Ten minutes earlier, the ordered meats had begun to arrive one after another, each cut more tempting than the last. Upon the table’s centre burned a bright flame, its heat rising and dancing as it cooked the raw flesh to perfection. Kihyeon watched in silent wonder; it had been a long while since he had tasted meat. His eyes gleamed with childlike delight as he rested his face upon both hands, utterly enraptured by the sight. Tian, meanwhile, was wholly absorbed in his task, turning, lifting, and arranging each piece with the care of a craftsman.
Before Kihyeon lay a portion seared to a flawless medium rare: the exterior smoky and crusted with pepper, while the heart of the meat glowed a tender pink, warm and glistening with its own savoury juices.
“How long do you intend to keep gazing at the meat?” Tian interjected dryly. “I ordered it to be eaten, not admired.”
The remark startled Kihyeon from his reverie. He straightened at once, releasing his hands from beneath his chin. Tian let out a quiet laugh, disguising it behind a feigned cough. A faint flush rose swiftly to Kihyeon’s cheeks, and he turned his face away in a flustered attempt to conceal his embarrassment.
“Try this one,” Tian said, offering a plate brimming with freshly cooked slices. Kihyeon accepted it, unwrapped the chopsticks from their paper napkin, and tasted the meat that had been so patiently prepared for him.
.
.
.
The clock upon the wall marked half past twelve. They had spent such a pleasant evening together that time, it seemed, had slipped by unnoticed. As previously mentioned, they were seated at a barbecue house — and, as any true connoisseur would agree, no such gathering could be deemed complete without a bottle of soju to accompany it, right?
“Hic, ah, Tian… I hadn’t realized it was already one in the morning,” murmured Kihyeon, rubbing his eyes and blinking alternately as though to steady his sight.
Tian chuckled. “Ha! Kihyeon, you’ve only had a single bottle, and already you’re drunk.” He leaned back slightly, resting his shoulders against the seat. Kihyeon, clearly inebriated, struggled to keep his gaze straight.
“Hehe… drunk? Who’s drunk? You are…” he said, a crooked smile spreading across his face.
Tian burst into hearty laughter. “Haha—hah! Good heavens. I suppose we’d best be heading home. Where do you live, Hyeon?”
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