...Steve deciphered the restaurant’s name, Dan Sung Sa, from the graffiti out front. Inside, the menu was written on wooden boards. In Korean. Mi Sun graciously asked for English menus and they began to select their dishes.

“Ever tried silk worm larvae?” Mi Sun asked Steve.

He wondered if she was joking. So far his senses hadn’t stopped spinning. Between half the tables of very young Asian students smoking their asses off and the others half smoking and eating—at the same time—the walls plastered with Korean pop posters and more graffiti, he didn’t think he could handle larvae as well.

He couldn’t believe the restaurant allowed smoking. He wondered how much the business owners in Koreatown had paid off the cops to turn a blind eye.

“What do bunyips eat?” Steve asked Alexio over the loud Asian pop music. He tried not to pick out the synthesized musical instrument and the wall of overproduced voices on the track. The hazards of his professional life.

Alexio shrugged. “I spoil Norman. I cook for him. He likes fish…deep sea fish the most. I even buy him wild-caught salmon. He’ll eat chicken. He likes carrots, too. And sweet potatoes. You know what I love here?” He pointed to a dish at the next table. “The chicken and kimchi.” His hand fell into Steve’s lap as he leaned closer to him.

“That’s a great dish. Very spicy,” Mi Sun agreed. She reached a manicured hand over to Steve and stroked his hand. “You are so handsome together!”

Steve grinned. He was so intoxicated by Alexio he suddenly didn’t care if the man was a complete psychotic who had an imaginary pet. His brother and sister-in-law hadn’t acted weird at the mention of Norman, so perhaps he was some strange dog. Or…something.

They ordered food, sipping soju, the Japanese version of vodka. After a couple of cups, Steve was feeling very happy and even sampled some of the more exotic dishes Mi Sun had ordered for them.

She and Christos were a fabulous couple. They had two children and Steve found himself feeling giddy with excitement when Alexio said, “I can’t wait for Steve to meet them.”

After a fantastic evening together, Christos dropped Steve home again. Alexio got out with him. “My car’s parked over there.” He pointed across the road. “I’ll walk Chloe with you, then I’ll drive home.”

Steve didn’t want him to go home. Soon it became apparent that Alexio had no intention of leaving him either. After going inside and kissing Steve until both their cocks were hard, Alexio held him in his arms.

“Fuck,” he said. “I was going to be so cool and drive off, but I can’t. I don’t want to leave you.”

“Then don’t,” Steve said, allowing Chloe to take a little of the man’s attention before taking him by the hand to his bedroom.

“Are you sure?” Alexio asked, even as they began to tear each other’s clothes off.

He saw a pair of long scratches on Alexio’s torso. They looked infected.

“What the hell happened to you?”

Alexio grimaced. “Norman,” he said. “He got a little rough when I gave him a bath. He didn’t mean to hurt me.”

Steve stared at the angry-looking wound, put his mouth to the scratches and kissed them.

Alexio’s hands came to his head, lifting Steve’s mouth up to his.

“I want you,” Alexio said.

Steve couldn’t speak. Alexio’s hands were all over him, sliding his underpants down his thighs, one hand running along the crack of his ass, the other fondling his rigid cock and balls.

“Oh, you feel so good,” Alexio said into his mouth.