Vegans. Wayv ff☆

Ch. 1 Denial

"Good morning, Tennie," YangYang mumbled as he entered the kitchen, rubbing his tired eyes.

Ten glanced at his phone screen in disbelief. "YangYang, it's 2 in the afternoon."

"I know. But I just woke up, so it's morning for me, okay?" YangYang opened the fridge and gazed inside, looking for something protein-rich and delicious.

"AHA!" He pulled out a take-out box that contained the remains of a delicious cheeseburger that he had eaten the day before. "My precious. I have found you."

Ten softly laughed in loving disbelief at his friend's behavior. He started playing an upbeat song on his bluetooth speaker to wake YangYang up and get him ready to cook some food. Kun was sleeping extra long today, a well-deserved rest, and Ten wanted to cook something for everyone.

YangYang placed his cheeseburger in the microwave and waited impatiently for the greasy deliciousness. "Is there anything better in this world than a cheeseburger?"

"I could think of at least five different meals that I would rather have than a cheeseburger."

YangYang's jaw dropped in shock. "OH, yeah? Well I don't think that you have tried one as good this one. I got it from my favorite American steakhouse place in town."

"I see. How are their vegetables?"

"Who goes to a steakhouse to eat vegetables?" YangYang laughed, eating half of the cheeseburger in one bite.

"You know. People who don't eat meat or animal products."

"Wow. What a sad life, not being able to eat meat or animal products. I do understand their concern for animals though. Poor cow."

He took another bite.

"But you were so delicious, Mr. Cow."

Ten shook his head, shoulders shaking with held-in laughter. Part of the reason he wanted to go vegan was definitely because of a concern for animals and the environment. He also had discovered that he felt much healthier eating plant proteins instead of meat. He was sure that the news would concern his best friends though, and that they wouldn't know where to take him to eat anymore.

"Ten, are we still going out for barbecue tonight?"

Ten smiled, not looking up from the vegetables he had begun chopping up for his meal. "Barbecue?"

"Yes. Barbecue. Samgyeopsal. Cogi. Ssams. Banchans. Soju. That kind of barbecue, the one we always eat."

"I don't think I'll go this time."

YangYang paused in the middle of pouring himself some water. "We're not going? Did Kun cancel?"

"No, the plan is still on. But I don't want to go eat barbecue."

"Well, what if we went to the steakhouse instead? You could get a cheeseburger. Why don't you want to get barbecue with us?"

"I'm vegan." Ten stopped chopping the vegetables, looking at his friend for his reaction, which would undoubtedly be dramatic.

"I don't remember that identity being a part of the LGBT+ Community."

YangYang ducked, dodging the cucumber that Ten threw at his head.

"DUMBASS." Ten's eyes glinted with humor, disdain, irritation, but most of all, they showed his relief. He really did sound like he was acknowledging a big part of his identity by announcing his change in dietary habits. And he knew that he could receive support from his friends no matter what he decided to reveal about his preferences and identity.

Then why were you so anxious? Ten thought. I don't know.

"Well, I think you should come with us anyway. You might change your mind once you smell that sweet, sweet, samgyeopsal...grilling...sizzling...smelling like your wildest dreams."

Ten rolled his eyes. "I've committed to going vegan for at least a month. I want to see how I like it. It might even help my health to improve. You should try it too."

"DO YOU WANT ME TO DIE?" YangYang slowly lay down on the kitchen floor, as though to prove he could not live without meat in his life.

This is going to be a long month.