The answer.

"Wait!"

Zeng halted at the change of voice he heard. It was an unsure, pleading voice, different from the confident, monotone one.

"Can you please think over it again?" He heard Yul plead from the spot. When he looked back, he saw the sincere eyes already beginning to glisten as if pushed any further and he would cry. His cheeks were flushed in a rosy pink tinge now as his eyes were pleading for a chance like his life depended on it.

'Cute,' Zeng thought. But that didn't mean he was going easy on him. He wasn't readily giving in anytime soon, "What if I still reject?" He asked.

Yul had already thought of this possibility. But now even imagining it was really painful. He felt his throat drying up as he choked out,

"Then I would back off if you really don't want me," Yul sounded so heartbroken and Zeng thought that he closely resembled a kicked out puppy. "But I really wish you could give me a chance," He said, in a soft whisper.

Zeng initially had no plans of giving in, but seeing the younger guy's sincerity and determination, he had to think otherwise. He rubbed the back of his neck and said after letting out the groan, "I am telling you again, I don't date strangers..."

Yul's face fell. He clutched the sides of his pants. His eyes now looking at the ground beneath, thinking that he may break down any time soon. His first love was about to end here and he wouldn't be seeing the person ever again. He had considered the possibility but when it happened, it was more painful than he had imagined and it hurt like hell.

Zeng continued further, "...and as I am not comfortable with strangers, let's be friends first. We can see how it goes later."

Yul's head immediately snapped up to confirm what he had just heard. Zeng's soft smile made him believe it. Yul let out a huge sigh of relief. Then squatted down covering his face, the adrenaline giving him a strange feeling of euphoria. After a moment, he rose up and smiled so widely, the blush reaching upto his ears. He was so damn happy that he thought he could pass out at any moment.

"Thank you, Zeng ge!" Yul repeatedly chanted.

Zeng saw everything with an amused expression. Yul's happiness was so contagious that even Zeng couldn't help but feel happy. He gave a shy smile.

The two shared a moment of silence looking at each other. If this were a date, a kiss might be expected. However, they had just met and Zeng wasn't a person who believed in love at first sight. He believed that love happens over the time. Moreover, he wasn't that interested in love, not anymore. But it didn't hurt to try and find a special person. So this was fine. Zeng wasn't all sure but he was willing to try and give himself another chance. Yes, they should get to know each other better before deciding anything and hence he offered, "Let's start with coffee. I am free tomorrow. Is that okay with you?" He asked the younger man.

Yul was so happy that he felt giddy. "Oh... yes... of course. Tomorrow's Sunday... We are allowed to go outside. Yes, we can go for coffee. Sure… yes that would be great." His words were all over the place as the circuits of his brain went haywire.

Zeng nodded, "Alright then, be ready by 10. I will pick you up."

"Sure." Yul's eyes were twinkling. He gave a gummy smile that Zeng thought looked too cute on him. It made him smile too.

It had been a while since he got proposed. Relationships were a great ordeal for him but let's see where it goes.

He realised that it was getting dark. It was time to go home. The trainee too must be returning back, "You sneaked out, right? Won't there be any problem if they find you missing?"

"Yes, there will be but my buddy will handle everything." Yul said, then pressed his lips into a thin line, confessed, "It was your last day and I thought I would never get to see you again."

Zeng blinked, not finding the correct words to say. So he ultimately settled with the easiest thing, said, "Please go back. I don't want you to get any scolding."

"Yes, I'll...um…Yeah, I guess... I'll go now." He stuttered, hands pointing at various directions, suddenly feeling at a loss.

"There," Zeng showed him the same direction Yul came from.

"Oh yes, there!" Yul felt as if he had taken a habit of embarrassing himself before his crush. He had to keep his cool.

"Alright then, see you tomorrow." He started walking backwards, without taking his eyes off Zeng. He wanted to make a cool exit but didn't see the pole on his way back and bumped into it.

Zeng again suppressed a laugh with great difficulty.

"Be careful, Yul." He said with a teasing smile.

"Hmm."

Yul gave a full-blown gummy smile. It was nice hearing his name in that melodious voice. He could get used to it. "10 am then. Cool. I'll see you tomorrow," he repeated again, failing to control his smile.

A foolish grin was pasted on Yul's face and he kept turning over and over again to look at Zeng.

Zeng waited for him to vanish behind the wall. Once the lover boy was gone, he shook his head and smiled to himself, "Cute," he thought and got into his car to head home.

Back in the Academy, Yul successfully came back in. Looking at the main gate from afar, he saw Subin and the security guard talking about something. He took a long turn around the training ground pathway and towards the main gate.

"I fu¢king swear to God, uncle, I am damn sure I dropped my badge somewhere around here." Subin was trying hard to give Yul as much time as possible and so he pretended that his training badge was lost around the area. This prevented the security guard from going to the parking lot.

"But we have already searched the entire place and found nothing." The security guard scrunched his nose, not ready to do any unnecessary work than he got paid for.

"Bin," Yul called up, smiling ear to ear.

Subin turned around to look at his friend. He understood the meaning of that expression. "Dude, you got it?" He asked nonetheless and Yul pumped up his fist in the air,

"Yes, I got it!"