There were shopping bags at our feet as we enjoyed the warm late afternoon. Above us was a sun umbrella, giving us shade. No doubt, Yuki hadn't put on any sunscreen, so this was a good measure. I kept telling him that sunscreen isn't only for going to the beach. It's for every day, part of the skin routine in the morning, yes even in winter. However, he was looking up at the red umbrella now with a smile. His salad was going unfinished, and I was picking at mine. I hadn't been particularly interested in salad, but I wanted to keep my figure. He'd followed me in ordering it. 

Soon, I learned what he'd been thinking about. My fork stabbed a bit of carrot as he spoke. 

"It's nice to be out like this. Remember during the pandemic, we used to dream about this? Going shopping anywhere, sitting outside to eat. You used to talk about it. I can see why you like doing this. The fresh air is so nice."

People walked past us, two middle aged ladies deep in conversation. I watched them as they went. He was very right. But, he didn't know why I liked sitting outside when at restaurants. Did I dare tell him? 

He relaxed onto the back of his chair. The red color of it complimented his maroon t-shirt with a picture of palm trees reaching up to the sky on it. He looked so pleased.

"It is nice," I admitted, the carrot on my fork as I held it there as if teasing myself. "But, there's a reason why I like sitting outdoors."

He nodded, smiling in the joy of being outside. "The air is so nice. The music isn't too loud. It's relaxing. Something about eating outside is...I can't put my finger on that feeling. It's like a picnic, but not."

This was true, too. However... 

My eyes locked onto what I meant. They followed slowly, tracking. Without a second thought, I pointed my carrot towards what I was looking at. He'd know soon enough. His head turned, and my carrot followed as I continued pointing.

"Huh?" he asked, still unclear. He turned back to me. My carrot kept pace with what I was looking at. He looked back around. 

And then finally...

"Oh!" he jumped, suddenly grinning and trying to act like he hadn't been looking. His hand went over his mouth, his eyes wide. My carrot went into my mouth as my eyebrows raised a few times.

A buff guy wearing a too tight white t-shirt and close fitting jeans walked by our table. He was on his cellphone, not paying attention. My carrot crunched in my mouth as I chewed. I turned around, watching him go. I went back to my salad, spearing a cucumber slice. I pointed again. Yuki turned, seeing immediately what I meant.

A guy wearing sunglasses and with long, free flowing hair walked by our table. Too quick to notice us watching.

Yuki was grinning, but trying to hide it. My fingers went over my mouth as I chewed my cucumber. My shoulders went up in a shrug as I speared another and put it into my mouth. This Italian vinaigrette was divine. 

"You like to 'hot guy watch'?" he asked, leaning into me in a whisper. I leaned forward just as much. 

"Yes," I whispered, grinning with him. I let out a small "hm-hm" giggle and went back to chewing. 

"Wow," he breathed, relaxing back onto his chair again. "I never thought about doing that."

I licked some of the salad dressing off my bottom lip. "I just happened upon it. It was some years ago. I was with Heizou that time, actually. We saw a cute guy and then started looking out for them. There's so many. I used to do it all the time after that."

"Oh, but..." His face was troubled now. I stopped chewing.

"Hmm?" My fork paused in my salad. 

He just smiled nervously. "Um...you think I'm the hottest one though, right?"

Oh, darn. I hadn't even thought about that. Had I hurt him with this? My hand was extending to one of his forearms that was resting on the table. I was so comfortable with him, that I hadn't even thought that what I'd said could be offensive. I squeezed his lovely arm and got a small increase in his smile as my reward. 

"Of course you're the hottest one. You're so hot that I watched you in the park while you played piano for an hour. You made me stop in my tracks. I thought you were so hot that I had to have you, in whatever way. So, I asked you to play at my bar." 

By the end of my explanation, we were both giggling at the ridiculousness of it. There'd never be a way to tell him how beautiful I thought he was. Hot was one thing, but beauty was quite another. There's no words to describe beauty. I thought he was beautiful, this completeness. All of him was beautiful, not just his body. His body didn't have to be hot. He was beautiful no matter what, because of who he is. That has no words, and nothing compares. 

Still holding his arm, not wanting to let go, I felt the tension in it ease. His hand landed on mine as I held on. He petted it, lingering there. He didn't want to stop touching me, either. 

"Well, as long as I'm the hottest one," he chuckled. "I don't have a problem guy watching with you. Let's guy watch. Hey, want to order some ice cream?"

That sounded the most divine of all. Ice cream and hot guys? The best way to pass the rest of the afternoon, right there. This is why I love him, one of millions of reasons. 

I nodded so eagerly, and he grinned that grin that I love. The same one where he's so overly pleased, having heard something wonderful from me. Bashful, shy, but unable to hide his joy. The same one I saw when I fell in love, when I'd asked him to play piano at my bar. It only made me hold onto him harder.

"Okay, I'll get a waiter," he said. He started looking around for one, and I pointed just like before. He turned all the way around, but we both burst into laughter. There was no helping it. Seeing us, the waiter started coming over. As he approached, Yuki turned to me quickly. His eyebrows bounced just like mine had earlier, and we both giggled uncontrollably, leaning in together like it was a secret.

The young waiter stood before our table, a little notepad already at the ready. He had thick emo glasses, a trim body, and unruly hair that was trying to look neat. He was so cute. I saw the blush on Yuki's cheeks immediately, but I didn't let go of his arm. Shamelessly holding onto him in front of this hot guy. Showing that no matter what, no matter how hot a guy was, Yuki was mine. 

"Um, we just want ice cream. Vanilla ice cream. Two bowls," Yuki stumbled over his words as he tried not to laugh. His bottom lip was pulled in by his two front teeth at the end as he tried to control himself. I was trying so hard with him. Our grins were obvious, though. This secret game between us.

"Ah, yes. I'll get those right away," the waiter said, flashing a lovely pearly smile. He went away, but it seemed to take an agonizingly long time.

As soon as he was out of earshot, we both burst into giggles like a couple of children. I wiped a tear from my eye. It was too good. "You were going to laugh! I saw you!" I accused. 

"I can't help it! We were just talking about-! And then he was-!" he was laughing so hard that he couldn't even speak anymore.

"Yeah, yeah," I snorted. 

As we laughed together, I squeezed his arm a few times. Showing how much I love him. Loving that we could share even this, confident together. How strong our love is, to have this sort of game now together. How much I love him, the hottest guy I know.