The air crackled with an unspoken tension, a silent symphony of emotions playing out in the brightly lit kitchen. Seo-Jun, his usual composed facade shattered, held Lily close, his worry etched into the lines of his face. "You told me you will arrive late at night. I didn't know you were already here. I have planned to pick you up from the airport, and-" The words tumbled out, a torrent of concern that Lily silenced with a gentle touch. "Hey! It's okay, I called a taxi." Her laughter, a melodic counterpoint to Seo-Jun's anxiety, did little to soothe the storm brewing within him. "Still, I am sorry about this." he murmured, pulling her closer, as if to shield her from an unseen threat.
Across the room, Minho stood frozen, a statue of disbelief amidst the swirling emotions. "Who is this guy, and what did he do to Seo-Jun?! I have never heard him say sorry or be worried about someone, so this is definitely not him." he thought, his mind reeling from the unexpected turn of events.
Lily, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, leaned into Seo-Jun, her voice a silken whisper in his ear. "You missed telling me one more thing. Who is that hot shirtless guy standing over there in the kitchen?" A playful smirk danced on her lips as she met his gaze. Seo-Jun's answering smirk was a mirror of her own, a shared secret passing between them. "My new toy."
Lily's eyes sparkled with amusement. "It doesn't look like he is just a toy, if you ask me. He lives here, doesn't he? When I walked in, he was still with messy bed hair." Her giggle was a light, airy sound, a stark contrast to the intensity of the moment. Seo-Jun, his smirk unwavering, met her playful challenge. "You are right. He is not just a toy, he is a servant here too."
The air crackled with a playful energy, a stark contrast to the usual composed atmosphere. Lily, her cheeks flushed with a mixture of mirth and mock-anger, delivered a playful swat to Seo-Jun's shoulder. "Seo-Jun! You know what I meant by that!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing with a delightful sharpness. Seo-Jun, in response, let out a boyish giggle, the sound unexpectedly light and carefree.
It was at this moment that Minho decided to make his presence known. He approached them, a polite formality in his stance. "Excuse me, sir. Will you be staying for lunch? Do you want to make something special?" he enquired, his gaze respectful. Seo-Jun, without missing a beat, turned to Lily, a genuine smile gracing his features. "Do you have anything in particular, Lily?" he asked, his voice laced with a tenderness that was almost startling.
Lily's face lit up, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "INSTANT NOODLES! I've been dying to eat them here again!" she declared, her voice filled with unrestrained glee. Seo-Jun chuckled, his eyes never leaving Lily's. "You heard her." he said, his words a gentle command directed towards Minho. Minho, bowing slightly, murmured, "Yes, sir." before disappearing into the kitchen.
Seo-Jun then effortlessly scooped up Lily's suitcase, leading the way into the living room. Lily settled onto the couch, while Seo-Jun, with a practiced ease, carried the suitcase to her room. Returning a few minutes later, he settled beside her on the couch.
In the kitchen, Minho moved with a focused precision, the scent of spices and simmering broth filling the air. He was now fully dressed, a stark contrast to his usual, more casual attire. Lost in his thoughts, he mused, "I've never thought I would see Seo-Jun smiling like that... other than his usual evil smirk, a smile this pure was definitely something new. He must really care about her." A faint smile touched his own lips, a rare display of genuine emotion. He then continued, "Looks like he is able to feel love and care for someone at least..." and with that, he continued his culinary task, the clatter of utensils and the hiss of the stove a rhythmic counterpoint to the unspoken emotions swirling in the air.
The plush cushions of the living room sofa seemed to swallow Lily whole as she perched on one side, her gaze fixed on Seo-Jun. He sat opposite her, the space between them a battlefield of unspoken words. A subtle shift in her eyes, a flicker of suspicion, and Seo-Jun finally broke the silence, the word "What?" hanging in the air like a challenge.
"He is special, isn't he?" Lily's voice was soft, yet laced with an underlying accusation. Seo-Jun frowned, the lines around his eyes deepening as he asked, "Who?" Lily sighed, the sound a puff of exasperation. "Minho, of course! I have never seen you let any of your buddies live with you before! So he must be special!"
Seo-Jun shook his head, his voice low and steady, "He is not. He doesn't have anywhere else to go. He got kicked out of his gang." A beat of silence, then, a barely perceptible addition, "Supposedly."
The word hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications. Lily's eyes widened in shock as she exclaimed, "WHAT?! He was in a mafia gang too?!" Seo-Jun simply nodded, his expression unreadable. Lily closed her eyes, a sigh escaping her lips as she leaned back against the cushions, disappointment etched on her face. "I had to guess, given his well-fit body. Of course, he had worked something like that. But still... I have never seen you share your house with someone else." A smirk played on her lips as she reached for the water glass on the coffee table.
Seo-Jun crossed his arms, mirroring her expression with a smirk of his own. "I am open to new things."
"Or he must be really good in bed." Lily countered, taking a long sip from the glass.
The water seemed to catch in her throat as Seo-Jun's next words hit her like a physical blow. "Let's say he is decent."
Lily choked, coughing violently as she sputtered, "You have never said that about your previous sex buddies either!" Seo-Jun's response was a low, chilling giggle that sent a shiver down her spine.
The air in the cozy apartment hummed with the promise of a meal, the scent of simmering broth and spices weaving through the rooms like an invisible thread. Just then Minho walked into the living room completely unaware of Seo-Jun and Lily's conversation and said, "The lunch is ready." His voice, usually a low rumble, held a note of cheerful anticipation that echoed in the sudden silence. Seo-Jun stood up, the previous conversation momentarily forgotten, and replied, "We are coming." A smirk played on his lips as he turned towards the kitchen, Lily falling into step beside him.
They settled around the table, the familiar ritual of a shared meal unfolding. Minho, as usual, took his place beside Seo-Jun, while Lily, with a playful glint in her eyes, sat opposite them, her gaze flitting between the two men. She observed them as Minho tasted the noodles and said to Seo-Jun, "It needs more salt. Do you want me to put some in for you?" Seo-Jun nodded, his expression a mix of gratitude and something akin to fondness, and Minho, without hesitation, rose to retrieve the salt. Lily smirked, a silent thought dancing in her mind: "They will look very cute together! Don't worry, Minho! I will convince Seo-Jun to give you a chance!" As Minho sat back down and put salt in Seo-Jun's plate and then in his own. Although it was a very small portion because he ate breakfast later than usual, he still ate with them.
Seo-Jun, after a few mouthfuls, turned to Lily, his brow furrowed in a mock-serious expression. "How long do you plan to stay here, Lily?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. She responded quickly, her tone laced with a theatrical flourish, "A week. I have cleared my whole schedule just to come and visit my lovely brother." Seo-Jun smiled and giggled, then focused on his plate. Minho saw him giggling, and a soft blush and smile crept on his face. Lily smiled widely as she thought, "AHHH! THEY ARE SO CUTE!"
The remnants of the meal lingered on the table, a testament to the shared joy of the upcoming afternoon. After a few minutes, Seo-Jun broke the silence, his voice, a familiar rumble, now laced with a hint of seriousness. "I have to head back to work in an hour. Is it okay to stay here?" Lily's smile bloomed, a quick, radiant response. "Yes, don't worry! Minho will keep me company! Right, Minho?" Her gaze flickered towards Minho in question, a silent plea woven into her words. Minho, caught in the crosscurrent of their exchange, offered a warm smile. "Yes, of course."
The conversation then dissolved into the gentle rhythm of eating. Plates were cleared, the remnants of the meal whisked away, and soon Seo-Jun and Lily were back on the couch, the comfortable silence of their shared space settling around them. Meanwhile, Minho moved through the kitchen, the clinking of dishes a counterpoint to the quiet of the living room, the warm water and the scent of soap filling the air.
It was then that Lily, her arms crossed, a smile playing on her lips, spoke again. "I like him! He is the best out of all your precious sex buddies." Her words, unexpected, hung in the air. Seo-Jun frowned, his expression a mix of confusion and a subtle annoyance. "Him? You like him?" The question, direct and laced with a hint of disbelief, cut through the air. Lily nodded, her voice sharp with conviction. "Mhm. His personality is very nice and friendly!" Seo-Jun's expression hardened, his tone laced with a weary disbelief. "You've known him for an hour."
Lily paused, then her voice rose, carrying a note of unwavering certainty. "Still! I can sense he is a good guy!" Seo-Jun rolled his eyes, the gesture a silent dismissal of her pronouncements, and reached for his phone, his attention shifting away from the conversation. He leaned back on the couch, the screen of the device illuminating his face.
Lily, her gaze sharp, turned her attention to Minho, the quiet figure in the kitchen. A determined glint flashed in her eyes, and she spoke, her voice laced with a command. "Go help him with the dishes." Seo-Jun, without looking up from his phone, responded, his tone laced with a familiar indifference. "And why should I do that? It's his job."
Lily's words, sharp and laced with sarcasm, hung in the air, each syllable a pointed jab at Seo-Jun's obliviousness. "Because I said so!" she'd declared, her voice as firm as her resolve. "Don't you pity him for cooking for you, cleaning for you and sleeping with you? Hasn't it ever crossed your mind that he, maybe I don't know, feels tired sometimes?"
Seo-Jun, however, remained unmoved, his focus seemingly glued to the screen of his phone. He glanced at Minho, who was diligently washing dishes, and shrugged, dismissing Lily's concerns with a casual "He seems fine to me."
Lily's response was swift and biting, a rhetorical question designed to shock Seo-Jun into empathy. "Then if I tell you to go lie on your knees and I kick you hard in the ass every second for 3 hours or more, and then wake you up to make me breakfast, it will be okay for you?" Her gaze was unwavering, her sarcasm a shield against his apathy.
Seo-Jun's defiance crumbled, his gaze faltering as he avoided her eyes. Lily, seeing her words finally making an impact, sighed and delivered the final blow, hitting him on the leg. "Just go and help him at least with this!"
With a dramatic sigh and a roll of his eyes, Seo-Jun finally conceded, muttering, "You are so annoying." As he moved towards the kitchen, a triumphant smile spread across Lily's face, and she shouted after him, "LOVE YOU TOO." The scene closed with a hint of reconciliation.
The kitchen, once a battleground of unspoken tension, now hosted a hesitant truce. Seo-Jun, his voice a low murmur, entered the space, his face betraying no emotion as he approached Minho. "Do you need help with the dishes?" he offered, the words hanging in the air like an unexpected olive branch.
Minho visibly flinched, his mind racing. "What the heck?! Is he really offering me his help?! Is this a trap?" The sudden shift in dynamic had him reeling. Seo-Jun, already displaying signs of annoyance, raised an eyebrow, prompting a hurried response from Minho. "N-no. No need. I almost finished here. But thanks..." He averted his gaze, the awkwardness thick in the air. "This is awkward." he thought, his cheeks flushing slightly.
Seo-Jun, his patience wearing thin, rolled his eyes, casting a glance towards Lily, who was observing them from the couch. A subtle gesture from her, a silent plea for cooperation, seemed to shift the tide. With a sigh, Seo-Jun conceded, grabbing the second sponge and joining Minho at the sink.
Minho, a mixture of confusion and something akin to… joy, looked at Seo-Jun but remained silent, his blush deepening as he continued washing the dishes alongside him. From the couch, Lily smiled, a knowing glint in her eyes. "Ha, it will be easier than I thought. They are almost ready to become a usual real couple." With a giggle, she turned her attention back to her phone, leaving the two men alone in the intimate space of the kitchen.