# Chapter 48
“…So.”
Seowoo rubbed his temple and spat out each syllable.
“The ingredients are all prepared, but you haven’t cooked yet?”
“You got it in one.”
The skill to make someone’s insides turn with just a short, concise remark was certainly innate. When Woojae secretly admired this and glanced at Seowoo from the corner of his eye, Seowoo’s expression was already sufficiently distorted.
“Seo Dohyun-ssi, when you called earlier, didn’t you clearly say that preparations were finished?”
“I meant that the ingredients were prepared.”
“Who would understand it that way! From what you said, you sounded like someone who had already set the table.”
“That’s why I was going to tell you before hanging up, but you hung up first.”
“When did I…”
Seowoo stopped mid-sentence and closed his mouth. It was because he remembered the earlier phone call.
Perhaps understanding Seowoo’s thoughts from the expression on his face, Dohyun slightly tilted his head as if asking “well?” Indeed, Seowoo had nothing to say in response. It was true.
“And since the ingredients I had prepared were only for two people, when I heard Reporter Jung was coming, I went down to buy more ingredients.”
“I was thoughtless… I should have brought some food at least. I’m already grateful for you providing your home.”
“Ah, I’m not saying that to make you feel uncomfortable. Actually, I’m glad to have a chance to show off my cooking skills.”
“Ah, hyung told me about it. That you’re really good at cooking, CEO-nim.”
“When did I say that much?”
Seowoo glared with wide eyes. He had said that despite his appearance, his cooking was decent, but he had never praised him as being ‘really good’. To cheat with such an innocent expression.
Regardless, Woojae merely smiled brightly, not hiding his intention to make a good impression at all. Dohyun also smiled in response.
“Is that so? He’s someone who hardly ever compliments me to my face.”
“It’s because hyung is shy. In reality, he’s a warm-hearted person.”
“Ah, I know that very well.”
“Both of you… can you be quiet!”
When was it that they were creating a sparky atmosphere? Once they started getting along, they matched surprisingly well.
At Seowoo’s outburst, both of them closed their mouths simultaneously. How could even this reaction be similar? Seowoo let out a deep sigh.
“…If you were going to go through the trouble of buying ingredients again, you should have asked. I could have bought them on my way in.”
“Actually, I was going to say that too, but the call was cut off.”
At any other time, he would have apologized out of courtesy for hanging up abruptly, but he didn’t feel like it at all. Dohyun was smiling brightly as if saying, ‘You feel sorry, don’t you? You feel sorry to me, right?’ which only made Seowoo’s anger rise.
“Regardless, a scam is a scam, so I’m taking back the housewarming gift.”
Seowoo snatched the wine bottle he had placed on the table as a housewarming gift.
“Come on, where’s the rule that you can take back a gift once it’s given?”
Dohyun whined and grumbled. But his expression remained smiling without a flaw, so his regret wasn’t properly conveyed. If anything, he looked more pleased than ever.
“I bought it thinking you had already cooked, so I’m taking it back.”
“Even if you take it back, aren’t you going to keep it in our house anyway?”
Indeed, there was no point in Seowoo taking it back. Because Seowoo’s house was also Dohyun’s house. That meant there was only one option. Seowoo’s gaze briefly fixed on Woojae.
“I’m giving it to Woojae. Since he bought it.”
Woojae reflexively took the wine bottle that was naturally handed to him. “Huh?” With a surprised sound, Woojae looked at Seowoo.
“…No, hyung. Why are you dragging me into this? I didn’t say anything.”
“But why is the housewarming gift wine, of all things?”
Dohyun reached out and naturally snatched the wine bottle that Woojae was awkwardly holding, examining the label. It was a natural gesture as if it was already his property.
Seowoo thought about taking it back again, but it seemed obvious that it would end up in Dohyun’s hands anyway.
“I tried to think of something appropriate, but everything was already in the house. So I just… Woojae suggested we drink it while eating.”
“But you can’t handle alcohol well.”
“…No, I can.”
“We have a witness right here.”
When Dohyun glanced at Woojae, Woojae slowly nodded. Whose side is this bastard on? When Seowoo narrowed his eyes and glared, Woojae finally made an X with his finger over his lips.
“Let’s just say it’s that way.”
“What do you mean ‘let’s say’?”
It’s not like they’d properly drunk together. Calmly taking Seowoo’s sharp gaze, Dohyun placed the wine back on the table.
With a playful smile, Dohyun took out a neat apron hanging on one side of the wall and tied it on.
“Well, if you’ve brought alcohol, I guess I should cook?”
When Seowoo first saw it, he was horrified at the ridiculous combination of Seo Dohyun and an apron, but he had gotten used to it and now it didn’t faze him at all. Of course, Woojae, seeing this sight for the first time, was breaking a sweat trying to manage his expression.
“Since you’re here as guests, you two go have a chat. Unfortunately, there are no snacks at home, so I regret I can’t offer you anything.”
Dohyun spoke in a joking tone and gestured toward the living room with his chin.
True to his word, all the ingredients were already prepared, and some were even trimmed. As Seowoo watched Dohyun’s back as he turned on the water at the sink and washed his hands, he crossed his arms crookedly.
“…Are you doing it alone?”
“Unfortunately, Seo Dohyun is just one person.”
Seowoo only raised an eyebrow at the calm response. There was no particular request for help, and considering the previous meal, it seemed like Dohyun could serve them well enough without Seowoo’s help.
But the ingredients seemed more than expected, perhaps because it was for three people, and it was a sudden visit after all. Until now, he had always just eaten what Dohyun prepared without helping once, not even doing the dishes. Although Dohyun had said there was no need at all, it was now starting to bother him a little.
After maintaining silence for a moment, Seowoo threw a word in a voice as crooked as his posture.
“Need help?”
The one surprised by the question wasn’t Dohyun but Woojae. His round eyes fixed on Seowoo.
“Hyung’s going to cook too?”
Whether the implication was ‘You’re going to cook?’ or ‘You’re going to help Seo Dohyun?’ wasn’t clear, but either way, it was embarrassing. Words automatically came out in an excusing tone.
“…Well, I was the one who invited you. And he said he bought ingredients specially. It seemed a bit much to just sit while he prepares everything alone.”
His stance, his voice—everything was filled with embarrassment and awkwardness, not knowing what to do.
The truth was, it wasn’t a big deal; Seowoo could have just coldly walked away as usual. So this reaction—not leaving the kitchen and even offering to help—was quite unexpected. Dohyun’s eyebrows formed a mountain.
“Are you saying we should cook together?”
“More precisely, rather than together, I’m saying I’ll help you. As an ‘assistant’.”
Emphasizing the word ‘assistant’, Seowoo nodded his head. Dohyun smoothly raised his lips in a smile. His long fingers rolled a tomato in the flowing water, washing it.
“So, we’ll cook ‘together’, with Seowoo-ssi as the assistant.”
It was impossible not to notice the clear emphasis on the word ‘together’. It was like hanging someone out to dry when they were already embarrassed. Seowoo puckered his lips grumpily and turned his body sharply.
“…Never mind. I’ll just talk with Woojae.”
The moment he grabbed Woojae’s arm, Dohyun’s voice came from behind.
“Ah, my arms are going to fall off cooking this. Someone had me prepare for three people.”
He was only washing one tomato but was making old man complaints. It was hard to look kindly at Dohyun, who was exaggeratedly saying it hurt and was difficult, clearly so Seowoo would hear.
But he couldn’t snap back as usual, telling him to handle it himself. His conscience pricked him too much to leave it all to Dohyun.
“…You know your personality is strange, right?”
“Seowoo-ssi tells me every day.”
At Dohyun’s response, which seemed completely unaffected, Seowoo just let out a deep sigh. Yes, it’s always like this.
The sound of sizzling oil and knife chopping filled the kitchen together. The two men’s backs were placed side by side with a slight distance between them. They wore aprons of slightly different colors but similar shapes, making them look like a matching set.
“You said you were just at the assistant level, but you’re quite skilled?”
“It’s funny coming from you, Seo Dohyun-ssi. You’re not just skilled, you’re good at it.”
“I’m complimenting you because you’re good. If you were bad, I would have been amazed.”
The matter-of-fact tone, without any exaggeration, modesty, or bluster, made it all the more irritating to the listener. It was true, but perhaps because the speaker was Dohyun, it was quite annoying.
Having finished cutting the tomatoes, Dohyun approached Seowoo’s side and turned on the stove. The distance between them became very close. Their arms could touch even without moving further. As he put the frying pan on the fire, Dohyun tilted his head slightly and looked at Seowoo.
“How was your date today?”
“It wasn’t a date.”
That obsession with calling everything a date, really. Does he think any two people together is automatically a date? Despite grumbling, Seowoo still responded diligently.
“It was fun. On a day off, one should definitely rest.”
“Where did you go?”
“The bookstore.”
Seowoo, who had unconsciously confessed the truth, belatedly shut his mouth. He had deliberately gone to an offline bookstore to avoid being caught buying books, but he had blurted out the truth.
Seowoo frantically racked his brain for a suitable excuse to deflect if Dohyun asked what book he bought.
“You’ve been reading books often these days.”
“…It might surprise you, but I’ve always liked them.”
“I knew you would.”
“Does that show up in your background check too?”
Since Dohyun had dug up so much about Seowoo, knowing his hobbies wasn’t particularly surprising. It was a hobby he had never officially mentioned, but Seo Dohyun was closer to the unofficial than the official, so he could have found out in some way.
However, Dohyun’s response to the jokingly thrown question was honest.
“No? People usually become close to books when they’re lonely.”
It was a casual tone, as if stating obvious logic.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
