He was getting hungry too, and as he mingled together while receiving helping hands reaching from here and there, the process itself felt fun.
For instance, variety shows where they go on trips as a group, though he’d never appeared on one. Or it felt like filming a program serving trendy food these days.
“The recipe says to put in coriander, do you eat it?”
“I can’t eat it. There might be people who do, so should we separate it?”
“Yes. I’ll bring a plate.”
Yeongwon reflected Jiwoo’s opinion, who stuck close to his side, each time.
Even if Jiwoo said he liked coriander, he was naturally going to combine his portion but set it aside separately anyway. Since Jiseo disliked coriander, of course. He couldn’t help that this was the more instinctive priority.
“Yeongwon, do you want to get close with hyung?”
Perhaps finding Yeongwon’s behavior of constantly following closely by his side cute, Jiwoo, who burst into laughter, openly spoke up.
Though it wasn’t without a slightly teasing feeling, Yeongwon, who wanted him on his side, nodded his head without hesitation. Since he already concluded he wouldn’t feel favorable feelings toward him anyway.
“How much? To what extent?”
Jiwoo’s tone, which became even more affectionate than before, perhaps thinking Yeongwon was cooperating with his teasing, followed.
Yeongwon thought carefully. How much should he say? As he wavered between whether to convey it sincerely or add it as a joke, he considered the fact that they were filming.
“A lot?”
“Not even as much as the sky or the earth, just ‘a lot’?”
Perhaps it was really a joke, as a mischievous voice followed again.
Perhaps because he recognized it was a joke, Yeongwon opened his mouth again with a natural smile on his face.
“It hasn’t even been one night yet, but enough to go visit your room and talk for a long time.”
“You really want to get close? That’s only possible between close people.”
“……”
“Hyung also wants to get close with Yeongwon. I’m still within the hyung category anyway.”
“Huh, didn’t you say earlier that you’re also old?”
“The youngest should have at least one place to rely on. Thinking about it again, that youngest line thing, it would be good to confirm it, right?”
“When you’re only one year different from the thirty-year-olds?”
“Even if it’s one year, since it’s still less, it’s correct that we’re the youngest line. The fact that I’m the youngest among them doesn’t change, right?”
Though it was a statement claiming closeness with Yeongwon, Yeongwon, who was actually listening, held a bit of dissatisfaction.
If it was a one-year difference, there was even less need to draw a line toward Jiseo. If he said that, what was he supposed to do? Yeongwon was worried that Jiseo might draw an even thicker line with himself, but there was nothing he could do.
In any case, if he liked the title of youngest line, he could maintain that much.
“What, there’s kimchi stew too? I thought I smelled something spicy.”
“The harmony of the menus is slightly fresh?”
“Since there are many people, we prepared various things so they can choose. Ah, Yeongwon made the stew. Well, Yeongwon made more than half of the other food too.”
“How are you so good at everything? Am I the only one who didn’t know this was your character?”
“I don’t think I’ve seen Yeongwon make anything on other variety shows either.”
“Is this your first time showing your skills? For that, you’re too good at it?”
Since Yeongwon was the one who led the meal preparation, all eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to him. His seat happened to be in the middle too.
Watching the face that seemed embarrassed by the praise yet somehow couldn’t hide its pride, Jiseo quietly fell into thought.
He absolutely couldn’t read Yeongwon’s inner thoughts. In the car returning from grocery shopping, he chattered without rest, then after entering the dorm, he moved busily without giving a chance to talk to him.
Jiseo also tried to help prepare the meal several times, but he couldn’t help it. The argument that those who went grocery shopping were exempt was too strong.
By that standard, Yeongwon also couldn’t set foot in the kitchen, but only Jiseo was particularly exempt. Because of that, at the suggestion that he could spend personal time, he had no choice but to briefly ponder his quarters.
Jiseo couldn’t help but think that the reason Yeongwon was cooking directly was probably to show him.
So should he watch or not—he was worrying about just that, but soon realized it was unnecessary.
“……”
Yeongwon didn’t say a word to Jiseo. On one hand, he understood because he seemed busy, but it was close to indifference. Though that couldn’t be the case, that’s how it felt.
Even during the meal, Yeongwon and Jiseo sat at somewhat distant places. Jiseo observed Yeongwon without showing it as much as possible.
Was he worried I might really feel embarrassed? Was he worried about accidentally calling me by a special title?
Since he’d already prepared himself to accept whatever Yeongwon called him and whatever he said, laughter that had lost steam flowed on one hand.
Jiseo had already finished preparing to be called by the title of “baby” that Yeongwon claimed even in front of others.
Though he wondered if that could really happen.
He didn’t intend it that far, but if the worried incident occurred, there was one thing he wanted.
He hoped those who were the same age as him would tell Yeongwon that they also wanted to be called the same. If that happened, he was also curious how Yeongwon would come out.
Probably even if he heard such teasing, Yeongwon would give only him an unsuitable title. Or not. To unify divided opinions into one, he might treat everyone the same.
Since he didn’t seem to treat others very difficultly. Probably because he’d been close to him since childhood, he could approach others friendly too.
‘Would he see it the same?’
Lost in his own deep thoughts, Jiseo fell into curiosity about whether others would also look at Yeongwon like him.
How did he usually treat him? Compared to the current situation, Jiseo was the one who made and fed food, and Jiseo was the one who granted small requests. Though nothing specific came to mind about small requests and care.
“It’s about to get on your arm.”
Jiseo, who reached out toward Yeongwon who was diligently serving food, wrapped his wrist. He was fortunate to discover in time that the rolled-up clothes were coming down and in danger of being dipped in kimchi stew broth.
I should stop thinking for now and eat dinner. Actually, there was no need to be lost in long thoughts. It was a predetermined fact that Yeongwon wanted to rely on being mature.
Though his effort was commendable and the change in his behavior was roughly visible, in Jiseo’s eyes, it wasn’t much different from before.
It was when Jiseo, who naturally picked up an empty bowl and appropriately filled it with food, placed it in front of Yeongwon. A hand that pushed in without hesitation placed a hot bowl in front of Jiseo.
“What! This is tastier than what’s sold?”
The moment he followed the owner of the hand taking care of him, a big exclamation could be heard.
Thanks to that, attention was immediately drawn there, so the fact that Yeongwon and Jiseo exchanged care for each other was naturally buried.
He was watching after all. I thought he wasn’t deliberately paying attention.
The most noticeable among the dinner menu was indeed the stew. Though it didn’t match the other menu, Jiseo rather thought he wouldn’t have been able to eat for long if everything was unified with similar dishes. So it was fortunate.
More than that, it seemed there were ingredients he didn’t see when checking out earlier. The simple guess that he didn’t see them because he was buying coffee was demolished by direct whispers.
“I made the kimchi stew for hyung to eat. You have to eat your fill, right?”
“……”
“All the food is stuff hyung doesn’t really like, so I deliberately made stew. I did well, right?”
Yeongwon, who whispered plainly while making eye contact, moved away as if nothing had happened.
Jiseo first likewise showed no sign and emptied his bowl. He also more actively and diligently scooped up more, worried the kimchi stew might be left over. Since he made it deliberately, it would be upsetting if it remained.
Eating dinner was the end of the scheduled activities. After that, the rule followed that they could spend time individually and freely go to sleep.
After deciding on shifts and finishing cleanup, the schedule naturally flowed toward gathering in the living room right away and playing prepared games.
Even those who said they’d just watch had no choice but to take turns grabbing the game controller following the opinion to decide on meal shifts.
As soon as the arduous schedule continuing until they removed their microphones ended, Yeongwon followed Jiseo, who was leaving his seat.
Yeongwon, who stood on tiptoe and put his lips to Jiseo’s ear, finally confessed the secret he’d hidden during dinner time.
“I kept thinking of hyung while cooking. Where else would there be someone who knows hyung as well as me? If there wasn’t kimchi stew, hyung would have been hungry at night, right? Right?”
