#ㅤ* ╱ 조진달래. ━━━━ 520.

[jindallaebe]

a deep, disgruntled sigh seeps from his lips as alex busts his ass for not preparing a korean meal for him upon his homecoming. jindallae knows alex's personality and sense of humor, so thankfully it doesn't feel like a knife in the back, but at the same time, he still thinks he's being ungrateful. as far as he knows, alex has been spending most nights alone since the men he's become entangled with have busy schedules, so if anything, he should be glad that someone is willing to cook him a homemade meal, regardless of what it is.

"and here i thought that serving you a classic pasta dish, which is supposedly your favorite, would please you," he quips back, tone playfully scathing. "but fuck me, i guess. next time, if you have requests for the chef, let me know ahead of time. asshole."

before sitting, he reaches for the bottle of red wine he took from work; carefully releasing its cork, then pouring two hearty glassfuls for them both. tonight's a celebration, after all, even if alex is consistently trying to rain on the parade. for once though, jindallae's in a good mood, and the other's playful jabs and whining aren't cutting him too deeply. honestly, it's almost shocking to him that instead of giving the heat right back to him, he's letting each quip ricochet off of him, as if he's equipped with some type of armor.

once he's ready, he takes his seat, and as he tucks himself under the table, he shakes his head. "look, next time you come over, i'll give you korean-canadian fusion, just like you." picking up his glass, he takes a sip of the wine; its dry flavor alighting his tastebuds in all the right ways—the perfect apéritif. the owner of the restaurant recommended this when he told him what he was making, and the old man knew what he was talking about. when doesn't he though? "you'll get your favorite korean meal, and some of those beaver tails on the side, especially since you were such a good boy and set the table so nicely. thank you."

there's a smug smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, and he relishes in the compliment that he's been given. jindallae doesn't exactly need it, he's confident in his abilities, but he's always welcome to having his ego stroked. "i can assure you, it not only looks delicious, it'll taste delicious, too. i don't fuck around. your twinks could never make you somethin' like this." he teases, then motions to raise his glass. "cheers, man. i'm glad you're back." not bothering to make contact, he takes yet another long sip, then motions over to his utensil; digging in.

the savory essence overloads his tastebuds, the richness of it delicious in a way that he, personally, loves. he realizes that some may find this dish heavy, but he's all about it. hopefully alex is, too.

"what'cha been doing now that you're back, huh? do you have a job, or are you just sitting on your ass playing video games and pretending like its work?"

"i came all the way from the other side of the world for your cooking and you can't even bother to make me real korean food?" alex 'complains' in the way he often does, where he really doesn't mean a single word he says but says it all anyway. it's just to be annoying, just to get a reaction. even if he was genuinely disappointed, he really can't be that upset when he gets a whiff of the dish drifting from the kitchen; jindallae is a very talented chef after all.

"i guess the side dishes kinda count... i'll let it slide, i guess," he jokes more, though he rises to his feet to wander over. he lets curiosity guide him and he watches over jindallae's shoulder (as best as he can, the man is a freaking giant) as he drains the pasta and stirs in the egg sauce stuff. alex can cook, but it's not nearly as masterful as his friend's abilities. his experience is more utilitarian than artful he lived in a dorm with a handful of gamer boys for a couple years; someone had to feed them half-decent food before they killed themselves on a diet of instant ramen and energy drinks.

it's enough that he's not confident in attempting to make beaver tails on his own, even if he wants jin to try it. alex and hot oil do not mix very well and he's a little bit afraid of accidentally burning down the kitchen. better to plant the idea in his more experienced friend's head. "they look like a beaver tail, see?" he makes sure jindallae gets a good look at the pictures on his phone. other than the long, round, flat shape of the fried dough, there's really not much resemblance. but alex isn't going to admit that. "if you start selling them at the restaurant and make a fortune, you have to give me a cut for giving you the idea. got it?"

a long sigh escapes his lips the moment he's asked to do even the simplest task. alex will do it, but that doesn't mean he won't be a little bit of an ass on purpose first. "really? you invite me over and you make me work for my meal? you're a terrible host, jin." he rants, eye rolling and everything, even as he makes his way over to the fridge to do what he's asked. it's not that big of a deal, he's just intentionally difficult. it's more fun that way. "i can't believe you're making me slave away in your kitchen. you don't even pay me. you're the worst." he's sure to 'berate' his friend the entire time he's arranging the dishes on the table.

but for as much of an ass as alex is, even he can't find anything bad to say as the main dish is served. it smells fantastic and somehow looks even better. "honestly?" his only act of 'revenge' is to drag out his response, taking his sweet time to form the words to review the dish by appearance alone. "it looks great," he finally speaks, a grin on his lips as he takes his seat. "i can't say you outdid yourself because i know you're good at this shit, but i guess it came close or something."

[jindallaebe]

jindallae rolls his eyes slightly at alex’s comment, stifled laughter following suit. “yeah, and i can tell that you’ve already had plenty,” he quips, shaking his head. he wonders if something’s on his friend’s mind because, typically, he’s not one to throw back multiple drinks in succession, but jin refrains from prying. being that alex is so candid, he knows that, if something was bothering him and he wanted to talk about it, he’d say something. that, and maybe it’s a little selfish of him, but he doesn’t want to suffocate the mood he’s feeling by inviting in any outside drama. he doesn’t want to “crash the party,” so to speak. they’re all here to have a good time, so why not just surrender to the moment and leave the worries of life to be tended to some other time? that’s where he’s at, anyway, but at the end of the day, if alex needed a shoulder to lean on, or got too drunk and needed someone to help him back home, jindallae would be there for him. he’d be annoyed about it, and he’d never let him live it down ever again, but he’d make sure he was taken care of and safe; no doubt.

though, jin’s concerns are quick to dissipate when alex jokes about his marinade. that’s the guy he knows and loves. “how gross do you actually think i am, man?” he asks, rhetorically, though he’s prepared for some sort of snide comment in response. he’s learned to expect one when it comes to alex. “i did try this new technique of adding fresh kiwi to the marinade for a couple hours, then removing it. it made the meat so fuckin’ tender... and the sweetness gives it complexity, too.” realizing that he’s sounding a bit like a culinary nerd, he chides himself internally; glad that the subject has shifted to the real reason he’s here. though, alex’s reply shocks him—his eyes widening slightly at the surprise before his head shakes again; amused.

“trust me,” he begins, then glances back over at ren. “dude’s definitely not straight. he may not be gay, but he’s not straight. trust.” it feels almost wrong to speculate someone’s orientation like this, but if his and ren’s first encounter told jindallae anything, it’s that he’s for sure attracted to men. there’s no questioning it, either. it’s fact. when alex reveals that he used to live with ren, and that ren’s parents are “crazy religious,” things start to fall into place. “no wonder he was so nervous when i chatted him up the first time...” jin muses to himself, studying the situation more. “guess he just needs someone to show him the way...” though, the tail-end of his comrade’s comment elicits another eye-roll out of him. “ruin his life?” he asks, then laughs.

“nah, i’m not gonna ruin his life. i’m gonna make it much better.” with that, he finishes his bottle of beer, the smile etched on his face carrying a softly sinister feel.

“i didn’t know you lived with him, though. be real with me: is he gross?”

alex is happy for his friend, truly. ren has a once in a lifetime opportunity with this contract, a means to pursue a dream that so many others would call simply impossible. but ren has always been doing impossible things; playing video games for a living is already a dream job for most kids. how many big breaks is he going to have in his life? maybe alex is a little envious but it's all in good spirits. there's no reason here for envy to become resentment; it's not like alex has any business trying to be an idol after all.

what alex didn't totally anticipate was the email that found itself in his inbox, a familiar address in the from line that he never thought he'd saw directed his way again. he hasn't opened it yet, waiting until monday morning before he even tries to think about any business endeavors. he instead files it away in the back of his mind to worry about later. right now, he has a party to attend. and he's already a couple of drinks in and feeling a pleasant and familiar flush on his face when jindallae's elbow knocks into his. he follows his gaze and it's true; his friend certainly knows how to pick 'em. he raises his brows, somewhere between approving and asking 'really?'; it's not like he's totally ignorant to the fact that jindallae is here for ren, somehow.

"cheap beer tastes better the more you have," alex wisely affirms that he does, in fact, need another drink. "how dare you suggest i not drink on an empty stomach. i'm a man on a mission, don't you know?" he will probably get hungry and chow down on whatever jindallae has come up with before the night is over, but he can't help but joke about it now. "and please don't tell me you fucked your marinade to orgasm. that's breaking all sorts of health codes, i'm sure." he knows what jindallae means, it's just more fun to purposely misunderstand his words.

jindallae leans in, somewhat serious compared to the tone of their usual conversations, and alex follows his eyes until they land on the reason for the party; zhou ren, aka renegade. he's slow to respond, his quick wit a bit dulled by alcohol and trying to take this request seriously since his good friend is involved. "i think he's straight," alex admits. "i mean, i lived with the guy for a while when we were on the same team. he's got these crazy religious parents. maybe try not to ruin his life?" he shrugs; at the end of the day, jindallae will do whatever the hell he wants. at least alex gave his honest thoughts.