Chanyeol was beyond happy. The manager who talked to him had been nice, taking him to the kitchen to show him the exact places where every tool was kept. Actually, he never saw so many mixers and complicated-looking pastry machines, and he wondered if he was really supposed to use them. Maybe those people really wanted him to make complicated dishes? Those weren’t much of his style, to be honest, but in that moment he simply didn’t care.

That was the job he always dreamt of, and he couldn’t believe his luck.

“Here’s the pantry” the manager was saying, opening a cabinet to show him. “There’s floor, sugar, salt, everything you might need. In the fridge, here, we keep just some basic ingredients like fresh vegetables and fruits, milk and eggs, but you just need to ask, and we’ll immediately send an errand boy to get what you need, if something isn’t here.”

“This is just amazing” Chanyeol murmured, looking at the scrumptious contents of the big fridge. He spotted a big and fluffy-looking head of cabbage, thinking that it would taste good braised with white wine and the littlest pinch of black pepper.

The manager smiled encouragingly. “I knew your father” he said. “When your application came in, I immediately knew that I couldn’t go wrong with you.”

Chanyeol felt bashful. “I am not my father” he admitted, “but well, he taught me a thing or two.”

“I always went to eat in his restaurant” the man went on, patting his shoulder, “his food is nourishment for the soul, not only for the body. It’s always an unique experience.”

Chanyeol nodded, getting distracted while inspecting the contents of the dry ingredients’ pantry. He was used to that kind of compliments, but he always found a little weird that people considered him like a clone of his father, a well-known molecular cuisine chef whose restaurant in Gangnam recently earned two Michelin stars and really good reviews. Chanyeol’s cooking style was just the opposite, to be honest. He was much more traditional, and he liked simple and honest things.

“Do you expect me to cook my father’s dishes for Mr... uh...” he checked the name on the contract that he still had to sign, “Byun Baekhyun?”

The manager raised his hands. “Oh, no. You can do whatever you want, really. Just make sure that he eats a well-balanced mix of nutrients, his schedule is always packed and he needs to be in good shape.”

“Of course” Chanyeol absently replied. All he knew about his client was that he was an idol, but he never heard of that name before. Well, he wasn’t much informed about the showbiz, so maybe it was just normal. He never watched TV, unless a cooking show was airing.

He was about to ask for a pen to sign, when he noticed that the manager was looking at him rather worriedly. “Something wrong?”

“Well, I think it’s better to tell you, since you’ll end up to learn it one way or another.” The man sat on a chair, and Chanyeol did the same, keeping his hands securely entwined in his lap. He couldn’t wait to start cooking. “The three cooks we hired before you all resigned after the ten days trial.”

Chanyeol blinked. “What? Why?”

He frankly couldn’t understand. That was just every cook’s dream job: the pay was good, you didn’t need to exhaust yourself in a restaurant with thousands of hungry people breathing on your neck and you could practically do whatever you wanted. Plus, the contract included room and board, and he had already been given a tour in what would soon become his new flat, a very comfy and cosy place, in Chanyeol’s opinion.

Something was fishy.

“Well...” the manager sighed. “The truth is, Baekhyun’s taste is very difficult to match.”

“Why? Is he a picky eater?”

“Not really. Let’s just say, he has a bad temper. If something isn’t of his liking, he might get...” he hesitated, eyes darting from left to right while looking for the right words.

“...y?” Chanyeol suggested.

“I’m afraid there is no other way to describe it” the manager admitted. “He gave a hard time to those who came before you, mocking them to the point that they decided to quit.”

Chanyeol, now, was even more confused than before. “Well” he said, “since he’s in the industry and stuff, maybe he has an eating disorder.”

The manager looked at him, his eyes wide, but Chanyeol just shrugged. He wasn’t the type who liked walking in circles just because some topics weren’t politically correct, he preferred stating things plain and simple.

“No” the manager replied, after a long pause, “we got him checked. He just... well, according to his shrink, he channels his negativity in this way, getting angry at people who take care of him. Apparently, he unconsciously associates food with human kindness, and he refuses both.”

Chanyeol shrugged again. Looked like that guy had some serious issues, but he was no therapist, and he couldn’t do much for him. “It’s okay. I’ll try guessing and matching his taste, and if it won’t work, I’ll just go away like the others before me.”

The manager looked shaken. “Are you really okay with this? Things might get a little tough for you, you know.”

Chanyeol smiled. “I’m tougher than I look, don’t worry.”

The manager didn’t look that convinced, but he just watched while he signed the contract, without trying to stop him.

---oOo---

Byun Baekhyun was supposed to come to his dorm at half past midnight. Chanyeol learnt it by reading the detailed schedule that the manager handed him before leaving. Previously, he got some time to unpack his bag and get comfortable in his new flat – just a tiny kitchen, a bathroom and a room with a bed, a TV and a wall closet, but he really liked it. It smelled like pine wood and wax, since the floor were new and freshly-polished, and he spent a good half an hour sitting right on the floor, sorting through his notes and cookbooks that he brought along. He arranged Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Kitchen, Csaba della Zorza Csaba’s Bon Marché and Gordon Ramsay’s A Chef for All Seasons on display in a small bookcase, and he stuffed his other books in the back. Some titles were in English, some other in French, an one even in Italian, all souvenirs from his travels in Europe, where he worked in various kitchens to learn how to cook.

Around five pm, he went into the dorm’s big kitchen and decided to start making something. He tied his apron, stuffed his hair under a baseball cap and he started sifting floor.

After a long thinking, he decided to prepare bread for Byun Baekhyun, the exceptionally picky eater.

There was no real reason why he chose that, besides that nobody that he knew ever disliked his rolls. Then, if he mixed various kinds of floor, he could give to his demanding client a nourishing and well-balanced meal even if it was just a little loaf of bread.

He carefully measured some whole-wheat flour, along with some white and semolina one. After a little thinking, he added a pinch of unsweetened cocoa powder to improve the colour, then he mixed everything thoroughly. He always liked how the semolina made the mixture sandy but velvety at the same time.

After that, he went to get his sourdough starter from the fridge. He actually brought it from home, earning a weird look from the manager when the first thing he did when he entered the dorm for the first time, even before taking care of his personal luggage, was making sure that the starter was in a fresh and non-smelly place. He got it from a baker in Italy, and he always took care of it, because it was able to rise whatever dough he whipped up, making the crumb airy like no other yeast could.

He took a fistful of starter, relishing in the acidic and slightly tangy smell of it, then he put it back into his jar in the fridge. He dissolved the dough in a mixture of water and whole milk, noticing with a smile how the yeast immediately started reacting, making the surface of the liquid frothy and bubbly. After a little thinking, he added one lightly beaten egg, two spoonfuls of corn oil and just a dab of honey, deciding on a whim that Byun Baekhyun, being such a complicated character himself, could probably appreciate some complexity in his food as well. He didn’t want to make a brioche though – he just wanted some hinted sweetness to improve the general flavour, and a soft texture.

He started kneading, singing softly to himself while working the dough with his fists. He always liked making bread, because it was a simple thing that carried along all the basic philosophy of cooking: bread was the essence of everyday’s food, and making it by hand was an art that was slowly being forgotten.

After kneading for a good ten minutes, the dough was ready to rise, and he put it in a big bowl on the kitchen counter. Meanwhile, he started preparing the filling for what it would become Byun Baekhyun’s dinner roll.

He retrieved from the fridge some boneless chicken thigh that he previously unthawed, then he sliced it and mixed it with some lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, putting it aside to marinate. He took some celery, carrots and spring onions, he carefully washed them, then he thinly sliced them obtaining some long ribbons. He marinated the vegetables with the same ingredients of the chicken, but in a separated bowl.

He whipped up a quick mayonnaise sauce, beating with a hand whisk one egg, some corn oil, salt and a dab of apple cider vinegar, then, after tasting it, he decided to make the favour milder adding some finely chopped parsley, coriander and a spoonful of Greek yoghurt. He put everything in the fridge, then went to take a shower and one quick nap.

When he woke up at nine pm, he immediately went to check his dough, and he smiled of sheer happiness when he saw that it doubled in size. He punched it, then kneaded it briefly, making four little rolls that he placed on an oven tray. He checked the clock, deciding that he would let them rise for another hour, he wanted them to be extra soft and cloudy, and while he waited he checked the chicken and veggies. The meat got whiter and absorbed the perfumes really well.

After the time passed, he brushed the top of the buns with a beaten egg, then he put them in the oven with a small pot of warm water, because he knew that the vapour would have prevented the surface from getting crunchy.

While the bread cooked, he heated a heavy-bottomed pan on the stove, and then he cut the chicken in thin strips (or straccetti, how they said in Italy), and he quickly sautéed them with the littlest bit of oil, a drop of honey, salt and white pepper. He added the vegetables just at the end, because he wanted them to be crunchy, to contrast the softness of the bread.

Just a few minutes before the scheduled return of the idol, he assembled the meal.  He cut two of the buns and he slightly toasted the two halves in the same pan where he fried the chicken, then he stuffed them with the chicken mix and a generous spoonful of the special mayonnaise he prepared beforehand. He just finished adjusting the top of the buns over the filling, and he was busy cleaning the serving dish from a few crumbs fallen here and there, that a key turned into the lock and a person walked inside, shoving a heavy bag directly on the floor.

Byun Baekhyun stared at him, and Chanyeol just held his gaze.

He was younger than he expected – but weren’t all idols young and handsome? – with ruffled black hair, a very pale little face and the most tired pair of eyes he ever saw.

“Oh” he said, “yeah, I forgot that a new guy was going to come.”

“Hello, I guess” Chanyeol quietly replied, unknowingly liking the sass of that boy. He had to be one or two years younger than him, no more. “I got some dinner ready for you.”

“I am not eating it” Byun Baekhyun replied, taking off his shoes, “I am not hungry.”

“As you wish. There’ll be more for me.”

The boy raised his gaze, suddenly looking at him more closely. “That’s new” he said. “The others all freaked out when I ignored their food.”

Chanyeol shrugged. “I get paid for cooking, not for making sure that you eat. You are a grown man, after all, or at least it looks like so.”

He stiffened, because those words slipped out of his mouth before he could prevent them. For a second – the longest second of his life – he thought that Byun Baekhyun got offended. But then, the boy snorted, taking off his padded jacket and laying it carelessly on a chair. He had broad shoulders, and his body proportions were really good. Now Chanyeol understood why people seemed to like him so much. “I don’t know who you are, but I like your attitude. What did you make anyway?”

Chanyeol leaned against the kitchen counter, beckoning towards the plate that he put on the table without much fuss. “Whole-wheat, semolina and soft wheat semi-sweet roll stuffed with sautéed chicken straccetti, spring vegetables and herbed Greek mayonnaise.”

“Don’t you look proud of yourself while saying it” Baekhyun said, running his fingers among his hair. “Next time, why don’t you choose an even longer title? It’s just a sandwich, everyone could do it.”

“I’ll try. I think I’ll have fun doing it.”

“Nevermind.” Baekhyun sat on the edge of the table, poking at the still hot buns, whose scent was filling up the kitchen. “I am quite impressed. Nobody ever managed to listen to me being sarcastic while keeping a straight face.”

“Really?” Chanyeol asked, taking off his apron. Without many ceremonies, he took one of the other two buns he made, cut it and started to fill it with the leftover sautéed chicken. He generously spread the herbed mayonnaise on top, then he took a big bite.

Baekhyun stared at him, frowning. “Isn’t that supposed to be eaten by me?”

Chanyeol swallowed, then cleaned his mouth with his thumb. “It is, but you said you aren’t hungry.”

“I said it just to tease you, but since it’s not working, I might actually eat.”

“That, or my cooking made your mouth water and you just changed your mind.”

“” Baekhyun cursed, “I thought you were a funny one at first, but I think I’ll end up hating you just like all the others.”

“So, how is it?”

“What?”

“The sandwich. Is it good, at least?”

Baekhyun froze. While he was bantering with Chanyeol, he didn’t realize that he actually took the bread in his hands and started munching on it.

“Uh...”

Chanyeol smiled broadly. “I’ll let you eat by yourself, you look tired.” He collected the remaining spare bun in a napkin, then he went into his room after putting the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. “Have a good dinner. I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast.”

When he didn’t receive an answer, he turned to check if the boy actually heard him, and when he did that, he noticed that Baekhyun was livid of anger. Probably he wasn’t used to people keeping up with him and not getting affected by his mockery.

“Fine, Mr Smart pants” Baekhyun hissed, but still munching on the second bun, having already cleared the first one, “since you are so sure of yourself, why don’t you accept a little challenge?”

Chanyeol quirked an eyebrow, intrigued. “A challenge? I quite like them.”

“Good. Try solving this little riddle, then. The food I’d like to eat tomorrow for breakfast must be sweet, but it must not have any dairy products or eggs inside.”

Chanyeol quietly pondered the suggestion. “Interesting. I’m sure I’ll come up with something.”

Baekhyun laughed aloud, a quick and cruel sound. “Sure. The other ones all failed, you know. Making sweets without dairy or eggs is actually one of the most difficult things for a cook. And you’re not even a pastry chef, so...”

“You look well-informed. Did you by chance read my resume?”

Baekhyun got up, walking towards Chanyeol and stopping only an inch or two before bumping against him – he wasn’t that short, afterwards, he almost reached Chanyeol’s chin. “It must be ing great” he hissed, “and it must be ready for tomorrow at six o’clock. Have a good night raking your brains, loser.”

“Goodnight to you too” Chanyeol mockingly greeted him, while the boy went away, fuming, and he slammed a door behind his back. Before he disappeared, Chanyeol managed to spot the biggest mess he ever saw in what, probably, was Byun Baekhyun’s bedroom.

Alone, he started thinking. Now he didn’t feel tired anymore, and he didn’t want to sleep.

He just wanted to cook.

---oOo---

A few hours later, Chanyeol wasn’t getting anywhere.

The little er was right – making sweets without dairy and eggs was really difficult. Well, actually it was okay for some basic homemade plain cakes, but Chanyeol doubted that Byun Baekhyun would be content if he ever presented him something like that.

“” he cursed, staring disconsolate at a failed tray of muffins. He tried substituting butter with vegetable oil and milk with orange juice, but the batter turned out different from what he expected and the little cakes turned out stiff and heavy. Also, when he tried tasting one, the aftertaste of oil made him spit everything in the sink.

He abandoned his initial project – vegan muffins soaked in lemon syrup – and he tried something else. Maybe muffins weren’t Baekhyun’s cup of tea after all... maybe cookies were a better choice. And cookies could turn out good even without butter and milk. But he never heard before of good cookies made without eggs...

No, he still wasn’t there. He opened the fridge, trying to get some good ideas from what was there, and he was seriously starting to get desperate when he saw it, a true lifesaver: a small carton of almond milk.

“Thanks God” he said, throwing away the failed attempts of before and getting a clean bowl to start cooking again. 

He sifted a mixture of soft wheat flour and rice flour, because he wanted the cookies to be fragrant and crumbly even without butter, then he added some corn oil, sugar, honey, baking powder and a pinch of salt. He grated in some lemon zest and he cut in half a vanilla bean to get the sweet-smelling little seeds, adding them in the mixture. He quickly kneaded the dough – quickly was the key word, he didn’t want it to get stiff while cooking, then he started wondering about the filling.

For some reason, he had this feeling that Byun Baekhyun liked lemon, maybe because he was a little bitter and tangy himself, but it was already pretty late, and he didn’t have enough time to whip up a lemon custard. What to do, then?

While thinking, he found himself staring at a packet of chocolate chips, a can of cherries in syrup and a half-used jar of orange marmalade, and he started breathing more easily. Now at least he knew what to do.

First, he divided the dough in three parts. He mixed some unsweetened cocoa powder in the first half, some chocolate chips in the second and a teaspoon of cinnamon in the third, then he started flattening the three kinds of dough with a rolling pin. With a sharp knife, he cut eleven rectangles from each one, then, after heating up the oven, he started forming the cookies.

He placed one teaspoon of marmalade over the cocoa-flavoured rectangles, one cherry on the chocolate chip ones and a few dices of apple with a pinch of cane sugar over the cinnamon ones. He then proceeded to fold all the rectangles in half, obtaining little bundles – fagottini – and laying them neatly on a cookie tray. He baked them for eight minutes exactly, because he absolutely didn’t want the base to become too dark, ruining the flavour, then he took them out.

The scent was heavenly, while he laid all three kinds of cookies on a grid to cool down. He checked the clock, and he smiled broadly when he saw that it was just half past five in the morning. That meant that he had thirty full minutes for a good mise en place before Byun Baekhyun would get up.

He dug in the pottery cabinets, looking for a cake stand, and he actually found a triple one. He carefully lined every stage with table cloth napkins, then arranged the cookies on display. He stared at his work, thinking that he really did wonders this time, and he was just going to taste the three cookies he saved for himself that Byun Baekhyun, wearing just a tee and a pair of sweatpants, walked into the kitchen. Without the dramatic eye makeup he wore the night before, he looked like a thin and pitiful little boy, Chanyeol thought.

None of them said anything, while they both stared at the triumphant stand filled with still fragrant cookies, but Chanyeol could see that Baekhyun wasn’t pleased with what he saw. The boy really wanted him to fail the challenge, after all.

“How do you call this stuff?” he asked, poking at the chocolate chips cookies. Chanyeol noticed that he actually e upside down to check if the bottom was burnt, and he thanked God for checking the cooking time properly.

“Assorted fagottini” he said.

“At least it’s concise” Baekhyun commented, “even if still pretentious. What did you put inside?”

“Orange marmalade in the cocoa-flavoured ones, canned cherries inside of the chocolate chip ones and apples inside of the cinnamon ones.”

He took a bite of the cookie he was holding, feeling the cherry burst onto his tongue when the shell cracked. It was just as crumbly and light as he wanted it to be, and he was ing proud of himself for the result. Baekhyun took a small bite of one cocoa cookie, the frown never abandoning his handsome face. “So? How is it?” Chanyeol .

“Shut the up” Baekhyun grunted, “and don’t get too cocky.”

He ate the whole thing, though, along with a few others. Then he made some dark coffee for himself and he soaked the cinnamon cookie inside before tasting it. His face didn’t look happy, but Chanyeol knew that he was enjoying his food.

“I’ll see you tonight, I guess” he said, anticipating the good sleep that he would get when Baekhyun would be away. He had been up all night, and he was really tired.

“Just one thing before you go” the other stopped him, putting down the half-eaten chocolate chip and cherry cookie he was eating. “I didn’t tell you what I want to eat tonight yet.”

“Another challenge?” Chanyeol casually asked, making him roll his eyes in annoyance.

“Grey mullet” the other stated. “I want to eat grey mullet.”

This time, Chanyeol couldn’t think of a proper smart reply and just gritted his teeth in frustration. That was another difficult task, but he really needed some sleep, now. “Fine. I’ll get to the fish market later.”

“No need. Just call the errand boy, it’s better to get everything delivered here, or crazy fans will find a way to stick their noses and take pictures of my .”

“Oh” Chanyeol said. He didn’t think of that. “Idol’s life issues, uh?”

Baekhyun glared at him, but apparently he wasn’t in the mood to quarrel. He actually looked down, and Chanyeol frankly couldn’t understand why. “Grey mullet. And make sure it’s the best damn thing I ate in my life, okay?”

Chanyeol just nodded and then walked away. He was really exhausted, and he crashed onto the bed without even bothering washing up first.

---oOo---

That cocky little brat gave him another difficult riddle to solve, after all. Chanyeol was in the kitchen, staring at the fish that the errand boy – a friendly guy called Kim Minseok with a contagious gummy smile – delivered to him previously. He brought along also a lot of fresh vegetables, which made Chanyeol really happy. Also, he left him a little present, a small piece of bottarga, an Italian delicacy made of pressed and seasoned grey mullet roe.

“You have no idea” Chanyeol said when he saw it, “you literally saved me. I didn’t know what to do with this low-quality fish, but with this precious little baby I’ll make a really great dish.”

Minseok laughed. “I’m glad. Baekhyun isn’t that bad, you know... you just need to get accustomed to the fact that he acts like an for most of the time. But actually, when he isn’t in a foul mood, he’s a quite agreeable guy, and he’s not a bad person at all.”

“I guess so.” Chanyeol thanked him again, then he tied his apron and started cooking. Baekhyun was supposed to return at the dorm around two in the afternoon for a quick nap, then he had to leave in the evening to attend an award ceremony. He didn’t have much time.

First of all, he carefully cleaned the grey mullet, washing the fish thoroughly under the running water in the sink. Chanyeol hated cooking grey mullet, because it was a low quality fish and its flavour was plain and kind of muddy, since it usually lived in fairly shallow waters. It was edible, and its meat was white and light, but he simply didn’t like it. And nor did Baekhyun, he was sure of it.

While he scaled the fish and cut the belly to extract its guts, his thoughts drifted away.

The more he thought about it, the more he was sure that Baekhyun had some cooking knowledge, in spite of everything. Nobody would know that it was practically impossible cooking a high quality dessert without dairy and eggs, or that grey mullet was a kind of fish that was very difficult to glorify.

To be honest, he liked it, that unexpected side of him. It almost made him wonder if there was something else beneath the idol’s polished surface.

Maybe, but just maybe, Byun Baekhyun was a more interesting person than what he thought before.

After cutting the two fillets, he put them aside to marinate in milk, just in case the flavour was too strong, and then he took three magnificent artichokes from Minseok’s delivery. Artichokes were  Baekhyun’s style, he was sure of it. They were complicated and sophisticated, just like him.

He washed them, got rid of the toughest leaves, then cut them in thin slices. He heated one crushed clove of garlic and a drizzle of olive oil in a pan, then tossed in the artichokes, sautéing them quickly. He wanted them to stay crunchy, but to lose the bitter edge slightly.

Afterwards, he put on the stove a pot of water and measured two servings of spaghetti. Pasta had been an obvious choice, after seeing the bottarga and the artichokes, those three ingredients just called for each other, and he was sure that they would do wonders to make the mullet’s flavour milder. He tossed the spaghetti in the boiling water, then he added the mullet fillets, sliced, in the artichokes’ pan. The scent came out delicious, actually making him feel like tasting the fish.

He started singing, retrieving the only half-cooked spaghetti from the water and splashing them in the sauce’s pan, adding one scoop of water at a time to let them absorb it slowly. He wanted to cook them just like a risotto, little by little, then he would add some grated bottarga and chopped parsley for the finishing touch.

When Baekhyun arrived, Chanyeol was finished. He waited for the boy to sit at the kitchen table, then he placed a dish in front of him. “What is it?” the other tiredly asked. He looked disappointed, and Chanyeol couldn’t help by feeling satisfied by that sight.

“Spaghetti with grey mullet, bottarga and artichokes.”

“You are getting better with names, even if you still overuse Italian.”

Chanyeol shook his head and sighed, digging in the portion he saved for himself. As he hoped, the taste was heavenly, a perfect balance of bitterness and starchy. And the fish came out beautifully, to be honest. “So? Your review?”

Baekhyun didn’t say anything, but he kept eating. He handed Chanyeol the empty dish when he was done, then he drank some water and he headed towards his room without saying a single word. He came out while Chanyeol was doing the dishes, creeping silently at his back and startling him when he turned and saw him.

“For tonight...”

“Yeah?” Chanyeol said, stiff. Who knew what kind of impossible dish was he going to ask for, this time? But actually, Baekhyun surprised him.

“For tonight, you are free. I won’t be at home.”

“Really?” Chanyeol checked the schedule that he pinned on the fridge. “But here it says...”

“It changed” Baekhyun retorted. “I’ll return very late in the morning, so don’t bother making anything.”

“Not even for breakfast?”

Baekhyun sighed. “Okay. Make some snacks, I don’t care.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Aren’t you the cook? Can’t you make something on your own without me telling you before every single time?”

Chanyeol couldn’t understand. Baekhyun looked pissed, even angry. He was smart enough to get that his anger wasn’t aimed towards him, though, and he wondered what happened to him.   

Actually, he wondered if he was okay. Even if he as an and stuff.

“Did something happen?” he asked. “You look weird.”

The question took Baekhyun off guard. He stared at Chanyeol with wide eyes, then he immediately looked elsewhere. “Nothing. Nothing happened.”

“You know” Chanyeol said, “I actually enjoyed every challenge that you gave to me. They were hard, but I like testing myself. If you want, you can give me another one. Maybe, I don’t know, knowing that a good meal will be there for you at home will help you going through whatever difficult thing you’re supposed to do.”

Again, Baekhyun’s gaze turned vulnerable – but just for a second. “Who gave you the right to lecture me?” he spat. “You’re just a cook. You are nothing, compared to me.”

“Maybe” Chanyeol replied, calm. “But why are you getting angry? I was trying to help you.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“Fine then, I’m going into my room. Call me if you need something.”

He was about to go, when Baekhyun actually called him back. “Wait.”

“Yeah?”

“Just...”

Chanyeol turned, looking at him. He could tell that the boy was having a hard time, but he couldn’t understand the reason why. Maybe something related to his idol work? Or something personal? He had no idea, and, frankly, it wasn’t his business.

Still, he felt sorry for him, who looked so lonely, tired and unhappy.

“Tell me” he gently pressed on, “if I can do it, I’ll do it.”

The unexpected sweetness in his voice made Baekhyun look up towards him, and Chanyeol saw that his eyes looked strangely glassy. He didn’t realize that the boy had been on the verge of tears, and he felt an for not even noticing.

“A soup” Baekhyun whispered. “Something comforting. Something that could make me feel warm and happy.”

“I know no food that could make someone instantly happy” Chanyeol confessed. Maybe he should hug him, because Baekhyun kept shivering as if he was feeling cold. But probably it was too much.

“Me neither” Baekhyun agreed, sadly. “Whatever. Just whip up some vegetable soup, it will be fine.”

“But...”

“I’m going to bed, now” Baekhyun announced, “don’t make any ruckus. I need to sleep.”

---oOo---

Chanyeol cleaned the kitchen the most silently that he could, lost in thought. His heart felt heavy, for some reason that he couldn’t fully understand. He pretended not to see, when Baekhyun got out of his room after not even one hour, grabbed his jacket and shoes and left.

After he was gone, he sat in the middle of his flat’s wooden floor, trying to enjoy his unexpected free time, but he couldn’t focus on anything, because his mind kept going to the dish that he was supposed to cook for Baekhyun.

He didn’t want to make just some plain vegetable soup for him. He deserved better.

Sighing, he switched on the TV, searching through the channels for a cooking show worth being watched, and he stumbled upon some news. He saw Baekhyun’s name appear on the screen, and he listened closely.

“The popular idol, Byun Baekhyun, who recently got involved in a scandal with a female rookie actress whose name won’t be revealed because of privacy reasons...”

Chanyeol blinked, staring at the screen. According to the news, the rookie actress reported Baekhyun to the police for ual harassment, and the idol was currently undergoing an investigation. He actually cringed, when he saw images of Baekhyun walking through a crowd of angered fans who yelled at him, calling him names and throwing trash towards him. He switched off the TV when the camera focused on Baekhyun’s flushed face and lost eyes, overwhelmed.

He couldn’t believe what he just heard. Baekhyun... molesting someone? A girl? Well, the guy was unpleasant and cocky, but to think that he could actually hurt someone, that was honestly a little too hard to believe, for Chanyeol.

He stood up on wobbly legs. He knew nothing about the idols’ industry, but he was pretty sure he read somewhere that scandals could be carefully staged to get some attention aimed towards a certain artist, didn’t matter if bad or good. And certainly, Baekhyun didn’t look happy with what was happening to him. There still was a small possibility that he really laid his hands upon that innocent girl, but Chanyeol’s heart didn’t believe so.

And his heart was rarely wrong.

Before he knew, he already ventured into the kitchen, starting to look through the contents of the fridge. 

Baekhyun asked for a vegetable soup? Good, he would make a vegetable soup. The best he ever ate in his damn whole life.

He searched for Minseok’s number through the papers that the manager gave him, dialling it on his phone.

“Hello?” said the errand boy.

“Hello, I’m sorry to disturb you. I need you to deliver a butternut squash. The sweetest, gentlest you can find. Please, nag the farmer marketer or whoever, it must be his better piece. It is very important.”

“Butternut squash...” Minseok repeated, probably taking notes. “Okay. Do you need something else?”

Chanyeol tried thinking quickly. “Uhm... some French shallots. Also, if you can find them, a Tropea onion. You know, those sweet red ones?”

“...Tropea onion, yes” Minseok diligently took note. “I’ll be there in a sec.”

“Thanks. Oh, I’ll need also fresh herbs. Sage, rosemary, bay leaves and thyme.”

This time, Minseok waited for a moment before replying. “You are making really big efforts, aren’t you?”

“I’m sorry” Chanyeol replied. “Am I giving you a hard time?”

“Nope. I was actually thinking about Baekhyun... at least someone is taking care of him, now. I am glad. I was worried for that dude, you know. He’s having a hard time.”

Chanyeol’s stomach clenched slightly. “I know. This is why I want the soup I’ll cook to be perfect.”

Minseok came a couple hours later, bringing Chanyeol a medium-sized squash and a beautiful bunch of violet onions and fragrant herbs, and the cook insisted for him to stay a little and enjoy the leftover cookies from the previous day to thank him.

“These are really amazing” Minseok commented, happily munching on the sweets. “You are such a talented cook.”

“Not that talented” Chanyeol admitted. “Actually, I am a huge disappointment to my father.”

The errand boy looked at him. “If I’m not wrong, he is a famous chef, isn’t he?”

“He is” Chanyeol confirmed, peeling the onions under the running water not to get teary-eyed. “He never really criticized me or anything, actually he always acted very respectful towards me and my wishes, but every time I meet him I can feel that he regrets that I didn’t take over his cooking style. But what can I do? I dislike all those sophistications he does, they feel just pointless to me. Food is supposed to make people feel warm, content and happy. I want to convey feelings with my dishes, and those things he prepares always felt meaningless to me.”

Minseok smiled. “I really like your way of thinking.”

Chanyeol was about to reply, when a rustling sound came by the door, and Baekhyun walked inside. From his expression, he could tell that he heard everything that he said, and for a moment Chanyeol felt in front of that beautiful man, as as a newborn, unguarded and vulnerable.

“I am sorry, it’s not ready yet. I wasn’t expecting you to come so soon...”

“It’s okay” Baekhyun quietly interrupted him. “I’ll go and sleep some meanwhile, take all the time that you need. Knock when you are ready.”

Minseok followed him with his big eyes until he disappeared behind his bedroom’s door. “What the heck... are you a magician or what?”

“Why?”

“I’ve known him for ages, and I can’t remember hearing him talking so gently to anyone. I think he took a liking on you, you know.”

Chanyeol almost cut himself while splitting the squash open. “What did you say?”

“Chanyeol, you aren’t believing what they say on TV, right? That actress is just a rookie – she wants all the media’s attention on her. Her movie is terrible, but it suddenly became very popular. Do you really think it’s just a coincidence?” Minseok paused, leaning over and lowering his voice. “Listen, Baekhyun is gay. He’ll never lay a finger on a girl, no matter how drunk he might be. She made up everything, this is just media play.”

“How do you know?” Chanyeol whispered, laying down the knife, because his hand was shaking slightly.

“I know” Minseok quietly said. “I just do. And if you spend some more time with him, you’ll know too. Just... may I ask you one thing?”

“Yes?”

“Stay with him, in this difficult moment, make him feel cared for. I think you’re the right person to do it.”

Minseok left after bringing along the last cookies, and Chanyeol resumed his preparations, his mind a whirlwind of weird emotions all mixed together. When he was like that, he was glad that he had something to keep his hands busy with.

He cut the squash in half, then arranged it in big chunks on an oven tray, along with thick slices of onion, whole scallions and two big potatoes. He thought carefully before taking away one of the two onions, because he didn’t want their flavour to overpower the sweetness of the squash, then he oven-roasted everything at high temperature with just a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper on top. Soon, a heavenly scent was spreading through the kitchen, while he browned some little cubes of stale bread in a pan along with a few pine nuts.

Baekhyun got out of his room after barely twenty minutes, silently approaching Chanyeol. He was wearing an oversized sweater that was making him look two or three years younger, and his face was swollen.

“What are you making?” he asked.

“A vegetable soup, just like you asked.”

“I didn’t want you to do anything fancy...”

“Maybe you didn’t, but I wanted it.”

“Why?” he quietly insisted, coming closer and stealing a cube of toasted bread from the pan.

Chanyeol tried thinking carefully about the answer before talking, hoping to get it right. “Because I wanted to make you feel a little happier.”

Baekhyun stared at him, and Chanyeol felt himself blush. The boy’s eyes were dark and gentle, and very beautiful too. “Sit down” he murmured. “I’ll be ready in a short while.”

Surprisingly, Baekhyun obeyed. Chanyeol took the vegetables away from the oven, choosing the pieces with the prettiest colour, then he put them in a blender and creamed them, adding just a tear of milk. He wanted the soup to be thick and velvety, to contrast the crunchy bread and nuts on top.

He poured the soup in a plate, and after a little thinking he poured one for himself too, because he was starving and, to be honest, he was eager to check if he made a good dish. He could feel Baekhyun’s eyes on his back for the whole time, while he garnished the surface with the crunchy mix, added some chopped herbs, crushed black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil to finish.

“How’s this dish called?” Baekhyun asked, staring at the dish that Chanyeol laid on the table in front of him.

“Autumn vegetables’ vellutata with crostini and pine nuts” Chanyeol replied, sitting next to him and handing him a spoon. Without waiting further, he tasted his own portion, feeling relief spread through his chest when he realized that the flavour was exactly what he wanted.

Baekhyun leaned over slightly, inhaling the scent, then he dug in, tasting the orange-coloured soup carefully. Chanyeol watched him on pins and needles, waiting for his reaction, but the boy just kept eating without saying anything. “How is it?” he asked when he couldn’t take it anymore.

Baekhyun finally raised his gaze, and when he noticed the tears in his eyes, Chanyeol felt a tug at his heart, sharp and sudden and painful.

“It’s delicious” Baekhyun whispered, before wiping his cheek with his slender fingers. He kept eating, and crying at the same time, until Chanyeol took a tissue and handed it to him.

“Sorry” the boy apologized. “I don’t know what’s happening to me. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay” Chanyeol told him, “it’s okay, you can cry. I can see you need it.”

He stayed with him, his back gently, until he finished his soup and found relief in crying all his humiliation and shame away.

---oOo---

When he calmed down, they started talking. Chanyeol asked Baekhyun from where he got his passion for good food – because it was just obvious that the boy had it, in spite of his attitude.

“Food has always been very important, in my family. My mom is an excellent cook” Baekhyun replied, sitting cross-leggedly on the couch, his black eyes never leaving Chanyeol, “but she’s nothing compared to my grandma. She is a ing genius, you know? She is able to make me laugh every time I take a bite of her cooking. She put feeling in her dishes, and she always gathered many people around her table, pampering all of her guests as if they were the most important people in the world.” He stopped, his gaze drifting far away. “She passed away two years ago. I miss her immensely.”

“I see” Chanyeol said. “I’m sorry.”

“But tell me about you. Is it true that your father disapproves of your cooking style?”

“It is true. But my stomach churns every time I see him putting a sphere of solidified bisque over a  salmon sashimi or anything. I just... I just can’t.”

“Well, for what concerns me, I’m more than okay with your cooking.”

Chanyeol felt his ears burn of happiness. “Really?” he shyly asked.

“Really. I enjoyed everything that you made for me so far. Every dish was different, but they were all great. If I have to pick, though, today’s soup was just perfect. You guessed my needs and feelings correctly, matching my taste with the exact balance of sweetness, earthy and spiciness. I needed to feel warm and comforted, and you hit the target.”

Chanyeol was speechless. He had been praised for his cooking many times, but no review ever went straight to his heart like that one. He was feeling strangely emotional. “Thanks” he murmured. “I am happy that you liked it.”

Baekhyun smiled softly, the most beautiful smile that Chanyeol ever saw in his life, and his heart started thumping wildly. “What... what are you supposed to do, later? Are you going out?”

“No” Baekhyun replied. “I was supposed to film for a commercial, but since the scandal broke out it got cancelled. Actually, I am free.”

Chanyeol’s tongue was stuck to his palate, and he found very difficult talking. “So then, maybe, would you like, uhm, going out for dinner with me?”

Baekhyun looked at him, eyes gentle as fawn’s, that soft smile still lingering on his lips. “Where?” he simply asked.

“To a restaurant that I know” Chanyeol replied, unable to stand his gaze, “will you? Please?”

Baekhyun stayed silent, and Chanyeol thought that his head was going to burst, until the boy actually said yes.

Some hours later, after spending a lazy afternoon together chatting and being relaxed, Chanyeol and Baekhyun walked towards the cook’s favourite place. “You won’t laugh at me, right?” Chanyeol said, worried. “This is not a fancy place or anything... probably you’re used to much better.”

“Don’t worry” Baekhyun said. He got rid of his makeup, previously, and his bare face was so beautiful to Chanyeol that he couldn’t stand looking at it for long, or his mind would start drifting towards weird thoughts. “Just one condition, I am paying. I still have some pride, you know.”

Chanyeol hid his smile inside of his scarf, feeling happy. “We are there.”

“What is this place?” Baekhyun asked, looking around marvelled at the kiosk. Probably he had been expecting to see a restaurant with proper tables and everything else, and Chanyeol felt a little self-conscious.

“Well, I think the word “restaurant” wasn’t the most appropriate, after all...”

Baekhyun snorted, then grabbed his hand and brought him inside, towards the lady who was waiting for them behind the stall. “What do you have for us, auntie?” he asked, Chanyeol’s big hand encased with some difficulty in his little one.

“Today’s dish is deep-fried chickpeas’ gruel.”

Chanyeol, still a little embarrassed for coming in holding Baekhyun’s hand, instantly felt his mouth water at the mere mention of the word “deep-fried”. “Two servings, please” he ordered, exchanging a little look with Baekhyun. The boy’s cheeks were flushed, his eyes smiley and shiny.

They ended up tasting their scorching hot treats sitting on their heels right on the sidewalk outside of the kiosk. “This is... oh, my God” Baekhyun sighed, swallowing the first mouthful. “So good.”

“Yes” Chanyeol agreed. “I come here every time that I feel down, her food is always special.”

“Does she change dish every day?”

“Yes, according to her mood, to the season and to the available ingredients. She is just amazing, isn’t she?”

Afterwards, they strolled around. It was cold, and people didn’t pay attention to them, also because Baekhyun covered his face with a gauze mask just in case some fans would recognize him. Chanyeol stopped by a roasted chestnuts’ vendor, buying a small package of them, and he ate them with Baekhyun. The sweetness and the earthy scent were amazing, and so was his company.

Regretfully, even if he would have loved spending some more time with Baekhyun, the boy got a call from his manager, saying that the commercial shooting was just delayed of some hours, and he had to leave in the late evening. He would be away for the whole night and for most of the morning, coming to the dorm probably around noon. “What do you want for lunch, tomorrow?” Chanyeol asked, heart pounding, while Baekhyun was wearing his shoes on the threshold.

“Surprise me” the other simply said, before suddenly rising on the balls of his feet and placing a small kiss on Chanyeol’s cheek. “See you later.”

That sweet touch lingered for long on the cook’s skin, while the boy was away. He sorted through all of his cookbooks, even through his many and terribly messy notes, some so old and crumpled that he couldn’t even read the recipes written there, and he got very nervous, obsessing over a certain recipe that he wrote down while he was in Italy that now couldn’t find anywhere.

He wanted to cook something amazing for Baekhyun, something that would make him laugh aloud and smile, just like he said his grandmother’s cooking did.

Something that would make him feel loved.

He was clueless, though. He still knew the boy too little to know for sure what his favourite foods were, or if there was something that he disliked. Minseok once mentioned that he hated cucumbers, but that was all Chanyeol knew, and he was frankly terrified by the thought of Baekhyun’s face scrunching in disgust while tasting his creations.

He was about to call his father to ask for advice, when he decided to sit down in the middle of that warm and wooden-scented floor and think more calmly.

Baekhyun didn’t like complicated foods, that was something that he knew for sure. He liked honest, traditional dishes, that could speak to the heart and the soul.

That was when Chanyeol decided to make his own favourite dish for Baekhyun.

Minseok called in the evening, asking if he needed something to be delivered the morning after, and Chanyeol ordered a whole piece of pork belly, hoping that his idea was correct. He had a feeling in his guts, though, that he guessed right this time too.

That night, comforted by those thoughts, he slept soundly, and when he woke up and consumed a frugal breakfast by himself, he had a hard time waiting to start cooking, because he was eager to begin.

He took the pork and laid it over a grilling oven tray, then he cut the rind’s surface making long diagonal cuts, forming a grid pattern. Then he chopped a fistful of rosemary and sage, mixing it with coarse salt, garlic and pepper and spreaded the mixture on the cuts, making sure that it adhered well to the fat, then left everything to marinate for two hours.

After the time came, he poured a glass of water over the pork, then put the whole thing into the oven at maximum power. It was supposed to bake for forty-five minutes, not more or it would have burnt, becoming too gummy and dark.

Sitting on his heels while he checked the contents of the oven, he started wondering. Actually, the dish was so easy that it was almost embarrassing, but Chanyeol was just like that, he liked simple things.

And Baekhyun, he was sure of it, would have appreciated it too.

This time, he carefully made the table for two people, choosing a nice linen tablecloth and a colourful runner, then taking his time to arrange plates, napkins and cutlery in a fancy and elegant way. He then chose a pair of tumbler glasses, but after a little thinking, he put them back in the cupboard.

Roasted pork belly called an icy cold beer, period. And nothing tasted as good as beer drank straight from the can.

Someone was running upstairs towards the dorm, and soon Chanyeol heard Baekhyun stumble in the hallway. “Is it pork belly that I smell?”

Chanyeol smiled broadly, moving the chair so that Baekhyun could sit. “Wow” he commented, “thanks.”He was blushing slightly, but his eyes were bright. “And look at this table... this is just amazing.”

Without saying anything, Chanyeol extracted the roasted pork belly from the oven, relishing in the heavenly scent spreading in the kitchen. “My God” Baekhyun whispered, “looks delicious. Give me a thick slice, please. I am supposed to be on a diet, but who the hell ing cares.”

The meat, by the way, was absolutely great. The thick rind became crunchy and rich of flavour, and the succulent bands of fat and muscle underneath were succulent and juicy, a feast on their tongues.

Chanyeol cut two slices, actually, but he found out that it was difficult focusing on eating his portion while Baekhyun was so obviously enjoying his one. He couldn’t stop staring at the boy’s lips, to the perfect Cupid’s bow of the lower lip, to his smooth cheeks hollowing up and puffing while he chewed and swallowed. “I could look at you eating for the whole day” he admitted, when Baekhyun caught him staring.

The other just laughed, then took a big sip of his beer. He looked beyond happy, Chanyeol thought. He looked serene, at peace.

And he loved it.

 “I’ll help you doing the dishes” Baekhyun offered, when they were done. He helped Chanyeol putting the dirty pottery in the sink, and without much fuss he simply rolled up his sleeves and started lathering everything in soap.

They worked silently, next to each other, one cleaning the items and passing them to the other to rinse and dry them with a towel, and since there wasn’t much to wash, they finished quickly.

Afterwards, Baekhyun leaned his head against Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Thanks for today” he said. “And for yesterday. And for all the other days before.”

“It’s fine” Chanyeol murmured, a lump in his throat. He couldn’t get that small kiss out of his mind. “Baekhyun?”

“Uh?”

“Can I... uhm... kiss you?”

As an answer, Baekhyun just closed his eyes and leaned slightly forward, an unmistakable reply.

Slowly, closing his eyes too, Chanyeol bent his head and kissed him softly on his lips.

---oOo---

Later, Baekhyun was laying on his belly on Chanyeol’s bed. His eyes were closed, but he wasn’t sleeping. Chanyeol was laying next to him, his hair, his face and his shoulders with the very tip of his fingers, amazed by the warm temperature of his skin and by the sweet scent of it.

They made love slowly and carefully, both a little afraid to make mistakes, trembling in each other arms in the semi-darkness. Baekhyun’s little cries ringed in Chanyeol’s ears while he gave him pleasure, and the deep sigh of relief he emitted when he came went straight to his heart.

He wanted to protect that boy, to keep him safe from every bad thing.

“I am hungry” Baekhyun complained, without opening his eyes, and Chanyeol just couldn’t help ducking his head and pressing a line of kisses along his bony spine. He even darted his tongue past his lips, tasting him lightly.

“Did you just me?” Baekhyun asked with a frown.

“Yes.”

“Okay. How do I taste?”

Chanyeol thought about it, leaning his cheek over Baekhyun’s shoulder blade and tapping his fingers over his ribs. “It’s complicated. Like fresh persimmons?”

Baekhyun laughed. “Persimmons? Are you serious?”

Just to be sure, Chanyeol at his protruding vertebra again, making him shiver. “Yes. Persimmon” he confirmed. “With a hint of raw liquorice root.”

“Amazing” Baekhyun admitted. “Let me try too.”

Chanyeol laid supine, spreading his legs so that the smaller boy could accommodate well on top of him. With shining eyes, Baekhyun laid a wet kiss over Chanyeol’s solar plexus, his tongue brushing his skin in a kittenish . “Mmm” he joked. “You taste delicious.”

“Yes, but like what?” Chanyeol , still playing with his soft hair.

“Let me see... wild rocket leaves.”

“Uh, I don’t even like it.”

“Wild rocket, I say” Baekhyun insisted, dragging his tongue on a long caress that ended just over the tip of Chanyeol’s chin, who arched under his touch, “and enoki mushrooms.”

Somehow, they ended up in the kitchen again, this time without bothering wearing actual clothes. “I’ve always dreamt to have someone cook for me ” Baekhyun said.

“Well, don’t get used to it, I am cold.”

“Even like this?” Baekhyun purred, hugging him from behind.

“Uh, that’s better.” Chanyeol was already cooking, and Baekhyun kissed his back before asking his signature question.

“What are you making?”

“Surprise.”

Chanyeol got a tablet of milk chocolate from the fridge and melted it in a saucepan on the stove. While the chocolate heated up, he crushed some hazelnuts in a blender reducing them into a thick and oily paste, then added it to the saucepan. He tasted the mix with the tip of his finger, humming softly to himself before adjusting the taste with a dab of corn oil, the seeds of a vanilla bean, a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and the tiniest pinch of salt, obtaining a gooey, luscious-looking dark cream.

“What is it?” Baekhyun insisted, still busy keeping him warm. His right hand dipped down to play with Chanyeol’s , but the taller was quick to turn and smear some chocolate cream on the tip of his nose.

“Hey!” Baekhyun protested, trying to clean himself with his fingers while Chanyeol laughed. He tasted the mixture, eyes widening when he recognized the taste. “Might this be... Nutella?”

“A homemade version of it” Chanyeol confirmed, leaning over to help himself right from Baekhyun’s cute button nose, the nutty spread from the lovely tip. “To me, Nutella is the only admitted food after .”

“What to say, good taste is just good taste” Baekhyun said, capturing Chanyeol’s lips in a kiss to savour the sweetness properly. “Once again, delicious.”

They polished the saucepan clean, scooping up generous amount of spread with cookies, breadsticks and just their fingers, taking turns helping each other.

Later, Chanyeol just laid Baekhyun on the kitchen table, and everything started anew.

---oOo---

Time passed slowly. Soon, nobody ever remembered anything about Baekhyun’s so-called scandal, and everybody agreed that the idol looked absolutely stunning no matter what he did. There was now a certain glow around him, something indescribable and subtle, but he definitely changed in a good way.

Only Chanyeol and him knew the truth, though.

Their little food dates went on, just like their relationship grew and deepened. Together, always in incognito, they had dinner in the best restaurant in the block, as well as in the street stalls and foreign places. Chanyeol had a weak spot, besides the old lady’s kiosk, for a small Chinese place that made the most mouth-watering steamed buns he ever tasted, while Baekhyun preferred the French restaurant and its scrumptious platters of bouillabaisse.

Their culinary adventures were always intriguing and exciting, because their tastes were similar but never exactly the same, and it was nice finding a new side of the other that none of them would have imagined before. They discovered each other little by little, through good food, good talks over a plate of delicacies and long nights and lazy afternoons spent dozing in bed and sharing snacks together. Chanyeol loved cooking for Baekhyun – he literally would do nothing else all day, if he ever could, and he would never forget the time that Baekhyun actually cooked for him, just once.

It was on his birthday. He suddenly woke up hearing the unmistakable sound of something frying in a pan, and he got up on wobbly legs, too curious to keep sleeping, and when he came into the kitchen, Baekhyun presented him a triumphant plate of blueberry pancakes.

“For my lovely personal cook” he said, kissing him, “happy birthday, my love.”

And it went on, and on. Sometimes Baekhyun was away, sometimes even abroad, and Chanyeol was left all alone, counting every hour and minute that separated him from his lover. And when Baekhyun was finally back, their bodies found their way towards each other, electric sparks running in the air between them.

Then, one day, Baekhyun made Chanyeol sit down at the kitchen table and made an announcement. “My contract ends by the end of the year.”

“And...?” Chanyeol asked, scared.

“And probably you will be jobless too, I’m afraid.”

Chanyeol blinked. That wasn’t totally unexpected, was it? He knew that he couldn’t be Baekhyun’s personal chef forever, but still, it hurt thinking that beautiful ménage would be over sooner than he thought.

Baekhyun waited for him to meet his eyes, then smiled softly. “Can I stay with you, when everything will be over?”

“Of course” Chanyeol replied, before even processing the question fully. “Of course. You have to.”

Baekhyun smiled brightly. “I have an idea” he said. “Would you like hearing it?”

---oOo---

One year later

Chanyeol was cooking again. He was washing red chicory leaves in the sink, choosing carefully those with the prettiest colours and shape, then he drained them and put them aside. He took a pomegranate – a plump, blushing beauty – and he carefully extracted a handful of kernels, trying not to crush the white rind not to ruin the flavour, then put them aside too. He then got an orange and peeled it, getting rid of every single skin even around the wedges. He thinly sliced a spring onion, a variety he knew for sure that was mild and gentle, then he soaked it in icy water to get an ever softer flavour.

Meanwhile, he started making the risotto. Baekhyun complained a lot about the concept he wanted to make, because he thought it was too plain – but Chanyeol insisted, stubborn, and the boy just gave up when he tasted it, because Chanyeol was once again right: the best foods were always those who apparently looked plainer. You just needed to taste them, and they would do the magic.

He heated the butter in the pot along with some thinly sliced leek, then added two fistfuls of Roma rice and stirred, letting it coat and toast evenly, then he poured a little bit of sparkling spumante – white wine would be too tangy, and spumante always had a slightly sweet edge that matched beautifully with the dish – and let it bubble away before starting to add the broth. In a frying pan he quickly sautéed some crushed Italian sausage, letting it lose some oil.

When the rice was cooked, he added the sausage to the pot, mixing thoroughly, along with a sprinkle of pepper, salt and his secret ingredient, a tear of red wine must.

“Risotto, almost done” he said, calling Baekhyun.

“Okay, I’ll dress the salad.”

The boy came near him, taking all the ingredients he prepared previously and starting to toss them together in a bowl along with some crushed and slightly toasted walnuts and a dressing made with balsamic vinegar, honey and olive oil. That was the antipasto, and he immediately got out to serve them to their clients.

“How did they like it?” Chanyeol asked, when Baekhyun was back.

“Judging from their faces, they are loving it” he replied, standing on his tiptoes to fix Chanyeol’s baseball’s hat, from underneath whom a few loose strands of hair were peeking. “Now, on with the risotto.”

Chanyeol poured the rice into two plates, making sure that it was spreaded evenly and garnishing the top with a few drops of must and a little browned sausage.

While their clients were enjoying it, he retrieved the roasted pork tenderloin from the oven, checking the temperature in the middle before slicing it thinly, arranging the pieces in a shape of a rose on a plate. That was only a plain roast, but it was scented with juniper kernels, rosé pepper and Himalayan coarse salt.

Baekhyun served it too, and meanwhile Chanyeol started taking out the dessert from the fridge. That was a double flavoured chocolate mousse, where he added almond extract in the white chocolate part and orange zest in the dark one. He scooped the two mousses in a nice glass cup, decorating the surface with unsweetened cocoa powder, caster sugar and a light crumble made with crushed pistachios, hazelnuts, oatmeal, butter and honey.

He was done, finally. While Baekhyun went to bring the dessert to their clients, he started cleaning up, putting all the dirty item in the sink and rinsing them.

His boyfriend returned after a good half a hour, silently wrapping his arms around his waist from behind, as he used to do while Chanyeol worked. “What did they say? Did they enjoy their dinner?”

Baekhyun yawned against his back, then hummed softly. “Yes. They complimented us very generously, and they said that they’ll give us a positive review on the internet.”

Chanyeol dried his hands, then turned to hug Baekhyun properly. The small restaurant had been his idea – a terribly good one. That was a very fresh concept, a place for couples or just small groups, that just wanted to enjoy some good food and quality time. Chanyeol liked to interview the guests previously, to get to know them a little and to be able to match their tastes and feelings the best he could, and then he would do most of the cooking and preparations. Baekhyun took care of the clients, receiving them with a smile and a few chatters, then serving them all of Chanyeol’s dishes. That day’s clients had been a married couple who were celebrating their twentieth anniversary, and Chanyeol made up that holiday-themed menu just for them, because he didn’t like repeating the same dishes twice. In his opinion, every client was unique and special.

“Are you tired, babe?” Chanyeol asked.

“A little. I’ll help you with the cleaning, though.”

“No need, I’m already done.”

Baekhyun closed his eyes, sighing against his broad chest. Chanyeol ducked down and kissed his crown, thinking that since Baekhyun actually left his old agency, he really looked better. “I saved something for us” he said. “Would you like a taste?”

“If it’s something that you made, always” Baekhyun replied with a smile.

They sat together with two teaspoons, enjoying a cup of the mousse dessert that Chanyeol invented for their clients. “I made some more on purpose” he explained, “because I wanted you to be able to taste it. How is it?”

Baekhyun let the dreamy cream roll on his tongue carefully before replying. “It’s very good.”

Chanyeol’s face dropped. “Just good?”

“Babe” Baekhyun smiled, helping himself with another spoonful, “didn’t you say yourself, that simple things are just the best?”

Chanyeol looked at him, that beautiful man that some time before apparently had everything – wealth, fame, success – but was secretly unhappy with his life, and now was glowing in their dimly lit kitchen, smiling at him so sweetly, and he decided that he was absolutely right.

“I love you” he whispered, tasting the chocolate, the sweetness and the love on his tongue, all at the same time.