Xu Chen woke up with a faint frown.
It took him a second to understand why.
The room wasn't familiar.
The silence felt different.
Then memory settled in.
Hotel.Kunming.One bed.
He shifted slightly and stopped.
Aum was awake.
Already looking at him.
Xu Chen blinked once, then frowned faintly.
"…You've been up long?"
Aum didn't look away.
"For a while."
"That's vague."
Aum thought for a second.
"Since you started moving."
Xu Chen pushed himself up on one elbow, staring at him now.
"…You were just lying there… watching me sleep?"
"Yes."
Xu Chen dropped his head back onto the pillow and let out a quiet breath.
"Right. Of course you were."
Aum's expression didn't change.
Xu Chen turned his head slightly, looking at him again.
"…Did I do anything weird?"
"No."
"Talk in my sleep?"
"No."
Xu Chen nodded slowly.
"Good. I'd like to maintain some dignity."
Aum considered that.
"You appeared less guarded."
Xu Chen froze mid-stretch.
"…That's not helping."
Aum didn't respond.
Xu Chen sat up fully this time, running a hand through his hair.
"Okay. I'm getting ready before this conversation gets worse."
He grabbed his clothes and headed toward the bathroom.
Aum remained where he was.
The room was quiet again, but it didn't feel the same as the night before.
He sat up after a moment, his gaze drifting briefly toward the closed bathroom door before moving away.
There was no reason to stay still.
Still, he didn't rush.
By the time Xu Chen stepped out, the air had shifted slightly—cooler, brighter.
"You're still here," Xu Chen said, toweling his hair.
Aum looked at him.
"Yes."
Xu Chen gestured toward the bathroom.
"Go. Before I start giving you instructions again."
Aum paused.
"Is there a preferred method?"
Xu Chen looked at him for a second.
"…For taking a shower?"
"Yes."
Xu Chen exhaled, somewhere between amused and resigned.
"Just use it like a normal person."
Aum processed that without comment and walked in.
When he stepped out later, Xu Chen glanced up from his phone, then paused.
"…Okay," he said.
Aum stopped.
"What?"
Xu Chen gestured loosely.
"That looks… decent."
Aum glanced down at himself, then back at him.
"These are your clothes."
"I'm aware," Xu Chen said. "They just look different on you."
Aum didn't ask further.
"Come on," Xu Chen added, grabbing his phone. "Let's eat before I start making bad decisions."
Xu Chen stood up, grabbing his clothes.
"We're going out."
Aum looked at him.
"For the laptop?"
Xu Chen shook his head.
"No. We'll do that later."
A brief pause.
"You should see the city first."
Aum studied him for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright."
The morning air was cool, carrying a light freshness that made the city feel unhurried.
Xu Chen led them into a café tucked along a quieter street.
Glass walls let the sunlight in, warming the wooden interiors. The space smelled faintly of butter and coffee, the kind of combination that settled in without asking for attention.
They took a table near the window.
Aum looked at the menu this time.
Carefully.
Xu Chen watched him, mildly amused.
"…Planning to analyze it or actually order something?"
Aum didn't look up.
"I am selecting."
Xu Chen leaned back.
"Should I be worried?"
Aum closed the menu and looked at him.
"No."
When the food arrived, Xu Chen noticed immediately—
Aum had chosen well.
Soft scrambled eggs, still slightly glossy, laid over toasted bread with a thin spread of butter melting into it.
Grilled mushrooms on the side, lightly charred, releasing a warm, earthy aroma.
A small serving of yogurt with fruit—clean, balanced, uncomplicated.
Xu Chen picked up his fork.
"…You didn't need my help."
Aum looked at the food.
"The options were clear."
Xu Chen smirked.
"Good. I was starting to think you'd survive on observation alone."
Aum ignored that and took a bite.
He paused briefly.
Xu Chen waited.
Aum swallowed.
"The temperature affects the texture," he said. "It changes quickly."
Xu Chen blinked.
"…You just described breakfast like a food critic."
Aum looked at him.
"I am describing the experience."
Xu Chen let out a short laugh.
"Fair enough."
Aum took another bite.
This time, he didn't stop to analyze it.
Xu Chen noticed that too.
"…You're getting used to it," he said.
"Yes."
"Voluntarily?"
"Yes."
Xu Chen leaned back slightly, studying him.
"Good. I was starting to think I'd have to supervise your meals for the rest of my life."
Aum looked at him.
"That would not be necessary."
"…That's reassuring." Xu Chen shook his head.
"Just eat before it changes again."
This time, Aum did.
Without stopping between bites.
Xu Chen noticed.
Didn't comment.
But the moment stayed.
After breakfast, Xu Chen booked a cab through an app.
Aum watched the process.
"The request is matched to the nearest available driver," Xu Chen said, glancing at the screen. "Saves time."
Aum nodded once.
"Efficient."
Xu Chen smirked faintly.
"See? We're not completely irrational."
Dianchi Lake opened up slowly.
First, the hint of water through the trees.
Then the sound—soft movement, distant calls.
And then—
Space. Wide, open, uninterrupted.
The water stretched wide under the morning light, reflecting soft movement as people gathered along the edges.
Aum slowed slightly as they approached.
Xu Chen noticed.
"You can stop," he said. "It's not going anywhere."
Aum looked at the water.
"It is… expansive."
Xu Chen glanced at him.
"That's one way to put it."
Nearby, people were tossing food into the air, drawing seagulls down in quick, sharp movements.
Aum stepped closer.
Xu Chen handed him a small packet without asking.
"Try."
Aum threw a piece.
Nothing happened.
Xu Chen folded his arms.
"You have to throw it higher."
Aum adjusted.
This time, a bird caught it mid-air.
Aum stilled.
"…That was efficient."
Xu Chen laughed.
"You're reviewing birds now?"
Aum didn't deny it.
At one point, Aum stepped closer to the edge than necessary.
Xu Chen reached out instinctively, his one arm encircling Aum's wrist.
"Careful."
The contact lingered just a second.
Then Xu Chen let go.
Neither of them commented.
Lunch was quieter.
The restaurant was understated, almost easy to miss.
Inside, everything felt deliberate—soft lighting, clean arrangements, a quiet focus on detail.
Xu Chen ordered.
When the food arrived, it unfolded slowly.
Salmon—deep orange, smooth, delicately marbled—resting over compact rice, brushed lightly with a glaze that caught the light.
Tuna beside it—darker, richer, almost velvet in texture.
A bowl of ramen followed.
The broth shimmered—golden, layered, carrying depth without heaviness.
Thin noodles beneath.
Slices of pork—tender, soft at the edges.
A halved egg, the yolk thick and slightly molten.
Green onions scattered across the surface.
Aum tried the ramen first.
He didn't pause this time.
Xu Chen watched him.
"…That good?"
Aum nodded.
"Yes."
Xu Chen smiled faintly.
"Thought so."
At the service center, Xu Chen handled the laptop quickly.
Aum stayed near the display area.
When Xu Chen returned, they walked toward the exit together.
Near the counter, a staff member smiled politely.
"Sir, your partner can wait inside next time," she said casually.
Xu Chen stopped.
"…My what?"
"Your partner," she repeated.
"It's not like that," Xu Chen said immediately.
Aum looked at him.
The woman nodded politely.
"Of course."
They stepped outside.
A brief silence followed.
Xu Chen exhaled lightly.
"…People assume things too easily."
Aum spoke after a moment.
"We arrived together. We remained together. The assumption follows."
Xu Chen looked at him.
"…You're saying we look like a couple."
Aum considered it.
"Yes."
Xu Chen stared.
"That was not the right response."
Aum tilted his head slightly.
"What would be the correct one?"
Xu Chen thought for a second.
"…Something that makes this less awkward."
Aum paused.
"…Then I will not respond."
Xu Chen let out a short laugh.
"Good choice."
The ride back felt easier.
The city softened as the day moved forward, the light turning warmer, the pace slowing just enough.
Xu Chen leaned back, looking out of the window.
After a moment, he glanced at Aum.
"…You liked today?"
Aum answered without hesitation.
"Yes."
Xu Chen nodded once.
"Good."
Neither of them added anything after that.
They didn't need to.
Something about the day stayed with them!