Today was a very busy day for Kyungsoo.
"Pssht, Kyungsoo? Do you know the answer to b?"
"Shush, don't disturb me."
Obviously he wasn't busy with something as petty as school matters.
No, he was skimming through his cooking portal app in search of an appropriate recipe for today's big event.
Since he was completely clueless, his finger hovered over the 'random recipe' button.
Homemade meatballs with saffron cayenne sauce? Might be a bit too much.
Skip.
"Soo, what are you doing?"
Gnocchi with prawn-truffle-herb-sauce? Nah, prawns are not for everybody, right?
"Soo?"
"What do you think of salmon-tartar with fried grated potatoes and horseradish yogurt?"
Chaerin blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"For dinner!", he added impatiently, his finger already hovering over the random button, "Tonight we'll be having a guest over for the first time."
"Sounds pretty... High class...? Is your guest over forty-five years old?"
"What? No-"
"Then don't. Too posh. You're trying too hard."
Kyungsoo looked at her in hesitation.
"You think so...? But it says it only takes about 30 minutes preparation excluding the-"
"Waaay to hard." she chirped.
"Urgh, alright, alright!"
Skip.
Skip.
Skip.

"Why don't you cook something you're already comfortable with? This way you probably won't screw up?"
"Hmm... You think so? I want it to be a little special though..."
Dara sighed and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Kyungsoo. You could make a plain bowl of rice special. We all know that your cooking is awesome. You're worrying too much."
Chaerin readily agreed while twirling an agonizingly girlish cheap and glittery pen in her fingers(which she only used because it was a present, alright?).
Because hardcore feminists couldn't use girly things. Or something like that.
Kyungsoo closed his app to dramatically lean over his table and sigh.
This way he would never impress Chanyeol.
A glance to his phone told him(besides the 5 new chat messages), that he still had about two hours to come up with something.

A tentative knock at the window made his head snap up too quickly to be casual and he saw Chanyeol giving him a cheery wave. The classroom was deserted except for him and some girl from the upper semesters, who didn't even look up thanks to her headphones blasting some teenie movie.
Kyungsoo sent him a crooked grin of his own and tried not to pack up his things too eagerly.
Five seconds later he tapped the shoulder of the girl who was completely immersed into her  historical girl-movie-thing and only dismissed him absentmindedly.

"Hey." he said as he skipped onto the street with his bag slung over his shoulder.
"Hey Kyungsoo! Sorry to keep you waiting, today was rather busy..." Chanyeol replied with a sheepish grin.
"Ah, what are you talking about, I was at school anyway!" Kyungsoo answered casually as they made their way down the street.
After I sprinted home a few hours ago to clean the entire house and go grocery shopping and take a shower and change my clothes to sprint back here. Yupp.
"So Chen said you don't live too far?"
"Yeah, it's only about fifteen minutes. I hope you don't mind walking? We can also take the train-"
"Nah, it's alright. Walking is kinda refreshing."
Kyungsoo nodded. For a second, it was silent.
Oh god.
The worst case scenario was approaching - but Kyungsoo was prepared!
After all, he didn't collect a whole page of possible conversation starters for nothing!
Would it be weird to ask for his hobbies out of the blue?
It's probably inappropriate to talk about blood types right away, right?
Maybe the point about seasonal national plants?
Kyungsoo was already heading towards the mental breakdown in full force - and it had only been three seconds.
He couldn't do this.
"So, do you have a Youtube account as well?" Chanyeol suddenly asked with his arms swinging back and forth while walking.
SooDa. Dee-rait-Oh.
"NO." he answered quickly and resolutely.
"Uh, I mean... Not really... I don't upload stuff." he added, trying to sound less forceful.
"Ah, I see. What type of channels do you like?"
Uhm. YOURS, mainly.
"Oh. Comedy channels, a few singers of course. Since, you know, Chen. What about you?"
"Same, same. Obviously I'd know a few singers, but funny videos are the best! Like Nigahiga for example-"
"I know him! He's sooo awesome!" Kyungsoo interrupted him excitedly.
Chanyeol nodded with fervor, messing up his red hair while looking at him with equal excitement shining in his eyes.
"Isn't he?! I've been following him for YEARS!"
"Really? You must know his old videos as well, then! Like 'How to be Emo'-"
"...'Is a Dvd for youuu'!" he immediately fell in with his deep voice.
"Exactly! Haha, I love all his videos, but most people don't know his old stuff... Such a pity."
Chanyeol nodded again and put a hand on Kyungsoo's shoulder probably resting it there, considering the height difference in appreciation.
"You're so right! It's like those fans who only like ComicbookGirl19 since her Game of Throne reviews. I'm such a big fan of all her videos, especially-"
"The POTATO CAM ones!"
"Yes, you name it!"
They laughed and if Kyungsoo wouldn't have been so immersed, he might have thought:
Well, that's not too bad now, is it?

The anxiety kicked back in when they reached their shabby apartment complex and went on the torturous journey to the fourth floor.
"Uhm, we're almost there."
"Don't worry about me!", Chanyeol called up to him, "I've had worse on my jobs."
I'm more worried that I might look completely drained and non-aesthetic once we reach the top.

When they opened the door, Chen already called out to them, stopping Kyungsoo momentarily from embarrassing himself.
Chanyeol shrugged off his jacket and shoes and Chen immediately guided him to his room. easily striking up a conversation.
For a second, Kyungsoo felt a little lost(in his own apartment) and the giddy feelings were interrupted by a tiny prick of disappointment reality.

Right. He's Chen's guest. It's not like he wanted to see me or anything.
As if on cue, Chen popped his head into the hallway, looking for him.
"Kyungsoo? You alright?"
"W-what? Yeah, I'll make dinner, I guess? It's already six o'clock, after all."
"Oh. Okay, then? Chanyeol-", he called back inside his room, "-are you hungry? Kyungsoo would like to make dinner."
He clearly heard the worried 'I'll help you out!', but only dismissed the proposal, even though only Chen saw it.
"It's alright. Just have fun talking about that collaboration and... stuff."

"It's so weird to call you Chanyeol! I still have 'pcy' on my tongue every time! Haha, so awkward!"
"Don't say that! You can call me pcy, if that makes you more comfortable!"
"NOOO, I'll adapt!"
Kyungsoo sighed. There he was, standing in the kitchen, stirring the content of steaming pots like a housewife while his crush was in the next room, enthusiastically talking to his best friend.
At least he's in your apartment.
Though not in your room.
Eager, are we?
For some reason even the thought of the tall guy sitting on his bed, since he only had one chair in his room was making him feel all flustered.
And definitely not because of the band posters plastered across his walls. Not only, that is.
Park Chanyeol is in our house. Kyungsoo smiled a little to himself. It was the first time he'd had a proper conversation with him and Chanyeol didn't seem appalled or bored of him just yet.
Wait until he does see the number of posters, Xbox games and mangas.
He shook his head and tried to focus on the food.
It definitely had to turn out well!
And I'm not talking about Ah!My Goddess here. I'm talking about Chocolate Witch and Card Captor Sakura.
"...Oh, shut up." he mumbled to himself.

"What? You did not make all of this. Are you kidding me?!"
Kyungsoo blushed before he could help it.
I knew it. It was too much, was it? But it was so simple though...
Chen only laughed heartily while placing the last bowls on his low table and settling down next to Kyungsoo.
"It's alright, Kyungsoo is a master chef!"
"D-don't say that! You'll raise his expectations!" he called before he could help it.
"I-it's not that great. It's just... Teriyaki chicken with Udon noodles and soup... And a few Wan Tans. T-the Udon noodles are instant ones from the supermarket! I just thought everyone likes Japanese food, so..."
"Seriously?!" Chanyeol called in disbelief while eyeing his steaming food like a child would look at a christmas tree.
"This is amazing! It smells like in a restaurant..."
Chen chuckled and reached for his chopsticks.
"Then let's dig in before it get's cold! Wasting Kyungsoo's food is the eight deadly sin, after all~"
Kyungsoo only ate small pieces while gauging Chanyeol's reaction carefully. Maybe he had just wanted to be friendly?
But the redhead was obviously lost in pure bliss as he moaned around a bite of chicken.
Do NOT think anything ual right now, Do Kyungsoo.
"Aaah, itshoGOOD!"
He likes it! He LIKES me! Uh, my cooking. Almost the same.
For a while, Chanyeol didn't say a thing, his entire focus on the food before him.
Chen exchanged a few sentences with Kyungsoo to prevent the silence from getting awkward. Bless him.
Only when two thirds of his meal were gone, did Chanyeol speak up again.
"It has been sooo long since I had anything home-cooked. I won't leave anymore if that's what you do everyday."
"Then don't."
, did I say that out loud?
Chanyeol only laughed and slurped another noodle in a slobby cute way.
"Haha, can't do that, what would my little sis do?"
"You're living with your family?"
Chanyeol shook his head and reached for another piece of chicken.
"Nope. I only live with my baby sister. Her name's Sohee and she's 8 now. She's pretty smart and sassy. She'll be a super pretty women if she grows up, I know it!"
"You really seem to cherish her." Kyungsoo noted with a fond smile.
"She's my family and I'm responsible for her, so of course I'll cherish her~"
"Haha, I bet she'll never be able to have a boyfriend thanks to you." Chen threw in with a grin.
Chanyeol only shrugged with a semi-innocent grin.
"Can't help it, then."

When they had taken care of every bit of chicken, Kyungsoo stood up with a tower of dirtied dishes.
"Let me at least help you with doing the dishes!" Chanyeol immediately said while jumping to his feet.
"You don't need to-"
"-and yet I will. You already cooked; it's a rule that those who cook can't also be responsible for all the dish-washing! You have no chance, just give up~" he singsonged in determination and Kyungsoo only nodded numbly and was gently but surely pushed out of the room by Chanyeol while helplessly looking back at Chen.
"Clean for me, my peasants! I'll go and buy you some treats for your hard work!" he called out haughtily while staying back.
Great.

Silence was engulfing them while Kyungsoo cleaned and rinsed the dishes in an overly-orderly fashion, handing them to Chanyeol who dried them dutifully.
"So... Your sister is your only family? She must be a tough girl, then."
Chanyeol hummed lightheartedly.
"Actually we still have a mother. But she doesn't live with us anymore. Left one day to go and live with some guy. One day she stopped sending us the monthly rent so I had to start working, you know?"
He sounded so casual about it. Still, this didn't sound good at all.
"I'm sorry if this is a sensitive topic for you. I didn't realize..."
"Nah, it's fine. That's the way things are. The world goes on, right? Besides, right now everything is going quite well - my jobs are not intervening with each other and Sohee's such a big girl, if her babysitter has no time it's alright to leave her alone for a bit once in a while. I mean, I'll always worry a little. But you already named it - she's such a strong girl."
Kyungsoo smiled while handing him the pan and looking up at his earnest face for a second.
"You're so proud of her. I'm sure she's proud of you, too."
"Haha, don't be too sure of that! She's a little sass-ball, none of my mistakes will escape her hawkeyes!"
And again the mood was lifted easily. He admired Chanyeol. Not only for his lifestyle, but also his way of staying positive and controlling the atmosphere easily.
He sighed while draining the water and drying his hands.
"I know what she's talking about - you two are probably living off fast food and minimal dishes like plain rice, do you?" he asked accusingly with a raised eyebrow.
Chanyeol fidgeted and rubbed his neck sheepishly.
"I knowwww... I feel horrible about it, but I'm no good in the kitchen, and I lack the time... This sounds like a terrible excuse, doesn't it?"
Kyungsoo squished himself in between Chanyeol and the kitchen counter to reach for the fridge.
"What are you doing?"
"Can you hand me the transparent plastic box? Top shelf, to the left?"
"Uh, sure."
He took the box out of the huge hands of his clueless company and began to fill it to the brim with leftover food.
"It's not healthy for neither of you! I'll give you a bit so your precious baby sis will have a good meal as well."
"Aaaah, are you sure...?"
Kyungsoo almost swooned at the insecure tone of politeness that poorly hid a shimmer of hope.
"Don't be silly, I always cook for multiple days, anyway. There you go. In this box you have the chicken, there are the Udon noodles and the wan tans... The other box contains the soup. If it's not enough you can use any type of soup, you'll manage that, right? You have a microwave, don't you? That would make it easier."
Chanyeol stared at the boxes in disbelief until Kyungsoo nudged them into his hands by force.
"This... Thank you so-"

"Guuuys! Peasants! I brought your treat! It's ice cream time!"
Kyungsoo almost groaned.
THANK you, Chen - NOT.
Way to ruin the moment.
Chanyeol didn't seem deterred though and even had the nerve to bow slightly.

"Look, this really means a lot to me. I can tell you're not... Pitying us or anything. Sohee will love it, she definitely will. You should meet her one day."
His voice was full of sincerity and the smile he got was more dim but all the more radiating to Kyungsoo.
"Oh my god, don't bow. I-I feel awkward now."
Chanyeol laughed and patted his shoulder so strong, it almost sent him tumbling.
"You're so funny! Don't feel awkward! Let's go get our deserved ice cream!"
 

He skipped towards Chen's room as if it was his second home already and Kyungsoo liked that thought maybe a bit too much.
"Wah, melon ice cream! That's mine, mine! Kyungsoo, do you like vanilla and chocolate?"
Kyungsoo nodded dumbly while taking the offered ice cream and turning to leave the two alone again.
"Soo, aren't you staying with us?" Chanyeol asked almost disappointed.
"C-can I? Wait, did you just call me Soo?"
Chanyeol back-pedaled quickly.
"Ah, sorry, I've heard Chen calling you that all the time, so it stuck, I guess. Sorry."
"NO, no. It's alright. Don't you two want to plan the Youtube stuff...?"
Chen generously gestured him over.
"Without my marketing expert? We would never~"
And Kyungsoo happily entered the room to close the door behind him.

Hey guys~
This chapter's a little short, I hope you don't mind too much... But there's a lot of actual ChanSoo interaction going on, so I guess it's alright~
Yes, I do have an actual cooking app(chefkoch - I wonder if it has an English interface...?) and I do adore both Nigahiga and Comicbookgirl19. Check them out, if you're interested~ x3
Both Chanyeol's sis and the mysterious babysitter are going to appear more often in the future, so look forward to it~

I'll try to get the characters together a little more, so I can finally reveal(or let you choose) the possible love lines of everyone c:

Love,
Sugar-and-Salt

P.S.: SooDa can either be a play on Soo + Soda or on the Japanese phrase 'Sou da.' which means something along the lines of 'That's the way it is/That's right'. I'm Soo's a geek, what can I say.

P.P.S.: This is my favourite Chanyeol gif and I'm not gonna justify my use of it! :D