Drawn to You

Gin tonics at Ichi-Hachi

The bar, Ichi-Hachi, was on the second floor of a very residential-looking building near Sendagi Station (not far from Xie Lian's place), and inside it felt almost like someone's house. It was a cozy counter-only bar, and again Hua Cheng wondered why Xie Lian asked him to meet there.

He must want to get this over and done with, then quickly go home for an early night, he thought.

At around five, he went home, ate something, had a long shower and made sure he was looking cool with a plain black tee, a red-and-black bomber jacket, and black jeans. He styled his hair, and put some perfume on, not too much, just a hint of a warm wooden scent.

He sat at the counter, realising it was the first time ever he wanted to look good for someone else, and shot himself a glance in the mirror behind the rows of bottles. Yeah, he looked hot.

"Gin tonic please", he asked the barman, thinking he'd better have something classier than a beer, then put his jacket on a seat by his side, saving it for Xie Lian. The bar was getting fuller and fuller by the second, and Hua Cheng kept looking through the mirror at the door again and again, but it was never Xie Lian. Well he was early anyway.

For some reason he felt anxious, as if he was waiting for someone else: a stranger, from a platform. Not that Hua Cheng was into it: he preferred seeing people in the flesh, and then... I'm so shallow, he thought darkly, how can I even write love stories?

The door opened, and he saw Xie Lian, finally: beautiful as ever, wearing white summery clothes, looking fresh out of the shower. He saw Hua Cheng and gave him that smile.

Getting up in a daze, he felt his face (no, his whole body) heating up, and exclaimed, "Gege!"

Xie Lian walked over, and Hua Cheng put a hand on his waist, asking, "What would you like to drink?"

He smilingly gave Hua Cheng a once-over, and, touching his arm, said, "Gin tonic too, please". That touch felt hot: it wasn't a friendly touch, no, Hua Cheng couldn't help but think, more than friendly. Flirty, sexy even.

He ordered the drink and kept stealing glances at Xie Lian, sitting by his side: he looked different, almost like another person. He wore a flimsy white shirt and light blue jeans (kind of tight, but Hua Cheng wasn't complaining) and trainers, and his hair was moist, combed up messily. A bed hair, Hua Cheng thought, sipping on his drink nervously.

"Cheers", Xie Lian said, clinking glasses with him, his attitude confident and care-free, openly checking him out. Hua Cheng knew the look: he's seen it too many times, only Xie Lian looking at him like that was kind of, huh, shocking.

He gave his drink another long sip, thinking, well, what's to be shocked about? Xie Lian had been very clear on what he wanted: he was fucking sexy, and tonight... even more so.

"So. San Lang, you're the expert here", he said with a naughty smile, "Do we do some small-talk? Tell about each other? Do we even give our real names?"

Hua Cheng then realised he hasn't said anything since Xie Lian arrived, just kept dazedly looking at him instead. he didn't know what to say, and, huh, why was Xie Lian asking that? As if he wasn't being himself, and just playing a role.

He kept looking on: Xie Lian's long lashes making tiny shadows on his face, his cheeks slightly flushed, and his moist lips around the straw... Hua Cheng couldn't take his eyes off them. He was consciously and of sound mind looking at Xie Lian's lips, thinking of kissing him, badly.

He probably blushed madly at these thoughts, and Xie Lian, seeing him lost for words, smiled and came closer, saying by his ear, "Now, we don't need to bother with that do we?"