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The blonde haired man walked out of the building after another tiring modeling shift, slouching slightly while carrying the black case on his back.
Xia fei checked his phone to look at the packed schedule on his calendar, and sighed a breath of relief seeing that he has an hour to rest before the next thing he has listed. He could take a brief break. Maybe he should take this time for lunch? It is 1:30 after all, and he forgot to have breakfast this morning. Standing outside in the scorching sun, his stomach growled.
Well, there’s his answer.
The nearest restaurant would take too long to get to, and he doesn’t really have the time to walk that far. So he decided to walk to a nearby cafe instead.
Xia fei doesn’t mind the sunlight. But when it’s basically stabbing every part his skin in scorching heat in the middle of the day, Xia fei just wished he can find somewhere to get away from it. Walking in a busy street really is annoying, he keeps getting shoved around by people like he isn’t even there.
Arriving at the cafe, Xia fei brought a simple sandwich for lunch. The cafe wasn’t that packed, so luckily he found a seat by the window to rest for a bit. He looked out the window to just watch people walking and running through the streets outside, it’s a pleasant feeling. He feels like he could doze off for a bit. Although he might be late for the photoshoot if he does.
“Mind if I sit here?”
Xia fei recognized that voice, and whipped his head around to make sure his hearing wasn’t failing him. A familiar black coat came into Xia fei’s view, along with a familiar scent of lavender. He looked up to see an irritating smile plastered on the man’s face, and the stupid hat that just seemed to be glued on his head at all times. Does he ever take that thing off anyways? It’s like his hat always either shrinks or grows by three or four centimeters every time they meet.
“What the fuck are you doing her-“
“I’m taking that as a yes ^^”
Liu xiao sat down next to Xia fei on his right without actually caring to gain his permission. Xia fei didn’t mind anyways, it’s just that he genuinely didn’t expect to meet Liu xiao here.
“…”
“…”
“I can tell you’re overjoyed to see me.”
Xia fei leisurely scrolled on his phone, and pretended not to acknowledge the men sitting next to him. Cat videos on tiktok are way more pleasing to look at anyways.
“Do you like looking at cat videos instead of me? I’m hurt.”
Xia fei can genuinely feel a vein popping on his forehead.
Feeling accomplished of getting a reaction from Xia fei, Liu xiao propped his head on a hand, smiling softly while gazing at Xia fei. The extra sunlight reflected making his face look even more eye-catching than usual. It’s like he has a natural beauty filter on. If Xia fei were to turn his head around to look at Liu xiao dead in the eye right now, he might not be able to take his eyes off ever again. Maybe Liu xiao would do better in the model industry than him.
“Ooh. That one’s cute, I love black cats~”
Liu xiao leaned over without Xia fei noticing, making Xia fei jump in his seat. Liu xiao backed up and chuckled at his response. How irritating can someone genuinely get? Although he does look even prettier with a natural smile on his face.
Letting Liu xiao lean closer, he relaxed his shoulders and willingly moved his phone closer between the two of them. Liu xiao would occasionally make some comments on cats he found cute, and Xia fei would return with small talks. When a movie ad showed up, Liu xiao’s eyes widened just ever so slightly.
“Xia fei, wanna go see this movie someday? Just the two of us?” Liu xiao asked while still looking at the movie ad. It was a horror mystery movie, and Xia fei remember the last time he went to see a movie like this with Liu xiao. He basically had to shove popcorns in Liu xiao’s mouth to prevent him from making correct predictions every other minute.
“Sure, but you know I can’t handle horror movies..” He hesitantly replied. Xia fei really couldn’t handle horror movies, he remember being scared shitless the last time he watched it. That time was also with Liu xiao, but Liu xiao always just seemed unaffected by all the horror elements. When Xia fei basically jumped out of his seat once, he saw Liu xiao just observing the scene with focused eyes.
“This one doesn’t look that scary, you’ll be fine.” Liu xiao replied casually.
“But you always say that!” Xia fei saw Liu xiao chuckle a bit at that reply. Well, if he does get jumpscared while watching the movie, he can throw the popcorn in Liu xiao’s direction next time.
“I can handle the tickets, don’t worry about buying them.” Liu xiao offered. He can tell Xia fei worrying about his own budget and having to save up for movie tickets alongside with basic necessities. Liu xiao always reads him so perfectly, it scared Xia fei sometimes.
“Thanks, but I should pay you back right?” Even if Liu xiao’s buying both their movie tickets, Xia fei would feel bad if he just took Liu xiao’s money without paying him back.
“Hmm… How about paying me back with a kiss?” Liu xiao replied playfully.
Xia fei turned away with a disgusted face. “I’m joking, you don’t have to pay me back.” Liu xiao added on like he didn’t just casually ask for a kiss from Xia fei two seconds ago.
“Okay… Thanks.” Xia fei turned his head back to thank Liu xiao while smiling softly. He could tell Liu xiao’s expression faltered for just half a second, if you weren’t so close with him to know all of his little details, you wouldn’t even have noticed.
“If you wanted to, we can get Vein to join us.” Liu xiao said after a small pause.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind just us two.” They sat in comfortable silence for a little while after, cat videos playing on Xia fei’s phone and Liu xiao leaning slightly on Xia fei’s arm.
Xia fei basically flew up his seat when he saw the time, 10 minutes until his next photoshoot. He dashed out from the cafe, startling Liu xiao even a bit. There was no way that he’ll make it without a ride.
Hoping that Liu xiao was still there, he turned and went back into the cafe to ask Liu xiao to take him.
~~~~~~~
Xia fei checked his phone, 8:36 pm. His day was finally over. As he was walking to a convenience store to grab dinner, a notification popped up on the top of his screen.
Boss - Knock knock
What perfect timing. Xia fei guessed that Vein is about to ask him if he wants to have dinner together, it will be hotpot at the usual restaurant, and Vein wants him there in exactly 45 minutes.
Boss - Dinner? Usual restaurant 🤤 45 minutes
Boss - Hurry~ Hungry~
Xia fei turned around and headed to the usual hotpot place they always go to for dinner.
It’s like Vein somehow always knows Xia fei’s schedule for the day like the back of his hand, sometimes he would get a text from Vein for a meal together right after Xia fei gets something done. Last time he got a text the moment he took a step out of the lecture hall after a class.
Walking through bridon at this hour always gives Xia fei a melancholy feeling. It’s like he’s surrounded by everything and nothing at the same time.
And whenever he gets this feeling, he thinks of his first meeting with Vein.
Getting bullied in the modeling industry was hard enough, but almost going bankrupt as a student just adds on salt to the wound. He’s not a popular model, but he’s just known enough to be suffocated with too much offers and photoshoots almost every day. It puts him in an awkward position, where he’s seen but barely seen at the same time. He knew taking jobs like this would make him famous at the cost of him never being seen as a real person. Just someone with a pretty face and a pretty personality.
But Vein doesn’t treat him that way, he never treated him that way. And it made Xia fei feel human. It made Xia fei feel seen. From the day that Vein saved Xia fei from getting drowned in that pool, he admired Vein and got closer to him than he ever would’ve anticipated. He admired Vein’s wild personality, it almost made him jealous sometimes that he’ll never be as confident or outgoing as Vein. But going out to dinner with him like this, or even just hanging out alone sometimes, gave his life a warm ray of sunshine that he didn’t even know he desperately craved for.
~~~~~~~
“Felix! There you are. We’ve waited forever.” Vein waved to Xia fei from a nearby table.
…
We?
Xia fei didn’t even notice the black silhouette sitting across the table before Vein said “we”.
“Two times in the same day? It must be my luck day~ I didn’t expect to see you again either.”
“The more the merrier right? Let’s dig in, I’m starving.”
Well, Xia fei didn’t mind the extra company. They haven’t hung out like this in a while anyways, it’s a nice chance to catch up with each other.
Xia fei enjoyed downtimes like this, he doesn’t get them often these days. Watching Liu xiao picking out his cilantros with a slightly twisted face gave him a strange sense of comfort. Listening to Vein’s strange metaphors comparing the softness of a piece of meat to Xia fei’s skin gave his chest a warm, bubbly feeling.
“Hey, eat your cilantros, don’t be so picky.”
“I’m allergic to cilantros.”
Even if it’s already so late at night, it’s like a comforting ray of sunshine is shining down at them right now. If he could, Xia fei would freeze this moment in a photo and come back whenever he wanted.