Once the ramyeon was prepared,Neil decided to look for Mi Rae.He hoped that she had not fallen asleep in the shower.His sunny side eggs were plated in two plates and the big bowl of ramyeon was placed in the middle.Like breaking the eggs,Neil had to try making the eggs to perfection and had only succeeded in the latter two.The first two that were in his plate looked pretty pitiable while the ones in Mi Rae"s looked at least presentable. He covered the food with a plate so as to keep it warm and turned to go check on his suns.h.i.+ne.But there she was-at the kitchen"s door and Neil marveled at her natural beauty.She was standing there with a slight smile on her face.Seeing her he narrowed his eyes and said,"Since when are you standing there?"
She grinned and said,"Since you started cracking the eggs with your head.You are really cute and adorable Attorney Shark!"
Neil straightened his back at that and said,"Why are you insulting me my suns.h.i.+ne?I am not cute!Children are cute!Dogs and cats are cute.I am handsome!The most handsome man you know and will never know!"
Mi Rae shook her head in amazement and said,"Narcisstic much?"
They glared at each other for a minute but then Neil finally gave up and said,"Come here suns.h.i.+ne while the food is still warm."
It was only then that Neil noticed the clothes she was wearing.Forgetting his stomach"s rumbling,he could only feel his heart stuttering.
Thump thump.She was wearing a long white corset dress with a long lacy skirt.And there was a slit on the side which gave him a glimpse of leg everytime she moved.The table was only a few steps away and Neil was disappointed.But before she could sit on the table,Neil held her hand and made her stand back at the door.She looked at him in bewilderment as he went back to his original place and then said,"Walk again!I did not get to appreciate much previously.this dress is something straight out of a fantasy,My G.o.ddess."Understanding his meaning,Mi Rae smiled prettily and then getting into a mischevious mode did a catwalk towards the table.To tease him some more,she even threw out a leg and posed prettily.
Neil was pleased at that,and even wolf whistled at her.And never one to shy away from giving complimets,he said,"You look gorgeous in this excuse for a dress."
Mi Rae was pleased at this and said airily,"Oh this old thing!I bought it specially to seduce you!"
Wolf whistling again,Neil said,"I am totally seduced."
This made her loose her pose and laugh out loud which made Neil join her and both clutched at their stomachs as they sat,giggling like little children.Neil served her the noodles and put some for himself.She stared this domesticated shark and said gravely,"You really are a pretty homemaker.How come both your brothers know how to cook and you don"t?"
Neil who had just taken a bite chewed and then said thoughtfully,"It is because I was a naughty and curious little boy.Whenever my mom asked us to help out in the kitchen big bro ws perfect while I caused too many accidents from inhaling red chilli to splas.h.i.+ng hot oil.So to protect me and herself,she usually banned me from the kitchen and put me to babysitting duty!First with Matt and then Ah Hai.And Matt does not know to cook either so we are equal.And Ah Hai was taught by Ryu because there were times when Ryu was unable to come back home from work and he wanted Ah Hai to be self dependent.He was pretty tired of me and Matt mooching food off of him,I think."As Neil explained the past there was a peace on his face that was usually missing.Mi Rae wondered if he knew this.How soft his face was whenever he spoke of his family.She smiled and continued to eat her food.And now she was curious as to why the thired Long brother,the only one she had yet to meet,did not know how to cook.So she asked him.
Neil grinned at that and said,"Because I needed a playmate!"
Forehead scrunched Mi Rae stared at him in confusion at his answer.So Neil explained,"See,if Ryu was busy with homework which he usually was and Matt was inside the kitchen then I wouldn"t have anyone to play with.So I told Matt all the spooky stories of the kitchen incidents and he was too scare to evenenter the kitchen.After a few times Mom gave up on teaching him and both of us were able to play to our heart"s content!"
Mi Rae"s mouth hung open at this cleverness.Shaking her head she said,"Neil Long!You were a little terror!Your poor mother and poor brother!You better beware when you have kids!You sow what you reap!"
Neil got up and collected Mi Rae"s empty plate and then placed them in the empty sink.Turning back to her he leaned against the sink and said casually,"Well that depends on you suns.h.i.+ne..You must have been a good little girl so I think that would balance everything out in our kids!Don"t you think so?"
Having dropped this bomb on her,Neil turned back to the sink to wash the plates.Mi Rae sat there in a daze as his last sentence echoed in her head,"Our kids." He actually said that.She had no idea how she was supposed to react so she kept sitting staring at his back.And then the penny dropped,"They had not used protection!"Mi Rae almost wished she was some old English maidenso she could faint from shock.