Kai set the table neatly, placing all the dishes and plates in order, Sehun had been watching him whilst he cooked and sometimes something else would catch his attention like how the pots make sounds or the fire or how the music played from Kai's phone, the man seemed completely entranced by everything that caught his attention. But most especially the fire was what caught his attention the most. Sehun looked enchanted by the scene in front of him, not even blinking as Kai leaned in closer to inspect the stove before placing the frying pan on the flames .  He made the mistake of looking at Sehun and felt himself being floored. Those gem-like eyes were blown wide, staring at the flames in a mixture of awe and fear. It was obvious the man didn’t know what to expect and now that he was staring straight at the thing, Sehun didn’t know how to react. Kai wanted to laugh because Sehun looked adorable. Kai mused. Sehun didn’t even pay attention to him anymore, he was completely endorsed in watching the little fire.  Shaking his head, Kai tore his gaze away from Sehun . No matter how entertaining it was to watch the man reacting to fire, Kai was hungry– they both were and he on the stove with a purpose. So he poured the ingredients and Sehun finally took his eyes off the little flame to flicker over Kai's form. "It’s beautiful," the man had said. Kai whipped his head to fix the other with a surprised gaze; he wasn’t expecting any speaking from Sehun for a while. Sehun held his eyes, lips stretched into a small tentative beam. "Can I touch it?" Kai frowned. "No you can’t. It will burn you," "Burn?" Ah, that was a tricky one. How could he explain what burning meant to Someone like Sehun? who didn't seem to know much about the world except probably drugs that made someone high, because Kai remembered their conversation from earlier when he asked Sehun if he was taking anything and Sehun seemed to know what he was taking about. Damn he still couldn't bring himself to understand how Sehun survived without knowing simple things like fire that's a necessity to mankind. Kai had to take a few seconds to collect his thoughts. "Fire is hot. Too hot for our skin to bear. It’s too hot for almost everything actually. Things burn when fire touches them"  Kai explained. "You've never seen a fire before?"  "I have, I've seen bonfire– that's how it's called right?" Kai nodded. "yeah, that's how it's called." "I saw yo – I mean I saw some people sitting around it by the beach." "Oh, I love making bonfire with my friend when we're out on our monthly get-together." "I will love to join you guys sometime" Sehun smiled looking up at him expectantly. Kai smiled back, he was sure Sehun would have a good time with them."It would be lovely to have you there." "And want to learn how to cook too" Kai looked at him and nodded. "I will teach you whenever you want to learn" The bright smile Sehun sent his way, made him smiled back immediately because it was heart warming and also contagious.
Now they were sat on the dinning, Sehun curiously eyeing every dish on display. He moved towards a certain plate, sniffing the cooked fish and winced.“What’s this?”  “Grilled fish.”  “Grilled?”  “You know, with the fire?”  “Why? You burn fishes?”  “uhhh, yeah!”  "Isn't it like cruel?" Sehun grimaced at the cruelty, taking in account that he also eat them, but not to distort them before he did. “This is how we eat fish...grilled, fried, we cook them.” “But it smells weird...don’t you have any unburn fishes? And why do you cook the fish when it tastes and smells so much better fresh?" Kai blinked at him in astonishment, he knew there were certain places that served raw fishes as part of a meal, but from the look of it Sehun didn't meant that, Kai was certain the man hadn't been to such fancy restaurants and he didn't have much knowledge of fire to understand it use. Does that mean Sehun eats everything that's supposed to be cooked raw. "You eat raw fish?" He found himself asking. Sehun hesitated for a moment before he nodded. "Sometimes– do you have sardines?" "Raw?" "Not necessarily. Just sardines. But I don't like grilled ones" he pointed out. Kai nodded. "I have canned ones. Want me to get you some?" Sehun eagerly nodded, Kai rose to his feet and moved to the kitchen cabinets to grab a can, seconds later he opened it and poured it in a plate before placing it in front of Sehun. "Oh my–" Sehun grinned as he dug his hand in. "No don't do that, use the chopsticks" he picked a pair of chopsticks and passed it over but Sehun moved back, a little startled as he stared at the objects. "Okay watch" Kai stretched his hand to pick up a piece of meatball, still demonstrating as he ate it. "That's how we do it" Sehun shook his head. "From where I come from, we use our hands." He said picking a fish from his plate and shove it into his mouth, with a satisfaction on his face. "Bless the seas, this taste incredible" The giggles that followed was booming and full of good-natured joy. He picked another one and munch half of it before extending the remains towards Kai. “Have some of mine.” he offered half of his sardine.  It’s quite an adorable sight, Kai had to admit, Sehun get excited. He seemed timid for the most part, but Kai chalked it up to the fact that they’re strangers. Seeing Sehun get enthusiastic over food made a smile to form in his heart. Then he wrinkled his nose and shook his head with puckered lips from nausea. "No thanks. You eat your food, I will mine" "You don't like sardines?" He shook his head."No, my housemate likes them, he's the one that usually stock them in the cabinets."  "Oh, but it tastes good" Kai just stared at him, he's not a fish person, so he didn't know what to say to that. “I’m not sure if you’re looking at me like that because you’re judging my choice of food, or because  I offered you some,” Sehun said lifting an eyebrow at Kai. “sardines are perfectly healthy, I’ll have you know. They can be delicious too if you have the right taste bud, so there’s nothing embarrassing about eating them.”  What's he supposed to say to that? He said nothing once again, instead he nodded and he moved to grab his sandwich.(he's a sandwich person, and likes eating them regardless of the time).  Sehun stared in awe stupefaction. He looked like he had never seen a sandwich  that?"before.“What’s He asked him once again.  “This?" He said and Sehun nodded. " sandwich.” “Sandwich? Its name is funny!” Sehun said chuckling like a kid. “Would you like to try some? Here!” He offered. First, Sehun sniffed it, and then trusted Kai to have a bite. The sweet flavour of strawberry jam hit his tongue’s buds, and his eyes went wide and moaned around the first bite, loud and almost filthy. Had Kai known Sehun was going to start making such lewd noises he would have kept the sandwich for himself, thank you very much. He was suffering as it was, and Sehun seemingly didn’t understand what that does to him or the concept of mercy. Yet as he watched Sehun eat happily he knew he wasn’t going to regret his decision of feeding him. Not now, not ever. “This is tasty!” Sehun said with a smile creeping on his face, his eyes shining with gratitude.  Kai cleared his throat and awkwardly nodded. “It’s jam, I’ll make you some more if you like it” The man hummed affirmatively, his mouth already full of another bite as he said."I love it" "Don't talk while eating." Kai scolded lightly. "Why?" He asked. "Because it's rude to do so." Sehun nodded and chewed obediently and swallowed the sandwich before speaking this time."You're very generous Kai. Thank you" he smiled. "Can I have some water. Please?" Kai rose once again to retrieve a bottle from the fridge, he passed it to Sehun."Here we go"  Sehun looked at the bottle then to Kai, he seemed to contemplate for a moment before he accepted it. "Thanks but uhm how do I open it?" Kai helped him with the task as usual.  Sehun scrunched up his nose and grimaced like something’s wrong with the taste from the first gulp "It tastes awful" he placed the water bottle on the table. "Don't you have saltwater?" "Salt water? As in water plus salt? Like the ocean's?" Sehun nodded. "No I don't have Seawater suitable for drinking." "Can I have some salt then?" "Yeah– uhm sure" he moved to grab the canister containing the salt and passed it to Sehun. He watched with mouth open as Sehun poured a generous amount into the water, shook it a few times before bringing it to his lips, smiled and nodded as he took a thirsty gulp. "Now it's better" he said gulping it once more. His smile didn't falter. In fact it widened even more, something Kai didn’t think was possible considering it’s taking up almost half the space on the man's face as it was. Then he bat his eyelashes at Kai in slow blinks as if Kai's the abnormal one not him. This guy is definitely something else. Kai concluded, and he tried not to wince as Sehun continued drinking his salt water. What kind of a normal human being drink salt + water? He wondered. But then again nothing about this man was normal, Kai was certain about that. They ate their food mostly in silence, Sehun asked weird questions from time to time and Kai did his best to answer them. After the dinner, Kai insisted for Sehun to take a bath. Because he stink of sardines. And surprisingly Sehun agreed with a smile. He lead the man into the bathroom and helped set the shower for him before stepping out to give him privacy to shower. As Kai sat idle for a moment, his mind kept going back to the strange behaviors Sehun had shown, how he's not familiar with so many common things, how he like salt water, like he lived in the sea or– Kai snapped his head at that,