A/N: I apologize for the long wait. Honestly, this is so slow progressing, but my friend says the burn is worth. Let me know if tht's true. haha. I hope you enjoy it at least.

 

--

 

“Dona~ Nobis~ Pacem, Pacem~!”

 

“Jo Haseul!”

 

The eight-year-old nearly drops the spatula in her hand. As her grandmother investigates the contents of the pot, little Haseul looks down in guilt. 

 

After inspecting the stir-fry, she turns off the stove. 

 

“Haseullie~ What did halmonie tell you about singing while cooking?”

 

The little flames on the stove were similar to what Haseul was feeling. She didn’t understand why her grandma was so adamant against singing while cooking. She didn’t see any harm. All she wanted to do was sing! 

 

Nonetheless, Haseul loved her grandmother and knows she has good intentions for her. 

 

“No singing and cooking at the same time or the household will have bad luck,” Haseul recites. 

 

“And the singer will become an old maid,” her grandmother mewls. “We don’t want that to happen, especially to our precious Haseul. We want her to marry a handsome man and be happy with a family.” 

 

— 

 

It didn’t take long for Haseul to learn it was a silly superstition. However, she refrained from singing while cooking because practicing "Via resti servita, madama brillante" from the Marriage of Figaro wasn’t necessarily ideal to her other housemates. Also, inhaling fumes from the stove or being attacked by scorching hot oil wasn’t healthy or safe either. 

 

When the time came, Haseul moved away from Ansan to study opera music at Hanyang University. It was only then that she started immersing herself in pop music, since that was the craze and her end goal was to be a vocal coach that taught opera techniques. Whilst studying in Seoul, she also had the luxury of being alone a lot. Whether she was doing laundry or writing a paper or walking to meet group mates for a project, she was singing to herself. Sometimes, it was a piece she was performing. Sometimes, it was a song that was on the radio. Sometimes, it was the melody line of a guitar solo or the bass line of a dance song. Haseul was constantly singing.

 

Interestingly enough, Haseul was actually very shy when it came to singing in front of others. She had stood on stage at Carnegie Hall and even performed a solo. She has given private lessons to high school students. However, she wasn’t one to openly perform in front of her friends or spontaneously at open mic nights. This applied to her roommate, Vivi. 

 

Vivi and Haseul originally met at university. Although Vivi was in the Department of Theatre and Film and Haseul is under the Department of Music, they both shared a few classes together. Haseul was also one of few people that was patient with Vivi’s limited Korean. They became roommates after their second year. Throughout their time learning about Korean music and theatre, the topic of food came up a lot. 

 

Long-story-short, Vivi ended up dropping out of Hanyang University and is now at the Sejong Culinary Academy. With everything they’ve been through, Vivi feels indebted to Haseul. The two had already spent countless hours studying for classes together (Vivi admires her patience since Haseul had to re-explain things or talk in English, but the youngest brushes it off as “teaching someone else is another form of teaching yourself”). Adding onto that, Haseul even helped her when she decided on dropping out of university to go to culinary school. Haseul was there to support her when her father threatened to take her home. She also eased Vivi’s social stress, by agreeing to live with each other despite having to find housing further away from campus. When Vivi first started in culinary school, she struggled, but Haseul always cheered her on, allowing Vivi to get used to the culinary lifestyle. 

 

Haseul always told her “it wasn’t a big deal”, but it was genuinely everything to Vivi that Haseul was someone she could easily rely on. 

 

Above all, Haseul was the one to teach her how to cook and her favorite person to cook for. 

 

Vivi feels indebted to Haseul.

 

--

 

Vivi walks into their apartment. She was having a rather lackluster afternoon. In a few days, she was supposed to have an evaluation for salad. 

 

Yes, a salad.

 

If you are furrowing your eyebrows and squinting your eyes, you are just as befuddled as Vivi. 

 

From her training, she knows endless combinations of salads, whether it be sweet, savory, contains more greens, or experimenting with a new dressing. However, she doesn’t have time to test all of these combinations. It doesn’t help that salad is probably her least favorite food. 

 

“But one of the challenges as a chef is to make someone’s least favorite food into their favorite food.”

 

For a moment, Vivi is ready to throw a white flag and just come up with something mediocre. Although she has many ideas running through her head, she’s not inspired enough to come up with something groundbreaking. Of course, she wants to do her best, but for a salad? 

 

She hears her roommate’s voice, not sure if she’s talking to someone or watching something from her phone. A wave of appreciation comes down on her. Although she was younger, Haseul was like a mother to her, especially since her father nearly abandoned her. 

 

The idea of Haseul’s support sparks a fire in Vivi. She needed to graduate at the top of the class for her. She also needed to prove her father wrong. 

 

But again: a salad?

 

Vivi angrily grabs the keys in her purse. She thinks about what flavor she wants to attribute but is met again with multiple combinations. 

 

As she unlocks the door to her apartment, the Hong Kong native decides she’ll think about it after a shower and dinner. 

 

Of course, the scent of chicken broth hits her first. She likes it; it’s not too salty. 

 

What surprises her is the singing that comes along with it. 

 

Vivi is aware that Haseul is a singer. Quite honestly, Vivi thinks Haseul could’ve easily become an idol with her ability to model and act as well (albeit, Vivi is utterly biased for Haseul and they’ve only taken introductory classes for the respective fields). Even though Vivi’s reading skills weren’t advanced, she could read Haseul’s name on posters for musical performances or school newspaper articles. Haseul wasn’t just a singer; she was a gifted and talented singer.

 

Nonetheless, Haseul urged that she didn’t visit her at shows, so Vivi doesn’t really get the chance to hear her voice. Vivi thought it was absurd, but she respected her roommate’s wishes… for the most part. (Alright, Vivi may have secretly watched one recital, but no one’s gonna tell Haseul, okay?) They both acknowledged their apartment was a safe space and Vivi noticed the discomfort when Haseul sings in front of people. At first, Vivi tried to be nonchalant when Haseul sang, but it was nearly a crime to just ignore her beautiful instrument. 

 

So when she hears Haseul singing, she knows she’s in for a treat. 

 

Typically, she’d announce her entrance, but she decides to sit in the foyer for a little longer. She quietly hangs her jacket and takes off her shoes.       

 

Vivi hears soft tones—something incomprehensible, but something that follows an easygoing melody. She wonders if it was one of those Italian pieces Haseul ogled about before. 

 

Accompanying her singing was the abrupt crunches and taps as a knife hit the cutting board. For a moment, Vivi tests her culinary knowledge and wonders what kind of vegetable Haseul was cutting and what meal it would belong to.   

 

The exhaust fan was overpowering Haseul’s voice so she decided to step a little closer. She stealthily walks down the hall, making sure not to make a single floorboard creak. 

 

“In the dark eternity

In that long wait

Like sunshine, you fell down to me”

 

Of course, Vivi recognized the song. It played all over the radio and at any convenience store. She hadn’t watched the drama, but Haseul had been fangirling about it, so she knows the origins of the piece.

 

Haseul’s version of the song had a completely different vibe, yet still provided a pleasurable experience. Unlike the original, Haseul didn’t belt out the notes, instead opting for a very, very clear head voice. Although Ailee’s powerful voice attributed to the emotion of the piece, the control of her vibrato and softer dynamics were enough to make Vivi’s heart rate increase. Instead of the orchestral swell, Haseul was accompanied by slow, rhythmic chopping, something that would usually tick Vivi off in a heated kitchen. 

 

“Forget everything and move on

Because I will go to you

When your breath

Calls out to me again”

 

Vivi is suddenly reminded of Haseul’s engrossed conversations about opera. She always mentioned “closing a gap between opera and pop music”. Her monologues went into topics of teaching operatic techniques in pop music and breaking the stigma of opera being “boring”. Vivi appreciates Haseul’s passion but isn’t as optimistic as her. 

 

Vivi smiles bitterly. She wishes she never doubted Haseul. 

 

She wishes she never doubted herself. 

 

Especially since the girl singing in the kitchen never doubted her talents as well. 

 

By accident, Vivi lets out a sigh. As soon as her shoulders slump, she realizes her mistake and uselessly covers , 

 

Haseul was mid-note when she heard the rustle of her roommate. She stops singing immediately. 

 

“Vivi-unnie? Is that you?” 

 

Vivi silently scurries to the front door. She plays with the zipper of her jacket, pretending she was just taking it off. 

 

“Hey! It’s me!” She then stomps a little uncharacteristically to the kitchen, as if she wasn’t there 30 seconds ago. “What are you cooking up? Smells good.”

 

Vivi finally gets a good look at her roommate. Haseul had an oversized white t-shirt over some black leggings. The chef in Vivi wants to tie her free brown locks and rolls up her sleeves, but the lesbian in her wants to keep admiring her. 

 

Haseul looks up and smiles. Vivi pretends not to notice the pink tint under the metal rim of her glasses. “I’m just making some seaweed soup with chicken. It’s my aunt’s birthday,” she pauses, “And I have an evaluation coming up so I figured to drink something with some clear broth.”

 

Vivi lazily climbs onto a bar stool. She leans her head on her fist and admires Haseul’s work. 

 

“Is there any for me?” 

 

“Only if you don’t criticize my artistry too much. I just made something quick.” 

 

“I don’t think I ever can. You’re the one that taught me how to make Korean dishes in the first place.” 

 

“Hey now. Aren’t your dishes the ones that have been winning awards during competitions? There’s a sign in the canteen saying you’ll be cooking for the end of the semester banquet! I may have taught you, but you’re already surpassing me.”

 

There she goes again with the endless compliments. 

 

Vivi doesn’t have the energy to retort. She continues to watch Haseul slice the meat. Again, her chef instincts hate that the garlic that she previously minced is on the same cutting board as raw meat, but she’ll let it go since it’ll be cooked together. 

 

Unknowingly, Vivi starts humming to the song that Haseul was just singing earlier. 

 

“Ah. Have you been listening to Ailee’s “I Will Go To You Like the Snow”? It’s truly a beautiful song.” There’s a pinch of nervousness in Haseul’s voice.

 

The deer tries to act casual. There’s a feeling in her gut that they’ve both been caught, but she tries to shake it off, not wanting to cause uncomfort to her roommate. “Yeah, my sink partner has been singing it lately.” 

 

After finally rolling up her sleeves, Haseul attentively organizes her ingredients. She couldn’t be any more cuter in Vivi’s eyes. 

 

“Is she cooking while singing?”

 

Vivi knows where this is leading to. They’ve had this conversation multiple times and Haseul seems to forget they do. 

 

“Yeah. She’s got a nice voice.”

 

“Is that dangerous?”

 

“It’s just something to kill time while cutting or setting a temperature. It’s passive, really. Sometimes she doesn’t even hit the right note. She’ll just go along her ways.” 

 

Haseul nods. She leans both hands on the kitchen counter and purses her lips. In deep thought, she jumps and briefly lifts herself over the counter, causing her forearms to flex.

 

Vivi pretends not to see that. 

 

“You know, my grandma used to tell me…”

 

Here we go again.

 

“... that you’ll become an old maid if you sing while you cook.” 

 

Vivi raises her eyebrows, as if she heard some groundbreaking news. 

 

Haseul finishes cutting the ingredients. She adds water to the pot and begins brewing her soup. Vivi blankly watches.

 

  

 

“Do you really think being an old maid is a bad thing?” 

 

Haseul didn’t reply for a while. She cutely contorted her lips while conjuring up an answer.

 

Even though she asked the question, Vivi thinks of an answer, too. At first, she wanted to be able to marry a smart and good looking man, especially if she went down her original broadcasting or modeling path. Although being a professional chef doesn’t add points in her matchmaking favor, she enjoys what she’s doing. Her father told her she’d have difficulties finding a husband if she became a full time chef, but she’s starting to not mind. She could stress less about finding a husband, especially after realizing dating women was an option for her as well. 

 

“Maybe this is me right now, but I guess I wouldn’t really mind. If I’m continuing to do what I really love, then being alone sounds fine. As long as I keep on singing.” 

 

Vivi nodded her head in agreement. 

 

“And being an old maid doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be lonely forever. You just won’t get married or you’ll marry a really old guy.”

 

Vivi imagined her future. No husband. No kids. Just a kitchen. After work, she comes home to a nice studio apartment. It’s just her and…

 

“Try this. Lemme know how it tastes.” 

 

Haseul holds a ladle in front of her face. She blows on it to cool it down. For a second, the lighting of the kitchen seems to give a halo effect. 

 

That’s what Haseul was, an angel.

 

Haseul was a mother. She was a source of encouragement. She was a source of inspiration. 

 

She was her roommate… and roommates are supposed to be temporary...

 

Vivi tastes the broth. Her heart flutters a little bit, realizing Haseul has her thumb on her chin. 

 

She her lips. “It’s good. Really good.” She nods in reassurance. 

 

Of course, Haseul is skeptical. “Good?”

 

“It could use some more salt, but I know that’s not good for singing and you have an evaluation, so I could just add more for myself.” 

 

Haseul pouts a little and backs off. 

 

Vivi feels a pounding sensation up to her chest. She wonders if she’s ever felt that before. She doubts her soup is giving her heartburn. 

 

Haseul goes to turn off the stove. Now that she’s more self aware, the Chinese girl feels like the throbbing in her chest is intensifying. 

 

“I’m gonna go to my room and change. Save me a bowl?”

 

Haseul smiles, making Vivi’s eyes waved for a second. “Of course.”

 

— 

 

It’s been a few weeks since Haseul’s and Vivi’s evaluations. 

 

Haseul has received excellent marks from her professors. They commented on a more “strained tambre”, but Haseul let that comment slide since she knew she was a little under the weather. As much as she wanted to celebrate, she knew she had to prepare for another evaluation next month on top of studying for a history exam and composition submission.  

 

Of course, Vivi’s receives high marks for her “fusion salad”. She doesn’t know how, but for once, she’s not going to question it. The chef-to-be will admit that the ideas of sneakily including cucumbers (she had noticed a lot of her Korean friends hated the fruit) and infusing sweet and sour sauce instead of salad dressing may have contributed to her success. 

 

It’s to no surprise that her roommate is the first to congratulate her on the good news.

 

“Are you going to cook it in the apartment?”

 

Vivi’s cutting up cucumber, but it was for some kimbap. “No. You don’t really cook salad.”

 

“Oh come on. You know what I mean. Prepare the salad. Toss it. Whatever the term is.” 

 

“It doesn’t really taste that great.”

 

“Vivi. Why are you being this way? You got top 2 in your class! Just because it’s not number one, doesn’t mean it’s not good.”

 

“I actually mean it’s not good. It’s a salad. I just threw together some random things that I thought would taste good.”

 

“And it was so good that you got top 2!”

 

Vivi shrugs. “It’s not my proudest dish. I don’t even really like salad.” 

 

“Aish. Whatever you say.” Haseul crosses her arms. 

 

The Chinese girl smiles at her roommate’s antics. “Why are you being this way? It’s just a salad.”

 

Haseul smiles through her pout and walks towards Vivi, making the latter nervous for some odd reason. “I don’t know. You always cook your winning meals. I’m kinda feeling lazy, too. Can’t my roommate-wife cook for me?” Haseul’s hiding the fact that she feels like she failed her history test and she’s not feeling confident about her composition submission due to her sullen mood. 

 

Vivi’s a little preoccupied by the back hug that her “roommate-wife” is giving her and the warm breath by her ear. 

 

The chef starts calculating if she has enough material for two kimbap servings. 

-

Vivi is currently trying not to think about how Haseul called her, her wife. Haseul has been calling her that name a lot and she’s got a bunch of other “wives” like Heejin, her choir-wife, and Sooyoung, her dance-wife, and Jungeun, her school-wife. The chef doesn’t know why it’s bothering her now.

 

Speaking of her other wives, Vivi also can’t help but wonder if they go grocery shopping with her or if they splash each other while doing dishes.

 

Damnit. She’s got a banquet to prepare for. 

 

She smacks her head. Of course it wouldn’t make sense for any of that to happen. Why on earth would her head even go there? 

 

But she can’t help but feel a little jealous thinking maybe they grab dinner together after practice or maybe they go clothes shopping together on the weekends. What if Haseul lays her head on Sooyoung’s shoulder during breaks? Maybe Heejin holds her stare as they practice harmonies together for a student evaluation or Jungeun buys her coffee to keep them awake during study dates. 

 

The water boiling over the pot followed by sizzling sounds catches Vivi’s attention. She grabs the lid, forgetting to grab a glove and burning herself in the process. Nonetheless she takes it off and lowers the heat. She turns on the cold water and leaves her hand under the running water. 

 

“Wong Kaahei.”

 

She knows she’s in trouble. 

 

“This isn’t like you.” 

 

Vivi turns to her instructor. Chef Jang wasn’t a very… gentle person. Ever since her first day, she made sure to never cross with him. 

 

She quickly bows. “I’m sorry Chef Jang.”

 

He gives her a piercing look. It takes everything in Vivi’s will to not flinch. Her sunbae once told her to never cower in front of Chef Jang or she would be an easy target to kick out. She temporarily forgot about the burning sensation in her hand. 

 

“You seem distracted.” They’re simple words, but they provoke her. 

 

Vivi bows again. “I am sorry Chef Jang. It won’t happen again.” 

 

She couldn’t meet his eyes again. Her burnt fingers started throbbing again. Pain was starting to rush to her head.

 

The feeling of panic started to rise within her. Chef Jang held a lot of power. Would he order her to mince onions? Would he put her on dish duty for a week? Would he strip her responsibility of cooking for the banquet?

 

“Go home.” 

 

Two simple words sent chills down her spine. 

 

She was trying her best not to crack in front of him, but she couldn’t help crumbling. 

 

“Go home, Kahei.” He then put a hand on her shoulder. 

 

To her surprise, he held an expression that was assertive, yet soft. “I was starting to worry that you weren’t human. You’re such a hardworking and independent student. I’ve never seen exasperation on your face until now. Although, I’m concerned about what distracted you from burning your hand, it’s almost relieving to see your flaws.”

 

His vocabulary didn’t exactly sit well with her, but she appreciated his intentions. Still, she needed to start planning for this banquet or she’d get in even more trouble with him. “I’ll do a better job at keeping extraneous emotions outside the kitchen.”

 

Chef Jang finally cracked a smile. “I trained you well, but know that chefs have their bad days. Even I do. Go home and take a rest. I know you’re working on the banquet. We can brainstorm together tomorrow if you need help. I’m part of the final panel that approves your menu anyways.” He then waves her off. “Go home and rest. You’re just going to hurt yourself in the kitchen if you stay here.”

 

—

 

Vivi wishes she was in the kitchen. She didn’t feel comfortable walking alone in Seoul and being in her room was far from ideal.

 

On the subway home, she was already thinking about making something like bibimbap or japchae, something that’ll take a long time to cook. She needed a distraction, a big distraction.

 

Of course, the first thing she did when she got home was…

 

Take a nap. 

 

Quite honestly, it took her by surprise. The chef-in-training hadn’t stress-napped since she was still in university. Per usual, she didn’t feel refreshed, but the intensity of her previous anxiety went away.

 

Vivi sits up in bed, automatically noticing that she hasn’t changed out of her academy uniform or taken off make-up. Her bag was carelessly thrown to the side and the door wasn’t even closed properly.

 

She checks her phone to see that it was past 3pm. She missed lunch.

 

Her initial thought was to cook food, but her first priority was to get out of this clothing. 

 

She stands up to close the door, but as soon as her hand reaches the doorknob, she hears Haseul singing. 

 

“Na Na na na na

Na na na na na na

Na Na na na na

La la la la~

 

This Friday

How is this Friday?

Although there isn’t a movie I really want to see

Although there isn’t anything I really want to eat

 

It’s too hard to wait till the weekend

Time, please go faster, I want to rush the clock

(mind control)”

 

Vivi easily recognized this song. Haseul sang it at karaoke all the time. 

 

Instead of the usual guitar and piano, something’s boiling over the stove.

 

Gee, for someone who persistently concerned about Old Maiden, she’s probably going to be one at this rate, too. 

 

Vivi chuckles at the thought, but then takes it back. 

 

She wouldn’t want Haseul to be an old maid.

 

Haseul is so motherly and driven and pretty. It really would be such a waste. 

 

Her children would be lucky hearing her sing them lullabies. 

 

Ack, you were thinking about her when you got burnt. Don’t do that again.

 

Quickly, but quietly, Vivi changes into something more comfortable and wipes off her makeup before leaving her room. 

 

She sluggishly enters the kitchen.

 

“Oh my gosh! You scared me!”

 

Vivi is confused by her reaction. She didn’t jump out and she was sure she didn’t look like a zombie. “Sorry? Hello to you, too?”

 

Haseul turns down the levels on the stovetop. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were home. I didn’t hear you come in.”

 

Vivi sits at the barstool and leans over the counter. “I’ve actually been home for a while. I guessed I passed out or something. I woke up and my door was open.”

 

“Wow. You must’ve been really tired.” Once again, Vivi pretends not to see the pink tint under Haseul’s glasses. “Are you okay?”

 

The deer cautiously thinks about her answer. “Yeah. I have a lot of things on my mind.”

 

Haseul busies herself by stirring the contents in the pot. “You want to share anything? You know I’m here for you.” The last sentence came off shyly. 

 

Vivi recognizes she’s heating up some frozen dumplings and knows she doesn’t need to stir them that often. She internally chuckles at Haseul’s actions. 

 

She bites her bottom lip, thinking about how she probably has 99 problems and a majority of them are in front of her.

 

For dramatic effect, she sighs. “I’ve got the banquet to prepare for. I went to the warehouse today to brainstorm and Chef Jang kicked me out.”

 

Haseul still didn’t make eye contact, but made a furrowed face. “Isn’t he the scary guy you were warned about?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“How are you feeling? He didn’t kick you out for anything bad, right?”

 

Vivi smiles. “I’ll be fine.” She knew if she explained any further, she’d be digging herself a bigger hole of questions she didn’t know how to answer yet.

 

Noticing the silence between them, Haseul finally turned to Vivi. “I just heated up some potato dumplings that I made a while back. Do you want some?”

 

“I’ll eat anything made from you.” Vivi greasily replied. 

 

Haseul’s eyes went wide and she swiftly turned around. She walked over to the cupboard to fetch some bowls. As she looked up, she brushed away some hair behind her ear, inadvertently causing Vivi’s heartbeat to increase.

 

“Check the dishwasher.”

 

“I found some at the top, but I’m too lazy to grab a step stool.” Haseul then opens the dishwasher and immediately pulls out bowls and utensils. “Thanks,” she says as she waves the objects in the air.

 

“Do you need some help?”

 

“It’s just potato dumpling soup. It’s not that hard. Just sit still.”

 

Vivi did not sit still and grabbed some placemats. 

 

Haseul put the two bowls on the counter and handed over the utensils. “Here.”

 

The doe-eyed woman just smiled before grabbing her pair of utensils.

 

She was surprised to hear Haseul gasp.

 

“What happened to you?”

 

Vivi thinks if something was left on her face, but when the metal spoon touched her hand, she remembered the burning sensation from this morning.

 

She quickly took the utensils. “I burned myself this morning. That’s why Chef Jang kicked me out.”

 

Haseul, nearly jumping over the counter, grabbed her wrist. “Geez. It looks bad. Did you even treat it?”

 

“It’s not that bad. I’ve burned myself many times before.”

 

Haseul turns around and grabs a shallow bowl and fills it with water. She puts it on the counter as well. “Dip your hand in this. I’m going to grab some aloe vera and a bandage.”

 

Vivi groans and rolls her eyes. “Jo Haseul-ssi. It’s not that bad.”

 

Her roommate had already disappeared. Vivi was obedient and put her hand in the bowl, the cooling sensation stung a little bit. 

 

It didn’t take longer than five minutes for Haseul to return. “How on earth did you manage to burn yourself? Don’t they teach you about kitchen safety or something?” She takes the hand out and puts it on a towel. 

 

Vivi tried very hard not to stare. Haseul’s hands were so soft. “It was a mistake.” Haseul was right about learning kitchen safety. They were trained to have gloves nearby or to take a step back before diving in. She had missed those two important steps. 

 

“Well, be more careful next time?” Haseul giggles at the dumb command.

 

Vivi wanted to laugh, too, but she couldn’t stop thinking about how domestic Haseul looked. She had just cooked them a meal. She’s currently mending her wounds. She even dumbly told her to take care of herself. 

 

Vivi doesn’t know if it’s because she’s still in a stupor or because of what’s happening right now, but she’s accepting that she is crushing hard on her roommate. 

 

This was a problem.

 

Haseul had finished wrapping up her hand. “There! All done!”

 

“Thanks.” Vivi simply smiles. 

 

She was half-prepared for Haseul to do something like kiss it to make it feel better. 

 

She wasn’t prepared for Haseul to take her food and feed her.

 

“I burnt my hand. I didn’t break it.” She takes the bowl and ladle. “You need to eat, too.”

 

Haseul didn’t fight and Vivi wishes she did.  

 

They sit in silence for a while. Vivi subconsciously thinks of all the ingredients Haseul included. She could definitely taste a hint of zucchini and anchovies.

 

Other ingredients were at the tip of her tongue, but she notices Haseul was quieter than usual. 

 

“You okay?” She finally speaks.

 

Haseul turns her head to her. She gives a small smile. “Yeah. I’m thinking about what to do for the holidays.”

 

Vivi nods. Although winter break was a little over a month away, she also thought about what she was going to do. She knew she wasn’t going home because her father was still a little hostile about the situation and she preferred to stay with friends for a short vacation. She wonders if maybe she could spend it with Haseul.

 

The two continue to eat in silence. Haseul had already finished her bowl, while Vivi slowly ate hers since she was using her non-dominant hand. They were both still sitting by the countertop. 

 

Haseul whips out her phone, checking on social media. She subconsciously starts humming. 

 

Vivi was taken back to a few hours back, when she heard Haseul singing earlier.

 

It was about time she interrogated her. 

 

“Hey Haseul.” She pauses, trying to figure out how to safely question her since she knew she got defensive easily. 

 

Her roommate stops her humming. “Yes, Vivi?”

 

“What song were you singing earlier? It was that song you always sing at karaoke? It’s by IU right?”

 

There was no response. Haseul was probably deciding whether to lie or not.

 

“You have a really nice voice.” Vivi pushes.

 

“It’s called “Friday”. And, yeah, it’s by IU.”

 

Vivi was about to continue praising her voice until she heard Haseul jump out of her seat. 

 

She knew this was coming. Haseul was going to run away after being caught. 

 

Vivi knew she had to probe as it was now or never.

 

Haseul asks abruptly. “Are you done? I’m going to put them in the sink to soak.”

 

Vivi gives her bowl to Haseul. “I’m going to ask you this since you asked me this.” Her gaze bore into Haseul’s head, but Haseul continued to look away. 

 

Haseul simply nods. She clumsily moves around the kitchen, putting away uneaten food and cleaning her workspace.

 

“Don’t you know what happens if you sing while you cook?”

 

Haseul purses her lips. “Don’t tease, I already gave you an answer.”

 

“Then that means you’re okay with being an old maid.”

 

“Like I said, being an old maid doesn’t really mean you’ll be lonely forever. You just won’t get married or you’ll marry an old man.”

 

“But doesn’t that bother you? Don’t you want to marry a young man? Someone you can grow old? Maybe he's the director at the studio you teach at. Maybe he’s your future manager. Maybe he’s a regular financier who just loves hearing your voice as much as I do.”

 

Haseul scoffs and rolls her eyes. She ran out of tasks to complete. 

 

Vivi knew it was a joke of a question. She expected Haseul to clumsily brush it off. She didn’t expect Haseul to answer it so seriously though. 

 

“Well. Considering I’m not really interested in men right now, I’d prefer not to get married.”

 

—

 

“So you’re telling me that you think you have a crush on your roommate and the day you realized it, she came out to you.”

 

“Well... when you say it like that…”

 

“I think it’s a sign.”

 

“Don’t oversimplify the situation, Hyunjin.”

 

“Don’t overthink the situation, unnie.”

 

Vivi rolls her eyes, the irony being how she had been thinking about that conversation for two nights. 

 

She was walking to a cafe with another friend of hers, Hyunjin. They had also met in university, at a bar actually, when Hyunjin pretended to be her best friend in front of a guy (whom she later found out to be Hyunjin’s crush) and “the girl she shouldn’t be worried about”.

 

“And to think I thought Haseul-unnie and Hansol we’re dating back then.” She puts her arm around Vivi’s shoulder. “Isn’t it wild that everything’s going full circle?” She gives a cheeky smile that Vivi waves off. “I mean, people thought we were dating when they found out how we met.”

 

“You’re not helping.” Vivi walks faster, causing Hyunjin’s arm to drop. 

 

Since Hyunjin was significantly taller, she easily caught up. “Look. I’m sorry.” Both of them stop and Vivi crosses her arms. “I’m just trying to lighten the mood. You’re really angsty about it and I think things are pointing your way.”

 

“Don’t bring my hopes up just because we’re both attracted to girls.” Vivi starts walking again. “Not all lesbians like lesbians. We have standards, too.” Vivi stops walking and gasps. “Wait. She said she’s not interested in men ‘right now’. What is that supposed to mean?”

 

Hyunjin pulls her again so they can continue walking. “Unnie. If what you said earlier is true, then I feel like you guys are vibing. Maybe she likes both guys and girls. Maybe she’s only dated guys and is suddenly interested in girls and she’s starting to cross over. It doesn’t matter. Right now, she’s interested in girls, so you should take your shot while you can.”

 

Vivi leans into the younger one, thinking about what she said. “What does vibing even mean?” 

 

Hyunjin enters the bbq place they planned on going to. “See. Both of you are so old that you don’t know slang. You’re so compatible.”

 

Vivi crosses her arms. “I barely know Korean slang, let alone Korean in general.” She mutters under her breath, “At least Haseul nicely teaches me about slang.”

 

They are quickly seated and the two look over the menu. Hyunjin raves about some samgyupsal and Vivi just listens considering any ‘high class meat’ is nothing compared to the wagyu beef she is allowed to include in all of her dishes. Now any meat is just good meat to her. 

 

“You should take Haseul-unnie here. I bet she’d love it. Take her here after a performance or something.” Hyunjin tried to reel back in the original intention of this meeting. 

 

Vivi draws a fake pause so she wouldn’t look too invested in that conversation. “What makes you think she even likes me?” 

 

“Unnie. What’s not to like about you? You’re basically a model. You’re super smart considering you know 3 languages and you already have a degree. On top of that, you’re pursuing another degree. You’re always at least Top 3 in your class. This culinary path shows you’re both headstrong and determined.”

 

“Thanks for making my resume sound cool, but I don’t know if that’s what Haseul is looking for.” Vivi sounds more bitter than usual.

 

Their first order of meat comes in. Hyunjin orders more and starts cooking. 

 

“Where was I?” Hyunjin focuses on making sure all the brisket was being cooked evenly.

 

“Just focus on cooking. You don’t want to burn yourself.” 

 

Vivi takes back her words. 

 

“Unlike you, I don’t have a girl to distract me from my tasks.”

 

Vivi glares at the cat-like girl in front of her. “Kim Hyunjin.”

 

Hyunjin just smiles. “Sorry, unnie. I just haven’t seen you like this before and I can’t help myself.”

 

The doe-eyed girl just sighs and rests her chin on her hands. The aroma was somewhat calming her. 

 

“Oh, now I remember!” Hyunjin nearly slams down the tongs. 

 

“Can’t we just enjoy a nice meal together?”

 

“First of all, you keep mentioning that she’s blushes when you talk to her in the kitchen.”

 

“Yeah, but that’s probably because it’s hot in the kitchen… or because I just caught her right after she was singing.”

 

“Is my face red, unnie?” Hyunjin points the tongs to her face. “I’m literally sitting in front of the grill.” 

 

Vivi swats her tongs away. “Everyone reacts differently.”

 

Hyunjin hums as she grills the meat, thinking of other things Vivi said. “Didn’t you say that she recognized that you were cooking for the end-of-the-semester banquet? That means she’s been pretty attentive to you.”

 

“She said she saw that at the canteen. A lot of people would’ve seen it.”

 

“Okay, but let’s be real. With a student population of more than 25,000 people, how many actually pay attention to some unknown chef. Heck, I work at the canteen and I didn’t even notice that sign.”

 

Vivi gives her an offended look. First, she was an “unknown chef” and second, her best friend doesn’t notice her achievements when it’s mounted on a board she should be seeing at work. 

 

Hyunjin puts her hands up. “Sorry, unnie. My point is, I wouldn’t have noticed that unless someone else pointed it out, aka Haseul-unnie.”

 

“Thanks for being a good friend. I always notice when your pieces are featured in the architecture building.”

 

“Again, wouldn’t you be looking for that though? You know I go to this school and you know I’m in the architecture department. It’s like how you look for Haseul-unnie’s posters in the music building.”

 

Vivi grabbed her own tongs and started picking up the pieces that were cooked. 

 

I came here to talk about my feelings, not to get attacked. 

 

“You mentioned that she was attending to your burn wounds.”

 

“Okay, but maybe she was just being nice.”

 

“Yeah. Super nice. If Heejin burnt her hand, I would’ve just offered to help and knowing her, she would just thank me. Haseul-unnie full-out nursed you without question. She probably knows how important your hands are since you use them all the time.”

 

Vivi didn’t respond this time, still embarrassed about the whole situation.  Their second order of meat came. 

 

Hyunjin crosses her arms and smiles, knowing she was finally breaking in. “Honestly, she probably had the balls to finally confess since you easily complied. You made yourself really easy to read, unnie.”

 

Vivi opened the jaws of the scissors and gave Hyunjin a warning look. She spoke with a hint of threat. “I’m the cook here. I know how to fillet a fish 16 different ways.”

 

Hyunjin knew Vivi wasn’t capable of hurting a fly, but she had no idea what Chef Kahei was like. She gulped and chose her next words carefully. “Considering you’re such a good cook, I wouldn’t bother ever cooking for you. I would hate to be under constant scrutiny by a top chef-in-training. The fact that she still makes an effort to cook for you is a sign.”

 

“First of all, I’m not Gordon Ramsey-sunbaenim. Second of all, she’s the reason why I started cooking in the first place, so her cooking is, if anything, better than mine.”

 

Hyunjin abruptly interjects. “Okay, unnie. I get it. You’re in love with her. My point is that she cooks for you. Not all roommates make the time for that, especially during testing season. Haseul-unnie has two part time jobs. I have a hard time believing her life is that much put together.”

 

“Well Haseul does have her life together.”

 

“No university student has their life together. Don’t you know Haseul is always napping in the library? I used to tell her to go home, but I didn’t realize how far away y’all lived. Heejin offered our apartment to her, but she’s a stubborn one.”

 

Vivi feels guilt wash over her. She was always self-conscious of the things Haseul had to give up for her. 

 

It would’ve been easier if she just lived closer to campus.

 

Hyunin sighs. “I didn’t tell you this, but Heejin was telling me she’d been eating ramen with no seasoning and drinking electrolyte water for the past two days because she hasn’t had time to cook and she didn’t know what to cook that was quick and easy.”

 

Vivi gave a shocked response. If only she knew her roommate was struggling that much, she would’ve helped in any way. She was about to probe more, but, at the thought of Heejin, gave a penetrating look. “What else does Heejin know?” 

 

Hyunjin gave a cautious look and put her hands up in defense. “Hey now. You don’t need to get jealous over Heejin. She’s a little shaken up by her relationship with Hansol still. She really just wants to focus on school.”

 

“That doesn’t mean Haseul can be interested. Heejin’s a pretty girl, too. It’s not uncommon for lesbians or biuals to fall for straight girls.”

 

“Okay, but Haseul-unnie doesn’t cook for her. Quite honestly, I don’t know who else she cooks for except you and hearing you talk about it is lowkey making me jealous.”

 

Vivi picks at some of the meat. “Lowkey.” She makes a mental note to ask Haseul what the term meant since she’s more patient in explaining than Hyunjin.

 

The cat just stares at her in disbelief. At this point, she was tired at how hot and cold Vivi was acting. Does she want to joke or not? She knew at this point she had to just spell it out for her. Before she does, she questions how her Haseul-unnie can be so patient with a dense person like Vivi-unnie. “She doesn’t make the effort to show up on time to their practices because she had to buy medicine for her clumsy roommate or she was making sure her dumb roommate didn’t oversleep. Apparently Haseul-unnie always skips out on department dinners and they’re concerned because they think she doesn’t eat properly, but she always says her thoughtful roommate made food for her or they already had plans to eat out.” 

 

The deer just listens to what her friend had to say. She knew Hyunjin was responding to her request of what Heejin knew, but she didn’t expect her heart to race at all the little things her crush was doing for her.

 

Have I not noticed this entire time? 

 

Hyunjin softens up and smiles.  “Can’t you tell this by now? You’re obviously a special person to Haseul-unnie. She taught you how to cook. She was patient with you when you guys were working on projects together. She had the courage to come out to you spontaneously.” 

 

There’s a pause between the two. “What if Haseul isn’t even looking for a girlfriend? What is she just wanted to come out because she found someone else and she’s gonna start taking her to our home?” Vivi’s eyes looked somber. Vivi puts her head in her hands. “Aish. I trust you at what you say, but it’s kinda driving me crazy thinking about Haseul liking someone else. Do you think we’ll stop doing movie nights or stop cooking together or just have late night talks about life? I feel so selfish, but I’m scared that’s going to be reality.”

 

Hyunjin didn’t want to admit that it hurt seeing those puppy eyes, but she had to stay positive for her friend. She picks up a piece of meat and serves it to Vivi. “Eat, unnie. You’re only thinking this way because you have an empty stomach. Look, our second order of meat is already cooked and we’ve barely touched the side dishes. Let Hyujinnie be the one to cook for you.” She keeps layering meat on her plate. “I refuse to let you assess me, though. Just eat the damn meat.”

 

Vivi finally cracks a smile. 

 

—

 

Haseul is panicking.

 

She had been wanting to come out to her roommate, but she never knew when the right time was. 

 

Vivi opened the conversation of homouality to her and Haseul then started questioning herself. 

 

Things were making sense, but also not making sense. 

 

It made sense why she was never attracted to her castmates in musicals. I mean, it makes sense to be sick of each other, but dating within the production wasn’t an uncommon thing. It didn’t make sense when her heart broke after her computer science heartthrob of a boyfriend decided to end things. It made sense that she was starting to hang more around girls. Being in the music program, you spend a lot of time with both genders, but it was easy to decline hanging out with guys and it was more exciting to hang out with girls. It didn’t make sense that she didn’t necessarily fall for the “pretty girls”. She was friends with the music department’s heart throb and even hung out with another prolithic lesbian in the dance club. Why was she not attracted to them? 

 

Things were making sense, but also not making sense. 

 

Haseul actually thought it’s from the curse. She sang so much while she cooked and cleaned and did all her house chores, that she was destined for perpetual loneliness. She refused to believe the idea.

 

She eventually started dating both girls and guys (Sooyoung is the only person she had formally come out to and was ecstatic to introduce her to all the lesbian and biual people that had a crush on her.) She thought she’d figure out if she liked one gender more than the other, but couldn’t reach an ultimatum. 

 

She was having an existential crisis, but somehow also felt… okay? 

 

Was it because of…

 

No. No. It can’t be. 

 

It can’t be because of one girl.

 

Just because she’s lesbian doesn’t mean, she’d like me. She has standards. 

 

It doesn’t help that her roommate was on her mind a lot. 

 

She went on a coffee date with a girl and she couldn’t help but think if Vivi could naturally be a good barista or baker. She went on a date with a guy at an amusement park and she wished she could bring Vivi there since she hasn’t explored a lot of Korea yet. 

 

When she’s stressed, all she wants is Vivi’s cooking. Sure, it’s not as good as her mother’s, but no one cooks for her. Not a lot of people do things for her in general. Sure, she comes off very motherly and doesn’t usually accept offers of assistance, but she won’t say no to anyone’s help if they’re persistent or already helping. She’s always taking care of herself and it’s nice seeing someone do something for her. 

 

When she wants a break, she only wants to talk to Vivi. Heejin never stops talking about music. Jungeun always talks about academic or professional related things. Sooyoung used to be her escape during school but now, she comes to her about girl problems. Vivi and her will just talk about life. Vivi will teach her random Mandarin phrases. Vivi will ask her about random Korean trends that university students don’t usually care about.

 

She loves it when Vivi goes off about food: special ingredients, unique combinations, what’s it like in the kitchen. She also likes how she can let herself go when she talks about opera. 

 

Haseul doesn’t know where she stands with her uality and she decides that it’s okay.

 

She just needs to be clear about one thing. 

 

Haseul likes Vivi.

 

“Doesn’t that sound like a bad idea to like her though?” Haseul is sitting with Sooyoung and Jinsoul, someone Sooyoung tried to hook her up with, but ended up just being another person she could confide in.

 

“I don’t see why not? Are you trying to convince yourself out of it by friendzoning her,” Sooyoung asks? 

 

“Okay, but theoretically speaking, what if we do date? What if we find something we hate about each other? What if we break up?”

 

“Haseul. Just because y’all are girls, doesn’t mean the rules of relationships change. If you find something you don’t like, you talk about it. Communication is key in any relationship.” Jinsoul reasons out. 

 

“Okay, but again, what if we break up? We’re roommates. That’s gonna be awkward.” Haseul starts biting on her thumb. 

 

Sooyoung just shrugs. “Hey. If it makes you feel better, I hooked up with my roommate a few times. I didn’t even know she swung that way. I thought it was just gonna be a one time thing, but then she told me I was the only girl she was banging and it just affected me in ways I didn’t want it to. It ended up being an experimental thing. For a few weeks, it was awkward, but we were able to sort out our feelings, at least about each other. She had her own personal exploration to do, but that’s another story.”

 

Haseul just flinches her eyebrows. The idea of personal exploration gave a sour taste in . She didn’t want Vivi to be “exploration” even if she didn’t know what was going on with her ual orientation. 

 

Jinsoul notices her distaste and tries to come up with a more valid answer to try and alleviate her friend. “Theoretically speaking, if she does reject you, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll get over your feelings. Sooyoungie and I will help you find new women to date… even if there aren’t a lot of them.

 

“You’re still the amazing singer you are. You’re still the most in demand tutor. Nothing changes. 

 

“I mean, worse comes to worst, one of y’all would move out. You could always crash with me and maybe Sooyoung,” Sooyoung nods, “especially since the end of the semester is near and all of us are nearly graduating. 

 

“Nonetheless, I don’t think it should get that bad. If she wants to leave you for that… you deserve to date someone better.”

 

Haseul nods at Jinsoul’s words, trying to allow her words to calm her.

 

“Look, I hate being the insensitive one here, but there’s always the option that you two might just end up banging and that’s it.” Sooyoung earns a punch to the arm from Jinsoul. “Look. I’m just talking from experience. It’s not just lesbians, but people our age in general aren’t into relationships.”

 

“Okay,” Haseul pauses, trying to get used to Sooyoung’s bluntness, “but this isn’t about . I’m not just looking for some warmth in my bed. I like Vivi… and I think Vivi likes me, too.”

 

Jinsoul giggles. “Haseul, you make it sound so basic. I think you need to take things a step at a time. We’re making too many assumptions. Sure, many of them seem plausible, but maybe these are things that aren’t even going to happen. Let’s cross this path when you actually get signs of uninterest.”

 

Haseul nods again. She’s back to square one: uncertainty. However, Jinsoul’s answers actually gave her some comfort.

 

“Hey, if you two start dating, can we double date? I want to try Vivi’s cooking since you keep talking about it.” Sooyoung asks before taking a sip of her water. 

 

Haseul raises an eyebrow. “Double date? You with who?”

 

Sooyoung smiles. She contemplates spilling at the details. “I think there’s something between me and Jiwoo.”

 

Jinsoul nearly spits out the snack she was eating. “Kim Jiwoo? That ball of sunshine? With you?” She then turns to Haseul. “See that’s something impossible.” She turns back to Sooyoung. “You should be the one thinking of rejection back-up plans, not Haseul.”

 

Sooyoung glares at her. “Yah. At least I’m not pining for a straight girl.” 

 

Jinsoul cuts her off. “Please don’t bring that up. I think she knows her.” Jinsoul mutters the last sentence under her breath. 

 

Haseul scrunches her eyes brows, trying to understand what Jinsoul was saying. 

 

“You like a straight girl?”

 

“Oh, . You’re right. I think they study together.”

 

Jinsoul groans. 

 

—

 

Vivi has been planning to confess, but the concept of time was being rather cruel to her. 

 

Haseul had an evaluation to prepare for with Heejin. Finals were coming up and her students needed more tutoring. She had a group project to work on with Jungeun. She already made plans with Sooyoung and Jinsoul (even though it was just to talk about Vivi).

 

Jealousy was a cute look on Vivi, but Haseul felt bad for making her feel that way. 

 

Soon enough, the banquet was coming soon and Vivi couldn’t find time in her schedule to fit in a nice date. She rarely saw Haseul at home and the only thing on her mind was doing well for the banquet.

 

She was thinking this was a sign that they weren’t meant to be and slowly started giving up. 

 

“You guys are both busy. That’s natural for two roommates. You can’t expect anything unless you guys are currently dating and now’s not an ideal time to drop a bomb.” Hyunjin replies to her rant. 

 

“When is a good time then? After finals? After the End-of-the-Semester Banquet? What if her theoretical feelings for me have died? It’s been nearly 2 months since the incident.”

 

“Timing seems best after all of your extraneous events are over. I can’t answer whether she’ll still like you or not. Only time will tell.”

 

Vivi just grumbles. The whole situation was frustrating. She hates having feelings and not being able to act upon it. 

 

“You never know. It’s Christmas. Everyone’s in a good mood. Go find some mistletoe and woo her again.” 

 

—

 

The End-of-the-Year banquet seemed to pass quicker than expected. 

 

Vivi got used to not seeing Haseul. They didn’t talk as much, except when they talked about food and chores. Vivi tried to hint that she knew Haseul was eating sad ramen and always made sure to let Haseul know she was cooking for two. Haseul tended to dismiss the offers, but soon, Vivi noticed her pots were always empty and cleaned by the time she got home. She will admit that she missed her, but she knew Haseul needed to study. It also made it easy for her to just focus on the banquet. 

 

Chef Jang guided Vivi into making Peking duck, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed. They complained about the small portions, but Vivi shook off the comment since it’s something she heard a lot with fine dining. Her salad was also featured which generated an… interesting response. She also created some finger food appetizer, but that doesn’t relate to the plot so well move on. 

 

After the banquet was over, it was as if a huge burden was released from her shoulders. Sure, she had another evaluation coming up, but she decided not to stress out about it for a few days. 

 

Vivi lethargically exits her room. It’s been awhile since she’d woken up past noon. She doesn’t remember the last time she went drinking with friends, so the hangover was unfamiliar to her, too. At least she managed to change out of her uniform this time.

 

To her pleasant surprise, she sees her roommate in the kitchen. The kitchen hood is roaring and something is boiling over the stove. Maybe it’s because her head is hurting and she hadn’t eaten breakfast, but it smelled divine. 

 

“Ah! You’re finally awake!” Her roommate calls out to her. The decibels seemed too much for Vivi causing her to flinch a little. She sauntered over to see what she was cooking. After seeing the celery and the doenjang sauce, she automatically knew what it was. 

 

To think, after all this time of not contacting each other, she was still looking out for her.

 

“Are you done with finals,” Vivi asks?

 

“I finished yesterday, but I have a portfolio due this Friday. I’m not too worried about it though.”

 

“How do you feel about your exams?”

 

Haseul chuckles, thinking it’s ironic how Vivi was asking her about how she felt when she was the one with the hangover. “I don’t feel too bad. I studied my off for that history class, so I feel good about that.”

 

“That’s good. You finally get to eat and sleep properly now.”

 

Vivi hums. 

 

She leans her head on Haseul’s shoulder. She wanted to give her a back hug, but she knew that they were not ready for that, but her head was hurting so she didn’t care. Haseul automatically stood straighter. Vivi wanted to assure her that she was okay, but had no emotional currency to tell her that. 

 

“Hey,” Haseul starts. Vivi wonders if she crossed a line. “Thanks for always cooking for me. It really saves me a lot of time and stress when I have food at home to eat. It’s even better that it’s gourmet food.”

 

“Of course. I’d look like a bad roommate if I let you starve like that. And thanks for being my Guinea pig for my banquet meals.”

 

“Ah. So I was your test subject.”

 

Vivi chuckles. 

 

“Which meal ended up winning?”

 

“The duck. The vegetarians actually liked my salad. They liked it so much that the others wanted to try it. I got a lot of responses from that one. I guess I owe you a salad since you asked for it.”

 

Haseul breathes out again. 

 

The two just stand there, slightly swaying. The aroma of the spices and the overall warmth in the kitchen soothed Vivi.

 

She also likes how close she is with Haseul. 

 

“How are you feeling? Your friend helped you walk in. I couldn’t tell you were drunk, but you did have a hard time walking straight. There’s some painkillers and water on the counter.”

 

Vivi looks towards the counter and thinks about it. Her head was throbbing…

 

...but she liked being this close to Haseul. 

 

“Maybe after I eat. I get stomach pains if I take medicine without food. I’m not feeling too bad though,” Vivi lies. 

 

Haseul hums.

 

Vivi was at peace. Sure, her head was numbing out, but it helped curb the infatuation she had for Haseul. It was just the two of them in the kitchen. The steam tickled her face. The smell of the boiling vegetables with the spicy red pepper flakes excited her. Haseul’s shoulder was comfortable even as she moved to grab ingredients or stir the pot. There’s the loud boiling competing with the kitchen fan, but that’s always background noise to Vivi. 

 

They stand like that for a while. No talking. Just the two of them. 

 

She thinks she could get used to that feeling. 

 

Haseul starts humming along to a song. It’s that song from the Korean drama again. There’s low vibrations that affect Vivi. It’s not too much to rattle her head, but it’s enough for her to close her eyes. She finally realizes that they’ve been swaying which churns her stomach a bit, but she feels like she could go to sleep like this. 

 

Haseul eventually starts singing. Vivi wants to , but she wants to hear her sing more. 

 

“I won't ever forget

Watching over you, my heart fluttering

Even when I was ridiculously jealous

All of those moments that you gave to me” 

 

Haseul pauses, mostly to catch her breath and to move the pot from the heat. 

 

To her surprise, Vivi continues. 

 

“Some day, we'll meet again

It'll be the happiest day

I will go to you like the first snow”

 

Haseul turns her head to her and beams. Vivi looked groggy, but her closed eyes and dreamy composure sent a wave of oxytocin through her system. 

 

“You’re singing.” Haseul points out. 

 

It was then that she realized that Haseul had sang in front of her as well. She didn’t cower as usual. “You sang, too.” 

 

The steam was starting to recede. Haseul was going to turn off the hood. Vivi took the opportunity to wrap her arms around Haseul’s waist. “You know what someone told me?”

 

Haseul chuckles, ready for the teasing. “What?”

 

“If you sing while you cook, you’re gonna end up being an old maid.”

 

Haseul fakes a pout and nods her head. “So I guess I’m gonna be an old maid.”

 

Vivi laughs. She’s glad Haseul didn’t run away this time. 

 

“Do you want to be old maids together, with me?”

 

Old maids...

 

...with Haseul.

 

Vivi finally pulls away. The two look at each other. 

 

Haseul had a goofy, nervous smile on her. She pursed her lips and scratched at the ladle. 

 

Old maid…

 

...together... 

 

Vivi smiles back. Despite the hangover, she was basically beaming with embarrassment. This is such a lame way to confess, but it’s so us. Haseul’s face finally softens, the blush in her cheeks making a reappearance. 

 

“Only if I get to be a young maid with you first.”