Strangers

Five

The night cold held the miniature body of Lee Taeyong and he walked down the street with the man that introduced himself as Johnny. Even though it was dark and late, the two young men still made their way to that one place with nice cheesecakes that Johnny knew, and for a moment Taeyong was excited about the idea, even if the man next to him was basically a stranger. As soon as they arrived, their table was right next to the wall, on which were hanging sea landscapes, so real that you could feel the chilly breeze even though the large picture. Taeyong's gaze voyaged all around the cafe, noticing that there were barely people around, only a few couples, probably on a date after a long day.

Approaching their table, the waiter took their order which was an Americano for Johnny, and lemon cheesecake for Taeyong, he insisted that won't be able to sleep if he drinks coffee right now, but a piece of sweet cake would be just right. The pads of his fingertips tapped the wooden table as the silence took over the two of them as soon as the waiter left them alone again. It was awkward for Taeyong, they didn't know each other well enough and what should they talk about in the first place, his teeth sank into his lower lip nervously, reviewing the topics he should start in his head, but Seo was faster and braver.

"So", Johnny interrupted Lee's though and cut the sound of tranquility. "since we're here, tell me something about you that nobody knows", his voice was so deep, making Taeyong distance himself and looking at the hands he kept on his lap.

"There's nothing much to tell about me, i'm your ordinary wallflower that feels nice in his comfort zone. I'm probably the most boring person on earth you would ever meet so i don't even know why would you want to waste your time on me. There's nothing new to discover, i'm obvious and as plain as i look", the younger man replied without his tone to change, it was calm as usual, seemed like he just exposed himself, but then again, there was nothing to expose, more likely it sounded like a warning for the other man to stop giving himself false hope.

"I wouldn't be here if you would seem boring you know, took me two second to look into your eyes, and i already saw so much pain and secrets hidden there", leaning closer to the other male over the table, the taller allowed himself to stare deep into the huge orbs again, the shadow of the long lashes falling onto the roseate cheek apples of Lee, and he couldn't resist but add: "Your facial beauty is such a lie, Taeyong, because the real beauty is there, behind these glass eyes".

Taeyong wanted to thank Johnny for the kind words, but something stopped him because it wasn't the truth, he was categorized as a basic boy with no interests, hobbies, stable job or dreams, there was nothing special about him, that's why the whole life he lived in the shadow of his classmates and friends, never catches anyone's attention and never spoke out his opinion, he was just -- himself, the smell of peace after a storm.

"I wanna ask you something, but feel free to not answer if it makes you uncomfortable", Johnny began to speak, "What are you and Jaehyun for each other?"

"Why are you asking?"

"I saw you walking out of his office and i kind of heard your conversation, i didn't mean to eavesdrop or something, i was about to enter and it was an accident".

"Oh", the smaller escaped, "Well, we mean nothing to each other", a bitter smile grew on Taeyong's face as all the cheerless memories started rolling again and again in his mind, as if it was a movie, the perfect scenes were just too ephemeral, it ended before everything even started. Taeyong didn't want to tell Johnny about the relationship with Jaehyun, there was nothing to be told, literally, nothing. His love was a wasted, sincere feelings lost in the wave of stupid and afflictive hope that we had for years now.

"Then, does that mean you are a free bird?"

For a few moments Taeyong hesitated to reply, his tongue wouldn't turn to say at least one single word because everything was complicated. He was single, but on the other hand, so madly in love with one single person, that being with somebody else and thinking about Jaehyun would make him feel like a hypocrite. Nobody deserves to be deceived this way, he got hurt enough himself. How would the other feel if he found out that Taeyong imagined another person when they made love?

"Pretty much, but along with this im convicted of being stuck in my single life, i'm not complaining, even if sometimes i really want some tender affection", playing with his fingers under the table, Taeyong didn't lift his eyes to meet the other's reaction, but he could feel the heavy stare on his features. Johnny's been devouring his countenance only with a simple gaze, the taller man was bewitched by the cherubic beauty. "But love disappointed me in so many ways", he continued the statement, now meeting the piercing eyes, the flow of emotions monopolizing as he was such a sentimental creature and it was one of the most painful subjects for him. "I'm not sure i can trust it ever again".

"Taeyong...", you could feel the tone of Youngho's voice softening as the other's words hit him directly in the face. "Who ever dared to hurt you?", sounding more rhetorically, he wasn't waiting for an answer at all, "Who were you before love stopped to be love for you?".

"I used to be homeless, meaningless, but fearless and in love only with life".

The time passed fast for them, getting to know each other and Taeyong almost started to open up, telling Johnny about his old pet and about the books he liked to read in the library, also that literature was his favorite class in high school. All the time Youngho wouldn't stop smiling and looking at the younger, seemed like he couldn't get enough of that seraphic allure that Lee possessed. It was almost 2AM when they decided to go home and of course, as a gentleman, Johnny insisted to drive him home, even if Lee was totally against it.

The huge jacket wrapped around Lee's minuscule shoulder, Youngho making sure it hugged the smaller's body and protected him from the cold, an action that made Taeyong's cheeks burn with a million shades of chthonian flames, his orbs permanently focused on the shoes, no attempt to look at the taller young man as they were walking in the direction of his house. Their journey was silent, awkwardness taking place in the entourage once more, but none of them accelerated the speed of their steps. The weather was pleasing, but the wind impaled Taeyong up to the bone marrow.

Arriving in front of a building with approximative five floors, Taeyong spun on his feels to face Johnny, taking off the jacket and extending it to the broad human being, but he got stopped. The huge hand rested on top of Lee's and forced him to let the clothing remain around his frame.