#bad cook reader

"Tadaaa!" you beamed, hands clasped behind your back. "I made dinner."

Chan’s jaw dropped slightly, a soft, dimpled smile spreading across his face. "Wha—you did this for me? Sweetheart, you shouldn't have." He walked over, wrapping his arms around your waist and burying his face in your neck. "It smells incredible. I'm actually starving."

"Sit, sit!" you urged, gently pushing him into a chair. You scooped a generous portion of the noodles into his bowl and handed him a pair of chopsticks, watching him with wide, expectant eyes.

Touched by your sweetness, Chan’s eyes softened. "Thank you, love. Let's eat."

He lifted a large tangle of noodles, blew on them slightly, and popped them into his mouth.

As he chewed, his internal gears ground to a screeching halt. The expected balance of sweet and savory never came. Instead, an absolute tidal wave of pure, unadulterated sodium hit his tastebuds. You had somehow managed to use a catastrophic amount of soy sauce. It tasted like a block of salt dissolved in the ocean.

Chan froze. His jaw locked mid-chew as his brain frantically calculated how to swallow the culinary weapon without gagging.

"How is it?" you asked, leaning forward on your elbows, practically vibrating with excitement. "Is it good? It's my first time making it!"

Chan looked up. He saw the pure joy radiating from your face, the hopeful sparkle in your eyes, and the sheer pride in your smile. His heart melted entirely. There is absolutely no way I can ruin this for her, he thought.

Forcing his throat to work, he swallowed the bite with superhuman effort. He didn't even wince. Instead, he forced a bright, breathtaking smile to his face and reached out to squeeze your hand.

"Oh Wow" Chan said, his voice entirely sincere despite the dehydration rapidly setting in. "This is amazing. Seriously, it's so good. I could eat this every day."

Your smile widened, a joyful flush creeping up your cheeks. "Really?thank god. Well luckily I made enough."

As you turned to grab a glass of water, Chan took a deep breath, steeling himself for round two. His kidneys were going to hate him tomorrow, but looking at your happy face, he decided it was worth every single bite.

Leeknow

Minho knew exactly what your kitchen track record looked like. He had seen you accidentally set off the smoke detector while making toast and fully understood that "cooking skills" was a phrase that didn't belong anywhere near your resume.

So, as he stood by the front door adjusting his jacket, ready to head out for a long day of schedules, he didn't expect any culinary send-offs. But just as his hand touched the doorknob, you called out his name, hurried down the hallway, and thrust a small, wrapped bento box into his hands.

"I made you lunch," you announced, a tiny, nervous flush creeping up your neck. "For your break later."

Minho stared down at the box, his eyebrows raising in genuine surprise. A slow, amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He looked up at your expectant face and felt a sudden rush of affection. "You did?" he asked softly. He stepped closer, wrapping one hand around your waist to pull you in. "Thank you. I'll make sure to eat every bite." He leaned down, pressing a sweet, lingering kiss to your lips before heading out into the morning chill.

Hours later, the dance studio fell quiet as the group finally took a lunch break. While the other members ordered takeout, Minho sat on the floor, leaning his back against the mirrors, and pulled your bento box out of his bag. He unclipped the lid, highly intrigued by what you had managed to create.

When the lid came off, a quiet chuckle escaped his throat.

It was a beautiful, chaotic mess. You had clearly attempted to make a classic gimbap and a side omelette, but the execution had gone slightly rogue. The omelette was completely torn apart, looking more like a jagged jigsaw puzzle than a side dish. The gimbap rolls hadn't survived the journey either; they had broken apart completely, causing the seasoned rice, colorful vegetables, and seaweed to spill out and mingle into a disorganized heap at the bottom of the container.

Minho smirked in sheer amusement, shaking his head. He could practically see you in the kitchen, frantically trying to roll the seaweed and losing the battle against the sticky rice.

Picking up his chopsticks, he scooped up a chaotic mouthful of the deconstructed lunch. It wasn't exactly a culinary masterpiece—the rice was a bit too mushy and the seasoning was entirely uneven—but as he chewed, his smirk softened into something incredibly fond. It tasted like your effort, and to him, that was the best part. He ate every single bite, enjoying the mess thoroughly.

Once the container was completely spotless, Minho snapped a quick photo of the empty box. He opened his chat with you, attached the picture, and typed out a message: Completely cleared it. Literally the best lunch I’ve ever had, jagiya. Thank you.

Changbin

You knew the absolute fastest way to Changbin’s heart was through a plate of fried chicken. It was his ultimate comfort food, so you had spent hours scrolling through recipes, determined to master the perfect crispy, golden crunch all on your own. It turned out to be a lot harder than the internet videos made it look. After a chaotic battle with popping oil and flour splatters, you finally managed to salvage two chicken drumsticks, presenting them proudly on a plate the moment he walked through the door.

"Ta-da!" you announced, holding the dish out to him. "I made your favorite."

Changbin blinked, his eyes dropping to the plate. He took a mental step back. Instead of the beautiful, honey-gold crust he usually drooled over, the two drumsticks were a deep, unmistakable shade of charcoal. The outer skin was completely burned to a crisp, looking more like campfire embers than dinner.

He looked back up at you. The initial pride in your expression was already crumbling, replaced by a tense, nervous twitch of your lips. You bit your lower lip, your fingers tightly gripping the edge of the plate as you watched him, practically holding your breath.

Changbin’s heart completely melted. He knew how terrifying hot oil could be, and the fact that you had braved the kitchen just to make him his favorite food meant everything to him. There was no way he was going to let your hard work go to waste.

"Wow, you made this for me?" Changbin beamed, his loud, bright voice instantly filling the room to cut through the tension. He grabbed one of the drumsticks without a second thought. "I'm so lucky."

He took a large, brave bite. It was exactly what he expected—a heavy, bitter wave of burnt carbon, followed by a slightly dry interior. It was definitely burned. But as he looked at your wide, anxious eyes, he forced his throat to swallow and immediately let out a loud, theatrical hum of pure delight.

"Oh, wow!" he exclaimed, widening his eyes and nodding vigorously as he chewed. "Babe, this is so good! The crunch on this is incredible. It’s got that deep, smoky flavor, you know? I love it!"

The sheer relief that washed over your face was instantaneous. Your shoulders dropped, and a massive, radiant smile broke across your lips. "Really? You don't think it's too dark?"

"Are you kidding? It's perfect," he lied smoothly, taking another huge bite to prove his point, completely ignoring the bitter aftertaste.

Unable to contain your happiness, you threw your arms around his neck, burying your face in his shoulder. "Thank you! I was so scared I ruined it." You pulled back just enough to press a sweet, lingering kiss to his cheek, and then another right on his lips.

Changbin grinned into the kiss, happily holding you close. His tastebuds were suffering a little, but seeing you this happy made it the best fried chicken he had ever had.

Hyunjin

The front door clicked open, and Hyunjin stepped into the apartment, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension from his workout. He was wiping a stray bead of sweat from his forehead with his towel when a sweet, powdery scent caught his attention. Intrigued, he followed the aroma into the kitchen and stopped in his tracks, a surprised smile immediately gracing his lips.

There you were, standing at the counter, completely covered from hands to apron in white cornstarch.

"What's all this?" Hyunjin asked, leaning against the doorframe with an amused glint in his eyes.

You looked up, a smudge of flour on your cheek, and beamed. "I'm making strawberry mochi! I've always wanted to try it, and the video looked so easy. It didn't seem like it would be that hard."

Hyunjin let out a soft chuckle, crossing his arms as he watched you attempt to handle the sweet rice dough. It was clearly putting up a fight. The dough stretched wildly, sticking to your fingers and refusing to cooperate as you frantically tried to dust more starch over the sticky mass. You let out a frustrated huff, blowing a stray lock of hair out of your eyes.

"Well," Hyunjin said smoothly, stepping closer to the counter. He tilted his head, a playful smirk playing on his lips. "If you happen to need a professional taste tester for your creations, you know I'm always available."

Your eyes lit up at his offer. "Really? Perfect timing, because the first one is actually done!"

With an excited flourish, you carefully scooped up your first masterpiece and held it out to him on a small plate. Hyunjin looked down at it, and one of his perfectly shaped eyebrows cocked upward. It didn't exactly look like the plump, round mochis from a cafe. It was remarkably flat, spreading out sideways on the plate, and it looked so intensely sticky that he wondered if it might permanently glue his jaws together.

He hesitated for just a fraction of a second, looking from the sad little blob of dough back to your eager, hopeful face. He couldn't possibly say no to you.

"Alright" Hyunjin murmured, picking up the flat confection. It stretched precariously between his fingers as he lifted it to his mouth and took a brave bite.

The texture was an immediate challenge—it stuck to the roof of his mouth instantly—but the real shock was the flavor. You had clearly gone completely overboard with the sugar. It was an overwhelming, blinding wave of pure sweetness that made his teeth ache. It tasted like straight syrup.

Hyunjin froze for a brief moment, his throat working hard as he forced himself to swallow the sugary bomb. He managed to keep his expression perfectly neutral, smoothing out his features before looking back down at you.

"How is it?" you asked, leaning in close, practically vibrating with anticipation.

"It's really good," Hyunjin lied flawlessly, offering you a warm, brilliant smile that reached his eyes. "Very sweet. You did a great job for your first try."

A huge, triumphant smile broke across your face. "Yes! I knew I could do it!" Entirely reassured, you turned back to the counter, instantly re-energized and humming a little tune as you began tackling the next stubborn piece of dough.

Hyunjin quietly reached for a glass of water, watching you with an incredibly fond smile. His teeth were still ringing from the sugar rush, but seeing you so happy made it entirely worth it.

Han

Jisung had been practically living at the studio lately, burying himself under an endless mountain of tracks and lyrics. Yet, no matter how exhausted he was, he always made sure to come home and give you his undivided attention, never letting his grueling schedule get in the way of your relationship. Deeply grateful for his constant effort, you decided to surprise him with his absolute favorite comfort food: dwaeji galbi. You spent the entire afternoon marinating the pork ribs, making sure the kitchen smelled like a high-end Korean BBQ restaurant by the time his key turned in the lock.

"Babe, I'm home," Jisung murmured, dropping his backpack onto the floor with a tired sigh. But the moment he walked into the dining room and saw the spread, his eyes went wide. The grilled ribs looked absolutely picture-perfect—perfectly caramelized, glistening under the warm light, and garnished neatly with sesame seeds.

"Surprise!" you smiled, pulling out a chair for him. "You’ve been working so hard lately, so I wanted to make you something special."

Jisung’s chest tightened with pure affection. He was so deeply touched by the gesture that for a second, he just stared at you, a soft, vulnerable smile breaking across his face. "You did all this for me? Wow... thank you, jagiya. It looks incredible." He eagerly sat down, picked up a succulent piece of meat with his chopsticks, and popped it into his mouth.

He chewed once, and his entire world stopped.

Something had gone horribly, catastrophically wrong with the marinade. Instead of the sweet, savory harmony of garlic, soy sauce, and pear puree, a bizarre, jarring taste exploded across his tongue. It was like a confusing mixture of straight baking soda and an accidental overdose of vinegar. It was practically inedible.

Jisung froze mid-chew, his eyes widening in subtle panic. He glanced across the table at you, expecting a warning, but you were completely oblivious. You happily picked up a rib, took a bite, and chewed with a content, relaxed smile. Apparently, your tastebuds were entirely forgiving today, or you were just caught up in the joy of the moment.

Suddenly, you caught him staring. You paused, leaning forward on your elbows with an expectant, bright grin. "How is it? Is the marinade okay?"

Jisung’s internal survival instincts kicked into high gear. He couldn't possibly break your heart or ruin this beautiful moment after you had spent hours cooking for him. Forcing his jaw to move, he swallowed the disastrous bite with a heroic effort.

Instantly, a bright, dimpled smile plastered across his face. He quickly reached for another piece of meat, stuffing it into his mouth to prove his enthusiasm. "Mmm! It's delicious!" he mumbled around the food, nodding his head vigorously. He gave you a thumbs-up, continuing to chew through the awful flavor while making enthusiastic noises. "Seriously, babe... so good. You're the best."

Your smile widened into a radiant, happy beam, completely satisfied with his reaction. As you turned to grab a side dish, Jisung took a quick, desperate gulp of his drink, bracing himself for the rest of the meal. It was a culinary disaster, but seeing the pure happiness on your face made every terrible bite worth it.

Felix

You usually ruled the kitchen with absolute confidence, so when you announced that you were stepping out of your culinary comfort zone to surprise Felix, he was absolutely thrilled. He knew you were a fantastic cook, but you had never attempted a Korean dish before. The moment he walked through the door and smelled the rich, simmered sauce, his eyes lit up with pure excitement.

"I made tteokbokki!" you announced proudly, placing a steaming bowl of bright red rice cakes right in the center of the table. "I wanted to make something traditional for you."

Felix beamed, his beautiful smile crinkling the corners of his eyes as he sat down. "Wow, honey! It looks so good," he praised, genuinely touched by the effort you had put into learning a dish from his culture. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation, picked up his spoon, and scooped up a generous rice cake drowned in the thick, crimson sauce. "Let's taste it!"

He popped the rice cake into his mouth.

The reaction was instantaneous. The moment the sauce hit his tongue, Felix’s eyes widened in sheer shock. It wasn't just spicy; it felt like a literal solar flare had ignited inside his mouth. The heat tore through his throat, making his eyes water immediately. You hadn't just made it spicy—you had created a biological hazard.

"I wanted to make sure it had a nice kick," you explained proudly, leaning forward with a bright, satisfied grin. "So I used a whole lot of gochujang and an extra heavy handful of gochugaru to give it that rich color!"

Felix’s throat locked up. He let out a sharp, choked cough, his hand flying to his mouth as he desperately tried to process the volcanic heat. He swallowed heavily, the spicy paste burning a painful trail all the way down to his stomach. His chest heaved slightly as he tried to regain his composure, his ears rapidly turning a bright shade of pink.

He managed a tight, strained nod, his voice a full octave lower than usual. "Yeah... cough... I can definitely tell, love."

You blinked, tilting your head as you noticed the tears welling up in his eyes. "Oh, wait. Is it okay? Do you like it?"

Felix coughed again, a soft, breathless sound as he frantically grabbed his water glass. But looking at your hopeful, eager face, he couldn't bear to let you think you had failed. He took a quick sip, forced the burning sensation down, and flashed you a dazzling, reassuring smile despite the sweat breaking out along his hairline.

"I love it," he wheezed out, pointing at the bowl with his spoon to emphasize his praise. "It's great, sweetie. Really... really flavorful. Best tteokbokki ever."

Your face instantly illuminated with joy, entirely missing his internal battle. "Yay! Go ahead, eat as much as you want!"

As you happily reached for your own plate, Felix took a deep, silent breath, preparing his burning tongue for round two. He was going to need an entire carton of milk after this, but seeing the sheer happiness on your face made the fiery sacrifice worth every single bite.

Seungmin

The rich, bubbling sound of a stew drew Seungmin away from his book and toward the kitchen. As he stepped over the threshold, a highly unusual aroma hit his nose. It was unmistakably kimchi jjigae, but there was a strange, unidentifiable undertone to it that made his internal alarms go off.

"What are you up to?" Seungmin asked, leaning his shoulder against the counter as he watched you diligently stir the pot.

You looked up, your face flushed from the heat of the stove, and gave him a bright, triumphant smile. "I'm making dinner! I found this recipe on tiktok that made it look so easy, so I decided to finally give it a try."

Seungmin hummed softly, stepping closer to peer into the pot. The color looked right, but the scent wafting up was definitely peculiar—almost sweet in a way that traditional kimchi jjigae should never be. Seungmin opened his mouth to say something, but seeing the pure excitement in your eyes, he quietly closed it. He didn't want to rain on your parade before you even finished.

A few minutes later, you turned off the burner and proudly ladled a generous portion of the steaming stew into a bowl, setting it right in front of him with a flourish. "All done! Try it, try it!" you urged, folding your hands beneath your chin as you watched him with absolute anticipation.

Up close, Seungmin instantly noticed that something had gone terribly wrong. The broth lacked its characteristic depth, and a strange sheen floated on top. He picked up his spoon, dipped it into the soup, and took a cautious sip.

His face remained completely blank, a testament to his incredible self-control. It was awful. It tasted like someone had tried to make stew using ketchup and a random assortment of spices instead of proper ingredients. It was sweet, sour in the wrong way, and entirely lacking flavor.

"Well?" you asked, leaning in closer, practically vibrating with hope. "How is it?"

Seungmin hesitated for a brief second, his mind scrambling for the right words. Instead of answering right away, he set his spoon down and offered a calm smile. "Hey, can you show me that recipe you found? I'm just curious about the ingredients they used."

"Sure!" You unlocked your phone and handed it over, pointing at the screen. "See? It has thousands of views."

Seungmin scanned the page, and it took everything in him not to scoff out loud. The recipe was absolute bullshit. It called for regular cabbage, apple cider vinegar for "acidity," and a massive spoonful of sugar. It wasn't a traditional recipe at all; it was a culinary crime.

You tilted your head, noticing his quiet focus. "You don't like it."

Looking up from the screen, Seungmin saw the sudden touch of worry in your eyes. His heart softened instantly. He deleted any sarcastic comments from his brain, smiled bravely, and reached out to gently squeeze your hand.

"No, I really do like it," he lied smoothly, his voice warm and entirely reassuring. "The effort you put into this is amazing, jagiya. But hey... how about we cook it together next time? I can show you the recipe I always use, and we can make it the traditional way."

Your worry instantly evaporated, replaced by a happy nod. "I'd love that!"

As you happily reached for the bowls, Seungmin secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His tastebuds were going to suffer through this meal, but the prospect of teaching you the right way next time made it completely worth it.

Jeongin

Jeongin was entirely accustomed to the fact that your presence in the kitchen usually resulted in a disaster. He never minded it, of course; he was always perfectly content to pull out his phone and order takeout, or simply beg Minho to whip up a meal for the two of them. But lately, you had started to feel a lingering sense of guilt about it, so you decided it was finally time to take matters into your own hands.

When Jeongin unlocked the front door and walked in, the first thing he noticed was you standing by the stove. A playful, dimpled grin instantly broke across his face.

"Hey, did you get lost in there?" he called out, leaning against the kitchen counter with an amused sparkle in his eyes.

You let out a soft chuckle, shaking your head as you stirred a frying pan. "No, I didn't get lost. I actually want to start cooking from now on. I can't rely on delivery apps forever."

Jeongin blinked, genuinely surprised by your sudden determination, but a warm wave of affection rushed through him. "Really? Wow, okay. I’m impressed."

"I decided to start with something simple," you proudly announced, gesturing to the stove. "Egg fried rice. Look, I even plated some for you!"

With a flourish, you handed him a small plate. Jeongin leaned down and took a breath. He had to honestly admit to himself that it smelled pretty good—savory, warm, and comforting. Genuinely excited, he scooped up a large spoonful and popped it into his mouth while you turned your back to him to grab a fork from the drawer.

He started to chew, but his teeth instantly hit something incredibly hard and sharp. A loud, distinct crunch echoed in his mind.

Jeongin froze. Moving his tongue with practiced stealth, he managed to maneuver the foreign object to the front of his mouth and subtly pulled it out with his fingers. He looked down. It was a jagged, unmistakable piece of eggshell. His eyebrows furrowed in a brief frown, but the moment he heard your footsteps returning, he quickly flicked the shell into the trash can.

"So, how did I do?" you asked, handing him the fork, your eyes wide and shining with hopeful anticipation.

Jeongin quickly plastered a bright, reassuring smile on his face. He didn't want to crush your new culinary confidence on day one. Instead of speaking, he held up a enthusiastic thumbs-up. He carefully kept his jaw completely still, strictly avoiding any actual chewing so you wouldn't hear the ominous grinding of the remaining eggshells still hidden in the rice.

"Oh, awesome!" you beamed, visibly relieved. You grabbed your own spoon, eyeing the frying pan. "Let me try some too—"

"Wait!" Jeongin jumped forward, his voice a little muffled as he gently grabbed your wrist to stop you. He swallowed the crunchy bite with an intense effort. "You know what? The guys at the dorm are absolutely starving today. I should really give the rest of this to them as a gift. How about I cook something special just for you tonight?"

You blinked, a bit confused but incredibly touched by his thoughtfulness. "Oh... wow, really? That's so sweet of you, Jeongin."