The Chef x The Celebrity
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✨─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───✨
~ Date: June 26th – Interstellar Year 2422 ~
~ Location: Luna Bellflower Moon ~ Terra Anka PXD2422
~ The Golden Dragon Star Nexus Intergalactic Empire ~
✨─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───✨
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🐦🔥 [ Phoenix ☯ POV ] 🐦🔥
Nix looked at the shell's two brothers and felt a lump form in his throat.
Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan was truly loved and adored by his brothers, and he was sure his sister and parents felt the same. He felt conflicted being the one to receive that love now. It was hard not to feel a little bitter because, in all honesty, he was jealous. The original host had a loving family, something Nix had always wanted but could never have, thanks to those who imprisoned him. At the same time, he worried he did not deserve to receive their love and support.
'I wonder if it is even okay that I am the one receiving their love when I am not Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan. Would they despise and shun me if they knew I was not their precious Bong Tae-Hwan, but Phoenix—a broken, darkened, and unloved soul?'
Nix asked Solaris through their shared mental link.
Solaris felt his heart clench in pain when he heard his poor, sweet Mama Phoenix ask that. How could they not love his Mama? He knew with certainty that they would love him. Solaris also knew this world would be good for Phoenix and could help him heal—not only his mind, but also his soul—if Phoenix allowed it. Solaris was determined to make sure that happened, along with a few other things, but those concerns would have to be handled later.
With all this in mind, Solaris responded to Mama Phoenix's heartbreaking question through their shared link while keeping his cloaking active. Though no one else could see him, he did not want Phoenix to see him either. He did not want to make things harder for his poor Mama, and having Phoenix focus on random empty spaces would definitely worry the Beyols. So, just as a good little phoenix dragon should, Solaris stayed hidden while replying.
-Solaris - 'Mama Phoenix, they do love the host, and I guarantee they will like and love you too. As for whether it is okay or right for you to receive their love, I can only remind you that Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan chose to allow you to take over for him. He knowingly let you take his place in every way, including as a real member of this family. I am not one of the Beyols, but I have no doubt that they will love you for you. Please just trust Solaris on this.'
-Phoenix – 'How do you know this, Solaris?' (→_→)
-Solaris - '…' (¯ . ¯٥)
...(ノωヽ)
-Phoenix - '…what are you not telling me? Is this another subject you cannot tell me about yet?' (⇀‸↼‶)
-Solaris - 'Mama, Solaris is sorry, but according to my directive, I cannot explain this yet. However, Solaris can tell you that you will understand soon. Please do not be upset with me, Mama...' m(_ _)m
-Phoenix - 'Okay, Solaris, I am not mad at you. Although I understand, I am still frustrated, and it is starting to get to me. … I know this is going to sound odd, for lack of a better word, but I have this deep feeling of déjà vu. ... ' σ(￣,￣〃)
-Solaris - '… mhmm…' (-_-;)・・・
-Phoenix - 'I understand that you cannot tell me certain things, but maybe if I work them out in my head, you could tell me whether I am on the right track or not. Would that work, Solaris?'
-Solaris – 'Yes, Mama Phoenix I can do that for you.'
-Phoenix - 'Well, I cannot help but feel like I know these people. I am not talking about the host's memories. Hmmm, maybe it is residual feelings from the host?'
-Solaris - 'Your soul is completely bound to this body, Master, so there should not be any residual feelings left…'
'What in the fucking galaxies does that mean?' Phoenix asked himself while making sure to keep that thought private because he knew Solaris more than likely would not answer him even if he asked him.
'Solaris, this is so fucking frustrating, and... I am barely keeping it together. I honestly do not know how much more of this secrecy and roundabout bullshit I can handle! I know it is not your fault, but seriously, have you ever considered how hard this is on me? Have you ever thought about how much it fucking hurts and pisses me off every galaxy-fucking time you pull this shit?!?'
Phoenix thought this but would never say it to Solaris or allow Solaris to know how he really felt. It honestly was not Solaris's fault, but he did not know how much more he could take before he finally snapped. After all, everyone and everything had a breaking point.
Discreetly taking a deep breath, Phoenix decided that this was neither the place nor the time to confront Solaris about his frustration with all the vague answers and secrecy. Instead, he brought his focus back to the complex emotions swirling within him like a sealed tornado.
The sense of familiarity makes me feel… well, it's difficult to articulate. Maybe if I keep turning it over in my mind, I'll eventually find the right words.
The closest I can come is this: it feels like this was my life, as if I stepped away for a while and am only now returning to it.
Strange, really, considering I have no recollection of ever living this way. I have no memories of it — and I'm certain I would remember having a family this loving. But then again I do not remember anything before the Jailer System imprisoned me so I guess I can't be resolute in that line of thinking.
┐(´д｀)┌ ... (.-ω-) =3 ... (_ _;)
I don't know why I feel this way, but I think I like it. Maybe it's alright to be a little selfish. After all, Beyol Bong Tae‑Hwan willingly and knowingly gave me permission to take over his body and his life…
Phoenix made up his mind, and once he did, he felt a little lighter. He might appear indecisive to others, but it was actually the opposite. Once he made up his mind about something, that was it; there was almost no changing it. Because there was no changing it once he decided, he took his time weighing all the options before making a choice. He did not mind making rash decisions about small things, like what to eat for lunch or what to wear that day, but for the big things that truly mattered, he took those choices very seriously.
That said, he still had moments where he second-guessed himself, just like anyone else would. For him, though, even if doubt came after the decision was made, it was typically in vain because he stuck to his original choice. It was freeing in a way, not constantly worrying and second-guessing himself.
'Yes, I will accept the Beyols as my family and live this life with them. It feels strange knowing that, for the first time, I will have a lifetime with a family that truly loves me. I will try to figure out this whole déjà vu thing and what it may mean later. For now, I have two silly brothers with borderline brother complexes for the shell to manage.'
'They truly love and adore Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan—or should I say me? Wait, can I say me? I... I do not think I even mind all the physical contact. Though I have never been a tactile person, the Beyol family has always been tactile with one another, especially with Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan, as if he were the family's teddy bear.'
'But if I am going to allow anyone in my personal space and let them be tactile with me, it will be the Beyol family. It is easy to see they are all truly good people.'
Phoenix unknowingly smiled, and the expression reached all the way to his eyes.
Phoenix softly chuckled, and it sounded like a sweet, warm embrace that tickled one's ears. At the sound of that beautiful tenor voice, which bordered on baritone when he laughed like this, both Beyol Young-Jae and Beyol Joon stopped their brotherly squabbling and stared at their brother.
Nix looked like a celestial deity, with sunlight pouring down through the skylight and making him appear to glow. Both dimples were on full display, and his crescent eyes shone with a pure, warm gentleness that drew people in like a siren's call.
Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan really was breathtaking, even when doing the most mundane things, like simply smiling and giggling. It was easy to see why the whole Beyol family considered Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan their family Eunbi, meaning "graceful beauty of the sun" or to put it in other terms, their beautiful dazzling sunshine.
Phoenix could not figure out what was going through his brothers' minds at this moment but whatever it is must have taken them by surprise or something, judging from the looks on their faces.
"What? Is there something on my face? Why are you two standing there staring at me as if I have grown wings or something?" Phoenix asked, his head slightly tilted to the left, his right eyebrow raised, and a smile still on his painfully beautiful face.
Not even a second after Phoenix said this, his stomach growled loud and fierce. Just as Beyol Young-Jae and Beyol Joon came back to their senses, their father and sister carried in the morning's main dishes, followed by their mother carrying several side dishes.
Phoenix, left dazed by their reactions and flushed red from embarrassment, bit his lip while looking down at the floor. Then he looked up through his long, curled lashes to gauge his family's reaction, hoping with all his being that they had not heard his unruly and traitorous stomach.
His hope was quickly dashed as he soon heard a harmony of "ooohs" and "aaahs" coming from his family as they stopped in their tracks, mesmerized and awed by their little sunshine. The next thing Nix realized, someone was pinching his cheeks while someone else stroked his hair.
Smiling all the way to his eyes, Nix thought to himself, 'Wow, I know I said I might be all right with their lack of tact, but this is a lot of skinship all at once. Can I really handle it? It feels kind of nice despite my cheeks hurting a bit now, but I know they do not mean to hurt me. Screw it. I will just embrace it and hope that I can quickly adapt and become fully comfortable around them. After all, I will be spending the next thirty-plus years with this family of mine because I have no intention of letting anything besides old age take them from me!'
Solaris, who heard all of his Mama's thoughts just now, stayed quiet as he continued to secretly watch the whole scene. He smiled, grateful that his Mama was going to make a genuine effort, since it was vital for their mission. Phoenix assimilating into the family and fully accepting them and their love as his own—not just as Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan's—was critical. Doing so would help ensure that he could take on and complete this world's mission.
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* A/N: Since Beyol Bong Tae-Hwan ? Phoenix / Nix, is an omega, he can use both masculine and feminine speech, so you might see or hear him refer to his older brother as obba/oppa when he is trying to suck up to him. Obba/oppa is said by females to an older brother, while hyeong is said by younger males to an older brother. Nuna is said by younger males to an older sister. In English, it is usually written as oppa, but if one looks in a Korean/English dictionary, it may also appear as obba. As someone learning Korean with English as my first language, I can tell you now that romanization is not always consistent, and pronunciation matters more than spelling. I am not saying this is proper or that someone can simply switch between them like this, but I am using it as a literary device that flows with the novel, so please do not come for me. Mrs_TNT, Tiff *
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