(OLD VER.) Avenue 17 | SVT ENSEM.

[ 九 ] NINE

[ "i wish cooking was actually as relaxing as those videos" ]

"my grandma...she loved baking. i used to stay with her when i was a kid since my parents travelled a lot and i was too young to go with them." wonwoo took a sip of water; his mouth already drying up. "so whenever she could, she made little treats. like cookies and soft cakes and sweet, melting chocolate desserts.. it was wonderful. i'd bring 'em to school and everyone loved them. and then everyone loved me."

wonwoo was beginning to grow quiet. mingyu rubbed his arm to tell him that it was okay. the couple listened on intently, occasionally sipping their water. wonwoo's nervousness was rubbing off on them.

"except...when she..when she, uh... when she went away. and i didn't have the treats anymore. then they suddenly didn't wanna hang with me in the playground or let me have my snack time with them anymore. i became lonely." wonwoo found his comfort in mingyu. he didn't care that someone else was watching him now. all he cared about was mingyu's presence. so he leaned back against him and mingyu placed his hand softly on wonwoo's shoulder. "without friends to talk to, or people who wanted to just have conversations with me, i never learnt how to socialise and because of that i got scared of big gatherings. because i never knew what to do. what's acceptable and what's not. i didn't know what made the big difference between me being the life of the party or the clown of the circus..." wonwoo sighed.

"i missed my grandma's baking. before i started bringing them to school, and when i wasn't the 'popular' kid, she reminded me every day that i didn't need to be liked by everyone. all that mattered was that i did my best in my studies and that i only focus on me and my future." seokmin cut in, "that's good advice," wonwoo smiled and sighed, "i know."

"when mingyu first brought back the chocolate filled pastries you guys made... it just reminded me of my grandma and all she taught me about just doing things for me. it reminded me of the times when things were okay because i had my grandma as my pillar of support. with each thing mingyu brought back, i felt like i was connecting with her. it was so surreal. so your baking helps. it does." wonwoo looked up at the couple after a long while of staring into the crevice of the sofa cushions. "you achieved your goal of reminding customers of home. she'd been my source of encouragement and because i found it again through your goods, i've been trying more than usual to learn to be social..." he looked up at mingyu. "and mingyu's been helping a lot too..."

when they locked eyes, wonwoo felt his heart skip a beat because of mingyu's warm smile that showed his canines.

【 ☆ 】

"i'm so glad you decided to talk to us today and trusted us with this info." joshua smiled and nodded. "it means a lot really; knowing a real and true growth story was influenced by us. and yes, you're right. i guess we did accomplish our mission." he looked at seokmin. "yeah, hyung. thanks so much for telling this to us."

"you were so brave to tell them yourself, wonu. i'm proud." mingyu smiled. the four talked a little more about the café and business before the couple decided their stay was overdue.

"gosh, it's late. i think we'd better scram." seokmin said. they waved their goodbyes and the they left mingyu and wonwoo's apartment to their own.

"did you see them look into each other's eyes?-" joshua was cut off my seokmin's muffled(but still surprisingly loud) scream in the lift. "they're so cute! you're so right about them." seokmin beamed. "it's so clear wonwoo-hyung likes mingyu. but does mingyu like him back?" seokmin shot out the question, a mischievous glint in his eyes. joshua smiled and it reached his eyes, "oh i hope so."

【 ☆ 】

seungcheol sighed, "block party friday?" jeonghan was lazing on the sofa looking through the bills for the residence. "my brain...cannot process these damn numbers!" he threw the stack on the table and wiped his face with his hands. "stress got ya, hannie?" seungcheol asked from the dining table; he had a clear view of jeonghan, who didn't say a word. seungcheol walked over to him and sat on the free space beside his legs, a comforting hand on jeonghan's arm. "no, i can't be like this." he said, determination suddenly burning in his eyes. he wiped away the tears seungcheol never saw. "chan's depending on me. depending on us."