o o 2 ;

“So, what are we going to do today? Go for a swim?”

“Nope.”

“Ice-cream?”

“Uh uh.”

“Cycling again?”

“Nope,” Minhyuk turned to face me and only then did I see that he was wearing his mischievous grin. My heart sank. He must be planning something bad.

“We, as in you mostly, are going to learn how to cook!”

He took a step back and spread out his arms. “Ta-da! I’ve prepared everything that we’ll need.”

I wanted to disappear.

I should’ve known better when he called me to meet at his house instead. Minhyuk isn’t Minhyuk if he’s not creating problems for me.

“B-but, are we even allowed to be in the kitchen? Eomma always told me to stay out when she’s cooking. She said that it’s dangerous to play with fire.”

“Aye,” he dismissed the matter away with his hand. “You don’t have to worry. Oppa will take care of everything. You just need to observe and learn.”

I snorted. “Are you even sure you know how to start a fire? You always act like you know everything when you don’t actually have a clue.”

Minhyuk wagged his finger at me.

“Are you making fun of me, Park Chorong? You’ll regret it later when you don’t get to taste my delicious cooking.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. I don’t believe you.”

He ignored me and opened one of the white cupboards. He rummaged through the things inside for a few minutes, before throwing a piece of clothing at me.

“Wear the apron. You don’t want to get your clothes dirty.”

My best friend is the biggest liar ever.

He told me that I only needed to watch him and learn.

Well, after about fifteen minutes of rushed explaining (because I don’t think he has any idea what he’s doing anyway), he handed me an egg and asked me to crack it into the frying pan.

I did.

But instead of the perfect sunny-side up, my egg was scattered in a mess and it looked disgusting.

Of course Minhyuk laughed at me. He would, that rascal.

To make matters worst, part of it was burnt because by the time I realised it was done, it was too late. I was busy hitting Minhyuk that I didn’t pay attention to my first ever creation.

I almost started crying. But Minhyuk hurriedly grabbed an empty plate and placed the distasteful egg on it.

I just watched him in silence as he cracked another egg into the frying pan expertly. He timed it right, and even knew how to adjust the fire.

A minute later, he took it out and placed it on another plate.

Next, he taught me how to cook the sausages and ham. He tried to explain to me how to get the timing and temperature right, but alas, mine was still slightly burnt – even thought it wasn’t as bad as my egg.

He just smiled at me this time, and didn’t laugh. Maybe he was afraid of getting hit again.

He made a perfect set on his own, before setting it neatly on the same plate as the perfect egg.

I look down at my own plate, swallowing my saliva painfully. I didn’t feel like eating the food which I had just cooked.

To my surprise, Minhyuk slid his plate towards me and took mine instead.

I look up at him expectantly.

“Eat it,” he told me kindly. “I cooked that specially for my best friend.”

I dug in happily and mumbled a grateful thanks through a mouthful of food. Minhyuk just laughed when he saw how I had gobbled down the food. He handed me a glass of water, because I was too hungry to care.

As I scarfed down the last piece of ham hungrily, I saw Minhyuk eating the burnt food which was supposed to be mine and I felt guilty.

I would’ve offered him some from my plate, but then I didn’t have anything else left.

He didn’t seem to care though. He finished up every last bit of it, even though it must’ve tasted so horrible.

“My Rong-Rong cooked this,” he said simply when he saw me watching him. “I must eat it.”

And with that, Lee Minhyuk was the person who gave me my first cycling and cooking lesson.