The Siren's Song

Chapter 96- and let the flames consume me

KOOK POV:

I see the way (Y/N)'s cheeks warm when she spots her jeans, carefully folded over the back of a chair, when her eyes take in the now covered tin and her phone still lying where she'd left it. See the way her lips quirk when she pinches Jin hyung's hip and steps away, smiling wide and unrestrained at the yelp he lets out.

She doesn't see the way he looks betrayed, rubbing at his hip ruefully as she slots herself in the chaos to help out. Carrying trays outside to the garden where the barbecue was ready. Flames roaring and tables filled with dishes and crockery.

I slip in beside her, nudging her with my hip and laughing at the way she stares blinking slowly at the filled tables.

"Surprised?" I ask.

She gives a small nod. Mute and just watching.

"Don't worry. I guarantee at the end of this, the food will be all gone." I say with a smile.

She nudges her hip back against mine.

"Surprised you got so much done. When did you make all of this?" she asks.

Wonder colouring her voice.

"Maybe we've been planning a barbecue for when the weather got warmer. Maybe we've been waiting for an opportunity to spring this on you. Maybe~ just maybe we were waiting for you to come over so we could do this." I say.

She huffs but the press of lips against my cheek are warm and gentle.

"Thank you. For whatever reason it was." she murmurs.

I smile at her.

"You were always the reason baby." I whisper back.

And the radiance that shines out of her at that makes my heart warm, ache and soften all at once for her.

But then she's whirled away by Jiminie hyung who gives me a soft smile, beguiling and apologetic mixed together for how he tugs her away towards the barbecue, trapping her by his side as he loops an apron around her neck.

"Let's see exactly what it is that has Jin hyung worried so much." I hear him say as he hands the tongs to her.

There's an assured stance to her posture, confidence with the way she takes the tongs and reaches over for the seasoned meat.

"Stand there and look pretty then Minnie." Is her answering coo.

The others end up gravitating close to the two, to the way Jiminie hyung stands there watching as she mans the grill alone, flipping and cooking the meat, steadily making the platters full.

Gravitating because she'd started off as just feeding him morsels, carefully bringing it to his lips, hand hovering under the tongs to feed him the meat she'd carefully cooled down before letting his mouth close around it. Because everyone was diving in to be the next one to chase after her tongs, her eyes crinkled with tenderness and laughter.

Then her eyes meet mine, head cocking in invitation and silently asking me to draw close. I set down the vegetables and washed lettuce on the table, diving under Tae hyung's arm to open my mouth for her.

Smiling when the meat gets redirected to my lips instead, her fingers wiping my face afterwards as I chew.

Ignoring the way Tae pouts and complains.

"Gotta feed my baby too." Is the soft firm answer she gives.

And true to my words, the table is left empty afterwards, empty plates stacked, dishes empty, the heat of the barbecue a constant glow in the background, fairy lights so carefully strung up around the canopy that Tae hyung had spent last night decorating and lighting the tables we sat on.