Drawn to You

9. Too much to drink and...

Hua Cheng had a special place, a restaurant, where he never took anyone to.

He didn't do dates, not even the ones you don't call dates (like just meeting someone): he'd pay someone a drink in a bar, or would eventually go somewhere after party, a one-counter soba place open till late or something, usually with Bai Wuxian, Qi Rong or the other guys he went drinking with (not the best of companies).

Hua Cheng realised, horrified, that the only person he made plans to meet and eat together was He Xuan, but that didn't count, it was business. It's not that Hua Cheng was antisocial: he was super popular wherever he went, thanks to his good looks and witty personality, only, he never felt like getting close to, wanting to know someone better.

With the exception of Xie Lian: Xie Lian was different.

"It's small and doesn't look much, but Gege will see, the food is amazing", Hua Cheng was saying excitedly, "And they have craft sake. It's my favourite restaurant, I found it by chance, on a bad day – "

"Oh? What happened?", Xie Lian asked, putting an effort to listen properly in that noisy traffic.

"I was stuck with a storyline, that was Don't Let Go, my second book. Very angsty, but people like this kind of thing", he flashed a smile and went on, "So I went out for a walk, it was kind of early for dinner but I saw this spot and went in. Cosy place, great food, it was just, er, just what I needed".

"And after you left you had the insights to what you were stuck with", Xie Lian concluded.

"That's right", Hua Cheng replied with a smile, "Since then I go there sometimes, not only when I'm stuck, but when I'm feeling good and want to treat myself".

"Perfect for tonight then", Xie Lian said, smiling brightly again.

Hua Cheng couldn't help being caught off-guard by this smile: he kind of got used to it when he saw Xie Lian every day, but after all this time without meeting him... He kept stealing glances at Xie Lian, thinking, it really feels so good going out together for a meal, it does look like a date.

They arrived at Hobo Ueno, a tiny restaurant painted blue, with big wooden framed windows and a cute neon sign. Hua Cheng was greeted by everyone as an old friend (even if he wasn't exactly a regular, he was someone hard to forget), and they were taken to a table by the window.

"Gege, I'll be as bold as to order the set menu: I'm confident you're going to love everything", he said.

Xie Lian pursed his lips playfully, "This set menu covers drinks too, right? San Lang, I can't – "

"Don't worry, I won't get you drunk to take advantage of you", he said, pffting a laugh. It was a joke, he of course would never do that to Xie Lian, but still, thoughts of how cute Xie Lian must be when drunk flashed in his mind, and –

Huh, stop stop stop, don't you even go there.

They started digging in the restaurant's most popular dishes brought to them, downing some of the craft sake Hua Cheng had mentioned earlier, while having a proper catch up from the last three or four weeks. Hua Cheng felt he didn't have much to share: he's been working in his studio, that's all.

"I can't give you spoilers from the next book, Gege", he said, "When it's ready, you'll be the first person to get one. Signed, if you want", he concluded with a wink and a smug smile.

Xie Lian smiled back, "I also wanted you to be the first to read The Development of Modern Art Theory in Japan: Aesthetics and Cultural Heritage once it's published, but", he pffted a laugh, "That's so boring, how can we compare with this BL manga book you're doing – "