Vertigo Chapter 9
It was Saturday and Changmin visited Yunho during lunch hour. Actually Changmin was the one who initiated a date, but Yunho said he still had to work, and asked if the younger would go to the office for him.
Changmin would. Because Yunho asked him to.
He knocked on Yunho’s door, and when he heard the permission, he opened it.
“Why did you knock?” Yunho asked, glanced to Changmin.
“I don’t have to?” Changmin asked, walked towards his mate. Yunho wore a mahogany full frame glasses and Changmin quietly liked the look on the older.
“I can smell your scent. And didn’t you just barge in before?”
Changmin huffed. He barged in because he knew there was someone else with Yunho. He took a seat in front of Yunho’s desk.
“I just have to finish this and I’m all yours.” Yunho said, signed a paper after he read it, and flipped to the next page.
Changmin hummed. He looked around Yunho’s room. “Do you mind if I’m taking photos?” he asked. He brought his camera.
“Go ahead.”
The wall was off white with black furniture. The couch, desk, and tables were all black. There were neatly framed certificates and awards hung beside a tall wooden bookcase. He traced his fingers on the placard on the desk and snapped a picture of it. Jung Yunho, carved to an onyx with golden ink. He walked around, took a photo of the neatly books, the city view from the window, located behind Yunho, and the man himself, busy with his papers.
He was bored. “I’m hungry.”
“There’s a canteen on the third floor. And café near the lobby.” Yunho’s eyes were still on the papers.
Changmin put the camera to his bag. “I’ll grab something to eat. Do you want something?”
Yunho shook his head, pushed his glasses on his nose.
Changmin bit the inside of his mouth. He was completely ignored. He decided to just go, then, for now.
“Do you want some pocket money?” Yunho asked when Changmin opened the door. His eyes were finally on Changmin.
“No. Thanks, Dad.” Changmin replied, and he could hear Yunho chuckled before he closed the door.
He wanted to have a meal together with Yunho later, so he’d just fill his stomach with something from the café, then. The line was quite long, however. It was still lunch hour. Changmin ordered a Latte and Americano for Yunho, and a slice of banana bread.
His order was served, and when he took it, someone bumped into him from the back.
“I’m sorry!” the man said.
Changmin thought it wasn’t the man’s fault, it was his mainly his, because he stepped back after he took the food. And the poor man poured most of his coffee to his suit, the white shirt was drenched with his coffee. “No, I’m sorry,” he said, took a tissue nearby and patted the man’s shirt.
“Oh, no,“ the man held Changmin’s hand to stop him. “You don’t have to.”
Changmin bit his lip. He just made it worse. The stain spread after his treatment. “Please take this bread as an apology,” he offered his banana bread.
“No, it’s okay, really,” the man smiled, pushed back the bread gently to Changmin. His dimple was really deep. “Care to join me? My table is over there.”
Changmin didn’t have a chance to reply because the other was ordering another drink, and he didn’t want to be impolite to refuse the man’s offer after he ruined his shirt. He decided to take a seat, then.
“Are you new?” the man asked, looked at Changmin, sat in front of him. “I’ve never seen you before.”
Changmin almost told him that he was a commoner. But then he thought how dumb it might sound. And he almost told the stranger that he was Jung Yunho’s mate, and wondered if the man would think that he was lying. Or not, but Changmin could imagine the man judging him quietly, examining his appearance from bottom to the top.
This awkward lanky boy- a nobody- was Jung Yunho’s mate? Poor Jung.
“A trainee?”
“Yes.” Was what came out from his mouth.
“Really?” he raised his eyebrows. They were quite thick, Changmin noticed. “Oh, we haven’t introduced each other. I’m Choi Siwon, representative for China.” He smiled.
And his smile was quite charming too. This man was handsome, especially when Changmin looked at him at the first time. He was quite flustered. “Shim Changmin.”
“Changmin-shi,” Siwon smiled again. “So, you’re a trainee? In which department?”
He didn’t know what to answer. “Ah, I’m… working with… Jung Yunho..?”
“Yunho?” Siwon’s eyes widened. It was quite funny how expressive this man was. “I don’t know he’s taking trainees. He’s very busy.”
“Yes, he is.” Changmin totally agreed.
Siwon drink came and he thanked the waitress. “Can I have yours? My blood sugar is running low,” he touched Changmin’s sugar.
“Oh, sure,”
“Thanks,” Siwon poured the sugar to his coffee. “So, what have you learned from Mr Jung?”
Changmin gulped. What have he learned from Yunho? Well… “Like you said, he’s very busy. So I haven’t learned much,” he added an awkward laugh.
“But he’s really something, isn’t he?” Siwon sipped his drink. “He’s very capable in doing his work perfectly and finished it before the deadline. He practically runs this company, as well as the branch in Japan.” He said. “Even if he’s his own son, isn’t Jung Yanghoon too cruel to him? Yunho is a worker in this company, of course, but he’s also his own son, not a servant,” he continued, but then covered his mouth quickly. “Oops, I just badmouthed my boss,”
Changmin smiled. “I won’t tell anybody.”
“Oh, you bought two coffee?” Siwon noticed the cups on the table that belonged to Changmin. “Is that for Yunho? I shouldn’t have held you here-”
“Changmin!”
Changmin startled, as well as Siwon, who almost spurted out the coffee in his mouth.
Yunho walked towards their table, gaze on Changmin, who felt cold in a sudden, probably because Yunho had absorbed all the energy. Hands balled to fists, he looked at the younger with smoldering eyes.
“Oh, Yunho,” Siwon greeted the man. “Don’t be too hard on your trainee,” he teased.
“My what?” he looked at Siwon, before his eyes went to Changmin again.
Changmin felt fear.
“I gotta go now, conference at 2. See you,” Siwon patted Yunho’s shoulder before he left.
Changmin stood up and gave Yunho his coffee. “Uh… I bought Americano for you…”
“What does that mean?” Yunho ignored what the younger said. “Did you tell him that you’re my trainee?”
“He’s assuming that I am,” Changmin didn’t completely lie. But Yunho was so scary he didn’t know what would happen if he told him the truth.
“And you’re not correcting him?” Yunho asked, expression still stoic, holding the anger in.
Yeah. It was his fault.
Yunho was aware of the curious eyes around them. “Let’s go.”
Changmin just followed Yunho to the parking lot, didn’t forget the coffee he bought. The silence hit harder once they boarded the car. Yunho didn’t turn the engine on, just sat there, looked out through the window, and Changmin didn’t know what to say or do.
“Why you never admit that I am your mate?” Yunho finally asked.
Changmin looked at the older.
Yunho turned his head and returned that gaze. “When Mrs Oh asked, you didn’t tell her that I’m your mate. And just now, you said that you’re my trainee. Is this because of my age? Are you ashamed of me or something? Is there’s something wrong with-“
“Yunho-shi, no,” Changmin quickly cut him. “It’s not like that at all.”
Yunho clenched his teeth.
“I don’t know why you have that thought, because I should be the one who feels like that.” Changmin said. “I’m just a high school student. And nobody. Aren’t you ashamed of me?”
“What.”
Changmin gulped. “Everybody knows you, the people adore you. I didn’t expect to see you in magazine, but you appear surprisingly quite often in those boring business magazine and economy section in newspapers. My teachers mentioned you too, and my friend said that she attended your seminar. I don’t know you’re that… famous.” he had the drinks on his lap and absentmindedly thumbed the lid. “You have a lot of influence, a very big presence… and you-“
“I don’t care about that.”
“I don’t either.” Changmin looked at Yunho. “But I am… I’m nobody, Yunho-shi. I’m not the top three at school and I barely figure out my university of choice too. Are you okay being my mate? People will talk behind you, I’m not sure if you’re okay with that, and your family-“
“I’m okay with that.” Yunho said. “I’m happy with that. People will know I already found my mate, that I’m not some pathetic lonely old man,” he combed Changmin’s hair.
Changmin leaned to Yunho’s hand. “You’re not some pathetic lonely old man,”
“Yes, thanks to you,” Yunho smiled, brought their face together, and kissed Changmin’s lips.
It was short and Changmin didn’t have the chance to kiss back. He didn’t have the guts to hold Yunho in place to plant another kiss on those luscious lips. “You are welcome…” he replied slowly.
Yunho pulled back and smiled to him. “Now, where are we going?” he turned on the engine.
“I’m buying something for the twin’s birthday. I think I’d let you know since Hajoong asked about you, ahjussi.”
Yunho’s face lightened up. “Really?”
*
Changmin printed the Oh’s family photo and bought a wooden frame for gift. Yunho had a hard time deciding between crayons or coloring pencils, and finally bought both.
“Are you hungry?” Yunho asked.
“Very,”
“Should I cook something for you?”
Changmin’s smile widened. “You can cook?”
Yunho nodded proudly. “Let’s go home and I’ll cook something for you.”
Changmin grinned. He couldn’t wait to try Yunho’s homemade cooking. Not long after, they arrived in an apartment building and the car entered the parking lot.
“So… you live in an apartment?” Changmin asked. “I thought you live in a house with your family?”
“I bought it a year ago. A man needs his own place for himself, right? I come here sometimes, when I want some me time.” Yunho said. He parked the car and got out, Changmin followed him.
“How many woman or man have you brought here?” Changmin asked as they entered the elevator.
“None.” Yunho pushed the button.
“Liar.”
Yunho laughed. “Not lying.”
Changmin snorted sarcastically.
They arrived at Yunho’s apartment. It was quite big but simple, there weren’t many furniture. There was only a sofa and tv in the livingroom. A balcony had Han River as its main view, and Changmin made a mental note to check it later with his camera. What attracted Changmin was the kitchen. The pans hung neatly over the counter, and he saw a set of porcelain tea cup in the glass cupboard. He opened the fridge, and it was filled. Not full, but the vegetables and fruits were fresh. There were also two cartons of milk and cream, and three bottles of strawberry juice.
“You must really like cooking,” Changmin commented.
“How do you know?” Yunho asked as he went to the bedroom, took off his suit jacket and tie.
“There’s nothing much in here but your kitchen just like a housewives kitchen.” Changmin said, followed Yunho. There was only a bed in the bedroom, also a door for the bathroom, and another one for his wardrobe. “Do you come here only to cook?”
Yunho hummed as he hung his suit jacket. “Yes, to think of it. I tend to experiment on new recipes here before I cook it for my family.”
“What about that time when you sleep with someone?”
Yunho scoffed. “I’ve told you I’ve never brought anybody here. You’re the first.”
Changmin pouted. “Dang. It was actually a trick question.”
Yunho pinched Changmin’s cheek lightly. “Can’t you just feel happy about that?”
Changmin held Yunho’s hand. “Can’t you just cook now? I’m starving.”
“Alright. Brat.”
Yunho made spaghetti carbonara, didn’t tell the boy that he was likely not to succeed on cooking this. He remembered Soojung glared at the half burnt cream sauce when he cooked it for his sister. That was why he did it so carefully, poured the white wine and mixed it with the chopstick to the nearly finished sauce.
Changmin had fun himself. He took out his camera and began to take photos of Yunho. Human wasn’t his favorite object, but Yunho sure was an exception. The broad back stretched the navy shirt, and the line of the black apron didn’t minimize the masculine figure of this man.
“You really like pasta, don’t you?” Changmin asked.
“I like every food, but I find pasta is easier to make,” Yunho said, bent down to take a plate. “I like Korean food but it needs more ingredients and care and time…”
Changmin just sat like a good boy when Yunho put the plate in front of him and poured the wine. He realized there was only one plate instead of two when he was taking photos of the food. “You’re not eating?”
Yunho sat in front of Changmin. “I’m not that hungry.”
“I don’t like eating alone…” Changmin pouted, looked down to his food.
Yunho smiled and took the plate to the middle of the table between them. He swirled the spaghetti neatly and fed it to Changmin, who opened his mouth like a baby bird.
Changmin exclaimed in response. “This good,” he munched slowly, tried to savor the taste. “Really,”
Yunho smiled wider at the compliment, stabbed a chunk of bacon and offered it to Changmin again.
Changmin ate it, and hummed in approval.
“I’m glad you like it.” Yunho enjoyed his wine.
Changmin nodded and took over the fork, ate by himself. “Very delicious,”
“Don’t talk when you’re eating,” Yunho wiped a smeared cream on the corner of Changmin’s lips with his thumb and sucked it. Well, it did taste good. He was grateful he didn’t fail. He could cook carbonara with renewed confidence, then.
Yunho took Changmin’s camera on the table and checking the photos the younger took while the owner was eating. The younger took a fine picture of the food, with the wine alongside of it. He admitted that Changmin was talented in photography.
“I’ll wash the dishes,” Changmin said after he finished the last bite.
“Great. I hate doing it.” Yunho said, put down the camera.
“If your future cooking will be like this, or even better, I don’t mind doing the dishes for my entire life.” Changmin started to wash.
Yunho laughed. “That’s good because you’ll stuck with me forever.”
Changmin looked at Yunho. “So you buy this apartment to start your own family too?”
Yunho put down his wine glass to the basin for Changmin to wash. “Yeah. But I’m saving some money to buy a house. You know, a real house with garden so the kids can run around and play there.” He leaned on the counter beside Changmin.
Changmin’s scrubbing went slow.
“I remember teaching Sooyeon riding her bike, you know? And Soojung with her roller skates. Heck, she even tried to skateboard one time,” Yunho laughed. “Somehow I become their father, and I think I’ll be a good one too for my kids, right?”
Changmin bit his lip and forced a smile as he nodded. Yunho would be an amazing father. He just didn’t know if they could have their own child or not.
No. He knew they couldn’t. They both Alphas. They couldn’t bear a child.
Seeing Yunho like this, somehow Changmin’s heart hurt because the man couldn’t get what he wanted, what he actually deserved.
The glass slipped and fell from his hand.
“Changmin!” Yunho startled.
Luckily it didn’t break. “It’s slippery. I should be more careful,” Changmin said.
Yunho just watched his mate, made Changmin a little uncomfortable with the staring. He wondered if his mate could sense his feelings. When he was done wiping the plate, he gave the older a small smile. “Should we wrap the gifts?”
Changmin would. Because Yunho asked him to.
He knocked on Yunho’s door, and when he heard the permission, he opened it.
“Why did you knock?” Yunho asked, glanced to Changmin.
“I don’t have to?” Changmin asked, walked towards his mate. Yunho wore a mahogany full frame glasses and Changmin quietly liked the look on the older.
“I can smell your scent. And didn’t you just barge in before?”
Changmin huffed. He barged in because he knew there was someone else with Yunho. He took a seat in front of Yunho’s desk.
“I just have to finish this and I’m all yours.” Yunho said, signed a paper after he read it, and flipped to the next page.
Changmin hummed. He looked around Yunho’s room. “Do you mind if I’m taking photos?” he asked. He brought his camera.
“Go ahead.”
The wall was off white with black furniture. The couch, desk, and tables were all black. There were neatly framed certificates and awards hung beside a tall wooden bookcase. He traced his fingers on the placard on the desk and snapped a picture of it. Jung Yunho, carved to an onyx with golden ink. He walked around, took a photo of the neatly books, the city view from the window, located behind Yunho, and the man himself, busy with his papers.
He was bored. “I’m hungry.”
“There’s a canteen on the third floor. And café near the lobby.” Yunho’s eyes were still on the papers.
Changmin put the camera to his bag. “I’ll grab something to eat. Do you want something?”
Yunho shook his head, pushed his glasses on his nose.
Changmin bit the inside of his mouth. He was completely ignored. He decided to just go, then, for now.
“Do you want some pocket money?” Yunho asked when Changmin opened the door. His eyes were finally on Changmin.
“No. Thanks, Dad.” Changmin replied, and he could hear Yunho chuckled before he closed the door.
He wanted to have a meal together with Yunho later, so he’d just fill his stomach with something from the café, then. The line was quite long, however. It was still lunch hour. Changmin ordered a Latte and Americano for Yunho, and a slice of banana bread.
His order was served, and when he took it, someone bumped into him from the back.
“I’m sorry!” the man said.
Changmin thought it wasn’t the man’s fault, it was his mainly his, because he stepped back after he took the food. And the poor man poured most of his coffee to his suit, the white shirt was drenched with his coffee. “No, I’m sorry,” he said, took a tissue nearby and patted the man’s shirt.
“Oh, no,“ the man held Changmin’s hand to stop him. “You don’t have to.”
Changmin bit his lip. He just made it worse. The stain spread after his treatment. “Please take this bread as an apology,” he offered his banana bread.
“No, it’s okay, really,” the man smiled, pushed back the bread gently to Changmin. His dimple was really deep. “Care to join me? My table is over there.”
Changmin didn’t have a chance to reply because the other was ordering another drink, and he didn’t want to be impolite to refuse the man’s offer after he ruined his shirt. He decided to take a seat, then.
“Are you new?” the man asked, looked at Changmin, sat in front of him. “I’ve never seen you before.”
Changmin almost told him that he was a commoner. But then he thought how dumb it might sound. And he almost told the stranger that he was Jung Yunho’s mate, and wondered if the man would think that he was lying. Or not, but Changmin could imagine the man judging him quietly, examining his appearance from bottom to the top.
This awkward lanky boy- a nobody- was Jung Yunho’s mate? Poor Jung.
“A trainee?”
“Yes.” Was what came out from his mouth.
“Really?” he raised his eyebrows. They were quite thick, Changmin noticed. “Oh, we haven’t introduced each other. I’m Choi Siwon, representative for China.” He smiled.
And his smile was quite charming too. This man was handsome, especially when Changmin looked at him at the first time. He was quite flustered. “Shim Changmin.”
“Changmin-shi,” Siwon smiled again. “So, you’re a trainee? In which department?”
He didn’t know what to answer. “Ah, I’m… working with… Jung Yunho..?”
“Yunho?” Siwon’s eyes widened. It was quite funny how expressive this man was. “I don’t know he’s taking trainees. He’s very busy.”
“Yes, he is.” Changmin totally agreed.
Siwon drink came and he thanked the waitress. “Can I have yours? My blood sugar is running low,” he touched Changmin’s sugar.
“Oh, sure,”
“Thanks,” Siwon poured the sugar to his coffee. “So, what have you learned from Mr Jung?”
Changmin gulped. What have he learned from Yunho? Well… “Like you said, he’s very busy. So I haven’t learned much,” he added an awkward laugh.
“But he’s really something, isn’t he?” Siwon sipped his drink. “He’s very capable in doing his work perfectly and finished it before the deadline. He practically runs this company, as well as the branch in Japan.” He said. “Even if he’s his own son, isn’t Jung Yanghoon too cruel to him? Yunho is a worker in this company, of course, but he’s also his own son, not a servant,” he continued, but then covered his mouth quickly. “Oops, I just badmouthed my boss,”
Changmin smiled. “I won’t tell anybody.”
“Oh, you bought two coffee?” Siwon noticed the cups on the table that belonged to Changmin. “Is that for Yunho? I shouldn’t have held you here-”
“Changmin!”
Changmin startled, as well as Siwon, who almost spurted out the coffee in his mouth.
Yunho walked towards their table, gaze on Changmin, who felt cold in a sudden, probably because Yunho had absorbed all the energy. Hands balled to fists, he looked at the younger with smoldering eyes.
“Oh, Yunho,” Siwon greeted the man. “Don’t be too hard on your trainee,” he teased.
“My what?” he looked at Siwon, before his eyes went to Changmin again.
Changmin felt fear.
“I gotta go now, conference at 2. See you,” Siwon patted Yunho’s shoulder before he left.
Changmin stood up and gave Yunho his coffee. “Uh… I bought Americano for you…”
“What does that mean?” Yunho ignored what the younger said. “Did you tell him that you’re my trainee?”
“He’s assuming that I am,” Changmin didn’t completely lie. But Yunho was so scary he didn’t know what would happen if he told him the truth.
“And you’re not correcting him?” Yunho asked, expression still stoic, holding the anger in.
Yeah. It was his fault.
Yunho was aware of the curious eyes around them. “Let’s go.”
Changmin just followed Yunho to the parking lot, didn’t forget the coffee he bought. The silence hit harder once they boarded the car. Yunho didn’t turn the engine on, just sat there, looked out through the window, and Changmin didn’t know what to say or do.
“Why you never admit that I am your mate?” Yunho finally asked.
Changmin looked at the older.
Yunho turned his head and returned that gaze. “When Mrs Oh asked, you didn’t tell her that I’m your mate. And just now, you said that you’re my trainee. Is this because of my age? Are you ashamed of me or something? Is there’s something wrong with-“
“Yunho-shi, no,” Changmin quickly cut him. “It’s not like that at all.”
Yunho clenched his teeth.
“I don’t know why you have that thought, because I should be the one who feels like that.” Changmin said. “I’m just a high school student. And nobody. Aren’t you ashamed of me?”
“What.”
Changmin gulped. “Everybody knows you, the people adore you. I didn’t expect to see you in magazine, but you appear surprisingly quite often in those boring business magazine and economy section in newspapers. My teachers mentioned you too, and my friend said that she attended your seminar. I don’t know you’re that… famous.” he had the drinks on his lap and absentmindedly thumbed the lid. “You have a lot of influence, a very big presence… and you-“
“I don’t care about that.”
“I don’t either.” Changmin looked at Yunho. “But I am… I’m nobody, Yunho-shi. I’m not the top three at school and I barely figure out my university of choice too. Are you okay being my mate? People will talk behind you, I’m not sure if you’re okay with that, and your family-“
“I’m okay with that.” Yunho said. “I’m happy with that. People will know I already found my mate, that I’m not some pathetic lonely old man,” he combed Changmin’s hair.
Changmin leaned to Yunho’s hand. “You’re not some pathetic lonely old man,”
“Yes, thanks to you,” Yunho smiled, brought their face together, and kissed Changmin’s lips.
It was short and Changmin didn’t have the chance to kiss back. He didn’t have the guts to hold Yunho in place to plant another kiss on those luscious lips. “You are welcome…” he replied slowly.
Yunho pulled back and smiled to him. “Now, where are we going?” he turned on the engine.
“I’m buying something for the twin’s birthday. I think I’d let you know since Hajoong asked about you, ahjussi.”
Yunho’s face lightened up. “Really?”
*
Changmin printed the Oh’s family photo and bought a wooden frame for gift. Yunho had a hard time deciding between crayons or coloring pencils, and finally bought both.
“Are you hungry?” Yunho asked.
“Very,”
“Should I cook something for you?”
Changmin’s smile widened. “You can cook?”
Yunho nodded proudly. “Let’s go home and I’ll cook something for you.”
Changmin grinned. He couldn’t wait to try Yunho’s homemade cooking. Not long after, they arrived in an apartment building and the car entered the parking lot.
“So… you live in an apartment?” Changmin asked. “I thought you live in a house with your family?”
“I bought it a year ago. A man needs his own place for himself, right? I come here sometimes, when I want some me time.” Yunho said. He parked the car and got out, Changmin followed him.
“How many woman or man have you brought here?” Changmin asked as they entered the elevator.
“None.” Yunho pushed the button.
“Liar.”
Yunho laughed. “Not lying.”
Changmin snorted sarcastically.
They arrived at Yunho’s apartment. It was quite big but simple, there weren’t many furniture. There was only a sofa and tv in the livingroom. A balcony had Han River as its main view, and Changmin made a mental note to check it later with his camera. What attracted Changmin was the kitchen. The pans hung neatly over the counter, and he saw a set of porcelain tea cup in the glass cupboard. He opened the fridge, and it was filled. Not full, but the vegetables and fruits were fresh. There were also two cartons of milk and cream, and three bottles of strawberry juice.
“You must really like cooking,” Changmin commented.
“How do you know?” Yunho asked as he went to the bedroom, took off his suit jacket and tie.
“There’s nothing much in here but your kitchen just like a housewives kitchen.” Changmin said, followed Yunho. There was only a bed in the bedroom, also a door for the bathroom, and another one for his wardrobe. “Do you come here only to cook?”
Yunho hummed as he hung his suit jacket. “Yes, to think of it. I tend to experiment on new recipes here before I cook it for my family.”
“What about that time when you sleep with someone?”
Yunho scoffed. “I’ve told you I’ve never brought anybody here. You’re the first.”
Changmin pouted. “Dang. It was actually a trick question.”
Yunho pinched Changmin’s cheek lightly. “Can’t you just feel happy about that?”
Changmin held Yunho’s hand. “Can’t you just cook now? I’m starving.”
“Alright. Brat.”
Yunho made spaghetti carbonara, didn’t tell the boy that he was likely not to succeed on cooking this. He remembered Soojung glared at the half burnt cream sauce when he cooked it for his sister. That was why he did it so carefully, poured the white wine and mixed it with the chopstick to the nearly finished sauce.
Changmin had fun himself. He took out his camera and began to take photos of Yunho. Human wasn’t his favorite object, but Yunho sure was an exception. The broad back stretched the navy shirt, and the line of the black apron didn’t minimize the masculine figure of this man.
“You really like pasta, don’t you?” Changmin asked.
“I like every food, but I find pasta is easier to make,” Yunho said, bent down to take a plate. “I like Korean food but it needs more ingredients and care and time…”
Changmin just sat like a good boy when Yunho put the plate in front of him and poured the wine. He realized there was only one plate instead of two when he was taking photos of the food. “You’re not eating?”
Yunho sat in front of Changmin. “I’m not that hungry.”
“I don’t like eating alone…” Changmin pouted, looked down to his food.
Yunho smiled and took the plate to the middle of the table between them. He swirled the spaghetti neatly and fed it to Changmin, who opened his mouth like a baby bird.
Changmin exclaimed in response. “This good,” he munched slowly, tried to savor the taste. “Really,”
Yunho smiled wider at the compliment, stabbed a chunk of bacon and offered it to Changmin again.
Changmin ate it, and hummed in approval.
“I’m glad you like it.” Yunho enjoyed his wine.
Changmin nodded and took over the fork, ate by himself. “Very delicious,”
“Don’t talk when you’re eating,” Yunho wiped a smeared cream on the corner of Changmin’s lips with his thumb and sucked it. Well, it did taste good. He was grateful he didn’t fail. He could cook carbonara with renewed confidence, then.
Yunho took Changmin’s camera on the table and checking the photos the younger took while the owner was eating. The younger took a fine picture of the food, with the wine alongside of it. He admitted that Changmin was talented in photography.
“I’ll wash the dishes,” Changmin said after he finished the last bite.
“Great. I hate doing it.” Yunho said, put down the camera.
“If your future cooking will be like this, or even better, I don’t mind doing the dishes for my entire life.” Changmin started to wash.
Yunho laughed. “That’s good because you’ll stuck with me forever.”
Changmin looked at Yunho. “So you buy this apartment to start your own family too?”
Yunho put down his wine glass to the basin for Changmin to wash. “Yeah. But I’m saving some money to buy a house. You know, a real house with garden so the kids can run around and play there.” He leaned on the counter beside Changmin.
Changmin’s scrubbing went slow.
“I remember teaching Sooyeon riding her bike, you know? And Soojung with her roller skates. Heck, she even tried to skateboard one time,” Yunho laughed. “Somehow I become their father, and I think I’ll be a good one too for my kids, right?”
Changmin bit his lip and forced a smile as he nodded. Yunho would be an amazing father. He just didn’t know if they could have their own child or not.
No. He knew they couldn’t. They both Alphas. They couldn’t bear a child.
Seeing Yunho like this, somehow Changmin’s heart hurt because the man couldn’t get what he wanted, what he actually deserved.
The glass slipped and fell from his hand.
“Changmin!” Yunho startled.
Luckily it didn’t break. “It’s slippery. I should be more careful,” Changmin said.
Yunho just watched his mate, made Changmin a little uncomfortable with the staring. He wondered if his mate could sense his feelings. When he was done wiping the plate, he gave the older a small smile. “Should we wrap the gifts?”