Chanyeol was wise enough not to make any more predictions regarding Huang Zitao at this point. Yet he was somehow still caught off guard when he slipped out of his room the next day to find said brat standing in the entrance area like he simply belonged there.

Apparently, Jongin's morning routine was already done because he was now teaching him to wield a staff. Or something. Chanyeol really wasn't all too sure what he was looking at but it wasn't offensive enough to drown out the main question.

"Why are you here again?" he asked slowly, refusing to give into a headache before breakfast.

Zitao wasn't even looking his way, instead staring ahead as he imitated Jongin's posture.

"I'm trying to focus here. Can't you see this is not the time?"

Chanyeol should get mad at him but it was hard to do so when he felt half-asleep still.

Though if he was being honest, there was a bit more to it; since no matter how he looked at it, Zitao had had it coming for him, but the lingering aftertaste of guilt refused to budge even under applied logic. He shouldn’t feel bad for snapping at Zitao the way he had, but here he was.

Chanyeol was still unhappily glaring him down, unsure of how to proceed, when he heard a surprisingly close voice to his left.

"Hey."

He jumped and whipped around to glare some more, only to meet the slightly bewildered gaze of Jongdae, who looked every bit as startled as Chanyeol felt.

He sighed.

"What?"

Jongdae blinked.

"You got a moment?" he then asked. It lacked his usual provocative streak and confidence. Chanyeol narrowed his eyes at him.

"Sure?" he asked slowly, not even bothering to hide how dubious he felt about all this as he reluctantly followed him upstairs. When he looked over his shoulder one last time, Zitao stubbornly pretended not to have been caught staring.

Chanyeol lightly shook his head. Zitao had to wait.

Surprisingly enough, Jongdae went straight for his own room. Puzzled, Chanyeol followed him, mentally going over the past few days in search of any instance where he might have messed something up. Though if he was being honest with himself, Jongdae usually only sought privacy if he felt like he had messed up. That made the entire situation all the more confusing though.

He followed Jongdae into his room nonetheless, watching him close the door.

Certainly, he wouldn't apologize for the way he'd touched his hand the day prior. That would be ridiculous even by his standards-

"Something's off about Jongin."

Chanyeol's thoughts came to a screeching halt.

"Huh?"

Jongdae crossed his arms. With autumn having just begun to paint the leaves, it was rather warm and cozy still, so it was unlikely that he was being cold.

"Haven't you noticed?" he asked awkwardly. Chanyeol could only shake his head.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he's been... quiet the past few days," Jongdae explained slowly, as if searching for the right words. "Withdrawn? It's not very like him. It's not my place to make assumptions, of course, but I'm guessing he's feeling homesick."

"Oh?" Chanyeol asked dumbly, pausing to think about it. Truth to be told, he hadn't noticed anything to be off at all, and now he felt horrible about it. Sure, the past days had been quite chaotic with Zitao being all up in his face and everything else going on but that wasn't exactly an excuse to be a bad friend. Then again, he'd never been as close to Jongin as he was to, say, Yifan. Or Luhan. Heck, even Jongdae.

"Homesick, is it?" he muttered, looking around the room without really seeing it. "Huh. Are you sure?"

"How could I be sure?" Jongdae asked, covering his own embarrassment with faux annoyance. "It's merely an educated guess."

"Well, if it's coming from you, it's probably true," Chanyeol shrugged, only to point at him when a realization bloomed. "Which means that you should also know best what would cheer him up, right?"

Jongdae's expression was a hilarious mix between confusion and disbelief.

"Are you listening to yourself? How would you come to such a conclusion? I wouldn't be asking you if I knew how to proceed."

"Getting frilly again, are we?" Chanyeol joked drily, suppressing a yawn. "It's true though - you two are pretty close, aren't you?"

Jongdae went from vaguely offended to just confused, and Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"Come on now. You've always been sitting together and are basically glued to each other's sides. It's kinda obvious."

For a moment, Jongdae thought about it. Maybe he was mentally recalling the past months.

"I suppose that's true," he trailed off eventually, looking a little unsure himself now. "In that case, it's all the more embarrassing that I don't know how to make him feel better."

"Please. It has nothing to do with that. You're just incompetent when it comes to comforting people," Chanyeol waved him off. "Plus, homesickness has probably never been a concern to you."

The moment the words had left his mouth, he grimaced. That had come out terribly wrong and like the lowest blow imaginable. Jongdae only lightly shrugged.

"Can't deny that," he replied, not looking upset at all.

Still, Chanyeol had put his foot in his mouth enough for one morning, so he only patted Jongdae's shoulder once - ignoring the way he jumped - and said, "We'll find a way. I'll think about something. Just give me a chance to wake up."

And maybe kick out Zitao so I can actually hear myself think, he mentally added a few minutes later, staring at his slice of carrot bread while a constant stream of noise from his right demanded to be heard (by the entire room, preferably).

The noble brat didn't seem the least bit affected by their argument from the previous day, and while Chanyeol wanted to hand it to him for persistence, he could do without Zitao being so, well. Noble.

"You should have joined the fencing club," he was currently babbling, shooting a cool look towards Yifan. "Your swordsmanship is clearly wasted in a sports club."

"I'm quite happy with my club choice," was all Yifan muttered, the strain evident in his voice. Zitao sighed dramatically.

"Of course you'd be. Well, there's nothing wrong with enjoying your free time per sé, but with your prospects, it would be smart to think about a future now and invest in acquiring some useful skills."

Chanyeol could see Yifan's eyebrow twitch, and suddenly, the empty spot next to Jongdae looked stupidly appealing.

"I think my club manages to do that just fine," Yifan said slowly, eyes on his food.

Luckily, the door opened in that moment, cutting off whatever offensive response Zitao's spoiled brain could cook up.

Luhan slipped into his seat, looking flushed.

"Yo," he said curtly, dumping a bag on the floor and cracking his neck. "'Sup? Wow, I'm starving-"

"You're late," Zitao said, and had the gall to sound accusatory. "And you didn't even shower. The lack of manners you are taught never fails to astound me."

Chanyeol looked at the ceiling, silently praying that this would end without anyone sporting a bloody nose.

Luhan only now seemed to register his presence.

"You're here again. Damn, don't you have your own dorm?"

"There's still room at the table," Yixing said benevolently, and Luhan arched a brow.

"I doubt the dorm for the uppity kids is short on space."

"Since when do you take your homework to training though?" Yifan asked, actively ignoring Zitao. Luhan looked over his shoulder as if he'd already forgotten about the bag.

"Oh, that? That's no homework," he dismissed him, already reaching for a glass of jam. "Just some paperwork from the student council."

"And why do you carry that around?" Chanyeol asked slowly, giving him a dubious stare that wasn't met.

"Just helping out Aisha so we can get back to our assignment sooner," Luhan said casually. "I mentioned she's in the student council, didn't I?"

"You did," Yixing agreed, lightly shaking his head. "You're too nice though. Just as always."

Luhan shrugged.

"Eh, it's not a big deal."

Chanyeol kept staring at him, looking for any sign of discomfort, but there was none. He could see Jongdae doing the same and it reminded him of their earlier conversation, so he shifted his focus to Jongin instead - who hadn't said a single word so far. To be fair, Jongin was not really a morning person in general, though spending his early exercises with other people had done wonders for him. It wasn't that he looked particularly unhappy, either. But now that he was paying attention, his small smile did lack a bit of the usual ease and warmth-

"Today, Yifan and I will take care of the recipe list," Yixing announced, ripping Chanyeol out of his thoughts. "That way, we can buy the groceries tomorrow and get to cooking the day after, when classes are over."

Right. Thanksgiving was coming up and the academy traditionally hosted a charity event on that day, giving out free food to people in need and gathering donations. Despite any competition being highly discouraged, there was no denying the underlying excitement among the students as classes tried to outdo each other.

The third dorm may be small but they had Yixing on their side, so Chanyeol was confident that whatever they'd offer would be popular enough.

"Oh? What are you going to make?" Zitao asked, clearly not expecting to be impressed.

Yixing's smile didn't even waver.

"That will be a secret. You should come by our table and find out."

Zitao huffed.

"Like I'd actually have to try and steal your secrets."

"You still haven't mentioned why you're here, by the way," Luhan piped up, shooting him a blank stare. "So assuming you want something seems like a pretty reasonable conclusion if you ask me."

"Please. What would you possibly have to offer that I could need-"

"I don't know, manners?" Luhan offered. "Like, the ones that count?"

Chanyeol wondered whether this was the way people felt when he and Jongdae were arguing.
If so, he might actually owe them an apology.

He was meeting Jongdae's gaze over the table. The other was more quiet than usual as well, though that was most likely due to Zitao's presence being suffocating - not to mention that he probably didn't feel like being comfortable around him, considering his status. Nonetheless, Jongdae didn't look particularly upset. Mildly annoyed, maybe, if the look they shared was any indication.

Chanyeol kept his gaze and made it a point to roll his eyes at Zitao.

Jongdae ducked his head, focusing on his food once more, but Chanyeol had seen his lips twitch, anyway.

"Your menu is going to pale in comparison, anyway," Zitao said, and if he had long hair, he'd probably flip it right about now. Before Luhan could become victim to his own ambition, Yixing decided to step in.

"Food doesn't have to be new or different to shine," he said with a smile. "Sometimes, dishes are sought out for their familiarity. And if we can live up to that and leave people satisfied, that would be an honour in and of itself."

It hit Chanyeol right then. He slammed his palms on the table, causing everyone to jump.

"I got it!"

"You're the next in line of people to kick from this dorm, you know that?" Luhan hissed, glaring at him with a hand over his heart.

Chanyeol wasn't even listening.

"Yixing, I need to talk to you."

Yixing glanced at the others, and then back at him.

"Oh? Sure?"

"Right now," Chanyeol added, leaping out of his seat and dragging a very confused Yixing with him.

He could hear Zitao yell something about manners, only for Yifan to curtly ask him to keep down the volume. They'd be fine, Chanyeol concluded.
Probably.

It was pretty hard to forget that Do Kyungsoo was a Major of the Imperial Army. His mere presence made it abundantly clear, from his uniform-like clothing to his posture and clipped, curt way of speaking. He embodied people's ideas about the military, really.

Chanyeol had always somewhat admired Yixing's utter lack of fear and how cozy he seemed with their Instructor. When Yixing proposed asking Kyungsoo for help regarding their charity dinner, there was no doubt that if anyone would get an agreement out of Kyungsoo, it would be him.

And he did succeed. Which was great.

Sadly, it also meant that Chanyeol was alone with him now. And unlike Yixing, he was pretty awkward around their instructor still.

"We'll take these."

He watched him point at a basket of tomatoes.

"Two kilogram, please."

The store owner hurried to comply, repeatedly bowing and smiling - Chanyeol couldn't fault him. Though to be completely fair, most adults back on the campus and the little town surrounding it seemed to hold Kyungsoo in high regard without being particularly afraid. In the capital, however, things were different.

"We'll also need dark rice. About five kilogram should do. We'll pay now and retrieve them on our way back, if that's no trouble."

"Not at all," the poor guy assured them, and Chanyeol allowed himself to sigh in relief. He was already carrying various bags and there was no doubt that the instructor would readily make him carry a bag of rice, too, so knowing that they'd at least save it for last was nice.

After paying for the expenses, Kyungsoo turned to leave the store without a comment, leaving Chanyeol no choice but to hurry after him. So far, their entire trip had consisted of nothing but polite silence, and while Chanyeol hardly expected a fun sight-seeing tour, having to constantly interpret the other was getting exhausting.

"Where are we going to next?" he asked, silently wondering how it could be so hard to keep up with someone who was over a head shorter than him.

"To buy fresh herbs and spices," was all he said, and Chanyeol nodded.

Tense atmosphere aside, he really was grateful the instructor had agreed to help them out on this - not to mention that he really didn't know his way around the capital. The last time he'd been there had been years ago and back then, he hadn't exactly seen much of the city itself. If he'd gone out to go shopping on his own? He would have very likely been long lost by now.

"Have you been to the Northern Highlands before?" he asked carefully, curiosity winning at last. To his surprise, Kyungsoo actually indulged him.

"Hardly," he said simply. "I've been stationed at Zender Gate for a while."

Chanyeol hummed. He didn't need geography lessons to know that Zender Gate was the military base at the Northern border. The highlands had never posed a threat to their country but the nation across them... was a different matter entirely. So being stationed there could mean everything from being moved to a quiet base to having to deal with actual emergencies. He wondered which one it was for Kyungsoo but there were other questions begging to be asked.

"And you got to try traditional, Northern food?"

This actually managed to lure a small smile from Kyungsoo.

"Once in a while," he said quietly, keeping his eyes on the road. Seeing as noon had just passed and most people were busy working, it wasn't as crowded as Chanyeol remembered this city to be - then again, they had just taken a turn off the main road. Kyungsoo seemed to know exactly where they were headed.

"The Highland tribes largely consist of peaceful, amicable people," he explained. "The relationship between Zender Gates and the tribes is a friendly one. They like to occasionally offer food and other goods, and the soldiers respond in kind."

"I see," Chanyeol trailed off. He couldn't help but share the fond smile as he touched his wrist, fingers grazing the bracelet Jongin had made them towards the start of the year. "I have no trouble picturing that, actually. Sounds a lot like Jongin."

"What they're lacking in technology, they make up for in physical and mental strength," Kyungsoo added. "Some of the finest warriors in the world have come from the Highlands. As of now, there's no doubt that he's the most competent fighter the dorm has to offer."

Chanyeol would have liked to pout but there was really no denying it. Luhan and him were nothing to write home about themselves; Yixing and Yifan were both skilled with a sword, and while Jongdae seemed to surpass them just slightly, none of them could hold a candle to Jongin's effortless elegance when he was allowed to wield a spear. So he only hummed in agreement.

"Excluding yourself, I assume."

He wasn't sure why he'd said it and while it did come out like an ominous jab, Kyungsoo didn't seem fazed.

"My abilities with a sword are nothing above the standard for those of my rank," he replied evenly.

"Which doesn't mean you're not capable of wiping the floor with us," Chanyeol replied without missing a beat. There it was again, that small, fleeting ghost of a smile.

"Sure. That would be a given, however."

It dawned on him then that at first glance, Kyungsoo and Jongdae would appear to be similar, but that was far from the truth. Do Kyungsoo's silence was simply more... natural. It didn't seem to be the result of any sort of training or the need to hold back. Maybe that was the reason why he seemed so steadfast and powerful.

They entered another store and the next minutes were spent in peaceful silence as Chanyeol watched Kyungsoo pick out spices and herbs. He took his time, even asking for the occasional sample, and it made him smile.
When he'd proposed to Yixing that they should try to recreate traditional dishes from the Northern Highlands for the charity event, he hadn't expected Yixing to agree right away, suggesting their Instructor to help them out in order to keep it a surprise from Jongin. And despite the other's nonchalant demeanour, it was clear that Kyungsoo cared about this. Well, he obviously cared about cooking in general.

"Have you been cooking in the Army, as well?"

The question slipped out the moment they had left the store. Apparently, it wasn't completely impossible to catch their Instructor off guard, judging by the surprise flashing over his face. He quickly caught himself, however.

"Rarely."

Chanyeol nodded. For a good minute, it was quiet as they walked down the streets. By the time he did get a response, he'd already mentally moved on.

"In emergency situations, medical duty takes top priority."

Chanyeol blinked.

"Oh, so you are mainly a medic,” he then said conversationally, ordering his thoughts as they tumbled out of his mouth, “I didn't know Medics could take on such high ranks. Though I guess it wouldn't be weird to start out as a Medic and then switch paths."

"It would actually be very weird, as you put it," Kyungsoo disagreed straight away. "Considering that medics are trained doctors while wars are fought with soldiers. I'd expect a little more common sense by someone who's been to the academy for around nine months."

Chanyeol sighed.

"Ouch. Well, sorry for trying to make sense of your statement."

Kyungsoo's expression softened at that. He didn't say anything else on the matter though, instead taking a surprising turn to slip into a butcher shop. Still, Chanyeol couldn't deny being curious now.
So their Instructor had a background in medicine but was a trained Major? He felt like he was missing some information here, and he also suspected that if he asked just the right question, he could get closer to the truth. Sure, there was always the very real chance that Kyungsoo would ignore him or brush him off but he wouldn't bite his head off or leave him behind... probably. After all, he'd been indulging him so far.

He simply had to choose his questions wisely.

And since Chanyeol was the type to get very committed once he wanted something, he took his time trying to figure out what to ask. It felt a bit like a game now and he was nothing if not determined. All the while, Kyungsoo let him silently stir in his own questions and it was unclear whether he was amused or wary of what he was cooking up.

They were already on their way back to the station - with Kyungsoo carrying the rice, surprisingly - when Chanyeol finally decided on an approach.

"So, when did you join the army?"

That earned him a glance. His instructor's expression betrayed nothing, and Chanyeol subtly chewed on his cheek as he waited.

Kyungsoo delivered his response quite carefully, and he took that as a good sign.

"I graduated from the training facilities at age 15," he eventually said. That was rather young but it was the wording that had Chanyeol narrow his eyes at him.

"That didn't quite answer the question, did it?" he asked, sounding dubious, but ultimately light. Not accusatory or pushy. If there was anything he'd picked up from Yixing, it would be that softer approaches had their place.

Kyungsoo huffed.

"Quite the opposite. It answered your question with precision."

Chanyeol thought about this, and now Kyungsoo was definitely amused over seeing the gears turning.

It was then that they reached the station, which was quite the relief. His arms had been getting heavy.

They gathered near the tracks, where Kyungsoo placed down the bag of rice as well. Unlike Chanyeol, he wasn't short of breath at all. Mildly embarrassing.

"Okay, then," Chanyeol tried again, swallowing hard so he didn't sound breathless at least. "When did you first come in contact with the Army?"

"Took you long enough," Kyungsoo said blankly, but the way he tilted his head ever so slightly said otherwise. "Your interrogation skills might just be the worst in your class."

"I actually doubt that but thanks for the vote of confidence," Chanyeol grumbled.

He didn't say anything else though, making it clear that he was waiting for an answer.

Kyungsoo cracked a small smile at that.

"There you go. Maybe you're not hopeless, after all."

Chanyeol groaned.

"Is everything a test now? Do you have to make me guess and interpret every single-"

"Twelve," Kyungsoo said.

Chanyeol immediately shut up, even though it took him a second to mentally catch up.

"Hm?"

"I was twelve years old."

Chanyeol stared at him, all finesse forgotten.

"Twelve. You mean, like, you met some soldiers as a kid and that encounter inspired you to join the Army?" he asked, highly doubting his own words. Kyungsoo only shot him a look, but ultimately relented.

"It was the conflict in 1182, between the Republic and the Empire, at the Northern border," he rattled down. Chanyeol took mental notes, telling himself to look it up at the archives later that day. "Incidentally, I was at the scene when the attack started. They needed a medic, I was the child of a doctor and a nurse. It's simple as that."

"They didn't have a medic of their own?"

Kyungsoo shook his head.

"They got separated. They didn't have a choice."

You mean you didn't have a choice, Chanyeol mentally added. He said it like it was no big deal but acting as a field medic at the age of twelve was terrifying, to say the least. The fact that he was standing before him was a miracle, not to mention that he seemed quite... calm and stable.

"I was named Sergeant for the time being, and then started anew when the conflict was resolved, to receive proper training."

Again, he said it matter-of-factly, and Chanyeol tried not to gape or push his luck. What had brought a group of trained soldiers to naming a twelve year old a Sergeant? It wasn't even the lowest rank available.

He pushed all those questions to the back of his mind in order to focus on the present.

"So you prefer your current position over being a medic?" he asked.

Kyungsoo shrugged.

"They're different. Knowledge never hurts, and if push comes to shove, I can fill in for both."

"I see..." Chanyeol hummed, watching the train arrive in the distance. "Still, that only doubles the responsibility, especially when choices have to be made. I don't think I could do it."

"I'd be more concerned if you thought otherwise," Kyungsoo said evenly, and the small smile was back.

Chanyeol felt mildly puzzled still as they boarded the train, wondering whether he had just been complimented or placated. He kinda wished Yixing was around to interpret his mystery of an Instructor.

They took a seat in the near deserted compartment behind the one reserved for special guests.
The moment all their bags were resting at their feet, Kyungsoo took something out of his pocket.

"There's something I was told to give you."

"Uhhh, I swear I may have done it, but it wasn't with bad intentions."

Kyungsoo stared at him.

"What are you talking about?"

Chanyeol shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know. What are we talking about?"

Kyungsoo sighed, lightly shaking his head.

"Anyway. Instructor Kim told me to give this to you."

Chanyeol's eyes flit down to the device fitting snugly into the other's open hand. It looked familiar while at the same time... it didn't.

"Is this an Arcus?" he asked carefully, and Kyungsoo nodded.

"New model. Here."

That explained it, then, Chanyeol thought as he tried to get a feel for the device.

"I thought only second years get their own Arcus?"

"That's correct," Kyungsoo agreed, leaning back against the plush seat of the train as the landscape flew by. "Apparently, your orbal art Instructor sees potential in you and would like you to have one now. Of course it's up to you to decline."

Chanyeol felt himself blush like a fool at the compliment. To distract from that, he lowered his gaze to take in the device. Pretty much everyone knew what an Arcus unit looked like, and being into engineering, Chanyeol had even gotten the chance to see one being dismantled before, but this one looked different. Sleeker, simpler.

"Do you already know how they work?" Kyungsoo asked patiently, and Chanyeol grimaced.

"I mean, kinda? I know that soldiers cast complex elemental arts with them by inserting orbs. But. I never got to try it myself, so..."

Kyungsoo nodded. Within a second, he had his own Arcus in hand. Chanyeol had never noticed him carrying one before, but it made sense - every soldier had one and not every battle came with an announcement. It was a given to have his Arcus nearby at all times.

"Obviously, this is where the orbs are installed," Kyungsoo began, tapping on the surface of his Arcus. It looked more familiar, very well-worn, and had an array of round, high-quality orbs let into the surface. Most of them were earth-based, Chanyeol noted.

"Most slots accept any orb, but some of them are fixed," Kyungsoo added, pointing out two of his own orbs. "The layout of every Arcus is completely unique to its owner, as I'm sure you know. Yours was made with the information the academy has about you, combined with the observations of Instructor Kim."

Chanyeol couldn't help feeling a surge of both embarrassment and gratitude. He hadn't realized that their grumpy-looking Instructor had paid such close attention to him. And Lo and behold, his own Arcus was very clearly fire-biased, with a fire slot in the center and two lines branching off to frame the device, each ending in yet another red-framed slot.

"You're free to install whatever orbs you can get your hands on. Now as for the installation itself," Kyungsoo trailed off, clearly waiting for Chanyeol to meet his eyes and give him his full attention. "...I know your background, but at least have a professional show you the ropes before tinkering on it yourself. Kim trusts you not to do anything foolish."

"Of course," Chanyeol assured him right away. This was an honour and he wasn't stupid enough to put himself or others in danger by messing with a piece of technology that could clearly be dangerous.

"If you happen to have concerns or questions, feel free to consult Instructor Kim," Kyungsoo closed, slipping his own device back into his pocket. "Or me, if it's urgent."

"Yessir," Chanyeol beamed, still staring at his new, shiny Arcus. With this, he could do so much more than simply activate raw elemental energy. An Arcus was like a harness, allowing him to set up very specific spells by combining the power of multiple orbs - that way he could not only move on an entirely different scale, but the spells could also easily be cast in a pinch.

It was no secret that their current lessons weren't demanding much from Chanyeol so he was unironically excited to challenge himself; to explore his limits and hone his craft.

He also couldn't wait to see the expression on the other's faces-

"I don't think I'll have to mention that this is something you best keep quiet about for now," Kyungsoo said as if he'd read his thoughts.

Chanyeol tried not to pout.

"Fine," he sighed dramatically. "No bragging. I get it."

Though it probably wouldn't do any harm if, say, Jongdae knew. It could probably benefit their lessons. Or something.

Chanyeol tried to ignore the fact that really, the only person he really wanted to tell about this was Jongdae.

Would he be impressed? For sure. But would he dismiss him and act like it was nothing or would he actually comment on it?

Chanyeol looked out of the window, feeling just how perfectly the device fit in his hand.

Either way, an Arcus unit was a tool for professionals.

It kinda brought up the question of what he even wanted to do with it. What he wanted to do after he graduated, really.

He'd always assumed that visiting the Academy would only solidify his need to become an engineer, but right now? He didn't really want to make a decision just yet. He wasn't done... experiencing yet. It was probably a bit selfish, but he'd like to study some more for now.

For the rest of the train ride, Chanyeol sat there with his Arcus in hand, lost in thoughts. Kyungsoo let him be, providing quiet company that was oddly comforting.

"Got him," Chanyeol all but announced as he all but dragged a confused Jongin into the kitchen after distracting him with study-related questions for what felt like forever.

All the fresh ingredients were spread out on the table, with the entire dorm being assembled, waiting to reveal the surprise. Well, the entire dorm minus Luhan, who was late. There were still three people standing there, however, which meant...

"You're still here?" Chanyeol asked a nonchalant-looking Zitao who was lounging in one of the kitchen chairs (however he managed to make their practical wooden chairs look like expensive armchairs, Chanyeol had no idea). "Did they kick you out of the dorm or something?"

"I was bored," Zitao only provided, sounding haughty enough for even Jongdae to shoot him an unhappy glance. "Our maids are busy dealing with the food, so I figured I have nothing better to do."

Yixing only benevolently dismissed the uninvited brat.

"The more, the merrier, right?" was all he said, looking towards Jongin. "We're counting on you to guide us well."

"What do you mean?" Jongin asked, still confused. "I don't think I should be leading this-"

"But you're the only one who can," Chanyeol cut him off, eager to finally unveil the surprise, "cause we'll be cooking up a traditional Northern Highlands dinner!"

Jongin's eyes widened in unguarded surprise.

"What? I thought we were going to cook comfort food..."

"There was a change of plans," Yixing said with a smile. "We figured this would be much more interesting. None of us are all that qualified, however, so we hope we can count on your guidance."

"We did the best to get suitable ingredients," Chanyeol added, "and we'll be the best assistants. Well, minus those two noble brats over there-"

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Jongdae murmured, obviously willing to uphold the peace for Jongin's sake. Who just stared at them like he expected all this to be a joke.

"Really? I mean- I'm not even a particularly good chef myself," he uttered eventually, blushing as he spoke, "so I wouldn't wanna ruin this-"

"Well, luckily, I'm quite confident in my abilities," Yixing assured him right away. "Just help me along a bit. Surely, it will be fine."

For a moment, Jongin just stood there, and Chanyeol feared that they might have made a bad decision, after all. But then Jongin swallowed, forcing himself to stand up straight.

"Alright. I'll do my best," he said with fresh determination.

"That's the spirit," Chanyeol laughed, patting his back. "I look forward to tasting those meat skewers you mentioned before."

Immediately, Jongin was jolted into action.

"Oh. You want meat skewers? We should start on them right away, then, since they need to marinade for as long as possible."

"Sounds like a plan,” Yixing smiled, pulling an empty bowl to himself and moving a cutting board towards Chanyeol. "Chanyeol here can cut the meat while you tell me what the marinade is supposed to taste like. Oh, Yifan, would you mind washing the vegetables?"

With nothing but a nod, Yifan grabbed another bowl and moved over to the sink while Chanyeol slipped into a chair and rolled up his sleeves.

"What about me?" Jongdae asked patiently.

Yixing didn't have to think for long.

"Here," he said, handing him a knife, "you can dice three onions for now."

A second knife and bowl were placed before Zitao.

"And you can get a start on peeling the potatoes."

"What?" Zitao asked, too perplexed to be angry. "You want me to peel potatoes?"

"Well, since you're already here, you might as well, right?" Yixing asked, tone light and completely unperturbed.

When Zitao gaped at him, Chanyeol tried to keep his own, smug smile at bay and sound equally as nonchalant.

"Don't worry, it's not that difficult."

"I-" Zitao began, looking very ready to throw a fit, but aside from Chanyeol, no one was paying him any heed; Yixing and Jongin were already moving around herbs and spices and Yifan was busy washing bell peppers. His gaze briefly flickered to Jongdae, who was calmly peeling onions. Making a decision, he grabbed the knife and dove into the bag of potatoes with unnecessary force.

"Making a son of one of the five great houses peel potatoes," he grumbled, ears red.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

"Those who can eat should also cook," he only said. Next to him, Jongdae wisely didn't say a word. Though to be fair, while Jongdae might still be unable to put together dinner on his own, he did help out occasionally, and never had a complaint on his lips. It made Chanyeol wonder how much of that nonchalance had come to him due to spending so much time at an Army base as a child.

"Ow-"

He glanced up at Zitao, who was on his fingertip.

"Already cut yourself?" he asked, but Zitao only bit his lip and kept going.

"I'm an apprentice of the sword. This doesn't even qualify as a cut," he said stubbornly, and Chanyeol grinned.

"Sure," he hummed, taking his own, much bigger knife to start cutting the meat into bite-sized bits. Zitao was painfully slow, and, judging by his red ears, also painfully embarrassed, but too stubborn to back out now.

Chanyeol decided not to about it and just be grateful for the absence of condescending remarks and attempts to sabotage them.

Next to him, Jongdae wordlessly attempted to rub his eyes and Chanyeol stopped him with a hand on his wrist.

"You'll make it worse," he said quietly, letting go when Jongdae shot him a bewildered (and mildly teary-eyed) look. He carefully took his knife and leaned in to cut off the onion's ends. "You should submerge them in cold water like this, that'll make it easier to cut them."

Again, Jongdae didn't have a smart reply and simply followed his instructions. He was usually rather moody when Zitao was around but right now, he seemed surprisingly comfortable. Not that Chanyeol could fault him - there was something to be said about preparing dinner in quiet efficiency-

"This is taking forever," Zitao whined, flinching when another bowl was placed before him with a thud.

"These are next," Yifan said in a matter-of-fact-tone, sitting down next to him.

"Are you ordering me around now?" Zitao complained, but it was hard to take him seriously when he was still staring at the tiny cut on his finger with such a forlorn expression.

"Don't think I did," Yifan only muttered, grabbing a potato himself. He was actually not too shabby in the kitchen, which might be surprising to anyone who didn't know about his family... situation. Next to Zitao, he certainly looked like an award-winning chef. Which didn't go unnoticed by said brat.

"If you're so good at it, why don't you do it yourself, then?"

Yifan didn't even gratify him with an answer, which only ticked him off even further.

"Now you're ignoring me?"

Chanyeol could see the annoyance simmering in Yifan, but he kept quiet, taking a second potato.

"Why are you so fast at this, anyway?" Zitao kept going. "Is it that universal of a skill for commoners?"

"Less talking, more peeling," Yifan said curtly. "Try not to cut off the entire potato while you're at it."

With yet another embarrassed pout, Zitao went back to work, childishly slowing down even further by trying to cut off the peel in extra thin stripes.

Watching their exchange made Chanyeol smile - not because seeing Zitao embarrassed was amusing (though it undeniably was,) but because seeing Yifan hold his own in front of a noble without balking or panicking was nice. The Yifan who had just enrolled at the academy would have probably fled the room after such a confrontational remark.

Not like Yifan was the only one who had changed.
Looking around, it was hard to picture this situation happening just a few months ago. He really felt it when Luhan skidded into the room not too long after, all but tossing his bags aside to throw himself into helping them - too ruffled and focused to even notice Zitao's presence until half an hour later, when he took a bowl of rather crooked-looking potatoes from him. He threw a belated fuss that only seemed welcome to Zitao, who had clearly been itching for attention.

At some point, even Kyungsoo joined in on them, overseeing the process and engaging in the actual cooking and seasoning with Yixing. It was around that time when Jongin was left with no task at hand for a moment, free to stand in the kitchen and watching them at work, that he started crying.

He just started to sob, just like that.

It was nothing short of comical how shocked Jongdae looked upon noticing, his eyes immediately searching Chanyeol's. There was something... strangely endearing about it, too, and it made Chanyeol pat the other's back in reassurance before turning to Jongin.

"Hey now. We're not particularly good at this but that's really no reason to cry," he joked, wiping his hand on a towel.

He had an armful of Jongin before he could even put it down.

"You're just so nice," he murmured, squeezing him with surprising force. "Thank you. Thank you so much. This means so much to me."

He then ripped himself free to move on and draw the next best person into a hug as well. One by one, he hugged everyone, not even skipping Zitao (who was very taken aback) or Kyungsoo (who only sighed). Jongdae ended up being last, and the hug lasted visibly longer than the others. Maybe because he was done thanking everybody. Chanyeol doubted it though.

While everyone else was slowly returning to their task at hand (with the exception of Zitao, who seemed even more flabbergasted over the display of raw emotions than Jongdae,) Chanyeol watched Jongdae awkwardly pat the other's hair as Jongin sobbed into the crook of his neck. He shot Chanyeol a helpless look, to which he only replied with a one-sided shrug and a grin, quite enjoying to see him squirm.

"I really love it here and I don't regret coming here but sometimes I just- I miss home so much," Jongin brought out between sniffling. "I miss my sisters, and I miss riding horses, and going hunting with my dad, and helping my mom cook dinner-"

Jongdae was blinking rather rapidly himself now, clearly  at a loss for words as he just let Jongin talk.

"And I love how you all join me in my morning rituals because it makes me feel a little more at home, you know? But I still miss the others sometimes. I miss the valleys and mountains and lakes and just the wind," he choked out, and Jongdae saw himself forced to say something.

"That's- okay," he said eventually. "It's normal to miss these things."

He didn't say 'It's going to be alright,' or asked him to cheer up.

It's not strange to feel these things. Chanyeol remembered the day he'd said those exact words to him as well. It was awkward for sure, and a clear admittance to helplessness, but in a way, the response was more genuine than many of the standard phrases coming to mind.

And because Chanyeol wasn't sure whose hair he wanted to ruffle anymore, he settled for both.

"Alright, enough crying for now. While I'm sure our Instructor won't let the bread burn to a crisp, I can assure you I'll butcher this dessert without your help."

"Of course," Jongin sniffled, wiping his tears. He was smiling as he did it, looking quite silly and all but begging Chanyeol to fluff up his hair a little more. He resisted the urge, however, leading a red-faced Jongin to the kitchen aisle instead.

"Now tell me again what this dessert is supposed to look like. Because I don't get it."

"And tell me again what comes first - the bread or the meat?" Luhan asked, two bowls in hand and an expectant look on his face.

"The tomatoes are all cut as well," Yifan added with a small smile. "As for the bell peppers..."

"I'm not getting any faster from you just watching me," Zitao hissed  from the table.

"Well, we better look away, then," Luhan said flatly.

"I hate it here!"

"Then why are you here?" Luhan asked right back, exasperated. Jongin only chuckled.

"It's okay, the bell peppers don't go in this, anyway. And the bread comes first. Don't forget to put some oil over it so it turns crispy and not just dry."

"Jongin, would you mind tasting this?" Yixing asked from where he was standing with Kyungsoo by the stove.

"Sure-"

"Wow, and I get abandoned just like that," Chanyeol muttered, feigning hurt and returning to whisking the vanilla cream in his bowl. Seemingly unsatisfied with nothing to busy himself with, Jongdae picked up a knife and cut the strawberries.

"Keep this up and you'll actually be able to feed yourself," Chanyeol commented. Jongdae didn't even look up from his cutting board.

"Keep this up and you'll be able to hold a sword for longer than five minutes."

"Please. I could pick you up for longer than five minutes."

"Ah. Is that so?" Jongdae echoed quietly, but it lacked aim and purpose. Chanyeol blamed him for feeling awkward all of a sudden.

"Stop being weird about this," he demanded, progressively making things worse as he imagined all the ways in which this could be interpreted weirdly.

"I didn't even say anything," Jongdae defended himself, sounding whiny rather than confrontational, but his next words got stuck in his throat when he turned to be faced with a tea spoon dipped in vanilla cream.

Chanyeol made it a point to wear a neutral expression and after a second of hesitation and a glance towards his own, sticky fingers, Jongdae parted his lips just enough to wrap them around the spoon.

"What do you say? Should we add a pinch of salt or nah?" Chanyeol asked casually, pretending like he didn't feel irrationally nervous all of a sudden. To further prove this to both him and Jongdae, he also acted like there was no big deal about using the same spoon to get a taste of the cream himself.

He wasn't sure how or why he was so good at being counter-productive today.

Jongdae followed the movement but didn't say anything. It only made Chanyeol feel more stupid.

"Wow," he joked. "Why did I even think that asking you would be a good idea-"

"It's good," Jongdae cut him off, turning back to the cutting board. Chanyeol would have liked to see his face to further gauge this neutral reply, but the other's bangs did a good job at shielding him.

"It's good like this."

For a moment, Chanyeol stared at him. When Jongdae didn't follow it up with anything at all, he shrugged to himself. If it was good enough for Jongdae's spoiled taste buds, no one would complain about it and he could move on to the whipped cream-

"Here."

"Hm?" Chanyeol asked, turning with a hum, only to find Jongdae offering him a strawberry.

"It needs to suit the taste of the fruits, doesn't it?" Jongdae asked,with his gaze lingering somewhere around Chanyeol's collarbones. "So it only makes sense to try them."

Chanyeol wasn't quite sure whether it did make sense, but if there was one flaw he'd admit to any day, it was acting before thinking. Unlike Jongdae, his hands weren't sticky at all, but he leaned down to wrap his lips around it, anyway, inadvertently getting a taste of Jongdae's fingertips as he went.

The embarrassment hit him at the same time the sweetness did. With anyone else, this would have been nothing to bat an eye at, but this wasn't anyone else.

Jongdae had already been frozen in place but he did seem to stiffen even more, mechanically withdrawing his hands and absently rubbing his fingertips together as if he wasn't quite sure whether they needed cleaning now. In the end, he only went back to cutting fruits, leaving Chanyeol to battle that weird swirling sensation in his stomach all on his own.

In the background, Zitao was demanding attention and praise for a pile of very meticulously cut bell peppers while Yixing and Yifan were enjoying a quiet conversation and Kyungsoo scolded Luhan for... something, all while Jongin flitted from one group to the next, tears long dried.

Chanyeol may not be from a foreign country, but he got it nonetheless.

This really did feel like home.

...and as much as he reveled in that, the heavy pull he felt in the pit of his stomach couldn't be denied or ignored.

Next to him, Jongdae had returned to cutting strawberries, looking entirely unaffected, and Chanyeol wondered just how inappropriate and stupid it would be to feel nervous about something like this;  to feel nervous when it came to Jongdae - a reticent guy who was finally feeling confident enough to tip-toe out of his comfort zone, only for Chanyeol to get all weird about it.

Yes, Chanyeol thought, staring into his bowl without seeing it. Probably very stupid.

He went back to half-heartedly whisking as he subtly his lips.
 

Fluff, so much fluff!
People voted for more Kyungsoo screen time, so here he is, in all his grumpy, quiet glory.

Welcome back, Kyungsoo. Did you guys see his Vlive? I missed it, but seeing the video snippets on twitter made my day *sigh*

Regulations are getting rougher here again - hope you guys stay healthy and take good care of yourselves! <3