in which two souls are binded together with the red string of fate are then forced into a contract to be in a fake relationship where they're not supposed to fall in love but they do so anyways.
enhypen / park jongseong - jay
STARTED 220115
COMPLETE...
i've made some real big mistakes, but you make the worst one look fine. i should've known it was strange, you only come out at night.
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the scent of sizzling garlic and onions filled the small apartment kitchen as kyorin stood over the stove, stirring a pot of soup. she had been craving something warm, something comforting. cooking for herself wasn't something she did often, but tonight, she felt it'd get his mind off of whatever was making him upset.
she glanced over her shoulder at jay, who sat at the small dining table, his head resting in his hands. he hadn't said much since arriving, just that he was tired.
kyorin sighed softly before turning off the stove. "hey," she called, grabbing an extra cutting board and placing it on the counter. "wanna help me cook?"
jay lifted his head, eyes slightly unfocused. "huh?"
she nodded toward the ingredients spread across the counter. "i asked if you wanted to help me cook. maybe it'll help get your mind off whatever's making you look like a kicked puppy."
jay blinked at her for a moment before a faint smirk tugged at his lips. "kicked puppy?"
"yeah," she deadpanned, "you've been sitting there looking like you just lost your favorite stuffed animal."
his smirk widened just a bit, but he didn't argue. instead, he pushed himself up from the table and walked over to where she stood. "alright," he murmured, rolling up the sleeves of his hoodie. "what are we making?"
kyorin handed him a knife and pointed to the vegetables beside her. "i was just making something simple, but honestly, i'm kind of winging it."
jay hummed as he picked up a carrot, twirling it between his fingers, "you really just eyeball everything, huh?"
"i mean, yeah. cooking isn't an exact science."
jay let out a soft chuckle. "tell that to literally every professional chef."
despite himself, he grabbed a knife and began slicing with practiced ease. kyorin watched, eyebrows raising as he cut through the vegetables with precise, effortless movements. his hands moved smoothly, each slice uniform, each motion deliberate. he worked like someone who had done this a thousand times before.
she stared. "okay, what the hell?"
jay paused, glancing at her. "what?"
"where did you learn to do that?" she asked, gesturing to the perfectly diced ingredients in front of him. "i thought you were just some guy who liked cooking, not a whole chef."
he shrugged, setting the knife down. "my mom taught me."
kyorin's expression shifted slightly. "oh? so as your fake girlfriend, do i get to meet her?"
it was meant to be a joke, something light to ease the tension. but the way jay's face subtly tensed, how his eyes flickered with something she couldn't quite read, made her realize she might've hit a nerve.
