Lessons From Romance

A New View

Pressing his lips even tighter together he stepped into the zone where he wasn't wanted.

Namjoo and Kai were cooking. A delicious aroma was swirling in the air while Luhan gazed at all the ingredients sitting disorderly on the table and on the counter. There was a pan on the stove with something sizzling on it.

"Oh sorry," Kai apologized and quickly removed some grocery bags off the chair, "sit down. Oh? You brought something?"

Luhan felt himself flush nearly embarrassed.

"O...oh yea..." was all he managed holding out the goodies.

Taking them from him Kai peeked into the bag before glancing over at Namjoo, who was sparing Luhan his shame by not paying attention.

"Look Namjoo," Kai showed her the contents in the bag. "Now you'll have something to eat when you're craving for sweets."

"Thanks," was all Namjoo said taking a quick glance at him, which he pretended to not see by looking elsewhere.

When Namjoo turned toward the sink Luhan finally shot his eyes toward her. He was enveloped by a sudden gloom, certain that she was upset with him. For the first time he sensed an air of awkwardness between them.

Luhan didn't like it...

"Do you want the meat crispy?" Kai asked.

Luhan watched them talk and felt slightly envious with the fact that the two of them could cook; it gave them something to bond over. He wanted to jump in and ask if they needed help, but thought that they knew what they were doing and his help would be useless.

"What are you doing?" Namjoo asked walking by to clear the table. "Sit down."

"Do you need help?" The words shot out of his mouth.

"It's ok, we're almost done," Namjoo brushed him off.

Luhan felt his insides shrivel up in guilt and shame. Sitting down as asked of him he watched Namjoo set the table quietly.

When Namjoo placed a bowl in front of him he quickly told, "It's fine. I'm not hungry. You two enjoy yourselves."

"What are you saying?" Kai asked. "Since you're here just eat with us."

The doorbell rang a few seconds later and he turned to glance out of the kitchen as if he could see who it was. Kai and Namjoo shot each other a glance before Namjoo offered to get the door. A few seconds later Chae Yoon appeared at the kitchen entrance, her smiling immediately disappearing from her lips as their eyes met.

"====="

Namjoo wasn't expecting a full house tonight. Tonight was supposed to belong to her and Kai, but there wasn't anything she could do about who was here already. Besides all that, she wasn't really one who could tell them to leave when they already took the effort to come by.

"I should've known you weren't going to be alone tonight," Chae Yoon commented walking in. "Do you mind if I eat too?"

"Oh...hi Chae Yoon." Kai greeted upon noticing her. "You're here? Did you just come from somewhere?"

"I got tired working on my new article, so I decided to stop by. Seems like someone got to Namjoo before I did," Chae Yoon explained inviting herself to a chair.

"Really? What are you working on?" Kai wondered.

Grabbing one more bowl from the cupboard Namjoo placed it in front of Chae Yoon.

"Fashion makers," Chae Yoon started before shooting her eyes toward Luhan, "and how it brings love."

"Oh? That's unique," Kai commented.