Saturday

Issa walks the aisles of the supermarket, running his hands along the off-brand products. His trainer laces are undone, dragging on the floor and the cheesy supermarket music plays in the background to the sound of the squeaky trolleys in every aisle. A kid clambers up the shelves of the cold drinks section, reaching for the last one-serving bottle of white chocolate milk. Issa walks up behind him and in one swift movement has the bottle in his basket. The kid breaks out crying and Issa speed-walks out the aisle, basket in-hand, as the kid screeches behind his back. A middle-aged women zips around the corner and picks him up, cradling the red monster in her arms. She looks at Issa with exhaustion in her eyes and he sighs with a smile.

Toddlers, amiright?

He mouths to the mother and she smiles. Issa smiles back before walking into the Desserts aisle and walks up to the powders. His eyes glide over all the off-brand products until he settles on the one he needs, a box of custard powder sachets...at the top of the shelves. Issa lets out a loud groan of irritation, standing up on the tips of his shoes in a sad attempt to reach the top shelf. He falls over and collapses into the display, several boxes of dry cake mix and other assorted items falling to the floor. The other people in the aisle turn to look at him and Issa smiles, slowly picking the boxes up and putting them back on the shelf. He steps back from the shelf and considers a running start to jump up and grab the custard. Or using the edges of the shelves as a ladder and climbing all the way up.

No, too risky.

“You need help there, number 23?” A voice says behind him and Issa turns around.

“Nice to see you again, Kiwi.” He says with a wave and a smile. “Don't mind me, just struggling to reach the custard powder on the top shelf because I'm so f*cking short.”

“You’re not that short.” Ki smiles, assessing the powders with his eyes. “ You’re about the same height as my sister. And she’s pretty tall for her age.”

“And how old is your sister?”

“Sixteen.”

“I’m seventeen! That’s one year difference!

Ki lets out a laugh, reaching up to grab the custard powder box and hands it to Issa.

“Here. You’re welcome.”

Issa nods and takes the box carefully, placing it gently in his basket amongst his other items. He eyes several packets of Maggi Stir Fry noodles in Ki’s basket.

“Why so many?”

Ki glances at the two bags of rainbow sprinkles in Issa’s basket.

“I should be asking you the same thing.”

“I won’t judge you if you don’t judge me.”

Ki laughs again and Issa is almost startles by the noise he so rarely hears.

“Sure, it’s a deal.” Ki shrugs, holding out his hand. Issa takes it and shakes it, nodding his head.

"But why do you have so many sprinkles?"

"For meal purposes."

"A meal such as...?"

"Breakfast?"

"Rainbow sprinkles on white bread. Sounds weird, but I eat it a lot."

"Just...rainbow...sprinkles...on a single piece of white bread?"

"No, you bozo. I said pig's blood smeared over an elephant-sized slice of pepperoni pizza." Issa shoots Ki a glance as the pair walk towards the check-outs. "Yes, of course! Rainbow sprinkles on white bread!"

Ki presses his lips together and frowns. "That's unhealthy and frankly...kinda weird."

"Holland siagrees with you. Over there, they have white bread with margarine and dark chocolate sprinkles. Except in my version, I made it gay."

"Funny way to interpret it, but okay."

"Says you, Kiwi."

"Did you just call me a pet name?"

"What? Your name is Ki Rhee! That sounds exactly like kiwi!" They shift forwards in the queue for the self-checkouts. A few glances are shot their way at the sound of Issa's raised voice.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're really loud? Besides, who are you to say 'says you'? You barely know me."

"Wanna change that?" Issa says suggestively in a weak attempt at a smooth, sexual voice and Ki raises an eyebrow at him from over his shoulder.

"Touché, way to slide into the conversation." Ki smirks, moving forward to a counter and scanning his first pack of Maggi noodles.

"Do you just do this on the daily? Hit on fellow Niles boys in the hopes you'll change them to bat for the rainbow team? Very funny."

"Well, it's the method I used to get my first boyfriend." Issa shrugs. "So it's been Issa-tifically proven that it can be effective."

Ki pulls out a folded-up reuseable bag from out his back pocket and starts bagging what he's bought. "And how did that relationship turn out?"

Issa goes silent, pressing his lips together and furrowing his brows.

"We don't talk about Marcel."

Ki raises his eyebrows upwards in a slight motion as acknowledgement. "Alright then."

He grabs his change from the machine and makes his way out of the self-serive area, waiting for Issa until he walks over.

The minute the pair walk out, the summer showers start raining down.

"Dammit." Issa sighs, grabbing a pamphlet from the newspaper racks, "I gotta go, I don't wanna have to wait a while at the bus stop for the bus in this weather."

"Wait."

Issa looks back at Ki. "Yes?"

"What if I said I'd wanna take up that offer of getting to know each other?"

Issa's eyes widen.

Now this an interesting development.

He thinks about it for a minute. "Maybe. If we see each other again."

"Then it's a deal. And next time, you better tell me your secret recipe on how to make rainbow toast!" Ki laughs and Issa smiles.

"A master-chef never reveals his secrets." He says, touching the tip of his nose.

"Then I'll just google it." Ki smiles, waving as he walks away from Issa.

"That's cheating, you bloody bugger!" Issa yells at his back excitedly and he can almost hear Ki smirk in response.

"Sure, whatever, fine." Issa tilts his head and twirls around on his heels to start walking in the other direction.

And even if Issa wouldn't admit it to himself, deep-down inside he knew he wanted to see Ki again.

Even if it was only to discuss how to put rainbow sprinkles on toast.