“Changkyun-ah what do you want for dinner?” Kihyun asked once Changkyun picked up his call

“I’ll skip it today hyung, I’m going out until late with my friend” Changkyun answered

“Again?” Kihyun frowned clearly unhappy

“Of course, it’s been a long time since we have free time, see you later hyung bye!” Without waiting for Kihyun answer Changkyun hang up the call. Kihyun sighed, lately he had been learning new dishes to cook but s always busy with their own personal schedule left the chef of the dorm alone and feeling lonely. He called up Jooheon and Hyungwon which resulted with another rejection, two of them were out with their friends too and Kihyun himself was rather surprised by how active Hyungwon was lately going out with his friends when normally he prefer to sleep during their off day. Hoseok went out when Kihyun just finished tidying up their dorm, while his boyfriend Hyunwoo was busy stuck in the office discussing the next comeback concept. Minhyuk? Minhyuk was his only hope, Kihyun smiled a little hope grows when he noticed Minhyuk was still around and so far he didn’t tell anyone he was going out today ‘at least I won’t be alone today’ Kihyun grinned, Kihyun prepared himself to cook curry, he knew Minhyuk once said his curry was better than any restaurant curry, while humming gently Kihyun started to chop the ingredients when he saw Minhyuk went to their kitchen all dressed up

“I thought you are not going anywhere today?” Kihyun asked clearly unhappy of the thought he was going to be alone again that night

“I wasn’t going to but my friend just called me, it’s been a long time since we go out together, is that curry you are going to cook?” Minhyuk pouted when Kihyun nodded “Too bad I’m going to miss it, bye Kihyun-ah!” Minhyuk said after he drank a glass of water

“Bye…” Kihyun said sadly when he heard the door was closed and he knew he was all alone now.

It feels weird, cooking alone especially when you get used to live with noisy members, Kihyun stirred the curry slowly trying to stay focus but his mind wasn’t there anymore. Kihyun was startled when his phone was ringing, he looked at the name and picked it up without second thought

“Hi hyung” Kihyun said once he picked up the call

“Kihyunnie, what are you doing?” Hyunwoo asked

“Cooking curry, how about the meeting? Done with it?” Kihyun asked carefully make sure he didn’t put any of his lonely feeling to his tone

“Still far from the word done, I’m discussing the choreography now, hey are you ok there?” Hyunwoo asked suspiciously

“All is good here hyung, why did you ask that?” Kihyun tried to swallow his feeling but Hyunwoo concerned voice broke down his defense wall

“I don’t know, just have a feeling…” Hyunwoo sighed maybe he was being paranoid, Kihyun’s tone sounded normal too “Take care there, Minhyuk is around right?”

“He went out with his friend, but I’m all good hyung, you know I like to be alone right? I like how quiet it is now when normally I need to keep shouting, I’m enjoying myself right now, don’t worry” Kihyun said while preparing the table for his dinner

“Alright, if you need anything just call me” Hyunwoo gave up

“You too hyung bye see you later”

It tasted different, no matter how good he was in cooking, that night the food tasted different, true that Kihyun likes to be alone and get used to be by himself, eating, cooking, or even go outside, he get used to it but maybe after few years of living with s secretly he get used to the noise, he get used to shout inside their dorm, he get used to nag others while secretly happy when they complimented his food and that night was one of those night he wished he had other members around him instead of being alone like usual. Kihyun played with the curry instead of putting it into his stomach, he was hungry but it just didn’t feel right. Kihyun was still in his own thought when he heard someone opened up their dorm’s front door alerted the main vocalist.

“I’m home” Kihyun couldn’t hide his shock when he saw Hyunwoo was standing in front of him “did you just see a ghost? Why do you look so shocked?” Hyunwoo chuckled, took off his cap and sat opposite of Kihyun “Where’s my share?”

“I thought you still haven’t settled up the meeting?” Kihyun frowned at the thought Hyunwoo ditching his work for him

“We still can continue tomorrow, it’s been hours, I’m tired – and starving, where’s my share?” Hyunwoo asked once again, Kihyun tried to hide his smile, he stood up and took another plate of rice put it in front of Hyunwoo which immediately attacked by Hyunwoo “This curry evern better than the few weeks ago one, Minhyuk will regret this” Hyunwoo said with his mouth full of rice

“Swallow first hyung, you remember how chaotic it was when Jooheon choked on his food on the same spot that you are right now?” Kihyun laughed when Hyunwoo immediately shut his mouth and chewed slowly

“It tastes different now” Kihyun said out of nowhere didn’t even bother to hide his feeling now

“What do you mean?”

“When I was alone just now the curry wasn’t tasted like this” Kihyun chuckled

“I knew my instinct about you is still working perfectly fine. You were feeling lonely just now weren’t you?” Hyunwoo took a sip of water and stopped chewing for a while changed his focus to his boyfriend

“I guess I was, God I didn’t know I would have this kind of feeling, I love being alone, you know that hyung, since when did I become so weak like this?” Kihyun chuckled bitterly

“Listen Ki, this is not you being weak, it’s you who now has a new kind of ‘family’ which is better than being alone, yeah sometimes we do need some alone time, but after getting used to the noise, especially the kids noise of course you will get weird when they aren’t around. It’s not a weakness, it’s a good point of you, this just proves you are being a good ‘mother’ for them” Hyunwoo laughed when Kihyun glared at him

“Well yeah… I have to admit we have very noisy kids that sometimes I wish they could stop talking for 5 minutes but when they do stop I wish they wouldn’t stop, this is so weird” Kihyun smiled finally and Hyunwoo felt better because of that

“Thank you for taking care of our kids” Hyunwoo said sincerely

“Give me a gift for that then… on my lips” Kihyun moved his chair closer to Hyunwoo

“Gladly” Hyunwoo said right before he indulged himself on the taste of Kihyun’s lips

“CURRRYYYYY!!!!!” Kihyun and Hyunwoo immediately letting go of each other when they heard Changkyun’s voice “I knew there will be curry! I can smell it from the front door!” Changkyun’s eyes were sparkling

“I thought you are going out with your friends?” Kihyun asked

“I did, but I’m hungry and I don’t want to eat outside, hyung where is my share?” Changkyun sit on the chair grinning from the thought of curry

“My share too!!” Kihyun changed his focus from Changkyun to Jooheon who suddenly appeared in their small dining room

“Ya hyung I come here first!” Changkyun yelled

“What is that ‘ya’ means? I’m older than you so I get to eat it first!” Jooheon said didn’t want to lose

“ya ya ya, you both stop bickering, wash your hand and change your clothes first, I’ll prepare your share, equally at the same time so you don’t have to fight over it” Kihyun scolded his ‘kids’ and when two of them left to do what Kihyun told them to do Hyunwoo chuckled in amusement

“What? Ahhh… somehow now I feel better” Kihyun smiled

“You do look much happier baby”

“I love our small fake family” Kihyun said while preparing Changkyun and Jooheon plates

“I love it too” Hyunwoo smiled