venusflowerwork

[seven-deadly-dishes]

Udon Carbonara

via FeedMi

[meownotgood]

I just know aki makes you the most delicious warm homemade meals........

[kcrossvine-art]

Hi fellow adventurers!! A few weeks ago i caught wind of "Delicious in Dungeon". I'm not really an anime person, but I am a TTRPG, CRPG, and cooking person- . And holy shit. It is so good i  convinced my partner to binge read the whole thing. I'm caught up on dungeon meshi, the anime, and just yesterday i also finished dungeon meshi, the manga.

Its rare to come across a serialized story that is so thematically cohesive and knows its characters so well. All of the bonus content like the artbooks and monster tidbits are just the icing on top.

So, inspired by Ryōko Kui's writing and illustration I'm going to attempt to create a recipe for every single Delicious in Dungeon recipe!-

Today that means Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom hotpot is on the menu!

(As always you can find the cooking instructions and full ingredient list under the break-)

MY NAMES CROSS NOW LETS COOK LIKE ANIMALS

SO, “what goes in to a Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom hotpot?” YOU MIGHT ASKThis is one of the pricier dishes until we get to the kelpies and dragons of the menu-

Rock lobster tail

Porcini mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms

Snow fungus

Small potatos

Fensi (glass noodles)

Water

OPTIONAL: your choice of dipping sauces

There was a crossover/promotional event in Shibuya which featured various realworld dishes from the series. They had one for Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom, but they used prawns.  while those cook better in a hotpot, they also didn't look enough like the scorpion for me, they also used udon noodles for the slime and a seaweed/kale(?) mixture for the algae. If you're looking for substitutes due to price or availability i would start with those ingredients.

AND, “what does a Huge Scorpion and Walking Mushroom hotpot taste like?” YOU MIGHT ASKI hope Senshi would forgive me for technically cooking the lobster outside the pot, once he tastes it.

Okay im always partial to veggies but wowowowowowowoowowowow the snow fungus and the mushrooms tasted soooooooooooo good in the lobster stock

A nice delicate layering of different flavors

Try to get a bite with the lobster meat and shiitake together, dip in butter then chili- trust me

Its up to you what texture you prefer if you want to put the noodles in at the end or put them in halfway through the meal. Either way dont go for eating those first as theyre very filling

I think this would pair well with a citrus drink, something light and clarifying

This would also pair well with being extremely high and hungry (if you feel safe cooking while inebriated lol) very calorically dense

For the trial run I did one lobster tail in the pot with everything else, and one lobster tail off to the side to be picked apart. The former is more in spirit with a hotpot, but it got rubbery as the meal went on and lost its nice taste. The latter may be a bit more work but all you have to do still is boil it and set it aside. I found it held up much better. It was also easier to get inside the shell.

. If you have hardshell maine lobster available, i think it would be superior to rock lobster (keep in mind crustaceans will get rubbery if cooked too long in the pot) . Green onions and/or lotus root would make excellent additions

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From getting the ingredients out to sitting down and eating, id say it took maybe 30 minutes max? It'd vary on how fast you can prep vegetables and get the various implements heated.

Hotpots are not something i do very often as i'm usually just feeding myself. I think thats why a hotpot makes perfect sense to start the series off. If you want to set the tone of "take care of yourself, eat food with others, and use what you have" (generally speaking) there is nothing more simplistic, flexible, and defeats-the-purpose-if-you-eat-it-alone than a hotpot. Gather around and let your friends bring ingredients to the pot if you want to fill your heart up extra full <3

I'm doing something different here because unlike previous recipes where i used a bunch of different sources and made my own recipe out of hodge-podging it, or just used another persons recipe entirely if they did it really well, i made this more whole-cloth based off of what i had available, what I could discover through research, and my existing knowledge. Instead of the recipe being 50/50 original, this one is more 20/80. So. I'll pass the final verdict off to you guys :D 

What would you rate this recipe out of 10? (with 1 being food that makes one physically sick and 10 being food that gives one a lust for life again.) Did you love it, did you hate it? What're your thoughts on what I could do different, and what would you have done instead?

🐁 ORIGINAL RESIPPY TEXT BELOW 🐁

Ingredients:

2 Rock lobster tails

3 Porcini mushrooms

2 Shiitake mushrooms

Snow fungus (a good handful, should rehydrate in the hotpot)

2 Small waxy potatos

Fensi (glass noodles)

Water/lobster stock

Method:

Lightly rinse all of your vegetables beforehand and let them dry.

Vertically slice the porcini mushrooms. Cut off and dice the stems of the shiitake mushrooms. You can slice the tops if youd like.

Peel and cube the potatoes, roughly an inch each.

For the lobster tails; Boil a pot of salted water. Keep the shell on. Weigh the largest tail and add 1 minute of cooking time for every ounce of weight.

When done, strain the lobster from the water. Pour the water into your hotpot as the base. Serve the lobster on the side so people can pick the meat out to dip into the hotpot.

Bring the hotpot to a simmer. Add the potato cubes, snow fungus, mushrooms, and noodles.

OPTIONAL: this wasnt in the show, but its fun having sauces on the side :) i had oyster sauce, dry seasoned chili dip, melted butter, and soy sauce available

[rninies]

✮ sleeping over - gojo satoru

synopsis: gojo satoru finally convinces you to stay over his place.

warnings: fluff, gn!reader, pouty gojo, reader loves teasing him — wc: 698

notes: new fic after idk how many days yipee hey people

satoru dislikes staying at home sometimes. it’s not about how fancy his house is or even how comfortable it is. no, it’s about not having you in the house. he loves your company a lot and is always so dependent on you. he loves hugging you, kissing you, touching you — satoru loves your presence so much that he feels like he can’t live without you (it’s such an exaggeration you say to him when he says that to you).

“y/n, baby, honey,” satoru whines. he wraps an arm around your waist, pulling you back down onto his lap as you are about to stand up. “are you going to stay over tonight?”

“…mm, maybe next time,” you reply, and satoru groans.

“you always say next time, though.” satoru pouts, resting his chin on your shoulder. “come on. just this once. we’ve been dating for four months now! it’s gotta happen someday.” the way he tightens his grip on your waist is a silent beg for you to stay. “please?”

you sigh, finally giving in. “okay, fine.” satoru gasps, happy. “but you will be taking care of dinner tonight.”

“okay!” satoru says in excitement. “what do you want? sushi? pizza? pasta? say anything and you’ll get it!”

you stifled a laugh. “hm, you can just make anything you want. i don’t mind.”

“okay. i’ll make us some kitsune udon.” satoru says. you nod in agreement.

satoru lets go of you, allowing you to move away from him. he takes the ingredients out and starts cooking. you silently admire satoru from the couch, looking at him cutting up the ingredients, boiling the water, and waiting for the udon to finish. as soon as he finishes, he sets the two bowls down on the table, clapping his hands in satisfaction.

“dinner’s ready!” satoru exclaims. you stand up, the smell of kitsune udon filling your nose. “mm, it smells amazing, toru!”

“of course it does.” satoru smugly says. “i’m the best cook after all. the best one you’ll ever meet in the entire world.”

“pft-” you giggled. “yeah, okay whatever you say, master chef satoru.” satoru frowns, not taking the insult (as he would call it) very well. however, instead of refuting you, he sits down at the left side of the table, far from you, and starts eating quietly. “why are you sitting so far away from me?”

“no reason why.” satoru shrugs, continuing to eat his udon. “why? you got a problem with that?”

you suppress the smile from forming on your face, knowing the reason behind this. “no. just wondering why.”

satoru frowns once more, upset at the lack of reaction. he stands up and sits next to you, slamming his bowl on the table, and spilling a little bit of the soup. “i can never get to you can i?”

“nope.” you say, popping the ‘p’. “you’re just too cute when you’re mad.”

“i hate you,” satoru mumbles. “i hate you with my every soul. i regret inviting you to stay over.”

“yeah, okay,” you say, finishing your udon. “wanna watch a movie after this?”

“yes.” satoru replies immediately. you both finish your meal, satoru immediately takes your bowl to wash it. “you can go pick the movie. if you pick the same barbie movie-”

“i am definitely watching barbie: princess charm school,” you say and rush to the couch. satoru chases after you and the both of you grab the remote, fighting over it. “hey-! come on, give me the remote, toru!”

“no way! i am not watching that movie for the tenth time this week and it’s only tuesday!” satoru says. “let me watch something i’ve been wanting to watch already! come on, let’s watch horror!”

“no way!” you exclaim, pulling the remote harder. “you know how much i hate horror! you’re the one who asked me to pick the movie for tonight so you better let me watch barbie!”

satoru pulls the remote back and it actually leaves your hand, making you lose your balance. you gasp, trying to catch your balance but you fail. satoru quickly catches you and the both of you fall on the couch. unsurprisingly, you fall on top of satoru, to which he is very happy about. “hey.” he says with a smile on his face.

“don’t say anything.” you frowned, though you were in a really comfortable position. “don’t move, actually. i’m really comfortable.”

“what?” satoru laughs. “at least let me be comfortable.” he holds you gently as he moves back to the couch. “there. and since i’m a nice host, i’ll let you watch barbie.”

“really? yeay!” your eyes sparkled happily. you grab the remote and play it. “just admit you like this movie. it’s a fun one!”

“yeah, sure.” satoru’s eyes are on you, watching the pretty smile on your face widen as the introduction to the movie starts. “i do like it.”

taglist: @planetnini @xintre @kyoghurts @sad-darksoul (send an ask to be added!) <3

[peachdues]

THE GREAT WAR — PART II TEASER

Giyuu’s Flashback • Secret Pregnancy AU

A/N: don’t think I’ve forgotten about these two!

Enjoy a small teaser featuring a key flashback for Giyuu from Part II of TGW. As I said in the notes for Part I, this is a non-linear story, and this flashback in particular is something referenced in Part I, while Reader is patching Giyuu’s wound up (a hint: Giyuu’s particular questioning about Reader’s choice of perfume oils).

Enjoy a little humor and a very, very flustered Water Pillar.

CW: accidental spying while Reader is bathing • Giyuu gets horny but doesn’t realize why • Giyuu is an idiot

READ PART I HERE

The shop vendor continued to gape after the woman long after she disappeared into the bustling crowd. Mildly, Giyuu noted that he’d polished the same dish two times over, unable to break free from his trance.

“Was that not the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen?”

“I did not notice.” He replied, chewing thickly on his mouthful of udon. The vendor raised a single, skeptical eyebrow at his dismissiveness but said nothing more, and for that Giyuu was grateful.

He hated small talk, especially when he was trying to enjoy his meal. If anything, it only took away from the experience, ensuring that half his food ended up everywhere — his lap, the counter — but his mouth.

Besides, the Merchant’s attempt to engage him on this particular subject was rather pointless. In truth, Giyuu never really found anyone beautiful — not really. Though, he supposed as he shoved down another mouthful of his soup, perhaps that was because he’d never truly bothered to pay attention to anyone to definitively say one way or another. Paying attention to something as trivial as one’s physical appearance meant he wasn’t focusing on that which truly mattered — like signs of demons, of things going bump in the night.

And Giyuu Tomioka did not tolerate distractions.

With a grimace, he drained the last of the broth from his bowl and tossed a handful of change on the counter for payment. He only nodded curtly at the cook in farewell before he set off, ready to do one final patrol through the forest leading to his home before he would return and await his next orders.

The sleepy forest absorbed the sound of his footsteps as Giyuu made his way through the unmarked path he’d established as the final length of his patrol through the small, mountainous region in which he was assigned. Judging by the faint chirps of the earliest birds beginning to sound from the canopy of trees above, he knew dawn was close, and thus, his vigil was coming to an end.

The night had been relatively quiet, and so Giyuu allowed his thoughts to roam to the Shrine at the other end of the forest. He wondered whether its grounds were already abuzz with trainee priestesses and groundskeepers, as they flurried around to take care of their morning duties before breakfast was served.

Truthfully, his mind was only interested in the activities of one particular trainee, but the Water Pillar had no reason to drop by the once-reverent shrine, and so, he decided to stick to his current route, and then he’d make his way back for a few hours’ rest. If anything were amiss at the shrine, one of the crows he’d stationed there would alert him.

As Giyuu began to make the loop that would lead him back to his barren estate, a shift in the wind brought a change in scent from that of the usual dirt-pine-molded earth odor he’d always associated with the woods, to something softer; sweeter.

The Water Pillar frowned as the early morning breeze wafted more of the peculiar scent towards him. The herbal-floral fragrance was out of place amidst the familiar, damp rot of the forest, and it made him uneasy. Giyuu had long since learned that things that were out place usually spelled trouble, and where there was trouble, there was usually demon activity afoot.

That was all it took for him to change his course of action. With a fluid deftness that came only from years of having to tread lightly to avoid being ripped apart, Giyuu moved through the forest towards the source of the scent, it’s pull growing thicker as he drew nearer.

A cursory glance toward the canopy of the forest above him revealed a lightening sky; the stars had long since winked out, and the Water Pillar knew that the sun was well on its way to breaking over the horizon. But until that time arrived, the threat of demon activity persisted, and this unknown scent was far too close to not investigate.

Besides, if there was a demon in this forest, that meant it could stumble upon the Shrine at any moment, and that was a risk Giyuu would not take.

He took off in a silent run, eyes peeled to track any movement in the dark, his ears pricked for the slightest signal of something misplaced — an odd crack of a branch, or the sudden silence of the rising, tittering birds.

As the trail of strange floral perfume grew stronger, so too, did the distinct aquatic scent of nearby water. His eyes narrowed; only a few feet ahead, the trees thinned into a line before giving way to a large gap.

A clearing. One that housed a sizeable waterfall, judging by the telltale sound of roaring water as it smashed into a cluster of rocks below. He eased into a stealthy prowl toward the opening, his body alert and poised to respond to any threat that awaited him beyond the darker of the forest.

But all was quiet; yet, years spent within the Corps had ingrained within him a deep mistrust of silence. And so, Giyuu lingered in the shadows of the trees surrounding the small waterfall as he watched, waiting.

The raven-haired slayer’s attention snapped to a small disturbance over by the bank of the waterfall. The sky had lightened enough that he could make out a figure, clad in white, knelt down in the shallow of the river basin.

Giyuu’s hand drifted to the hilt of his sword, but as his eyes further adjusted, he felt his mouth go dry.

Silhouetted against the faint glow emitting from the waterfall and the rapidly lightening sky, Y/N sharpened into focus as she waded deeper into the pool, a small bucket cradled in her arms.

She was not dressed in her usual, traditional Miko attire; rather, she was clad only in a thin white kimono that clung wetly to her hips as she moved towards the waterfall. She paused at the base of the gentle flow of river from the cliff above, and she pulled a small vial from her bucket that she uncorked with one hand.

The shrine maiden poured the contents of the glass over her head, the liquid too viscous to be water. Giyuu closed his eyes and sniffed the air, and he noted that the scent of herbs and flowers now hung in the air like a thick perfume.

The Water Pillar’s gaze snapped back down to the vexatious Miko just as she filled her bucket with water from the fall. With a grace that he hadn’t realized the young woman possessed, Y/N lifted the pail over her head and tipped its contents over, allowing the water to pour down her frame, drenching her.

A cleansing ritual, Giyuu realized as he watched her repeat the process once more. And a very old one at that; he wasn’t sure many shrine maidens still partook in the rite.

Though, Giyuu supposed, it would make sense that Y/N would not only know of the outdated ceremony, but that she would practice it, given that she’d been raised by a grandmother who insisted on abiding by tradition at all cost.

He hadn’t realized that the mere observation of a cleansing rite meant that its participant would look the way Y/N did, standing in the cool spring, clad in nothing but a thin white gown that the water had nearly turned transparent. The Water Pillar’s worked to swallow around the lump that had formed in his throat as Y/N’s water-soaked kimono clung to her skin, revealing the soft, rounded curve of her backside and the delicate length of her legs that Giyuu hadn’t realized she possessed under the loose layers of her shrine outfit.

Giyuu shifted his weight in the tree, inexplicably enraptured by the Miko’s morning ritual to realize he’d startled a small bird into flight.

Y/N whipped around at the disturbance and the ravenette shrank further back into the shadows, his cheeks feeling bizarrely warm at the sight of the young woman now facing his direction.

Giyuu chanced a glance back at the Miko just as the sun broke over the horizon, its pale golden light reflecting off the calm surface of the spring, casting Y/N in the hoary glow of the cascading waterfall.

She looked…like she did not belong in this world. Her hair hung around her shoulders and down to her waist, and the spray of the waterfall clung to the strands like thousands of glittering stars. Her eyes were sharp and bright as they scanned the tree line for the source, her soft, reddened lips twisted down into an uncharacteristic frown.

Giyuu kept his assessment of her form, so stripped back and vulnerable, confined strictly to her face. It was bad enough that the sight of Y/N, standing in the luminescent water, had sent his pulse skyrocketing; he did not trust what would happen if he allowed his gaze to drop lower, to where that diaphanous kimono covered her chest.

Perhaps there was a perfectly logical explanation for his strange reaction to the image of Y/N, standing in the pool, that had nothing to do with her at all. He wondered whether some of the herbs she’d used in her cleansing oil could impart a physical effect on those exposed to their concentrated fragrance; Giyuu made a mental note to find a casual way to ask her, the next time he saw her.

Y/N turned away from him once more as she began to wade back over to the bank of the spring. Now that the sun had risen, Giyuu could spy the familiar white and red cloth of her kosode and hakama pants, folded in a neat bundle atop a small boulder.

Before the sun could chase away the shadows of the forest and reveal his presence, Giyuu turned away and retreated, willing himself not to ponder on the fact that she’d changed clothes, in the middle of a dark forest, just prior to his arrival.

Though, his commitment to not thinking about how the shrine maiden may have looked as she discarded her usual attire in favor of the flimsy bathing kimono she’d been wearing meant that Giyuu’s traitorous thoughts wandered instead to the memory of her standing hip-deep in the spring. His mind struggled to categorize the mental image of her — she was the same Y/N he’d come to know, and yet, something about her was different, though he couldn’t, for the life of him, figure out what it was.

The word he’d been searching for came to him not long after the sun had fully risen in the early summer sky, just as the sloped roof of his manor came into view.

Beautiful, Giyuu decided. Y/N was beautiful.

dividers from @/saradika • reblogs/comments/likes always appreciated!

[not100bees]

My orange chicken recipe It's not authentic but it is very very good.

You take chicken. I use chicken breasts because they're lean and they take to the oven better but you can use chicken thigh. Just any boneless chicken will do. Okay you take eggs. You scramble the eggs and then you dunk the chicken at the eggs and then you dunk the chicken in a two-part cornstarch one part flour mixture. If you want it to be really really good you can fry it but I bake it because it's slightly healthier.

Then for the orange sauce I take orange juice, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar if you have it, white vinegar if you don't, soy sauce, minced garlic, crushed red chili pepper, orange zest, and the oranges that you zested. It should be a dark orange but still recognizably orange not brown and the strongest taste should be orange but definitely tangy and sweet. Then you mix cornstarch with water, and add it to the sauce and then you toss the cooked chicken and thinly sliced green onions I also like to add bell pepper but it's not mandatory with the sauce until it's glossy. And then I serve it over udon noodles. If I have udon noodles if I don't I do fried rice.

[kobunnie]

the one that got away

ft. fushiguro megumi

⤻ summary ; katy perry's song

⤻ word count ; 2.8k

⤻ genre ; angst, (there are fluff moments)

⤻ cw ; none

⤻ pronouns ; she / her

Your first mistake was getting attached to someone the summer after high school.

"You are so cooked, y/n," Nobara sighed, watching you lay on your stomach as you stared at your phone expectantly.

"Shhhh," you shushed, tapping your screen to see if you had somehow missed his notification. No notification. "Why isn't he texting me back, Nobara?"

"Maybe he's busy."

"Or he's ignoring me!" you wailed, throwing your face into your bed, muffling your defeated groans. "He must've seen the preview of my message and decided that I was crazy for even asking!"

"I can barely understand you."

You raised your head, eyes watering. "He doesn't want to hang out with me!"

Nobara rolled her eyes. "I don't understand why you're so down bad for this dude you've only known for like what, a month?"

"Two," you corrected. "We've known each other for two months."

"Barely known each other. You met him by accident through Itadori at a party. And subsequently, after that, you had only talked to him in person two other times. You've only just started actually talking to him three weeks ago."

You pouted. "Yes, but I like him, Nobara. He's cute and funny and just seems to get me."

"I think he's quiet and rude."

"You don't know him like I do."

Nobara screwed up her face in disgust. "You have issues."

You laughed and sat up. "I really do like him, Nobara. I don't know why, but it's so easy to talk to him. We get along really well. I want to go out with him."

Nobara grabbed your hands in hers. "Okay, but you guys will leave for university in a little over a month. And you guys are going to opposite sides of the world. What happens if it goes really well, too well, and you get too close? Wouldn't it suck to leave? How would you deal with that?"

You pursed your lips. "But wouldn't I regret it if I didn't hang out with him?"

"But you could also end up regretting doing anything with him at all."

"So, is it worse to regret something that did happen or something that didn’t but could have?"

"I don't know, y/n," Nobara said defeatedly. She smiled tightly. "Just think about how this will affect you in the future."

Your phone pinged and you quickly pulled away from Nobara, swiping it up and scanning the screen.

Fushiguro Megumi: Ok

"What did he say?" Nobara asked, noticing your expression.

"Just 'Ok'." You flipped your phone towards her. "I don't even know how to react to that."

You hated to admit it, but his answer bothered you. It was dry and discouraging. It's not like you had expected him to send you a message like, "Yes! I would totally like to hang out with you ASAP" but still.

"At least he didn't say no?" Nobara offered.

Your phone pinged again.

Fushiguro Megumi: Let's get dinner

"He said ‘Let's get dinner'," you read aloud.

"Okay, dinner date, a classic. And he suggested it, I guess that's a good sign."

You nodded in agreement. "This is true. Maybe he's just a bad texter?"

Two days later, you bounced on your heels at the train stop, waiting for Megumi to show up. The two of you had decided to get ramen together at this new build-your-own-bowl place downtown. You were nervous to meet with him, but also excited. You got along really well when texting, how different could in person be?

“Hey, y/n.” You turned and saw Megumi walking towards you.

You smiled. “Hi. We have to go this way.”

The two of you walked towards the restaurant, engaging in simple small talk. He asked what you had done that day and you asked him how his train ride was. You also talked about Itadori, reminiscing about how ridiculously funny the boy was at the end-of-year party in May where the two of you had met.

“What kind of noodles did you get?” you asked, leaning over the table to see into Megumi’s bowl.

“Udon,” he said. “What about you?”

You tilted your bowl. “These skinny ramen ones. But udon sounds good too, Fushiguro.”

“You can call me Megumi,” he said, dropping his gaze to his bowl. He stirred his noodles.

You smiled. “Okay then, Megumi.” You were happy that he thought the two of you were close like that, but at the same time, your stomach turned at the thought. Nobara was right. Maybe you were going to get too close.

The conversation came easy, and you were smiling and laughing more than you had ever had with any other guy you’d ever hung out with. It was weird, but also pleasantly surprising.

“I like talking to you, Megumi,” you blurted, pushing aside your finished bowl. You dropped your gaze to the table, realizing what you had just said.

“I like talking to you too, y/n.” You looked up and Megumi smiled softly at you. Your face flushed a pink color.

You cleared your throat. “Maybe we should hang out again?”

“I’d like that.”

Over the next three weeks, you hung out with Megumi a total of five times more. You wished it could have been more, but it seemed that each time you wanted to hang out someone was busy or someone had an appointment. The two of you got brunch where you found out that Megumi was a blueberry pancake person which seemed all too perfect in your head. You also once went shopping, where you bought a pretty new dress after getting lunch together. At one of your last hangouts, you invited him over to bake cookies and watch a movie where you found out that Megumi was a pretty decent baker. 

“You didn’t tell me you were a baker, Megumi,” you laughed, watching as he rolled the cookie dough into little balls.

He shrugged. “I guess there’s a lot of things about me you don’t know.”

“Trying to be mysterious or what?” you teased.

He laughed. “Of course.”

You stared at him, thinking that he was the most beautiful person you had ever seen when laughing and smiling. It almost made you forget about how he would be leaving soon.

Meeting Fushiguro Megumi had not been on your bucket list for summer. His presence in your life was a wrench in your plans and you couldn't even begin to explain to your friends why he mattered so much to you. After all, you two had barely had a month together and nothing lasting that short was ever truly that serious.

Fushiguro Megumi: What are u doing today?

Fushiguro Megumi: I wanna see u

You stared at the messages on your phone, thinking of how to respond. Of course, you wanted to see him too, but he would leave the next day. You were afraid that if you saw him, you'd break down and he'd realize how embarrassingly much you liked him.

Fushiguro Megumi: What's wrong?

What was wrong was that you didn't want to humiliate yourself in front of the guy you had foolishly developed real, deep feelings for. You typed back your response: Nothing. Just busy.

Fushiguro Megumi: Too busy to hang out for a few hours?

Yes. But really, no. You called Nobara, hoping that she would be able to give you advice.

“I don’t know what I should text back to him,” you explained. “I mean, I want to see him. But is it worth it?”

“Do you remember when I told you this wasn’t a good idea?”

You frowned. “That’s not exactly what you said.”

“But you know it’s what I meant.”

“Come on, Nobara. Help me?”

Nobara paused. You heard her sigh through the receiver. “Do you think it’s better to regret something that did happen or something that didn’t but could have?”

“I get it, Nobara, you’re throwing my words back at me.”

“Yes, but no. I’m serious. It’s a good question to think about. Honestly, you’re already in way too deep, so why not just see him? At this point, you’ve got nothing more to lose.”

You nodded. “Yeah, okay, I’ll text him back then. Thanks, Nobara.”

“Yeah. And I’ll be here when you crash out when he leaves!”

“Whatever.” You rolled your eyes, but you also knew that she was right. You probably would end up crashing out.

You: No

You met Megumi in the park by your house. The sun was getting low and you guessed that in a few hours or so, you’d be able to watch the sunset with him. It was an almost too perfect place for a goodbye.

“Hi,” you said, sitting beside him on the grass.

He looked up and smiled, raising a box of strawberries. “I brought a snack.”

“I love strawberries!”

“I know.”

The two of you sat together on the grass, bathed in the dimming glow of the sun for hours. You talked about everything and nothing. He asked about your life and your friends, listening intently whenever you delved into a tangent. You talked to him about your favorite movies, and the two of you easily found common ground. But you didn’t talk about the future, or what was going to happen the next day. You couldn’t even bear to ask him if he was excited to leave. You were afraid. When the sky turned purple-pink and the edges of the sun began to dip below the tree line, you felt a stab of anxiety, knowing that your time with him was about to end.

Do you tell him how you feel? No. But, yes? Maybe you should. Your chest seized at the thought. But what if you were wrong about your entire relationship? What if you were really just friends? You would be okay with that, right? But also, he was leaving anyway. Maybe you should get it off your chest.

You thought about what Nobara would say, how she’d throw your words back at you again: is it worse to regret something that did happen or something that didn't but could have?

Before you could say anything, Megumi said, "I wish we had talked more before.”

You nodded but didn't say anything, scared that if you did you'd start crying.

Megumi stared at the ground. "I wish I had gone up to you when I first saw you in October."

"Wait, what?" You turned to him. The two of you had met in May. "October?"

He shrugged. "It was Halloween and Itadori had dragged me along to someone's Halloween party. He was dressed as Phineas and I was Ferb from some TV show he watched as a kid. I didn't want to be there at all. I didn't know anyone and parties are overrated; too many people with too little space. Plus, I wasn't enjoying the outfit he had put me in. When Itadori started talking to people I didn't know, I decided to leave to find us some drinks. When I found him again I saw him talking to a princess."

He looked up to meet your eyes. For Halloween that year you had been a princess while Nobara had been a dragon. It had been Nobara's idea and she had shimmied you into a too-small pink princess dress that she had gotten from the clearance kids section at the costume store. She thought it was hilarious.

Your breath hitched and Megumi dropped his gaze back to the floor. "For a second, I thought you were a real princess. You were certainly beautiful enough to be one. When I got to Itadori again, I remember that I had asked him to introduce me to you but by the time the opportunity had presented itself Itadori had forgotten and was in a deep conversation with that friend of yours, the one who was the dragon. I didn't want to interrupt, it seemed pointless. I told myself that there would be other opportunities. Besides, Itadori was pretty drunk at that point and I was the designated sober to take him home, so I just concerned myself with taking care of him. When we were leaving and Itadori had sobered up, he asked me why I didn't go up to you myself. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't. I guess I was nervous. But I regret not going up to you. Because as it turns out, I didn’t see you again until that party in May."

You didn't respond for a long moment, unsure of what to say or how to react. You were angry at him. You were angry at Itadori. You were angry at yourself. You were simply angry. You whispered, "Why would you tell me that?"

"I don't know."

Part of you wished that he hadn’t told you that. If he hadn’t, then your brain wouldn’t be filled with a million “what ifs”. What if he had gone up to you in October? If he had, then maybe, you could’ve had more time together. Maybe you would’ve actually been a couple for a little while. Or not. You didn’t even really know how much he liked you now. Maybe it wasn’t enough. Maybe he was saying all this because he was just really going to miss your friendship. You realized how complicated your relationship with him was. You flirted and went out and there was obvious attraction. But neither of you had ever really said anything to each other that alluded to something deeper. You knew that you felt it, but what about him? Maybe you guys said nothing because of the fear of how little time you knew you had left. So who really knew how many things the two of you were keeping from each other?

“You’ll have a great time in college,” you said, trying to ease the awkward silence.

He nodded. “You too.”

“Did you know that statistically most people meet the person they're going to marry in college? So who knows who you'll meet," you blurted. You pinched yourself, why did you say that?

He stared at you, his face unmoving. You couldn't quite make out what exactly his expression meant. "I guess so."

You smiled tightly and turned away from him, suddenly self-conscious.

Megumi was silent for a while. "In another life, it would've been different between us. This wouldn’t be the end of us; we would work out."

You couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Teardrops spilled out from your eyes, splattering onto your legs in quick succession of one another. You hiccuped and buried your face in your hands, unable to stop the tears from flowing. You felt an arm around your shoulder, pulling you close. Megumi didn't say a word as he pressed you to his chest, holding you. You could hear his heartbeat: fast but steady. The two of you sat there against each other for what felt like an eternity but couldn't have been more than ten minutes. Your breathing steadied and the tears stopped. But still, neither of you moved. You knew the moment would end if you did, and you weren't ready for that yet.

When the moment did end, both of you continued to not say a word. It wasn’t awkward, but you were afraid to speak and you guessed that he probably felt the same way. What do you say after everything that just happened? The sun had long since disappeared and the street lamps turned on, casting shadows across the park and engulfing the two of you in hazy dim lighting. The two of you stood and gathered your things in silence. Once done, you hugged one another once more. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him close. He hugged your waist so tight you thought you might pop from the pressure, but at the same time, you didn’t mind.

You stood together for another minute before reluctantly beginning to pull away. You pressed a hasty kiss to his cheek and whispered, “Goodbye, Megumi.” You pulled back, averting eye contact before turning to leave, not even waiting to hear what he might’ve said. It hurt too much to think about. Part of you hoped that he would call after you; stop you from leaving. But no such thing happened. You thought of turning back to look at him but you didn’t do either.

Part of you believed what he had said: that in another life you two would’ve worked out. In another life, maybe you would’ve even been his girl. But there was only this life. And in this life, he was the one that got away. You walked away only hoping that at some point, some part of him had liked you at least half as much as you liked him.

[eustasskidagenda]

Hello! I love your writing! May I request some fluff with Kid, Killer, Mihawk, and Buggy where their s/o who has little cooking experience tries to surprise them by cooking something for them? Whether the food be good or bad is up to you! Thank you and have a good day!

Hi hi! Sure, always up for some fluff and I'm so happy to receive a request with Killer, I love this guy. ♡ Thank you so much for requesting. I hope the outcome will match your expectations. ☆

☆ Kid, Killer, Mihawk & Buggy with a s/o who has little cooking experience

CW :g/n reader, funny, fluff, Kid has a filthy mouth 

WC : 1,4k

Kid 

"It looks like shit. I won't put that in my mouth." 

Kid is a sassy brat because this man is able to burn the water. Spaghetti with garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes is probably the only thing he can cook. Yes, Killer's favorite food. But he won't ever admit that he learned that just for Killer, obviously. He needs to keep his jaggy-attitude, as the good angry punk he is.

Kid knows you have little cooking experience and had tried to eat what you cooked, but he ended up almost suffocating and dying on the ground. He made a promise to himself to only eat Killer's food. And we all know Kid is stubborn. He won't change his mind: you almost killed him, he will never eat your food again.

But then, he notices your sad face, wet puppy eyes and all the effort you put into the meal. And, it’s his favorite food: cabbage rolls. Okay, now his heart is melting, but of course, he won’t admit it.

"Well. It looks like shit but… it doesn't smell that bad." With a heavy sigh, he rolls his eyes and sniffs the plate like a fearful dog. 

He stares at you, suspicious, before planting his fingers on the cabbage rolls, watching if there are no bugs or whatever. Yes, he's been suspicious, petty, and he doesn't give a damn. "It looks… okay I guess." 

Actually, he's confused. That food looks like it's comestible. Perhaps it's a trap. He should wait for Killer to taste it first. Or just stuff those cabbage rolls into your mouth: if you don't die or cough, maybe he'll try it. 

"You know, if I die because of this food, I'll come back to life to avenge myself," before grabbing the cabbage rolls and eating an extremely small slice.

He's sweating, convinced that the nice appearance won't make up for the terrible taste. But… actually… it's… good. Like, he's not dying or suffocating on the ground. He doesn't even need to go to the nearest bathroom. 

"Can I have some more?" After eating the whole plate and almost licking it like a starving person. He doesn't like to give compliments, but do you remember the scene at Udon camp where he was eating? Right now, it's him. So clearly, he likes what you cooked.

Kid is not a man many words and "thank you" doesn't exist in his dictionary. Although he would notice all the efforts you made and even the cuts on your fingers, the words are simply stuck in his throat. But, he would kiss your forehead and smear his lipstick on it. And later, he would leave a handmade metal gift of your favorite flower or animal, as a 'thank you'. Gifts are a way for Kid to show his love. 

"You know what, I've changed my mind. Now I'll also eat your food." With his usual gruff voice and a flustered expression.

Killer

Killer is way nicer than his captain. Quality time is definitely his love language. So if you cook something for both of you, he's honored, truly happy and probably melting inside. The outcome doesn't matter that much. The intention already means a lot to him.

Let’s assume the outcome is not that good.

"Hm, Y/N, that seems… interesting. Really al dente." While observing the carbonized pasta. 

Even without his mask, he's good at hiding his expressions. He's probably laughing because of the SMILE, but actually he wants to cry. He feels truly happy when you try your hardest just for him, but on the flipside, he knows it won't taste good. 

Why him? Is dealing with a brat like Kid not enough for his poor soul?

If he gets sick from this food, who will keep an eye on Kid? He can't take a break with that hot-headed captain. Otherwise, the crew is doomed. 

But he wants to please you, so he will taste it. And even finish the entire plate. Even if it was bad. You tried your best, just for him, all he can do is finish his food. However, he is not dishonest. "That wasn't very tasty, sweetie... But you tried your best to please me, thank you for your time. Maybe we can cook together the next time? I'll teach you some tips." 

Finally, it's a win-win situation: thanks to your limited cooking experience, he has a good reason to spend more time with you. He’s already excited to teach you some recipe.

And as the educated guy he's, Killer will of course make the dishes himself, clean up the kitchen and thank you with a soft kiss on the corner of your lips. So now his purple lipstick is smeared on your face. 

"I need to finish my work… I'll see you tonight. Thank you again for the meal, sweetie." 

Casually walking through the door and once he's out of your view, he would run to the bathroom because he's getting sick.

"Ugh, you did that to yourself" (thank you for the support, Kid)

Mihawk

What a nice surprise to be welcomed with a beautiful table, his s/o well-dressed, red wine and some refined food. After dealing with Perona and Zoro all day, he only needs that. 

Mihawk's high standards mean that if the food is looking great, it's a good sign. He would never approach anything that looks bad. 

He knows that you may not have much cooking experience, but practice can help you make progress, right? Although the last time wasn't good, you can only improve yourself. Right? Right?

At least, if he dies from intoxication, the coffin will already be ready, thanks to his ship. 

"Come share that wine with me, don't stay standing like this." While serving you a glass of red wine.

He's a bit suspicious about the food. Even though the meal may be nice, it doesn't guarantee it's good and tasty. 

He's discreetly taking a sniff of the food. He has good manners, unlike those two brats, so he won’t make it obvious.

"Come sit with me and we can taste it together."

With his hawk eyes, he's looking at you and waiting for you to eat the food first. He's really observant, so he would notice all your expressions, even the most subtle ones. As your face shows no signs of disgust, then he would eat. 

And its taste really good. Although it may not be the most refined, given his high-standard, it's tasty, comestible, and well-matched to the wine. The most important thing for him. You can't waste a good wine with a bad dinner.

"You really outdid yourself, that was perfect. I’m grateful." 

Again, not a man of many words, but with his good manners, he would help you clean the dishes. Before returning to his duties (meaning: watching the kids), he would lend you his hat. This is a simple gift and a subtle way to say 'thank you'.

Buggy

"What, you did that for me? Why…? I mean, of course, you cook for me. What more normal? I'm the great Buggy after all." 

He's feeling quite confused inside. Outside, he's acting as cocky and extravagant as he always has. After all, what’s more typical for the great Buggy to be served with a great meal? That's the minimum he deserves. 

"Alright, let's eat it!" Before stuffing a huge amount of food in his mouth. And almost threw it back onto the plate. It's… foul. 

"Y/N, WAS OUR RELATIONSHIP A LIE THE WHOLE TIME? WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?" 

Really? What has he done wrong? Did he leave his makeup everywhere again? Or his clothes? Or maybe it's because he forgot to put down the toilet seat. Or... wait a second... there is red on the plate... red tomatoes… like his nose... are you making fun of him? How dare you? Yes, he's overthinking. 

"That's a betrayal, I'm dying... I'm dead." 

He's yelling and gesticulating wildly, and his face almost turns green due to the awful taste, but also red due to his anger. 

He’s dramatically angry, of course.

"Listen everyone! y/n is trying to KILL me!"

The room is empty but okay Buggy.

He's exaggerating too much, it's not that bad. But here he is, rolling on the floor, holding his stomach, fainting. And as the drama queen, he is, of course, he’s using his devil fruit to fragment his bodies. "I'm so traumatized that I'm TORN apart."

When he notices your sadness, he shrugs. 

"Ugh, Y/N, you know, maybe it was just the first slice…" he would say before giving one more chance to your plate. No, it's still bad. 

"That's a masterpiece, Y/N. I'm in heaven." While trying to hide his tears. "So tasty!"Yes, he's trying to please you, because maybe he overreacted before and maybe he feels bad because you were sad. 

But Buggy is way too loud and clumsy, he sucks with comedy. It's obvious that he's lying. 

"That's fine, don't force yourself Buggy."

"Really? So our relationship wasn't a complete lie? Thank you Y/N, I love… I mean, what are you saying? I wasn't forcing myself, I'm the great Buggy, duh, no one can force me."

[larz-barz]

Updated Mikitama info post

her new design!:D

Family (biological)

Mother: Unnamed (dead)

Father: Unnamed (dead)

Aunt: Unnamed (dead)

Aunt: Aika Shineeza (alive) (father’s and Haruki’s sister) @uponthefantasy

Uncle: Haruki Suzuki (alive) (husband of unnamed aunt and father’s brother)

Brother: Michio Suzuki (alive)

Great great etc. grandmother: Hana Tsugikuni (demon) (married to Kokushibo)

Great great etc. grandmother: Kana Suzumi (Hana’s and Kokushibo’s daughter)

Great great etc. grandfather: Kokushibo

Family (adoptive)

Mother: Yuna Handa (alive) (dies in an au) @kimetsu-chan

Father: Giyuu Tomioka (alive)

Cousin: Shiina Suzuki (alive) (dies in an au) @nothingtoseehere1-2-3

Bother: Zeno Arakawa (alive) (not actually adoptive, they act like siblings tho) @kimetsu-chan

Uncle: Tengen Uzui

Aunt: Hinatsuru Uzui

Aunt: Makio Uzui

Aunt: Suma Uzui

Sister: Ames @donkeybro

Sister: Hikari Sano @ta-ni-ya

Brother: Hikaru Sano @ta-ni-ya

Father: Hiroto Ichiga @night-mince0

Brother: Jun’ichi Ubuyashiki @blueberrypie20

Backstory

tw: abuse, murder, attempted murder

Mikitama and Michio were raised by Haruki since he killed their parents after Mikitama was born.

One day, when Mikitama was 3 and Michio was 6, their aunt Aika tried to take both of them in, but Haruki only let Aika take Michio.

Before leaving, Michio gave Mikitama her purple bow that she’s always wearing.

Haruki is very abusive towards Mikitama, and only Mikitama.

This is because of Mikitama being a yokai.

When Mikitama was about 6 years old Haruki attempted to drown Mikitama which led to her fear of water.

Shiina was adopted by Haruki when Mikitama was 9 years old and Shiina did everything she could to keep Mikitama safe.

Also, Mikitama was forced to live in poverty despite her uncle being rich since he wouldn’t spend any of his money on her.

One day, when Mikitama was 10 she was digging around in a closet and found various scrolls and letters from her father, who was the starlight hashira when he was alive.

She used those to teach herself the starlight breathing style and how to do total concentration breathing constantly.

She did the final selection with her future adoptive mother, Muichiro, and Aoi at 11 years old then became the starlight hashira at 12 years old.

Personality

Mikitama is a very kind and selfless girl.

She’s very shy and sweet.

She’ll do anything to protect the people around her no matter the consequences.

She’s very introverted and submissive.

If someone is being rude to her she’s not going to do anything about it.

She’s always willing to help anyone.

Random facts

Her favorite food is chicken udon.

The first time she met someone who didn’t mistreat her she was stunned to tears.

In Kimetsu academy her best subject is chemistry.

She doesn’t think she deserves to be treated with kindness.

She’s deathly allergic to garlic.

She made her arm warmers and painted her sword sheathe herself!

She loves cooking and sewing.

She often has really bad nightmares.

(TW: S/A) Her uncle has s/aed her before.

When she and Michio reunited they both cried together for an hour and they hugged the whole time.

Mikitama’s birthday is February 3rd and she’s 14! (14 in the show and 15 irl-)

She doesn’t like peppermint.

She’s also deathly allergic to onions.

She has 3 powers: Turning into a cat, shrinking, and healing.

In her small form she is about 2’2.

She wraps her tail around her leg when nervous or scared.

She’s very good at drawing.

She’s 4’8

She’s extremely light for her age, only weighing 94 pounds!

Tagging: @kimetsu-chan @demonslayerdoodles

[chiharuhashibira]

Hi ! Can you do a sanemi and kiojuro (separately) x sick reader and they care for us??🥹

Yep! Let's do this~

However you didn't specify what kind of fic, so Imma just make this an HC. Feel free to re-ask in case~

𝓜𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽

𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒆'𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐳𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐰𝐚, 𝐊𝐲𝐨𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐤𝐮, & 𝐒𝐢𝐜𝐤!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

Content Warnings: None ^^

🌸𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐳𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐰𝐚🌸

❥ Sanemi wouldn't care about his training if he knew you were feeling sick. He would immediately run towards you and make sure that you were okay. As hotheaded as he is, the Wind Hashira would drop that facade and be the most concerned and caring boyfriend that you could ever imagine.

❥ Sanemi's facade would collapse once he laid eyes on your sick state. He would immediately drop everything, even his precious sword, just to go by your side and take care of you. He'll also shut off other kakushis who will try to take care of you, insisting that he will do that himself. Sanemi had buried too many of his loved ones, and he has always had this fear of losing you. That's why, even on the most minor fevers, he would still give you his 100% attention and care.

❥ The Wind Hashira's surprisingly great at cooking! He would prepare anything that you liked. And if you have no appetite, he would make you his greatest porridge and would definitely feed you, pretending to be annoyed if you wouldn't do so. But then, after eating, he would kiss your lips. "Nope! No protesting." He'll say that even before you can tell him not to kiss you because he might also get sick.

❥ Sanemi would massage every part that was painful. He wants you to be as comfortable as possible, and if it means massaging your whole body the whole night, he'll do it just for you to have a good night's sleep.

❥ He would often caress your cheeks and tell you how much he cared for you. He isn't good with sweet words, but he's great at gestures. Sanemi would make you feel better by making you a little spoon. He also likes to run his fingers over your head, play with your head, or sometimes give you ticklish scratches on the scalp. Sanemi loves to kiss you. A cold won't kill him, he would also often say.

❥ Whenever you wake up at night with pain, he will shoot up from his sleep. Yes, even if he's very tired or injured, he would take care of you. Sanemi will massage you or sometimes cuddle you, hushing you if you cry. Inside, he's panicking, but he won't let you see that. If you ever feel hungry or thirsty, he will quickly get food or water for you. He loves you so much that he doesn't mind these little gestures.

❥ In the morning, when you feel better, he will still check everything. Sometimes, he would poke the painful part at you just to make sure that you weren't lying. Sanemi knows how worried you are about him as well, but you are his priority, so he'll do everything for you. Once he knows that you're really well, Sanemi would kiss your lips and continue to cuddle you all day, hoarding you for himself.

🌸𝐊𝐲𝐨𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐤𝐮🌸

❥ Once Kyojuro knows you're sick, he will immediately finish his training and head to you to make sure that you are okay. Even if he's in the middle of a mission, he'll make sure to finish it quickly so he can take care of you. Yes, even if he's wounded sometimes, the stubborn Flame Hashira still does his best to take care of you.

❥ His first reaction when he sees you will be to be deeply concerned. His eyebrows would crease as he tried to ponder what was wrong with you. You will even find him panicking a bit sometimes, as he hates to see you in pain.

❥ Kyojuro loves eating, but he stinks at cooking. (Sorry, but I think he does XD) So, he would often buy meals on the way home, especially udon, as he says the soup would make you feel better. He will be sad if you don't eat it with him. So, even if your appetite isn't that good, you still take a bite.

❥ The Flame Hashira would often massage you. He loves doing that for you, especially at times like this. Aside from his massages, he would kiss your cheek, shoulder, and forehead, ignoring your complaints as he might also get sick. Oh well, his stamina is better than yours, and you know that. But still...

❥ Kyojuro would always proclaim how much he loved you. Even if you're sick, he will make sure that you know it. He would often let you lay your head on his lap while he caressed your cheeks and forehead. Whenever you're awake, Kyojuro will stare into your eyes and tell you how beautiful you are, which will make you blush. He loves it when you blush, so he often does his best to make you feel loved.

❥ There are times when you'll wake up at night, feeling the pain. Kyojuro would immediately sit down and comfort you. Even if he's so sleepy, he would prioritise you. The Flame Hashira would massage you from head to toe, just to make sure that nothing was painful. Then sometimes he would hum a song that would make you smile. He's loud and noisy, but he has a great voice. You loved it so much. With that, you'll eventually fall asleep.

❥ When you're finally feeling much better, Kyojuro will kiss your lips and hug you tightly. He'll often tell you that you're very good at getting better quickly, and he's proud of you. Yes, the Flame Hashira is always proud of every little thing you do. Kyojuro will spend the next day still taking care of you, even if you already feel better. He just loves doing it as much as he loves you.

𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝑨𝒏𝒐𝒏!

Also, if you are feeling sick irl, I hope you'll be better‼ 😫

Sending lots of love for you!💓

Thank you for reading this HC! Feel free to reblog, comment, or request~

Love you all!

~𝓒𝓱𝓲𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓾-𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓷🌸

[niyahniyaa]

Imperfect Love

Choi Seungcheol x Reader

Tags: au, smut, angst, heartbreak, fluff, breakups

A/N: This is my first short story. I'm thinking of writing a pt.2 or just making an entire story of it but it depends on how this does. So bare with me.

Synopsis: You and Seungcheol have been happy for a while now. It’s a perfect relationship.…until it isn't.

Credit to my Beta Writer @liyahlisworld

————————————————————————————

“I’m in the kitchen.” You yell, calling out to your boyfriend who just walked in the house. It’s 5:30 pm, he usually walks in around this time, so you were already expecting him.

“Watcha cooking?” He asks hugging you from behind, the minty scent coming from his breath as he places small kisses on your neck and shoulders. You turn to look at him, setting the spoon down on the counter. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you place a small peck on his lips.

“How does spicy stir fried pork and kimchi with udon noodles sound?” You ask smiling up at him. He returns the gesture kissing you softly on the nose.

“Sounds good Naekkeo” he starts. “ I’m gonna go put my things away, I’ll meet you back at the table ok?” He grabs his bag he previously placed on the couch and walks upstairs to the room. You put the finishing touches on the meat and start to make your plates. On cue, Seungcheol walks into the dining room and sits across from you at the table.

“Anything new today at work?” You ask, sparking a conversation. He shakes his head while slurping up some noodles. “Nothing really.” He starts. “We just got a new VP for Marketing. She seems nice I guess.” He says picking up a piece of meat.

You nod your head taking in this info. He works at Hybe, one of the biggest recording companies in Seoul. He’s the CEO so he gets pretty busy, which is why you like to have dinner ready once he gets home. Being together for 5 years now you’re pretty used to his schedule.

“So how was work,” he asks taking a sip of water, “anything eventful happen?” You work at the local Veterinary Clinic. Today just so happens to be the day that you preformed a life saving surgery on a baby shiba.

“I actually performed a very successful surgery on a pup today,” you start, “I was so nervous honestly, it was super risky and I’ve grown so attached to her on the count of her frequent visits and tests, so my nerves we’re shot!” You exclaim shaking your head. It’s quiet.

You look up instantly meeting eyes with Seungcheol. His deep dark browns staring at you attentively. Listening and taking in every word that came out of your mouth. You can’t help but blush at the sight. That’s when you finally take the chance to analyze him. His black hair lay messily atop his head, some strands hanging over his eyes. He’s wearing a white tank top that exposed his beautiful broad shoulders. You look back up at his face and notice he’s biting his lips.

How long have you been staring? Has he noticed?

“Wow,” He says snapping you out of your thoughts. “Sounds like it was a lot and you have to remember not to get too emotionally involved Naekkeo”. He says gently. He didn’t seem to notice your staring. He straightens up and reaches out for your hands. “Yea I know, they’re just so cute.” You respond as you place your hands softly on his big palms.

“Saw something you liked y/n?” He asks caressing your hands, making soft circles on the back of your hand. He’s staring at you intensely as if he’s trying to undress you with his eyes.

He noticed.

You feel the your cheeks getting warm and you look down shyly. Even after all these years together, he still gives you butterflies like it’s the first time meeting him all over again.

“I was just uh-,” you start. “I just noticed how messy your hair looked.” You say sheepishly. You smile and shake your head. “How is it that you can still give me the same feeling I’ve felt when I first met you Cheol?” You ask him. He smiles exposing his cute deep dimples. “I don’t know?”, he starts. “Maybe it was the spell I placed on you after our first date”. You roll your eyes at his cheesy remark. He’s so cute. “Whatever.” You smirk.

————————————————————————————

You start to gather the dishes to clean when you hear your phone ding on the table. You put the remaining dishes you were holding in the sink and walk back towards your phone.

Dokyeomie🍕 8:17 pm: Bestieeeeee

Dokyeomie🍕 8:17 pm: Wanna hang out after work this Saturday🥹

Dokyeomie🍕 8:19 pm: Soonyoung is flying in around 3 that day. We could meet at your place after we drop his things off at his hotel.

You’re usually just home lounging around after work. Cheol doesn’t come home for almost another 3 hours after you get off anyways so you could use the company.

You haven’t seen your bestfriend in like a month anyways, and you miss him.

You 8:21 pm: Yea why not, I’ll be home. I miss you my Seokminnie☺️

You 8:21 pm: Didn’t know you and Hosh made up

Dokyeomie🍕 8:23: Yea we’re over it now, she was nobody anyways��

You 8:24: Lol yea whatever you say🤣, I’ll see you this weekend ok? Gn bestie

Dokyeomie🍕 8:25: Yay😁see you this weekend gn y/n

“You okay?” Seungcheol asks, damn near scaring you to death. “Jeez Cheollie,” you say holding your chest, “you scared the shit out of me.” You put your phone back down on the charger and start walking towards the kitchen. Cheol following you.

“Seokmin and Soonyoung are gonna come by Saturday after I get off work.” You tell him turning the faucet on. He grabs the towel off the counter beside the sink. Ready to help you with drying the dishes. “Cool, when was the last time you’ve seen each other?” He asks drying a plate. You shrug your shoulders and look over at him. “It’s been a while, he’s been “busy”.” You say using air quotes.

Dokyeom was recently in a relationship. She was introduced to him by Soonyoung, one of our close friends. To make a long story short, she cheated on Dk with Yeonjun, one of Hoshi’s associates, at a party. Hoshi found out and didn’t tell Dokyeom about it. He was pretty mad at him and instantly broke up with the girl. He says that she was a nobody, but they dated for almost a year and Dk grew to love her. It definitely broke his heart, not that he’d admit to it.

“He’s been shelled away in his house since the breakup but if he says he was “busy” then who am I to doubt him”. You say handing Seungcheol a cup. You finish washing the last of the dishes and turn the faucet back off. “As long as they’re alright and are talking again that’s all that matters right?” Cheol says kissing your cheek. Your stomach flutters and you smile.

“Yeah I guess you’re right.” You turn the lights off in the kitchen and living room then grab your phone as you make your way upstairs. Seungcheol grabs your hand as you reach the top of the steps. He pulls you back softly, turning around to meet his hard chest. “I missed you today y/n.” He says biting his lips. He cups your chin turning you into a kiss, your lips instantly reciprocating.

He kisses you softly, stroking his tongue across your lips asking for an invitation. You instantly oblige parting your lips for his tongue to play with yours. He guides you into your room with a hand on your back. You haven’t had him all day. You can never get enough of the way he admires you so passionately.

“Cheollie,” you began, a soft moan escaping as he kissed your shoulder, gently lowering your bra strap. “Shower.” You say, tugging on his shirt. He picks you up bridal style and carries you toward the bathroom. He places you on the sink before starting the steaming shower. You began to take your clothes off, feeling Seungchol’s eyes watching your every move.

You look up making direct eye contact, your cheeks burn as you turn away still unable to maintain eye contact after all this time. It’s not like he hasn’t seen your naked body before. “You’re beautiful.” He says staring at you heatedly. You turn slightly covering your breast, tossing your bra at him playfully. “See something you like Cheol?” You ask using his own words against him. You step into the shower closing your eyes as warm water rushes down your head, flowing like a stream to your toes.

You feel arms wrap around your stomach and you turn around to see Seungcheol looking down at you. You move over slightly letting him into the water. The way it just runs down his head. His hair falling over his face and the way he slicks it back with his hand, it’s driving you insane. God how is he so hot. You look down at his now fully exposed body. His abs glistening against the moonlit ambience in the skylight above the shower. His large member fully erect as it softly pokes your belly.

You place your hands on his abs and slowly make your way lower. “I missed you too baby.” You say softly as you let your hands grip his hard cock. He picks you up suddenly wrapping your legs around his waist as he pins you against the wall.

You moan quietly as his lips find their way back to yours. “Fuck!” You groan as he rubs the tip of his dick along your folds. “I love you so much baby,” he whispers against your lips, “there’s no one I’d rather love-” a kiss against your shoulder, “no one I’d rather fuck.” He groans sliding into you slowly.

“Cheollie fuck!” You shout gripping onto his shoulder tightly. “Mmm, can’t believe I went the whole day without feeling your pussy.” he says moaning. You can never get over how dirty Cheol sounds when he has you like this, begging for anything he’d give you.

“God! You feel so good baby, so tight.” He rambles placing a hand on the wall while using the other to hold you up. In the midst of fucking you crazy, he still manages to make you feel so safe and balanced between him and the wall, never letting his grip loosen.

You feel your body start to tingle as he picks up the pace. He kisses you sloppily, teeth clashing as he moans inside your mouth.

He bites your bottom lip and you let out a moan. You throw your head back as he hits your g-spot, he knows your body like the back of his hand, pulling your strings like a fiddle. “Baby I-I’m g-gonna cum.” You say closing your eyes losing yourself to the pleasure. You drown in the ecstasy his strokes give. Sinking further and further into that hazy headspace.

“Not yet baby, wait for daddy.” He coos caressing one of your tits with his free hand. “I’m almost there baby, fuck.” He says. You look back down to see his eyes closed and him biting his lip. “Fuck me Cheollie…yessss, just like that.” You moan out meeting his thrusts in tandem. You feel him groan into your shoulder and you know he’s close. You lean in, biting his ear and kissing down to his neck. He moans loudly and you know that was it for him. “Shit baby yess…..fuck I’m cumming.” He says rubbing your clit with his free hand pushing you over the edge. You climax together, gripping each other tightly as you come down from your collective high.

“I love you y/n.” He says gently placing you down on your feet, still holding you close as to not let you stumble. You bask in the afterglow, holding him close. You stand on your tiptoes and give him a kiss. “I love you too Seungcheol.”

————————————————————————————

The sun shined brightly through his office as he walks inside. Seungcheol was placing his bag on the chair by his desk when his assistant walked in. Kim Mingyu has worked for Seungcheol for quite some time now, becoming good friends as years passed. “Some night huh boss?” He says chuckling. Cheol was a bit groggy today, and Mingyu liked to mess with him. “Y/n kept you up late last night?” He laughed placing a coffee on his desk.

Seungcheol glares lowly, no real heat behind it and shakes his head, sipping his coffee. “We ready for this meeting?” He asks grabbing files from his drawer. Mingyu shakes his head, putting a hand in his pocket. “Just about, we’re waiting on your new VP, she isn’t in yet so,” he says checking his watch, “we still have a few more minutes.” Seungcheol rolls his eyes. He hates tardiness, it’s one of his biggest pet peeves in a workplace.

“We have a lot to go over so we have to start now.” He commands walking out of his office. Making his way to the conference room, he groans as he collides with someone. Papers flew everywhere. He bends down to help pick them up but his hand brushes another in the midst. He looks up to meet eyes with a woman. “I’m so sorry.” She says, bowing slightly and tucking her hair behind her ear.

Seungcheol smiled reassuringly. “It’s alright, your the new VP aren’t you?” He asks standing back up and handing her the papers he held. She nodded, staring at Cheol. “Sorry I’m late, traffic was horrible leaving my apartment.” She apologized. Seungcheol nodded, understanding. “Come, we’re beginning now.” He said, leading her to the conference room.

————————————————————————————

“I’m just happy she’s ok.” You say proudly over the phone. “Don’t forget she has an exam coming up soon, we gotta make sure she’s not scarring too bad or anything from the surgery.” The woman on the other end agrees and says her goodbyes. You hang up and take a deep breathe. You finally get some quiet time in your office. It’s been busy today, from checkups to filing paperwork, you’ve been on your feet all day.

“You alright?” Your receptionist Younji asks stopping by your office. The clinic was slowing down now and there aren’t anymore customers occupying the lobby, so you don’t mind her coming in. “Yea I’m fine, just tired.” You say, your yawn proving how burnt out you were. She smiles and leans against the door. “Long day huh, it hasn’t been this busy in a while.” She comments running her fingers through her hair. She’s right. We haven’t been this busy in almost 3 weeks. “Yea something must be in the water.” You say jokingly.

Your phone began to ring and Younji excuses herself, closing the door behind her as you go to pick it up. It’s Seungcheol.

“Hey Jagiya,” he says as soon as you answer.

“Hey babe, how’s work?” You ask smiling at the sound of his voice. You then hear a few laughs from his side of the phone.

“Hey, I won’t be home til late today baby,” he starts. “Me and a couple friends are gonna go for some drinks after work.” He tells you. You nod your head at his statement. A weird feeling sinking in your stomach. “Well Seokmin and Soonyoung will be there to keep me company so that’s alright.” You tell him, remembering your messages with Dk earlier that week.

“Okay great, I’ll see you tonight then.” He says. “I love you.” You hear him kiss the phone receiver and you can’t help but chuckle at his action. “I love you too Cheollie, see you later.” You hang up and place your phone back on your desk. It’s 1 pm right now. You’ll be home soon. Just a couple hours left. You think to yourself, leaving your office.

————————————————————————————

“I don’t care how much money you give me, I’m not jumping into a pile of cow shit. No!” Seungcheol says laughing. He was at a bar not too far from Hybe building and everyone was a few shots in by now. Mingyu laughed loudly, holding his stomach. “Quit asking stupid questions Gyu.” Seungcheol laughs. Everyone was laughing or engaging in their own conversations. The woman from earlier, Naeyon, giggles lightly. “Yea that’s a disgusting question anyway.” She says taking a sip of her soju.

“Ok,” Mingyu starts, finally over his laughing fit. “What if y/n was at the bottom of said shit pile, would you then jump?” He says raising his eyebrows. Seungcheol chuckles to himself. “If y/n was stuck at the bottom of a pile of cow shit,” he began, “I would personally shovel my way through to her.” He says sipping his drink. “Happy now?” He asks lifting his bottle. Mingyu claps while laughing. “Ladies and gentlemen, our CEO.” He says causing the rest of their colleagues to clap unknowingly.

He shakes his head while looking down. Naeyon takes a seat in one of the stools away from him. Trying to grasp his attention. “So you have a girlfriend I assume?” She asks looking up to Cheol, catching his attention. He nods his head while sipping his beer. “Uh yes, yes I do.” He looks away for a second then meets her eyes again. “As a matter of fact, I should be getting home now.” He says grabbing his jacket.

She grabs his wrist before he could completely stand up. “Let me buy you one more drink.” She offers smiling lightly. “I mean we are gonna be working together, might as well get acquainted right?” She suggests beckoning him to sit back down. He looks at the watch on his wrist, 8:45 pm. I’ve got time. He thinks to himself. “Just one more.” He says sitting back down.

————————————————————————————

“Really?” You laugh out as Soonyoung finishes up his story. “That’s so petty Dk.” You say to your bestfriend. Soonyoung telling you how Dokyeom blocked him on everything. He even deleted his social media so Hoshi couldn’t contact him while they were fighting. “What?” Seokmin asks shrugging his shoulders. “That was a dick move and you know it Soon.” Dk said crossing his arms. You knew the whole situation still rubbed him the wrong way. He’s been your bestfriend since freshman year of high school. You knew him like the back of your hand.

“I apologized Dk. Really I’m sorry.” Soonyoung says sincerely grasping Dokyeom by his shoulders and shaking him. “I vow to never ever keep anything from you again.” He says holding out his pinky finger. “I promise.” Dk rolled his eyes, finally unfolding his arms and locking pinkies with Hoshi. “Good.” You say clapping your hands and standing up. “Anybody want another drink?” You ask walking towards the kitchen. “Yeah sure.” Hoshi says. You grab three bottles of Soju out the fridge and walk back to the living room. You hand the bottles over plopping back down. “Thanks baby.” Seokmin says opening his bottle.

“So where’s Seungcheol, shouldn’t he be coming home by now?” He asks changing the subject as he takes a sip with a raised eyebrow. You look at the clock hanging on the wall. 9:45! It is late isn’t it? You think to yourself. You shake your head as if to shake the thought away. “He’s out with a few friends from work, he told me earlier that he’d be home late.” You reassure them. They exchange a look to each other. “Unless he’s really out with some slutty assistant of his.” Hoshi laughs already tipsy.

You laugh uncertainly taking a sip of your drink. “While Mingyu is very handsome, I doubt Cheol would make any advances on him”. They laugh, holding their hands up in surrender. You then think back to the conversation you and Cheol had earlier this week. “There is this new VP that was hired on Monday.” You don’t know why you told them that or why it was even on your mind. Still you couldn’t shake the sinking feeling of his call from earlier. “He said she’s nice.” You finish looking away and rolling your eyes at yourself.

“HELLOO?!” Dk says loudly, smacking the couch. “He’s obviously out with her, right now!” He shouts, completely sure of himself. Hoshi laughs at Seokmin’s sudden outburst. You shake your head. Cheol would never. Besides they’re coworkers. You reassure yourself. “No, come on Dk,” you began, “Cheol would n-.” Your sentence was cut short by the door being swung open. Seungcheol walks in smiling big at you.

“NAEKKEO!!” He yells excitedly. He’s drunk. He turns and closes the door behind himself. He stumbles toward you, tripping over Hoshi and falling onto Dk. “Too much to drink huh Cheol?” Dk asks pushing him to the empty space beside him. You shake your head and walk towards him, checking his face. You brush the hair from his face, looking into his eyes. “Why would you drive like this?” You ask standing up with your hand on your hip. “I made it home didn’t I?” He sasses.

Dk stands up grabbing his now empty bottle. He walks to the kitchen and tosses it inside the bin. “On that note, I think it’s time for us to go.” He says to Hoshi clearing his throat. Soonyoung grabs his and Seokmin’s jacket and walk towards you. “It was great to catch up,” he says hugging you, “see you again soon y/n. Don’t be a stranger!” You walk them to the door, also receiving a hug from Dokyeom. “Love you bestie, thanks for coming over.” You say pulling away. “See you soon.” He says before heading out the door. You close it behind them, locking it in the process, you take a deep breath before making your way back to Cheol.

He’s sprawled across the couch, his eyes now closed. You shake your head as you pull him up. Jeez he’s so heavy. You say to yourself, wincing at the sudden pressure on your shoulder. “Come on Cheollie, you have to help me a little. You say as you walk towards the stairs, his arm wrapped around your shoulder as you keep him from stumbling. He lazily helps you carry him up the steps, tripping over a few in the midst.

You finally make it to the room and you push him onto the bed. He lands forcefully, face first. You place his bag on a chair by your vanity and look over to him. He seems to be asleep now. You shake your head as you began to undress him, starting with his shoes. As you were beginning to take his pants off, you hear a ding, coming from his bag. You walk to the chair you placed it in and look inside. His phone screen lights up the dark space inside as you reach for it. It was a text from an unknown number.

Unknown 10:15: Hey it’s me☺️, just making sure you made it home

Unknown 10:16: You seemed a bit drunk when you left

Unknown 10:17: Anyways just checking on you haha, see you on Monday

“You okay baby?” Cheol asks, suddenly awake. You nod holding his phone up for him to see. “You got a message from some unknown number.” You tell him walking towards the bed. He takes it and looks at the screen briefly. He shakes his head and tosses his phone to the side. “It’s nothing.” He reassured grabbing your hand. “Come here.” He demands pulling you on the bed closer to him. He kisses your lips and you could smell the alcohol on his breathe. You push him back, staring into his eyes. “Take this off babe.” You tell him, referring to his buttoned up shirt. He lazily unbuttons some, but you finish it off for him. “Goodnight beautiful.” He says turning over. You kiss him on his cheek and lay beside him. Trying not to get suffocated by the constant thoughts in your head, you close your eyes and slowly drift off to sleep.

————————————————————————————

“Knock knock.” Seungcheol looks up from his computer to the voice coming from his office door. It was Nayeon. It’s been two months now that she’s been working here, and since then, she’s grown quite comfortable, too comfortable. “Can I come in?” She asks interrupting Cheol from his work. “Sure, is there something you need?” He asks her. She shakes her head, closing the door as she walks in. He looks confused as she walks up and takes a seat across from him.

“I just wanted to tell you that sales have been great since changing the initial marketing technique.” She says referring to their last meeting. He nods sitting back in his chair. “Yes I’ve noticed,” he started, “great job you’re doing.” He says smiling. She blushes, tucking her hair behind her hair. “Thank you Cheol, your ideas really helped.” She says, cheeks turning red. Seungcheol stares at her, surprised by the sudden nickname, a name only close friends used.

“Is there anything else you need?” He asks her shifting in his chair. She looks at the watch on her wrist and looks back up at him. “I’m just about to head out for my break,” she starts, “let me treat you to lunch.” She’s grinning widely. He looks at his watch and sighs. I’ve gotten a substantial amount of work done so why not? “Sure there’s a cafe across the street from here that we could go to.” He says standing up. She smiles also standing up. “Great.” He follows her to the elevator and steps inside with her once it arrives.

“So how do you like the job so far?” He asks her breaking the silence. She turns and looks up at him. “It’s great really. Everyone’s nice and I have an awesome boss.” She smirks flirtatiously. He smiled shyly rubbing the back of his neck. “Just keep up the good work and you’ll breeze by.” He says nicely changing the subject. They make it out the elevator and to the lobby, the warm breeze caressing Cheol’s skin as he steps outside. She follows closely beside him as they cross the street into the cafe on the corner.

“Can I get two medium iced americanos with two pumps of sugar and caramel drizzle, and can I also get two sandwiches on a toasted croissant please?” He asks the woman at the counter, once they get inside. She tells him his price and he pulls out his wallet to pay. “Hey, I’m supposed to be treating you remember?” Nayeon says stepping in front of him. He shakes his head and gently moves her out the way. “I’m a man, I couldn’t.” He says handing over the bills. They stand by the end of the counter and wait for their order to be called.

Once they get their food, they sit at one of the few tables by the window. “You didn’t have to do that.” She says taking a sip of her coffee. He shook his head before taking a bite of his sandwich. “Now you owe me.” He says covering his mouth. She grinned, looking down shyly. “So tell me about this girlfriend of yours,” she started, “she seems like a lucky girl.” Seungcheol chuckled to himself. “Nah, if anything I’m the lucky one. She’s amazing.” He says looking away.

Nayeon smiled not reaching her eyes like earlier. “Well then you’re lucky to have each other.” She says pulling at her sleeve. “I mean how did she score a catch like you?” She asks staring into Seungcheol. He shrugs, cheeks turning red. Looking at his watch he begins to stand up. “I think it’s uh- time to get back.” He says clearing his throat. “Of course.” She said grabbing her bag and standing up. They tossed their trash and she followed him back across the street into the large building. They throw their now empty cups into the bin by the elevator before stepping in.

After what seemed like forever, the elevator doors close. Then suddenly, before he could react, Nayeon is connecting her lips with him. She kisses him deeply before he shoves her away looking down at her. “W- what are you doing?” He asks her stepping back. She steps forward trailing him. “Come on, she doesn’t have to find out.” She says before forcing herself back onto his lips. They kiss for a few seconds before he comes to his senses. What the fuck am I doing? This is wrong. He thought to himself before pulling away again.

The elevator doors finally open up to the 16th floor and he quickly steps out. He rushes back to his office but is stopped by Nayeon calling his name. He turns around just as she’s walking up towards him, stopping beside him. “She doesn’t have to know.” She calls again before walking off. He finally steps into his office and closes the door. What the fuck?

————————————————————————————

Its been two weeks since the incident, and Nayeon continues through their work day as if it hasn’t happened. “See you tomorrow Cheol.” Mingyu calls out as Seungcheol walks past him, leaving the office. He waves back at him and steps in to the waiting elevator. Before the doors could close, Cheol hears someone yell out to him. “HOLD THOSE DOORS PLEASE.” The voice yells. He quickly puts his hand out so the doors don’t shut and the person walks in. It’s Nayeon, holding her bag and a few other things. “Thanks Cheol.” She says smiling up at him.

He doesn’t say anything. Just looks up at the numbers above the doors as they count down to the garage. “Giving me the silent treatment aye?” She asks nudging him lightly. He walks out once they reach the garage, still not saying anything. He finally gets to his car and he suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder.

“Cheol,” she began. Turning around he cuts her off. “Don’t call me that.” He says sternly. He looks up and sighs heavily. “I have a girlfriend Nayeon, this can’t happen.” He says pointing to the two of them. She grins and looks down at his lips. Before she could act, Seungcheol clicks the button on his car key and climbs in, tossing his bag on the passenger seat.

Nayeon taps on the glass lightly asking him to roll down his window. Just drive off Cheol. Don’t entertain her. He thought to himself. He sighs and eventually rolls it down. “She doesn’t have t-.” She’s again cut off by Seungcheol’s deep voice. “Stop!” He says a bit loudly. “She does because she’s my girlfriend and I love her.” He tells her, as if to remind himself. “Ok so you don’t mind me telling her how you came on to me in that elevator two weeks ago?” She threatens. He looks at her, puzzled by her remark. “Just leave me alone.” He says before driving off, leaving Nayeon standing there alone.

————————————————————————————

This shit sucks. Oh to be a woman. You think to yourself while hugging your stomach. It’s that time of the month for you and you can barely move. I’m hungry, you thought to yourself. “Shit dinner!” You say out loud. Cheol would be home any minute and you haven’t started cooking yet. You look at the time on your phone and throw yourself back on the bed. Fuck. Takeout it is, you thought. You open up the food delivery app on your phone and start scrolling through the endless choices. “I’m really craving some pizza right now.” You say out loud to yourself.

“BABE?!” You hear the door slam shut and you knew Seungcheol was home. “UP HERE!” You yell back. He walks up the steps to your room and plop himself on the bed next to you. He’s still thinking about what happened at work and he’s reluctant to tell you. “How was work?” You ask him snapping him out of his thoughts. He sits up running his fingers through his hair. “Stressful.” Is all he says before getting up and walking to the bathroom, taking his phone with him.

“How so?” You ask as he cracks the door. It’s quiet. You can faintly hear typing coming from his phone. Seungcheol types out a message responding to Nayeon’s previous one.

NCoworker 5:30: Come on Cheol. It wasn’t that bad was it?

NCoworker 5:31: Ik you enjoyed it a little right?😌

Cheol 5:45: This has to stop. I love y/n and nothing you do will change that.

NCoworker 5:46: I won’t tell her Cheollie. I promise.

Cheol 5:46: Meet me in my office tomorrow during lunch. This’ll be over soon.

NCoworker 5:46: If you say so. I’ll see you at work. Goodnight love.

“Who you texting?” You ask, making him jump slightly. He turns around quickly locking his phone. “Just Mingyu telling me about his girlfriend.” He lied. You nodded, part of you not believing him, but you quickly brushed that feeling away. “Takeout tonight?” You ask holding up your phone. You’re still undecided so you ask for his opinion. “I kind of want pizza and wings, but if you want something else we can choose the latter.” You tell him walking into his chest, wrapping your arms around him. He’s warm and his heart is beating quite fast. He seems nervous.

“You ok?” You ask looking up at him. He nods and leans down to kiss your nose. “Pizza it is.” He says walking back out of the bathroom holding your hand. You quickly order the food and lay on the bed, letting his hand go. Seungcheol is by the closet undressing. “You know I love you right?” He says randomly. You nod, somewhat confused by his question. “Of course, why what’s wrong?” You ask, brows furrowed. He just shrugs and walks back towards the bathroom, stopping by the door. “Just wanted to make sure you knew that.” He says before walking in and closing the door behind him.

You look over to where he was previously standing and noticed he left his phone. That sinking feeling returns and the next thing you know, your grabbing his phone quickly running back to the bed. Opening it, you didn’t really expect to find anything, you’re not even sure what made you want to go through it. You click on his messages and something immediately catches your eye. “Goodnight love.” Who is that? Your head immediately floods with thoughts. You click the message and your heart jumps.

NCoworker 5:46: I won’t tell her Cheollie. I promise.

Cheol 5:46: Meet me in my office tomorrow during lunch. This’ll be over soon.

NCoworker 5:46: If you say so. I’ll see you at work. Goodnight love.

What the fuck? Who is this? Is he- No. You instantly brush the thought away. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t! Before you could think of anything else, you quickly close out of everything and place his phone back where it was. You hear the water turning off, signaling that he was done showering. You grab the remote and quickly put something random on tv.

A movie began playing loudly as he walks out of the bathroom. “Watcha watching?” Cheol asks smiling at you. He walks into the closet and began dressing himself. You can’t help but sit and think about what you saw. Who is N. What won’t she tell someone. Why is she calling him Cheollie? So many thoughts flood your mind that you didn’t even hear Cheol calling your name. “Y/N!” He says snapping you out of your thoughts.

“Everything alright?” He asks drying his hair. You look over at him. He’s wearing a black T-shirt with some grey sweat pants. His hair loosely hang over his face as he continues to dry it. “Yea everything’s alright.” You say lowly. At least that’s what you told yourself. Just then you hear the doorbell ring. “Must be the food.” Cheol says rushing downstairs, taking his phone and his wallet with him.

Your phone begins to ring. You look at the caller ID to see that it’s your dad. Shit. Here we go. You reluctantly answer.

“Hey dad.” You say, fake excitement in your voice.

“Don’t sound to eager to hear from us.” He says, noticing the sarcasm. “Your mother and I are in town and we would like to see you.” He tells you. You roll your eyes. Terrible timing. Just as I’m starting to make assumptions on Cheol’s whereabouts at work. Your dad never really liked the idea of you and Seungcheol being together. Said he didn’t like the looks of him. Cheol was just a COO at the time. Working underneath a now close friend of his, Kim Namjoon. The elder really favored Cheol and his work ethic and promoted him within a couple years after his retirement. Still, my father didn’t think he was good enough for me.

“Great,” you start, throwing your head back. “What time would be good for you guys?” You ask. You can hear your mother on the other side saying something. Seungcheol walks back in with a plate of pizza and some wings for you and him to share. You get up and walk to the small table in your room. “Tomorrow night. We can grab dinner and catch up.” Your dad says finally. Seungcheol makes a small gesture as to question who was calling. You hold up a finger, telling him to wait a second.

“Sure dad, so I’ll meet you guys tomorrow night at 9.” You tell him. He agrees. Then hangs up. You sigh deeply before taking a bite of your pizza. “That your parents?” He asks handing you a bottle of water. You nod looking over at him. Your mind rushing back to his messages as you continue to stare at him. “Anything interesting happen at work today?” You question hoping he would let you in on whatever those texts were about.

He shakes his head. “Just constantly trying to boost sales for our clients and what not.” He says biting into a piece of chicken. “Gotta keep our clients happy.” He says drinking some of his water. He didn’t tell you. Since when did he start keeping things to himself? Since when did he lie to you? Again thoughts crowding your mind.

You didn’t want to think the worse. But then why would he be lying to you. Why couldn’t he just tell you. You shake the thought away. He wouldn’t. “Could you take this downstairs?” You ask Seungcheol, quickly losing your appetite. He furrows his brows. “You going to bed?” He asks watching you climb back into bed. You nod your head without saying anything else.

Shit. Does she know. She couldn’t possibly. Seungcheol thought to himself. Maybe meeting her parents is what’s upsetting her. They don’t have the best relationship. His mind racing as he took the food downstairs to the kitchen. Just then he got a call from his phone. NCoworker displayed brightly on his screen. What the fuck? Why is she calling him so late?

Seungcheol takes a glance to the top of the steps before hesitatingly answering.

“Hey there.” Nayeon says flirtatiously. He runs his fingers through his hair. What was he doing? Why did he answer? “What did you want Nayeon?” He asks quietly. “I figured you would still be awake.” She says giggling slightly. “I’d love your company right now.” He shakes his head at her remark. What the fuck was her problem? “What the fuck is wrong with you Nayeon,” he begins “This ends tomorrow.” He says to her before hanging up.

————————————————————————————

“Yes two pumps of sugar.” You tell the barista at the cafe. You decide to surprise Cheol by bringing him lunch. You tell yourself that what you saw yesterday was just a misunderstanding. At the same time, you thought it would be a great time to bring him lunch, NOT because he said he would be meeting this N at that time. Though that was also sitting in the back of your mind, nothing wrong with a little lunch pop up right?

You park your car in the garage that connects to Hybe building. Walking towards and into the elevator, you began to get feeling again. Why? It’s not like I haven’t been here before. You think to yourself. Something was different though. A faint nervous feeling. Nervous because you didn’t know what you were walking into.

Finally reaching the 16th floor of the building, you walk until you reach the section his office was in. Mingyu spots you and gives you an endearing smile. “Hey y/n. Nice to see you again.” He says standing up to give you a friendly hug. “Should I let Cheol know, h-.” You basically yell cutting him short. “No!” You shout making him jump slightly. “No,” you continue less loudly now. “I brought lunch for him and wanted to surprise him.” You say showing him the bag and the coffee. He smiles and nods understandingly. “Got it, you know where to go.” He says returning back to his work.

You began walking down the long hallway, making your way to his office. As you reach it, you notice the door is closed. You can faintly make out two voices, one being Cheol’s, the other sound like it belonged to a woman. You instantly walk in, swinging the door open widely. You see Seungcheol and this woman standing uncomfortably close to each other. He notices you and quickly back away.

“What’s this?” You ask staring at him. He looks over at the woman and then back at you. “You must be y/n.” The woman chimes excitedly. She quickly walks up to you bowing. “I’m Nayeon.” She says smiling. N. This has to be her. You look at Cheol who still hasn’t said anything. “Yes,” he finally blurts out, “this is my girlfriend, y/n.” He says still staring at you. He blinks quickly and look away. “What’s going on?” You ask him. He walks up to you and kisses you softly on the lips. You notice Nayeon shift slightly on her feet.

“We were just discussing uh-,” he starts thinking to himself, “some major marketing plans we had for our clients.” He said looking down and noticing the bag in your hand. “You brought me lunch?” He asks you. You couldn’t gather any words, your mind was running a marathon. “I’m the new VP, I’ve been here for about two and a half months now. Cheollie and I here have been working pretty closely.” She tells you happily, staring endearingly at Seungcheol.

“Cheollie?” You repeat, questioning her choice of words. “Yea,” she says all giddy, “we’re basically partners.” She says nudging him. Cheol looks at you and puts his head down. “Nayeon please excuse yourself.” He demands to her. She instantly obliges and closes the door behind herself. You look up at Seungcheol as he guides you to a couch in his office. “Cheollie?” You repeat again, staring deeply at Seungcheol. He grabs your hand reassuringly.

“It’s nothing, I promise it’s nothing.” He says staring into you. You shake your head at him. “It doesn’t seem like nothing Cheol, she seems awfully close to you.” You say, your cheeks turning red. Is this why he’s been lying to you? “I saw the messages Cheol.” You tell him. His eyes widen, he clears his throat trying to remain calm. He swallows thickly and looks back at you. “She’s been coming on to me.” He admits with his head down. You scrunch your face at his remark. “I’ve been avoiding and dodging her advances. I promise nothing has happened or will ever happen.” He promises squeezing your hand tightly.

You didn’t say anything, just nodded. Nothing could escape your mouth. There was a knock at the door, you both look up to see Mingyu standing there with a few papers and folders. “Sorry to interrupt you guys,” he says quietly. “Cheol I have the Chairman on line 3, he’s waiting to hear from you on the recent changes made to the company”. He says before excusing himself.

You finally speak up. “I have to go, there’s some things I have to grab before meeting my parents tonight.” He nods but grabs your wrist before you can leave. “There’s a company party being thrown later,” he says, “we’re celebrating the release of our new group, maybe you could come by after dinner?” He asks. You force out a soft smile. Maybe there really is nothing going on. Maybe he’s telling the truth. He would never lie to you, right?

You go in for a hug, which he returns. “I’ll try ok?”

————————————————————————————

You take a deep breathe before shaking away your nerves. You were standing outside the restaurant your parents told you to come to. You always got a nervous feeling when seeing them again. They’re very judgmental and you long for their approval. You finally walk inside approaching the man at the front. “Hi! I have a reservation for Lee.” He looks up and down his list, nodding his head after finding your last name. “Yes, the rest of your party are already here, follow me.” He says walking off.

As you walk deeper into the restaurant, you see your parents sitting at a circle table towards the back. Your mother notices you and stand up to greet you. “My kitten!” She says excitedly. You smile and walk into her welcoming arms. The scent of blossoms and peaches cloud your senses. You pull away looking over at your dad. He stands up bowing to you with a gentle smile. “Long time no see,” he says dramatically. He then pulls you into a tight hug. “Your mother and I missed you.” He admits shyly. He pulls your chair out for you to sit, he takes his seat after helping your mother. You smile endearingly, shocked by your dads’ words. You fell out with your parents once you started dating Seungcheol.

Your dad just couldn’t get behind the fact that you decided to move in with him, and your mother stands behind every decision he makes. Basically disowning you once you moved away, you haven’t really spoken to them much from that point, so it’s pretty relieving to hear this. “I’ve realized over these past years that he isn’t going anywhere,” he starts,“so I’m willing to give him a chance my Bear, for you.” Your dad finishes. You instantly go in for another hug. Finally.

————————————————————————————

Shit. Who made this drink? Seungcheol thought to himself. He was now sitting at one of the tables on the far side of the conference hall, now on his 3rd or 4th drink by now. “Enjoying the party?” Mingyu asks him walking up to take a seat beside him. Seungcheol holds his cup up with an eyebrow raised. “Who made this drink?” He asks taking another sip, his head beginning to feel fuzzy. “I don’t know, strong isn’t it?” Mingyu questions scrunching his nose up. Seungcheol nearly finishes his drink, the strong taste in the back of his throat.

“You coming back out there?” Mingyu asks standing back up. Seungcheol blinked rapidly, his drink almost catching up to him. “I gotta run to my office really quick.” He said standing up, stumbling slightly before catching himself. Mingyu pats him on the back and makes his way back to the party. Seungcheol walks out of the party towards the elevator. Fuck, this shit is strong, he thought with a shake of his head. Finally the elevator arrives and he presses the 16 for his main office level.

Making his way around the dark space, he finally reaches his office, walking in and closing the door behind him. He sits on the couch that’s awfully comfortable to him right now. He really left to get away from the loud music. The party was nice, but he needed some quiet time for the moment. He kicks his feet up to be fully laid out on the couch, with his arms tucked comfortably behind his head. Just then he heard his office door swing open and close. Fuck.

————————————————————————————

Dinner was amazing. You and your parents touched on a lot of your problems and your dad is even willing to create a mutual relationship with Seungcheol. You pick your phone up and text Cheol telling him that you were on your way to his company’s party.

You 10:35: Heyy Cheollie, dinner went great☺️

No answer. You put your car in drive and hold your foot on the break.

You 10:37: I’m otw ok? I love you❤️

You put your phone down and began making your way to him. Now that your dad loosened his hold on him, you could get them to have a proper meeting together. You couldn’t wait to tell Cheol about it. Driving through the beautiful luminous city lights Seoul has to offer you smile to yourself, it’s so pretty at night, and you rarely go out at night so you don’t get to enjoy this view much.

You finally reach Hybe building and park your car in the adjoined parking garage. You get to the elevator and quickly press the button to the lobby. Fuck. I forgot to ask him what floor the party would be on, You thought reaching the lobby. Walking out, you see the sign with celebratory balloons hanging from it. You approach it to see that the party is on the 12th floor. You sigh and walk back towards the elevator, getting in and pressing the number 12 button.

You finally reach the 12th floor and greet the security guard you’re so used to seeing during your visits. “Nice to see you Ms. Lee.” He says letting you walk past him. You enter to see Mingyu dancing wildly in the middle of the room. You stand by the front laughing as he jumps and does some crazy moves with his arms. He finally spots you and runs towards you. “Y/n!” He says all excitedly. Your instantly pulled into a hug. You giggle at his sudden action. “Where’s Seungcheol?” You ask him after he let you go. He snaps his fingers as if trying to remember. “Ohhh yea,” he starts, “he went to his office.” He says now offering you a drink. You take it and thank him, walking back to the elevator.

When the doors opened to his floor, you couldn’t help but get this cold feeling. It was much different in here at night, an almost eerie feeling. You walk around the dark almost unfamiliar area, finally making it to the hallway that homed his office. Suddenly you hear voices, a man and a woman it sounds like. You can’t really make out their words, you’re too far. Who else would be here at this time?

As you’re close to approaching, you realize it’s coming from Cheol’s office. Finally getting a little closer, you can clearly hear it. “I promise I won’t tell her,” you hear her say, “she doesn’t have to know, this’ll just be our little secret.” She says, sounding seductive. You stand there trying to listen more. Then it’s quiet. You’re hot. You’re ears are hot. You quickly run down the rest of the hallway and burst through the door. Your chest heavy. You can’t breathe.

Walking in, you see Cheol laying back on his couch. His hair disheveled, shirt unbuttoned and pants halfway down. What the fuck. On top of him sat Nayeon, the very person he told you not to worry about. She quickly climbs off him, pulling her dress back down. Seungcheol quickly stands up, staring at you deeply, as if he’s trying to read your mind.

Your mind was racing. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Cheol would never. Your previous thoughts flooding your head. Five years. Five years of a relationship that he just let go of. Did he not care? You thought he loved you. He said that he would never hurt you. So many promises he made to you gone in an instant. You couldn’t breathe. Your chest heaved heavily. Oncoming tears stung at your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. Not right now, you couldn’t let them see you like this. Let her see you like this.

“Y/n.” Seungcheol said softly, as if he was proceeding with caution. He grabbed your hand and you quickly snatch away. “Do not fucking touch me Cheol!” You warn him, backing away. He looked at you with regret in his eyes. He looks a mess. Shirt still opened and pants pulled back up but unbuttoned. You look past him to see Nayeon grabbing her things and quickly running out of his office. You stand there quiet, thinking of your next words.

Seungcheol walks slowly towards you with his hand out. “Please Naekkeo, here me out.” He says using your nickname. A nickname that once made you feel warm and loved. Now it just makes you feel cold and unwanted. “Don’t call me that!” You snap at him. “You don’t get to call me that.” You say, pushing your tears away. You sniff and look away. Fighting the water works that were welling up the more you looked at him.

“Why?” You ask, not fully sure you wanted to know the answer. “It didn’t mean anything, she’s a nobody.” You’ve heard that before. Everytime a guy says that a girl is just a nobody, most of the time, she’s a somebody. You look at him shaking your head. “You lied to me Seungcheol.” You look up hoping your blurred vision would go away. “I clearly see why you haven’t answered any of my texts.” You say biting your lip. He runs his fingers through his hair and moves to grab your hand again.

To no surprise, you pull away again. “Y/n I-.” He’s cut short by your outburst. “YOU LOOKED ME IN MY EYES AND LIED TO MY FUCKING FACE SEUNGCHEOL!” You yell. “Please” he says tears filling his eyes. Smack! Your hand stings as you hit him. You don’t know what came over you but you hit him. You were hurting. You felt betrayed, embarrassed, and above all broken. “I hate you,” you spat. He stood there tears now rolling down his face. You quickly turn and began walking out, not wanting to be there anymore. “Y/n” he says, grabbing you wrist. You turn to look him in his eyes. “Fuck you Seungcheol.” You snatch away and run out. Leaving him there alone.

————————————————————————————

My Cheollie🍒 11:45 pm: Y/n please

My Cheollie🍒 11:45 pm: Let me explain

My Cheollie🍒 11:46 pm: I love you so much, I would never do anything to purposely hurt you

My Cheollie🍒 11:47 pm: Talk to me

My Cheollie🍒 11:48 pm: Believe me she doesn’t mean anything to me

My Cheollie🍒 11:48 pm: You’re the only one I want to be with

My Cheollie🍒 11:49 pm: Please come home

My Cheollie🍒 11:49 pm: I need you baby please

You lay there in the bed staring at the messages that Seungcheol sent last night. You couldn’t bring yourself to reply to any of them. You spent the night at Seokmin’s place, not wanting to go home. He has a spare bedroom so he didn’t mind you coming to stay. You knew Cheol would be returning home that night and you didn’t want to be there once he arrived. You hated the way he made you feel. You hated the way he looked at you when you walked in his office. Why did he do it? You thought to yourself while staring at your lock screen. A picture of a painting you and Cheol painted together displayed brightly.

“How you feeling?” Dokyeom asks popping his head in the room breaking you out of your trance. You look up at him, wiping the tears you didn’t even realize started falling. He comes in and takes a seat on the bed, staring into your sad eyes. “I’m so sorry best.” He says holding his arms open, welcoming you into an embrace. You quickly sit up and fall into his warm body. He holds you tight, rubbing your back.

“What now?” You ask him through loud sobs. “We started a life together,” you start. “Just us and each other’s company.” You hug Dk tighter. I’m gonna have to completely start over. What will I tell my parents? “I have to start looking for my own place.” You say pulling away from him. He smiles softly and supportingly. “You can always stay here with me until you find one.” He replies. You force a smile out and chuckle slightly. “I love you Seokmin, thanks for always being there for me.” He pulls you into another hug and kisses your forehead. “I love you too y/n.” He says pulling away and standing up. “I’ll always be here for you.”

————————————————————————————

It’s been two weeks and you finally gather the courage to go back to Cheol’s house. You’re there to get the rest of your things and return your key. For the past few days, you’ve been visiting whenever he was at work and taking a few clothes and personals. It’s 6:30 pm and you would’ve come earlier but you were at a meeting with a landlord for a potential apartment across town. You knew he would be there but you weren’t ready to face him just yet. It’s now or never. Come on y/n we can do it. You mentally prep yourself.

You walk up to his door and unlock it with your key. It still works. Are you surprised though? Making your way inside, you notice how dark it is. An unwelcoming type of darkness. “Y/n?” You walk further in and turn the lights on in the living room seeing Seungcheol sitting in a lounge chair by the window. “I won’t be long.” You say quickly making your way upstairs. You hear him following behind you which you pay no mind to.

“Where are you going?” He asks sloppily. He’s been drinking. He stands there watching you grab several suitcases you stored in the hallway closet. You ignore him as you open them up and quickly begin packing your things away. “Y/n answer me.” You stand up instantly meeting eyes with him. “There’s nothing for me to say to you Seungcheol.” You take a deep breathe and push past him going to your vanity. You grab your jewelry, taking each out of their own spaces and tossing them in a small bag.

“You haven’t been returning any of the messages I’ve been leaving you. Y/n we didn’t speak in two weeks. Where have you been?” You feel your irritation raise and look up to glare at him. Why is he speaking as if he’s done nothing wrong? Like he didn’t fully cheat on you with his coworker. After telling you nothing was going on. “YOU CHEATED ON ME CHOI SEUNGCHEOL. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. YOU-” You cut yourself off feeling the frustration rise in you.

He stumbles back trying to catch himself. He grabs the side of the vanity, balancing himself. “I love you.” He says walking closer to you. It’s now that you finally get to analyze him. He’s wearing a black tank top and a pair of adidas pants. His hair has grown longer and falls messily over his face. You can smell the alcohol on his breathe. “You did this Seungcheol. Not me”.

You finally finish packing ignoring everything he’s had to say to you. Your bags are in your car and you’re gathering the remaining of your things. Walking into the bathroom to get your personal hygienic items, you can’t help but remember the last time you and Cheol showered together. You were happy, everything was ok. How could it all go so wrong in the span of a couple of months. You shake your head and wipe the single tear that fell down your face away.

You walk out to see Seungcheol now sitting on the bed holding a bottle of water in his hand. “Don’t leave me y/n.” He says sluggishly. You look away and make your way for the door, stopping briefly. You turn to take one more look at him. “I hope it was worth it”. You say staring at him. This time he doesn’t say anything. Just stares back at you. You turn back around heading towards the stairs. When you finally reach the door, you hear his voice. “Don’t walk out on us, please.” He begs from the top of the steps. You stand there. Memories you shared flooding your mind. You sigh deeply, sobs threatening to burst from your chest. You grab the doorknob and head out finally closing the door on the love of your life.

“I’m sorry.” Seungcheol says after you close the door. 

What have I done?

[jewishdragon]

top five soups!!!!!!!!

OK SO

#1 is my uncle's chicken matzah ball soup. Its a family legend of a soup. it's essentially a chicken stew and the signature spice is Hawaij: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaij. it WILL stain anything it gets on yellow and its WONT come out. 100000/10 soup. On the application to the college I eventually went to the final application question was "what is one food you would cook for the admission team?" and I put this soup. (recipe will be under the cut)

#2: UDON AND RAMEN. both rank the same. slurp slurp noodles ohmmygod

#3: just a hearty meat and veggie soup plz

#4: spaghettios counts as soup sorry. so i guess cheesy-tomato soup. yum yum.

#5: melted ice cream that I eat like a soup

OK NOW FOR THE LEGENDARY SOUP RECIPE:

Matzo Ball Soup

Recipe from: Mum

Makes:

1 whole 8-piece chicken

1 turnip, chunked

1 rutabaga, chunked

2-3 large carrots, diced

1 onion, diced

1 head of whole garlic cloves

Lots of whole fresh parsley

1 tbsp Osem soup flavoring

1 Manischewitz Matzo Ball Soup Mix

Tons of Hawaij

Put a whole 8-piece chicken in a large pot with water. Bring to boil, skimming off the schmaltz that will gather on the top. (Schmaltz is a foamy-like fatty substance that appears on the rim.) Stop when the foam stops forming on the top of the soup.

While the chicken boils/cooks, chop up one turnip, one rutabaga, two to three large carrots, and one onion (just depends on preference). Add these to the pot along with whole garlic cloves. Add Osem chicken soup seasoning (to taste), about one tablespoon. Note this adds a good amount of salt to the soup. For richer flavor, you can use chicken/bone broth for the base soup as well. If you do this, add less water in the beginning as this will add volume.

Use Manischewitz matzo ball soup mix to make matzo balls (follow its instructions) and add the soup mix to the pot. Add tons of Hawaij (turmeric-like spice from the middle east). Must be Hawaij MARAK (marak = soup). Add in lots of whole parsley.

Note on adding matzo balls to soup: they take time to absorb the soup into the ball, but also get mushier as they sit in the liquid longer. So, add them whenever you decide, weighing these factors.

Optional: after a long time of simmering on low boil, remove the chicken and de-bone so you do not have to deal with that while eating. I do this by shredding it with two forks so I do not have to touch the boiling hot chicken. My mom does this by hand, burning her fingers.

*my uncle also sues potato in this soup but my family dislikes potato in soup so we removed it. feel free to add that back in! add different veggies. it will all taste of hawaij in the end.

[najia-cooks]

うどん / Udon (thick Japanese noodles)

Udon are thick, chewy Japanese noodles. They have a place in 和食 (washoku; "Japanese food" or "harmonious food")—'traditional' Japanese cuisine that predates the increased opening of Japan to foreign trade and influence in the Meiji period. Conventionally, udon are eaten hot or cold in soups and with dipping sauces. Yaki udon and curry udon are udon dishes more associated with 洋食 (yoshoku: "Western food").

In some places, udon may be purchased dried, fresh, or frozen, but in others they may be unavailable. This recipe lets you make delicious fresh udon—with much better, chewier texture than dried or frozen—no matter where you are, with just flour, salt, and water.

Recipe under the cut!

Patreon | Tip jar

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cup (200g) all-purpose four

1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp (90g) lukewarm water

10g kosher or flake salt (about 2 tsp David’s kosher salt—volume may vary by brand—or 1 tsp table salt)

Potato starch or cornstarch (for dusting)

Instructions:

To make:

1. Add flour to a large mixing bowl. If measuring by volume, measure flour by spooning it gently into a dry cup measure and levelling off the excess.

2. Dissolve salt into water to create a brine.

3. Slowly add brine to flour while mixing to distribute evenly. Mix and press dough until it just comes together into a ball with no dry flour remaining; it’s okay if the ball has cracks in it or seems “shaggy.”

If dry flour remains, wet your fingers and continue pressing. Be careful not to add too much water; the dough should feel too tough to knead by hand. Cover and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

4. Knead the dough by hand for about 200 turns, until smooth and pliable ("as soft as an earlobe").

Another common Japanese method which will spare your hands is to place the dough in a large resealable plastic bag, leaving a little bit of air. Step on the dough with your heels (starting from the center and working your way out) until it is flat. You can also place it between two pieces of parchment paper and place kitchen towels below and on top of it before stepping on it, if you don’t have a large enough bag.

Remove the dough from the bag and fold the edges in towards the center, like an envelope; then fold the corners into the center to form a ball, and place it seam-side-down back inside the bag. Repeat this (stepping on the dough, folding it and gathering it into a ball, and placing it back in the bag) four more times, or until the dough is smooth and pliable.

5. Allow the dough to rest, covered (or sealed in the bag), for 1 1/2 to 3 hours (closer to 1 1/2 hours if your kitchen is warm; closer to 3 hours if it is cold).

6. On a working surface lightly dusted with starch, flatten the dough into a disc with your hand, then roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 1/8" (3mm) thick and 12" (32cm) long. You can do this by rolling it out in one direction, then flipping the dough 90 degrees and rolling again. Then, wrap the dough around the rolling pin as you roll diagonally from corner to corner, first in one direction and then the other, to even out the thickness of the dough and shape the corners of the rectangle.

7. Dust the surface of the dough with more starch and fold it in thirds lengthwise (so that the folds are parallel to the 12" long edge).

8. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough widthwise (perpendicular to the fold lines) to create noodles about 1/8" (3mm) in width. Cut straight down, rather than moving the knife back and forth in a sawing motion, which would tear the edges of the noodles.

9. Pick up and "plop" the cut noodles down using your fingers while adding a bit more starch to ensure that the noodles don't stick to each other.

To cook:

1. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a rolling boil. Shake excess starch off of the noodles and add them to the pot.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally with chopsticks or a pasta spoon, until the noodles no longer taste raw, 10-13 minutes.

3. Drain and rinse with cold water to halt cooking and rinse off excess starch.

To use the noodles in hot soup, dip the noodles into a pot of hot water to bring up their temperature; portion them into individual serving bowls and pour your broth over them.

To store unused noodles, place individual portions into ziplock bags or tupperware containers lined with parchment paper; freeze for up to a month. Boil noodles directly from frozen for 12-15 minutes.

[skynapple]

Made udon with some soft boiled eggs and it was so much easier than I thought 🥹 perfect for someone like me who "can't cook"

broth:

1.5 teaspoons (3g) instant hon dashi

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 cups water

mix it all together and bring to a boil, literally that's it and the flavor is so good

udon:

Made 1 dry packet according to directions

soft boiled eggs:

boiled water

added 2 eggs for 7-8ish mins then rinsed in ice water and they had a firmer pudding-like consistency inside which is how I like them

Took idk maybe 20 mins only cause I forgot to be boiling the water 😅

I'M JUST HAPPY NOTHING BURNED! Not hopeless in the kitchen after all 😭 nothing was set on fire today guys!

[sybilius]

You want to eat this, trust me, so here is the recipe. Adapted from this instagram post.

*

Weeknight Sesame Udon

Sauce 50ml soy sauce 1 tbsp dark soy sauce 2 tbsp zhī ma jiàng, Chinese Sesame Paste (a tahini or plain peanut butter will work in a pinch, but this is the best) 1-2 tbsp of mirin 2 tsp rice vinegar 1 tbsp Chinese five spice (optional-- spice averse people can leave this out) 1 thumb of ginger 3 cloves of garlic Deep fried tofu topping (can substitute this with plain peanuts if you don't have time or inclination to deep fry) 1 block firm tofu 1-2 tbsp corn starch 1/2 c or more of oil, I like peanut oil for this Quick Pickle Garnish Cucumbers 3 tbsp Rice vinegar Salt

Your Favourite Noodle (I like Udon myself, but this would be good with buckwheat noodles or ramen noodles) Other Garnish Scallions Lao Gan Ma, Chili crisp topping OPTIONAL: Greens you want to get rid of, such as spinach or gai lan.

(Quick pickles) Using a large knife, slice your cucumbers in half lengthwise.

(Quick Pickles) Chop each half into 3 inch sections. Smash the sections with the flat side of your knife (see the instagram video if you're not sure what I mean), then roughly chop the cucumber.

(Quick Pickles) Place in a bowl with a generous splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of salt, and put it in the fridge for later.

(Sauce) Grate the ginger and mince the garlic (if you are pressed for time and have money, the squeezable tubes will probably work fine for this). Mix all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.

(Tofu) Set out a plate with paper towel on your stove. Set out your frying pan and place about 1/4" depth of oil in there. Heat it up on medium-high.

(Tofu) While it's heating, drain the tofu into a large bowl. Crumble the tofu with your hands. The pieces should be fairly small. Toss in the cornstarch.

(Tofu) Carefully add the tofu to the hot oil. Let it fry for at least 5 minutes, or until the tofu is light gold in color. Add it carefully to the plate using a slotted spoon (be careful! hot oil!). Turn off the heat (I am writing this because I always forget this step).

(Tofu) Grab an additional paper towel and soak the extra oil off your tofu.

(Noodles) Boil a large pot of water for your noodles

(Noodles) While the water is heating, chop your scallions or extra greens.

(Noodles) Add the noddles to the boiling water and cook for the needed amount of time. If adding greens, in the last 45s of cooking time, throw in the greens to blanch them.

(Noodles) When the noodles are a desired softness, drain them. Mix the sauce, tofu (or peanuts) and noodles together. Serve, topped with scallions, quick pickles, and lao gan ma. Enjoy!

[actuallymagsdump]

200 g flour

100ml water

1. mix the flour with the water and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Roll out the dough and cut it to create udon. Cook the udon in boiling water

tempeh

nori seaweed

tomatoes

2. fry the seaweed with the garlic, then add the diced tempeh and the tomatoes and finally the udon