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Ken: did you get that legally

Connor: it’s a long story

Hal: oh i gots an idea

Hal: @Kana you owe us

Kana: with what

Hal: hmmmmmmm

Hal: how about hot pot? Tomorrow

Connor: make it tomorrow night

Connor: i might be a bit late

***

Steam and the smell of greasy, salty broth filled the cold garage, rolling off the old wok in waves. Christmas music drifted from the Vanquish’s open driver door.

Hal made the rule that no one was allowed to eat hot pot unless they all contributed something to it. Alex was just about to make his contribution by cracking apart the ramen packet when a hand stopped him from tearing it further.

“What are you doing?”

Alex gazed up at a frowning Ken. “Putting in noodles. You got something against ramen?”

Ken rolled his eyes. “Just the flavor packets.”

Alex pulled out the shrimp flavor packet. He grinned—a hit of nostalgia from all those times he’d eaten the noodles dry in between classes. “You ever had it? You’re missing out on some real good shit if ya ain’t tried it.”

“Don’t add it in,” grumbled Kana as she put a fatty piece of raw beef belly into the pot. “It’s going to ruin the broth.”

Alex faked tearing the silver flavor packet. Kana’s fast reflexes almost grabbed his wrist to stop him. She backed off with a reddened face as he laughed. “Calm down, princess. It’s just adding more flavor.”

“Don’t,” Jun mumbled, glaring at him while stuffing hot tofu in his mouth. It was always a mystery how Jun managed to eat scorching-hot food without burning his insides. “She put a lot of effort into the broth. Don’t ruin her hard work.”

Kana beamed at Jun. She handed him a plate of cold tofu cut from its package. “Would you like some more tofu, Connor, darling?”

Jun nodded.

She dumped the tofu chunks on the vegetarian side of the divided hot pot. He scooped up a few more cabbages and mushrooms and leaned back against the front of the white Aston Martin. Alex was still not used to seeing a fancy car in this garage, let alone seeing Jun driving it a couple hours earlier.

Alex groaned and rolled his eyes. “Fine. Whatever,” he said, exasperated by their friendship.

He tossed the ramen in the meat side of the pot. The yellow noodles softened upon contact with the boiling water, surrounded by the fatty meat Kana had added earlier.

Alex glanced back at her, watching her slurp a large slice of beef into her shiny lips. He went back to stirring the noodles, face growing hot. Damn steam.

“You guys started already?” Matt walked into the garage with a large green bag around his lanky arms.

“The food ain’t waiting on you, Matt,” said Hal, slurping a big helping of vegetables and ramen. “You cook as you go. As long as there’s room.”

Matt peered into the pot and beamed. He popped open the bag, scooped out its contents, and dropped them in like heavy stones.

Alex and Hal jerked back, avoiding the spray of hot broth.

“Yo! What the fuck is that?” Alex cried.