The instance of almost being caught with a women's fashion magazine has totally flown from his mind, and Youngjae is content with making dinner for the both of them. As a way of congratulation he's decided on chicken drumbsticks because he knows that Daehyun loves them and he'd like to encourage the boy to continue making money. Not that it's the only reason why he is still letting Daehyun stay at his house, because Youngjae likes to think that he isn't a money grabber.

In anycase, there's an enormous burden off Youngjae's back and he can finally continue studying without having to worry his parents about finances. He'd rather quit school and work himself than force them to come home from their dream trip just to provide for him. Plus the annoying slob he has been attending to all this time has finally gotten on his feet and is doing something other than vanishing the food from his pantry.

"Smells good..." Daehyun's voice wafts up behind him as the boy sniffs the air, "chicken drumsticks?"

"Yup."

"I love chicken drumsticks."

"I know."

It seems that the older has silently snuck up behind him, and is currently staring intently into the pan where the chicken is currently simmering. Youngjae can sense him bopping up and down in excitement.

"You're getting in the way...."

"But it smells so good..." Daehyun says, leaning over the younger boy's shoulder to get a better view, "can I eat it?"

"It's not done yet," Youngjae snaps while lightly elbowing the other's stomach, "be more patient."

"Drumstick..." the boy continues to mumble incoherently.

Youngjae freezes, spatula poised in the air slightly above the browning meat in the pan, "Daehyun?"

Said boy snaps out of his trance, "Hmm?"

"Did you just drool on me?"

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"Gross," Youngjae grimaces as he turns his head to observe the slightly darker patch on his white t-shirt.

"You didn't have to hit me with a spoon," the older boy mumbles pitifully while rubbing at his head.

"I don't enjoy having your saliva on my skin thank you very much," he snaps in reply, "next time don't drool on me."

There's a pout and an exchange of defiant glances before Youngjae realizes that the chicken is still in the pan and burning. He makes something akin to a weird gurgling noise before quickly running and turning off the stove to stop the food from going up in flames.

The moment he's set the plate on the table Daehyun is all over it, hands nimbly reaching for the largest drumstick in the pile and dropping back down again, "hot!"

It happens almost everytime, Youngjae giggles a little as he watches the older boy juggle and blow on his piece of food without hurting his fingers. Eventually Daehyun manages to get the meat down to a workable temperature, where then he promptly takes a large bite out of it.

"It's a little burnt," he says after a moment of chewing and subsequent contemplation, "probably left it in the pan for too long."

Jerk. Youngjae scoffs and shoots him a look, "whose fault was that?"

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"I think it's a little burnt," a sixteen year old Daehyun leans back on his chair, idly looking around the cafeteria.

I want to throw him off a cliff, Youngjae scowls with his own chopsticks held over his lunchbox, he'd spent almost the entire morning preparing the stupid thing and now freaking Jung Daehyun is unsatisfied.

"You might have left it in too long," the boy dares to make another comment.

Make you own lunch then, Youngjae thinks, digging angrily into his own box of food. If Daehyun doesn't want to eat his food then who the hell cares, he'd rather not make it anyway.

"But it's good," Daehyun continues, "I think the flavouring is really nice, did you put something special in here?"

"Sweet and sour sauce..." Youngjae perks up and responds with a little uncertainty, "I thought it would be better with it in."

"So that's why. It's different from last time, tastes really delicious," the older smiles, and Youngjae feels a bit, just a tiny bit, flattered.

"Just wish it wasn't burnt though."

Silence. Youngjae clenches his fists.

, off a cliff into a sea of sharks, he thinks, and as an afterthought - with giant piranhas.

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"Huh," Youngjae blinks as he comes back from the passing memory, funny how he's remembering that now, it's from quite a long while ago.

Still, even the Daehyun from his memories has the ability to piss him off.

But he can't help himself from feeling a slight sense of satisfaction knowing that he had tamed the beast with his cooking efforts a long while ago.

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"I could cry."

Youngjae smirks inwardly and watches as Daehyun has a mental breakdown over his now emptied lunchbox. It had been finished so quickly he'd barely had time to count the seconds, and now the boy is even stretching his arm over the table for his own lunchbox. He bats the offending hand from his food and makes a defensive arc in front of it.

"This is mine," he says, "you already ate yours."

"But it's so good," Daehyun whines, "I want more."

"Heh, too bad," Youngjae lifts his chin into the air, "I thought my food was too burned for you."

"Youngjae please...."

"Nope," the younger boy says happily. It had paid off after all.

After what had seemed to be an entire evening of experimentation and remaking the same plate of food he'd finally done it. He hadn't even had time to sit down and study physics and calculus like he intended to. He'd also, missed the daily 8pm documentary that he's never missed before in his life (it had been one about science), all because of Jung Daehyun.

It was worth it though. The recipe was now perfect - if he might say so himself - and it was doing its magic making Daehyun beg for more.

He smiles sadistically. Boy does winning feel good.

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Ah yes, winning did feel good, as much now as it did then. Youngjae had always found immense pleasure in winning, and disliked losing with a passion. Now that he thinks about it's probably a streak that runs through his family...

The "jub jub" sounds of Daehyun munching furiously at pieces of drumstick wrestles him back into reality. He glances down at the food still on the table.

"Yah Jung Daehyun!" The younger boy yells as he looks down at the almost empty plate, "stop eating it all and leave some for me!"

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A few hours earlier

 

“The Fashion Statement Weekly” is sitting proudly on one of the shelves in front of the shop counter today, along with the sweet treats and lollipops. Seeing as it isn’t too expensive Youngjae discreetly slips a copy into his shopping basket along with the rest of his groceries. He continues moving with the line and looks left and right to make sure nobody has seen him. The shop assistance raises an eyebrow when she glances down at what’s in his basket and casts him an odd look.

“For my sister,” Youngjae lies, glad that the woman doesn’t ask anything further.

The wait for his purchase to be processed is an awkward one, but he finally pays for everything and manages to slip out the supermarket exit, his wallet feeling a lot lighter than when he had first entered. With a sigh, he starts heading back home and walks the familiar route with his heavy bags of groceries.

Daehyun isn’t home yet when he returns, and he breathes out in a relief, setting his bags down on the kitchen counter before taking out his newly bought magazine for a look. Never had he imagined that he would be holding such a thing in his hands, and he starts feeling a little embarrassed even though nobody else is around. He takes the magazine with him into his room and closes the door, just to be safe.

Once he’s sure there is no possibility he will be discovered, Youngjae takes a breath and finally settles down to examine the cover in detail.

They’d put Daehyun in tight maroon pants and a hooded black jacket with a striped top underneath. Youngjae has to admit that the model looks good as he leans against the wall behind him, despite smiling his hugely obnoxious smile while winking like an idiot.

There are several other pages with him amidst the many advertisements for bb crème and makeup pallets , posing in various different outfits and different positions. He’s halfway through the magazine when he hears a faint creaking from downstairs telling him that someone had just opened the door.

"Youngjae!!" A recognizably loud voice sounds through the walls to his room and he inevitably panics.

"Oh ," he bites his lip as he looks around for some place to dispose of his item where the other won't find it. Out of any good options he hurriedly stuffs the magazine into the gap beneath his mattress before promptly exiting the room and slamming the door behind him, "coming!!"

He will later come back with the desire to smack himself because everyone knows that things left under the mattress are bound to be discovered sooner or later.

But that's a story for another time.

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Ehe, sorry for not posting a chapter for ages. Chapter 3 is total crack since I'm not thinking straight haha.
This happens as you can see, I am not a very reliable person.
Also, if anyone finds the jumping between present and past confusing please tell me. Feedback makes a better writer. :D