↬ kitchen.

@⁰¹ jaemin n. "Oh, okay," Yibo nods ones his fear of overcooking plain water is refuted, eyes following everything the cook of the day did. He liked food, he liked eating it and admire how other people were able to prepare it. He never needed to cook his own meals before, there was his retired grandma that had filled her spare time with cooking up a storm and baking all kinds of goodies. Even his grandpa enjoyed cooking, mostly grilled dishes that required strong seasoning. Yibo possibly took after his mother, who, despite the grandmother of the family trying to teach her daughter the craft, just hadn't had the right passion to prepare edible food. On occasion, when Yibo's mom would cook, it was bland, not quite right, and those meals would turn into disputes between him and her. "I know," Yibo admitted with a soft sigh, "I just panicked." He wasn't stupid. He was just simply not born to be inside of a kitchen... ever.

"Like this?" Yibo took the plate from Jaemin, carefully nudging one of the smaller dumplings over the edge, trying to follow exactly what the other had told him. Fortune wasn't on his side, not even present, probably waiting outside the kitchen door, knowing better than to interfere with Yibo's fate in the kitchen. Yibo had intended to just topple it over, slide it over the edge, but it just had to catch on a ridge and over turn, flipping helplessly into the water, making it splash. Instinctively, though, the boy stepped away, avoiding coming into contact with the hot water. "Alright, not like this," he assessed to himself, putting the plate down. At the end of his wits, on the verge of giving up, which would be very uncharacteristic of him, the gears in his brain started working. He was a normally a rational person, logical, he should be able to think of how to save his reputation and possibly lives in this case. He strutted away for a brief moment, retrieving a spoon, giving Jaemin an almost smug look. He loaded one of the dumplings onto the spoon and gingerly immersed it into the boiling water without any further accidents. "A-ha! Genius!" Yibo grinned victoriously, pointing the end of the spoon handle to his temple.

@⁰¹ yibo w. A short fit of laughter leaves his lips as he looks at the other’s confused face, if he had to admit, he found it cute, almost endearing. It’s his first time spending time with the fellow first year, instead of the awkwardness he had anticipated earlier on, Jaemin found the other’s company really enjoyable, even when he looks like a lost sheep half the time and almost helpless. “ Yeah. “ he chuckles. “i mean we probably need to add more, but there’s nothing difficult to that.” Jaemin already has a bowl of water prepared beside him, emptying it’s contents into the boiling water, watching as the clear liquid stops bubbling again. “you know… you could have just turned the dial anti-clockwise to lower the heat, just like that.” Jaemin shows him, to be really honest, he feels like a parent whose teaching their child for the first time, except yibo wasn’t a child to begin with. nonetheless, it’s the other’s gaze filled with curiosity that fuels him to teach him, even if it’s just the basics.

“ I won’t. I can’t, wouldn’t dare “ Jaemin reassures as he passes the other a plate of uncooked dumpling, nudging his head towards the pot of boiling water. “just gently put it in, be really careful about the hot water though, don’t dump them in, slip them in slowly, this will prevent the splashing of the water. “ his tone lace with a little worry. for the short period he had spent with Yibo, the other had proven how much of a klutz he was and the last he wanted was for them to on their way to the hospital for burns. But, again, there was only one way to learn right? by trying it yourself and he was determined for Yibo to learn at least something when he walked out of the kitchen tonight. Jaemin watches him careful as he puts them in one by one and if there was anything written on his face, is how proud he was of the first year. well, at least now he could cook his own dumplings right?

@⁰¹ taeyang c. He had never been in that position in life. He didn't know, couldn't even fathom, what the other was going through thanks to him. Well, not really, but still. The implications of 'him' brought a vivid picture of the person in Yibo's mind way too quickly and it was undeniably an uncomfortable feeling. His gut felt tight at the memory and at the revealed truth, but what else could he do? Of course it bothered him that someone else harbored feelings for his boyfriend, but he knew that dating the senior would come with these quirks. After all, what was not to like about him?

However, Yibo grew accustomed to Taeyang as well, more than he would ever admit just because of his sheer pride. He hummed in response, showing that he acknowledged Taeyang's words. "Thanks. You too," Yibo returned the sentiment, grateful that he didn't have to eat the devil's food that was still inside the microwave. He started to get painfully aware how similar they were, him and Taeyang. The only difference being the outcome of it all. The questions of multiple 'what if's' started to rush through Yibo's mind as he started to eat slowly, causing endless insecurities, he's never thought of before, wake, his chest painfully tight and stomach nervously clenched.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Taeyang was ready to hear Yibo decline with the earlier tension between them. But he had to admit, he was a little pleased when he accepted. Taking off the mittens, he kept it on the side and was about to reach for the bowls when he saw Yibo doing the same and instead settled down on the stool. "I don't lie. I have been accused of being too honest but never about lying." But he could in a way understand why Yibo would think so. It was not an easy situation to be in. They had been involved in a mess of a triangle and even though he was the one who had been the unnecessary side to it, he had managed to stir up the balance and shake it up a bit.

He nodded as a way to say he understood. "I did not want to come back without resolving it but then i realised feelings cant be resolved that easy. And if i keep running, i wont be able to come back to the point where i need to be. I cant say that i dont like him anymore." Both of them knew who he was talking about. "But it doesnt hurt anymore. And i like myself more than i like him." It was his own way of saying the feelings he had held for the older would fade in time because he couldnt hurt himself anymore for someone who wouldnt feel the same. Taking the bowls, he served the stew and placed it in front of Yibo first before filling up his own bowl. "Eat well."

@⁰¹ taeyang c. The words took a moment to sink in. "You didn't?" It was much simpler to just assume that the other hated him. It was the easier way out, without any real embarrassment. Wouldn't that be easier than dealing with the possible, very real possibility that both of them were wrong? "Why would I do that?" Yibo frowned, more in confusion than frustration this time, looking to his side at his former roommate. "After going out of my way to talk sense into you and literally beg you to come back? I may be a jerk sometimes, but I'm not vile." Yibo defended himself in a calmer, more collected fashion than before. It was a misunderstanding. Or was it?

"Don't, please just... don't," Yibo sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wanted to blurt out that his boyfriend had told him the same. The miserably life of the only clean person in the world of messy people, he felt like that. The microwave beeped just after Taeyang voiced his offer, Yibo throwing a disgusted grimace at the appliance, contemplating whether to take Taeyang up on that offer. Well, it was too good to not accept, even if the food would be poisoned out of spite. "Thanks," Yibo muttered, a sign of a guilty smile present on his face as he went to acquire some bowls and utensils. "You know, I thought you lied about staying with a friend for the time being," it was apparently his turn to spill the beans. "When the new guy walked in, I started to believe that everything you've said was just to get rid of me. I thought you just went straight to the administration office and change rooms right that day. Everything else being empty words and ," finished with his side of the story, he set the bowls down onto the kitchen island, taking a seat on one of the stools.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Taeyang could only blink as things slowly started to click in his mind. Yibo hadnt asked for a new roommate and he hadnt asked for a room change either. So it was probably the admin who decided to make those changes. The only question was did he trust Yibo's words? "I never asked for a new room though" He decided to trust his words. "I thought you did." Not being someone who would beat around the bush, he simply said things as it is. "It made sense to me that you wouldnt want to be around someone who had feelings for your boyfriend. So when i came back and saw someone else assigned to the room, i assumed the same."

"I didnt realise you missed my mess that much. I could ask your new roomie to do that for you." His words didnt hold any form of malice. One could even say he was being playful, only if they knew him enough to notice the subtle changes. Grabbing on a mitten, he took the pot of stew and placed it on the table. "Come eat. I made enough for two." It was just like him to go from being uncaring to sharing a meal as if they hadnt just had a sort of confrontation.

@⁰¹ taeyang c. "And did you? I don't see your mess in the room," Yibo childishly responded, making a quite good point. He promised to return, as his roommate, not as just another student living in the dorms. They had a deal, that they would try to be cool again, despite their dispute. The next moment, he turned to look at Taeyang, his monotonous outburst made Yibo blink at him in confusion. "No, I did not. Why the hell would I do that?" with his eyebrows furrowed, Yibo eyed the other dumbfounded. Did the other think he really, seriously asked the office to replace Taeyang? After all the talking and persuading he did? Which was actually a very difficult time for both of them in two different senses. Yibo has never had to confront someone like this, on an emotional level without much gain for himself, other than Taeyang's friendship. "But I guess it's normal to get a new roommate once you asked to change rooms. I guess you just can't stand seeing my face anymore," Yibo scoffed, butthurt about the assumption without having any proof to support that claim. However, if Taeyang could falsely accuse him, Yibo could tell him what he's found as truth behind their now separate dorm rooms.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Taeyang took out the bandaid from the box before placing the kit back into the drawer and opened up the tap washing off the blood. "You are saying as if i didnt come back. I never went back on my promise. You didnt tell me i had to come back within a specific time." He wrapped the band aid around the cut before turning to face Yibo. "I did come back, didnt I?" It was only then that something clicked into his mind. "Wait. You didnt ask for a new roommate?" Yibo hadnt told that outright so he wasnt sure if he was coming to the right conclusion. Was he misunderstanding the whole situation?

He started to chop the scallions once again after checking the stew because even though he wanted the answer, he didnt really want to redo the stew. It was too much work. He soon added it to the stew and stirred it before turning off the heat.

@⁰¹ taeyang c. Yibo's eyes followed the fallen object, but his sight didn't catch the cut just yet. "I did say that and I meant it," Yibo insisted, his body following the statement with a firm nod of affirmation. "I did what now?" his jaw went slack. /He/ got a new roommate? Right, because he would just walk into the office to ask to replace the guy that he had so persistently almost begged to return once he was feeling better. That did not make sense to him. "Are you serious? Blaming me for getting a new roommate, incredible," Yibo scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief and looking away to gather his thoughts as well as calm his frustration. "If you hadn't broken your goddamn promise, I wouldn't be assigned a new roommate, you know? If you had come back. But I guess your word is worth nothing. So congrats to you for rendering yourself unable to keep your word." His own words came out stronger than he intended to, but he was so immersed into knowing that he was seriously not to blame here, that this felt like a personal attack. He had no reason to ask for a new roommate. If he didn't want Taeyang to return, he wouldn't have talked to him and ask him to come back, expect him to come back even. Yibo did not understand the logic behind the other's accusations.

Once the other started to move around, Yibo followed him with his eyes. And just then he noticed the cut on his finger. Should he feel sorry for him? He sighed instead. "Wash it before you bandage it," Yibo muttered a word of advice to Taeyang, grabbing the cheap food and sliding it into the microwave, heating it up.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Taeyang made the mistake of looking up at the other with the knife in his hand and made a cut on his finger. The sting made him drop his knife but he didnt bother with taking care of it in that moment. "Breaking a promise? Werent you the one who said i could come back any time? Or were you just saying that because you felt too sorry for me?" Was it pity on his part that he said something like that? He couldnt ask that out loud. Not when he didnt want the answer to that. "You were the one who went back on your word and got yourself a new roommate. Congrats to you." His words all came out in that monotonous way it always did. He could never speak in a loud voice no matter how frustrated he felt. His tone never changed unless he was singing.

He looked down to see his finger bleeding from the cut and turned around and started looking for a first aid kit which he soon found in one of the drawers. Pulling it out, he kept his gaze elsewhere trying to pretend Yibo wasnt there. This wasnt the kind of come back he had wanted to make.

@⁰¹ taeyang c. "Welcome?" Yibo echoed incredulously. He was well taken aback and almost amused by the fault behind their hostility being dropped on him. "My welcome?" Yibo turned to Taeyang with an obviously dumbfounded, frustrated, with a hint of a smile of disbelief, face. He was pointing at himself to mimic what he was talking about, eyes scanning the other to find a sign of him joking. He couldn't be that conceited, could he? Yibo certainly didn't see him that way, but asking for a welcome after ditching him completely, he wasn't sure what to expect from Taeyang anymore. "What welcome do you expect? Should I organize a ing homecoming party for you? Or would you rather have a 'congrats on breaking your promise' party?" Yibo's eyebrows lowered from their surprised stretch into clear and pure frustration.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Taeyang watched the stew start to simmer under the heat and it felt like his bubbling annoyance that he let out despite having decided to keep it under wraps. He turned around to face Yibo and if he had been capable of expressing through his face, he would probably be scowling right then or possibly adorning a frown. But he had none of that. It was hard to say if his inability to project the feelings on his face was a boon or a bane. It was how he was mostly misunderstood.

"Your welcome certainly is very different than what you told me it would be" He couldnt help say it. He should have stopped himself but the words were out before he could control it. "We should forget it." With a shake of his head, he turned back his attention to the stew and reached out for the scallions to chop.

@⁰¹ taeyang c. If it were possible, Yibo would have been seeing red at this point. He wasn't a vengeful person, not by a long shot, but it angered him to be the receiver of such poisonous tone. Be it whoever else, Yibo wouldn't even flinch, but he was used to Taeyang's passivity, and this passive aggressive attitude was exactly what got under his skin everytime the other said 'I'll clean up later'. "No," Yibo said casually, his tone slightly sharper than normally though. He leaned against the counter in a defensive stance, looking at Taeyang daringly. "I still don't know how to cook. And no, my new roommate does not cook for me, however-" and he went suddenly quiet. Yibo wanted to retaliate, defend his hurt pride, however he promised to himself to be a better person than he used to be. His following words would possibly hurt the other, much more than just what he had done to Yibo. 'However, my boyfriend does sometimes', Yibo wanted to say but didn't. That would be a weak comeback, a low blow for the other, right after he's just returned and Yibo was surprised he's bitten down on his tongue before spitting it out just in time. "You know what, forget it," Yibo sighed instead, shaking his head as he looked down at his cheap supper. "I have done nothing to you," and with that he tore the packaging open ready to toss the readymade meal into the microwave.

@⁰¹ yibo w. It was not hard to read his ex roommate, not when he had lived with him and was aware of his habits, good and bad. He was tempted to add to the discomfort, an immature revenge on his part for the false hope he had been given. "I see you still havent learnt how to cook. New roommate not helping you out?" He was being a little childish. Not that he would admit out loud. But he was seriously irked even though a part of him was screaming at him for even bringing up the roommate when he should be acting pretty chill and not give the satisfaction to Yibo for giving his spot to someone else.

Feeling like he had let out his annoyance even though his face was still the familiar blank that he was known was, he turned his attention back to his stew adding in other ingredients and then pouring some water letting it boil. He looked at the stew and realised he had made for two. Old habits do die hard and it was a given that he had unconsciously made more because somewhere in the back of his head, he had also been cooking for his old roommate.

@⁰¹ taeyang c. Yibo felt the pair of eyes drift his way every now and then, making him tense up every other moment. He felt like he was being judged. Although Taeyang surely knew about Yibo's lack of culinary skills, that shouldn't have surprised him, yet the skater still felt like he was being scrutinized. "What?" he whipped his head to the side where Taeyang was glancing his way from the corner of his eyes, fed up with the secretive gesture. His face was almost expressionless, except his narrowed eyes that screamed that he felt uncomfortable and awkward by the other's actions. If the reason behind Taeyang's glances was the food, Yibo could understand that. But they had a past, a not so comfortable one, which gave the freshman the idea that there was more to the subtle sneak peeks. Was it still because of his boyfriend? Was his former roommate still hung upon that? Or was it just the sheer dislike towards him, the one that must have driven Taeyang to ask for a different roommate? Yibo felt betrayed, to say the least. He didn't need explanations. If Taeyang chose to move away, so be it, but this silent judgement was not doing Yibo any good. He has done nothing wrong. If anything, Yibo had more right to be upset with the other for breaking his promise.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Taeyang turned around to get the kimchi to add when his eyes caught sight of the familiar face. He didnt miss the glare that was thrown at his direction and he blinked wondering why his ex roomie would act that way. Not wanting to be outdone, he only gave a blank stare showing no signs of the familiarity and acting like they were strangers. To him, if Yibo could take on a new roommate, it probably meant that he didnt want to be around Taeyang any way.

He grabbed the box of kimchi and took a portion of it before adding it to the beef slices that was being cooked in the pot. Despite trying not to, he couldnt resist looking at what the other was cooking, and knowing Yibo's lack of culinary skills, it shouldnt have been a surprise to see him try to make something edible. He wondered if the other had been eating well. Shaking his thoughts away not wating to be bothered by it, he focused on trying to complete his stew. Although it was harder than he had hoped for. He couldnt help look at the food that Yibo was trying to prepare a little disapprovingly but kept his mouth shut from commenting on it.

@⁰¹ taeyang c. After classes, after his basketball practice, freshly showered and famished, Yibo took the oven-ready food and walked all the way from his dorm to the communal kitchen. It was the only resort at this time of the month, when he was running low on money and couldn't afford his usual take-outs. Ever since he was assigned a roommate, the first one, which happened to be Taeyang, Yibo got used to having at least some homemade food. In fact, he missed it. Not only because it was a way of reconciling over their constant fighting over the mess in the room and Yibo's forgetfulness, but also somewhat of a bonding activity. It suddenly felt like the last time they interacted was ages ago. With Taeyang's promise to return after the whole charade which involved his boyfriend as well, Yibo felt betrayed when the new roommate walked into the room. He knew Taeyang needed time, but this was not what he expected.

Entering the kitchen, he spotted a pink head bouncing there, not thinking much of it. He was only going to pop the read-made food into some heat source and leave. But when his sight focused and zoomed in, the face of the pink head became clearer and more familiar. Speak of the devil, there he was; Choi Taeyang. Yibo draw in a calming breath, opting not to act out on sight. This was fine. His former roommate wanted space and time, went to the extent of changing rooms, that should be a good thing. But a promise was still a promise. Without a word, nor a greeting, nor a gesture of acknowledgement, just a brief glance that could pass of as a glare, Yibo made his way to a counter to prepare his cheap substitute of a proper dinner.

@⁰¹ yibo w. Taeyang walked into the kitchen holding onto the bag of groceries he had brought for his dinner. It had been a while since he had last cooked in the place and so it felt kind of weird. More so now that he didnt have to cook for Yibo. For someone who told him to return on his time sure did find himself a new roommate. It kind of irked him because he had believed Yibo and had really thought he would be welcomed back only to find out his spot was taken. Not wanting to think too much about it on the very first day of coming back, he placed the bag on the counter and started pulling out the things one by one.

He was too tired to make anything complicated so he settled for making kimchi stew. He was glad his grandmother had send him some the day before so he had plenty to last a few months. Pushing his cotton candy coloured hair, a choice he had made as a sign of new beginning(he still wasnt sure why he went with pink of all colours), he started on the stew while humming to some random song.

@⁰¹ jaemin n. It took a moment for Yibo's heart to slow down from the shock he has just received. How could he mess up such a simple task? Well, one thing was for sure; he was definitely a klutz in the kitchen. His hands still felt shaky, but Jaemin's unexpected calmness made him go wide-eyed. Was it prohibited in this school to chastise someone for doing something wrong or the people were just that nice? "I-" Yibo turned to the slightly flooded stove, blinking at it in mere confusion. "Is the water still okay?" he asked, pointing at the pot before shooting Jaemin a puzzled look. He knew as much as that overcooking was a real thing. Could water be overcooked though?

"Silly?" his eyes narrowed instantly. For a moment, he wanted to feel insulted, but hearing the laughter and seeing the amused smile with a pat on his back following, Yibo stood flabbergasted by the stove. What was wrong with people around here? "I-I guess I wanna try," he quickly tried to collect his thoughts, coordinate his actions, as he returned to the other counter where the dumplings were lined up, ready to be cooked. They looked like a display of sizes from which a costumer could choose. Large, crooked and then the nice, right-sized ones. "Just... just don't leave me unsupervised, I guess," Yibo, talking to no one in particular, maybe to his proverbial guardian angel, even though the words were meant for Jaemin, stared at the display of dumplings, biting his bottom lip nervously. He didn't want to let on that he was indeed a hopeless case. However, looking back up to search Jaemin's face for a reaction, he was met with a beaming, toothy grin and he promptly smiled back over the lip-biting. All in all, it was more entertaining than he would ever expect, in spite of the adrenaline fueling parts.

@⁰¹ yibo w. It’s needless to say Jaemin was clueless about the things running through the younger’s head. he barely noticed it. brows furrow, fully immersed in the task at hand. The first row of dumpling obviously being the ugliest only to get better in the next few rows. Jaemin prided in the standards of his unwavering determination to make the perfect dumping, unknown to him the current panic racing through the other’s mind. if only he knew.

“” that was all he uttered out the moment he hear the other’s panic, did something happen? was he finally gonna die in this dorm, he didn’t want to, he was merely helping a fellow year one with some food, he didn’t deserve this! Immediately, his head snapped towards the direction of the sizzling sound, eyes widening at the pot of boiling water over spilling onto the stove. “yi-“ he turned to call the other only to see the other moving towards the direction. “god no. i’ll do it.” Jaemin’s almost calm and collected as he approached the stove. fingers reaching out to turn the knob in another direction, the blue flames immediately turning down, gone was the vigour bubble of the water.

Breathing a little sigh, Jaemin then released a small bubble of laughter as he turns to look at Yibo’s panic-stricken face and then back at the stove top filled with a good amount of water. “you’e so.. silly.” he continues laughing, reaching out to give the other a gentle pat on his back for his hard work. “well, now the water has already boiled… we can cook it? do you think you’ll be up for that or do you want me to do it?” He beams at the male, flashing a toothy grin.

@⁰³ junhoe k. After his day from classes, Hyunjin got to do some grocery shopping on his own, which he secretly did back at his family's mansion. Even if he had to be sneaky about it around his family, he enjoyed cooking and getting to be independent, not having to rely on their butler or chef. Whenever his family made him rely on them, he'd feel horrible for doing so, always making sure to whisper a 'I'm sorry for me and my family' to them before continuing what he had to do back home. Eventually he'd return to the dorms, letting out a small breath as he was glad that there was no one around, letting him to cook freely and however he wanted there without bothering anyone else there. So from there, he made himself some marinara pasta with grounded beef, as Italian food was his favorite cuisine. Making a bit extra, he'd wrap it up, leaving it on the side, placing a note on it saying 'I made a bit extra, so if you'd like, take some~ Enjoy~ -Hyunjin', leaving it for anyone before grabbing a bowl for himself, moving over to a table by the window, to enjoy his dinner.

Hyunjin was focused as he ate, looking over at his phone, his eyebrows furrowed as he was reading the recent headlines about his family, rolling his eyes at some of the ridiculous ones. He didn't notice who had just entered, but was aware that there was another student around, making him sigh quietly to himself, as he didn't want to think about his family for the night, with how they're rubbing their glory into other people's faces, continuing to look at his phone as he looked through some photos he took for fun. In the corner of his eye, Hyunjin saw the other student close by as he had to pass by, making him look up, only to widen his eyes in surprise at who the person was. '...Junhoe....' He thought to himself as memories of them pass through his mind from when they used to be close. Biting his inner cheek, he could immediately tell how different the other was, giving a small smile, nodding lightly back in greeting, as he placed his phone down on the table. "N-Nothing much~....and you?....it's been a while since we last spoke to each other, huh?" Hyunjin would ask, feeling the awkwardness between the two, looking down at his bowl as he used his fork to play with it, before blinking for a moment, soon looking back up at the other as he giggled to himself lightly, lifting up his fork up in the air a bit. "I am. I made extra if you want it. Before someone else does~......I felt like cooking tonight so...yeah~...."

@⁰¹ jaemin n. "It's just logical," Yibo shrugged at the praise fro being able to figure out how to roll a dough with a poor excuse for a rolling pin; a cylinder container. He wasn't stupid, he just couldn't put two and two together when it came to the kitchen stuff. The measurements would be off, the slicing would be digit-threatening and the actual process of cooking by a stove could turn into a catastrophe in mere seconds.

That's exactly why Yijo hesitated when he was asked to boil water. He in his lips, trying to control his expression, not letting it go to the scare child-like apprehension that it was oh so eager to turn into. Boiling a pot of water... that shouldn't be difficult. In theory and life of a normal human being, it wouldn't be. But Yibo was known to be a kitchen hazard. The mere thought made him appreciate and admire Jaemin's bravery to willingly be in the same room that happened to be the kitchen. Recklessness, courage, or simple uncomprehension of the seriousness of Yibo's lack of kitchen skills, Jaemin was considerably in a very life-threatening situation right now.

Yibo's done all he was instructed, filled the pot with water and put it on the stove. Now, how to operate the devil's invention? Yibo leaned down, examining the knobs, twisting one that caught his eye only to hear a faint seeping sound. A gas stove then, Yibo made a mental note. Even worse, the possibility of an explosion just added itself into the danger list. Yibo gulped, turned the knob off and searched for the spark button with wiggly fingers. When he found it, it only took a few sparks and one twist of the gas knob to start up a heat source, although no one told Yibo that the knob was there to regulate the size of it. It was full blast, on maximum, and he comfortably, even proudly, put the pot on the hastily blazing stove. He thought that was how it was suppose to be. In Gordon Ramsay's shows, there was way too much fire around the stoves anyway, so it was reasonable in his mind. He padded over to Jaemin cotently, watching how he worked on filling the dumplings, taking in the do's and don't's. He nodded in understanding, ready to make one himself. First one was utter . Second was utter from the opposite end of the spectrum. And the third one was interrupted by a sizzling sound of the boiling water bubbling violently, pouring over the brim of the pot, landing on the fire which cause the sound. Yibo panicked. "Holy ! ing !" He cursed and dashed away from making dumplings, completely clueless how to turn the stove off in his haste.

@⁰¹ yibo w. “Pizza stuff?” confusion written all over the elder’s face, “uh.. you meant tossing? Oh good lord, no.” there’s such child innocence to his question that make Jaemin laughs softly as he looks up at the male, a look of fondness written all over his face. he was so adorable and if not for the fact that he has was dirty, he would have reached out to pinch the other’s cheeks already. Yibo was like a little brother he never had and it was honestly, cute. “we don’t have a proper rolling pin, therefore we’re only left with this option. “ he nods for a moment, already ready to show Yibo the ropes, but he’s mildly surprise when Yibo is the one who takes it first, demonstrating it to him. it /is/ awkward but he does an impeccable job of it that Jaemin can’t help but to praise. “that’s good, bo. You already know how to do it!”

It’s so much faster when Jaemin doesn’t have to go through step by step with the younger boy, seeing how he had already gotten the hang of it. the process is much smoother than expected. it’s almost thirty minutes by the time yibo and him are done with the dough, pieces of them all laid out neatly laid on the kitchen top, the yield is more than what he needs but having more was better than having less right? Jaemin gives his hands a quick rinse before turning back to the younger. “do you mind just boiling a pot of water so we can cook them immediately when we’re done?” Jaemin is already setting the bowl of filling on the table when the other is done before waving him over. “we just need to fill this up now, it’s not that difficult, but we just need to make sure that we don’t have too much filling, the dough might tear, and if we have too little, we’ll just be eating dough later on.” Jaemin isn’t a professional when it comes to this, so he fails the first two pieces, the fragile dough tearing beneath his gentle press. On the third one, he simply scoops a lesser amount into the thin sheet of dough, folding the corners and them pressing them together before laying it on the table. “well.. uh.. i think it’s something like that?” there’s no doubt that it’s ugly, an obvious attempt of a first timer.

@⁰¹ yibo w. “Tomorr-“ Zhan stutters, when did he agree on lunch. Again, not that he was complaining. He stopped in his tracks, at the hand on his shoulder, turning just in time for to feel Yibo’s warm breath against his cheek “I-“ Zhan flushed bright red again, his brain, fully short circuited past the point of recovery. Even if he wanted to return the sentiment, he was completely unable to form a coherent thought “Bye” He said meeking, raising his hand to wave at Yibo’s retreating figure. Before stumbling into his room.

@⁰⁴ zhan x. "Thanks for dinner and tomorrow's lunch," Yibo said one last time as he trailed just a step behind Zhan, smiling contently, walking with his usual swagger, his ankle holding out just fine. With a light tap on Zhan's shoulder, requesting him to stop for to be able to say his farewell before turning in for the night, Yibo halted. "Have a nice evening," Yibo said coolly, now that they were out in the hall where anyone could overhear. Despite that, disregarding anything else that was in their surroundings, he leaned in just a smidge with an evil smirk and mumbled quietly, only for Zhan to hear: "And don't miss me too much when you're gone." His smirk morphed into a toothy grin and a hearty laughter. "Bye," he called out and swaggered away to his dorm room door, throwing a glance over his shoulder to see the aftermath of his shamelessness.

@⁰¹ yibo w. "I'll try to make sure my roommates don't find out you were the one who defiled the downstairs bathroom" Zhan bumped his shoulder to Yibo's playfully, He wasn't sure what happened in there, but from the sounds of it, Yibo was certainly intoxicated that night.
Zhan stared at his hand for a second, the one Yibo had just wiped his pocket lint off of, choosing to bar that interaction from his mind. He could freak out about it in the privacy of his own room
"No" Zhan shook his head viciously, "I'm just saying, it's a study that I read, take it up with UMichigan" It wasnt what he meant, but that didn't stop him from teasing Yibo about it anyways.
"I'm just saying, You're a hazard to yourself," He chuckled, stepping back to give YIbo room to hop off the counter, slightly surprised when he didn't stumble.
"Ok" Zhan mumbled making his way toward the exit, headed straight back to his dorm

@⁰⁴ zhan x. "Sure," Yibo bobbed his head in a happy nod. It felt so weird, so overwhelming, acting on impulse rather than thorough consideration of how to respond. "Snacks, no popcorn, got it," Yibo smiled a half smile, slightly embarrassed by the part that stuck with Zhan. Oh, and how many of those parts, moments, there were. "I just hope I still know the way sober to that house," Yibo spoke with a cowering shudder. That night was both fun and horrible at the same time.
"You're very welcome. There's plenty more," Yibo chuckled, quickly dusting the plain dirt, that was likely the cleanest filth from the washing machine and laundry detergent, off of Zhan's hand, slapping his own palm against the other's when it was done. "Sorry, I got... uh... carried away," Yibo snickered nervously, having to quickly occupy his hand with something else, opting to scratch at the side of his long neck.
"Wow," Yibo deadpanned. "Like, wow," he repeated in the same monotone. "Did you just imply that I'm stupid for being tidy?" Yibo's blank face slowly filled in with an incredulous half smile. "It's not my business anyway. You do you, if you like your mess, I can't say about it," Yibo shrugged.
"As if," came as a strong rejection to the help. "If you want to carry me around, just say it," he retaliated with a smirk, hopping off the counter and landing on his uninjured leg first. "Mm," he hummed looking around, hands making it back into his pockets as he lingered for a moment. "'Kay, let's go," he muttered, his palm covering the backside of his phone that was in his pocket, the phone which now had an Airhead contact in it.

@⁰¹ yibo w. "Ok, clumsy" Zhan rolled his eyes, throwing the nickname he'd adopted for the younger back at him. "I'll out the race schedule and let you know?" He was already making mental notes on how to best cram to ensure he had free nights (days?) in order to watch the races with Yibo. "We can do it at my new house since I'll have my own room, bring snacks" He planned, since from the sound of it, Yibo didnt really get along with his roommate, plus it would be inconsiderate to storm someone elses room (even if it were shared) at such ungodly hours. "Not popcorn though" Zhan laughed, remembering what he had said about his grandmothers microwave earlier.
Zhan looked at the pile of lint sitting in his hand, unsure of how to react, "I- uuh.. thank you?" Was it the weird present (?) that had been gifted to him, or the unexpected touch that had Zhan's brain malfunctioning for the millionth time tonight? Uncertain.
"Did you know there is a study done by the university of michigan in the states that suggests that messiness is directly linked to intelligence? something about how your brain is more preoccupied with other things rather than your immediate surroundings" Zhan rambled on about some study he'd read other the summer.
"I guess we'll see" He laughed, "Anyways, It's getting late, we should start head back" He turns to leave, but stops in his tracks, and turns around, giving Yibo, who was still sitting on the counter a once over "Are you gonna be able to get down without hurting yourself? Or do you need help?" He teases, but the concern is genuine

@⁰⁴ zhan x. "I'm just teasing, you're still an awesome airhead," Yibo changed his statement, in the spirit of fun and mischief nothing serious. He was truly impressed by the capacity of Zhan's knowledge, after all Yibo wouldn't be able to study and master such a subject. And in addition, Zhan was totally cool. Playing sports, playing video games, cars, the only missing puzzle piece was the skateboard. However, even that fell into the picture, since that's the way they got to meet. "Not only that, but I definitely don't want any extras," Yibo muttered. Not that he would mind a hanging out with more people, but this was different. Yibo wanted it to be different.
"Hold on," Yibo's tongue peeked out from between his plush lips in concentration as he shoved his hand deep into the pocket of his sweats, scraping up whatever filth was stuck in the crease. "Watch this," he grinned, pulling his hand out with a tiny amount of collected fiber of the textile and loose threads of the seam. "There, you're a millionaire and indebted," Yibo said gracefully, grabbed Zhan's forearm with his clean hand and made the senior open his hand to receive the pocket lint. It was impossible how very little did he realize that he was being weird, completely out of his character.
"I guess you would say that. You're messy," he spoke with honesty. He didn't care all that much about Zhan being messy, it didn't cross into his own area. But his roommate would leave his belongings scattered in Yibo's space. And that was a no go.
"That's exactly what I mean," Yibo nodded. "I'm not losing. Not even to you, oh almighty Zhan," Yibo said in a sing-song voice.

@⁰¹ yibo w. With each compliment, Zhan's heart skipped a beat and his smile grew wider "Wow, what did I do to deserve such praise" Zhan tried to play off as if he wasnt completely taken by the goofy smile present on Yibo's face, "It'll end up being in the middle of the night, since a lot of the races are in european timezone" Zhan nodded thoughtfully "So we'll have to plan in advance,"
Zhan pretending to search through his pockets "Sorry I'm fresh out of monopoly money," He frowned, coming up empty-handed.
"There's nothing wrong with messy" Zhan mutters with a pout, he knew his room was messy and he'd never really cared, but for some reason, when the younger mentioned it, he felt kind of self-conscious
"Whatever?" Zhan said with a roll of his eyes, but was excited nevertheless. both by the prospect of finally being able to visit Japan, but also potentially spending more time with YIbo.
You don't? You still owe me a one on one" Zhan snickered, challenging the younger, once again.