Still A_Stray: Living With Stray Kids (ot8 fanfic)

Chapter 9 ★

Because we're one of a kind

"It's Friday, right?" Minho asked.

"Yeah," I said, looking over at him from my spot on the couch. Minho was sitting on the floor by the coffee table, watching Felix and Seungmin shuffle cards.

"Oh yeah," said Jeongin from where he sat in the corner. "Whose turn is it to choose, then?"

Felix frowned. "I think ... is it yours, hyung?"

"No, he lost his turn this rotation because of the incident with the dino nuggies," said Seungmin.

Minho frowned. "That was Jisung's fault, not mine..."

I blinked. "What?"

"The Dino Nuggies incident," said Jeongin. "It's best not to talk about it."

"No, what do you mean 'choose'?"

"Oh. Tonight is movie night," Felix explained. "Every Friday one of us picks a movie to watch. Channie-hyung was last—that's how we all ended up watching reruns of Sesame Street." His smile faltered. "I still have the rubber ducky song stuck in my head."

"It's still really fun, though," Seungmin added. "Yongbokie or Minho-hyung usually cooks for us, and we all play card games and stay up until late to finish the movie. It's a rule that we don't talk about anything related to work, so Chan-hyung and the others don't have to be so stressed."

"It's the only time we're allowed to thwack him with throw pillows," Jeongin added with a grin.

"Yeji, maybe you should pick this time," Minho offered. "It's Changbin's turn, so he'll probably be fine letting you go."

I considered it. "If I'm picking the movie, I should help you all cook the dinner, to repay you."

Felix and Minho exchanged looks. "I was going to do pork again, but if Yeji wants to...." said Felix.

"I do," I said firmly. "It's the least I can do. Everyone's good with beef, right?"

Seungmin snorted. "Channie-hyung was in an ad for beef when he was a tiny Australian foive year-old. Of course we're all good with it."

"We don't have any, though," said Minho with a frown. "Do you want me to pick some up?"

"I can do it," I said. "The store around the corner, right?"

"Nah, the best beef is in the supermarket by JYP-E," said Felix. "Noona, let's go together. I can show you the best stuff to buy and help you with the banchan."

I hesitated. "You don't have to do it all alone, Yeji," Felix said to me in English, voice softening. "Don't feel like you have anything to prove to us. Let me help you."

"Okay," I said, wondering how he knew exactly what I'd been worried about. "I'll drive, then."

Felix beamed. "Cool. Lemme get my stuff."

His 'stuff' turned out to be an extra jacket, hat, and mask. I put one on, too, just to be safe.

The supermarket was a short drive, and true to his word, Felix did help me pick out the best foods to use for dinner. "Don't stress too much about it," he told me. "Whatever you make, the members will love it. Mainly because I'm sure you're a good cook, but also because they eat candy off the floor."

I laughed, my shoulders loosening. "I still want to make something good. In America, my only audience when I made Korean food was my British roommate, so I didn't get much feedback. I just hope I'm not too rusty."

"You'll do great," Felix assured me. "Trust me. Also, I'm pretty sure 3Racha has been surviving on nothing but protein powder and chicken breast for a week straight, and Minho-hyung's needed a break from cooking for a while now, so ... you came at a good time."