Sound of Winter || Taegyu

Chapter Twenty One

Taehyun stirs restlessly on the couch, the soft melody of chirping birds faintly hitting his ears through the living room window. He tries to fall back asleep, to avoid the sleep induced fog taking over his mind. A groan escapes his lips as he tries to stretch his arms, only being met with protesting muscles.

With bleary eyes, he blinks several times, adjusting to the bright light. His gaze wanders around the room, confused. Did he fall asleep on the couch?

As the uncomfortable sensation of his poor muscles embraces his body, he shifts his weight, feeling the imprint of the couch deeply etched into his skin. Slight aches and prickles travel through his body like unwelcome guests invading his personal space. With a heavy sigh, he sits up, letting out a yawn. His fingers reach up to massage his neck, feeling the rigid knots that had formed during the night.

With a deep exhale of frustration, he swings his legs over the side of the couch in an attempt to steal away the lingering weariness that resides in his body. The floor beneath his bare feet feels cold, sending shivers up his spine.

The smell of something familiar hits his nose. A distinct, slightly unpleasant smell that immediately gets rid of his remaining drowsiness. He wrinkles his nose, finding the fragrance to be oddly familiar yet out of place.

He turns around, glancing into the kitchen, and the sight that greets him brings both amusement and concern. He pushes himself up off the couch, letting his fingertips trail along the soft fabric before walking over to where Beomgyu is standing in the kitchen, his disheveled hair sticking out in different directions. It's grown a lot lately, going a little past his shoulders, and he wants to run his hands through it.

Beomgyu reaches over and grabs a spatula, trying to flip the pancake in the pan. A cloud of smoke encases the kitchen, seemingly mocking his efforts. He smiles at the look of determination plastered across Beomgyu's face, a crease of concentration etched on his brow.

It's the first time he's ever seen Beomgyu try to cook something, and he finds it absolutely precious.

"Good morning," he smiles, leaning against the kitchen island. "The food looks good."

Beomgyu jumps, his eyes wide as he turns around to see Taehyun, almost as if he had seen a ghost. "I'm sorry," he mumbles, turning back around to the food. Taehyun frowns. Why is he apologizing? "I wanted to surprise you, but I don't really know how to cook anything." Beomgyu reaches over and grabs the pancake box off the counter, his fingers tracing the lines of words as he reads them outloud. "I followed the instructions," he pouts.

Taehyun lets a soft laugh escape his lips as he reaches over to grab the box from him, not liking the way Beomgyu is beating himself up over something as simple as pancakes. "You did a great job, don't worry about it." When Beomgyu stares up at him, he can tell that the older doesn't believe him. "I'm serious," Taehyun continues. "Thank you."

There's a silence between them as Beomgyu focuses back on the food, placing the burnt pancakes down on a plate with a defeated sigh. They're burnt beyond belief, to say the least, and Taehyun has to stop himself from letting out a small laugh.

"How about I help you?" Taehyun asks, pushing himself off the counter and standing beside Beomgyu. He believes that Beomgyu can do it, he just needs a little bit of guidance. "I'll show you how to do it."

A nod from Beomgyu is all it takes for Taehyun to smile, reaching over to grab the batter.

"You have to make sure the pan is hot enough first," Taehyun starts. "If it's too cold the pancakes will soak up all the oil and become too soggy, and if it's too hot they'll burn." He reaches over and adjusts the heat on the stove, turning it down. "You can always sprinkle a bit of water on the pan if you want to see if it's hot enough, it should sizzle."