After washing up, An Phong quietly went downstairs. Seeing the place in daylight, he realized just how spacious it was—and oddly, there was no sign of Uy Phong's family anywhere. Did he really live here alone?
As he reached the last step, the faint sounds of movement came from the kitchen. The air smelled of coffee and toasted bread, warm and rich.
Following the scent, An Phong stopped by the doorway. From here, he saw Uy Phong's back—broad shoulders under a loose white shirt, sleeves rolled up as he plated breakfast. There was something unexpectedly peaceful about it.
Then Uy Phong turned, holding two plates in his hands.An Phong froze. His face flushed instantly. The shirt—none of the buttons were done.
"Spying on me like a thief?" Uy Phong grinned, setting the plates on the table before dropping into a chair. "Come on, sit."
That teasing glint in his eyes said I saw that.An Phong muttered under his breath but walked in anyway, pulling out a chair.
On the table was a surprisingly well-made breakfast—sunny-side-up eggs, crispy bacon, sausages, fried potatoes, toast drizzled with maple syrup.
He blinked. This guy can cook?They were simple Western dishes, but the layout was neat, even… appealing.
Uy Phong, already halfway through his own plate, drummed his fingers against the table."What are you doing? Eat before it gets cold."
An Phong didn't answer. He just picked up his fork and knife, cutting the food carefully, chewing slow.
Uy Phong chuckled."Does it suit your taste?""Yeah.""If it's bland, add soy sauce or salt—whatever you like.""No need. It's good.""Good. Then eat up."
He smiled, finishing his plate in no time, washed it down with a glass of water, and leaned back with a satisfied sigh. When he looked up, An Phong was still eating at a snail's pace.
"Hey, what are you, some pampered princess? You eat slower than a turtle."
Without looking up, An Phong tore a piece of toast, dipped it in egg yolk, and replied evenly,"I have to eat slow. My stomach's weak."Uy Phong groaned."Good grief… at this rate, we'll be late!"
When no reply came, he clicked his tongue, got up, and gathered his dishes. Before leaving the kitchen, he tossed back,"Hurry up. We've got school."
Then he strolled off.
An Phong simply nodded to himself and kept eating quietly.
***
After breakfast, he climbed upstairs and stopped in front of Uy Phong's room, knocking lightly."What is it?" came the muffled voice."I don't have a uniform here."
A brief silence. Then—click. The door opened. Uy Phong stood there in his gym clothes, the fabric snug across his shoulders.
"Come in. I'll lend you something."
An Phong stepped inside. Uy Phong pulled open his wardrobe, fetched a tracksuit, and held it up against him."Hmm… doesn't quite fit, huh?""It's huge. Are you a giant?""Hah! Maybe you're just tiny. Try it on."
An Phong sighed, took the oversized clothes, and disappeared into the bathroom. When he emerged, he looked like a child lost in a grown man's outfit.
Uy Phong crossed his arms, eyeing him like a tailor."Yeah… definitely too big.""Especially the waistband," An Phong muttered. "It's about to fall off."
That made Uy Phong laugh out loud. He waved him over."Come here."
Expression flat, An Phong stepped closer. Uy Phong circled around him, murmuring like he was taking measurements."Way too loose. Sleeves too long, pants dragging, waist—ah, there it is.""Yeah.""Well, I can't fix the sleeves, but the pants and waistband—I can deal with that."
He crouched down, rolling up the pant legs neatly. When pale ankles peeked out, he chuckled and tapped the top of An Phong's foot lightly."There. Now the waist… wait a sec."
He rummaged through his desk, came back with a few binder clips."Lift your shirt a bit."
An Phong froze, a hint of color rushing up his neck. Still, he raised the hem to his waist. The waistband instantly sagged lower on his hips.
Uy Phong stepped closer, tugging at the waistband to tighten it, then carefully clipped the fabric to fit. The distance between them shrank until his breath brushed across An Phong's skin. The faint warmth made An Phong's ears turn red.
While fixing the waistband, Uy Phong's gaze slid lower, unintentionally tracing the curve of An Phong's stomach. How is he so slim? The skin there was impossibly smooth—almost delicate. Then his eyes caught on the small dip of the navel, neat and perfect, like a coin slot carved by hand.
A strange thought flickered through him: Even his navel looks flawless? The idea was ridiculous, yet somehow... he couldn't look away.
Before he knew it, his fingers twitched, as if wanting to test whether that soft hollow was real—
"What are you doing?"
An Phong's voice cut through the haze like ice water.
The chill in An Phong's voice snapped him back. Uy Phong flinched, straightened immediately, and took a step back."Ah—I, uh, done. It's fixed." He scratched the back of his neck, his usual confidence gone. "Anything else?"
An Phong narrowed his eyes, searching his face."No."
Uy Phong let out a weak laugh, grabbed his backpack."Alright then… let's go."
He walked out faster than usual, awkward in a way that didn't suit him at all.
An Phong stood there for a moment, head slightly tilted, his face calm—but his eyes held a faint, unreadable confusion before he followed after.