Going Crazy
Yeji and Hyunjin is waiting at the dinner table. The food is almost finished, only the rice is missing. Their father sits across the table from Yeji and scrolls on his phone. From the kitchen a metallic sound is heard and Yeji turns her head towards the open door. Her mother enters the room with the hot pot in her hands.
“There we go.” Jiheun says and smiles proudly, as if making rice was an advanced task. As she opens the lid a cloud of hot steam raises into the air. The smell of rice blends together with scent from the curry stew.
“It smells delicious.” Donjun says and puts his phone down.
Jiheun nods and smiles contently. Now they are all waiting for her to take place around the table, knowing that they cannot start eating before the last person has sit down.
“Please have a bite.” Jiheun sweeps with her hand over the food. “Why don’t you start, darling?” She turns to Donjun. Of course he is to start, as always, and after him Hyunjin will follow, then Yeji and lastly Jiheun. Even though Jiheun is the one who cooked the food she gets to take part of it the last.
“So how were your days?” Donjun asks as he finishes chewing and looks at his son.
“Good.” Hyunjin answers. He lowers his gaze towards the plate as Donjun continues looking at him. “How did your English test go?”
Hyunjin chews slowly and doesn’t meet his father’s gaze until he has swallowed the food. “I passed.”
Donjun raises his eyebrow and turns his head a little as an encouragement, or an order, to continue the story. Yeji can almost see how Hyunjin visibly fights to hold back an irritated sigh.
“I got a C.”
“Only a C?” Donjun exclaims, staring at his son with a shocked and slightly disappointed expression over his face. “I know you can do better than that. You are usually on the higher end of the scale.”
“You know how important the grades are.” Jiheun adds and smiles weakly. “You need them when applying to university.”
“I know.” Hyunjin lowers his head and shoulders, not only the gaze this time. He looks like an ashamed dog getting scolded by its owner.
Yeji presses her lips tightly. It’s laughably. C has always been Yeji’s average score, not a bad one but neither the best one, in the middle of the scale. Her parents have never commented her grades, they have only nodded and then turned to her, apparently much more interesting, twin brother. Why? Is she that uninteresting, that unimportant? Do they see potential in her brother that she doesn’t possess? Or is this just a simple case of favoritism? At least she can dodge any bad ship sailing in, like the ship that docked right now. When one is invisible one is missing out on not only the good stuff but also the bad.
As the dinner progresses the topic slowly changes into Jiheun’s upcoming 50th birthday.
“I’ve been thinking about the food.” Jiheun says and puts down her cutlery. “I was thinking we might have to order catering. I believe there will be quite many guests.” She looks over at her husband whose eyes widen. He swallows quickly before answering.
“Why can’t we make our own food? That’s what we have always done before, at any other party.”
Jiheun stays silent for a second. “But then we weren’t this many.”
“How many guests have you invited?”
“About 50 people.”
Donjun raises his eyebrows and sighs. “Well, I’m sure you can make it anyways. We have a big kitchen and you can start early. Me and the kids can help with the other preparations.”
Jiheun gives off a blank face. No one says anything. Hyunjin doesn’t even put down his fork, instead he keeps it still in the air. Yeji looks from her mother to her father. Dongjun gives his wife an overly encouraging look while she looks like a flat wall.
“I can help.” Yeji hears herself say. All six other eyes turn towards her.
“Are you sure, honey?” Jiheun says while giving of a doubting feeling. “A 50th birthday party requires something grand, something to show off. That’s why I propose catering.” She once again turns towards her husband, more careful this time, almost begging.
“That’s exactly why we should make it ourselves. That is much more prestigious. Anyone can buy food, but not anyone can cook it.”
A silent sigh can be heard from Jiheun. It seems as she has given up the fight, letting her husband win this argument. Is there any way Yeji can help her mother? She knows that she will end up doing most of the work anyways, both with the food and other preparations. Too bad Yeji lacks a skill in cooking. However, now when thinking about it, she knows someone who can cook. The thought is overwhelming her, overthrowing her and ends up on her tongue and comes out over her lips.
“What if Ryujin could help you?”
The words where so sudden, they came so quickly, if not even faster than the realization itself. Both of her parents raise their eyebrows which makes their foreheads filled with wrinkles.
“I mean, she has helped us before.” Yeji adds and smiles awkwardly. Okay, she was not supposed to actually propose that. Sure, Ryujin helped Yeji cook last week, but that was a one-time thing. Surely her parents won’t find her suitable for the mission. Especially not since she is their best friend’s son’s ex-girlfriend. Whatever impact or relevance that has.
A laugh can be heard from Yeji’s right and she instinctively turns towards her brother.
“Does she take advanced cooking classes or something?” Hyunjin asks jokingly when turned to Yeji. “She must have an A+ since she runs here all the time.”
“She doesn’t run here all the time.” Yeji snorts defensively.
“But does she have an A+?” Donjun asks, suddenly curious.
Hyunjin shrugs. “Jeongin says she’s smart.”
“Who is Jeongin?” Jiheun asks.
“A guy I sit with on the bus to school. He is in the same class as Ryujin.”
Oh, so that’s his name. Yeji had forgotten to ask. Well, now she doesn’t have to wonder anymore.
“Is he smart?” Donjun continues, narrowing his eyes.
Yeji holds back a sigh and cannot help but to let her tongue run wild. “What does intelligence have to do with help in the kitchen? Isn’t it more relevant with a cooking skill?”
“Of course, a future girlfriend needs to be good at both.”
“A future girlfriend?” Yeji and Hyunjin says at the same time, staring at each other in confusion. Her father nods seriously as he holds Hyunjin’s gaze. “A girl like Ryujin is indeed someone to keep an eye on. Any man would be happy to be by her side. You deserve someone like her, Hyunjin. Remember that.”
Yeji feel it like a massive punch in her stomach, like she almost loses the air in her lungs. Ryujin and Hyunjin. Ryujin and a man. Ryujin and anyone. That is something Yeji doesn’t want to envision, it gives her a weird feeling in her stomach.
Yeji is at loss for words and therefore cannot contribute with anything more to the conversation. Her brother on the other hand, seems to have opinions. With a held back force he continues speaking.
“I have no intention of making her my girlfriend.” His voice is unusually sharp. Yeji has rarely seen him like this, especially not towards their parents.
“Of course not.” Jiheun says and gives her husband a look. “Your father didn’t mean it like that. He only wanted to express what a good girl Ryujin is.”
Donjun nods. “Exactly, a very good friend for Yeji, and girlfriend for you, if you like.” He makes a gesture towards his son.
Friend, girlfriend. Why can’t Ryujin just be Hyunjin’s friend. Or why can’t Ryujin be Yeji’s girlfriend? Yeji’s girlfriend, Ryujin as Yeji’s girlfriend. The thought is tickling her insides. Yeji has never been in a relationship before, and especially not with a girl. That thought has never accord to her, not until now.
“Donjun.” Jiheun says and puts a hand on his thigh. She mouths a “that’s enough” which he seems to accept, finally.
“But I do agree on the proposal, Yeji.” He says. “Asking Ryujin for assistance might be a good idea.”
“Then maybe you can ask her?” Jiheun says and gives Yeji a questioning look. Yeji nods affirmingly, still speechless.
“Perfect. Homecooked food it is then.” Donjun exclaims and claps his hands. “Perhaps it is time for coffee now?” He pulls out his chair and leaves the room. Their mother starts to clear the table as Hyunjin, after a quick “thank you for the dinner”, disappears up the stairs. Yeji is left alone after her mother has gone into the kitchen with the dishes. She leans towards the table, staring into the wall. Did she just get a reason to speak to Ryujin again? If she says yes, will they get to spend more time together? Oh lucky day, please let her say yes.