Midnight Tales | ✔

19

Jaehyun

I found Soyoung and Lola in the living area the next day, sprawled out on the floor. They were lying beside each other as Lola sleeps and Soyoung watches her.

"Got nothing to—"

"Shhh"

I was immediately cut off as Soyoung shushed me. She turned to me. "You should watch her"

Raising a brow I walked over to them and sat on the sofa. Their heads are near my feet. I looked down at Lola who was sleeping soundly. Her body curl up, her head laid on her paws as her tail was curled covering her belly.

"She's been with me since forever" Soyoung smiled, speaking softly to not wake up her small friend. "She's the only friend I have and Min Seok"

"What about me?"

Soyoung's eyes widened as she turned to face me. Looking at me from the floor. Her hair laid out on the carpeted floor, revealing her full face. She blinked at me.

"Am I not considered your friend?"

She stare at me for a few seconds then looked away. "If you want to" she sheepishly answered.

I looked around. "What else do you do here to spend the days?"

"A lot of things, I've done everything I guess"

I thought for a moment, then turned to her. "Do you have a chess board?"

Soyoung went up to the study to get the chess board and went back to the living room. She laid it out on the table as she sat on the floor on the opposite side of mine. I took the pieces and arranged them myself.

"I don't know how to play so I have never taken it out"

I smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll teach you"

We played for hours as I teach her the basics until she finally familiarized the moves. We've repeated the games for how many times as she keeps on losing to me. The two of us had so much fun that we didn't notice that it was already dinner time and Soyoung's stomach suddenly made a sound.

"I'll cook now," I said standing up.

"Oh no, I'll cook for today," Soyoung said standing up too.

"No, it's fine. Stay here I'll cook"

"I'm serious, I'm doing the cooking today," She said and walked over to the kitchen, I immediately stopped her.

"Let's just do it together"

We went over to the kitchen and grabbed the aprons. I quickly took out the things we needed like the pan, the plates, and other stuff while Soyoung took care of collecting the ingredients. We agreed on what dishes to do and assigned half of the tasks to each other.

After I finished mine, it was Soyoung's turn to cook and I went to the other side of the counter to prepare the refreshments. We worked in silence as both of us focused on what we were doing. But unlike the first days here, this silence between us has become comfortable.

"Something's not right" Soyoung muttered after tasting her dish.

"Why?"

"I can't explain it. Maybe you can distinguish"

I stood from the stool and walked over to her. Soyoung then took a small amount of it to the spoon she was holding and then lifted it to me. "Be careful, it's still hot"

I leaned in to taste it.

"It just needs a little bit of salt"

Soyoung nodded and turned around to look for the salt, just as she moved, her elbow almost touched the pan. Before she could hurt herself I quickly pulled her arm away from the pan.

"Be careful, you almost touched the pan—"

I stopped when I turned to her.

Soyoung was staring at me. Eyes focused on mine. I tried looking away but I couldn't as I saw what was reflected in those hazelnut ones. It was sadness.  Soyoung took a deep breath and stepped away from me, pulling her arm away from my touch.

"I'll just get the salt. Watch the pan for me"