“What are you doing?”

            Luhan just smiled sardonically as an answer Minseok’s question. He raised the cake that he is currently making. Or at least, that was what he called it.

            “This is for you.” Luhan said. “To boost your appetite.”

            “I don’t eat expired food.”

            “Expired?” Luhan’s temper flared up. This man really likes to annoy him. But he controlled himself. “Don’t make me laugh, Minseok. You’re not funny. Anyway, this is my super-duper, mega over delicious cake.”

            “How original.”

            Control yourself, Luhan. Control yourself. “Taste it first before you judge the cake that I have baked.”

            Luhan dipped his finger on the cake and he’s about to place it on Minseok’s mouth when he stopped his hand. Luhan was caught off-guard that’s why he wasn’t able to react instantly. Memories of the kiss they had shared yesterday afternoon flooded his mind. Luhan blushed when he looked at Minseok’s face and he saw him looking at him intently. Luhan tried to pull his arm but Minseok didn’t let him go but he tasted the cake on Luhan’s finger instead. Luhan can’t breathe especially when Minseok put his finger in his mouth.

            Goodness! Luhan had never felt this hot before! This guy was a shameless tease!

            Minseok tasted the cake. “Hmm. Not bad, Luhan.”

            Not bad. Luhan feels like Minseok is teasing him about the kiss that happened between them. No, he can’t lose. He wants Minseok to realize that their kiss is nothing to him. Hah! He can flirt too, if needed.

            Luhan slowly tasted the same finger that Minseok tasted earlier. “Hmm, you’re right. I have a talent in baking. I told you I’m a gifted child.”

            Luhan forced Minseok to sit on a chair. Then he pulled out another chair and sat beside him. He’s very near because his chest almost touched Minseok’s arm. He dipped his fingers on the cake again and offered it to the man beside him.  

            “Taste it again, Minseok. Maybe the flavor is not evenly distributed.”

            “No, it’s fine.”

            “No, taste it again. Please. Wait, let me just get some more.” Luhan picked up the fork and get at large piece of cake and offered it to Minseok. “Come on, Minseok. This is the least thing you could do for kissing me yesterday.”

            “Excuse me. I didn’t kiss you. You kissed me.”

            “Whatever. Say ‘ah’.”

            Luhan doesn’t have an idea what Minseok is thinking when he opened his mouth and ate that huge piece of cake. But he doesn’t care. What’s important is that he gets his revenge on him. Luhan almost laughed out loud when Minseok choke on his cake.

            “Wait here. I’ll just get you something to drink.” But of course, it wasn’t part of his agenda to give Minseok a glass of water.

            I’m not getting you anything! Luhan went to his room to hide. If something happens to Minseok, the better. He waits for a commotion to happen outside but he doesn’t hear anything. He even placed his ear against the door hoping that he just can’t hear anything. But nothing is happening. Maybe the piece that he gave to that man is too small. After a few minutes and he don’t hear any noise, he comes out of his room. He saw Minji.

            “Is there… is there something happening just now, Minji?”

            “Nothing. Why?”

            “Ah… nothing. Did you see Minseok?”

            “You’re with him in the kitchen earlier, right?” Minji asked, confused. Oh god! Maybe someone saw that lewd scene in the kitchen! “Maybe he’s still there.”

            Luhan went to the kitchen and he peeked. And yes, there he was indeed. He was still there sitting where he left him and eating the cake that he made. And Minseok seemed to be enjoying it. Luhan is not sure whether to be annoyed or to be happy with what’s happening. He wants to be annoyed because he failed in seducing him. But he’s happy because Minseok likes the cake that he made.

            Luhan sighed. Then he went back to the kitchen to ransack the fridge for chilled water. He gets a pitcher and placed it on the table together with a glass.

            “Drink this so that you won’t choke.”

            Minseok did. Then he picks up a piece of cake with his fork and offered it to him. Somehow, his appreciation for the cake seemed to have melted some of his irritation. So he gets the fork from Minseok. But Minseok pulled his hand away and motioned the fork to his mouth. Luhan halted.

             He wants to feed him?

            When Luhan looked at Minseok, his eyes were y as hell as he looked straight at him. And when he looked at his lips, he is reminded of the hot kiss that he gave him yesterday. Luhan panicked and he remembered his plan to get his revenge on him. Luhan took a step back when he felt he’s blushing.

            But just like before, Minseok was able to hold is arm.

            “We seemed to be doing this more often than necessary. Don’t you think so?” Minseok simply asked.

            “I don’t know. I know nothing about that.” He tried to pull his arm Minseok is stronger than him. “Excuse me, can you please let go of my arm? This is my arm, anyway.”

            Minseok thinks for a while. But instead of letting go of his arm, Minseok pulled it so he was seated on his lap now.

            “I don’t know why. But for the first time, I can’t seem to forget the ordinary kiss that I gave you.”

            Ordinary? This guy is really horrible! Luhan pinched Minseok’s cheeks.

            “And for your information,” Luhan said in an almost-shouting sound. “there’s nothing ordinary with my kiss!”

            “Ah, so you’re finally admitting that it is you who kissed me?”

            “I kissed you on your cheeks! And it was even an accident.”

            “Luhan.”

            “Don’t calle me ‘Luhan’! I even refrain you from calling me by my name, remember?” Luhan noticed a small bruise on Minseok’s face. “Is that…”

            “Yeah. That’s from the punch you gave me yesterday.”

            “That’s starting to become black. Why didn’t you put something on it?”

            “I forgot.”

            “You forgot? You’re really crazy.”

            “Yeah. I was just so preoccupied on how should I apologize to you because of what happened yesterday.”

            Luhan’s heart was once again caught off-guard. He tried to get off Minseok’s lap and this time, he lets him go. But he stayed near Minseok.

            “Where can I get the cold compress?”

            Minseok turned to him. He doesn’t have an idea what he is thinking. But based on what he is seeing on his handsome face, Minseok is in a good mood.

            “Above the refrigerator.” Minseok answered finally. “You can get it there.”

            Luhan immediately found the cold compress. He put some ice cubes in it and gave it to Minseok. He knew he could just leave him and stay away. But what happened is that he stayed on Minseok’s side.

            Maybe he’s getting crazy too.  

            “Does it hurt?” Luhan asked. Minseok just shrugged. “Well, you deserved it.”

            “I guess I really owe you an apology.” Minsoek leaned on his seat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I said.”

            Luhan waited for Minseok to say something more. What should he apologize next. Because he was waiting for him to apologize for kissing him. But he never said anything about the kiss. Did that mean—he wasn’t sorry that he kissed him? Somehow, that seemed to be so… nice.

            “I wasn’t able to thank you for helping me when we’re in the chopper.” Luhan changed the topic.

            “You’re welcome.”

            “And thank you for giving me coffee and mocha bread.”

            “You’re welcome again.”

            Luhan nodded. He can’t hide his smile. “If that’s the case, then I guess I’m forgiving you for your mistake.”

            They were quiet for a moment there. On Luhan’s part, he doesn’t know what to think on what’s happening between them. Are they not friends before and now they are okay? Or he’s still a club member and he’s still an ordinary employee?

            Maybe it was both.

            “The cake is delicious.” Minseok said. “You made it?”

            “No. I just helped Seongjin ahjumma.”

            “So, it was Seongjin ahjumma who’s my hero. She’s the reason why I’m not dead yet.”

            Luhan gaped at him. “You’re really evil. Hey, for your information, I gave my best on helping her.”

            “Yeah, I can only imagine.”

            For now, he could forgive him. His heart doesn’t have the strength to be mad at him.

            “Did you eat?” Minseok asked afterwards.

            “Not yet.”

            “Join me.”

            “Isn’t it against your doctrine?”

            “What? What doctrine?”

            “You know. Someone low class like me shouldn’t be near with someone like you.”

            “You’re hallucinating again.”

            Luhan called Minji, Chaeyoung and Seongjin ahjumma to prepare their food. He also asked the three to join them. It was the first time that he broke his own rule.

            And Luhan was glad Minseok did.

-----------------------------

            “You said you weren’t Sir Minseok’s boyfriend. Why did I see you two kissing in the living room?”

            Luhan doesn’t know how to answer Chaeyoung’s question. At that moment, he was in the kitchen with the three women. Minseok went out to roam around Yeongcheon.

            “Then you ate together too.” Minji added. “Maybe you two are really together. Since we worked here, it’s our first time to see Sir Minseok join him in his meal.”

            “When he’s in Exo Riding Club, he’s eating with someone.” Luhan said even if he doesn’t know what Minseok’s activities are at the club. “I’m sure this is not the first time that Minseok let someone eat with him.”

            “Yes.” Minji said. “But here, he rarely eats in the dining room. He usually eats at the patio if he wants to eat.”

            “Maybe he remembers his parents when he eats at the dining table.” Seongjin ahjumma piped. Maybe she really knows about Minseok’s life before. “He was really close with his parents when they were still alive. Seeing him eat in the dining room is a good sign.”

            “Good sign?”

            “Sir Minseok is always alone wherever he goes. He doesn’t allow anyone to be near him. Maybe because he doesn’t want to get hurt when a person who is important to him will be lost, like what happened when his parents died. But because of you, Luhan, he finally learned to open his heart again.”

            “Open his heart again.” That was a nice thing to know. But he doesn’t believe in it. Because Minseok made it clear that he will never like someone like him. Luhan remembered their kiss. It was a joke for Minseok. He won’t take him seriously so he’s not hoping. He is aware of his position in Minseok’s life.

            “Luhan, take care of Sir Minseok for us. We really love him. Not because he is handsome and we have a crush on him but because he gives us, the citizens of Yeongcheon, a hope to geet out of poverty.”

            “From all of the past mayors of this place, it was Sir Minseok who takes care of the citizens. And despite of pushing him away, he stays to fix everything in Yeongcheon.”

            “But because of all of his efforts for us, he forgets to take care of himself.” Seongjin ahjumma said. “Luhan, Sir Minseok only listens to you. I hope you will take care of him for us.”

            Luhan just smiled. “Don’t worry. As long as he’s by my side, I will take care of him.”

            “Luhan, even if you’re not Sir Minseok’s boyfriend… do you have any feelings for him?”

            “I’m one of the club members. And you’re just one of the people who work for us.” Luhan just smiled and gently shook his head.

            “Someone like me is not allowed to have feelings for him.” The three women looked at each other. It’s obvious that they can’t understand what he is saying. “We are both part of the Exo Riding Club. But we are in different state. When we go back, our roles will be clearer. He will stay above and I will stay below and looking up at him.”

            “You’re still not answering Chaeyoung’s question, dear.” Seongjin ahjumma said.

            “I don’t.” Luhan looked below. “I like someone else.”

            When he said that, his feelings became clearer. Heechul is not who he likes now.

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Last four chapters left! Thank you so much for the comments, upvotes and subscribes! I really appreciate it. :)