The Special One : TaeTen

Chapter 5

Hello, my dears!

I know I haven't updated in what feels like centuries, but please enjoy!

This is also the last chapter!

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~ring ring~

C'mon, the restaurant should be closed now, so pick-

~click~ "Hello?"

Ten felt his mood - which had already been better - lift just from the sound of Taeyong's voice, and he filed that revelation away to examine later; on the phone wasn't the time for emotional soul-searching. Instead, he just smiled.

"Hey there. I just wanted to thank you for dinner. It was - as always - absolutely amazing. My client loved it, too."

There was the softest hint of a chuckle on the other end of the line - Ten could see the expression he knew the chef was making at that moment, and it was wonderful - and Taeyong's voice came back over the line.

"Well, I'm glad. You're not going to end up starving yourself again if I have anything to say about it." There was a pause. "Did it go okay?"

"Yeah! It was all a case of overbearing manager; we managed to shake the stifling mama hen off for a couple of hours and get some good recording in, and given the results she couldn't very well say it wasn't working. I called the label execs and they're going to make sure she stays out of the studio for the rest of the sessions - which, thanks to you, should be a lot smoother and go a lot more quickly. I might even be able to make it in tomorrow or the next day for dinner!"

"I didn't do anything, really." Taeyong's laugh was soft, and Ten really wished he was there in person to see it. "But if it means you'll be coming in sooner, I'm glad. It was a slow night."

"You did do something, but I'm not going to argue with you." The silver-haired laughed. "And I'm sorry I wasn't there to liven up the evening. I'll text you the next time I think I'll be able to come in. Deal?"

"Deal. And, uh... well, you don't have to wait until then to text, you know, if you don't want to..."

Taeyong sounded a bit nervous, and Ten couldn't stop grinning.

"Don't worry, I won't. And, well... I have a little confession to make."

"...oh?" The voice on the other end of the line sounded hesitant, and Ten took a deep breath.

"I called you my boyfriend earlier when she asked who made the food. I hope that's okay. I really don't want it to be a lie."

He waited, as there was a moment of dead silence from Taeyong; suddenly, the redhead man was stuttering, and Ten couldn't stop grinning.

"I, uh, well, uuh n-n-no, of course that's- that's fine, if that's... yeah. If you're okay with that, I mean, yeah. Uh. I really-" There was a faint beeping in the background, and Taeyong sounded relieved. "I really have to go, but I hope- I hope you can come by soon."

The silver-haired, whose smile was so big he was surprised he could actually speak, laughed. "All right. Good night, Taeyong. I look forward to seeing you soon."

When the call was over, he stared at his phone for several minutes.

I'm so head-over-heels for this dork. It's nice to know he feels the same way, at least a little bit.

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A couple of weeks later, Ten stopped by the restaurant late one evening only to find that there was already a closed sign on the door; frowning, he was about to turn away when he saw, in the dimly-lit interior, Taeyong sitting at the bar, looking depressed. Putting his hand on the door, he shook it gently, trying to get his boyfriend's attention.