Wishlist [txtzy#1]

Wishlist-47(breakfast)

The next morning brought a warmth Chaeryeong hadn't felt in a long time. The memory of last night's kiss and their heartfelt reconciliation lingered, wrapping her in a bubble of happiness. For the first time in what felt like forever, she woke up with a genuine smile.

Determined to start the day on a positive note, she headed downstairs, her steps light and carefree. The sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a golden glow over the kitchen. Humming softly to herself, she began gathering ingredients to make breakfast for everyone.

She had just cracked an egg into the pan when she felt it—a hand slipping under the hem of her pajama top to rest on her bare waist. The sudden warmth against her skin sent a jolt up her spine, her breath catching.

"What are you doing?" a deep, familiar voice murmured from behind, low and teasing, the heat of his breath brushing against her neck.

Chaeryeong froze, her heart hammering wildly. Turning slowly, she found herself pinned between the counter and Taehyun, his arms braced on either side of her. His gaze was intense yet playful, his lips quirking into a small smirk.

"W-what a-are you doing?" she stammered, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink as her wide eyes met his.

Taehyun leaned in closer, the mischievous glint in his eyes softening into something warmer. "Just saying good morning," he whispered, his tone dripping with amusement.

Chaeryeong felt her face grow hotter. Her eyes darted toward the doorway, panic flickering across her expression. "What if someone sees us?" she whispered urgently, her voice barely above a breath.

Taehyun raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "Let them," he said simply, his voice calm yet laced with confidence.

Her eyes widened. "Taehyun!" she hissed, trying to push him back, but he didn't budge.

"What?" he asked, tilting his head as though her concern amused him. "Why should I care if they see? Let them know I'm with you." His voice dipped, low and steady. "Let them know you're mine."

The possessiveness in his tone sent her heart into overdrive. Her hands, which had been pushing against his chest, now froze mid-motion. His words echoed in her ears, making her stomach flip.

"T-Taehyun..." she tried to protest, but the look in his eyes silenced her.

He leaned in, his lips brushing the shell of her ear as he whispered, "I'm not hiding how I feel anymore, Chaeryeong. Not now. Not ever."

Her breath hitched as she felt his hand slip from her waist to rest on her hip, grounding her in the moment. She opened her mouth to respond but couldn't form any coherent words, overwhelmed by the intensity of his gaze and the weight of his words.

Suddenly, the sound of a chair scraping in the dining room broke the tension. Chaeryeong jumped slightly, her head turning toward the doorway in panic.

Taehyun chuckled softly, his hand retreating as he stepped back just enough to give her space, though his smirk lingered. "Relax," he said, grabbing an apron from the hook nearby. "I'll behave."

Chaeryeong let out a shaky breath, glaring at him half-heartedly as she tried to regain her composure. "You're impossible," she muttered, her cheeks still flaming.

"And you love it," he quipped, tying the apron around his waist as if nothing had happened.

She turned back to the stove, her hands trembling slightly as she picked up the spatula. "Just... go set the table or something," she grumbled, though her lips curved into a small smile she couldn't suppress.

As they worked side by side, the atmosphere remained charged with a quiet intimacy. Taehyun occasionally brushed past her, his smirk never fading, while Chaeryeong struggled to focus, her heart still racing from his boldness

The sound of soft laughter and the clinking of dishes drifted into the living room as NingNing and the others made their way downstairs. Groggily rubbing her eyes, NingNing froze at the doorway to the kitchen, her jaw dropping.

"Wait. What?" she blurted out, blinking rapidly as if to make sure she wasn't still dreaming.

Next to her, Shuhua's eyes went wide, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh. My. God," she whispered dramatically, nudging NingNing's arm.

Standing in the middle of the kitchen, Chaeryeong and Taehyun were working side by side, laughing softly as they moved around each other. Chaeryeong was flipping pancakes while Taehyun handed her ingredients, his hand lingering a little too long whenever he touched hers. The air between them was so warm and intimate it practically radiated off them.

"Am I imagining things, or are they cooking together?" NingNing asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and awe.

"They're cooking," Shuhua confirmed, squinting suspiciously. "But that's not the weird part."

NingNing tilted her head, confusion evident on her face. "Then what is?"

"They're not fighting," Shuhua deadpanned.

"Ohhhh." NingNing gasped, realization dawning on her face. "Yeah, that is weird."

Jay sauntered into the room, a smirk already plastered across his face. "Well, they did come home really late last night," he drawled, his tone dripping with innuendo.

Both girls whipped their heads toward him. "Jay!" NingNing hissed, slapping his arm.

"What?" he said innocently, though the knowing glint in his eyes betrayed him. "I'm just saying... It's not hard to connect the dots."

Meanwhile, Jisung had joined the group, standing stiffly in the corner. His eyes were glued to Chaeryeong and Taehyun, a mixture of hurt and frustration flickering across his face. He clenched his jaw as he watched Taehyun lean in close to whisper something in Chaeryeong's ear, making her giggle.

The others noticed his expression, exchanging quick glances before Shuhua decided to stir the pot. "Wow, Taehyun's so sweet. Look how he's helping Chaeryeong. They're like... the perfect team," she said loudly, her tone dripping with fake admiration.

NingNing caught on immediately, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Right? I mean, the way he looks at her? Ugh, it's like a drama come to life."

"Totally," Jay chimed in, smirking as he leaned against the doorway. "And did you see the way she smiled at him? That's not just a thank-you-for-helping-me-cook smile."

Jisung's frown deepened, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Okay, enough," he muttered, his voice low but tight with frustration.

"Oh, come on, Jisung. Don't be such a killjoy," Shuhua teased, nudging him with her elbow. "It's just breakfast. Right?"

Jisung shot her a glare before storming off, mumbling something under his breath.

As soon as he disappeared, Shuhua burst out laughing. "He's so obvious," she said, clutching her stomach.

NingNing grinned, leaning closer to whisper conspiratorially, "This is going to get so interesting."

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Chaeryeong glanced toward the doorway, a slight frown tugging at her lips. "Are they staring at us?" she whispered to Taehyun.

He didn't even look up, too busy plating the pancakes. "Let them," he said casually, his lips curving into a small smile.

Chaeryeong rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the tiny blush creeping onto her cheeks. She bit her lip, turning back to the stove, her heart racing.