13. HE COOKS YOU DINNER

I stuff anther handful of popcorn into my mouth, eyes still on the screen as Infinite's Hoya acts out on stage. Yes, I was watching Reply 1997 once again. Oh, come on, it's a great drama and yum, Hoya is a yummy hunk of junk. My cell phone rings from my side and I stealthy reach over for it, my eyes still on the screen. Without looking at the caller ID, I bring the phone to my ear and speak.

"Yeoboseyo?" I mutter into the phone receiver, mouth still full of popcorn.

"Yoona?" Hearing his voice, I nearly choke on the popcorn, coughing desperately. "Yoona? Are you alright?"

Continuing to cough, I wheeze, taking a breath when I finally get my throat clear. "Hi Doyoon," I replied, "I'm fine. Just…got some food stuck in my throat," I explained, pushing the bowl of popcorn to the side, suddenly losing my appetite. That can happen when you almost die. Realizing that I was letting my mind drift, I paused the drama on my TV. "So, what's up?"

Doyoon laughs, shaking his head on the other end of the phone. "Can you come over today?"

"Today?" I echo, straighten up. "Why, what's the occasion?"

He sighs heavily. "Aish, is it such a crime wanting my girlfriend to come over?"

I rolled my eyes. "Arasso, I get your point. What time should I come?"

Setting a time at 6:30 tonight and telling me to come looking pretty, I say goodbye to Doyoon and hang up. I slink back in the couch and paused, thinking for a moment of why Doyoon suddenly had invited me over despite him just 'wanting his girlfriend to come over'. I glanced at the clock, the numbers reading that it was 5:19 and figured I should start get ready. Standing up from my seat, I figured the hazel'd haired diva had a good reason.

Doyoon hung up, grinning as he continued mixing the cake batter a bit more before slowly pouring it into the cake plate, careful not to spill any (he had gotten a lot on the table and himself already). He stuck his pinkie in the batter and tasted it, a satisfied smile appearing on his lips once he his finger.

"Yoona is going to love this," he mutters, opening the oven and places the unbaked cake in. He didn't know why, but today, he woke up with a feeling to bake and cook. Doyoon had the day off and he wasn't one to work when he could relax (you could see that by watching him on 17TV on Tuesdays). However, he felt especially grateful today and started sweating over a recipe book and ingredients since the morning, dedicated to make his girlfriend a meal.

He closes the oven, setting the timer before leaning back against the kitchen counter, pausing to wonder if he should have asked Yoona to come with an empty stomach. Wanting it to be a surprise, he declined, walking over to the bags of grocery he had brought this morning and pulled out packages of noodles. Since dessert was in the making, it was time to start on the main meal. He glances at the clock which read 5:20, the seconds slowly ticking by. Today, he was going to make the best kimchi spaghetti for Yoona and it was going to be the best one she ever tasted.  Doyoon was sure of it.

I knocked on the door of Doyoons flat at precisely 6:00, wanting to be a little earlier than planned. I waited, hearing the sound of dishes clatter with Doyoon humming to himself. I laughed, thinking he must be washing the dishes. I knock again before I reach for the doorknob, finding it was unlocked. "Tsk, it's dangerous to leave your front door unlocked," I muttered to myself, scoffing as I stepped inside his apartment. "Doyoon-ah?"

He whips his head around from the kitchen sink, a dish clattering onto the floor. "Y-Yoona! You're early!"

I stare at the broken plate, the messy kitchen, then back at the wide eyed Doyoon. "Ne," I said, slowly, "Should I come back later, at the original plan...?"

"Ani, stay, stay!" Doyoon exclaims, bending down to pick up the broken pieces. "You surprised me, that's all."

I walked further into his flat, closing the door behind me before leaving my bag at the couch and walking over to the kitchen to help Doyoon with the broken glass. I roll up my sleeves before crouching down to help him, only to have him wave me off, pushing my hand away.

"Ani, I've got it," he claims, continuing to waving me off. I make a face, reluctantly standing up as he cleared the floor and throws out the pieces in the trash, washing his hands as I peeked into the pots and pans that sat on the stove. Spaghetti noodles were boiling in the pot, the water bubbling to tell that they were done cooking and vegetables were being sauté in the pan. I glanced back to the messy counter, at the several vegetables that had been set out and a bowl of kimchi that had also been cut.

"Are you making kimchi spaghetti?" I asked, reaching for the wooden spoon that was propped on the bowl on the side. However, before I can even pick it up, it's snatched out of my hands

"Ani, you sit there," Doyoon instructs, throwing me his famous mega watt smile before shooing me away. He pulls out a chair and pats the seat, gesturing for me to sit. "I'm going to cook for you today."

I raise my right eyebrow, a smirk on my lips as I moved over to the chair, deciding to sit down as asked. "You? Cook?"

"Ne, I figured since you're always bringing me food at practice, it's my turn to cook for you," he replies and I scoff, laughing. "Why is that so hard to believe?" He asks, circling around and stood by the stove.

"It's a sweet gesture and all but you can't make a grilled cheese sandwich without burning the toast," I pointed out, leaning over the table, propping my chin on my hands as he set the cooked vegetables aside on a different stove before pulling out another pan to cook the kimchi.

"I happen to like my toast burnt, thank you very much."

I rolled my eyes as he poured oil before dumping the precut kimchi into the pan. "Rigggght," I said sarcastically.

"Are you hungry?" He asks, glancing back for a few seconds and I nod before he can turn back, facing the oven again. It was weird, I barely saw Doyoon in the kitchen for more than a minute. "Good. I was going to tell you to come on an empty stomach but I wanted it to be a surprise." He glances back at me again, scrunching his nose. "But someone decided to come early. So much for a surprise."

I hold up my hands in defense. "Hey, believe me, I am surprised. Jang Doyoon? Cooking? I never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Hilarious," Doyoon replies, faking a laugh before he mixes the cooked vegetables and meat with the kimchi. "I don't believe it. Here I am, sweating over a hot stove, trying to make my girlfriend some dinner and she's making fun of me," he says, faking a sob.

"Don't get any sweat into the noodles!" I exclaimed.

"Again, hilarious," he sings.

I laughed, standing up from my seat. I swung my right arm around his shoulder and leaned my head on his shoulder, watching him cook. He poured in some tomato sauce into the mix of vwgtables, mixing it together. "You know I'm just joking. I love that you're working so hard to make me some dinner." When he didn't reply, I lifted my head, kissing him on the cheek, making him reveal a smile he had failed to hide. "Can I have a taste? I'm starving."

Giving in, he took a bit of kimchi with a wooden spoon and blew on it to make sure it wasn't hot before bringing it to my mouth. I ate it, my eyes lighting up at the taste. "It's good," I admit, making him grin.

"And you said I couldn't cook," he said profoundly, a smug look appearing on his face. I step aside as he bends down (giving me a very nice view of his if I don't say so myself), bringing up a ovenproof dish. He pours the cooked spaghetti in, pouring the sauce on right after.

"Alright, alright, iron chef. You've made your point." He sprinkles cheese into the noodles before sticking the dish in the oven. He sets a timer before bending back up to you, grinning. "My apologizes, you're obviously a master," I joked as I slid my arms around his waist.

"Mmm, you've got that right," he agrees, reaching down to give me a slight peck on the lips. He stares down at me and kisses me on the lips again. "You're the grestest, you know that?"

"You're the one cooking me dinner," I reply, murmuring against his lips before pulling apart. "You taste like kimchi. Did you sneak some while cooking?"

"No. A chef never does that," He blushes and untangles his arms from me to check on the spaghetti. I laughed, returning to my s eat as Doyoon placed out forks for us to use before taking out the spaghetti from the oven, the cheese already melted. He places it down with a 'thunk' before taking off the oven mitts and sitting down in front of me. "Well, go on. Help yourself."

So I do. I pile my plate with the spaghetti and dig in, shoving a fork-full into my mouth. "Mmm, it tastes great. Tell me, what's your secret?"

He gestures for me to lean in and I do. "My sweat," he whispers and I shout, pushing him away from me while he cracks up.

"Hilarious," I said, mocking the voice he used before.

He eats some noodles himself before snapping his fingers, his eyes lighting up. "I almost forgot. I have another surprise. Close your eyes," he orders as he slides out of his seat. I, being the good girlfriend I was today, do as told and shut my eyes shut and even cover them with my hands, just to be safe. There's a lot of banging and a few flickers before Doyoon calls out, "okay, open them now!"

I do and in front of me, is a cake with the words, 'Kamsahamnida, Yoona! Saranghae'! written on it. I gasp, looking up at Doyoon who stands over the cake proudly, grinning. "Doyoon!" I exclaimed, growing excited.

"Do you like it? I spent all morning on it."

"Love it," I said, standing up to give him another kiss. "Now come on, let's eat the spaghetti before it gets cold so we can eat the cake too." I pause. "I hope it tastes as good as it looks."

"You should expect nothing less," he boasts and at this rate, I had no choice but to believe him.