Midnight snack

Notes:

(1) Tteokbokki: Korean food, hot and spicy ricecakes
(2) Ajeossi: Korean way of calling someone uncle, can be used on strangers

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"Cale-nim?"

Cale flinched. Holy fucking shit, his soul almost escaped his body from how hard he flinched. He turned around slowly, squinting in the darkness to look at Choi Han. He hadn't expected company at all. Not at 3 am in the morning.

"Why are you still awake?"

Choi Han blinked as though that was the question he wanted to know. Regardless, he answered the question politely as he always did.

"I woke up when I heard footsteps outside the door, and came out to investigate. What about you, Cale-nim? Is everything okay?"

Cale sighed.

This ridiculously light sleeper.

Scratching the back of his head, Cale tried his best to think of what to say. Oh, to hell with it. If it's Choi Han, he would definitely understand.

"Sometimes you get a late night craving." Cale paused, waiting for the words to sink in. "The craving haunts you, making you unable to sleep. There's nothing you can do except to feed the craving or to wait for it to go away."

"...And what is this craving, Cale-nim?"

Cale smirked.

"Choi Han, would you like to eat some tteokbokki?"

"...What?"

Choi Han never expected to hear that sentence in this world.

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"Cale-nim, I didn't know you knew how to cook."

"Ah, well. I never had to cook as Cale Henituse," he said with a wry smile. He was born with a golden spoon, having his every need tended to by servants. It wasn't like he could cook Korean cuisine, with constant surveillance. The kitchen was Beacrox's territory, and he was never allowed to take a step in and cook himself. Furthermore, how was he to explain himself if he cooked strange food no one else ever heard of?

Choi Han nodded in understanding. In his memories of Kim Rok Soo, there wasn't much cooking done together, other than eating cup noodles. He had always been so busy. He looked at Cale with eyes of sympathy.

"Do you like to cook, Cale-nim?"

"Hm? Well, I suppose it can be fun sometimes," Cale mused. Even in a life as a slacker, there were other hobbies people had to waste time. The games in this era didn't suit his tastes, but he liked to read in his spare time.

Choi Han hummed. A delicious smell filled the entire kitchen. Choi Han couldn't help but feel excited. He listened earnestly as Cale continued to talk about himself. It was not often that Cale opened up like this.

"As Kim Rok Soo, I grew up alone as an orphan. Naturally, I learned how to cook. I'm too lazy to, usually. But I'd call myself pretty decent. You don't have to worry about getting a stomachache or anything like that."

"I'll eat it even if it's bad, Cale-nim. Since you cooked it for me."

"Aigoo, this smooth talker. It's no wonder why you're so popular."

A piping hot pot of tteokbokki was set down on the table. Choi Han couldn't believe his eyes. He missed having Korean cuisine. After he shared descriptions of food from his hometown, Beacrox had tried his best, making kimchi and jjajangmyeon, but this was another food he never knew he missed until now. Cale smiled at the starstruck look in Choi Han's eyes.