By the time evening settled in, the apartment smelled warm and comforting.
Garlic sizzling in oil.
Steam rising from a pot.
The faint clink of utensils.
As usual, Chen stood in the kitchen, sleeves rolled slightly, calmly stirring the pan. His movements were steady and unhurried, like cooking was something that naturally belonged to him.
Yun Hu, meanwhile, was circling him like a tiny satellite.
Left.
Right.
Pause.
Sniff.
Attempt to stand on two paws to peek into the pan.
"Yun Hu," Chen said without turning, "don't hover like a fly around food."
Yun Hu meowed in protest and rubbed against Chen's leg anyway.
At the dining table, Xu Jin was setting the plates.
He placed chopsticks carefully.
Aligned the bowls.
Adjusted them slightly.
Then adjusted them again.
His eyes kept drifting toward the kitchen.
Toward Chen.
The normal rhythm of evening felt… comforting.
Too comforting.
He cleared his throat lightly.
"When will Grandma come back?"
Chen turned down the stove and thought for a moment.
"I think in three days."
"Three days…" Xu Jin repeated.
Chen carried the dishes to the table, placing them down one by one. "Why?"
"No reason," Xu Jin replied quickly.
But internally—
Three more days.
Three more dinners like this.
Three more breakfasts.
After everyone had settled, Xu Jin took a moment to sit properly and glance at Chen, who was finishing the last touches on the meal.
"So… how was your day?" Xu Jin asked casually, though his eyes betrayed a spark of curiosity.
Chen's face lit up instantly. "It was great! We made so much progress with the cat shelter today! Yun Hu behaved perfectly, the kittens are safe, and everyone helped so well. Even Juri…" He trailed off, smiling at the memory, "he was so enthusiastic, running around like a little whirlwind!"
Xu Jin listened, pretending to be neutral, but inside he felt a pang of something… bittersweet. His chest tightened slightly as he imagined all the fun and laughter that Chen had been enjoying while he wasn't there.
"…Hmm," Xu Jin muttered softly, trying to shake off the small grief, "…tomorrow, I have a day off. And you too, right? Let's go somewhere… have fun together."
Chen blinked, a slow, thoughtful smile spreading across his face. "Tomorrow?" he repeated, considering. He quickly ran through the mental checklist Nothing pressing. "Yeah… there's nothing I need to do," he said finally, grinning. "Okay, let's go! Tomorrow we'll have a proper day out!"
Xu Jin's lips curved into a subtle, triumphant smile. Tomorrow was his day too—and this time, he would make sure every moment of it was theirs.
Yun Hu, sensing the good vibes, purred loudly from Chen's lap, rubbing against him as if in agreement.
Chen paused, tilting his head thoughtfully. "Sounds good… but where exactly are we going first?"
Xu Jin leaned back slightly, a small, confident smirk tugging at his lips. "First, a movie at the theatre. Then we'll grab something to eat, and finally… the park. A full, proper day out."
Chen's eyes softened as he glanced at Yun Hu, who was perched on the counter, tail flicking with curiosity. "And… what about him?"
Xu Jin chuckled softly, leaning closer so his voice dropped to a playful whisper. "Hide him in the clothes if you want, obviously. He has every right to go everywhere with us."
Yun Hu let out a low, approving purr, as if he understood perfectly. Chen laughed lightly, shaking his head, his chest warm with the simple happiness of planning a day with both Xu Jin and their little demon cat.
Xu jin was truly excited to spend a day off with his crush.
" I want to hug him god do something please I really want to get close to him a little more it's been (how many chapters that we haven't get close yet author do something) a long time and now grandma is not here too do something god please.