“Taemin-sshi!”

Taemin turned to the mention of his name, a smile spreading over his face when he saw So-Hee waving to him and running over. Her hair was tied up in a pony-tail which allowed her bright face to show more.

Taemin smiled and waved back. “Hi So-Hee!” He chirped. “Wanna walk together?” She suggested. Taemin nodded happily at this and started walking with her down the hall.

“So how were classes?” So-Hee asks, peering at Taemin’s face. Taemin hummed gently. “It was okay, the usual. How about you?”

So-Hee pouted at this. “Hard. I couldn’t understand ANYTHING!” Taemin chuckles at the girl’s exaggeration. “It can’t be THAT hard.” He said. So-Hee shakes her head quickly. “You’re a genius Taemin! Of course it would be easy for you.”

Taemin stared back for a few seconds. He didn’t consider himself smart at all. “Well…If you like, I could tutor you some time.” He suggested. So-Hee stopped and whirled around, her face full of happy-surprise. “Omo, really?!”

Taemin smiles and nods. “Yup!”

So-Hee jumps happily, her pony-tail bobbing behind her. “Thank you so much!”

“No problem.” Taemin said, feeling amused at the excited girl in front of him. “So when do you want to do it?”

“Whenever you have time.” So-Hee said, clutching her books close to her. “Want to start tomorrow?”

Taemin didn’t recall having anything scheduled for that time, so he agreed to this.

“So-Hee!”

So-Hee turned her head and saw her group of friends. She gave Taemin a big final smile. “Thank again Taemin! You’re so awesome.” With that, she leans closer and plants a light peck on Taemin’s cheek. Taemin’s face immediately flushed red and he could feel steam rushing out from his ears. He glanced quickly to So-Hee but saw that she had already walked off with her friends. Taemin gently puts a hand on the spot where So-Hee had kissed. “Oh my god…”

“Can you believe she kissed me?!” Taemin asked, sitting on the chair outside while Minho worked in the kitchen.

Minho just chuckled in response while he stirred a sugar and water mixture in a saucepan. After, he bent down and took out a fresh rose sitting inside a basket. He broke off the pedals gently and added them to the saucepan.

Taemin’s eyes doubled in size when he saw what Minho was doing. “You’re putting roses into the food?!”

Minho glances at Taemin while he takes the saucepan off the heat. “You’ll see. Just trust me.” He places the lid on top to let it steam.

“Now tell me more about what happened.” Minho said, turning his head to look at Taemin. Taemin smiles brightly from the memory. “So-Hee was so adorable! She was wearing a pony-tail today and it was just SO CUTE!” He hugs himself tightly, thinking back to the girl gave her a pleasant warm feeling.

“Really? What else happened?” Minho asked, walking over to Taemin who was at the door. “We talked a lot and we both agreed for tutor lessons.”

Minho raised an eyebrow. “For who?”

“I offered to tutor So-Hee and she seemed really happy when I offered. Gosh I can’t wait to get started!” Taemin chirped, his smile completely stuck on his face not faltering for even a second.

Taemin blushed at this. “Yeah, on the cheek. I was really surprised.” Minho’s smile couldn’t help but turn a little sad. “Sounds like she likes you a lot…”

Taemin nods quickly, unaware of Minho’s mood change. “Yeah! I think I’m going to accept her offer on the date. She’s just so sweet.” He gushes, letting out a content sigh.

Minho nods slowly. For some reason, he was losing appetite in this conversation. “I should get back to the roses.” He said quietly before entering back to the counter. Taemin stared at Minho in confusion, noticing a gloomy aura coming from the older male. Nevertheless, he continues watching him work.

Minho takes out a sieve and a new empty saucepan. He puts it on the stove and drains the rose liquid over the pan, separating the pedals from the sauce. Next, he turns the heat to medium while he adds in the sugar and lemon juice. Taemin continues watching him work. It always made him in awe to watch the other work so swiftly and perfectly in the kitchen.

Soon, the liquid became dense and Minho turned the heat down to low to keep it from burning.

Meanwhile, he worked on the other ingredients.

He took out a ginger and washed it, peeling the outer skin after. Next, he peeled thin slices and put them aside. He got some vanilla beans and removed the beans from the stick with a knife. When he had all the ingredients assembled, he placed a small saucepan over medium heat before adding in water, sugar, sliced ginger, and the vanilla beans.

After 20 minutes, the ginger started looking transparent. That signaled Minho to turn off the heat and add more lemon juice. After, he mixed together the rose sauce with the ginger sauce until they were completely blended.

Minho got out two glass cups, putting ice cubes into each one and adding some club soda. Finally, he added three tablespoons of the syrup and stirred. Once he was finished, he put the cups onto a platter along with some cream puffs he had made earlier.

He looks up at Taemin and smiles at him, nodding to him that it was finished. Taemin quickly went to a table and sat down, waiting for Minho to come out.

Minho carefully took them out from the kitchen and placed it in front of Taemin. He placed one of the cups in front of him.

“Rose Ginger Ale. Have a taste.”

Taemin took the cup with both hands and closed his eyes, inhaling the sweet rose aroma. He took a small sip.

Ginger.

The fresh taste of the rose petals.

The fizzy soda.

It brought a warm smile to Taemin’s face.

“How is it?” Minho asked.  Taemin looked up at him and gave a thumbs up. “Heavenly.”

Minho smiled in relief and sat down on a chair across from Taemin. He took his own cup, sipping it slowly.

“Neh Minho.” Taemin said, his lips on the rim of the cup. “Hm?” Minho looked up.

“Do girls like really smart guys?”

Minho thought about this for a while. “Well… I guess they do have to have some basic knowledge.” He finally lets out.

Taemin nods, eyes darting to the cream puffs. He grins and takes one, popping the whole thing into his mouth.

Minho watched him eat the thing whole. Taemin swallows every last crumb, except for a bit of cream still stuck on the side of his lip, which he doesn’t seem to notice.

“Taemin…” Minho said, staring at the cream spot.

“Hm?” Taemin looks up, his eyes glazed with dumbfoundedness. “You got a little…” Minho points to the side of Taemin’s lip.

Taemin dabs at the spot with his finger, but misses it just by a few inches. Minho takes the initiative to lean in and wipe it off with his own finger, tasting it after for himself. Taemin flushes red. Redder than the time So-Hee surprise-kissed him. He ducks his head down, heart pumping rapidly.

“Mmm…Sweet.” Minho compliments, giving Taemin a small smile, but seeing that it went unnoticed. “Taemin? You okay?” He asked, peering down at the boy’s face.

Taemin nods quickly in response, taking the cup of rose ginger ale and gulping it down. He accidentally gets an ice cube stuck in his throat during the process.

He feels himself start to choke and cough, as he thumps his chest weakly. “Omo!” Minho noticed the boy in distress and runs behind him. He wraps Taemin in a back-lock as he hands press against Taemin’s chest, pushing the ice cube out.

Taemin couldn’t help but get more flustered by their position, making him forget to gasp for air. He ends up making embarrassing gargling noises as the ice cube rushes back up and flies out of his mouth, landing a few feet away.

They’re both left panting. “A-Are you okay?” Minho asked, turning Taemin to look at him. Taemin nods, face as red as a tomato by now. He wipes away the tears on the corner of his eyes, from the force of the coughing.

“I guess I should make the ice cubes smaller next time, neh?” Minho said, smiling apologetically. Taemin laughs a little at this, but he still couldn’t believe he embarrassed himself like that.

“I’m such an idiot…”

The choking scene was completely unnecessary but I wanted to add it in anyway.

2min is just so cute like this…Though I do feel bad for imagining Taeminnie’s face while being rescued xD

But I hope you enjoyed this sweet little chapter (see what I did there?), it’s been a while, neh? I hope you guys have been well ^^ Other than that, please continue supporting me despite my short and late updates! PEACE.