𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 - 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐆

30 | Lunch Date

*Now playing - goodnight n go
by Ariana Grande*

I swallow harshly, looking up to the tall building and I would've turned around if he wasn't waiting for me.

I inhale deeply and walk inside, a lady sitting at the desk looks towards me "Minho?"

I nod slowly "Yes"

"Just go to the top floor, I'll tell him your on the way up"

"Thank you," I said, walking past the desk and to the elevators. I felt nervous for some reason, it could be because he always came to my workplace or to the places I was comfortable in. It was the other way around now.

The elevator doors open and he looks up with a large smile. His black hair was styled perfectly "I was starting to think you wouldn't show"

My eyes widen "Am I late?" I walk out of the elevator.

His chuckle was deep as he shook his head "No, I still have thirty minutes"

I let out a small sigh of relief, my eyes now being able to look around. It was an open workspace
filled with cubicles for others to work, some people doing just that—sparing us a few glances.

"My office is this way" Luca motions and I follow him. I couldn't help but notice how wealthy everyone looked. They dressed with class and no doubt they were paid lots of money.

We walked into his office and I was thankful it was away from other's gaze, "A couch?" I start a conversation as we both sit down and I start pulling out the food I bought.

He nods and lets out a small laugh, scratching his neck nervously "Yeah, I don't have time to go back to my place some nights, it just feels useless to go there—sleep and come back to the office"

"So you sleep here?"

Luca nods "Yeah" He laughs "Not ideal but I get a lot more done"

I nod and I now look over his body, a white button-up that fits over his built body perfectly, paired with black slacks.

I clear my throat "I hope this is good enough" I motion to the food and he looks over it.

"Yes, more than good" He looks at me, "Perfect actually, I'm starving"

we spent the time chatting about lots of topics and I even found myself laughing at a lot of his random jokes. It all just felt carefree.

"I went to see my parents," I told him as we finished our food.

Luca looks over to me and sits back "How was it?"

"Good?" I said with uncertainty and he chuckled, making me smile "It was good, I enjoyed spending time with them but I won't lie and say being back there wasn't overwhelming"

Luca turns to me "A lot of people run from their pasts because they don't want to revisit those feelings—and though you tried that, I think you going back there was a big move and you should be proud of yourself"

I swallow harshly "Are you proud of me?" I ask randomly, regretting it as Luca stares at me.

A small smirk finds his face "Of course" He says softly, "I'm also someone who ran from a certain time in my life, I don't think I'm nearly strong enough" He chuckles and it is like the space around us completely changed.

"What are you running from?" It was the first time I had seen him hesitate with his words. "You don't have to tell me, I don't mean to pry"

He gives me a small smile "My birth mom" He says and I frown, "I had a chance to meet her when I was a teen and I remember being excited about it when I heard but then I started asking myself 'why?'" He opened up, "Why did she give me up and question if something was wrong with me" He spoke softly and I found myself leaning over and grabbing his hand.

"Nothing is wrong with you," I said and he looked at our hands, slowly turning his to lace with him. A soft frown on his face.

"I never met up with her because I was afraid of the answer," He said lowly, looking up at me "And, I moved on"

"But you still think about it?"

Luca licks his lips and nods slowly "Always"

We didn't break eye contact as I felt him fiddle with my small hand in his, something pulled me to him and I didn't have time to question it. It just happened.

My lips were on his. His lips were on him. It was so much different from the last time we had kissed, I was a crying mess but now I felt fine. My mind was clear and I realized how much he had helped me with that.

I never had someone who I could be completely open with in this way. Where I didn't feel like I would say the wrong thing and be scared of the consequences of my words. I didn't a past with Luca, this was all completely new.

Even through all of that, I still pulled away after a few minutes of that freeing feeling. Once I did, reality hit me like a truck and I mentally freaked.

"Oh my god" I mumble and Luca looks at me surprised, "I-I forgot I had this thing" I lied.

"A thing?"

I nod, standing up and he does the same, "Yes, with Felix... just—um, for work"

He nods slowly "Right"

I force a smile "I'll see you later—I mean, not later but soon" I ramble and hurried to the door.

I heard Luca's low chuckle "Bye, Minho"

I felt my face flush a deep red "Bye" I walked out of the office and hurried to the elevator. Once the doors closed, I finally felt like I could breathe.

It didn't take me long to exit the building and immediately call Felix. I needed his words at this very moment.

"Hello, did the lunch date go well?"

"It wasn't a date" I argue.

"Visiting him on his lunch break, at his work—plus taking him lunch is peak beginner relationship vibes"

I stop walking "Is it?"

"There was a weird tone in those words Minho" My face heats up again as I continue walking "Spill, I'm all ears"

I sigh "We kissed"

"Okay," He says "Was it good?"

"I mean, it wasn't anything crazy—I didn't let it last long" I admit, "But is that weird because I went in first?"

"So you wanted it?"

I stop walking, waiting for the cars to pass, "No, I mean yes... I don't know it just happened but I don't regret it"

"You'll do it again?"

I groan lowly "Felix, Enough questions, What do I do?"

"Fine, one more question... How did it make you feel?" Felix asks and I go back to the moment in Luca's office.

"Free," I said, "He just makes me feel so heard and seen"

It was hard to pinpoint why these feelings drew me towards Luca but as I stood there talking with Felix I finally understood it. All my life I fought to feel those things and sacrificed not feeling those things for love.

I always felt like I could scream at Jisung but he would just look past me and not hear a thing. I felt so trapped in this feeling of love towards him that I didn't know how life felt without my mind on him constantly. Eventually, Jisung gave me what I wanted but after all that pain, I grew exhausted trying to keep myself interesting for him. He never told me to but I just did.

I never forced myself on Luca, he just saw me for me and liked it. The true me, the real me that I felt so insecure about because I felt too bland. He listened to me rant about things that weren't important or my fucked up thoughts—making me feel normal about it.

"You so like him" Felix says over the phone, I could practically hear the smile he has on his face. For some reason, I smiled, genuinely.

*Now playing - goodnight n go
by Ariana Grande*

Okay guys, don't kill me