THE OFFER (HE CAN'T REFUSE) ☆ KIMCHAY AU

Chapter Two ⁜ Fascination

It's okay. He'll just put on his smile and be his usual nice self. The man that has his eyes on him doesn't look that bad. Actually, he looks too good to be true. Chay's curiosity is spiking up. He has never seen this man around here before, and this is his usual busking spot. Maybe the man is just a tourist...

The man stops right in front of him.

"For children, huh?" the man smirks, and Chay feels something in the air shifting as if the man's presence took over every particle in the space around Chay. Suddenly, it is a little harder to breathe for Chay as if he has to hear what the man wants before he can breathe properly again.

He holds onto his guitar a little tighter than before to ground himself and smiles at the man, "yes... sir."

"How much do you want?" Chay is startled by this question for a bit. Well, how much doesn't he want? The more, the better, but obviously, that would be rude to say.

So instead, he shakes his head and says, "it's up to you. Any amount is fine."

The man suddenly steps closer. It surprises Chay enough so that he hitches his breath, his senses on high alert, waiting for the man's next move. When he takes the next breath, the man is already so close that Chay can smell his scent. It's a rich mix of cigarettes and a cologne; something spicy, Chay notes for himself. The next words that leave the man's lips land on Chay's skin in the form of gentle breath, but their meaning hits him like a hurricane, nocking his mind of its imaginary feet.

"How about a million for a dinner with me?"

Chay has to take a step back. He is watching the man's face. Waiting for the man to start laughing. Tell him that it's just a joke and drop some money into the box and leave. Or just leave even without it. But none of it is happening. The man is looking at him with his piercing dark eyes as if trying to hypnotize Chay, and who knows, maybe it's working because Chay can't seem to look away, and his mind is blank. What is he even supposed to say? It's not the type of offer people are getting every day. It honestly doesn't even seem like a serious offer to begin with. Chay's heart starts racing. There seem to be only a few options as to what is happening right now.

1. the man is joking. In which case Chay will curse the man in his head, but laugh it off and watch the man turn around and leave

2. the man thinks that Chay is some kind of male companion and wants definitely more than just dinner. In which case Chay will politely try to explain to the man that the dinner he can do, but everything else is off the table!

or...

3. the man wants to kill him. In which case, Chay will just politely reject the man's offer and will be extra careful going home afterwards.

The problem is that Chay has no idea which one is the right option. And he doesn't feel particularly confident about asking the man if he wants to kill him. So Chay ends up doing what's the most natural to him. He shakes his head, and with an overly polite voice, he says, "it's okay, sir. If you don't want to donate anything, I'm sorry for bothering you."

The man frowns and takes one step back from Chay as well, but he doesn't seem to be leaving. It's more like he did it to make Chay feel more comfortable. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't I the one who came after you, sweetheart?"

"You were. That's true," Chay bites his bottom lip. "But... I think that if you just want to mess with me, then you should leave."

"Mess with you?" the man asks, surprised. "Why would I want to mess with someone who is trying to raise money for children? That's even below my level."

Chay looks around. Most of the people are just casually walking around, not really paying them any attention, but there are a few who are patiently waiting for him to sing another song. A little further away, he can see a grandmother with her grandson. Whenever Chay has his busking session and they happen to be around, they always stay until he is done. He wants to sing at least a couple of more songs for them if not for anyone else. He really doesn't have much time to be having some ridiculous conversation with this stupidly attractive man.