"Vegetable, meat, rice-"

THUD!

Mino stopped walking upon hearing the loud sound. He looked away from the plastic bag he was holding and raised his head to look for where the sound was coming.

"What the? Was that from Jinwoo's?"

He quickly ran upstairs and grabbed his keys from his pocket.

"Jinwoo! Are you okay?!" He ran towards Jinwoo's room. "What happened?!"

He saw Jinwoo sitting on the floor beside the bed with his back bent and with his hand on his waist.

"That really hurt," said the pale-skinned guy with a messy hair.

Mino walked towards Jinwoo, scratching his head. "Don't go drinking ever again!" He pulled Jinwoo up. "Look at you! You're such a mess!"

"Don't tell me what to do. It's not like I asked you to do these, anyways."

Mino folded his arms, as he raised his eyebrow. "You ungrateful bastard."

"But that's the truth!" Jinwoo scratched the back of his neck.

"After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me." Mino slowly shook his head side by side. "You of all people, know that you can't live without me."

"That's coz you made me depend on you!" He poked Mino's cheek.

Jinwoo walked slowly, heading towards the door.

My head's spinning. Damn hangover.

"Aigoo! Look at you! You're walking like an old geezer." He followed Jinwoo outside the room.

Jinwoo rolled his eyes. "What's for breakfast?"

"I haven't cooked yet, but I'm planning on making stew."

"Ohh~ a stew?" Jinwoo's face brightened up.

Mino glanced at Jinwoo and smiled.

 

---

 

"For today, we're gonna be showing you how to cook a buttered lobster!"

"Ohh~~" Jinwoo watched with excitement.

Mino stood in front of Jinwoo, who's lying on the couch.

"Yahh! I can't see!" Jinwoo pushed Mino to the side.

"What do you think you're doing?" He folded his arms.

"What? It's my day off! Can you give me break?"

"I know. But have you forgotten that it's my sister's birthday today?"

"Oh." Jinwoo placed the palm of his hand on his forehead. "Sorry, I'm still a bit hungover. I forgot."

"Hehhh?~ how could you? When Danah finds out about this, she'd be really hurt!"

"Then don't let her find out, you evil man!"

"You are the evil one!" He tousled Jinwoo's hair. "Now get ready! I'll clean the dishes."

Mino turned around and headed towards the kitchen.

Jinwoo watched Mino walk away.

"Then confess to her! Don't waste time, hyung!"

Jinwoo smiled, his eyes showing a glimpse of sorrow.

If only I could. Then I wouldn't have to be carrying this burden inside my chest every single day.

 

---

 

A girl with a long hair, slim face, and slightly tanned skin, hugged Jinwoo.

"Ottoke! Oppa even brought me roses! I'm so touched!" 

"Of course! Only for Danah.." Jinwoo laughed nervously.

Mino smirked. "Danah.. you know.. Jinwoo.." He turned hishead to Jinwoo.

Jinwoo's eyes widened.

"..Jinwoo.. was really looking forward on celebrating your birthday," said Mino.

"Aww.. Oppa is so sweet!" Danah leaned and held Jinwoo's arm.

Jinwoo let out a sigh of relief.

"You jerk!" He mouthed to Mino.

Mino laughed.

"I'm really glad you came! I'm getting tired of seeing Mino's ugly face all the time," said Danah.

Mino's eyebrow furrowed. "Why you little brat!" He rubbed his knuckles on Danah's head.

"Yahh!! You're messing my hair!" She pushed him away.

The kitchen door opened; a middle-aged woman was holding a pot.

She headed towards the three. "Mino! Stop doing that to your sister! You should treat your younger sibling better."

"But ma, she started it," said Mino.

"Aigoo! You're already an adult, Mino! Act like one." The woman placed the pot on the table. "And to top it off, you're shamelessly showing it in front of Jinwoo."

Jinwoo chuckled. "It's okay, auntie. I'm already used to it."

 

---

 

Jinwoo walked slowly in the aisle, looking for a vacant table. Upon seeing an empty table on the last row to the left, he headed towards it and sat down. He took out the lunch Mino has prepared for him; rice with kimchi, soup, fish and vegetables.

"Uah~ that looks delicious, hyung!" said the guy walking towards his table.

"You want some, Taehyun?" Jinwoo picked up his lunchbox and moved it closer to Taehyun. "Help yourself. I can't finish all of these."

"I would gladly accept!" Taehyun took Jinwoo's chopsticks and ate a mouthful. "Mhhmm~"

"Tastes good, huh?"

"I didn't know you cook delicous food?!" He asked with his mouth still full. A rice crumb got on Jinwoo's cheek. "Ooops!"

Jinwoo looked at him with eyebrows furrowed and wiped his cheek with a napkin. "I don't. Mino does."

"Who? Mino?" He squinted his eyes, as if remembering a certain thing. "Mino.. your childhood friend?"

Jinwoo smiled.

Taehyun giggled. "What? Your childhood friend cooks for you?" He sat down beside Jinwoo. "And even prepares your lunchbox?"

"Yeah, he's always like that."

"This Mino is a guy, right?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Obviously." Jinwoo answered him with a mocking expression.

"Then that makes it even weirder! Who does that? A guy preparing lunchbox for his male childhood friend?"

Jinwoo paused and stared at him. "..you think so?" He put down his lunchbox and placed his hands on the table.

"Of course! ..Unless.."

"..what? Unless what?"

"Maybe this Mino guy is secretly in love with you!" Taehyun bursted out laughing.

Jinwoo rolled his eyes and chuckled.

Yeah, right. I would love to think so, too.

"Of course not. He just likes to take care of me," he said softly.

"Hmm.. well, I get him. You have this aura in you that makes people wanna take care of you."

"Oh, so now it's my fault?"

Taehyun chuckled. "No, it's not like that at all. You just look so helpless. It's cute!"

"Shut up! You give me the creeps!" He pushed Taehyun's shoulder. "And don't you be thinking that I've already forgotten about last time!"

Taehyun pouted. "Why don't you just let it go, hyung? I promise that's the last time it's gonna happen."

"It better be! I can't carry you home anymore. You're too heavy, you drunkard!"

"You were drunk yourself too!"

"But at least I don't bother people to carry me all the way to my apartment." 

 

---

 

BEEP! BEEP!

Jinwoo checked on his phone.

Hmm? Taehyun?

"Hyung!!~~ Let's go out this weekend! Me and my girlfriend fought again.. I have no one to go shopping with.. Help me choose a new pair of shoes~~"

He chuckled. "Aigoo! What to do with this guy."

Jinwoo felt hands leaning on his back.

"Who was that? A girl?" a deep voice whispered.

Jinwoo got startled; Mino's face was right beside his, almost touching.

A faint blush tinted Jinwoo's cheeks.

"Uah!!" Jinwoo pushed him. "Don't creep up on me like that! You surprised me!" He looked sideways and covered his face with his hands. "And no, it's not a girl!"

Mino, you're really killing me!

"Then, who was that? You were giggling while reading that message."

"That was my co-worker, Nam Taehyun. I've known him since I started working for the company. We're very close. Although he likes to tease me a lot.."

"Ohh.. I see." Mino's eyes was showed disappointment.

Jinwoo can't believe his eyes.

What's with you?

Mino sat down in front of the TV.

Jinwoo sat beside him.

He glanced at Mino. "Hey.. Why don't you get a girlfriend?"

Mino quickly turned his head to Jinwoo. "What? Where did that come from?"

"Well.. You spend most of your time taking care of me.. I think you need some more time for yourself, for you to be happy. To enjoy life with someone special."

"What? Am I a bother to you?"

"No. But you should go out more often. Have fun."

Mino raised his eyebrow. "Look, I don't know why you're suddenly saying all of these. But no. I don't need one. I've got a handful just with you. I don't need another problem! Besides, I like spending time with you."

Jinwoo's heart skipped a beat.

"Hehhh~~ You're so cheesy!" Jinwoo chuckled.

"Shut up." He smiled.

Mino.. You're making it really hard for me with your misleading words..

My hopeless love for you is really troublesome.

I like you. I like you a lot.

You don't know how much every single word you say affects me.

It's okay if I'm only a childhood friend. As long as I can stay by your side.

That's enough for me. I won't ask for more.

I look forward on having another troublesome day with you.