Changmin walked towards the front door with Siwon's arms around his shoulder. He had been talking with the older man for the rest of their supposed group conversation after Sooyoung excused herself and conveniently reasoned that she will be preparing lunch. The younger man knew for a fact that though lunch would be a legitimate excuse, there are other pressing reasons on why the girl subtly pried herself out of the conversation. Siwon was still oblivious to it all. He was too preoccupied in his own thoughts to even notice Sooyoung's uneasy movements when she came back to the living room with her eyes red and a bit watery. The girl offered lunch but Siwon smiled apologetically and said that he had his lunch scheduled already with Tiffany. Sooyoung mumbled a soft agreement before turning her back and running to the kitchen again.

"So, Min. This is where I'll leave you again." Siwon cut his thoughts as he patted his shoulder. "By the way, where's Sooyoungie? Isn't she going to say goodbye to me?"
"Ah... she's busy with her cooking, hyung. And uh... Sooyoung doesn't really like it when I disturb her while she's preparing the meals." Changmin scratched his brows as he smiled guiltily at his brother. "But don't worry I'll tell her that you have said goodbye. Besides, you should be going. You shouldn't let Fany wait, right?"

He literally shoved Siwon towards his car, to which the latter only responded with a jovial laughter.

"Araso... Fine, then. I'll drop by sometime. Maybe with Fany. What do you think?"
"I'll be looking forward to that, hyung. Just tell us beforehand so we could prepare something."
"Okay then. See you." Siwon gave him one last hug before he went inside his car. He revved up the engine before rolling down the windows. "Take care of your wife, okay?"

Changmin said nothing but smiled simply in return. He waved cordially until his older brother's car disappeared into the bend before turning around and walking towards the house. The smell of beef cutlets over a sizzling pan welcomed him as he opened the door. He arranged the pillows on the living room before walking towards the kitchen. He saw Sooyoung with her head bent over slices of galbisal; her face shining from sweat as she pored over the smoky dish. She was mincing garlic and was occasionally wiping her brows with the sleeves of her shirt. 

"Soo..."

He was surprised at how soft his voice sounded like but it seemed that Sooyoung heard him. She raised her head and looked at him questioningly.

"Yes?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."

She's denying it again. But the way she answered him was firm and it made a point that she is determined to put on a façade. On whether she knew that he saw everything – the obvious dismay in her eyes and her sudden solemnity after hearing the news – he doesn't have plans of pushing it to her face. For the longest time that he has been with her, he has learned to observe the little quirks on her personality – the way she does not like it when people pity her, the way she does her best to pull herself together, the way she keeps her fears hidden but that beneath the strong and tough demeanor that she always shows, lies a sensitive girl. 

He moved closer, making no effort to drop his gaze on her face. He was so close that they were only a hairbreadth away from each other. He took out his index finger and traced a line on her cheeks.

"Then why are your eyes red?"

He was looking at her so intently he saw Sooyoung swallow a lump on . She opened to answer but then he started talking in a high voice.

"Did you slice onions without washing them again?! How could you! You say want to become a famous chef someday but you can't follow simple kitchen protocol? You should have asked for my help, all these onions are mere boogers in my presence." He turned around quite comically and pointed at the counter.

Garlic. 

All that was there was garlic. There were no onions in sight. And he inwardly cursed himself for not realizing that onions aren't really primary ingredients for galbisal.

"Oi, where are the onions? Did you throw them away after they made you cry? Pabo-yah!" he wandered aimlessly on the kitchen, opening random cupboards as if trying to look for something. He kept mumbling to himself until he felt something warm around his waist. He stopped fidgeting upon realizing that it was Sooyoung behind him. She had her head against his back and her arms around his torso; catching him in an intimate back hug.

"Shut up, Changmin."

Her voice was shaky and he knew that she might have been crying. She wrapped her arms around him tighter and buried her face deeper against his back.

"Shut up."

She was crying, alright. But there was something in her voice. It was much brighter and somehow sounded surer. The thought of making her cheer up even for a while made him smile.

"Aigoo... I just disappeared for a moment and you missed me already?" He asked teasingly as he leaned back and felt her body against his. "Can't you be a little less obvious--- YAH!" He squealed in pain as he felt Sooyoung's nails sink on his waist. He turned around to see the girl smirking at him.

"What now? You want to continue our little game a while ago?" He raised his eyebrows mockingly as he walked towards her direction.

"YAH! I'm cooking here. Take you and your ert self out of this kitchen!" She waved a spatula at his direction as if the thing could substitute as a laser sword. She was trying to keep herself from laughing out loud but failed miserably at doing so. Changmin hopped from one foot to another, prancing like a