Fuhuan Garden was tucked into a strip mall on Harbor Street, wedged between a dry cleaner and a phone repair shop. Red lanterns hung outside the entrance, and through the windows Luke could see dark wood furniture and golden decorations.
Brian was already waiting out front, grinning like an idiot. He'd gotten a new haircut since Luke last saw him two months ago,buzzed on the sides, longer on top. Typical Brian move, probably saw it on some Instagram model and decided to copy it without considering if it actually suited him. He was wearing a button-up shirt that was slightly too tight, like he'd been hitting the gym but hadn't bothered to buy new clothes.
Next to him stood Mina Lee.
Luke tried not to stare, but damn, she looked like she'd stepped directly out of a K-pop music video. Long black hair with subtle highlights, flawless makeup, lips glossed. She was wearing a tight bodycon dress that hugged every curve, ending mid-thigh. She was maybe 5'4", but her proportions were striking,since her chest was notably large for her frame, the kind that made you wonder if it was natural or not, and the dress left very little to the imagination.
"Luke! My man!"
Brian grabbed him in a hug, slapping his back hard.
"Hey, Brian."
Both men pulled back and immediately glanced at each other's girlfriends. That subtle once-over guys do when they want to compare but don't want to be obvious about it.
Luke found himself thinking that Mina and Yuki looked somewhat similar. Maybe it was just because they were both Asian like dark hair, petite builds, delicate features.
Yuki and Mina locked eyes.
They both froze for a second, just staring at each other,then smiled warmly and opened their arms at the same time.
"Oh my god, hi! It's so nice to meet you! You can call me Mina.I'm from Korea."
The Korean accent is just so cute.
Yuki smiled back and stepped forward into the embrace.
They hugged, and Luke couldn't help but notice how their bodies pressed together, chest to chest. The kind of hug that probably would've made Brian's brain short-circuit if he was paying attention.
When they pulled apart, both women were still smiling.
"See?" Brian said, looking pleased with himself. "I told you they'd get along great. Look at that instant connection!"
Luke wasn't sure *connection* was the right word, but he kept his mouth shut.
**
They went inside and were seated at a round table near the window. A Chinese waitress in a silk cheongsam came over with water and tea.
The two young women sat across from each other, already deep in conversation like they'd known each other for years. They were talking about cultural differences between Japan and Korea, the similarities in food, the differences in social etiquette and language quirks.
"You know, you really do look like a celebrity," Yuki said suddenly, leaning forward with genuine admiration. "Seriously. You could be a K-pop idol !! You have that whole aesthetic down perfectly."
Mina laughed, covering her mouth with her hand in that demure way. "Oh my god you're so sweet. I used to think about it when I was younger, but I'm not talented enough."
"Don't be modest. You're stunning."
Luke noticed Brian puffing up a little with pride, like he'd personally created Mina in a lab.
Yuki turned her attention to Brian. "So how did you two meet?"
Mina jumped in before Brian could answer. "At a coffee shop! I own a Korean café just down the street from here, actually, Café Seoul,very straight,isn't it ? Brian started coming in all the time, and we just..." She reached over and squeezed Brian's hand. "clicked."
"Oh my god, that's adorable," Yuki said, her eyes lighting up. "I can already picture the entire K-drama. The lonely businessman who finds love in a small café. The beautiful owner who's been waiting for the right person." She pressed her hands together. "That 's so sweet."
Luke looked at Brian. Brian looked back at him.
Their eyes met for just a second. Brian's expression was blank, then he pressed his lips together slightly and gave the tiniest shrug.
Luke had known Brian for over ten years. Since high school. They'd been roommates, best friends, seen each other through breakups and bad decisions and everything in between.
And Luke knew, with absolute certainty, that Brian fucking hated coffee.He was a Red Bull and energy drink guy,and he always had been.
He won't be a regular at a Korean café unless he just want to get laid,which is pretty reasonable because this korean lady is stunning.