it doesn't exactly help when your coworker does nothing but repetitively bug you for the entire lunch period. jung daehyun wonders whether kim jongdae, dubbed as the new 'mr. fate' much after the entire incident about having a new roommate, knows how he's managed to ruin at least a quarter of daehyun's life.

"i swear to god, jongdae." he says under gritted teeth and writhing hands on the silverware he brought. "let me eat my lunch in peace." 

as if his tonal voice didn't give the slightest annoyance coming from him, jongdae merely blew a raspberry at daehyun. "when have i ever given you a peaceful lunch, right? so tell me about your new roommate."

ever since baekhyun moved to his apartment, the excitement seemed to bloom over jongdae rather than daehyun himself. it's not that he isn't excited, but it's not exactly something to be overly-excited about. admist jongdae's continuous ramblings for stories and details, at the back of daehyun's mind, he recalls glimpses of byun baekhyun -- fleeting memories that don't exactly have much meaning but gives an unusal feeling within his chest. this morning, baekhyun willingly made breakfast for two -- which was really something because who would even wake up at 4 am and whip up a classic breakfast plate for someone like daehyun that had to leave at 5? he remembers the few times baekhyun would sit alone at the dining table with his face glued to a book, and even those of which that aren't even significant like watching late night news together. 

it's only been days, yet the memories seem to stretch for far than what it's supposed to be.

"well," jongdae begrudgingly stands as he starts collecting the mugs and plates, making daehyun startle a litte. was he spacing out? "if you aren't telling me now, you better save a lot of stories before i really start stalking you guys." 

daehyun looks at the digital clock that tells the remaining minutes they have before continuing their work. "i'd tell you now but, you know, we'll be late for our duty." 

"yeah right, daehyun. as if." 

-*-

he arrives at home at 8p.m. only to find baekhyun dozing off in what seems to be an attempt of studying for his test next wednesday (why does daehyun remembers this...?) in front of an open TV. daehyun makes extra effort not to make any sound; careful steps silently touch the polished wooden floor as daehyun moves towards the TV to cancel the additional noise. just as he was about to succeed in doing so, he hears baekhyun slowly waking from his slumber.

"mmm, welcome home--" his hair is a purple mess contrasting against the unblemished skin of baekhyun's fingers running down to smoothen out his hair. 

"you forgot to turn off the TV," daehyun says pointedly. "and i told you to stay inside the room if you want to sleep." there's an extra mattress under daehyun's bed that baekhyun's been using -- you know, because sleeping together in one mattress would be awkward.

the other smiles, shoulders shrugging to express forgetfulness. "sorry," baekhyun answers before sitting up. "i was actually studying but it was 4pm my eyes were starting to blur out. i couldn't help myself."

daehyun comes up with a sigh as he turns away from his roommate, "alright." his body aches for a bed and some shut eye, when baekhyun suddenly calls for him. "have you eaten dinner?"

by this time, daehyun has learned that whenever baekhyun would throw that line on him, it'd mean a voluntary offer to make dinner. it's not that baekhyun's dishes are bad but putting the other into the light of making food all the time makes daehyun feel a little uneasy. after all, one has ever cooked for him until now. 

"i'm not hungry." 

"come on, dae."

"i swear, i'm not!" 

their constant bickering somehow becomes a game for two to play until daehyun surrenders to baekhyun's wishes. baekhyun beams in delight and pushes daehyun to the room and commands a "don't come out until i call you!" at him. 

daehyun tries not to show the slightest hint of his mouth stretching from corner to corner. 

-*-

"so?"

"you know it's really awkward to have you watching me as i eat." 

they share over a plate full of kimchi fried rice and chicken smothered in teriyaki sauce (which daehyun has no idea how baekhyun even manages the stock they have at the kitchen). none of baekhyun's dishes has failed so far, and this would have to be one of daehyun's favorites. he takes another spoonful, tasting blends of flavor after every bite. baekhyun, on the other hand, simply watches him -- waiting for a remark.

"it's really good." 

"oh?" as if it made baekhyun surprised. "thank goodness." and he starts digging on his own plate.

"you know, you could be a chef or something." daehyun imagines baekhyun clad in a chef's uniform -- making him smile in an instant.

"yeah, but.." there comes a pause that daehyun recognizes as uncharted territory for someone like him to cross over. he goes silent and waits for baekhyun's next action. 

"when you're given a decision without any other options, it's not like you can do something, right?" baekhyun hides away the tension over an over-easy smile. "anyway, my mom wants me to be an accountant." 

"but do you want that?" the words come out before daehyun could even stop himself. what was he doing, invading someone's life like that?

baekhyun, however, nods just the same. "i think so." 

silences swallows the rest of their dinner time. daehyun obliges to wash the dishes in exchange for having baekhyun to cook for them. as he washed the dishes in silence, daehyun suddenly felt some weight on his shoulder, only to realize that it was baekhyun resting his chin. 

"sorry for making it awkward earlier." 

"you don't have to say so--" he cuts his sentence midair when baekhyun slowly wrapped his arms around daehyun's waist, making daehyun almost drop a glass on the sink.

this shouldn't mean anything, right? daehyun's mind rapidly wonders into a jumble of words and incoherent reasonings. he did the same to that friend, kris, right? this is merely a sign of friendship, nothing more to think about.

if anything, daehyun was so glad that they weren't facing each other, otherwise baekhyun would see how red daehyun's face was.

"yeah, yeah. whatever." daehyun manages to say. then, baekhyun unlinks himself from the other, chuckling in such a way that tugs strings inside him. "i'll go back to my study, thanks for washing those!" and then, he's gone.

---

*chapters are not in sequenced chronologically. (reference from the movie 500 days of Summer )

sorry for the LATE UPDATE ;; lol nothing much happened