*Cough* *Cough* Young kids really have no filter.She quickly hurries to my side and coquettishly grabs onto my arm. She"s wearing her pink pajama"s with a white flower pattern embroidered on delicately. Her hair is still a bit wet, I can even smell a scent of soap. She must have been was.h.i.+ng up, when I entered.
"Big Brother, what is your name?"
"Dylan"
"How old are you?"
"18"
"When"s your birthday?"
"31 December"
"Daebak!"
Irene lifts her head towards our direction and smiles. Looks like she thinks she"s the winner now that she knows that she"s older than me. Little does she know, to me this is vital! She is my noona! A true Noona. And we all know Noona"s are the best!
MC: Author! This is a cop out. Why did you make his birthday 31 December all of a sudden?
Author: Heh what do you know? Its called problem solving. If I didn"t make it so how could you get NANA to be part of the harem! 1991 was a year of beauty they need to be included!
MC: Why do I feel like this wasn"t the plan before and you altered the plot just because you google"d nana for the first time today?
Author: No comment
Little Chae-hyun continues asking questions until she is forced to stop by her mother. Who tells us to eat.
I proceed to grab a piece of kimchi and place in on my rice. Its glistening and moist. The fragrance captures me. It was like supple and inviting. My appet.i.te seems to have surged and I could not resist the temptation any longer. The taste does not disappoint. The exquisite taste sent a shock to my taste buds leaving me completely engrossed, it was like my entire being was swimming in a sea of deliciousness.
And this was just the side-dis.h.!.+ Can you imagine what the main dish was like? IT WAS INDESCRIBABLE. After the meal, we continue with small talk and I help with the dishes. I had to insist before Mrs Bae finally relented. Its the least I could do, considering I was of no help to them earlier in the kitchen. Irene joins and does the drying.
Faint voices can be heard from the lounge, seems like Mr Bae was recalling a funny incident from work that had the rest of the family, in a state of excitement.
This is really some feeling. Its warm and comfortable. This is certainly a dream like many people seek. A pretty wife, two smart and good kids, laughing after having a great meal. Happiness really is in the smaller things in life.
"Is your family always like this?"
"Most days we are, we fight every now and then but which family doesn"t. How about yours? I heard you telling dad you moved here alone. Must be strange waking up in different city?"
I feel a pit forming in a stomach. I really didn"t want to bring this up on the first day we meet. It seems like its a total buzz-kill. I gather up my courage and confess
"I don"t have a family. My parents died in a car crash when I was young"
"Oh, i"m sorry. I didn"t know"
"No no no, you didn"t do anything wrong. How were you suppose to know?" I laugh awkwardly trying to lower the tension that I just introduced into the room. "I don"t remember much of them anyway, I was way too young." I smile as if to say its okay but i can feel the expression i"m wearing is definitely not that of a happy one.
We finish up the dishes. before heading back into the lounge. Irene hops towards her mother. And like a baby chick nestles in her embrace taking glances at the magazine she is reading. On the far side of the room, I can see Chae-hyun with a heavy look on her face. She"s playing Go with her father while he patiently waits for her to make a move.
I look at this picture perfect family in front of me and feel ..... Warm. Very Warm.