The Staggering Fall of Youth (sequel to SBA)

3 - Soup

That gave Minseok an idea. He turned around to face Zitao, who was looking up at the sky. “You can make random stuff appear out of thin air, right?”

Zitao turned to look at Minseok, giving him a smirk. “Not to show off, but-“ he lifted up his hand to suddenly show Minseok a CD of Seo Taiji and the Boys. “Gotta love living in 1997.”

“It’s almost the two thousands,” Minseok said, excited. “Do you think in ten years we can finally live in the moon? Can you live in the moon?”

“I can make my own oxygen, so I guess,” Zitao shrugged, handing Minseok the CD. It was going to be Minseok’s third CD, after two of his mother’s Chinese albums. “If you were going to drown me, I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”

“There went Friday plans.” Minseok got up from the floor, stretching his arms. “I have to head back, mother is making dinner.”

Zitao pouted and gave Minseok his classic puppy eyes. “Can I join? I love your mother’s food.”

Minseok rolled his eyes but extended his hands out to help the witch get up. “You have to help cut vegetables if you’re going to steal.

“I’m not a freeloader!!” Zitao yelled, Minseok laughing as he ran away from the elder, who chased him towards his mother’s house, the two of them carefree as they look forward for the rest of today.

---

His mother did, in fact, make braised chicken soup. 

It was delicious, really warm and fulfilling that made Zitao glad he wasn’t human, because if he was, you know how many calories he would have gained from eating it? How did Minseok’s mother even make it that good? She was probably a witch like him. 

The three of them enjoyed the nice dinner, both Zitao and Minseok’s mother agreeing that Minseok had to do the dishes (which the latter complained very loudly, of course). 

“How was your training today?” She asked Minseok, who had to quickly swallow the burning soup before answering her. 

“It’s really tiring. I don’t understand how I’m supposed to have more stamina if I just get tired more than usual.”

“You’re not going to see the results right away,” Zitao assured him. “For every wolf it’s different. Even if you can now be stronger, your muscles have not adjusted to the amount of exercise you put into them. Don’t stress out.”

“That’s right, Minseok, you’ve always been a lanky child.” Minseok’s mother reached over to put more chicken into Minseok’s bowl. “You need to eat more to get use to this.”

“Mom, you need to eat too!” Minseok grabbed some chicken and put it in her bowl as well. “You have to follow the advice you give.”

“How ironic,” Zitao laughed. “You don’t do that-“

“That’s different!” Minseok slapped Zitao’s arm. “You always make me look bad.”