Chapter 10 《Home-Cooked Meal》
Saturday afternoon.
Winter sunlight streamed across the living room floor through the seventeenth-floor window.
English Bay shimmered peacefully between the buildings.
MTV was playing on the TV.
A little while later.
Jason Mraz's “The Remedy (I Won't Worry)” began.
Eunjin unnie hummed along as she tied on an apron.
“Youjung.”
“Did you finish marinating the bulgogi?”
I peered into the large bowl.
“...I think so.”
Unnie dipped the tip of her chopsticks into the marinade and tasted it.
After thinking for a moment, she smiled.
“It’s good.”
“You did a great job.”
Some of the tension left me for no reason.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Youjung is in charge of the bulgogi.”
“Then I’ll handle the tteokbokki.”
I smiled as I looked at the pot bubbling away.
“Unnie.”
“The tteokbokki smells so good.”
Unnie stirred the tteokbokki once with a ladle.
“Want to try some?”
I carefully bit into a rice cake.
My eyes went wide.
“Wow.”
“It’s really good.”
Unnie laughed.
“Thanks.”
“That’s one thing I’m pretty confident about.”
I smiled too.
“The guys are going to love it today.”
Unnie nodded.
“I’m sure they will.”
For a moment, we looked at each other and smiled.
The kitchen was filled with the smell of bulgogi and tteokbokki.
In the living room, Jason Mraz’s song played softly.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang.
I quickly dried my hands and headed for the front door.
When I opened it.
Ben was the first to greet me with a bright smile.
“Hey.”
Behind him, Hide and Dai waved.
The moment Hide stepped inside, he sniffed the air.
“Whoa.”
“It smells amazing.”
Ben smiled.
“I think we came at the perfect time.”
The three of them took off their shoes and entered the living room.
Eunjin unnie leaned out from the kitchen with a smile.
“Hey, guys!”
“Dinner’s almost ready.”
Hide pointed at the TV.
“MTV again?”
Eunjin unnie laughed.
“Of course.”
“It’s always on.”
Ben laughed too and nodded.
“I like it.”
“It makes the place feel alive.”
A little while later.
Eunjin unnie placed the last dish on the table.
The table was covered with plates of food.
Hide exclaimed in amazement.
“Wow...”
“You guys made all this?”
I smiled, a little embarrassed.
“Yeah.”
“Hope you like it.”
Ben pulled out a chair with a smile.
“I’m sure I will.”
We sat around the table.
Dai pointed at the tteokbokki.
“What’s this?”
Eunjin unnie answered with a smile.
“Tteokbokki.”
“Korean spicy rice cakes.”
“You have to try it.”
Hide bravely picked up a rice cake and ate it.
At first, he nodded.
“Mmm...”
“It’s goo—”
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
“Oh!”
“It’s spicy!”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Eunjin unnie quickly handed him a glass of water.
“Are you okay?”
Hide took a sip of water and then laughed.
“Yeah.”
“It’s really good.”
“I just wasn’t ready for it.”
Dai took a bite of tteokbokki and laughed too.
“It’s spicy...”
“...but I can’t stop eating.”
Ben picked up a piece of tteokbokki as well.
He chewed for a moment, then smiled.
“This is dangerous.”
I asked with a laugh.
“Why?”
Ben picked up another piece of tteokbokki with his chopsticks.
“Because I’ll keep eating.”
Laughter spread across the table once again.
Ben scooped up a spoonful of seaweed soup and tasted it slowly.
For a moment, he said nothing.
I found myself watching his expression.
“...How is it?”
Ben smiled.
“This is really good.”
After taking another spoonful.
He quietly added,
“It’s... comforting.”
The tension slowly melted away.
“Thanks.”
Eunjin unnie smiled and said,
“Youjung made the seaweed soup.”
Ben looked at me in surprise.
“Really?”
I smiled shyly and nodded.
“Yeah.”
Ben smiled brightly.
“You did a great job.”
My face grew a little warm.
“Thanks.”
The laughter around the table never stopped.
Hide ate tteokbokki, drank some water.
Then he ate more tteokbokki and drank water again.
Watching him, Dai burst out laughing.
“You keep saying it’s too spicy...”
“...but you keep eating it.”
Hide laughed and shrugged.
“I know.”
“I can’t help it.”
We all laughed together.
Dai took a bite of bulgogi and exclaimed in delight.
“Now I get it.”
I asked with a laugh.
“What?”
Dai smiled.
“Why everyone loves Korean food.”
Eunjin unnie said with a laugh,
“You’re always welcome here.”
Hide grinned.
“Deal.”
Ben smiled too.
“We’ll definitely come back.”
When the meal was over.
I reached for the empty plates.
But Ben stood up first.
“I’ve got these.”
Hide immediately stood up too.
“I’ll help.”
Dai picked up some plates and smiled.
“I can’t just eat and leave.”
I waved my hands.
“But we invited you.”
“You’re our guests.”
Ben smiled and shook his head.
“Exactly.”
“So let us help.”
In the end, I smiled and nodded.
“Okay.”
In the kitchen.
The sound of running water and laughter never stopped.
Hide dried the plates.
Dai put the bowls away.
Ben washed dishes at the sink.
I tried to go into the kitchen several times.
But every time, the three of them laughed and said,
“We’ve got it.”
In the end, I sat on the living room sofa with Eunjin unnie.
Coldplay’s “Clocks” played softly in the living room.
Outside the window.
The lights of downtown were coming on one by one.
Small lights began to shimmer across English Bay as well.
Eunjin unnie looked toward the kitchen and smiled.
“They’re all such good guys.”
I smiled and nodded.
“...Yeah.”
From the kitchen.
The three of them continued laughing.
A little while later.
The dishes were done.
I took my digital camera out of my bag.
“Wait.”
“Let’s take a picture.”
Hide grinned.
“Finally!”
Eunjin unnie stood up from the sofa too.
Hide naturally moved to stand beside Eunjin unnie.
Dai playfully took the spot right in the middle between us.
Ben stood beside me.
I placed the digital camera on top of the TV stand and set the timer.
“Ready?”
Hide gave a thumbs-up.
“Ready!”
Dai said with a laugh,
“Don’t blink.”
Ben looked at me and smiled.
“You ready?”
I smiled and nodded.
“Yeah.”
Beep—
Beep—
Beep—
Click.
I picked up the digital camera and checked the LCD screen.
“It came out great.”
Hide came over first.
“Let me see.”
Dai looked at the screen too and smiled.
“I like this one.”
Ben looked at the picture and smiled.
“Me too.”
I carefully closed the digital camera and put it back in my bag.
Coldplay’s “Clocks” was still playing softly in the living room.
Outside the window.
The lights of downtown shimmered.
English Bay was quiet.
- End of Chapter 10 -