Chapter Text
"Seriously?" Wai asks cocking an eyebrow at Korn when they stay back to clean up the bar
"What." Korn asks grabbing a stack of dirty plates and taking it to the kitchen. In all his years working at the bar he'd dropped many a plate each of which he had to pay for much to Wai's amusement.
"My girlfriend wants to go to medical school?" The man scoffs holding two glasses in his hands
"What do you want me to tell them? That she broke up with me? Pran just came back, dumping that on all of them would be pathetic." Korn huffs expertly carrying eight glasses to the back.
"Fine. But I told you she was bad business and you didn't listen." Wai tuts cleaning the counter with an old rag.
"For the record you were still wrong. It's not like she cheated on me." Korn shoots back
"Oh shut up, Wai says as his face heats up ,I didn't even like her!" He'd only gone on a few dates with the woman and she was.... fine but not quite what Wai was looking for. He'd told Korn that they were dating only for the both of them to see her next week on another date. She and her lover made sure that everyone within sight of them knew that it was a date. After that Korn teased him endlessly about the debacle.
"I believe you!" Korn calls from the back. If Wai could see his face he was sure the asshole was trying his hardest not to burst out laughing.
"No seriously!" Wai momentarily leaves the rag on the counter and heads to the kitchen in the back to bicker some more
"I didn't say anything." Korn smirks holding his hands up in surrender dropping a soapy Sponge onto the ground.
"I don't even like women!" Wai shouts clearly annoyed. Well as great as the statement is Wai spent most of his adult life denying it.
"Did you just.... come out to me?" Korn asks putting a dish down.
"Maybe? Whatever I know you're not a homophobe so it doesn't matter anyways." Wai quickly mutters and makes his exit to the counter.
Wai spends the next twenty minutes rubbing the cloth over and over again on the same place as if dirt collected immediately after he'd cleaned it.
"Oi. I'm done with the dishes. You coming with?" Korn asks grabbing the keys to his motorbike and twirling it on his index finger.
"Sure." Wai says because he can't think of a reason fast enough not to go with Korn. It's their usual routine since Wai moved into the same apartment complex as Korn, albeit he didn't know about that he wasn't about to start complaining.
"Any chance to be close to your crush is a chance you should take" is what Pat had sung after overhearing a conversation between Pran and Wai. He was lucky that Pran stopped Wai from ending Pat's life right then.
The ride was weirdly pleasant the streets were almost empty and the the strong smell of rain and might be the ones to blame for that. Nevertheless they reach back quickly leaving the serene atmosphere
"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" Wai tries to ask nonchalantly but it come off badly rehersed
"Tomorrow is a Monday remember?" Korn says taking his helmet off and running his hands through his open hair absent-mindedly. Loose strands fall on his face. Wai stares at him wondering how the guy he used to think was so undesirable to him before looks so beautiful now. Korn catches Wai staring and parts his lips as if he is going to say something.
"Oh right.... see you dayafter then." Wai yawns and makes his way to his flat. Wai is glad that his flat is on the first floor erasing any chance that he would fall down the stairs with how tired he is.
"Wai." Korn says
"Hmm?" Wai asks
"It does matter. I'm glad you told me." He says softly and walks up the stairs
"Oh." Wai exhales and fumbles with his keys to get into his room dropping them twice before he finally gets in.
Wai yells frustratedly as he collapses on his bed face down. It's hard to say if the screaming helps but it's better than listening the voices in his head.
Wai's phone vibrates in his pocket and he pulls it out to see a notification from a dating app he'd downloaded but had long forgotten about.
Out of mild curiosity Wai checks the notification. It's from a girl who Wai thinks looks pretty cute if he was into that he'd probably go on a date.
He changes his preferences and begins to scroll through the app swiping left on everybody.
"This is pointless." Wai groans flicking through an infinite number of profiles until he sees one that makes him stop.
"What the fuck." Wai whispers
Korn's profile is pretty basic the occasional cat pictures and mirror selfies. His bio is where Wai's heart swoops ..25...Cat dad..and bi-demisexual..
"Huh." Wai rolls over on his bed and sits up straight
"I mean he has the whole bi-vibe going I guess? Rides motorcycles. check. Denim jackets. Check. And the occasional akward finger guns. Check... wait how did I not know he was bi?!"
"Just because he's queer doesn't mean he likes you." Wai scolds himself walking to the kitchen. A month ago after he'd burned an omlet which ended up setting the sprinklers off and flooding his house which ended with Wai staying over at Korn's place.
Wai exits Korn's profile and is about to switch off his phone when he trips over his carpet and desperately attempts to save his phone at the same time.
Wai sighs relieved and places his phone on the table going to get a glass of water.
His phone buzzes again and Wai makes a mental note to delete the app later.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I should really change my profile." Korn cringes at a shirtless selfie of himself
"Nope. No. Definitely not." Korn mumbles swiping left. Dating apps are particularly hard for Korn to use because he's demisexual . With his luck he always gets matched with horny creeps and the occasional 'I wouldn't date a bi guy' or even 'are you sure you don't wanna have sex?'
Korn hasn't had the greatest luck but he did meet his ex-girlfriend May on the app and she was pretty chill about him being Bi and demisexual despite being straight herself.
"Gahhh I'm never gonna find anyoneeeee!" Korn moans out loud. His cat Kob, stares at him before returning to sleep. Wai had helped Korn decide on kob's name, because ofcourse Wai was bad at names but Korn thought it was adorable and left it at that.
"Maybe.." Korn mumbles he pauses and searches Wai's name again not before looking over his shoulder as if someone could be watching and immediately deletes it
"What am I doing?" He sighs continuating his game to swiping left on every profile until he comes across Wai's
"This has got to be fate.." Korn murmurs.
"Ok ok should I do this? I mean we're pretty good friends an-" Korn starts
"Just do it." His aunt Rose says sneaking up on him.
"Gah!!, Korn yells surprised , Auntie I forgot you were here!" Ro had moved in a month ago after divorcing her husband unable to find a place that was close to her work. Luckily for her Korn had a spare room and lived close by. She isn't much trouble usually keeping to herself unless she's bored which follows dragging Korn to watch a series with her.
"Show me show me!" Ro asks holding her hand out
"Here." Korn sighs
"He's so cute! This is that kid downstairs....Wai right?"
"Yep"
"So what's his deal? Is he straight ? Or is he gay and already has a boyfriend or girlfriend?"
"No! To all of that! What kind of dramas are you watching?" Korn yells exasperated
"Too many." Ro exhales and looks at Korn expectantly waiting for him to elaborate
"Fine. He's gay and we're friends." Korn says quickly
"Hmm so you're kind of interested but your friendship is more important to you?" Ro deduces
Korn nods slowly
"cliché." Ro mutters giving Korn's phone back
"So what do I do?"
"I don't know it's your life. Do what you want." Ro says grabbing a towel and a pair of clothes
"Come on I need help!" Korn yells
"Sorry kiddo I'm not someone who can just solve problems just because I've been in a relationship. Look how mine turned out. I'm spouseless and living with my lame nephew. No offense. " Ro says ruffling Korn's hair and proceeds to go to the bathroom
"Kobbbb aunt wasn't any help!!! Tell me what to doooooo!" Korn pleads. Kob in the other hand is more interested in licking himself clean
"Ok whatever happens now isn't my fault." Korn decides and with sweaty palms he swipes right on the profile
'Its a match!' A notification says popping up
"What the fuck."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Wai awoke to the sound of his alarm and immediately rushes to take a bath and get ready for work.
Silently cursing himself he leaves the house to see Korn wearing a tee shirt and shorts with a bag of trash in one hand. His hair is tied up into a ponytail and he's giving Wai a very confused look.
"Shit, Wai cusses ,its Monday."
"This is the third time this month you've done that. Are you sleeping okay?" Korn asks walking down the stairs and jumping just before the last two rungs swinging the bag with him. He's still as childish as before.
"Nope." Wai admits
"We should really talk." Korn says seriously
"Oh okay. You should probably throw that away though." Wai says pointing at the garbage
"Don't miss me too much!" Korn yells walking away to the dustbin. His sandals claping on the ground.
"Don't fatter yourself!" Wai scoffs
"What does he want to talk about? Is it about the bar schedule? I sent him that this month." Wai mumbles opening his phone to see a notification from the app saying he'd gotten a match.
Wai sighed and opens the app promising that he will delete it after this.
Wai squints at the username and checks the profile of the person. There's no mistaking it, it's Korn he's matched with.
"But I didnt- there's gotta be some mistake! oh Oh yesterday when I almost dropped my phone! God no this can't be happening." Wai fumbles
Korn is striding his way towards Wai and his first instinct is to hide in his house for the rest of his sad, miserable life.
"Anyways what I wanted to say wa-" Korn begins
"It was a mistake! I didn't mean to I almost dropped my phone and I think I must have matched with you because of that." Wai blurts out
Korn's smile falters and his eyebrows knit slowly.
Wai mutters staring at his feet "I know this is really weird but something's gotta be wrong with the app there's no way that happened unless it was a mistake." In hindsight he should have said it better.
"Yep." Korn says his lips now a fine line. He turns away and starts climbing the stairs
"Hey Korn. We're okay right?" Wai asks
"Yep." He says without turning to face him
Yes they'd had fights in the past but this wasn't a fight and they know that something has changed.
^^^^^^^^^^^^
"I'm gonna beat his ass." Rose snarls after Korn explains the situation when she gets back from work.
"Don't." Korn mumbles his voice muffled by a cushion he's holding to his chest
"He said that the only way that he'd swipe on you is if it was by mistake. I don't know about you but I'd be pissed." Rose says switching off the rice cooker and scooping rice out to place them in a bowl.
Korn's phone rings and immediately he pounces on it. "Its Pat." Korn whispers to his aunt who is raising her eyebrow.
"Hey man. What's up?" Korn asks
"Expecting someone else?" Pat laughs
"Maybe." Korn grunts
"Let's meet."
"I'm not feeling up t-"
"See you at the usual place at 9. Love you!" Pat hangs up
"Love you too?" Korn sighs grabbing his keys.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Ink just give the phone to Pa I know you're dating you tell me this everytime I call." Wai pleads
"Fine fine." Ink says on the other end cackling
"Hello? Wai how are you?" Pa's sweet and soft voice comes from the phone. If Wai wasn't gay he would have fallen in love with her everytime she opened her mouth.
"Great. You?"
"I'm good me and Ink are watching a horror movie."
"So I just saved you then?" Wai asks smiling
"Definitely." Pa laughs
Pa talks about her new job and moving in with Ink. Pa became an architect a few moths ago and finding work was hard for her fortunately Pran and Wai were able to arrange something for her. Now Pa and Ink visit the bar from time to time the most surprising thing being that Ink and Wai get along nowadays not that they'd admit it.
"Oi wrap it up guys I wanna see the rest of their movie." Ink yells
"How's Korn?" Pa asks
"He's, Wai chews his lips, fine."
"You still haven't told him?" Pa asks gently. Predictably Pa already knew about his crush and Wai didn't even have to tell her.
"I think things are going to be weird for a while." Wai says pinching the bridge of his nose
"What did you do?" Pa asks slowly
"How do you know it's my fault?" Wai asks defensively
"Let's see ....because you do stupid things." Pa concludes. Despite Pa being the sweetest person Wai knows she's brutally honest.
"Fine. You got me." Wai surrenders and tells Pa the whole story
"You're such a dumb ass." Ink says
"Ink listened in." Pa pipes up
"I can tell." Wai says clicking his tongue
"You told him that it was a mistake that you got matched right? Has it ever occurred to you that maybe he actually is interested?" Ink asks and Wai can almost see her rolling her eyes.
"Well....no?"
"Boys." Ink sighs exasperatedly
"So what should I do?"
"Tell him." The two command together
"Right." Wai says stiffly
"Just do it man you never know what might happen." Ink says
"Ok I'll do it." Wai says with determination
"Great now leave us alone."
"Bye." Wai calls
"Bye!" Ink and Pa say back and he cuts the call.
"Fuck." Wai curses his hands covering his face
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
"Pat over here." Korn waves. He's wearing his old wind breaker jacket and his hair is tied up in a ponytail.
"Wait Why's the bar closed?" Pat asks when he jogs towards Korn. He's wearing his signature sleeveless shirt which is tie-died in pink and blue.
"Its Monday." Korn reminds him remembering how Wai made the same mistake today morning. He frowns
"Why the long face?" Pat asks slinging his arm over Korn's shoulder
"Its-, Korn thinks for a second and decides, Wai."
"Shit did he start a fight again?" Pat asks
"No its not that. It's kind of the opposite." Korn says scratching his neck
Pat stares at Korn curiously.Korn tells Pat everything.
"Oh so he was talking about you!, Pat slaps his forehead, Wow."
"What are you talking about?"
"Leave that. You know that he's an idiot na."
"The biggest." Korn smiles
"I don't think that's what he meant. Maybe try talking to him?" Pat suggests
"It took so much balls to even swipe right on him and then try to talk to him after that. I really don't know if I want to."
"So you're scared?" Pat asks in a challenging tone
"Fuck off." Korn laughs. Korn still has a lot of bite left in him and is still hot headed but it's not the same kind of anger anymore. He doesn't go around beating up anyone just for the thrill anymore.
"Anyways the reason I called you was because Pran's out with his family and I'm bored." Pat admits. Pran's family was in no way big but he often goes with his parents for dinner. despite Pat's almost constant whining.
"Oho so I'm your side chick now?" Korn cries dramatically
"I never meant for you to find out this way!" Pat proclaims holding out his hand to Korn
"What about Pran?" Wai gasps
"He'll never know!" Pat promises
"He's gonna kill you you know." Korn snorts
"Nah he's too in love with me." Pat says putting his hands behind his head and smiling lazily.
"Lucky fool." Korn thinks