Late for a Very Important Date - 1. Chapter 1

PT #292
It seems circumstances have conspired to make someone late for their date: there are only red lights, construction sites, and idiots on the streets. Is this a sign? Nonsense. Obstacles need to be challenged.

Hop felt the corners of his lips drag downward.

He kicked a half-bent can from the corner of the sidewalk to the opposite edge of the block. The restaurant's "Closed" sign cast a dim red glow on the doorframe, distorted by the curtain of rain that had turned his meticulously styled hair into a cowlick. Hop glared at the digital reservation code on his phone, then turned off the screen and shoved the device into his pocket.

"This is ridiculous!" he cried out.

Alix had stopped responding to his messages half an hour ago. Hop pushed back his cowlick with a frustrated growl. Everything had gone wrong in the last twelve hours.

Hop had planned out his entire day the night before. His mind was so busy analyzing and replaying his schedule that he fell asleep late. His alarm interrupted his deep sleep, and he rushed to shower, deodorize, and dress.

"Let’s get you dry," he muttered to himself as he blow-dried his hair. Then he used hair wax to create a gentle swoop to one side, just like his partner, Alix, had told him looked best. "Perfect."

Rushing out the door with his phone in hand, Hop crossed the street and made a mad dash to the train station. Ten minutes later, he boarded a crowded train, only to realize he had left his work key and wallet at home.

"Thank God I have Apple Pay on my phone," he huffed as he knocked on the door of the department next door. "Sorry, Emmy, I left my key, and I'm the first one in. Would you mind opening the door?"

"Of course," Emmy replied with a bright smile. "Don't you look dapper today!"

"I have a very important date today," he replied, returning her smile.

"I bet! That Alix is a lucky man."

"Actually, it's the other way around, I'd say."

Emmy unlocked the door to Hop's department. "Don't work too hard."

"Thank you. I'll try not to," Hop said. "Can't make any promises, though."

Emmy playfully swatted his arm as she walked away, and he sent her a cheeky grin.

As he made his way to the break room, Hop thought he had rationed enough food for a light breakfast. He was looking forward to the half of the BLT he had saved. But when he found his labeled bag in the fridge shared by their department, his sandwich was covered in mold.

"Great," he grumbled as he tied the bag and threw it away. What a waste.

Hop decided to tide himself over with coffee instead, but he ended up spilling some on his favorite tie and the navy blue shirt underneath.

"Are you serious right now?" he whined as he quickly loosened the tie, wrapped it off his head, and tried to wash out the coffee before it stained. He wrung it out and used napkins to blot the shirt. He couldn't care less about the shirt, but the tie had been a gift from Alix.

"Everything alright, Hopper?" Hop's boss, Qian, asked as he walked in.

"Just whining over spilled coffee," Hop replied as he tugged the wet tie back on. "Are we still having that meeting?"

"We're taking over the conference room all day today," Qian warned. "So, be sure to bring all of your reports with you."

"Understood."

Hop had prepared all his reports the day before to save time. However, as the team reviewed every stage of their processes, they soon found themselves overwhelmed with work. Other than a quick lunch break, they were deep into their tasks.

Hop kept glancing at the time on the lower right corner of his screen. His body tensed when he realized he had only an hour left to finish all his tasks if he wanted to make it to the restaurant on time.

Ultimately, he finished ten minutes later than he expected. He rushed through goodbyes to his coworkers and boss before running down the stairs and out of the building. Checking the train schedule on his phone as he dashed down the sidewalk towards the nearest station, he let out a breath of relief when he realized he would make it in time. As he walked onto the platform, however, he noticed more people waiting for the train than usual.

Was there a delay of some kind?

Hop rechecked his phone for any train alerts, and his breath hitched when he saw a delay due to landslides.

"You've got to be kidding me!" he hissed aloud. "Why today of all days?"

He quickly messaged Alix to let him know he was running late due to the train. Alix replied that they still had time before their reservation, but the stress buzzed under Hop's skin.

The train arrived half an hour later than anticipated, with everyone packed in like sardines because of the numerous delays. Hop stood next to an older gentleman who had a noticeable case of gas, and there was nowhere to move to escape it. He wasn’t the only one who felt relieved when the gentleman finally got off the train four stops later.

Just then, all the passengers lifted their heads when the intercom announcement came on.

"Ships are passing under the bridge, and we are currently waiting our turn to cross. Please expect up to a thirteen-minute delay."

Hop checked the time on his phone...

He sent Alix a quick message saying he'd be five minutes late for their reservation.

"We should still have plenty of time," Alix replied. "Besides, the last time we were there, they seated us fifteen minutes after our reservation because they were running behind."

Hop couldn't help but smile at Alix's response. The man was so laid-back that very little seemed to phase him or make him panic. Meanwhile, Hop was all worked up about arriving five minutes later than expected.

A group cheered when the train began moving again. However, just two stops later, they heard another announcement over the intercom. Hop tensed up.

"Apologies, everyone. This is our last stop heading Southeast, and we ask everyone to disembark. We will be changing tracks due to a disruption. Another train is expected to pass through in fifteen minutes."

Hop checked the train station app on his phone. The restaurant was a fourteen-minute walk away, and the next train was fifteen minutes away. If he ran, he might be able to shave off at least five minutes, so he took off.

As he reached the second block, he found it sealed off by a massive construction detour. Hop's stomach dropped when he realized he couldn't cross over on that side and would have to wrap around four blocks to reach the restaurant on foot. He quickly texted Alix, letting him know he wouldn’t be able to order anything by the time he arrived but would make it just before the restaurant closed. He then open the app with his digital reservation, ready to scan it, and took off again.

Just as he was halfway into his jog, it started to rain.

Hop felt a surge of adrenaline when he rounded the corner and spotted the restaurant's emblem in the distance. But his heart sank when he noticed the "Closed" sign.

Frustrated, Hop kicked a half-bent can down the sidewalk.

Alix still hadn't responded. Had he left when the restaurant closed for the night? Hop had always seen him as calm and collected, but could this be the breaking point for their relationship?

"Did you forget an umbrella, too?"

Hop gasped at the unmistakable voice. He turned to his left and took in Alix's appearance. Thin, silver-tipped strands of light brown hair dripped over his green eyes in clumps. The light green shirt turned olive as it soaked up the rain, and he wore a brown messenger bag across his body. He looked like a drenched dandelion puff, but he was still the most beautiful sight Hop had seen all day.

Closing the distance between them, Hop pulled Alix into a tight hug as the rain continued to fall around them. He then pulled back just enough to give the slightly shorter man a firm kiss on the lips, which Alix eagerly returned. They lost themselves in each other's embrace, oblivious to their surroundings.

"Happy anniversary, my edelweiss," Hop murmured.

Alix smiled and kissed the tip of Hop's nose. "Happy anniversary, my bulbine." He then tugged Hop beneath the restaurant's awning. "I got us something," he added, rummaging through his messenger bag. He handed Hop a small white box.

When Hop opened the box, he saw two iridescent titanium rings resting on a layer of cushion. "Couples' rings?"

"Wedding rings," Alix corrected. "Unless you think six years is too soon."

"I never thought of myself as marriage material."

Alix looked intently at Hop. "You're serious. Shit, Hop. I've been head over heels for you this whole time. I thought it was obvious. I was even worried you'd want nothing to do with me since I was late."

"I thought you'd want nothing to do with me after arriving so late."

Alix laughed loudly. "Well, we're just a big pair of ding-dongs, aren't we?"

"The biggest," Hop replied with a grin.

"Now that that's settled," Alix said, taking one of the rings and sliding it onto Hop's left ring finger. "You're going to marry me, aren't you?"

Hop couldn't hold back his smile. "You make it sound like I don’t have a choice," he pointed out, sliding the other ring onto Alix's left ring finger. "Am I allowed to say no?"

"As long as your actions say otherwise, you can try to say no," Alix replied, holding up his hand to show off the ring.

Hop pulled Alix close and gave him a quick kiss. "Yes," he affirmed. "Let's get married."

Alix beamed and squeezed Hop in a tight hug. "And screw this restaurant's weird hours," he complained.

Hop chuckled. "Believe me, I feel the same way."

"The restaurants near my place have more reasonable hours," Alix mentioned. "You should move in with me."

"That's not a bad idea," Hop agreed.

"For now, why don’t you sleep over all weekend?" Alix suggested.

"I'd like that."

"Then let's head that way now and get out of these clothes."

Hop nodded as the two of them walked down the sidewalk, holding hands. He bent down to pick up the can he had kicked and dropped it into a recycling bin along the way. When Alix gave him a questioning glance, he simply shrugged.

The chaotic day wasn’t fully over. The rain continued to fall, and they still had to take the long way around to get to Alix’s neighborhood. However, the tension in Hop’s body melted away with every step they took further away from the closed restaurant.

“By the way, your hair looks great slicked back,” Alix commented.

Hop felt a smirk tug the corners of his lips upward.

END