ninety-seven

Jisung was somewhat uncomfortable when he and Minho reached the front door of his house. Minho unlocked it using a key like it was the most ordinary thing to do and opened the door for them.

Feeling uneasy, he went in first and sent an odd glance to the guy behind him. Now that he was alone with a stranger, it made him feel very anxious.

The only reason why he trusted this guy was because the doctor had told him that they lived together. So he figured that maybe they were close friends or something.

First, he walked into the kitchen where he looked around. Everything was as he remembered, thankfully. None of the furniture was out of place. Everything looked neat.

"Are you hungry?" Minho asked, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms.

"A little," Jisung answered. It was late afternoon by now, and the last time he had eaten had been in the hospital around noon.

"Sit down and I'll make something for you," he said and didn't wait for an answer before he got to work.

Jisung watched him opening the fridge and rummaging through its contents before he fetched a pan from the cupboard.

"You don't have to, I can do it myself," he replied. It made him feel odd to have a person he didn't know cook for him.

And he felt even more uneased when he noticed what the guy was planning to make.

Grilled cheese was one of his favorite dishes—and it couldn't be a coincidence that this stranger chose that out of all things.

"The doctor specifically told me to make sure you don't strain yourself," Minho said firmly, continuing to fetch more ingredients in the drawers of the kitchen. "Just sit down and wait until I'm done."

"But—"

"No," he snapped, but he immediately regretted it when Jisung flinched. "Listen, I just want the best for you. And cooking isn't a big deal. I don't mind at all."

"F-Fine," he mumbled unsurely and sat down at the table. He didn't know what to think of Minho and continuously wondered what kind of relationship they had shared. Were they a couple?

He was hesitant to ask since he was scared of the answer he would receive. The doctor had told him that he could trust Minho, but he wasn't so sure about that.

He wanted to see for himself what kind of person this Minho was, and so far, he hadn't been able to gather much. Minho's behavior was distant, and he hardly talked.

Eventually, the latter finished the food and placed it on a plate in front of Jisung. He sat beside him and watched as he grabbed the grilled cheese and began to eat.

Jisung returned his stare, watching him unsurely. The question that had been flowing through his mind this entire time fell from his lips before he could stop himself.

"Can I really trust you?" He asked quietly.

For a second, Minho's eyes widened. A hint of pain flickering through them. "Yes," he answered. "But that doesn't mean you will, does it?" Sadness layered the tone of his voice. He turned away and left the room.

To be continued...