Chapter Text
The third is… well. It’s not really a surprise (it’s in the chapter title, after all).
On Iseul Kim’s first day at the Corps, he ordered an ice breaker in the court. A very simple one, a name and one thing that you wished for. Which it… kind of failed. Iseul doesn’t need to go down the rabbit hole of why that’s the case, however, given that it involves restating that his teammates are weird people.
Anyways, Iseul said that his wish was for a lifetime supply of sugar twist donuts. One doesn’t wish for that without liking sugar twist donuts a lot. Sugar twist donuts are love, sugar twist donuts are life. If he doesn’t want to become an officer for the power, then at least for his favorite food. Do you know how disappointing it was to get rejected from all those restaurants just because of his aberrant status?
One day, he’ll show them all. He’ll make them give him donuts through the fear conveyed through a red tie with pins.
That’s what his dad did when he was younger. The first time he had one was when he was six maybe. There was a new bakery in town and his dad wanted to check it out. So Former Level 10 Officer Kim and Iseul Kim walked on over. Both had never tried a sugar twist donut before, but when they walked out, they walked out knowing that they would come back. Over, and over, and over.
If there’s one thing that Iseul would never forget from each visit, however, it was the fear of the baker. The not-so-subtle stare at his dad’s tie, followed by a look at his dad’s face, before a shaky question (“W-what… uh… would you like t-to o-order…?”).
Such a reaction wasn’t unique, however. Sorry baker, but in this particular department, you weren’t very special.
So imagine the whiplash when he walks into a restaurant with his cell because he wants some braised chicken, a taste of home in a sense. Grandma’s braised chicken was very, very good, though she hadn’t cooked it for a while.
“Apologies, your business isn’t wanted here.”
…what?
The lady at the counter stood there, composed and everything, and said that to their faces without skipping a beat. It’s so unlike the unusual reaction he’s used too, that he can’t help but be stunned silent for a moment.
…
Well, maybe it’s because they’re only trainees? Trainees don’t earn money, so maybe that was the issue here?
“W-wait! I know we’re… still trainees at the Aberrant Corps, but we actually have money to spend! Our mentor gave us her peace card…”
Yeah. That’ll do it. Money was it. Right, right?
He knew what the actual cause was deep down. But he couldn’t help but be shocked, when Sayeon slammed the counter and stated an actual law, when the lady still refused despite that.
Said they were causing a disturbance. Their presence didn’t elicit fear. Iseul could feel it in their words, their contempt. He said it earlier. They were still trainees. The word ‘trainees’ evokes a sense of inexperience, and inexperience meant that they were not dangerous.
That they could be pushed around and they couldn’t do shit about it.
So they left. That’s all there was to it. What could they only do with two tie pins?
But Iseul really, really wanted those sugar twist donuts, damn it. Can’t a guy want to indulge in a while? You’re not you when you’re hungry. Or in Iseul Kim’s situation he’s not himself when he’s hungry… for sugar twist donuts. So what does he do when all the bakeries with the treats practically toss him out?
…
Well, he would’ve moped around, did he not have a valid solution to this dilemma. A very shaky solution, but a solution.
On the day that Cell 4 played against Cell 3 in a not-so-ordinary match of Capture the Flag, he had found an entire half of a loaf of banana bread.
Yes. Specifically half a loaf. Of banana bread.
It must have been left out overnight, but Iseul decided that it couldn’t be that bad. Random banana bread of an unknown source would beat any of the stuff that the Corps handed out. So ignoring Ryujin (“It’s not safe to eat. Who knows how long it’s been sitting there?), he takes a bite.
And holy shit. This is like the best banana bread he’s ever had. Wow. Okay.
While Ryujin is also having a taste, Iseul turns around to ask his teammates if they want some. He looks over at Sayeon first who is…
…eh?
With a baffled expression, she slowly turns her head to Min. The gears turn in Iseul’s head.
At some point last night, Min and Sayeon met up in the gym for whatever reason and ate the other half of the banana bread. Sayeon presumably exited before Min did, who left the banana bread behind, for whatever reason.
There were also mittens left on the bread, leading Iseul to the conclusion that between Min Woo and Sayeon Lee, at least one of them was an amazing baker. Because why else would there have been mittens if one of them hadn’t been using them to take that sweet, sweet loaf of bread out of an oven?
He gets a lot more options to talk to Min, so he tries to confront him first. But Min’s the type of guy who’s hard to talk to directly, and expresses his kindness through his actions. He’s much, much more subtle, and is more effective to approach if you’re not being straightforward, because otherwise he’ll take your words as an order. And Iseul doesn’t want to order Min around, he wants to be his friend.
So the day after the whole restaurant catastrophe, Iseul sighs from disappointment in their room.
“Man… that was so upsetting. I just wanted some sugar twist donuts.”
“…?”
“Ah? Did you want some too?”
“…I am not sure what these ‘twist donuts’ are.”
“Whaaaaat???”
“…”
“Min, that is simply unacceptable! You must try one sometime. Ooo, remember when I said we should watch Space Wars when we’re Level 5s? We should eat sugar twist donuts then too!”
As he goes off to brush his teeth, he’s not sure if it worked. Min, after all, is not much of a reactor. But he is a thoughtful person, and Iseul knows he’s planted the seed into his mind.
…the results were rather quick, too.
“What the hell?” exclaims Taeho, as he stares at the… food beside Iseul’s bed. Iseul’s not sure what that is supposed to be. It looks strange, though he can see a…hole? It looks like a donut hole. Taeho dashes out of the room with a flabbergasted expression as Iseul decides to take a bite. Not many people in the Corps like watching him eat food that was presumably out overnight, apparently.
It tastes good. A little weird, due to the unfamiliar taste, but it’s delicious. But it’s also simultaneously weird. Like this was more of an experiment than a concrete recipe.
…
Min Woo. What did he do.
He watches him later, that guy named Min, and he acts the same. He would’ve been deceived, had it not been for the eye contact they made at some point.
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…uh… thanks Min…? For the… for the donuts…?”
“I’m not sure what you are talking about.”
“O-oh, of course.”
“…”
“…just um. If you ever decide to make sugar twist donuts, you can ask me what they look like.”
And ask is what Min did. At the early hours in the morning, Min Woo woke up Iseul Kim so that they could bake sugar twist donuts. What is with Min and being awake during the night, actually? Is that the best time to bake treats or something?
Iseul himself is not a good baker, but at the very least, he can shape the dough, give Min, who only has the foundation of baking, the details.
“A sugar twist donut looks kind of like this!”
“Where is the hole?”
“…eh?”
“Don’t donuts have a hole in them.”
“…not all donuts have a hole in the middle! Have you ever had one of the ones stuffed with cream?”
“…?”
You cannot tell Iseul that this guy isn’t sheltered. Unless there’s some other reason for knowing virtually nothing about the practical world.
“…so, anyways! Does the kitchen have cinnamon?”
“Yes.”
“Oooo, nice! I usually like them with cinnamon sprinkled on top, but you can glaze them too! Or put frosting. It’s just a donut, no one’s gonna judge you for what you put on it.”
“…”
“…fine, I will judge you if the donut tastes bad. But you’re good at baking, so I doubt it!”
A few hours later, Iseul Kim reached paradise. Min Woo made the best sugar donuts that he has ever eaten in his life. Iseul would say that Min Woo should’ve been a baker and not in the Aberrant Corps, but that’d only happen if Min wasn’t an aberrant. Iseul can’t imagine a life where Min wasn’t an aberrant, just like he can’t imagine if he himself wasn’t one. You’re either one or not, and from there on, it’s your destiny.
“…you like them.”
“Mhm!”
“This is my first time.”
“And? Some people are lucky or got natural talent! I think you got the latter.”
“…I see.”
Min Woo really, really liked baking in the middle of the night.
From then on, whenever Iseul came back exhausted from a mission, it was almost guaranteed he would wake up to the smell of cinnamon. Iseul likes paying back his favors, so occasionally, he tries doing the same for Min. He’s not a natural baker, though.
“…”
“…?”
“Hm.”
“…????”
But Min seemed to like them all the same. After all, a sugar twist donut is a sugar twist donut. And Iseul (and Min? Maybe?) will love them until the end of the world.