"Are you going to eat this?" Minseok looked at the new totally vegan salad (whatever that meant) that Luhan had spent a good amount of time preparing.

After dropping Baekhyun off at his apartment, the brunette went straight to his own without even stopping to grab something to eat along the way. But now he deeply regretted it.

The lack of dinner meant he had to eat whatever Luhan was preparing for him. And what she made was not always within the realm of normality. Looking at his plate, Minseok could only see a bunch of fruits, some kind of leaf, and... Was she serious?

"What are these flowers in the middle, Lu?" The girl rolled her eyes.

"They're edible, okay? Totally sweet and delicious. There's no reason to be afraid."

"Girl, the only flower I've ever put my lips on was the-"

"Oh, no, I don't want to hear it." The bartender smiled mockingly.

Luhan hated it when he talked about his flings because she knew the mental image wouldn't be pleasant. And, of course, Minseok made sure to about it.

The brunette got up from the chair, moving away from the table as he prepared to leave.

"I apologize to the Harvest Gods, but I'm out of here." The girl raised an eyebrow, curious.

"You're going to go without eating?"

"No. I'll probably just order something from your favorite clown's fast-food delivery." Luhan snorted at his comment.

The girl detested any kind of fast food or industry that involved animal cruelty. As a passionate advocate for environmental and animal causes, she worked part-time in NGOs that fought for a better world. Minseok had always been proud of her for that.

Now she was giving him a look of indignation for his unfortunate comment.

"Don't culinary artists, like, completely oppose capitalist cruelty chains?" The complicated names brought a smile to Minseok's face as he listened to her.

Yes, all those fast food chains and industrialized products were like the apocalypse to any self-respecting culinary artist or anyone with a moral philosophy. Or anyone who was rich enough to always have fresh, pesticide-free produce on their table – a luxury Minseok was unfamiliar with, despite knowing that many chefs used it. So, he couldn't deny that the occasional hamburger with special sauce was part of his monthly menu.

"Yes, they do. But I'm just a guy with a bar, love. Don't expect too much from me." The blonde smiled broadly, giving up.

"I don't expect anything from you, Min. I thought you'd eat at the restaurant, as you usually do." The bartender hesitated.

He wouldn't say anything about what had happened because it wasn't his business. Despite being friends with both, Kim knew he couldn't intervene or help too much. Somehow, he knew Baekhyun had to find a way to deal with the situation within himself.

Minseok crossed his arms, looking thoughtfully at the table.

"Yes, I usually eat there. But... today was a hectic day." From his tone of voice, Luhan seemed to realize that he didn't want to talk about it.

That was one of the things he loved most about her: her ability to respect his boundaries. She never demanded, just patiently waited for an explanation if he wanted to give one. It worked well for them.

"Understood," she replied. "How about you, though? How are the classes going?"

"They're going well," he said. Her reaction caught his attention.

Luhan had a silly smile on her face that didn't go unnoticed. Minseok had suspected that something was going on for a while, but now he could be pretty sure he was right.

"Are you not sharing with the other teacher or something?" The girl raised her eyebrows.

"Ah... yes, I am." Luhan sighed, poking at the salad like a teenager with her first boyfriend.

"What's with that look, Lu?"

Luhan had a hard time coming out to her family, especially since she had lived with her grandparents her whole life. So, of course, they didn't accept her at first. But when Luhan showed up at the door with another girl by her side, looking quite definitive, they had no other choice. The blonde was lucky that her family fought against their own prejudices, but Minseok knew that it didn't always work out that way.

"You're right," he said.

"I always am." Minseok smiled affectionately at her.

"You know you're the only woman in my life, right, babe?"

"I know. No one comes before me, Kim Minseok." She pointed a finger at him in mock accusation, making him laugh.

He got up from the chair he was sitting on and walked to the kitchen counter to put the half-finished salad bowl there. Maybe she hadn't liked those "totally edible flowers" either.

"I'm going out now. If you want to join me, we can still make the rounds, baby." The brunette declined with a nod.

"I'll pass, babe. I'll just order your favorite corpse and get some sleep."

"You do you." Luhan shrugged, approaching him. She placed her hands on his shoulders, giving him a comforting squeeze.

"Love you, Min. You know you can always talk to me whenever you need."

"I know, love." Her response smile was genuinely caring, just like her tight hug.

Luhan was the only person who knew him completely. He didn't know how he was going to let her go. He knew that the band would take off at some point, forcing her to invest more in things. Minseok hoped it would work out, but he was also afraid that the frequency with which they would see each other would change drastically.

However, he also tried to accept that it was just life taking its course.

The heat was all around as if it were a tanning chamber. Or maybe it was because there was someone... under him?

D.O. furrowed his brow, struggling to wake up. He squinted, not seeing much. Then suddenly, he saw it: shirtless, lips slightly parted, Baekhyun was sound asleep under his arm. They were both sweaty, probably from being pressed together for so long, but Baekhyun looked comfortable with his face turned towards him.

The bald guy smiled, finding it amusing.

This was so unexpected. He never imagined he would wake up like this with him one day. Maybe later on, if things worked out, but not this soon.

Not that he was complaining.

Kyungsoo simply watched the warm air escape Baekhyun's lips, touching his arm like a small heater.

Damn.

He was starting to have those thoughts again. How beautiful and cute Baekhyun was, warming his heart. He hated that he was so weak like that; it frustrated him to no end. Every move Baekhyun made seemed graceful in his eyes, but his relaxed expression ranked first among all the other expressions he had ever seen on his face. It was definitely the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, second only to his rectangular smile.

Everything about him was so beautiful, actually. It wasn't fair how his mind couldn't remain rational around him, as if his emotions took over, and suddenly he felt everything all at once. He had never felt anything like this before. Sometimes it overwhelmed him, sometimes it ignited a fire he struggled to control.

Baekhyun shifted underneath him, groping for him. Kyungsoo smiled when he felt Baekhyun's grip on his shirt sleeve. He thought maybe he might still be asleep, as his eyes were closed with a furrowed brow.

"Soo..." The sleepy voice was new to Kyungsoo's ears. It spoke softly, a bit lost, as if not quite sure where it was.

"Yes...?" Kyungsoo replied softly.

Baekhyun's long fingers tightened on the shirt, but there was no response back.

He still hadn't opened his eyes, so the chef had no idea if Baekhyun was sleepwalking or if he was already awake.

The bald guy sighed, hugging him around the waist with his chin resting on Baekhyun's chest. He didn't want to end the moment, as he knew he would have to return to reality. The reality in which they still had a lot to discuss and work out, losing the lightness that was in his heart at that moment.

Kyungsoo, for the first time in his life, was genuinely interested in someone. He wanted to do things with him. Things he once considered extremely cheesy. Worse: things Chanyeol would probably do. This was getting completely out of control.

What kind of person had he become?

Had his heart softened so much in this short period of time?

Baekhyun moved under him, feeling around for him. Kyungsoo smiled when he felt the grip on his shirt tighten. Perhaps Baekhyun was still asleep because his eyes were closed with a furrowed brow.

"Soo..." The redhead mumbled suddenly.

Kyungsoo was surprised.

He was indeed sleepwalking. Did he feel his presence even in such a deep sleep? He would have to talk to Baekhyun about this later. Maybe he was afraid of being alone, hence his current behavior. Or maybe he was still afraid of the possibility of Kyungsoo leaving.

Kyungsoo looked at him again, and he could see that his brow was a little more relaxed. If he could really feel his presence, could he also hear him? So many questions at this hour of the morning.

The brunette sighed, leaning slightly to grab his phone from the side of the bed. Incredibly, it was the only one with enough battery to check the time. But as he lifted himself over Baekhyun, he lost his balance and fell on top of him with a thud. Baekhyun woke up instantly, startled.

His eyes were puffy and half-closed as he tried to identify Kyungsoo in the darkness of the room.

"Kyungsoo?" The sleepy voice asked, making the bald guy feel guilty. He had fallen on top of him like a sack of potatoes. That was definitely a great way to wake someone up.

"Sorry..." Baekhyun looked at him with a small smile. Their faces were so close that he easily gave him a brief kiss.

That was precisely the kind of thing that hit D.O.'s heart directly. Every time they kissed, something changed in him. He felt like he no longer knew how deeply he was involved in this situation, and he was a little afraid of being naive. But Kyungsoo was doing what he always did when faced with a challenge: taking risks.

Baekhyun snuggled closer, pulling him into a warm hug. He definitely seemed like a little puppy sometimes.

"No need to apologize, Soo... Are you awake now? What time is it?" Kyungsoo hesitated, avoiding eye contact.

"I couldn't see." He confessed softly.

Baekhyun chuckled softly at his failure and stretched to grab his phone himself. He furrowed his brow a bit when he checked the time, placing the device back on the nightstand.

"It's not too late."

"What time is it?" Baekhyun smiled, nuzzling his head into the curve of Kyungsoo's neck.

"I wanted to do this for a while." The bald guy chuckled softly. He had been teasing him for some reason.

"Baekkie... is it late?"

"No..." But the tone of his voice suggested otherwise.

This had never happened before. Getting to the restaurant almost at opening time? It would probably be the first time. Especially because he would be arriving with an employee. That was a problem he would ignore for a while.

"It is late." The redhead groaned in frustration, hiding even more in his embrace.

"You have to leave now? I'll make you some coffee." His hands were now on Kyungsoo's waist, as if not wanting to let him go. Kyungsoo smiled, gently his hair.

He didn't want to leave just yet either, but he didn't have much of a choice. He had to rush to the restaurant.

"No, it's okay." The brunette left a kiss on his temple, pressing his lips to Baekhyun's warm skin. "Sleep a little longer, Baekkie. No need to rush."

"No... I'll get up." Baekhyun moved his head to look at him.

Both locked eyes without saying anything. His eyes were slightly darker and more droopy than Kyungsoo's, and had softer features. Baekhyun's slender fingers reached up to his cheek, gliding across the skin as if they had all the time in the world.

"Soo..." The redhead murmured.

"Hmm...?"

"You look adorable with your face all scrunched up." Baekhyun laughed lightly, brushing his thumb gently against his cute cheek.

Kyungsoo hid a smile, averting his eyes shyly. He wasn't expecting that. His cheeks felt warm, and he probably looked ridiculous now. But looking at him so up close made it a bit hard to stay sane. He couldn't control his heart around him.

"Aigoo..." It was all he managed to say.

"It's true. I've never seen you so cute before. Except for the first time I saw you smile." That only made him more bashful.

"Let's get up now." Baekhyun laughed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you." The bald guy shook his head, not looking at him.

"I'm not..."

"You are." The redhead smiled widely.

He didn't look very good. Kyungsoo realized he was right when Baekhyun suddenly flipped him over, ending up on top of him. It was the first time he was in that position with someone. His heart was beating so fast that he felt much younger than he actually was. Like a teenager again.

Baekhyun sought his neck, leaving a few kisses there, while his hands found their way under his shirt. He felt the long fingers press into his side as Baekhyun tried to get comfortable on his lap. This was definitely not going to end well.

"B-Baekkie..." He was trying to get his attention, but all he felt was Baekhyun's smile on his neck. Baekhyun definitely wasn't the type to follow orders. He must be used to that.

"Hmm...?" He replied, sitting right on top of him. Oh... The sensation... He would never forget that moment.

"B-Baekhyun... we have to get up. The restaurant opens at 2 p.m." The guy smiled, lifting part of Kyungsoo's shirt and leaving him stunned underneath him.

Kyungsoo was so shocked he could only watch him. He looked on as Baekhyun moved his hands there, massaging the area under his belly.

"You have a cute belly..." It was the second time he used that word that day, and yet the bald guy felt a little embarrassed.

The redhead smiled when he moved down a bit, leaving a kiss near his navel. Kyungsoo gasped in surprise. Baekhyun was like a little demon; what had gotten into him?

"B-Baekkie... what are you doing?" Baekhyun laughed softly, this time using his teeth.

The bald guy leaned in response. Completely natural. He wasn't even expecting it, but Baekhyun seemed determined to toy with his sanity. He continued kissing there as if they had all the time in the world.

Kyungsoo could already feel his abdomen responding to the stimuli Baekhyun was giving him. He'd better stop before it got worse. The redhead seemed to read his mind, as he left a final peck a bit lower on his waist before looking back at him with a smile.

"Ah, Soo... I really wanted to do that." The bald guy must be fifty shades of red at that moment.

"You... you are a wizard." The redhead smiled widely, moving closer to him again.

Kyungsoo was starting to get nervous.

"It's not me who looks like Harry Potter in those round glasses." The bald guy laughed softly.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"I'm saying you're cute, Soo." He looked away, disbelieving.

"Here you go again..." Baekhyun laughed playfully, leaving a smacking kiss on his cheek.

"I'm going to take a shower, and you can go to the kitchen if you're hungry." Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Are you letting me into your kitchen?" The redhead got out of bed, stretching while still looking at him.

"Just to show you... you're already taking too much from me, Do Kyungsoo." The bald guy smiled.

He agreed that the kitchen was indeed a personal space for a chef, almost like a part of their own being. Even more so for him, as his kitchen was far away from him. He knew all too well what it felt like to miss it.

"I think it's an important step for us. Don't you think?" Do was joking, even though he knew he wasn't entirely wrong. It was indeed one step further.

"Almost as big as a marriage proposal," Baekhyun chuckled lightly. "Just take care of my baby." Byun pouted cutely, making Do smile in response.

"Of course, Baekkie." The redhead winked, leaving the room and heading to the bathroom, leaving him alone there.

He better make coffee soon, or they would end up being even more late. With that thought, the bald guy got up and walked to where he thought the kitchen was. It wasn't very big, but it had enough space to move between the stove and the countertop, which was a relief. Kyungsoo was used to doing things too quickly, and he always ended up tripping over himself in small spaces.

He began to open the refrigerator, looking for ingredients when he heard a deep voice speaking behind him from the hallway.

"Hi." Do jumped in surprise, dropping some of the vegetables he had picked up on the kitchen floor.

The guy behind him was tall. Maybe even more than that. He had broad shoulders and a stern face that was anything but friendly. He wasn't wearing a shirt, which made him even more intimidating than Kyungsoo could have imagined, with the emphasis on his giant shoulders.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Well, that would have been impossible. Even if he hadn't been caught off guard, he doubted he wouldn't be startled by the big guy. He was very large, not just in height.

"I-It's okay." That was all he managed to reply.

"Are you Chef Dyo?" Kyungsoo nodded in agreement. "Ah." The guy paused. "What are you doing in my kitchen?" If this is his kitchen, then this guy should be Sehun.

However, he didn't look like what Kyungsoo imagined him to be. Baekhyun always said he was nice and friendly, but he didn't seem like that at all. He looked like he could rip someone's head off with just a look.

"I-I'm waiting for Baekhyun to get ready."

"Ah." The big guy looked him up and down for a moment. His eyes seemed to scan the entire scene as if analyzing it. "I see." He said simply, without further explanation. Sehun turned his gaze back to him with ease. "So... do you like Kimchi?"

Kyungsoo froze.

Was this some kind of test?

"Yes."

"That's pretty much all there is to eat... I forgot to buy groceries. Sorry, man. I didn't know there would be someone here."

"No, it's okay." Both of them stood in the kitchen without saying anything for a while.

Kyungsoo kind of avoided looking at him because Sehun was a little scary with that analytical look. Even though he knew he wouldn't be rude or anything, he still feared doing anything wrong. He looked like a security guard for the royal family, and that scared him.

The big guy continued to look at him with a furrowed brow. Do was about to run away from there when he spoke again.

"I... don't want to be a bother or anything. But since you're a chef... can you do something with this? Or should I order something for us?" For us?

That calmed him a bit. So he wasn't bothered that the chef was there, using his kitchen and all?

"I can... uh, make kimchi jjigae? I think Baekk- Baekhyun has the ingredients." Sehun's eyes lit up.

"Sure." The big guy continued to analyze the kitchen, seeming out of place. "Uh, I... don't know where anything is. But you can look around. Don't worry about it." His voice was so gentle that the tension in the younger one began to dissipate gradually. So Baekhyun was right? The taller guy was indeed a sweet person?

"Thank you." Kyungsoo thanked him sincerely.

"Just be careful with the faucet... actually... maybe it'd be better to save a clean shirt just in case." This time the bald guy chuckled softly.

"Thanks again."

"No problem." Sehun smiled amiably. "I need to change for work, but don't worry. I'll come back to help you." Oh, that was more than he expected.

"Aah... you don't have to. I can do it quickly. You know... I'm a chef." He laughed nervously because he wasn't that comfortable yet to make a joke.

But Sehun joined in.

"That's true." The moment became a standoff for a few seconds, with neither of them knowing exactly what to say.

Sehun just silently observed him. He didn't really understand what was going on, so he decided to stay quiet. The taller guy seemed to be pondering something.

"Did Baekhyun tell you I'm getting married?" Kyungsoo was shocked. He wasn't expecting another conversation.

"N-No, not that I remember." Sehun nodded.

"Well, it's going to be in Vegas. And then... I... sort of wanted him to come. But I know he has his job and all." Ah, now he understood.

Sehun wanted to ask for a day off so his friend could attend the wedding. Of course, that was quite common at the restaurant, but Baekhyun would have to understand that he would deduct it from one of his days off if he wanted to use it.

"Baekhyun can negotiate with me, it won't be a problem." His eyes lit up instantly, as if he were a child.

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Wow. Thanks, Kyungsoo." The big guy approached, engulfing the bald guy in a genuine hug.

Kyungsoo didn't quite understand. What was he doing? But he simply returned the gesture timidly. It was the only thing he could do at that moment.

"But already?" Baekhyun's voice brought both of them back to reality, making the taller one laugh at the situation.

"I see why you like him, Baek." The redhead looked away, embarrassed.

The chef, however, was at a loss for words. It felt like he was in a parallel reality that didn't belong to him. It couldn't be real that he was there, practically experiencing an awkward family moment. And yet, he was enjoying it. 

"Go take a shower, Hunnie. Don't stand here talking so loud in the morning." Sehun smiled, walking over to him with large strides.

"I just managed to negotiate for you, and this is how you treat me?" Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"What's that?"

"Talk to him, you'll see." The big guy passed by him, messing up his hair as he always did.

The redhead turned to Kyungsoo, now dressed in cooler clothes to go out. He was probably getting ready for the restaurant.

"What did you say to him, Soo?" Kyungsoo shrugged.

"Nothing much. I just said I could negotiate a day off with you for the wedding."

"Would you really do that?"

"Of course. No problem." Baekhyun lit up with a wide smile.

He approached him, pulling him into a different kind of hug. His hands were on his waist, while Kyungsoo's rested on his slightly tanned neck.

"Thank you..." He whispered softly, kissing his cheek again. It seemed like he liked it there.

Kyungsoo didn't quite know how to feel about it. He kind of didn't want to dwell on his insecurities, but they were at the surface. Especially after the recent events and the reason why he was there at that moment.

"What are you thinking, Soo?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know, or you don't want to tell me?" The bald guy smiled faintly.

"Let's leave that for another time." Baekhyun agreed, kissing him again in the same spot.

Kyungsoo wanted to laugh. He didn't stop doing that for even a minute.

"That's fine," he said, looking at him. "But I still want to know more about you."

"I know..." Do took a deep breath before suggesting something that had been on his mind for a while. "I also think that maybe... maybe we should go out together... sometimes." Baekhyun smiled, again gently caressing his face. Now that he had grown accustomed to the contact, he didn't seem to want to stop. Not that Kyungsoo was complaining. He was enjoying it too.

"If you want, we can plan something for the weekend." This got the bald guy excited.

"Will you bring your movie?" The redhead's eyes softened as the question was spoken out loud. There was a level of tenderness in that moment that temporarily silenced his doubts and insecurities.

"Of course, Soo." His sweet voice reassured him. Kyungsoo felt like he could suggest a little something more, if he wanted to...

"I can cook something..."

"I would love that."

"At my apartment." Baekhyun laughed out loud.

"Your apartment? Why?"

"It's more empty, Baek. We'll have more privacy there."

"Hmm..." The redhead was a bit suspicious of that information, which elicited a laugh from Kyungsoo.

"It's not because of that. I... sort of liked sleeping with you. It kept the nightmares away." This time he seemed concerned with the new information.

"You have nightmares?"

"Yes," he confessed softly.

"I'm sorry, Soo." Baekhyun pulled his body into a hug.

They stayed like that for a moment, just feeling each other. The redhead always kept up with caresses that soothed him, as well as the warm comfort that enveloped them both. Kyungsoo had never felt this way before, and he was grateful that, for the first time in his life, he felt so cared for by someone.

He hoped from the bottom of his heart that it wouldn't end. He had found a new world in the pastry chef and wasn't prepared to see it crumble. Anything would push him to the limit.

The walls had become fragile because of it. But if he were honest, the chef couldn't wait to see them crumble.