The soup kitchen had its first successful feeding operation for the year, with the crew serving over 300 bowls (exceeding the forecasted amount by more than a hundred) in the course of the day.  Kyungsoo particularly keened over the people’s praise that the ramen warmed more than their bodies from the harsh winter, but also their souls.

Kyungsoo had ended up cooking another pot full of ramen as the more senior kitchen staff tended to the men and women and even children coming in.

They had to close shop by 3 p.m., inviting the visitors to come again next Saturday as a different menu would be served.  The crew cleaned up afterwards, with the chairwoman insisting on helping out, much to Chanyeol’s annoyance.

Chanyeol had no choice but to stay behind and help as well, although he did so as minimally as possible.  He took his time drying the dishes that Choi Yoongjin ahjussi was rinsing, with the older man glancing up to him uncomfortably.  Chanyeol only paid him no mind.

When they finished after almost an hour, Lee hojangnim was so pleased and hugged each of the volunteers tightly in her gratitude.  When the chairwoman came to Kyungsoo, the young boy opened up his arms readily and she went into them, with Chanyeol scoffing in disapproval at how strangely familiar Kyungsoo-ssi was becoming towards his mother.  

On the way to their car as everyone dispersed to leave, his mother was still talking to Kyungsoo with one of her arms warmly wrapped around the young boy’s waist.  Chanyeol felt a bit unnerved, and inadvertently out of place, seeing that Kyungsoo had comfortably rested a hand on his mother’s shoulder as well—something that he himself hadn’t been able to do in a while, even if his mother was very affectionate towards him.  

Wasn’t sure if what he was feeling was jealousy or disdain in general, he walked several steps ahead, advancing towards their car so he could start the engine, and unlocked the passenger door for his mother to go in.

He thrummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel as he heard his mother giggle at something Kyungsoo-ssi was saying, and the young man even opened the door for her. 

“So I will see you next week, Kyungsoo-ssi,” Lee hojangnim bade, her tone almost wistful, as if she felt a little sad to be saying farewell.

“De,” Kyungsoo agreed, bowing 90 degrees as the chairwoman slid into the passenger seat, and courteously meeting Chanyeol’s eyes, which were tinged with irritation, and bowed to him as well.  

Finally, Chanyeol thought, as his mother closed the car door and then he proceeded to start the engine.

Just as he was reversing the vehicle towards the street, his mother’s face suddenly broke into a bright smile as they passed by a walking Kyungsoo, his hands stuffed into his puffy jacket.   The car window was descending, and the next thing Chanyeol knew, his mother was telling the young volunteer, “Kyungsoo-ssi, it’s too cold out.  Can we give you a ride?”

Chanyeol made a face, angrily stepping on the brakes.  What the hell?  

How far would his mother treat this frail kid with kindness?

The young man’s round eyes grew even rounder, and Chanyeol realized Kyungsoo-ssi must have the biggest eyes he’d ever seen on any person—Asian or not.  His cheeks were flushed, and probably not entirely due to the cold.  “Uh...” He stole a glance at Chanyeol, who narrowed his eyes at him.  “A-Aniyo.”  He pointed at the north.  “The train station is a couple of blocks away.  It’s not far.”

“Nonsense!” Lee hojangnim insisted.  “We can drop you off to your house.”  

Then she turned at her son, whose jaw had just dropped as if scandalized.  “Right, Chanyeol-rah?”

Perhaps something in her mother’s expression made Chanyeol gradually compose himself, Kyungsoo was not sure.  The last thing he wanted was to cause tension between them, especially for something inconsequential, like in his expense.  “J-Jinjjayo... it’s not a big deal...”  So he opted to tell a white lie, just so the mother and son could be on their way.  “I only live a few stations from here...”

He actually had over an hour more of commute time, even by train.

Lee hojangnim gave him a gentle smile and shushed him, unlocking the backseat door.  She probably saw through his pathetic ruse.  “Please get in, Kyungsoo-ssi.”

Not one to disrespect his elders, Kyungsoo gripped the metal door handle, which elevated the cold he was feeling in his already freezing body and climbed onto the backseat, just behind the chairwoman, feebly closing the door.  

The first thing he saw was Chanyeol’s sour expression from the rear view mirror, which made Kyungsoo winced inwardly in chagrin.  

“Close the car door again and use more force this time,” the chairwoman’s son snapped quietly.  “It’s still open.”

“Joseonghaeyo,” Kyungsoo whispered and did as he was told, and he did flinch for real when the car door banged louder than he intended it to be.  

Lee hojangnim squeezed Chanyeol’s arm, as if to calm him down, as Chanyeol only drove on, with the heavy atmosphere encapsulating the luxury vehicle.  

“You live in Changsin, if I recall correctly, Kyungsoo-ssi?” the chairwoman asked, glancing at Kyungsoo through the rear view mirror, as the young man was buckling his seat belt.   

Now, Kyungsoo wanted to sink down his seat, and hopefully be swallowed up by this rich beige leather.  He couldn’t believe the chairwoman remembered, and that it was indeed quite a distance from Hongdae (where the soup kitchen was).  If Lee hojangnim thought ill of him for having lied and refusing the car ride offer initially, then she didn’t say anything about it.  

“Adul, we can drive Kyungsoo-ssi home first?” the chairwoman suggested, patting her son’s hand gently on the gear.  

Chanyeol’s reply came in the form of a low grunt, and Kyungsoo couldn’t tell if Chanyeol-ssi was even in agreement.  

And then there was silence.  

Kyungsoo fidgeted with his hands and stared out of the window.  At one end, he was grateful that he was inside a warm car as he watched snow flakes drizzle down the sky endlessly.  The truth was, after he got off the train station nearest his home, he still had to walk about 10-15 minutes to reach his house, depending on how fast his pace was.  

However, he didn’t want Chanyeol-ssi to feel forced to doing him a favor, especially because his mother told him to.

That was probably the worst reason to do it, too.

Kyungsoo was then startled when the chairwoman’s phone rang and then she answered.  She was humming in response and then went, “Mwo?  How come the contracts haven’t been sent out yet?”

Chanyeol reached a red light and was only staring straight ahead, a grim line on his lips.  

“Why didn’t you have me sign them last night?  I was there until 9 p.m.!” Lee hojangnim said over the phone in exasperation, and then sighed, knowing that blaming wouldn’t solve anything.  “Araseo, I’ll be in the office soon.”  She hung up the phone and turned to her son.  “Chanyeollie...”

“You have to drop by your office, I heard,” Chanyeol finished for her, almost sounding bored.  Thankfully, they were nearby the Cityhall area, where Yookshipil Building was located.  W