The School Idol's Roommate [BL]

The Diligent Student

Afternoons used to mean wandering around or hanging out in a cafe before going to Moonlight. Then spend the rest of the night chugging alcoholic beverages and chatting and laughing endlessly. Sometimes, Drew would join Aki and Zy. Oftentimes, it was just the two of them minus Drew and Aki loved that. Those days were a picture of happiness.

But these days were a different kind of happiness too.

With mid-term exams looming in the corner, Aki exchanged his nightlife to something simpler and quieter. Probably boring for some but definitely not for him. And hopefully not for his roommate too.

Aki peeked inside the kitchen the moment he arrived. Anticipation hummed silently inside him as he tried to guess the food based on the aroma that wafted throughout the apartment. He smiled. It could only mean one thing.

"That's delicious!" Aki said, looking over Liam's shoulder.

Liam cocked his head to one side, enough for Aki to see a side of his lips curved upward. "You haven't tasted it yet."

"I don't need to taste it. Your foods always taste good!" Aki hovered still as he inhaled the smell of good food.

Aki was not buttering up to Liam. It was the truth. After studying and living together for a couple of weeks, he learned that Liam cooked a lot. Cooking was the guy's de-stressor. He cooked to center himself in the morning. He cooked after a long day at the university or at work. He cooked when he was troubled. He cooked when he was pensive. He cooked a lot. Period.

Whenever he got home earlier than Aki, which was every day, he would prepare their snacks. Today's dish was pesto.

"Don't you have work today?" Until now, Aki had no idea where Liam worked. He could not find the right timing. He had every reason to believe that Liam would tell him if he just asked. But even so, he felt like asking would be prying. It did not feel right. Liam was not volunteering the information either.

Aki did not want to rock their current whatever relationship this was. Not too close but not too distant. They were getting along fine without being too involved with each other. And that was okay.

As Liam was preparing, Aki went to the living room, opened his notes and studied while waiting. By hook or by crook, he was going to ace his exams. He was not going to do the same mistake as did before. He was absorbed with what he was reading that he did not notice Liam beside him.

"Aki."

He looked up, eyes bleary from reading. He was not able to react on time when a finger poked him between his eyebrows and massaged the folds lightly. Aki blinked. Liam's face was close that Aki's eyes had trouble focusing.

"Too serious. You'll get wrinkles," Liam teased as he continued to knead the space between Aki's eyebrows before letting go.

Aki clamped his hand over the area poked. He was still surprised that his mind had not caught up with what happened that he could only puff his cheeks in exasperation. It only made Liam laughed harder and Aki flushed in a deeper shade of red.

"Come on, don't get mad," Liam coaxed and pushed the plate in front of Aki, "have a taste."

Aki puffed his cheeks in one last attempt to look annoyed. But failed to suppress the gulping sound he made when he swallowed. The food tasted great. Coupled with that of Liam's proud smile, those were enough to wash down the sourness he felt earlier and more energy to study.