"Are you sure it's okay?" Aki asked for the nth time. He had been asking that question to Liam and to himself ever since the day he met up with Zy and his roommate casually agreed to have Aki's friends for a sleepover. Anxiety filled Aki as the scheduled date came nearer.
Tonight was that night.
"Is it really 'really' okay?"
Liam did not look at Aki's direction and kept his eyes on the pan with his stir-fried vegetables so Aki could not see what expressions he had. "Of course, it is. I wouldn't say so if it's not."
"But--" Aki paused, not knowing how to continue. He could not quite put into words the things that bugged him. But one thing's for sure. It centered on Liam.
There were times when Liam was unusually quiet and rather... pensive. And it all started that day. Perhaps something had happened? Maybe Liam was not in the mood to do other things or meet other people? Seeing a sullen Liam made Aki sullen too. If he could do something about it, he would but he did not know what he needed to do. And it pained him to see his roommate like this, knowing that he might have caused it.
Except for the sizzling sound coming from the pan, silence pervaded the air. Liam was busy keeping tabs of multiple pots and pans for their dinner while Aki stood on the sidelines acting as the assistant. This setup that they had started with Aki watching -- hovering -- over his roommate's shoulder as the other cooked. Then to make himself useful, he started handing seasonings. Now Liam trusted Aki to hold a knife and prepare the ingredients with him.
Aki had gotten used to doing this that he would pass what was needed without Liam saying anything. As he passed the soy sauce, Liam threw him a grateful glance and lightly nudged Aki's shoulders. "It's fine, you worrywart."
"I'm not a worrywart." Aki pouted but he was secretly happy to hear a tinge of usual Liam in the other's voice.
Liam tasted the food and tilted his head to the side as if contemplating. He glanced at Aki who was watching him intently beside him and then to the spoon still in his hand. "I feel like I'm missing something..."
Aki furrowed his brows. It was rare for Liam to doubt his meal. "Let me taste it." Before Liam could answer, Aki grabbed the other's hand with the spoon and ate the remaining half. "Maybe a little more pepper and salt?"
But Liam did not answer and stared at Aki with wide eyes.
"Liam?"
"Oh, yeah, right," the other guy coughed and turned away from Aki. "Could you, uh-- check the coffee jelly in the fridge?"
Aki did what he had been told but when he turned around it was the same time when Liam almost dropped the pot of rice. Their rice cooker got busted and they had not replaced it yet so they cooked their rice on the stove using the pot from the rice cooker. But since it did not have any handle, they had to hold it on the edges. Liam held the pot in one hand. It was heavy so it tilted sideways.
"Hey! You'll hurt--"
Before Aki could even finish his sentence, Liam winced and put down the pot with a clang. Despite using a potholder, a part of his skin made contact with the hot pot.
Aki rushed to his side. "Are you hurt?" He tried to take a look at Liam's hand but the other hid it away.
Liam gave him a strained smile. "It's fine. It doesn't hurt."
Aki opened his mouth to say something when the doorbell rang.
With the sound of the doorbell, Aki looked up from the direction of the door, sending an irritated look. Liam turned back and busied himself with cooking. Aki took one last look at his roommate and reluctantly went to the door.