On Track | MINSUNG

4

Jisung's text had made Minho positively beam. And now, he was sat in study, alternating between sneaking glances at Jisung and watching the clock. Time was dragging; it felt like he'd been here for hours, but it hadn't even been forty-five minutes yet.

'Pay attention,' Jisung whispered beside him. 'We can go soon anyway.'

Minho looked at him. Was Jisung as excited as he was? He heart pounded at the thought. Soon, Teacher Oh dismissed them and Minho and Jisung left as quickly as they could, trying to avoid Jennifer.

'Jisungie!'

Minho and Jisung both groaned. 'Quick,' Minho whispered, grabbing Jisung's arm. 'Run.'

'What?'

'Run!' Minho darted around the people coming and going, dragging Jisung with him. They didn't stop running until they were a good distance from the school and halfway to the bus stop.

'I didn't think I'd be running from clingy girls this morning,' Jisung panted, out of breath.

'Me neither,' Minho agreed. 'Come on, we wanna get there before they stop serving food.'

'Is it the café you like? The one you go to every week?'

'Yeah. I think you'll like it.'

They sat closer together than they usually did on the bus, and Minho briefly wondered if Jisung thought this was a date. But why would he? Minho hadn't said it was a date. And because it wasn't a date, Minho resisted the urge to take Jisung's hand.

They got off the bus a few streets from the café. 'I started coming here in First Grade,' Minho said as they walked. It was starting to get dark, and Jisung clung to his side. 'It's nice to come somewhere only I do after a long day, do my own thing, you know?

'I know,' Jisung said, nodding. 'But don't your parents want you home?'

'I can go where I want as long as I text my mum's girlfriend to tell her where I'm going. I didn't even have to do that before she came, when it was just me and Mum.'

'Does she live with you? Your mum's girlfriend, I mean.'

'Yeah, she moved in about...seven months ago, now.'

They approached the little café, and Minho held the door open for Jisung. A little bell chimed as he did, and an old, withered face looked up. Jisung quickly looked back for Minho, who was right behind him, pressing his hand into the small of his back to urge him forward.

'Ah, Minho! How are you, my boy?'

'I'm okay, thank you, sir. How's business been?' Minho pushed Jisung towards the glass counter, where deserts of all different types were neatly displayed.

'Not as busy as the summer, but I won't go out of business with you around. Did you bring your boyfriend to meet me?'

Jisung flushed, turning away slightly to analyse the deserts. It reminded Minho of a kid at an aquarium, marvelling at all the fish. He chewed the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. Why did Jisung have to be so Goddamn cute?

'No, sir,' Minho corrected. 'This is Han Jisung, my friend from school, sir.'

'It's a pleasure to meet you, sir,' Jisung squeaked.

'The pleasure's mine,' the man said. 'Would you like the menu?'

'Oh no, thank you, we're not here for dinner,' Minho told him. 'Just a drink and snack, sir, before we head home.'

'Ah, well, there's plenty to choose from.'

'What do you want, Jisung?' Minho asked.

Jisung looked up from the glass. 'The cheesecake, please. And a latte.'