The Meal
Way Back To Love
HanGeng couldn’t deny it. He was nervous as he sat on the bed opposite HeeChul, the latter glaring at him with a slight pout forming on his mouth. It was kind of cute…
Wait, what?
“You went through my stuff, without my permission.” The opening statement had been said. Silence covered them both.
Both parties sat in silence, seeing who would be the first to break the silence, and HanGeng dropped his gaze first to study his fingers, suddenly terribly interested in them.
“HanGeng.” HeeChul’s voice was soft, and HanGeng barely glanced up before returning to his fingers, which were knotting themselves together nervously. He was not uncomfortable in the silence, being the more quiet type himself. But… if he had hurt his first friend, had it been worth going through HeeChul’s things?
“Geng. Look at me, please.” The latter sentence was not needed. As soon as HeeChul said ‘Geng’, HanGeng’s head shot up. If HeeChul was calling him by a nickname, did that mean he was no longer angry? He still didn’t speak though, in case the diva still was.
“I’m not mad at you,” HeeChul said, taking one of HanGeng’s fidgeting hands in his own, “I just don’t like when people got through my stuff without my permission… so, I was mad. But not anymore.”
“Really? Honestly?” HanGeng asked.
“Yes, and besides, I just went through your phone, so we’re kind of even,” HeeChul concluded in a business like tone, with a slightly evil smirk on his face.
HanGeng couldn’t help but smile back. This diva, really.
“I’m sorry anyway,” HanGeng said.
“And I appreciate that. I suppose you read the letter?” HeeChul asked, dropping HanGeng’s hand and standing, then walking to the door.
Before HanGeng could reply, he turned to look at HanGeng, eyes narrowing slightly as he clarified, “We are going to be perfectly honest with each other right?”
HanGeng hesitated, wondering if he should trust his new seatmate to this extent already. When he nodded, HeeChul smiled once more and walked out the door.
“Where are you going?” HanGeng jumped off the bed and followed HeeChul into the living room.
“Come on, you have to cook for me,” HeeChul ordered.
“What? Why?” HanGeng protested.
“Because, you’re my friend. And friends cook for each other,” HeeChul replied, grabbing on to either side of HanGeng’s waist and pushing him toward the kitchen.
“How do you even know I can cook?” HanGeng asked, resisting a little, amused now.
“Because, Chinese people know how to do everything right?” HeeChul said.
“How are you so sure I won’t poison you?” HanGeng asked.
“Nah, you love me too much. And I’d come back from my grave to haunt you if you did,” HeeChul said, the duo successfully reaching the kitchen.
HanGeng laughed, and right then, it seemed everything would be all right between them.
“What do you want then?” HanGeng asked, when HeeChul let go of his waist after putting him in front of the stove.
“There’s only ramen in the cupboard. I don’t really cook,” HeeChul told him.
“What about the fridge?” HanGeng wanted to know, walking over to said appliance.
“Um, I’ve never actually been in there. My mom stocks it ever so often, but I never cook,” HeeChul admitted.
HanGeng shook his head, and opened the door. There were various ingredients, and HanGeng found himself craving kimchi soup. He pulled out the necessary ingredients, and set them on the counter. He then set about making it.
“What are you doing?” HeeChul asked, sounding slightly sceptical.
“Cooking, like you requested.”
“Do you know what you’re doing?” HeeChul asked, in the same tone.
“Don’t Chinese people know how to do everything?” HanGeng countered.
HeeChul shook his head, and walked back into the living room.
“I’ll be here when it’s ready!” he shouted from the couch.
HeeChul the television, hoping for something interesting to pass the time. Ramen usually was cooked within a matter of minutes. This… meal thing seemed like it would take a while.
Finding nothing on television, he turned it off and closed his eyes, laying his head on the handle of the couch and listening to the sounds of the food making. Sizzling, chopping…
Somehow, it was comforting. Like coming home… to someone you loved and trusted. Someone who would stay…
Someone he had expected KiBum to be.
His eyes snapped open at this thought, and he immediately sat up. Damn, he had sworn he would stop thinking about that. He rested his head between his palms and tried to think about something else… anything else…
Just then, HanGeng came thought the door, carrying a steaming pot in one hands and two bowls in the other. HeeChul watched as he set it down on the table in front of them, and then as HanGeng seated himself opposite HeeChul on the floor.
Not wanting to be unnecessarily rude, HeeChul slid off the couch and sat on the floor as well. HanGeng seemed to sense his sudden mood of despair, and uncovered the pot without a word.
Wow.
Kimchi soup.
It smelled wonderful, and HeeChul’s mouth began to water.
HeeChul could not remember the last time he had eaten homemade kimchi soup. It had been before he had begun living in this apartment, so it was before he had started high school.
The China Man really did know how to cook.
HanGeng pushed a full bowl of kimchi soup across the table, and handed HeeChul a spoon, which HeeChul accepted. The aroma wafted to HeeChul, making him close his eyes and lean forward to savour it.
“Say ‘ah’!” he heard HanGeng say, and opened his eyes to see HanGeng holding out a steaming spoonful of kimchi soup. HeeChul immediately leaned forward and drank it, crunching the little pieces of cabbage and sighing contentedly.
“Stupid, you have some on the side of your mouth,” HanGeng said, reaching across the table to wipe the left corner of HeeChul’s mouth with his thumb. Unconsciously, HeeChul touched the place HanGeng’s finger had just touched, and watched shocked as HanGeng his thumb, sighing appreciatively as well.
“It’s good. I guess I didn’t forget everything my parents taught me.”
“It’s delicious,” HeeChul, suddenly reminded of the times he and KiBum would feed each other whenever they ate together.
That train of thought reminded him about the box, and how HanGeng had gone through his stuff. He was reminded of why HanGeng was still here.
“I know you probably want to know-” he began.
“Why you aren’t feeding me as well?” HanGeng cut him off.
“I… didn’t realize. Sorry,” HeeChul muttered, and filled his own spoon, leaning across to feed HanGeng. Unlike him, HanGeng wiped his own mouth after swallowing, ensuring that his mouth was clean.
Silence fell.
“And yes,” HanGeng said, after a few more mouthfuls of kimchi soup, “I do want to know who Kim KiBum was.”
READERS!!! I am sooo sorry that I have not updated in forever!!! I’m sooo sorry!!! Will you please forgive me????
Feel free to leave comments blowing me up about being a bad author, and writing a lame chapter .-. I am eternally sorry!
I have been writing my other two stories as well as this one, which I invite you to please check out <3 please :)
EunHyuk + DongHae
KyuHyun + SungMin
Thank you~
Let's have some HanChul ^_^
Comments