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Zhang Hao realised something was amiss when Hanbin hadn’t tilted up to kiss him in over 10 minutes, during their movie date. Glancing down, he discovered Hanbin curled against his shoulder, eyes closed.
Hao’s heart swelled with affection as his fingers involuntarily reached out to brush the hair falling against his boyfriend’s forehead. The soft, flickering light from the TV illuminated Hanbin’s peaceful expression, a stark contrast to his usual rapt attentiveness. As his eyes adjusted to the change, Hao saw the chest tattoo peeking out from beneath his half-zipped hoodie, pretty lips slightly parted, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest with every breath.
Realising that Hanbin had fallen asleep, Hao paused the movie, not wanting to disturb him. They had been swamped with preparations for their upcoming comeback, making moments of relaxation a luxury. The opportunity to enjoy a date like this had become rare. Hao often found himself counting down to their break days because that meant getting alone time with Hanbin.
But he wasn’t at all upset that Hanbin had drifted off to sleep when they had finally got the chance; in fact, he was relieved to see the younger taking much-needed rest. Hao felt immensely fortunate to have Hanbin as his boyfriend. Not only was he an exceptional leader, always looking after their members, and being there for them in every possible way, but he was also an incredible partner to Hao. Even in the midst of chaos, as was usual at WakeOne, and with Hao thousands of miles away from the comforts of home, Hanbin’s unwavering support and love enveloped him like a warm, familiar embrace. Hao understood the pressure Hanbin carried, especially right now. He had observed Hanbin pushing himself to the limit and wished he could ease some of that burden. His heart ached when he saw Hanbin emerge with dark circles under his eyes daily, knowing he had stayed up late perfecting choreography or revising scripts for M Countdown.
Hao wanted to express his gratitude by doing something special for him. While thinking about what would make Hanbin happy, he remembered the soft-boiled eggs Hanbin often bought at the convenience store. The image of Hanbin’s cheeks puffing up like a hamster while he swallowed them whole was permanently etched in Hao’s memory as one of Hanbin's most endearing habits. He had a treasure trove of pictures he'd taken when Hanbin ate like that, almost enough to be a separate album in his gallery.
It was clear that Hanbin loved eggs; he would love anything made with it. But what to cook? Zhang Hao didn’t want to prepare a dish too commonplace, like a plain omelette. Yet, he also lacked the culinary skills to whip up something extravagant.
Opening Naver on his phone, Hao set out online for inspiration, typing ‘Easy Korean egg recipes’ into the search bar. He scrolled through the results until his eyes landed on a promising option – egg roll kimbap.
Scanning the list of required ingredients, Hao realised their dorm was missing a few essentials, including sesame oil and carrots. Determined to make the dish perfect, he decided to make a quick run to the convenience store nearby. Cradling Hanbin’s head as carefully as possible, he stood up, relinquishing his position as Hanbin’s makeshift pillow, but not before making sure that Hanbin was nestled onto one of the plush couch cushions. Before leaving, Hao pressed a soft kiss to his boyfriend’s forehead, whispering, “I'll be back soon.”
Upon his return from the store, to his immense relief, Hao discovered Hanbin still asleep. He made his way into the kitchen to set down the groceries he had purchased. That’s when he bumped into Jiwoong, who raised an eyebrow at the bag Hao clutched in his hand. “What’s all that?”
Hao grinned, replying, “It’s everything I need to make egg roll kimbap. For Hanbin.”
Jiwoong chuckled, “And what about the rest of us?”
“Boyfriend privileges.” Hao stuck out his tongue. “Go ask Matthew to make you some.”
Jiwoong considered for a moment before asking, “Okay, okay. Do you want any help, though?”
“No, I think I can handle it,” Hao said, as he pulled out plates from the cupboard.
Jiwoong didn’t sound entirely convinced. “Are you sure?” he asked. “You’re not exactly a pro—”
“Hyung!” Hao interrupted, grabbing a knife and playfully pointing it toward the eldest. “What are you trying to say?”
Jiwoong raised his hands in surrender. “Just offering help as a hyung. Good luck.” With that, he left the kitchen.
Now alone, Hao clicked on a video tutorial for egg roll kimbap and started following along. He began by whisking the eggs, adding a pinch of salt and pepper to enhance the flavour. Pouring the mixture into a frying pan, he tried his best to shape it into a log. Unfortunately, the result wasn’t quite what he had envisioned; some portions were too runny, while others had become overly dry. The rice he spread on the seaweed turned out sticky, causing the seaweed to tear in a few places. The cheese and ham were protruding from the edges, giving the rolls a clumsy appearance.
Hao stared at his creation with a conflicting mix of pride and disappointment. It didn’t look as neat or delicious as the images he had seen online, and doubts began to creep in. Would Hanbin even like it? Should I just throw it and pretend this never happened?
I should at least give it a taste, Hao ultimately decided. But just as he was about to grab a piece, a voice broke through previous contemplative silence.
“Hao hyung? What are you doing?”
Startled, Hao spun around and saw a bleary-eyed Hanbin standing at the kitchen’s entrance.
“Hanbin! You’re awake!” Hao exclaimed nervously as Hanbin made his way toward him.
Movement still sluggish, Hanbin wrapped his arms around Hao. “I woke up and saw you weren’t there. I missed you,” he murmured against Hao’s neck.
Hao hugged him back and kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry I left you alone, baby. I wanted to surprise you with something.”
Hanbin disconnected himself from his lover and stood up straight, eyes fixed on the plate behind them on the counter, a small smile on his face. “Is that for me?”
Hao nodded sheepishly. “I tried to make you egg roll kimbap.”
Hanbin’s smile grew broader. “You did? That’s so sweet of you! Thank you so much!”
He picked up a piece of kimbap and tasted it with enthusiasm. “Mmm! It’s delicious!”
Hao looked at him in disbelief, skepticism apparent on his face. “Really? You’re not lying?”
Hanbin shook his head. “Of course not! It’s really good! I love it!”
Hao decided to test Hanbin, trying to snatch a piece from him. “Let me taste it then,” he demanded.
“You didn’t taste while making it? It’s mine now,” Hanbin teased, spinning out of Hao’s reach and finishing the kimbap in his hand.
“C’mon, just one piece," Hao whined. “I know it’s not that good.”
Hanbin, a mischievous glint in his eyes, denied Hao’s request, darting out to the living room, with Hao hot in pursuit. “You’re wrong,” he insisted. “It’s the best I’ve ever had.” But Hanbin’s hoodie was still partially unzipped, and his hood fluttered behind him as he ran through the apartment, creating an opening for Hao to seize. In one swift move, Hao managed to grab it, forcing him to come to a stop.
“Now give me a little or I’ll be sad.” Hao pouted, knowing Hanbin was defenceless against this tactic.
Hanbin, unable to resist, gestured for Hao to open his mouth and fed him a small piece. Hao tasted it, and as he had predicted, it didn’t quite live up to his expectations.
“You’re such a liar, Hanbin,” Hao pouted again, tone tinged with a touch of mock disappointment. “You can be honest with me, you know.”
“I am being honest.” Hanbin put the plate aside and guided Hao down to sit on one of the chairs in the room. “I like everything you make. Even that stew you cooked in Jeju, in all its vinegary glory.”
“Yah! I tried my best, and you didn’t stop me.” Hao reached out to give Hanbin’s chest a light slap but Hanbin caught his hand in his own instead.
“Why would I stop you?” Hanbin’s voice was tender as he drew closer, his breath ghosting over Hao’s lips. “I was waiting to do something with you throughout the trip, how could I not enjoy every moment of it?”
Zhang Hao didn’t think it was possible for him to fall any deeper in love, but Hanbin managed to prove him wrong every single day.
“You’re such a sap,” he grumbled but placed his hand on the back of Hanbin’s neck and closed the distance between them.
Hanbin’s lips still carried a hint of the seaweed from the kimbap but Hao didn’t mind in the slightest. Every single worry he had seemed to vanish when Hanbin kissed him like this, gently holding his face as if he was the most precious thing in the world.
When Hanbin eventually pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other, he whispered with a smile, “I love you, Hao hyung.”
Hao gazed into Hanbin’s eyes, his own filled with adoration, and whispered back, “I love you too, Hanbinie. So much.”
At this, Hanbin couldn’t resist stealing another kiss, making Hao giggle. “Stop it, Hanbin-ah, or this will keep going on till it's bedtime.”
“I don’t see a problem with that,” Hanbin joked, puckering his lips.
“Very funny.” Hao nudged him. “Do you want to continue the movie?”
“Sure, we should complete our date.”
They returned to the living room, and as they settled in, Hanbin’s phone, which was on the coffee table, caught his attention. Unlocking it, he opened Bubble and quickly typed.
> Lately, I
> Have a food I’m falling for
> Egg roll kimbap!
> I’m in love..
“Hanbinie? Shall I start it?” Hanbin looked up from his phone to see Hao’s questioning glance.
“Yes, go ahead, hyung. I was just replying to a message.”
Hao nodded and pressed play. A few hours later, Zhang Hao would probably see the notification and teasingly ask Hanbin if he loved the kimbap more than him. And Hanbin’s response would involve pressing kisses all over Hao’s face and asking him to guess. But for now, they were snuggled up comfortably against each other, and the world outside ceased to matter.