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Xia Fei wasn’t sure what woke him first—the faint sound of clattering in the kitchen or the unmistakable smell of something slightly… burnt.
He blinked slowly, adjusting to the dim morning light filtering through the curtains. He never slept in. But yesterday, he was too spent after a long hour of modelling for an advertisement. The apartment felt warm, unusually quiet.
Except for the occasional muffled cursing from the kitchen. That was enough to make him sit up on the bed. Eye scanning into the existence of the other party.
Slipping out of bed, Xia Fei walked barefoot toward the source of the noise. His blonde hair was still a mess, and he didn’t bother fixing it as he leaned against the doorway, watching.
Vein stood in front of the stove, his usual coat discarded, sleeves lazily rolled up. His red hair tied back in a braid, swaying slightly as he flipped something in the pan. The orange yolk of an egg wobbled mid air before landing with a splat—a little too hard—against the frying pan.
Xia Fei's gaze dropped to the plate next to him. Two slices of toast. A cup of tea, slightly oversteeped. And an egg, its edges just a little too crispy.
It was… imperfect. But strangely, Xia Fei felt some kind of endearment in his chest.
Vein sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair before grabbing a plate. He didn’t seem to notice Xia Fei watching until he turned with a satisfied smirk.
“Ah, you’re up,” Vein said, voice light. “Good. I made you breakfast.”
Xia Fei stepped closer, eyeing the egg with a raised brow.
“Boss..." Xia Fei paused, "The egg... is a little burnt.”
Vein caught the look and snorted, placing the plate in front of Xia Fei anyway. “Yeah, well, it’s made with love, not with skill.”
Xia Fei blinked. A small chuckle slipped from his mouth. The genuine smile on his lips made Vein pause.
Xia Fei sat down, picking up the toast. “That’s fine. Thank you,” he murmured, voice softer than usual.
Vein watched as Xia Fei took a bite, his expression unreadable at first—until his eyes was beamed with spark, and his thumb was up in the air.
Vein grinned. “See? Edible.”
They both laughed in agreement. Vein sipping his tea. The warmth of the meal, the quiet morning they spend together, chatting in the table, it was enough.
Even if the egg was a little burnt.