He left his shopping on the kitchen bench, both because he wasn't 100% certain where he should put everything, and because he figured Jaejoong might get curious enough to come check it out.

He padded down the hall to his own room, dumping his own university stuff on the floor, before making his way back out to Jaejoong's room. The other boy had actually gone to the bathroom, after he dropped off his stuff, so the door to the room was left wide open from his hurry.

The plainness of the room struck him immediately. It felt just as empty and lifeless as it had been since he got the apartment. Jaejoong had always been such a colourful person. His clothes; his books; his CDs, everything of his tended to have colour on it. To see a room he associated with Jaejoong so bare seemed chilling.

Jaejoong may have changed a lot since they stopped being friends, but he couldn't have lost his colours could he? A Jaejoong without colour felt like someone who'd had part of their soul stolen. There was something missing, and the room felt incomplete without it.

Jaejoong nudged Yunho's shoulder as he passed by him to re-enter his room, eyeing the younger man as he passed him. Jaejoong didn't need to speak, he knew the look he'd sent Yunho summed up his question perfectly without words.

Yunho started slightly, groping for an excuse that would not result in Jaejoong slamming his bedroom door in his face. Unfortunately all his mind told him was that as long as it was him that was trying to speak to Jaejoong, he would get that door slammed regardless of what he tried to say.

His hands brushing against his legs in his nervousness, trying to convince his brain to be more helpful, reminded him of the thing in his pocket. “I wanted...to give you this.” Yunho stated a little awkwardly, speaking before he was really sure of what he was saying. His hand slipped the newly made key out of the front of his jeans.

He presented the key to Jaejoong, who gave it a quick once over, before his blank gaze returned to Yunho. “It's a key to the apartment.” Yunho explained, feeling silly when he saw the way Jaejoong rolled his eyes at the comment. Of course he knew that. He'd told him that he was going to get it made this morning.

“I was aware you were getting me a key. What are you giving it to me for?” Jaejoong queried blankly, as though to him the reason behind his question should be clear to everyone in the room.

“Well how else are you going to get into the apartment?” Yunho questioned clearly confused. Whatever might have been self-evident to Jaejoong, was invisible to Yunho.

Realising that Yunho wasn't getting it, Jaejoong shook his head a little ruefully. “Okay then, where should I put my key?” he enquired, nodding knowingly when Yunho sent his questioning look in his direction.

Perhaps Jaejoong wasn't so different after all. Yunho had gone through this many times in the past. This was what inevitably ended up happening if Jaejoong knew something and you didn't. Simply telling you the answer would be far too simple; no he always had to lead you through his working out. Let you come to the answer yourself, so you would feel stupid.

“On your key chain.” Yunho answered instinctively. Knowing he had got the correct answer with the way Jaejoong gave him a short sharp nod. Clearly he hadn't quite solved the puzzle yet.

“And how do you put a key on a key chain?” Jaejoong asked, eyes telling Yunho that he was confident Yunho would see his faux pas, with this answer. “Well you open up the ring....” he began, but stopped, a thought occurring to him. No, more of a long lost memory. A half smile quirked his lips as he set his gaze back onto Jaejoong, locking eyes with him, “Wait. You mean you still don't know how to put a key on a key chain?” he questioned, amused.

Jaejoong's eyes darkened, as did his cheeks as he flushed slightly in shame. “Yah!” he exclaimed, reaching out to smack Yunho's arm for laughing at him. Jaejoong never took well to being laughed at when he wasn't trying to be funny; he could be so vain.

Yunho ducked backwards out of Jaejoong's grasp, but the attempt had only been half-hearted to begin with. If he were seriously bothered by it he would have tried again, and again until he hit him.

Jaejoong could be very determined when the blow to his pride was hard enough.

“Give me your keys.” Yunho ordered, his hand outstretched and grabbing impatiently. Jaejoong handed them to him, almost as though he hoped if he handed them over, Yunho would leave him alone. Which, for all Yunho knew, could quite possibly have been true.

With a few quick movements of his fingers, he had the new key attached to the others, and was handing Jaejoong his keyring back. Jaejoong snatched them back, muttering a thank you, forcing Yunho's proud smile to droop a bit. It felt so odd to be disappointed at receiving a polite acknowledgement from Jaejoong. He only ever did it with people he was distanced from. When you knew him, it was like you owed him for the honour and privilege of helping him.

Jaejoong caught the hurt puppy look on Yunho's face out of the corner of his eye, and part of him cringed. He hadn't intended the acknowledgement as some sort of sleight to him. It had just sort of slipped out without his really thinking about it. Yunho may not have minded, but Yoochun and his family had been drilling it into him for years that a man who never said thank you was no good.

He didn't want to be no good.

They may not have been friends again, but they were quite clearly uneasily comfortable with their newly established reconnection. They seemed to trade words so easily, but Jaejoong didn't have it in him to call their interactions friendly, even if that may have been how they were intended.

But still, people who got along as well as they did, and who may have begun bridging their friendship, couldn't allow a good moment to end like that, could they? Before he could really question the logic his decision was based on, Jaejoong allowed a quiet, “So what did you buy?” to slip from his lips.

Yunho may have been a few steps away from him by then but the words were loud and clear, if his large grin was anything to judge by. He thought he'd done something good; very good. “I knew you'd be dying to find out. Come on, I left them in the kitchen.” he informed the other excitedly, eager but not game to actually try dragging Jaejoong to the room in question to have a look.

Seeing all the bags again on the counter, didn't give Jaejoong any new ideas as to their contents. He looked from them to Yunho awkwardly, as though he were waiting to see if something were going to happen. “Well go on, I got it all for you. I might have forgotten a few things, you'll have to give me a list next time. I was kind of just going from memory.” Yunho explained, childishly, finally starting to sound a little embarrassed.

Jaejoong ignored him, stepping up to the counter. Now that he was looking straight down at it's contents, the mystery was gone, and a pleased smile gripped his features. He recognised the bags' contents immediately, and he eagerly started dissecting them, one by one, leaving each item he unearthed on the counter for observation.

He needed to see what he had to work with.

Stepping back from his materials, he could feel the wheels turning in his mind. Yunho wasn't talented enough in the kitchen himself to have thought of anything but the basics. Subtleties of flavour combinations, spices, pastes and everything else the cook had at their disposal eluded him.

Yunho was right that he'd have to give him a shopping list next time.

He saw the self-satisfied grin marring Yunho's features. Yunho may have been one of the most handsome guys Jaejoong had ever had the pleasure of meeting, but that didn't mean he couldn't look very disturbingly unattractive at times too. When he was this smug, was one of those times.

“What's that look for?” he demanded, pinning Yunho at his place on the barstool, the opposite side of the kitchen counter.

“What else would it be for? I'm finally going to get to enjoy your cooking!” Yunho cheered, excited. He had always loved the taste of Jaejoong's food, likening it to his mother's. Yunho had practically lived at Jaejoong's house whenever he could when they were younger; so in love was he with the simple, home made food Jaejoong's mother would be making.

Thankfully, his best friend had inherited his mother's culinary skills, and had gotten her to teach him how to make all her dishes. The impact of her teaching could be tasted in every meal Jaejoong produced, even when he'd started creating his own. His mother was clearly his greatest culinary inspiration.

In some way Yunho was relieved. He could very easily picture his knack for cooking being one of the things that Jaejoong chose to discard over the last few years. For him to stop would have certainly been a waste. So to find out otherwise came as a big relief.

But then there was also the fact that his stomach had been complaining ever since he stopped being friends with Jaejoong. Gone were the delicious evening meals round his house with all his sisters gossiping and squealing; gone were the meals Jaejoong would specially prepare, and bring for their lunch whenever inspiration struck him. His stomach had complained so much, in the first few days he was convinced he might die, and he'd been going through the withdrawal symptoms ever since.

“And what makes you think that I am going to cook you anything?” Jaejoong demanded, sounding almost mortified by the thought of doing so.

“But I'm the one who bought all the food! It's only fair!” Yunho demanded, pouting slightly, at the thought of not getting to have any of Jaejoong's food. Surely the boy's serving sizes couldn't have increased that much in a few years? There was always more than enough for other people to share in his food.

“So you should have, you didn't have anything to eat!” Jaejoong countered, as he started dicing up vegetables. His attention was only partially focused on his actions, and yet he never faltered, every movement quick and precise.

“No I didn't have anything you wanted to eat.” Yunho countered, darkly, now annoyed at the thought Jaejoong wasn't going to share. Would it really be so difficult to increase his portions just that little bit? From what he could see, Jaejoong wasn't making anything too complicated.

“Same thing.” Jaejoong tossed indifferently. His eyes flicking up to observe Yunho, glaring at him. It took all he had to hold in the smirk threatening to burst from his lips. Had he really not noticed how much he'd grabbed of each ingredient?

Oh well he'd realise soon enough.

Yunho continued to glare at his back the whole time Jaejoong was cooking. The pleasant smells filling the room, only made his look harsher. It was just teasing to create such wonderful smells, when someone nearby is starving. To then refuse to allow them to eat that food was just cruel.

“You know you could always leave if you don't like it out here?” Jaejoong suggested, smiling slightly despite himself, at the look Yunho was steadfastly fixing him with.

“My house.” Yunho grumpily answered, gaze unwavering.

Jaejoong resisted the urge to correct him, that they were actually sharing an apartment, knowing that in Yunho's mood, he would be met with no reply. Teasing was no fun if the other person stone-walled you.

Luckily Jaejoong was about done. He started busily grabbing some plates, on which to serve the food. He scooped all of it up, only half noticing when Yunho's eyes darkened a fraction more, at the sight of just how much food Jaejoong had prepared. There was definitely more than enough for him to share, and still the other boy insisted on keeping it all for himself.

Normally Yunho would never begrudge the other boy from eating more; his weight could fluctuate a bit, and there were times he looked unhealthily thin, back in the past. Yunho hoped Jaejoong would never return to that state; all those bones protruding made him worry. But this was Jaejoong's cooking; the stuff he'd only dreamed of for years, he couldn't bare the thought of it being right there, under his nose with him unable to do anything about it.

Jaejoong shifted over to the table, carrying the plates with him. At Yunho's continued glares, he huffed in exasperation, “Yah! I made enough for you too, stop your glaring and get over here already!” arms crossing in annoyance that Yunho hadn't caught on, and wasn't scrambling to eat all of his food, or helping him carry anything.

Immediately Yunho sprung into action, grabbing plates for the two of them, and chopsticks, racing over to the older man. Quickly placing them on the table, he wrapped his arms around the older man's waist, unable to constrain his joy; he could have cried in delight. Jaejoong made no moves to return his hug, but his lips twitched into a slight smile, reminiscent of the ones Yunho recalled from those long years ago, when they were younger.

“Thank you.” he told the elder male who made some sort of non-committal noise in the back of his throat, and nudged Yunho away with a hip, so he could escape from the grip the younger man had on him.

They both sat down, neither feeling particularly concerned by the impromptu hug Yunho had given Jaejoong. Apparently both of their bodies remembered one another well enough to be unconcerned by the unexpected physical contact. The thought of which brought Yunho another of joy; maybe he didn't have as far to go to reconnect their friendship as he'd thought.

Yunho noted the way Jaejoong pushed his chopsticks about impatiently, as though he were waiting for something to happen. Yunho smiled at the familiar reaction. After finding out how much Yunho loved his mother's cooking, when Jaejoong had started learning how to cook himself, he'd always act like this. He'd present the food, but he couldn't bare to try even a bite of it, until he'd seen what Yunho thought; he'd always wanted Yunho to be as impressed by his own food as he was by his mother's.

Yunho figured it was just because Jaejoong was incredibly proud, and wanted his ego . He knew he was a good cook, he just wanted others to tell him that. As if he didn't already know.

Yunho slowly took a portion of the food for himself, making sure to draw out the action as long as possible. One glance told him he was successfully driving the other male crazy by his actions. He took a deep breath, as he raised the food to his lips, about to fulfil innumerable fantasies of his from the past few years.

At Jaejoong's glare, he knew his action had been misinterpreted, but he couldn't bring himself to care at the moment. He'd been looking forward to this for so long, and here it was. Nervously he released the portion on his tongue, feeling the explosion of flavour in his mouth like a bomb going off.

His memories of Jaejoong's food could never compare to how it tasted in real life. It brought his taste buds to life, and he could feel them popping and tingling from the taste. The sudden sensation could have brought delighted tears to his eyes, but he allowed himself to revel in the experience for as long as he could.

How he'd ever managed to stay away from Jaejoong's cooking for so long he'd never know.

He excitedly dove on everything he could reach that Jaejoong had prepared for their meal. His hunger had turned ravenous, and he wondered if it could ever be satisfied. At the exuberant response, Jaejoong knew he'd done a good job with the meal. At least if his reaction was anything to go by. It's not like he would have answered had Jaejoong asked him.

Jaejoong too dove into his food, realising he'd have to make sure he ate quickly, or else risk Yunho stealing everything.

By the time they'd both finished, every last piece of the meal had been devoured. Both boys could feel their stomachs' bloating from the sheer volume of food that they had both eaten. But it had tasted good, and it had been a long day, without any real meal to speak of for both boys, so they supposed their overeating could be excused.

The two of them just looked at one another across the table not really sure what they were supposed to do at this point. They still weren't friends. They had been together for less than 48 hours. Sure they were joking with one another, and Yunho had been very helpful, but they weren't friends. Yunho didn't even want them to be did he? Did Jaejoong? Neither was really sure what the other man wanted from this unexpected relationship and so they were left unsure what they should say to one another.

“So, how was your day?” Yunho asked, but the question seemed awkward and uncertain and thus very unfitting for Yunho. Jaejoong went to answer him, but rethinking through his day reminded him of the meeting with Yoochun, and he recalled that he was supposed to ask Yunho if he could help him out. Might as well get the rejection out of the way early on in the week; hopefully he would have forgotten about it by the weekend.

“Fine. I went to my old apartment. Can you help me pack up the rest of my stuff this weekend?” he questioned, bluntly; straight to the point was how Jaejoong normally dealt with other people, he wasn't particularly good at the whole keeping his words mysterious, and making others enquire to know about his business, no matter how much he tried to emulate Yunho's way of speaking. When Jaejoong wanted something done, he couldn't see any way of getting what he wanted other than to come right out and ask for it.

Yunho seemed a little surprised by the request. “Uh sure, if you want. What have you left behind?If it's anything heavy I can ask Changmin to come help.” he enquired. He didn't think that Jaejoong would voluntarily ask to spend more time together; he hadn't seemed particularly interested in becoming friends again.

At the mention of the other boy, an image of a small, quiet boy came to Jaejoong's mind. Another one who had adored Jaejoong's cooking. His eyes flashed in recognition of the name, but he shook his head. “No, no that's okay. There's nothing heavy; just you know books and movies, clothes that sort of thing.” Jaejoong answered.

Yunho smiled at the answer, “Good. Your room looks a little sterile at the moment. It'll look much better once you inject some personality into it. How long has he given you to clear out your room?”

“The weekend.” Jaejoong answered easily.

At Yunho's look, he darted his eyes away. He could tell that Yunho didn't think too highly of his ex-best friend. Perhaps that just came with the territory. After all, Yoochun was Yunho's replacement in Jaejoong's life after Yunho walked out, wasn't he?

“We'll have it done in no time.” Yunho informed him confidently.

Both hoped his words proved true, neither particularly looking forward to a run-in with Yoochun, though for very different reasons.