“Jimin…” I began hesitantly. “I really don’t want to make this.”

We were standing in the middle of our tiny kitchen and both of us were a little bit exasperated.

“C’mon, babe, it’s not that hard,” Jimin tried to coax me. “Here, all you need to do is make the broth for now. I’ll help you out with the rest.”

He handed me an apron covered with little Hello Kitty faces and the measuring cup. I reluctantly took them.

“Let’s see…” Jimin’s eyes scanned the recipe on the counter as he tied the apron strings around my neck. “You need four cups of water. That’s not so hard.” His patronizing tone was doing nothing to alleviate my foul mood. I hated cooking and Jimin knew it.

“Jimin, I don’t understand why I have to make this. You’re like the kitchen whiz kid, so why don’t you just make the ddeokbokki this time?” Despite my words, I filled the pan on the stove with water.

“Babe, you know that in order for my mom to approve of you, you have to know how to make this most basic of dishes,” Jimin started chopping the green onions on the table. Our lovely kitchen had minimal counter space, so we usually prepared our food in the living room.

“Okay, first of all, your mom loves me,” I said as I placed the dried kelp and the anchovies in the water and the stove. “Second, she’s not even going to be here to eat my food, so why do I need to make this?”

Jimin came over and pulled the eggs from the fridge. “Listen, you’re a grown- woman. You should know how to make some dishes. I need to know that you’re able to survive while you’re here alone and I’m on tour.”

I snorted. “Yeah, okay, like I’ll be cooking while you’re away.”

Jimin shot me a reproachful glance as he filled a pot with water and settled the eggs in for a nice boil.

“Don’t snort, it’s not ladylike. And I know you don’t feed yourself when I’m gone.” His eyes surveyed my figure. “You’re wasting away. How many times do I need to tell you not to skip your meals?”

“Okay, I’m far from wasting away. And since when did you care if I acted ladylike or not?” I smirked at him as I stirred the pot of broth. Jimin reached over and took the spoon from my hands.

“Don’t stir the broth; it’s fine,” he waved me away from the stove. “Go make yourself useful and mix the pepper paste and the sugar together. Don’t forget the hot pepper flakes.”

“I won’t, Mom.” I grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and dolloped out the correct amount of red pepper paste. Jimin came and stood over me, making sure I was doing everything correctly. “Hey, did you pick up the fish cakes?” I asked him.

“Uhh…” His voice sounded suspiciously guilty.

“Jimin!” I exclaimed. “You know those are my favorite.” I stirred the pepper paste and sugar mixture with an air of resentment.

“Sorry," he said sheepishly. “I’ll make it up to you.” His attention was distracted for a moment as the timer in the kitchen went off. “Babe,” he called. “Can you come here and take out the anchovies and the kelp out of the broth?”

I looked down out at my hands. They were covered in red pepper paste. This was going to get everywhere. “Only if you’re planning on cleaning the kitchen tonight after dinner.”

Jimin tsked. “Ahh, what an unloving girlfriend I have. She never cooks for me, she never cleans up after herself, and she barely acknowledges my devotion for her.”

“You got that right,” I agreed, strolling into the kitchen and wiping my hands on his apron.

“Ah, seriously, you’re so dirty,” Jimin playfully knocked the back of my head. “Quickly, save the broth.”

I fulfilled my duties towards the broth and even went above and beyond and added the rest of the ingredients. The rice cakes were simmering in the pan nicely and I was about to make my escape when Jimin handed me a wooden spoon.

“Not so fast,” he said, pulling me back in by my apron strings. “You have to stir those for ten to fifteen minutes.”

“Are you serious?” I cried. “I have to stand here for that long to make these dumb things?”

“Hey,” Jimin’s voice was a warning. “Do not insult the spicy rice cakes. Besides, I think I can keep you entertained for that long,” he smiled at me suggestively.

“Don’t even,” I put my hand up to block any advances he might be planning. “Tell me a story.”

“A story?” Jimin doubted the fun of my suggestion. “What kind of story?”

I shrugged. My arm was already tired from stirring the rice cakes for only one minute. “Tell me about your first love.”

Jimin blushed. I turned to look at him in time to catch it. He looked away, embarrassed.

“Oho, this must be a good story,” I grinned, highly enjoying Jimin’s discomfort.

“It’s not like it’s one that you don’t already know,” Jimin muttered under his breath.

“What was that?” I asked. “I didn’t quite hear you.”

He cleared his throat. “It’s you,” Jimin said defiantly. “You’re my first love.”

I looked at him in shock. “What?” I asked disbelievingly. “I’m your first love?”

Jimin ducked his head down and softly reprimanded me. “You have to keep stirring those or else the sauce won’t harden.”

I just stared at him blankly. Jimin sighed and stood behind me, wrapping his hand around mine over the wooden spoon, and together we stirred the mixture.

Jimin held my waist with his free hand and hid his blushing face in my hair.

“Don’t be shy,” I giggled. “It’s not like it’s something embarrassing.”

“Then why are you laughing?” he demanded, his voice muffled by my hair.

“I’m giggling nervously,” I teased. “It’s not every day I find myself the sole recipient of the affections of a super hot boy. Where were you when I was in high school?”

“Oh, please,” Jimin replied, adjusting himself to rest his chin on my shoulder. “I’ve talked to your best friend. I know about all the boys who were in love with you in high school. And college. And before we started dating. Don't even try and play. Boys have probably loved you since you hit puberty.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “But it’s not like any of them were super hot. Or monogamous.”

Jimin chuckled. “Who could be anything but monogamous when in love with you? Nobody else compares.”

“Please stop,” I shivered. “You’re so mushy; I’m getting goosebumps. Hey, are we done stirring this yet?”

Jimin examined the contents of the pan. “Yup, all done. Looks delicious! I’m so ready to eat.”

I set the table while Jimin cut the hardboiled eggs.

“So you’re really telling me that I’m your first love?” I grabbed two pairs of chopsticks out of the lone drawer in our kitchen. “You never had like a one-sided love for any girl idols? Nobody at your high school?”

Jimin shrugged. “I had a chubby face in high school, so none of the girls liked me. And I was always concentrating on dancing, and then I became a trainee and life got hectic from there. I mean, I had crushes on girls, obviously. And you know about all the rest. But I've never been in love before I met you.”

I nodded to myself. “That makes sense. I’ve seen your high school pictures though, and you were cute as hell.”

Jimin grinned. “It’s nice that you think so.” He came into the living room and placed the spicy rice cakes on the table.

“Yeah,” I said, grabbing his face. “I love your squishy cheeks.” I pinched them and Jimin stuck his tongue out at me. I let go of his face and he grabbed mine and swiftly leaned in for a kiss.

After a few moments, I broke away. “The food will get cold.”

“I really don't care,” Jimin said huskily. He tried to kiss me again, but I put a hand up and blocked him.

“Jimin!” I protested. “I spent a really long time stirring those rice cakes! We are going to eat them!”

He grinned devilishly. “I spent a really long time waiting for you and now I’m going to eat you up.”

He went in for another kiss before I could say anything.

“Okay, fine,” I relented after several more kisses, breathing heavily. “But you’re cleaning up the kitchen tonight.”

 Jimin laughed hoarsely. “That’s not a fair trade. I’m getting so much more in return.” He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist.

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” I snickered. “I accidentally dropped some anchovies behind the stove. Have fun fishing those out.”

“You’re so gross. I’m cooking all the meals from now on. You’re never allowed in the kitchen again,” Jimin vowed as he carried me into the bedroom.

Later, when we were cuddling, Jimin asked me a soft question. “Who was your first love?”

I giggled quietly. “I’ve liked so many boys in my lifetime, I couldn’t even tell you.”

Jimin pinched my cheek. “This girl.”

“I guess it depends on what you define as love,” I murmured thoughtfully. “I’ve definitely liked boys a lot before and I’ve dated people seriously, but I don’t think it was anything like what I have with you.”

“What do you have with me?”

“Well, you know. You wanna make out with me all of the time, but you also respect me as a human being. I’ve never felt like anything less than a priority in your life, even with your work. We live together and hang out and watch movies and cook together and have inside jokes. And you’re away a lot, so we have space and I like that a lot.”

“Hmph,” Jimin agreed grumpily. “You certainly do like our time apart.”

“You know what I mean. I just like that you’re still your own person and I’m still my own person, even though we’re in a relationship. I’ve never had this with any other boyfriend before.”

"Did you love Tae Joon?" he asked in a whisper, tracing the outline of my lips with his thumb. Tae Joon was an ex-boy of mine that Jimin had met when we first started dating.

"I don't know," I replied quietly, staring into his eyes. "I thought I did, but after I fell in love with you, I started to doubt it. I've never felt about anyone the way I feel about you."

Jimin turned over onto his back. “So I’m your first love then?” he asked in a tone I’d never heard before.

“Yeah,” I reached down and held his hand. “I guess you are.”