we meet again.

Four.

Xiaojun rolled in his warm bed as his alarm started blaring, he was always a light sleeper, but it's been much worse lately since he couldn't get much sleep anyways. He decided to get out of bed and start with his day. He needed to head to work, so he could get his mind off things. 

When he walked out, Amy was already in the kitchen, making breakfast. She looked like she was in no rush, even though they both started work simultaneously. "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready?" He asked as he stood in front of the mirror in the hallway, fixing his tie. 

She looked at him with a smirk, "I took the day off, baby." She walked towards him and handed him his cup of coffee. He didn't feel like having anything yet, so he took a sip and placed it down immediately. Amy looked at him, confused; he never turned down a cup of coffee. "Listen, I didn't want to ask because I thought you were going to tell me sooner or later. But this has been going on for a couple of days now; come on, what's wrong." 

Xiaojun laughed at her and then tried to look away because he knew if she caught a glimpse of his eyes, she would be able to shred him open. "Nothing is wrong; I just got a pretty big meeting today." He bit his lower lip, trying not to look as wrecked and nervous as he was inside. 

He spent the last couple of days stalking Hendery on i********:, and he wasn't proud to say, but he might've m*********d a time or two to the memories of their night together. And Xiaojun didn't know if he was just horny or entirely not over his high school crush. But, he took the decision that he was going to ignore it. But, after a couple of days of scrolling aimlessly through Hendery's i********:, he was starting to wonder if his decision was right after all. 

He wondered whether he should take Kun's advice and maybe just DM Hendery on i********:; no big deal. But then, he calculated it like he did everything else in his life. They should stay strangers. Xiaojun kept telling himself he wasn't ready for a relationship yet. Heck, he never really had a serious relationship before. Was he going to start now? 

"I'm going to help Ten with his dinner. You are coming, right?" Amy huffed when she realized she wasn't getting anything from him anytime soon. Xiaojun kept mulling it over; he would definitely see Hendery there. What if it led to something he didn't want to happen? Or worse, what if something happens that he wants to happen? 

"Do I have a choice?" Xiaojun huffed as he started getting out of the apartment. "Ten will kill me if I don't, but I might be a little bit late. I have a huge meeting I need to close later tonight. So, I'll probably finish that and swing by." 

Amy waved goodbye at him as he left, and she turned around to start getting ready and help Ten with his preparations. 

-

Hendery was in his parlor, tattooing Yangyang when his phone started ringing. He looked over to check who was calling and when he saw an unknown number, he decided to pick it up. "Hello?" 

"Now, you answer!" Hendery immediately recognized the voice and regretted even answering the phone. "Why have you been ignoring me?" 

"Ten-ge, I haven't, I swear!" Hendery tried to lie, but lying was never his strong suit. His voice would always crack, and you could tell he was nervous. "I-I've just been super busy." 

"Bullshit! You have been ignoring my messages, and I want to know why." Ten insisted, which made Hendery sigh and signal for Yangyang to take a break because he knew he wouldn't let him off the hook easily. "Is this about that night at the gallery? I told you I didn't realize you and Xiaojun knew each other. How the f**k am I supposed to know that?"

"I already told you, I was okay with that. In fact, I'm grateful if anything." Hendery explained as he walked outside his parlor and lit up a cigarette to smoke. "But, I really don't want to see him again at your dinner, Ten. One time was enough." 

"Can you at least tell me why? Did he do something bad to you?" Ten had every right to be suspicious because Hendery didn't tell him anything from the sole fact that they knew each other in high school. And it made him curious because Xiaojun was one of his favorite people. He didn't know why would anyone not want to hang out with him. 

"No, he didn't." Hendery puffed and leaned his head back against the wall, not really thinking about what he was about to say next. "He was my first love." As soon as he said it, a huge smile plastered on his face as rapid memories flashed in front of his eyes. "He was my first." 

Ten laughed. "Shut the f**k up." And when Hendery didn't say anything, and the silence loomed over with its tension, he spoke again. "Oh, you're serious?" 

"Why the f**k would I joke about something like this?" Hendery sighed again, as much as he wanted to avoid the subject. A part of him was hanging on the threads of every conversation that involved Xiaojun. He was split in two; a part that missed Xiaojun and wanted to get with him and hug him, and another part that knew this would only end in pain and tears. And if he was honest, he was never more confused in his life. 

This just kicked all the years of s****l confusion into the curb. 

"Hendery, when I invited you over to the gallery. I really didn't know anything about your past. I just thought you guys would be a perfect match for each other. And trust me, I've never been wrong when it came to setting people up." Ten said with a hint of excitement and exhilaration in his voice. "So what if he was your first? If anything, this adds more heat and excitement to it. It's like getting to know someone all over again. You don't know how much he has changed; he doesn't know how much you changed. This will be more fun for both of you."

"What if I don't like the new him?" Hendery questioned, which threw Ten off, he didn't expect him to overthink it like this, but he guessed it was only natural after all that happened with Lee. "Or worse, what if I like him and he doesn't like me? I've changed a lot since high school Ten." 

"Can you just give it a chance for me? What's the worse that's going to happen? You have dinner together with us in my house, and he realizes he doesn't like you or the other way around, you go on with your lives. You've spent twelve years apart. You can live another twelve without him." Ten explained, which followed a huge silence. Hendery didn't know what to say; a part of him really wanted to see Xiaojun again. But he was scared. 

"Lee would've wanted you to go for it." Ten finally spoke and then added. "I'll be waiting for you tonight, but if you don't come, I'll totally understand." And with that, he hung up, leaving Hendery alone with his thoughts. 

Hendery was deep in his thoughts for a few minutes until Yangyang joined him for a cigarette outside, and he could tell something was off with his best friend. "Is this another Xiaojun related conversation? Because I need to mentally prepare myself for it if so." Yangyang joked, but when Hendery didn't even smile or nod like he usually does, he took it as a sign that this was a pretty big thing. 

"I think I'm going to go." Hendery finally spoke up, throwing his cigarette on the ground and stepping on it. He didn't know why he made the decision, but something in him ticked. Or maybe it was Ten's words. He just knew he needed to see Xiaojun and talk to him. 

"Yeah, sure, let me just lock up the place, and we can go home!" Yangyang turned, but his best friend stopped him. "What?" 

"No, I'm going to Ten's dinner." Hendery corrected him, which made him raise his eyebrows. "I'm going to see Xiaojun, and I'm going to shoot my shot with him."

"What's with the change of heart, Romeo?" Yangyang laughed, following him as he rushed inside the parlor picking his stuff up and getting ready to leave. "If you're this horny, just say it; you know I got you." He played it off as a joke, but he didn't really know if he was joking or not. Ever since this whole Xiaojun thing started resurfacing, he has been more jealous than ever. He was never jealous when it came to Hendery, even with Lee. He wasn't ever jealous, so why was he now? Why didn't he want Hendery to go to that dinner party all of a sudden?

Hendery stopped in his place and looked at Yangyang with a spark in his eyes, so he just sighed and sat back down in his place. "You go. I'll close the place." 

His best friend thanked him, gave him a quick hug, and immediately rushed outside, leaving Yangyang with his thoughts. 'Fuck.' was the only thing that kept playing over and over again in his mind as he sat alone in the parlor smoking one cigarette after the other. 

Xiaojun shared a Cuban Cigar with a client on the other side of town and talked about a business deal that seemed doomed to him. But, this particular client never listens to a word, either Xiaojun or Kun says. It's been like this for the past 10 years; why would it change now?

"Listen, Johnny..." the hotshot lawyer adjusted his seat and tried to play as calmly and relaxed as possible. He didn't want to freak out his client, but then that was the last thing he could do. Johnny Suh, if he can describe him in a single word, it would be cold-blooded. "Nick won't be around. You won't even get to see him. It's an honorary position." 

"I don't give a s**t, Jun," Johnny spoke with a husk voice after taking a sip from his whiskey drink. Xiaojun sometimes envied Johnny. He comes from old money. He never had to worry or work hard for his money. His daddy passed away, and suddenly he was the king of the world. And before that, he was just the prince of it. 

"Well, I think you do. Because you're going to get screwed over, and you talk about bad faith all day. It's you who's been dealing in bad faith." Xiaojun almost wants to scream, take out his ego, and throw it off the building, but he knows he can't afford to lose their biggest client. 

He could actually recall the first time he met Johnny very vividly. He was in a bar in the upper east side, getting hammered with Amy. Xiaojun thought he was hot; there's no doubt about that. But, he did expect him to be an arrogant, spoiled rich-ass boy who didn't care about anyone but himself. And although his expectations were right, they managed to have an ongoing fling of 3 months of casually sleeping together and almost becoming a thing. Until Johnny's dad passed away, he had to take care of business. 

And Xiaojun being the pragmatic son of a b***h he was, somehow convinced Johnny to hire his firm. And because Johnny would never admit it even to Xiaojun now, he fell in love with him. And because he saw how Xiaojun looked at their relationship, you can call it that, as a business, no pleasure kind of opportunity. He decided to push his feelings down and never speak of them again. Until now, after years and years, he can probably say he moved on. Or so, he thought. 

"Listen, I'm done talking about this." Johnny stood up, and Xiaojun sighed, knowing damn well that he would have to find a way to fix whatever his client was going to mess up next. It's been like this for the past couple of years, and honestly, Xiaojun got to the point where he doesn't mind it anymore. 

"Let me take you out to dinner." Johnny said, lowering his sunglasses to look at his 'friend.' He was very persuasive regarding invitations and making people clean up his mess. But that's not how Xiaojun operated, and maybe that was the reason he liked him so much. 

He laughed, taking the last swig from his whiskey, and then faced Johnny and looked at him, almost engulfed in his beauty. He was like fine wine; he got better with age. But Xiaojun learned a long time ago that rich boys are as dangerous as cocaine and hard liquor even though he stopped using cocaine in law school. He can't seem to quit whiskey and Johnny.  

"I have a better idea," Xiaojun smirked as he bit his lower lip and pulled Johnny closer.