Apartment n.o 9 Prequel

Chapter Nine (Percent)

The three stopped at a bakery to eat some food, while trying to cool off an upset Yanjun at the same time. Yanjun ripped off a piece of pineapple bun filled with custard cream with his teeth, glaring at the boy sitting opposite of him, who was also the same person that decided to ditch him in the store.

Cai Xukun just wanted to drink his milk tea in peace, but there are two people who won't let him do that. One was the annoying glares being sttiked at him from Lin Yanjun. The other one was a distraction by the beautiful back view of Zhu Zhengting who was grabbing his drink from the counter.

Zhengting received his drink, he turns to walk back to his table. As he turned around a person walks past him accidentally bumping his arm and spilling some coffee over him. Luckily he got an iced coffee or else he would've burnt himself. The person immediately apologizes by bowing many times at 90 degrees. Xukun and and Yanjun came over to Zhengting with tissues wiping his neck, collarbone and shirt area where it was wet and soaked. Zhengting takes the tissue of them uncomfortable with the way they were drying him.

Yanjun looks at the guy ready to yell at him but his face quickly changed seeing who it was "Zhang landlord what are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be looking after our apartment?!" he exclaimed. His loud voice startles the confused man "Zhang landlord?" the man repeated. Xukun steps up thinking he may know who this man is "Are you not our landlord, Zhang Yixing?" he asked. The innocent man shook his head "What are you guys talking about? My name is Zhang Xiaoxin (careful). Xiao for small and Xin for heart, Small heart. But everyone thinks it means be careful since I'm very clumsy" he replied. "That's .... a very special name" Xukun thought, sweat dropping. Speaking of, Zhang Xiaoxin did have a different style than Zhang Yixing. Zhang Xiaoxin had brown hair and was wearing a woolen sweater carrying a leather backpack, that doesn't seem to be Yixing's style.

"Okay then be more careful next time" Yanjun said low key making another cold joke with Xiaoxin's name. Xiaoxin bows his last apology and leaves the cafe with his own cup.

"The landlord must be a triplet who lost two of his brothers, damn they look so identical" Zhengting comments, still trying to clean his shirt and sticky skin. "It's going to be hard to wash this stain off" he sighed. "Zhengting why don't you change into my sweater, I have a shirt underneath anyways" Yanjun offered.

Xukun and Yanjun waited by the sinks as Zhengting was changing in one of the toilet stalls. "Why are you being so nice to him" Xukun mumbled to Yanjun. "Who?" Yanjun asked innocently pretending not to understand. Xukun opened his mouth to continue speaking but kept quiet when he saw Zhengting coming out, adjusting Yanjun's sweater on him. Zhengting huffs out in annoyance "Your sweater is uncomfortable and ... I'm not going to wear this when meeting my friends" Zhengting concluded after observing his reflection in the mirror. Yanjun felt a bit offended but his mood was quickly mended when Zhengting was cleaning himself again with water. The droplets of water streaming down his pale neck caused Yanjun to gulp his dry throat. Xukun picked up on Yanjun's reaction pretty quickly, he aggressively pulls out some paper towels and cover Zhengting's exposed skin immediately.  Zhengting blinks blankly at Xukun "Eh I'm not finished wash-" "Let's go get you a shirt, I'll pay" Xukun stated putting the tissues away and dragged Zhengting out to a clothing store with Yanjun in tow.

As they entered into a new store in which they've never heard of. Zhengting immediately fell in love with all the clothes in the store that he wanted to buy every single piece of item. "Omg this is so cute" he gasped when he sees a leather black mini bag. He then runs to another spot "I love this shirt!" and before Xukun and Yanjun could catch up he was already at the sleep wear area"Woah this material is so comfortable".

While Zhengting was examining the shirt, Xukun and Yanjun finally caught up to him. Who knew it took them so long in such a small store. "Zhengting! You should go pick a shirt right now or else you'll be late for whatever friend reunion you have" Xukun reminded quickly before Zhengting could attach himself to another product. Zhengting's back straightens from leaning into the clothing "Oh right!" he needs to find a suitable shirt as soon as possible.

Cai Xukun and Lin Yanjun were no where to be seen or noticed as Zhengting was struggling to choose a shirt for himself. "Which one should I get?" Zhengting mumbled tapping his fingernails at his teeth. "Zhengting try this on" Zhengting jumps at Xukun's sudden appearance. He looks down at the grey lilac button t-shirt Xukun was holding and decided to go for it. Zhengting takes he hanged shirt and enters into a changing room at the far end side of the store.

Xukun was still standing out there when Zhengting closed the curtains. Zhengting sighs as he could finally take of the itchy woolen sweater, he notes that he needs to wash it before returning to Yanjun even though they live under the same roof.

He slips on the lilac shirt that Xukun picked for him. Zhengting looked into the mirror swaying side to side so he could see an overall view of how the shirt looks like on him. "It fits pretty well" Zhengting thought and tucked the shirt in his jeans, making his appearance even appealing.

"Where's Zhengting?" He heard a voice called from the other side of the curtain. "He's in there- Oi wait, don't just go in!" Xukun yelled out to the other person, who Zhengting assumed was Yanjun. The curtains were waving as someone was trying to get in. Zhengting put on his apathetic face as he pulled the curtain to reveal Yanjun who was trapped in Xukun's arms. Xukun instantly releases Yanjun when he sees Zhengting appearing beautifully in the oversized buttoned t-shirt. "I'll go pay for it" he said quickly and went away to the counter.

Yanjun smiles showing his deep dimples as he hops to Zhengting's side like a puppy. "Zhengting! You should try this on" Lin Yanjun suggested, holding up a black and white mini checkered beret. Zhengting stares at the beret with hesitation. He was going to reject but Yanjun has already placed the beret on the back of his head. Zhengting was flustered as he could only see Yanjun's blue shirt, while Yanjun reached over to adjust the beret hat. Zhengting's gaze wondered everywhere but not at Yanjun. "Don't move" the man's deep voice whispered as he carefully removed a piece of fluffy thread from Zhengting's eyelash.

Xukun comes back at that moment unfortunately having to witness Zhengting blush because of Lin Yan Jun. He coughs loudly to notify his existence. Zhengting turns at the sound "Oh Xukun have you paid?" he asked. "Not yet you need to go to the counter first" he replied pulling Zhengting by the arm, and the new hat caught his attention. "Take that off, I'm not paying for it" he asserted coldly. Yanjun hops in breaking Xukun's hold on Zhengting "I'm paying for it" he said stating each word  with a forceful smile.