By late morning, Xu Chen had made a decision.
Mostly because staying inside the villa any longer felt… unsafe.
Not physically.
Mentally.
"Get ready," Xu Chen said, grabbing his keys.
Aum looked up from where he was sitting.
"I am ready."
Xu Chen paused mid-step.
Looked at him.
Then at what he was wearing.
"…You're wearing yesterday's clothes."
Aum glanced down at himself.
"They are still functional."
Xu Chen closed his eyes briefly.
"…That's not how this works."
Aum tilted his head.
"…Clothes expire daily?"
Xu Chen exhaled slowly.
"Just—come. We're fixing this."
Forty minutes later, they were standing outside a busy street in Dali's town center.
Not tourist-heavy.
Not quiet either.
Just… alive.
Shops lined both sides of the street—local stores, small cafés, electronics outlets, clothing displays spilling color into the walkway. People moved with purpose, voices overlapping, scooters passing through gaps that didn't look wide enough.
Aum stopped.
His eyes moved—not rapidly, not overwhelmed—but attentively.
Xu Chen noticed.
"…You okay?" he asked.
Aum nodded.
"The movement density is higher than the villa."
Xu Chen almost smiled.
"…That's one way to describe a street."
Aum continued observing.
"There is no central coordination."
"…Yeah," Xu Chen said. "It's called people doing whatever they want."
Aum considered that.
"…That reduces efficiency."
Xu Chen smirked.
"Welcome to Earth."
Their first stop—
a barber shop.
Xu Chen pushed the glass door open.
A bell chimed softly overhead.
Inside, the space was clean, modern—mirrors lined across the wall, chairs occupied, soft music playing in the background.
A young barber looked up.
"Two?" he asked.
Xu Chen nodded.
"Yeah. Him first."
Aum glanced at Xu Chen.
"…This is necessary?"
Xu Chen gave him a look.
"…Trust me."
Aum sat.
Calm.
Still.
The barber draped the cape around him, fingers already moving through Aum's hair.
"…Good texture," the barber muttered.
Xu Chen leaned casually against the counter, arms crossed.
"…Do whatever suits his face."
Aum looked at his reflection.
Then at Xu Chen.
"…You are delegating my appearance."
Xu Chen didn't even hesitate.
"Absolutely."
The barber chuckled softly.
"Girlfriend?" he asked casually.
Xu Chen choked.
"…What?"
The barber nodded toward Aum.
"You're very involved," he said. "Usually means that."
Xu Chen opened his mouth—
then paused.
Aum turned slightly in the chair.
Looked at Xu Chen.
"…Is that the classification?" Aum asked.
Xu Chen stared at him.
"…No."
Aum nodded once.
"…Understood."
The barber grinned.
"Alright, alright. Boyfriend then."
Xu Chen dragged a hand down his face.
"…Just cut his hair."
Twenty minutes later—
Aum stood up.
Xu Chen looked at him—
and paused.
"…Okay," he said slowly.
"…That actually worked."
The haircut was subtle.
Cleaner lines, slightly shorter sides, just enough to bring structure to his features.
Aum looked at the mirror again.
"…This improves external perception," he said.
Xu Chen nodded.
"…And internal confusion."
Aum glanced at him.
"That remains."
Xu Chen laughed under his breath.
"…Yeah. I figured."
Next stop—
a clothing store.
The moment they stepped in, a saleswoman approached with a practiced smile.
"Looking for something specific?"
Xu Chen gestured toward Aum.
"He needs everything."
Aum added calmly—
"Preferably efficient selections."
The saleswoman blinked.
"…Of course."
Fifteen minutes later—
Aum stood inside the trial area, holding up a shirt.
"…This is unnecessary."
Xu Chen leaned against the wall.
"It's a t-shirt."
"It is similar to the previous one."
"…That's the point."
Aum looked unconvinced.
Xu Chen sighed.
Walked over.
Before Aum could react, Xu Chen reached forward—
and adjusted the collar himself.
The movement was natural.
Close.
Aum went still.
Xu Chen didn't seem to notice at first.
Too focused.
"…This fits better," he said, smoothing the fabric slightly.
Then he looked up.
Too close.
Aum's gaze was already on him.
For a second—
neither moved.
The noise of the store faded into the background.
Then—
"…You are standing very near," Aum said.
Xu Chen blinked.
Then stepped back immediately.
"…I'm fixing the shirt."
Aum nodded.
"…It is fixed."
Xu Chen cleared his throat.
"…Good."
They stepped out of the trial area.
The saleswoman smiled brightly.
"That looks perfect on him," she said. "You have a good eye."
Xu Chen didn't respond immediately.
Aum did.
"He does."
Xu Chen turned sharply.
"…You don't need to agree with everything."
Aum looked at him.
"I am stating a fact."
The saleswoman laughed softly.
"You two are very cute."
Xu Chen froze.
"…We're not—"
Aum interrupted calmly—
"She has repeated the same assumption."
Xu Chen stared at him.
"…That's not helping."
They left the store with multiple bags.
More than Xu Chen had planned.
Less than Aum understood.
Outside, the street felt brighter now.
Busier.
Xu Chen adjusted the bags in his hand.
"…You handled that well," he said.
Aum looked at him.
"The interaction?"
"Yeah."
Aum thought about it.
"…There was a pattern."
Xu Chen sighed lightly.
"…Of course there was."
Aum added—
"But your reactions were inconsistent."
Xu Chen stopped walking.
"…Excuse me?"
Aum faced him fully now.
"You denied the classification verbally," he said, "but your physical responses did not align."
Xu Chen stared at him.
"…You're analyzing me again."
"Yes."
"…And what did you conclude?"
Aum held his gaze.
"That you were not entirely opposed."
Xu Chen blinked.
"…That's your conclusion?"
Aum nodded once.
Xu Chen let out a breath.
Then—
unexpectedly—
smiled.
"…You're dangerous."
Aum tilted his head.
"That is the second time you have said that."
Xu Chen adjusted the bags again, starting to walk.
"…Yeah," he said.
"…And I'm starting to mean it."
Aum followed.
This time—
the space between them felt smaller.
Not because of proximity.
Because something had shifted.
And now—
other people were starting to see it too.