s running out of time and settles on a soft middle split style. Nothing can go wrong with a nicely styled middle part with the right amount of waves.
Styling his hair takes thirty minutes because every time he thinks he’s finally done, his self-doubt stares into his reflection for too long and decides it could be better which automatically leads to messing up and starting over again. He burns his fingers with the curling iron several times but nothing can beat the rush of heat going through his head in fear of being late.
He leaves his apartment fifteen minutes later, quickly grabbing his keys and slipping on his white sneakers. His bag dangles across his body as he jogs, tightening just around his chest that he has to adjust it every now and then.
They promised to meet in front of Central Park. Mingyu checks the time, adjusting his phone’s brightness under the clear sky– he’s ten minutes early from the scheduled time and is relieved to catch his breath. A gentle gale passes by him, drying the small droplets of sweat that formed after his jog and he rests against the sidewalk rails as the lives of the city pass by him with their own days.
He listens to the liveliness of New York City. Moving across the world to study here was the toughest decision he’s ever had to make but also one of the best decisions ever. The homesickness that used to carry on his shoulder during his earlier years have shrunk as he spent more time, and his love for the certain ‘NYC live in its own bubble’ has grown immensely as he unfolds more adventures on this island. He loves the places he visits, the views he captures, and the people he meets.
“Mingyu,” a gentle voice rings through Mingyu’s ears and like a spell he opens his eyes to see the man he had courageously asked out earlier this week. “Sorry, I’m a little late. The trains were horrible.” Wonwoo’s smile reminds him of a lily blooming in spring time, a little slow but beautiful once it blossoms. “Did you wait long?”
Mingyu shakes his head, the corner of his lips turning into a smile once he gets a good look at Wonwoo. Dressed in a nice black top and a pair of white jeans, Wonwoo looks like the streets of the fashion district, or perhaps the art culture of Brooklyn where the literature, theatre, and cinema comes to life.
First dates are a nervewreck because Mingyu doesn’t know how to greet his date. Will a simple handshake do, or is that too formal? Is a hug too straightforward? Or maybe should he just give a friendly wave?
“I just got here too.” Mingyu answers, his left hand gripping onto the strap of his bag as his nerves slightly take over. “How are you? You look great by the way.” Better than great, Mingyu wants to add but holds back saying it. Wonwoo always looks great.
“I’m good, thank you,” Wonwoo replies with a shy hand rub to his neck as his eyes shift to the side then back to Mingyu. “You look great too.”
Mingyu can’t help but smile, turning away with an infatuated blush on his cheeks and a cough to clear his throat. He can tell Wonwoo is still smiling at him but he can’t develop the courage to look directly into his eyes for more than five seconds. “Should we get going? I know a great coffee shop.” He asks and Wonwoo nods.
“Sure, sounds great.” They used the word ‘great’ four times in total already and Mingyu is starting to find the word weird.
“Awesome, let’s go.”
The two met each other at the beginning of this semester three months ago. Mingyu has always been a sucker for love at first sight and watched one too many romance films in his life. He often daydreams in class about who he’d meet in life and who he’d end up. In comes Wonwoo during their first day of History of Cinematography and his first expression was– Wow, he’s really not a morning person.
They got paired up for the first project and Mingyu finds that Wonwoo was quite skilled with video editing and joined with Mingyu’s excellent photography skills, they were like two peas in a pod that fit perfectly to score the highest grade in the class. Mingyu remembers the surprised look on Wonwoo’s face, how his dark eye bags that he stayed up during sleepless nights finally made its worth, and how his lips turned into the prettiest smile Mingyu has ever seen in his life.
They stayed acquainted after the project, acknowledging each other every morning with soft smiles and short conversations but never developing the courage to step over the line of becoming closer friends. Mingyu has thought about asking Wonwoo out several times in his daydreams and he discussed his thoughts with his friends who all encouraged him to just do it.
Life is about taking chances, so one day after class last week, he just went ahead without a second thought, stopping Wonwoo right before he left the classroom, and asked him out.
Mingyu is aware of his developing crush on the man but he doesn’t know how Wonwoo feels about him, or if this crush is merely an infatuation that could fade away. Perhaps this is just a friendly date, the kind to just test the waters and at the end of the date they could either say, ‘Hey, today was fun, let’s do it again sometime,’ or ‘Thanks for today. I’ll text you,’ which kinda means ‘no, let’s not do this again.’ Mingyu hopes for the first one.
“Do you want to grab a table? I’ll order our coffees. What would you like?” Mingyu asks, scanning the coffee shop for any open tables. It’s the middle of the day so it’s a fifty-fifty chance of people out on their coffee run or empty with some college students. It’s the latter, much to Mingyu’s relief.
“Okay, an iced coffee is good for me. I’ll go find a table.” Wonwoo replies. They’re on the same wavelength of thinking and Mingyu smiles, his eyes lingering as Wonwoo walks away to find a table. He looks around, eyeing the table in the corner or the table with the sofas next to the window.
“Two iced coffees, and a slice of the strawberry cake, please.” Mingyu asks, his Korean accent just slightly coming through his English. He’s gotten quite the tongue for the language compared to when he first moved here. The cake is a surprise because maybe Wonwoo likes a strawberry cake, who doesn’t like strawberry cakes? And it would be cute to share one cake together on the first date.
“I see you chose the sofas.” Mingyu comments as he places Wonwoo’s iced coffee in front of him and surprises him with the strawberry cake. He really hopes Wonwoo likes strawberry flavors, because he personally knows people who don't like strawberry (which is unacceptable in his opinion but hey).
Wonwoo stares at the cake as Mingyu sits down across from him. He debates if he should sit next to Wonwoo instead, but is sitting too close to almost cuddling okay for a first date?
“I love strawberry cake.” Wonwoo beams, smiling as he picks up the fork. He eyes Mingyu who signals him to take the first bite and smiles fondly when Wonwoo relishes the taste of the sweet treat.
“This place has the best pastries,” Mingyu says, sipping his coffee. “I always come here for them.”
Wonwoo hums. “I can see why. It’s fluffy and the cream doesn’t taste artificial.”
Mingyu picks up his fork and dips it into the cake. He lets Wonwoo have the strawberry that rested on top because his smile is sweeter than cake itself. They converse about themselves– what are their likes, their favorite movies, hobbies, foods, seasons– Wonwoo’s favorite season is autumn which is perfect timing because the trees are just starting to turn into pretty oranges and browns.
Autumn is also Minghao’s favorite season. He says it’s because he loves fall fashion which he is not wrong, it’s prime sweater weather time with just the right amount of sun and temperature. The nights come quicker but the day shines brighter.
“You look like an autumn person.” Mingyu says as he takes another sip of his coffee. Wonwoo stares at him as if asking him to elaborate because not many people tend to like hearing the words ‘you look like [insert whatever here]’. Mingyu chuckles in hopes to relax Wonwoo’s curious nerves. His intentions saying that were nothing bad.
He’s always found autumn a sentimental season. Whenever this time of year comes around, he is hit with a nostalgic warmth– it must be the color of the leaves changing or maybe the extra layer of clothing when the weather becomes cool that affects his mood.
And Wonwoo gives off the same sentimental and nostalgic energy. Looking at Wonwoo is like reconnecting with a past soul in his life, like they met each other once upon a time but their memories have been rewritten and they must find each other again.
Wonwoo smiles. “Such words from a photographer. I’m sure your photos would speak even louder.”
Mingyu smiles. He wants to photograph Wonwoo one day. Perhaps for an upcoming class project or a personal project. He’s curious to know how Wonwoo would look through his camera lens, how much he’ll need to adjust the focus on his face, and how he’ll look under his lighting. He wants to know how to bring out Wonwoo’s best smile and what makes him laugh to the point he’s bursting with serotonin.
He learns that after Wonwoo likes autumn, he also likes literature and writing, reading, cats, gaming, and hamburgers. Mingyu in return likes fashion, dogs, sports, cars, and cooking. In the universe, they would be incompatible, but in their world, they could be perfect for each other.
A walk through Central Park seemed like a nice idea after their coffee. Mingyu smiles as he listens to Wonwoo’s stories of his past and his experience in New York, and Wonwoo would follow along as Mingyu does the same. They take photos of the Alice in Wonderland statue deep in the park, wondering how they ended in the spot.
“I didn’t even know there was a statue of Alice in Wonderland here.” Wonwoo says, taking his phone to capture the memories. “Goes to show there is so much more of New York City I still haven’t discovered yet.”
Mingyu smiles, staring at Alice looking down at Cheshire Cat on her lap. The statues were magnificently made as if Alice, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit, the Dormouse, and Cheshire Cat themselves were actually here before turning into stone to rest. “They should put more mushroom statues around.” Mingyu comments, looking at the reality surrounding them, wishing there are more mushrooms and flowers and perhaps even the Red Queen with them. “It’ll make this statue seem more real.”
“Like we’re in Wonderland ourselves?” Wonwoo asks with a smile.
Mingyu returns the same look. “Like we’re in Wonderland ourselves,” he confirms and Wonwoo smiles brighter, his pearl white teeth bright behind his rosy lips, and his sharp feline eyes turning into crescent moons. He looks special. “And then we can call it Won-woo-derland.”
Wonwoo rolls his eyes. “That was a horrible joke.”
“But you still laughed.”
“Someone had to.”
Their first date starts to end when the sun begins to set. They exit right where they began in the park and Mingyu wants to invite Wonwoo for dinner but maybe he could save that for another night.
“I’ll walk you home.” Mingyu says.
Wonwoo smiles, tilting his head slightly to the side as he flutters his eyes. “I live in Brooklyn. It’s pretty far from your place in downtown Manhattan.” His face is really pretty and Mingyu just wants to stare at him all day long.
“I’ll walk you home.” Mingyu repeats, more persistently this time and Wonwoo only smiles, letting the taller man follow him to the train station.
A $2.75 train fare cost nothing compared to hearing Wonwoo laugh at the dumb jokes Mingyu makes when they’re waiting for the train. It’s strange, no one really laughs at his jokes and Minghao always pokes fun that his jokes are super corny but here Wonwoo is, sitting next to him on the blue seats of the M train, laughing at anything Mingyu says out of his mouth.
It’s nighttime when they exit the station and a chill breeze of air hits Mingyu’s face as they reach the top of the stairs. Still giddy, Wonwoo listens to Mingyu talk about the most random things as they continue to walk.
Mingyu follows Wonwoo’s footsteps, slowing down when he feels he’s walking too fast ahead, and speeding up when Wonwoo checks to see if he’s still next to him. He wants to hold Wonwoo’s hand, wondering how soft they would be between his fingers.
His fingers, like everything else about Wonwoo, are pretty. They are long and thin and soft, like those commercial hands seen on billboards and bus stops. Mingyu wants to hold them. But they reached Wonwoo’s apartment already.
Wonwoo stares at him with smiling lips and eyes that sparkle a million universes. Mingyu gazes back at him with the same shy smile that blushes both of their cheeks because they both don’t know what to say at the moment.
“Thanks for today.” Wonwoo says and Mingyu nods. He already wants to see the older man again. There has been a good connection between the two of them all day, Mingyu can feel it. He needs to know if Wonwoo also feels it. “Today was really fun. We should do it again.” And there it was, the words Mingyu needed to hear.
“I had fun too. And I would love to take you out again. Preferably for dinner next time.” Mingyu suggests and the brightened smile on Wonwoo’s lips flutters his heart. He wants to kiss him. But no, it’s too soon.
“Text me when you get home.” Wonwoo whispers, giving Mingyu one last smile before heading inside his building and Mingyu watches from outside like a prince gazing upon a princess.
“Yeah, I’ll text you.” Mingyu says.
❦❦❦
Wonwoo really wanted to kiss him that night.He should have invited him over for some wine, damn he really should have kissed him. It’s been three days since their date and he’s still rolling in bed thinking he should have kissed Mingyu. His friends are calling him whipped and lovesick, and they are absolutely right.
He hadn’t expected what the boy would be like since the only major connection they had was through a class project, but after their first date, he finds that Mingyu is charming, oh so charming he feels like Cinderella.
They have another date scheduled today and it seems like Mingyu is taking him out for dinner from his text:
Be ready by 7pm. Dress nice. I’ll pick you up. [wink face]
Just the simple wink face makes Wonwoo feel giddy inside. He considers himself a dignified man, the kind whose walls usually had to be peeled in order to fully understand his emotions. But here he is, giggling over one single text from a man that easily broke down his barriers.
He wonders what Mingyu has prepared for tonight. Surely since he said to dress nice for seven PM, it is most likely a fancy dinner date. Wonwoo is thrilled at the thought of having a romantic dinner with Mingyu in perhaps a fancy restaurant with fancy food and fancy wine.
He ponders about his outfit. Does dressing nice mean a suit and tie? Or perhaps a tuxedo (or maybe he is getting way too ahead of himself)? He sends a text to Jihoon who says an outfit in between fancy and casual would be a nice button up (no tie) with a matching blazer and pants. Wonwoo takes his advice, knowing he has a nice, softly grey colored suit set tucked in his closet.
Mingyu picks him up at exactly seven PM sharp with the gentle ring of his doorbell. Wonwoo, with his heart beating against his chest, opens the door to reveal Mingyu in a dark, navy suit that contrasts yet completes with Wonwoo’s white button up and grey blazer.
Mingyu flashes him a smile. “Good evening.” He greets with the show of his sharp canines. Wonwoo smiles in return.
“Good evening.” Wonwoo replies.
Mingyu rented a car and he is keeping their date tonight a secret, much to Wonwoo’s excitement even when he is trying to pry any sort of hint out of the other man. Mingyu smiles at Wonwoo's endearing guesses, not even bothering to hide his smile as he drives. “Tell you what, keep guessing and I’ll say if you’re getting colder or hotter.”
Wonwoo ponders. “East River date.” He says.
“Hotter.”
“Dinner date?”
“Colder.”
“East River dinner date!”
Mingyu laughs, making a quick turn onto Broadway. He keeps one on the wheel with the other tapping against the gearshift and it’s the most attractive sight Wonwoo has ever laid his eyes on as he can’t help but to eye him from the corner of his eye from time to time.
As they drove, Wonwoo continued to make guesses about their date as small talk until Mingyu parks in front of one of New York City’s most famous buildings, Broadway Theatre. Wonwoo gasps at the sight in front of him as he steps out of the car. “Are we watching a show?” He questions.
Mingyu smirks, parking the car with a detailed beep before dropping the keys into his pocket. “Yep. My friend is in a musical so I asked him for some tickets.” He smiles, directing his elbow to Wonwoo. “Shall we go in?” He says with a handsome wave of his eyebrow and Wonwoo smiles back, accepting Mingyu’s arms as they make their way inside.
Mingyu’s friend plays King Arthur in the musical Xcalibur. It was the first time Wonwoo has ever watched a musical much less one than in the famous Broadway Theatre. Until just five hours ago, he couldn’t even imagine what it would be like sitting here in the middle row of these velvet red seats, watching one of the biggest musicals active right now; and it was all thanks to Mingyu.
He takes his eyes off King Arthur for one moment to look at Mingyu who is very much attentive to the play. He has his hand over half his face as if to hold back tears whether from the story or seeing his closest friend finally achieve his Broadway dreams.
And when the play ends, Mingyu claps the loudest amongst the rest of the audience. He then brings Wonwoo backstage to where the actors are and introduces him to Seokmin, King Arthur. Offstage, Seokmin reminds Wonwoo of sunshine. He has a charming smile even under his stage makeup and Wonwoo couldn’t help but be drawn to his energy.
“Mingyu talks so much about you!” Seokmin says as he shakes Wonwoo’s hands nonstop. “So, so much about you! So much about you that Minghao and I are literally reaching our limits!” He’s smiling as he speaks, ignoring Mingyu’s hints of coughs and groans. “Now I can see why he likes you. You’re really pretty and you have nice hands!”
Wonwoo cannot help but smile genuinely at Seokmin’s personality. He looks at Mingyu who is hiding away his blush in the palm of his hand and Wonwoo finds that so adorable.
They leave for dinner (Mingyu pulls him away before Seokmin could spill any more of his embarrassment) and Wonwoo hears Seokmin say to him right before they leave, “Take care of Mingyu.” Seokmin’s smile is nothing but a promise and Wonwoo feels warm from hearing his blessing.
The dinner venue is just as beautiful as the inside of Broadway Theatre. They sit at an outside table basked in the night breeze and under the streetlights. “I hope you like Italian food.” Mingyu says shyly as he opens the menu.
Wonwoo smiles. He loves any kind of food. “I’ve never been here before. Could you order for me? Anything is fine as long as it's not seafood.” His heart flutters when Mingyu smiles with a gentle nod. He calls the server and orders their dishes with his perfect English that Wonwoo can’t help but grin.
The bottle of Pinot Noir arrives first and Mingyu pours the wine for the both of them. He hands Wonwoo his glass and they cheer with a gentle clink before taking a sip.
“So, did you like the musical?” Mingyu asks, placing his wine glass down on the coaster.
Wonwoo folds his hands and rests his chin on top of them. He stares into Mingyu’s eyes. “It was beautiful,” He answers. “I’ve never seen a Broadway musical before, so this was an amazing experience.”
Mingyu gives a small smile, dropping his face slightly to avoid eye contact for a brief moment. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I was totally nervous planning out tonight’s date.” He rubs the back of his neck and Wonwoo finds the shy Mingyu so endearing and attractive.
The older man chuckles lightly. “What were you so nervous about?” He asks, hoping to lighten the tension on Mingyu’s shoulders.
“I don’t know. I just wanted to make a good night for you.”
And there is another flutter inside Wonwoo’s chest.
Wonwoo smiles, leaning in just a bit. “And why’s that?” He wants to hear the words from Mingyu, yet he doesn’t know what words he wants to hear from him.
There is a moment of silence and for a second Wonwoo wonders if this silence is going to continue by the time the food arrives but luckily Mingyu finally says, “Because I kinda like you a lot and I can see myself being serious with you.”
Wonwoo takes in every bit of his words from the way Mingyu shyly confesses and the way he repeats it in his head over and over. The food finally arrives and Wonwoo backs up for the server to place down their plates. He knows his silence is slightly scaring Mingyu because the boy looks like he took his silence as a sign of rejection but the truth is Wonwoo is trying to wrap the right words to say, “I’d like to be serious with you too.”
Mingyu is like a new book to read, a new book to explore and Wonwoo wants to know more about the man in front of him. He wants to know how Mingyu looks in the morning waking up, and what kind of movies he likes to watch, what kind of outfits he would wear on different days, and he wants to know how comfortable he can be around him.
Mingyu stops midway into his pasta, his sad expression now turned into a blush that mirrors the same one on Wonwoo’s cheeks. “I really like you too.” Wonwoo confesses, “From the first day we paired for that project, I liked you.”
❦❦❦
Wonwoo’s hands are cold when Mingyu manages to entwine them. Like a pair of highschool sweethearts, they share shy smiles only capable of staring into each other eyes for a brief five seconds before turning away with blushes on their cheeks.
The sound of the East River waves fills their night walk and Mingyu wonders what luck he had achieved in his past life to be in this moment right now, walking hand in hand with Wonwoo, smiling into his eyes, and realizing that both of them truly want to be with each other.
Wonwoo playfully bumps his shoulder against Mingyu’s bicep as he smiles at the cobblestone pavement. He feels giddy inside, like he finally received something he didn’t even know he was looking for. But there he is with Mingyu and nothing can take the smile off his face right now.
“Are you cold?” Mingyu asks, blinking at the older man.
“I’m alright. Why? Are you going to give me your coat?” Wonwoo teases.
Mingyu smirks. “Well, that’s usually what boyfriends do in movies.” He pauses, mouth falling open as he slowly turns to look at Wonwoo who stares at him with widened eyes. “Uh, I mean, well–”
“Alright sure, you can give me your coat, boyfriend .” Wonwoo responds with a gentle laugh.
When Mingyu walks Wonwoo home, it is safe to say neither of them wanted to part just yet. They face each other still holding hands, and Wonwoo closes their distance until he presses his front against Mingyu’s build to stare up into the taller man’s eyes. He gives a signal that Mingyu connects and in a slow second, Mingyu leans in to join their lips together for the first time.
Wonwoo closes his eyes and smiles, feeling Mingyu’s warm lips against his own. He chases after them when they part and opens his mouth slightly, letting Mingyu slip in his tongue with his own. It felt electrifying, fireworks going off in their heads like they finally found each other after so many years searching.
And when Wonwoo returns home with empty hands, he wonders if he should have invited Mingyu over for the night as he already cannot stand being apart from him. This feeling is so new and so addictive to him that for a moment he felt scared if things are happening too fast but when Mingyu sends him a text “Are you free tomorrow?” Wonwoo knows he has all the time with Mingyu.
And Mingyu stands outside, still smiling from the lingering flavor on his lips. Wonwoo’s lips tasted like cherry and his touch felt like clouds parting in the sky. He hangs on to the feeling, already missing Wonwoo’s presence when he wants to see him again, and again, but he knows that this is just the beginning of something special.
“Yes, I’m free tomorrow.”