Chi Cheng was having a drink, sitting on a velvety chair near a bar counter with his snake coiled around his arm. The cool glass of his drink contrasted with the warm velvet of the chair beneath him. The faint scent of leather and alcohol hung in the air of the dimly lit bar.

He was at the bar to meet up with his ex. Wang Shuo called Chi Cheng last night to ask for a chance to talk and explain himself. After being together for 6 years, Wang Shuo decided to cheat on Chi Cheng with Chi Cheng’s childhood friend. Wang Shuo left the country after that but now is coming back and wants to see Chi Cheng. The ice in Chi Cheng's drink clinked as he stirred it slowly, his jaw tight with suppressed anger.

“What takes him so long?” Chi Cheng muttered, checking his phone for the time. Before he could grow more annoyed, his gaze landed on a man who seemed to be wandering aimlessly. The stranger looked alone and a little lost, standing out from the regular patrons with his hesitant posture.

“Hmm...Not bad looking, he’s pretty cute. Perfect,” Chi Cheng mused aloud. He stood up, balancing his drink in one hand while his snake shifted slightly around his other arm. The reptile's scales glinted faintly in the low light as Chi Cheng made his way towards the stranger, moving with deliberate grace.

“Hey, first time here?” Chi Cheng asked, stepping close enough to be heard over the soft jazz playing in the background. He looked the man up and down, his eyes taking in every detail with obvious interest.

The stranger startled slightly at the sudden approach. “Oh, was it that obvious?”

Chi Cheng gave a slight chuckle, the sound warm and inviting despite his earlier irritation. “A little. Few people that seem so out of place here get recognized by the faces and I haven’t seen yours here at all.”