“Are trying to get out of this?!” I scolded the one eyed guy in front of me. If he thinks he can smoother the situation by complimenting me boldly like that, then he´s thinking wrongly. There´s no way I´m forgiving him so easily, that is if I ever decide to forgive him.

“It´s true, I would like to redeem myself but I was honest,” Donghae waved with his hands, “you look very good like that.” He smiled but it looked more like a grimace with his swollen eye and red cheek. “I´ll show you how I´m really trying to get out of that,” he chuckled.

Then he ran behind me and with his hands on my back, he started pushing me forward. I was a little surprised but not as much as I was when he shoved me into the kitchen. The kitchen table was full of delicious food that smelled like heaven. The rest of the place looked as if something detonated there because the sink and everything around was covered in oil, sauce and flour. What caught my attention were little pieces of paper stuck to the digester. At first I thought it were receipts for cooking but when I came closer, I found out they were guidelines and manuals for using the stove and the cooking plate. Cute.

“You made this yourself?” I gestured to the food while keeping my poker face.

“Y-Yeah,” Donghae gulped loudly and began pussyfooting in the door frame, “I-I borrowed your money b-because I didn´t get my pay check yet” he glanced at me nervously with one eye, “but I´ll pay you back of course. I-I know how to cook a little bit and I noticed y-you always eat take-outs or instants,” Donghae bit his lip, “and so I thought you would maybe be happy to eat a home-made food.” Finished with his long stuttering, he looked at me expectantly but I kept the serious face.

“Don´t tell me you have already eaten?!” Donghae suddenly stressed.

I didn´t say anything, only walked to the fridge and opened the freezer. I pulled out a pack with frozen vegetables and threw it at Donghae. He caught it but kept looking at me strangely. I guess his little brain didn´t really get my intention and probably continued wondering about the way to cook the vegetables.

“Put it on your eye, Stupid,” I said and went to sit down to the table.

“So I´m forgiven?” He exclaimed pushing the frozen pack against his cheek.

“Nope,” I answered sternly and picked up my chopsticks, “I´m pretty hungry and this looks more than just palatable.”

“Oh, yeah,” Donghae said awkwardly but made sure his voice wouldn´t sound too dejected. He must be aware of his own mistakes, which is good. I´m glad he isn´t doing those cute faces and pitiful sorry. I would fall for that but the situation wouldn´t get solved. I would inwardly keep punishing myself for being too weak and my mood would never get back up.

“I remember you saying that you don´t like seafood so I didn´t buy any of that,” Donghae sat on the chair opposite of me. It was obvious he was trying to keep the conversation going but I was all the more taunted to make it harder for him.

“Mhm,” I answered and put a huge spoonful of rice into my mouth so I wouldn´t be able to speak for some time.

“Uh,” Donghae couldn’t handle the awkwardness and instead of eating opted for talking, “I heard there will be some kind of special programme in the park the next weekend.”

“I know,” was my simple reaction which made the raven head uncomfortable. I heard about it from Kyuhyun, who had now perfect overview of my neighbourhood. I remember him talking about traditional Christmas market that takes place there every year some weekend before Christmas. What would be traditional in Seoul I didn´t know but who cares.

“Well, do you wanna go to take a look?” He asked me and I stopped eating. The food suddenly didn´t taste that good. He´s really clueless this boy.

“I´m going,” I raised my head and the guy opposite of me beamed like a sun, “but not with you,” I added and a huge cloud went over the sun. “I´m going to apologize to Eunji and hope she will go with me.” I told him honestly because that was the most I could do at moment. Donghae frowned.

“If you want me to ruin another date of yours,” Donghae said unexpectedly darkly, “suit yourself,” he shrugged and began eating as if nothing.

“Are you threatening me?” I asked him and hit the table. “Why?”

“Because that´s not what you are looking for, Hyukjae,” Donghae answered cryptically. I wasn´t exactly sure that I understood him.

“And you know what I am searching then?” I chuckled to shake his confidence. Donghae didn´t move an inch and those black piercing eyes were back. I take it back, only one eye since the other was still closed and covered with a pack of melted vegetables.

“I do,” he said seriously and I shivered. Quite a familiar reaction nowadays. Seeing this, Donghae quickly recovered and his stare softened. He continued gently: “I´m not doing this to ruin your life, Hyukjae. I just don´t want you to end up in a mirror like me.”

“You don´t know why you were in that damned mirror,” I gave away to my emotions in the end. Those black eyes always make me lose my footing.

“No, but what if I was released to make space for someone new, for you,” he pointed at me and I felt scared. What he says isn´t probably the truth but it still makes one uncomfortable.

“Donghae, why are you doing this to me,” I whined and put my head on the table. I made sure to avoid the plates and my dirty chopsticks. I didn´t need to wash down my new hairstyle in the soup.

“No, no, no,” Donghae kept chanting in whisper, “don´t cry, Hyukjae,” he panicked. I wasn´t crying, though, I was just too tired of his stupid games and my own empty life. “I don´t know what to do when you are like that.”

“Then stop making me feel this way,” I mumbled against the wood still not ready to get up. But then I felt a hand on my shoulder. Immediately I sprung up to, indeed, find Donghae standing next to me. The pack with vegetables was left on the table so the cold hand could hold my shoulder instead.

“I know you hate me but I´m doing everything with a reason,” he explained not letting go.

“What reason?” I asked back, looking up to him. He just shook his head.

“I can´t tell now,” then he frowned and rephrased himself, “I don´t want to tell you yet because you wouldn´t like what you are hearing. Just know, I have no intention of hurting you, kay?” He chuckled sweetly. I had no choice but to sigh dejectedly, this was the famous aegyo. Seems like he used his last weapon in the end and as always it ing works wonders.

“Alright but don´t get overboard like today. Eunji must be sad because of you,” I was about to turn back and restart eating when Donghae bent over and hugged me tightly.

His fingers were clutching my shirt on my back and his face was snuggled into my neck. But strangely the hug didn´t feel directed to me. It was more like Donghae was comforting himself. I didn´t know why but instinctively I returned the hug, although very lightly. Feeling my touch, the elder got startled and stood up quickly. He looked away blushing.

“You are too kind, you know that?” He mumbled and I rolled my eyes.

“Tell me about it,” I snorted, “and return the pack to the fridge if you aren´t using it anymore or it will turn into a soup.”

“Should I make soup tomorrow?” He asked. What to say? I´ve always wanted to have a personal chef!

Hi! Here wego! Another clash of theirs, kkkk. The MAMAs made me so mad, I can´t even speak... I hope they will soon tell us the details about SS6 in Europe. I wish German would work out. Thank you for reading! - PandaHero