"Yah… at least make it look believable."
"It is. Just try it first."
Eunseok wanted to trust Wonbin, who kept insisting everything was fine, but the dish sitting in front of him made that difficult.
Wasn't kimchi jjigae supposed to be inviting? A hearty stew of pork and kimchi, simmered into a rich red-orange broth thick enough to look satisfying, but still clear.
Wonbin's version, however, was a deep, murky red. The broth was so thick that Eunseok couldn't even tell which pieces were pork and which were kimchi anymore.
When he looked up, Wonbin was staring at him with unconcealed anticipation, eyes bright and hopeful. There was something almost… vulnerable about the way he waited.
With a resigned sigh, Eunseok picked up his spoon and took a bite.
"Cough cough!!"
"H-Hyung! Slow down!"
Wonbin exclaimed, instantly panicked. "What happened? Was it that good?"
"Good my ass. Why is your kimchi jjigae sweet?!"
The color promised spice. The taste betrayed it completely.
"Oh,"
Wonbin said, blinking. "It was too sour, so I added sugar."
Eunseok froze.
"Kimchi jjigae is supposed to be sour. Even if it isn't, it should at least be mildly spicy. Why did you even think this was good?"
"Sungchan-hyung said it was."
Of course.
Eunseok didn't need to ask more. Whenever Wonbin showed absurd confidence in his cooking, Sungchan's approval was always somewhere behind it.
/ᐠ - ˕ -マ
"I'm making kimchi jjigae."
Wonbin said it casually, but his movements were careful, almost meticulous. From behind him, Sungchan watched in silence.
"Mmm. Looks good,"
Sungchan commented.
Wonbin's shoulders relaxed instantly.
"Right? Just looking at it makes you hungry, doesn't it?"
"It does."
There was nothing exaggerated about Sungchan's tone. If anything, it was gentle, too gentle for such a simple exchange.
After finishing up, Wonbin seated Sungchan first before serving him a full bowl, making sure the broth didn't spill a single drop.
As Sungchan tasted it, Wonbin hovered nearby, pretending not to watch yet his eyes never left Sungchan's face.
"It's good,"
Sungchan said, smiling slightly. "You've really improved."
The relief on Wonbin's face came too quickly, too honestly. His lips curved upward before he could stop himself.
"Really? Then maybe I should bring it to school and let everyone try it."
Sungchan paused, spoon hovering in the air.
"…I don't know about everyone,"
he said after a moment. "But it works for me."
For reasons Wonbin didn't quite understand, that mattered more than it should have.
/ᐠ - ˕ -マ
"That's exactly what Sungchan-hyung said,"
Wonbin repeated later, still sounding pleased.
Eunseok stared at the ceiling, silently sending prayers toward Sungchan.
Jung Sungchan.
If you're going to lose your mind, at least do it alone.
The fact that you can say this tastes good... and mean something more by it, honestly terrifies me.
───┄ °❀