Chapter 10: Dessert, and Beef Soup

It had been several weeks since the college fair. Routine went on as per usual. Haruki and Miyeon spent their free days at the café, Jisoo and Junseo dropped by at nighttime, after an afternoon nap for Junseo, and a part-time shift at the laundromat for Jisoo. The twins were there most of the time, except during their respective rehearsals. One a dancer, and the other one a violinist, a match made in heaven. Yeonjun played for Jihyo to practice, and Jihyo would give him a clearer insight into the emotions felt during a certain piece by performing an improvised choreography. Miyeon enjoyed their little rehearsals late at night when the café was empty, and it was only them. The sketches she had made filled the coolers and refrigerators in the kitchen, Haruki helping when she needed a more appropriate outfit idea, making her drawings an even more marvelous piece of art.

Such was tonight, one before the weekend, where their schedules radiantly agreed, and they were all free the next day. Meaning one thing. They stayed in the studio upstairs at the café. This was the twin's house while in college. They had started out by renting it before, but for reasons they refused to discuss, ended up belonging to them. 'It's a long story, we'll tell you guys some other time' They had said, and like that, the topic had been dropped.

Miyeon directed her thoughts to something else, and turning aside, someone caught her attention. Once again, the imaginary lines began contouring the shape of her newfound inspiration. Jisoo. Attracted by her expression, Miyeon's hand began to move in the blank paper, eyes locked in Jisoo, occasionally drafting over the paper to check in some details. A small sigh coming out of Jisoo brought Miyeon out of her trance, the drawing was done.

Looking over her drawing, Miyeon discovered something. That 'trait' that had caught her attention was in Jisoo's eyes. Such softness radiated warmth and affection. Looking up once, she directed her eyes to Jisoo, curious as to what would make someone have such a beautiful expression. Her eyes followed her gaze until she met the object responsible for Jisoo's dreamy expression.

Yeonjun playing.

He looked serene. Eyes every so often closing a bit, losing himself in the piece he and his sister were performing. A second variation from La Bayadère, a ballet piece Jihyo had fallen in love with since it was assigned to her last week. Miyeon smiled, glad to see her friends' appreciation for each other's talents. She was sure she had the same look when looking over Haruki's fashion designs, proud and content, generously praising her best friend's undeniable talent.

The piece finished, and everyone clapped, delighted at their performance. Jihyo sat down, taking off her ballet shoes, crossing her legs over, and grabbing her cup of tea. Yeonjun wrapped up their music and his stand, putting away his violin, in the most timely and diligent manner. Miyeon admired his professionalism, she was so messy when it came to her workplace. Pencils, paint, brushes, and more were usually scattered all over the place in the sacred name of art. Yet, she was comfortable in her space, either way, she made sure to take care of her equipment, as it was valuable to her. 'And expensive' She thought as she cringed remembering her last spend at the art department.

A door opening caught her ear's attention, she looked at the door to the kitchen being opened, Junseo coming right out with a tray full of snacks and drinks. Junseo had been self-appointed to make their small gatherings midnight snacks. Miyeon felt the corners of her mouth lifted, unaware of the feeling of ease she felt when he came into sight.

"Who wants to try my new invention?" Junseo asked, calm and yet friendly. Yeonjun smiled and rose up from his seat, attempting to throw an arm around Junseo's shoulders, failing miserably as Junseo was at least a head taller than him. So, he ended up wrapping an arm around his waist, hugging him as he filled his mouth with snacks. Junseo scoffed him off, but let his mouth curve up.

After swallowing the first bite, Yeonjun forced a smile.

"They're awesome." He said, giving Junseo a toothy grin.

Miyeon sniffed the air for the smell coming out of the snacks. Something smelled sour and bitter. She took a step closer to Junseo and grabbed a piece. When she gave the first bite, she gagged.

"What the actual heck is this?" She let out, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"Ham, pickles, banana pepper, and mustard," Junseo explained, smiling.

"Junseo, darling," Jihyo called out. "I know you're a janitor, and your sense of smell might be destroyed by now, but, there's still a long way to go before you also lose your taste buds." She commented.

"Oh, I haven't lost them. I was trying to see what would come out." Yeonjun and Miyeon sent him a glare, he shrugged.

"What? I never said, 'Who wants to try my new edible invention?' or did I?" He said in his defense. Miyeon, who was beside him, slapped the back of his head. Then, while he grunted in pain, left for the kitchen to wash off the horrible taste. Yeonjun followed behind. A couple of minutes later, both came out with a tray of ACTUAL snacks, sent Junseo another death glare, and sat down to enjoy their food. Junseo scoffed and went to sit beside Jisoo. Jisoo stared at both Yeonjun and Miyeon.

"What are you looking at?" Junseo asked, taking a sip of his lavender milk tea. He was talking about her laptop, which was open in front of her. He leaned over to read the title and started choking on his drink.

"What the heck?" He asked, grabbing her computer and reading the article below.

"What? What happened?" Asked Haruki.

"The school is planning a festival for staff and students," Junseo said, eyes scanning the document for the date, time, and location of the event.

"So? They do that everywhere." Yeonjun said, getting a slap to the hand by Miyeon as he tried to steal her chips.

"Yeah, but not at the end of the year. Festivals are for the beginning of the year." Junseo said.

"Why?" Asked Jihyo.

"Because that way, students don't really know each other and have time to socialize. They are also trying to make a good first impression on their peers and teachers," Junseo went on. "Meaning, they make less of a mess since they are being cautious of their actions."

"No one cares about manners at the end of the year. That place will be chaos in its full meaning." Junseo winced at the thought. "And dirty as hell, too."

"Do we not have any more janitors?" Miyeon asked.

"Yeah, old ones. They will leave this job for an unfortunate young soul, in the brick of his vigor," Jisoo said, eying Junseo as he slowly began to despise life even more.

"That's until the end of the year. Why are you sulking down already?" Asked Haruki.

"Prep-work" Junseo responded.

No one made mention of the event for the rest of the night. Everyone was too busy with their own schedules to even think about making space for it in their calendars, even if it was months away. That night, they watched a marathon of scary movies to keep their racing minds at bay. Before going to sleep, they watched a few kid's shows to prevent nightmares.

It had become a habit for everyone to leave in the morning without telling the others. Junseo left first as he had to go and talk to the Dean, he was glad school was open even on a Saturday. Haruki left next, leaving a preoccupied Miyeon behind since he woke up looking oddly pale.

Sure enough, it was almost time for their weekend grocery shopping day when she received a message from the boy saying he was dying and wouldn't be able to make it. She replied with a typical 'get well soon' type of message mixed in with threatening words along the lines of: "If you die, I'll kill you"

So now here she was, alone in the grocery store, attempting to ease her anxiousness and sweaty hands. She didn't mind big crowds as long as she could blend in, what she did mind was this.

People Noise.

As an artist, she relied on silence to keep a stern and serene mind. People's noise was one of her worst enemies, and her over-sensitive ears didn't make it any better. Sure, she had gotten a bit used to it by now since working at the store, but she wasn't ready to face this.

At least not alone.

Before she met Haruki, she bought most of her groceries online, paying extra fees to get them in a contactless delivery, of course, that only meant she was paying an unnecessary fee, but anything to avoid the hassle of grocery shopping. When Haruki came along, he had been delivering groceries to her house, never forcing her to come along with him, he enjoyed being occupied and the trip to the grocery store was closer to his house.

Feeling guilty, and also like a coward, about a month ago she had asked Haruki if she could come with him. He had been delighted with the idea.

They had been going shopping together ever since.

And now, due to unforeseen reasons, she was alone.

Letting her shoulders drop, she turned on her heels, ready to exit the place. One day of paying extra fees for contactless delivery would not kill her.

Well, at least not right now. It would come and bite her back once the rent and bills were due, but that was better than having a panic attack in the store.

Hospital fees were a lot more serious than going hungry for a few days before her rent was due.

She put her earphones in, clicked play, and pulled up her hoodie, trying to drown the incoming amount of voices slowly circling her as she made her way to the exit.

"Where are these people coming from?" She thought, rows and rows of people, pushing and bumping against her. She felt herself gasp for air. She dashed to a corner, counting to an unknown number, reducing her heartbeat, until her pulse was almost imperceptible. She felt lightheaded, but the dread of anxiety had eased. She let herself slide through the corner wall, hiding her face between her knees, feeling exhausted from performing such a technique she had discovered to stop her panic attacks.

She shouldn't have come out. She should've stayed home. Her breathing intensified as she tried to dry out the tears pooling in her eyes by blinking. The shame also crippled within her, aware of the public eye and burning sensation of curious and judgmental looks.

That, until two shadows covered the surrounding light. She looked up in instinct and her eyes gave up in trying to restrict the flow of tears.

"Let's get out of here, shall we?" Jihyo's voice sounded gentle, reaching out her palm for Miyeon to get up. Beside her, Jisoo glared at everyone who dared and tried to give Miyeon a mocking look.

"Let's go before I smash one of this idiot's heads in the concrete." She said, turning to Jihyo, and then grabbed Miyeon's other freehand.

Side by side, both older girls lead out Miyeon gently. Giving her reassuring squeezes as the teary girl took the steps towards the door.

Miyeon felt tears falling, and she let out a small sob.

The feeling of gratefulness invaded her in a much larger tone than that of her fear.

About an hour later, the three girls sat down in an outside plaza, enjoying some boba tea and sweets. Miyeon's eyes and nose were red and puffy, the result of the breakdown she had had while thanking her friends many times, assuring them she would find a way to repay them.

'And why would you do that?' Jihyo had asked.

'Friends do this for each other. Don't sweat it,' Jisoo reassured.

Miyeon had felt her eyes watery for the third time that day, the idea of friends supporting her, or anyone really, had felt so distant and foreign until a few months ago.

"I don't know why I'm such an emotional wreck right now." She laughed, wiping a bit of tears but flashed them a smile. Jihyo and Jisoo smiled sweetly, having agreed on something a long time ago.

Her smiles are radiant. And such a rare sight, that it felt like a privilege to see them. Both of them sometimes saw Miyeon around campus, and her energy levels were down to the very core of the earth. No smiles, no emotions. Blank expressions, eyes almost shallow.

But, when their group united, it was as if pulling a facade over a crumbling building. Her smiles were so sincere, yet some were bluntly fake.

The two girls had noticed this a while ago, and treasured every single one of her sincere smiles. Such a beautiful soul should not have to bear such burdens, whatever they were.

The trio spent the day together, and it would be an understatement to say they had fun. Their time together was hilarious, from getting kicked out of a bakery after Jihyo insulted a baker's Great-great grandma's recipe, to Jisoo falling asleep in the bus on the way back. Turns out, Jihyo and Jisoo had gone to buy supplies for the Café, had seen a girl who looked a lot like Miyeon, and stared at her until Miyeon's panic attack had started. That's when they realized it was indeed their friend.

On the way back, Miyeon thought about texting Haruki or dropping by his house to check upon him.

"I sent my brother over there earlier today. Haruki didn't look good, so I got worried." Jihyo said.

"I asked Junseo to stop over there sometime today too." The black-haired woman said, Miyeon felt a bit at ease. Until a thought dawned on her, the rest seemed to have had a similar realization.

The boys, the boys were together.

Without supervision.

Jihyo scoffed a little.

"Oh, please. They're grown. The worst they can do is be arrested for accidental arson." She said, Miyeon suddenly remembered an incident with a pot and Haruki, and somehow managed to multiply the disaster level by adding two extra factors.

Yeonjun, and Junseo.

Her expression of worry lasted but two seconds, Jihyo decided it wasn't worth stressing over it and dragged both girls with her towards her Café. She talked over how she needed help cleaning up a bit and about the new dessert she was dying to show them. The word 'dessert' did the trick on the two other girls, making them forget about their male friends and focusing on the sweet delicacy calling them from the kitchen.

Jihyo, on the other hand, had her brother's number on speed dial, and as soon as her 'twinstict' warned her about something, she would press that button and call her little brother to get his tail home.

On the other side of town, something had gone off, but it was not the famous 'twinstict'

But a fire alarm.

"I told you to let it shimmer for five minutes! Five!" Junseo hit Yeonjun on the head with a spoon, before taking the smoking pan out of the oven.

"It sounded like fifty, ok? I wasn't sure!" The shorter boy excused himself.

"Why didn't you ask!?" The older boy shouted.

"Because I forgot!" Yeonjun raised his voice as well.

Amidst the chaos, a pair of bunny slippers dragged by a shorter boy in fluffy pajamas and a hoodie bigger than himself, came into the kitchen to ask about the meal his friends were preparing for him.

More like, had smelled the smoke and wanted to make sure his house wouldn't burn down, at least not with him inside.

"Hey, can you guys tone it down a bit? My headache is back." His hoarse and deep voice took the other two by surprise, making them let out a manly and courageous scream.

"EEEEEEK!" Their voices reached an octave higher than normal. Junseo dropped the pan, spilling its contents over the kitchen tile. Yeonjun's flight or fight activated, and without hesitation jumped right into Junseo's arms, where both gave another high-pitched scream as Haruki spoke again.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked.

"What's wrong with us?" They asked in unison, to later be aware of their unflattering position. Junseo dropped Yeonjun, and he, while on the floor, picked up the pan, but was careful enough to not touch the charcoal chicken in what had meant to be tomato sauce, but now looked like dark petroleum.

"What's wrong with you? Why is your voice like that?" Junseo asked, grabbing a towel and flapping it over the annoying smoke alarm.

"Because I'm sick, dumb-dumb," Haruki called, then passed over to open a window.

After getting rid of the smoke, and cleaning the mess in the kitchen, the two taller boys went back for a third attempt at a meal. Haruki sat down on the couch from where he could see his friends moving in the kitchen, slightly smiling at the company.

Both had arrived shortly after he had gotten home, and when they saw the poor state he was in, took care of him in the most gentle manner he could have imagined. He felt like a little brother being taken care of by his older brothers. They had warmed a bath for him, and gave him a pair of fluffy pajama pants plus an oversized hoodie. Junseo had bought the oversized hoodie on the way here, saying it always made him feel better when he was sick since it felt like a wrapped warm blanket. Yeonjun had said the same about the pajama pants, and that there was no way he would let Haruki wear shorts and a hoodie, because that was one of the greatest paradoxes in history, and he was not willing to let a friend of his be part of it. The bunny slippers had been sent by Jihyo.

After making him take care of himself, they disinfected and cleaned his house. One of them had run to the pharmacy and bought medicine after seeing he had none left. They made him tea and told him to go and rest while they prepared lunch.

Haruki had slept for at least an hour when the first crashes in the kitchen were heard. It took a few to wake him up, though. But, after hearing the word, 'FIRE' being screamed at the top of Yeonjun's lungs, his body had instinctually shot out of bed, just to find his hyungs fighting in the kitchen.

He would be lying if he said he didn't find it amusing. After a while they had explained to him that they had first attempted to make chicken soup and wasted a whole chicken in the process, then had gone to the grocery store together and bought ingredients for chicken stew and were planning to accompany it with white rice. But, of course, a miscommunication here and there, and the chicken and pot had ended in the trash. Now, for their last attempt, they were making beef soup, and so far, it was going pretty decent.

In fact, too decent. Haruki went to the kitchen just to stop at the front door and burst out laughing at his friends.

Well, there was a reason why it was so quiet. Both had taped their mouths close but now they engaged in a heated debate with exaggerated hand gestures, swinging their fists at the air and fuming. The soup, however, looked fine. Haruki recovered from his fit of laughter and went to check it. He grabbed a separate bowl and poured a bit in it. He blew on it, and then drank a bit.

It tasted heavenly! And his stuffed nose suddenly went back to normal, either out of the heat or the dilated taste senses coming back to life. He looked at the vegetables and realized it needed a bit more time, so he left his plate besides the pot, and turned to look at his friends, who had stopped fighting when they saw Haruki tasting the soup.

"It's amazing, thank you." He went over to hug them, feeling grateful even for their antics. Both boys returned the hug, Junseo ruffled his hair a bit and both muttered a 'no problem' under the tape.

"Here, let me help you." With the best intentions at heart, Haruki grabbed both opposite ends of the tapes on their faces, and without a warning, peeled them off in one pull.

An unholy scream filled the house, and Haruki suddenly felt a voice telling him to run for his life. Junseo and Yeonjun looked up at him through teary eyes, covering their respective mouths which had a visible red, and painful mark.

"Should I run?" Haruki asked, already inching away.

"And fast."

With that, the young boy recovered his vigor and health and made a run for it, two very pissed-off hyungs tailing behind him.

But, he still managed to have dinner after that, because after the chase, cleaning, and reheating the soup, time had gone by, and it was now nighttime. The trio of boys were by then enjoying their dinner, a whole flip from their chasing and screaming from about two hours ago.

Sometime later, they said their goodbyes, instructing Haruki to call if he felt worse.

Truth be told, he felt nothing but pure happiness from having such wonderful friends.