✔ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝑌𝑂𝑈𝐓𝐇𝐅𝐔𝐋 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐹𝐴𝐿𝐿 𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐍

Chapter 7.16 - New ways

"You're probably hungry," Beomgyu suggested to break the strange silence between Yeonjun and himself. He moved to the kitchenette and began rummaging through the cabinets that had been spared from his outburst. Unlike the pots and herb containers scattered on the floor, one of the cabinet doors was slightly stuck, so he gave it a harder tug until it opened. His gaze fell on a sealed tin, which he carefully opened, hoping to find something edible. As he sifted through the contents of the tin, Beomgyu continued speaking to cut through the tense silence: "It's probably been a while since you've eaten. Maybe we'll find something useful here."

Yeonjun nodded, though he could barely remember the last time he had eaten. His eyes revealed deep fatigue mixed with a watchful determination. The exhaustion showed in the dark shadows under his eyes, while his gaze was marked by quiet curiosity. His features bore the traces of past experiences—silent witnesses to the uncertainty and mystery of his story. To distract himself, he started picking up the scattered items. The room was a complete mess, but he tried not to dwell on it. "I'm not picky. Whatever you find, I'll eat."

A lightly amused snort came from Beomgyu as he crouched down and continued searching through other cabinets. "Good attitude," he commented on Yeonjun's remark after he actually found something. There were exactly three edible items. Although the term "edible" was somewhat questionable as Beomgyu examined his find. "I found some expired peach halves, birdseed, and an old, rock-hard chocolate bar."

Yeonjun inhaled sharply, then coughed slightly in disgust and placed some of the picked-up pots on the kitchen counter. He looked at the unconventional selection with a calm expression. His orange hair, slightly tousled, fell into his face. "I need to correct myself: I'm not sure if I'm not picky after all," he murmured, scratching his head, pulling a strand of blonde hair long, and seemed thoughtful. "But since you sort of saved me, you can have the chocolate bar. I'll take the birdseed if necessary."

Gritting his teeth, Beomgyu placed the found items on the floor and was annoyed at himself for falling back into old habits. He actually considered going out to get fresh food. Maybe it was just Yeonjun's almost selfless suggestion that he would actually eat birdseed.

"Well, at least you're honest," Beomgyu murmured, standing up and leaving the items on the floor. "Still, you should think of yourself first. Take what you want. I don't need anything."

With a generous step, he stepped over the food and left the spacious entryway to explore the house.

Yeonjun watched Beomgyu's movements with a thoughtful look. The gesture of offering him first choice touched something in him that he couldn't immediately grasp.

A soft exhale escaped Yeonjun's lips. Although his posture remained relaxed, his eyes reflected a hard-to-penetrate mix of gratitude and a hint of confusion. It was as if he was trying to understand Beomgyu's motives while simultaneously grappling with his own emotions.

"We could split it fairly so no one gets the short end of the stick," Yeonjun finally suggested, taking the chocolate bar in hand. As his stomach growled, he opened the package and split the bar in half. Then he extended his hand to Beomgyu, offering him one half. "Chocolate is known to make people happy," he said with a small smile.