“Dowoon, you doing alright?” asks Brian quietly.

“Um, yes?” replies the younger, a little confused. “I just need to finish cutting the vegetables, then we’ll be able to stir fry them.”

“Ah, no, I don’t mean that,” says Brian with a short laugh. “I mean, you’re the youngest among us and we’re pretty noisy. Sometimes you might not get to say much. So I wondered if you’re doing okay.”

“Oh!” replies Dowoon with a shy smile. “Oh. I’m okay, yeah. I mean, I don’t feel like I have a lot to say sometimes. Is that okay with the rest of you?”

“Aih,” says Brian in faint amusement. “You should already know that’s okay. I find you attractive even if you don’t say anything.”

“That sounds like you don’t ever want me to speak,” chuckles Dowoon, finishing up on the vegetables and tossing them into the wok.

“Don’t go twisting my words–“ begins the other in a sociable tone, but it is cut short when he feels a warm and furry thing by his legs.

Dowoon grins, knowing what is happening, while Brian looks down at their feet.

“I know you’re cute and all, but do move or else I can’t take the ingredients we need,” says Brian solemnly as the other boy is frying the vegetables.

However, Wook stubbornly sticks close to Brian. Gives him the innocent eyes and a smiley face.

“I’ll just have to drag my leg along with you on it then,” grumbles the boy, slowly making for the kitchen counter to get some eggs.

“Well, it’s better than having him mischievous and dropping things off the kitchen counter, at least,” says Dowoon cheerfully. “I can certainly picture that happening.”

“No thank you to that scenario,” concurs Brian with an involuntary shiver.

[click here to continue]