FIRST | JOHNTEN

FOUR | EATING OUT

it's nice out. the sun's shining, the sky's clear, the air's warmth is just right. it really is the perfect day.

but, yet again, ten was trying his darnest to avoid glancing at johnny unless he absolutely needs to. he didn't want that weird feeling in his heart return. he still hasn't figured out why it happens at all. maybe johnny's some kind of wizard that can cast spells on him with his eyes.

and ten needs to get his head out of fantasy books.

"which place are we going to?" johnny questions and ten forces his eyes to look forward.

"er — " a lightbulb goes off in ten's head. "a place i always go to! you'll like it, trust me."

now he felt eager to show johnny exactly what he meant. it wasn't too much of a longer walk down, ten eventually stepping into a small restaurant at the end of the block, his taller roommate following right behind him curiously. it was a place that also felt like home to ten, since he's been here so many times and grew rather close with the owner he considered his aunt. she wasn't blood-related at all, but she still felt like family.

the restaurant was empty but for a motherly-looking woman with a round, red-cheeked face and dark hair pulled tightly into a bun. spotting the two young men, she beamed. "ten!"

"aunt hong!" ten retorts cheerfully. the older woman pulls the younger into a tight hug, basically squeezing ten. ten just smiles even brighter.

"it's been so long!" hong says as he pulls away, pretending to wipe a tear from her eye. "you're in university, right? you mentioned you got accepted into one the last time we talked — "

"yeah, i did, the one not too far from here," ten tells her eagerly. "i'll make sure to definitely visit more often. i have no excuse."

"you better," she says with fake sternness and both of them laugh. then, she notices the man behind ten, who looked rather awkward. "who's this, ten? a new friend?"

ten finally meets johnny's eyes again. "this is my roommate — "

or friend, ten guesses. he doesn't exactly consider him a friend-friend. but art and maew are basically his new friends at this point. why isn't johnny?

" — and friend," ten finishes and johnny seems to grow happier. seeing that same smile, that fuzzy feeling snuck back and his face went warmer than before.

"oh, nice to meet you — ?" aunt hong says sweetly.

" — johnny. my name's johnny," ten's roommate replies, making sure to respectfully greet her. "it's nice to meet you, too."

aunt hong coos. "aw, ten, your friend is nice! anyways, i bet you two are hungry! it's on the house!"

"no, auntie, i'll pay," ten starts to say quickly. aunt hong shakes her head as she waves a hand.

"you're family, ten, and johnny's your friend," she says with the same cheerful voice. "let me treat my first costumers of the day! what would you like?"

"my usual," ten smiles.

"and you, ten's friend?" aunt hong questions johnny. is she ever gonna call him by his actual name?

"same as ten," johnny answers and she nods before disappearing into the kitchen. then, he smiles at his roommate again, his eyes shining. "your aunt's nice."

"well, she's not actually my aunt," ten explains, walking off to sit at a table, johnny following after him. when they sit down, they place their bags aside. "i just call her that. her and my dad are really close too, so she feels like family to me."