𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕞𝕖 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖 || 𝟚𝕞𝕚𝕟

17 | Tied Together with a Smile

The extra courses had officially begun this week, and while most students groaned about having to stay longer, Seungmin didn't mind. For him, it was a chance to learn something practical and, more importantly, avoid the usual chaos of a crowded classroom.

It was the last class of the day, and as Seungmin entered the cooking room, he immediately noticed how sparsely populated it was. A small smile tugged at his lips—just as he'd hoped, not many people had chosen this course. The room was divided into several counters, each equipped for two students to work together. Seungmin made a beeline for the farthest station, pleased to claim it for himself.

He set down his bag and began organizing the tools on the counter, enjoying the calm atmosphere. But just as the instructor was about to start, the sound of the door creaking open drew everyone's attention. Footsteps echoed as someone rushed inside, and Seungmin's gaze snapped up just in time to see Minho entering the room, panting heavily.

Minho quickly slipped into the spot beside Seungmin with an unbothered grin.

Seungmin's mouth fell open in a small gasp of surprise.

"Hi," Minho greeted between breaths, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. "Sorry I'm late."

"Silence, everyone!" the teacher's stern voice boomed from the front of the class.

The man was notorious for being a no-nonsense type, which explained why so few students had signed up for this elective. Most preferred to avoid his endless lectures and sharp glares. He hated it when anyone talked during his class, but it didn't matter to Seungmin and Minho, they could talk without making any noise.

"How did you...?" Seungmin signed, still blinking in disbelief.

Minho leaned in slightly to read his hands. "Nothing else interested me that much," he said nonchalantly, straightening up. "And I figured I might learn something useful."

"Oh, really?" Seungmin's expression was skeptical, his lips twitching in amusement.

"Yeah... What else? Did you think I'm here because of you? Pfft, of course not," Minho said, faking an indignant pout.

"Sure," Seungmin responded, unable to hold back a laugh.

"Do you know how to cook?" Seungmin asked after a moment.

"Not unless you count instant ramen," Minho admitted, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm a disaster in the kitchen."

Seungmin laughed again, the sound soft but genuine.

"Hey, don't laugh!" Minho protested, though his grin betrayed his mock frustration. "I'm here to learn, okay?"

"Sorry, sorry," Seungmin signed quickly, suppressing another laugh.

At that moment, the instructor began assigning partners their first task of the semester: a simple dish, at least in his opinion, though the recipe appeared anything but.

"Let's start," Seungmin signed, gesturing toward the ingredients on their station.

"Only if you promise not to laugh if I mess up," Minho replied, wagging a finger at him.

Minho's confidence took a hit almost immediately as he struggled with the basics. His attempts to crack an egg ended with bits of shell falling into the bowl, and he squinted at the measuring cups as though they were written in a foreign language.

Seungmin bit his lip, trying not to laugh as he patiently signed instructions. Despite his best efforts, Minho fumbled through each step, muttering to himself under his breath.

When Minho began stirring the flour mixture, Seungmin noticed he was doing it all wrong. Without thinking, Seungmin reached out, placing his hand over Minho's to guide him.

"Like this," he signed with his free hand before returning it to the bowl.

The contact was brief but enough to send Minho's heart racing. His face flushed, and he couldn't meet Seungmin's eyes, focusing instead on the bowl in front of him.

Together, they worked through the recipe, Seungmin taking the lead while Minho followed his guidance. Despite the initial hiccups, they managed to plate the dish in the end.

"It actually looks good," Minho said, impressed as he examined their creation.

"Because I helped," Seungmin teased, signing the words with a grin.

"Okay, okay, I'll admit it—you're a great teacher," Minho said, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "But next time, I'll do it better."

Seungmin raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth lifting in silent laughter.

By the time the class ended, the two were smiling more than they had been all day, their laughter and silent conversations lingering as they cleaned up their station. It was a fun day, and as they left the classroom together, Minho knew that he wouldn't mind doing this with Seungmin every day.

Meanwhile—

The photography classroom was filled with the faint hum of conversations and the click of cameras as students adjusted their focus and experimented with angles. Felix and Jisung stood side by side, their brows furrowed in concentration as they tried to get the hang of the professional camera settings.

Hyunjin, however, sat on a stool nearby, arms crossed and lips jutting out in a sulk. His camera rested untouched on the table, the lens cap still on.

"Hyun, are you even paying attention?" Felix asked, glancing at him while fiddling with the shutter speed.

"He's just physically present here. Mentally, he's there in the cooking class," Jisung quipped, a grin spreading across his face. Felix couldn't help but chuckle as well.

Hyunjin huffed, his pout deepening. "But honestly," Felix said, turning to face him, "if you aren't interested in photography, why didn't you take cooking instead? Or something else?"

Hyunjin sighed dramatically, his gaze fixed on the table. "Because you guys are here. I'm not interested in any of the courses they offered. And about cooking... Seungmin didn't want me to join that. He said he wanted to be alone for at least one class during the day."

Felix raised a brow. "It's okay, Hyunjin. I'm sure he'll be fine."

"I don't know..." Hyunjin muttered, his hands fidgeting with the edge of his camera strap. "Now even Innie won't be there with him. He's alone over there without anyone to help. What if something—"

"Hyunnie, relax." Felix placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It was his choice, right? He wanted to be alone. Even he needs some space. I know you're worried about him, but he'll be fine. You have a life of your own, and so does he. Let him do what he feels like."

Hyunjin bit his lip, still unconvinced. "I still haven't moved on from what happened a few weeks ago... It looks like he already recovered from it, and I'm really happy about that, but I can't stop worrying. What if something like that happens again? And again, I'm not there for him?"

Felix's expression softened as he gently cupped Hyunjin's cheek, turning him towards him. "Look here, Hyunjin. What happened wasn't your fault, okay? And it won't happen again. That asshole Minho has learned his lesson, and I'm sure no one else in our school is as bad as him."

"Yeah," Jisung chimed in, stepping closer. "And if anything does go wrong, we're all here to help him. He's not alone, Hyun. He has us."

Hyunjin's tense shoulders finally slumped as he let out a long sigh. "You're right. I just... I worry too much sometimes."

"Exactly," Felix said with a smile, nudging him lightly. "Now, get rid of that sulky face and help us figure this out. We're struggling over here."

Hyunjin chuckled weakly, grabbing his camera for the first time since class started. "Alright, alright. Let's see what you guys are doing wrong."

The three of them leaned over the camera together, their laughter soon blending into the soft buzz of the room as they got back to work.