Chapter 56

The Katseye dining room looked like a global food festival had taken over. The table had looked like it might collapse under the weight of trays, bowls, foil containers, and desserts. The smells blended into a warm, mouthwatering cloud of garlic, spice, sweetness, and pure comfort.

Sophia hovered over the Filipino dishes like a protective mother.

“Okay, pancit goes here, lumpia goes here, adobo goes here. No one touch anything until I say so.”

You laughed. “Soph, it’s a mukbang, not a museum.”

“It’s art.” she insisted.

Yoonchae marched in with the Korean spread.

“Kimchi, tteokbokki, bulgogi, japchae… and I bought extra gochujang because Dani’s going to pretend she can handle spice again.”

From the living room, Dani yelled, “I CAN handle spice!”

All of you yelled back, “NO YOU CAN’T.”

Manon carried the Indian dishes you’d helped prepare.

“Y/N, this biryani smells like heaven. Teach me your ways.”

You raised a brow. “Only if you stop stealing my naan.”

She froze mid-bite. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Lara arranged the Cuban food Dani’s family had dropped off earlier.

“Okay, the pastelitos are going in the centre because they’re the star. No arguments.”

Megan reached for one.

Lara smacked her hand. “I SAID NO.”

You adjusted the camera set up. “Okay, everyone sit wherever. We’re going live in a minute.”

The girls scrambled for chairs – and of course, there weren’t enough.

You sighed. “It’s fine, I’ll just stand behind you guys.”

Dani looked up immediately, eyebrows raised.

“No. Absolutely not. Come here.”

She patted her lap.

The girls groaned dramatically.

“Here we go…”

“Classic Dani.”

“Someone stop her.”

You rolled your eyes but walked over anyway.

“If you insist.”

You sat on her lap, her arms sliding around your waist, her chin resting on your shoulder.

“Perfect,” she murmured.

The girls gagged in unison.

*

You hit the button. The screen lit up. Comments exploded instantly.

“Hi EYEKONS!” Dani said brightly. “Welcome to our global mukbang! We bought food from all our cultures and we’re about to demolish it.”

Sophia leaned into frame. “Please appreciate how beautiful this spread is. I worked hard.”

Megan scoffed. “She worked hard? I’m the one who carried everything.”

“You carried one tray,” Lara said.

The comments flew

“OMG THE FOOD LOOKS AMAZING.”

“Y/N ON DANI’S LAP AGAIN???”

THE WAY SHE’S HOLDING HER WAIST???”

“WE SEE YOU TWO…”

Dani squeezed your waist under the table.

“They notice everything,” she whispered.

You whispered back, “Maybe don’t stare at me like that then.”

She smirked. “Can’t help it.”

*

Everyone dug in at once.

Sophia held up a lumpia. “EYEKONS, if you’ve never had this, you’re missing out.”

Yoonchae pointed at the tteokbokki. “This is spicy, so watch Dani pretend she’s fine.”

Dani took a bite, immediately fanning her mouth. “I’m… totally fine.”

You leaned back against her. “Sure you are.”

The comments exploded with laughing emojis.

Megan was already double-fisting pastelitos. “I’m not talking to anyone. I’m in heaven.”

Lara smacked her hand again. “LEAVE SOME.”

*

The EYEKONS started spamming:

“SPICY CHALLENGE!!!”

“MAKE DANI EAT THE GOCHUJANG.”

“YALL ARE COWARDS DO IT.”

Yoonchae grinned. “Say less.”

She held up a spoonful of gochujang.

Dani’s eyes widened. “No. No no no-“

“Open,” you said sweetly.

She glared at you but obeyed.

The second it hit her tongue, she started flapping her hands dramatically.

“Oh my GOD – I’m – I’m dying-“

You handed her water, laughing. “You’re so dramatic.”

The comments were unhinged.

“DANI IS ME.”

“THE WAY Y/N FED HER LMAOOO”

“THE LAP. THE SPICE. THE CHAOS.”

*

Sophia read a comment. “Ooh, someone asked: ‘Who said I love you first?”

Dani raised her hand proudly. “Me. And she looked like she was going to explode.”

You nudged her. “You said it like you were commenting on the weather!”

Another comment: ‘What’s your favourite thing about each other?’

Dani didn’t hesitate. “Her laugh. And the way she looks at me like I hung the moon.”

You blushed. “Her heart. And the way she always makes me feel safe.”

The EYEKONS went feral.

“STOP I’M CRYING.”

“THEY’RE SO IN LOVE.”

“GET MARRIED ALREADY.”

*

Dani picked up a piece of bulgogi and held it to your lips.

“Open,” she said softly.

You did, and she watched you with that look – the one that made the EYEKONS combust.

The comments exploded.

“THE WAY SHE LOOKS AT Y/N???”

“I’M SCREAMING.”

“THIS IS A COUPLE’S CHANNEL NOW.”

You def Dani a piece of lumpia. She bit it slowly, eyes locking onto yours.

“This is so good,” she said. “But I know something that tastes even better.”

The girls groaned.

“PLEASE,” Lara said. “We’re eating.”

Sophia covered her face. “The EYEKONS are losing their minds.”

You just smirked and nudged her. “Behave.”

She kissed your shoulder. “Never.”

You shifted slightly, adjusting your position. Dani tightened her arms around your waist.

“You comfy?” she murmured.

“Very.”

She rested her head on your shoulder, cheek pressed against your neck.

The EYEKONS noticed immediately.

“THE HEAD ON THE SHOULDER???”

“THE WAY SHE’S HOLDING HER OMG”

Manon pointed at the comments with a laugh. “They’re losing their minds.”

Yoonchae nodded. “As they should.”

Dani whispered, “Let them. I like showing you off.”

You felt your face heat. “You’re impossible.”

She grinned. “And you love it.”

*

After nearly an hour of eating, laughing, flirting, and chaos, Dani waved at the camera.

“Okay EYEKONS, we’re going to finish the rest off-camera before Megan eats everything.

“I will,” Sophia said proudly.

“She will,” Megan agreed.

“She already did,” Manon added.

You leaned back against Dani, smiling. “Thanks for hanging out with us. We love you guys!”

Dani kissed your cheek and the comments exploded once again.

You ended the stream, the room erupting into laughter.

*

The live-stream ended, but the chaos absolutely did not.

The second you put the phone down, Megan stood up and stretched like she’d just run a marathon.

“That was the best mukbang ever,” she announced. “Now I’m going to bed.”

“No you’re not,” Lara said, grabbing her wrist. “You’re helping clean.”

Megan groaned dramatically. “Why do bad things happen to good people.”

Sophia was already stacking plates. “Because you ate half the table.”

Manon was scraping leftover biryani into a container. “Honestly, I’m impressed. I didn’t think it was physically possible.”

Yoonchae was sweeping confetti off the floor – confetti that she herself had thrown for no reason halfway through the live-stream.

“It added fair,” she said defensively when Lara glared at her.

You were trying to gather utensils, but Dani wouldn’t let go of your waist.

“Baby,” you laughed, “I need both hands.”

“No,” she said, tightening her arms around you from behind. “You’re staying right here.”

“You’re literally making this harder.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

The girls groaned.

“Please,” Sophia said. “We’re trying to clean, not watch a rom-com.”

“You’re always watching a rom-com,” Dani shot back.” We’re the stars.”

Manon snorted. “Unfortunately.”

Eventually, Dani let you go – but only so she could follow you around the kitchen like a clingy puppy, bumping your hip with hers, stealing bites of leftover food, and whispering things like: “You should sit on my lap more often.”

*

By the time the kitchen was clean, everyone was exhausted.

Sophia yawned. “Okay. I’m done. Goodnight everyone.”

“Night,” Megan mumbled, already halfway down the hall.

One by one, the girls disappeared into their rooms until it was just you and Dani left in the quiet, warm glow of the kitchen lights.

Dani took your hand immediately.

“Come here,” she said softly, tugging you to her room.

You followed her inside, the door clicking shut behind you. The room was dim, cozy, still smelling faintly of the food from earlier. Dani flopped onto the bed and held her arms open.

“Come cuddle with me,” she said, voice warm and sleepy.

You climbed into her arms, settling against her chest. She wrapped herself around you like she’d been waiting all night for this exact moment.

Her chin rested on top of your head. Her fingers traced lazy patterns on your back. And her legs tangled with yours under the blanket.

“You were so cute tonight,” she murmured. “On my lap. Feeding me. Laughing with the girls. I couldn’t stop looking at you.”

You smiled into her collarbone. “You were cute too. Even when you almost died from the gochujang.”

She groaned. “Don’t remind me. I’m never trusting Yoonchae again.”

You laughed softly, and Dani tightened her hold on you.

You tucked yourself closer, her heartbeat steady beneath your ear, the warmth of her arms wrapping around you like a blanket.

The chaos of the mukbang faded into quiet comfort – just you and Dani, tangled together, whispering sleepy jokes and soft confessions until you both drifted off.

———-

Jesus this was a long one…

I YEARN FOR ANOTHER KATSEYE MUKBANG LIVESTREAM!!! The one with Pokimane was SO fun