Secret Recipe

When the Udakus said they were moving out of their village, Namor felt his heart was brutally ripped away from him. Shuri came crying and crashing into his arms, telling him they had decided to leave the village to further her studies. 

“I don’t want to go…” She wanted to stay.

“I don’t want you to go…” He wanted to keep her.

“I just want to be with you. ”

“I just want to be with you.”

They didn’t know what to do.

…

“Shuri- Shuri, Shuri, shuri— ” Namor’s hoarse voice called out to his beloved girl, as she continued to caress his cheeks, urging him on with lingering kisses.

The weight of separation was too heavy.

“Namor- help me, please, plea—” Shuri eagerly kissed his parting lips, pleading.

The temptation was too strong.

Namor kissed her deeply in return, her fingers digging into his back. Rough hands separated her tightly closed thighs, pushing and pressing against the base of her legs as Shuri trembled, spreading them apart, soaking his sheets.

The forbidden fruit was too luscious.

Her achedeepened as he finally joined her as one, her desire magnified infinitely, and Shuri clung onto Namor with desperation, whimpering with pity.

Every inch was a longing for every step together in the future.

They gasped together in frenzy, their desires burning along with their closely pressed and fiery bodies, leaving them at a loss.

The first taste was always irresistible.

Unexperienced, they could only follow their fading rationality, instincts and escalating desires. Shuri held onto him with her life, moaning as she was stretched delicately. The unbearable sensations from Namor’s reckless thrusts again and again drove her insane.

But it was not enough.

“Deeper, Namor- it hurts inside,deeper—” The fear of getting caught and getting pregnant only forced Shuri to clench her walls around his burning desire, wrap her legs around him even tighter, and mask all her moans in his mouth.

And he could only swallow all of it and kiss her tears, thrusting deeper like an obedient servant praying to his god, hoping to ease her pain.

Namor called out to Shuri repeatedly, brimming with love.

“ —All I can do is love you, Shuri— I don’t know… how to do anything else—”

Her pain ceased.

“—Yes, love me, Namor- I only love you— I will only ever love you— ”

Her pain ceased.

Namor watched, as if enchanted, his burning desire plunged into her softness, chasing his own pleasure. He gripped her delicate waist, almost able to encircle it with both hands, holding Shuri onto his cock with every thrust, feeling himself grow even harder with every pleasurable moan she let out. He lifted her up, bringing her fully down onto him.

Shuri cries out into his skin, making sure every inch of him remembers her screams of pleasure.

The pouring rain and raging storm throughout the night were a magnificent witness and bystander.

Namor thrust in with force, loving her with force, strong and relentless. He growled, losing his mind while witnessing Shuri bloom on top of him, crying out his name, driving him mad.

No one could ever take Shuri away from him. No one. In an instant, they reached their peak together.

The freedom to run wild and free, unrestrained, in their eyes… was such a luxurious thing.

Love is like food— it has an expiration date. If it’s expired, it’s no longer palatable.

They both hoped not to waste her talent in culinary appreciation. Wasn’t this also what he had always encouraged her for, wanting to see her passion shine?

But why was it so hard for him to let go at this moment?

“Where would you go?”

“I don’t want to go to France, I don’t want to go to Japan, I don’t want to go to the US, I don’t want to go to Spain, I don’t want to go to Thailand, I—” 

“All the places you mentioned are full of delicious food, except the US.”

“I don’t want to go anywhere, I just want to be with you…” Shuri rested their foreheads together, nuzzling as many times as she could do this again before their separation.

Namor cupped her cheeks, stroking them with determination, and tenderness. 

“Wherever you are, I’ll be with you.”

Shuri smiled, like a blooming flower under the moonlight. She had a better idea—

“Why don’t you come with us?” but it was a shitty idea.

Namor’s faint smile and warm nuzzles answered her… “You know I can’t.” he cannot leave his family here.

“Then let me travel the world and taste all the food first, and then I’ll take you to eat my favourites, how does that sound?” Shuri’s saddened smile was only a glimpse, quickly replaced by an even brighter smile. 

Shuri trying her best to cheer him up was the last thing Namor wanted her to do.

“Hmm… now that I think of it, having a personal food taster for me wouldn’t be that bad at all~”

“Be careful, the first thing I’ll take you to eat is American hamburgers!!”

“Spare me!!”

They laughed into each other’s arms, talking through the night until they barely could keep their eyes open, still, struggling to paint each other’s gentle facial contours in the canvas of their mind forever.

Namor held his girl tightly in his arms, risking his life by being beaten up. He’ll do it anyway.

“One call a day isn’t too much, right?” she requested.

“One? You better wake up and call me, that’s the first thing you do! Then… call me after breakfast, when you leave for school, during class, for lunch, during your break, after school, when you get home safely, after dinner, when you brush your teeth, cozy in bed, and don’t hang up even after you fall asleep.”

Shuri buried herself in his embrace, chuckling, “...Our phone bills will be outrageous.”

“So, we’ll stick to texting instead.”

“Then you’re not going to call me?!”

“Just kidding, of course I will. At least three calls a day?”

“Okay. I like three…”

Shuri left his embrace in reluctance as Namor gently wiped away her tears with his thumb, took a deep breath and pulled out a box, trembling.

“This is from Mama, she gave it to me. And I want to… give it to you.”

Shuri took it and sneaked a glance, then shut it in fright upon seeing what it was inside, but upon looking into Namor’s eyes filled with affection, she accepted it.  

She ran to Auntie Fen and hugged her tightly, “Thank you, Auntie.” His mother beamed, 

“This is our little secret, my sweet child.”

“See you!” Love you! “Wait for me,” she secretly blew a kiss towards Namor and he caught it, placing it on his heart. And the Udakus left.

From then on, their fourth year began with a long-distance love.

Unfortunately, people from the same world will eventually become people from two different worlds.

She was busy attending classes in the morning, while he was busy feeding livestock and fishing.

She spent her afternoons in culinary classes, while he was busy running his stall.

In the evening, she explored different eateries with her classmates for study purposes, while he set up his stall for the night market.

At night, she focused on homework, writing reviews, updating videos and preparing her thesis, while he prepared ingredients for the next day’s business, enjoying the sea breeze and learning some new recipes.

Despite this, their commitment to each other never wavers.

They shared their mornings.

“My Bast! The class I just attended asked me to use salsa and apples?! and I found out they actually taste good together! They even have something called sweet apple salsa!”

“Really? Don’t tease me, Shuri, I’ll look up to it and make some later. Btw I caught a lot of fish just now, two of them are almost as big as your face. The calves and cows were especially playful today, one even kicked me, fuck.”

“Yesterday I ate a fish as big as your face, Namor! Hahahaha, and nice kicks, little ones!! Awww, I really want to eat some milk pudding, but there’s none here!! Sad! Pouting! Noises!”

“There are things they don’t have from Bonjour France???”

“Nothing as delicious as what you cook!”

“You’ll have some when you come back for the summer vacation, I promise~”

…

They start their mornings with contended hearts every day.

They shared their afternoons.

“I just had a dish that was so awful I almost threw up. Have you eaten yet? You must be busy right now. Take care, drink plenty of water, eat on time and love you!” Shuri knew he had no time to look at his phone during lunchtime rush hours.

And the first thing Namor did when he had a minute break was reply to her, it’s always been his priority. “Worse than crap?”

“I’d rather eat SHIT!” Shuri sent him a photo of the food.

Namor looked at it while grilling and laughed out loud, replying, “Really looks like shit, yikes~”

…

They always nag each other to eat lunch, making sure neither forgets to due to being too busy. Because by the time they remembered it, they would whine never-ending at how hungry they were and nagged they didn’t listen to each other.

They shared their evenings.

“I really want to bring you to the bar one day. Just drank a cocktail that somehow reminded me of you!” Shuri shouted into her phone amidst the dim, thumping bar music.

“What flavour of me?” Namor chuckled, holding the phone to his ear, preparing for the dinnertime rush hours. He’s most free during this time, they would mostly do video calls when they are alone.

“Like sunshine, seawater, chocolate with lots of salt and a barbecue flavour!” Shuri giggled, clearly a bit tipsy.

“Sounds like a recipe for stomachaches. Take it easy over there!” Namor shook his head in amusement and looked out for her.

“Got it, babe! Why’s it so noisy on your end?!”

“Noisier than your end—?! WHAT THE FUCK-!!”

“What’s wrong?!?!”

“Chaac, remember that greasy spot you used to trip? Someone finally slipped and fell flat on their back…”

“Stream it to me now, Namor!!!!”

Shuri rushed to the restroom, watching Namor’s enlarged face and the constantly changing scenes, laughing like crazy.

“Hey, stop laughing and go help out! They’re fighting!” she watched him poking his head out.

“It’s a girl, not you. Ever heard the rule of avoidance?"

“Go on, Mr. The most jealous man I ever know! I won’t be jealous about you helping out~”

Suddenly, the camera zoomed in and all Shuri saw was Namor’s huge eyes, making her dying to dive into the screen.

“You know other men??? Besides that moron who’s always around you.” Namor glared through the screen and then showed her his pouting lips.

“His name is Moran.” Shuri giggled slightly.

“See?! His first name is MacKenzey!”

“He’s a senior taking me on a culinary journey, of course, I stick with him!” Shuri teased him with a smile, enjoying seeing him jealous.

“That whitey white boy of yours, hmph.”

“Are you helping out or not? They are still fighting!”

“Not helping, I’m mad now.”

Immediately, Shuri kissed loudly into the screen, a bright “Muacks!” attracting some glances from others, but she didn’t mind at all, enjoying the hearty laughter coming from the other end of the phone.

“If anyone’s interested in me, it’s your fault for always being such a busybody and tossing me out like a lifebuoy.”

“Yeah, my fault~ I’ll come back in a day and claim my territory if you are in trouble!”

“Sounds about right.” Namor rolled up his sleeves, ready to help. “Wish that guy luck, babe.”

“I can only wish him not to pee his pants.” Shuri watched proudly as Namor went to save the day.

…

“You two lovebirds are so sweet.” Moran teased as she returned to the table. “Long-distance relationships, you know, cut us some slack.” Shuri playfully shrugged at her senior.

“How long have you been together? You two childhood sweethearts?”

“It’s been 6 years, oh no, almost 7 years. We moved here almost three years ago.”

“Don’t you get bored? Being with the same person for so long?” Moran could never.

Shuri gave him a smug look, “With him? Never.”

Moran remained sarcastic, “Love can spoil, you know, like food. If it expires, you can’t eat it anymore. Yours seems going to expire soon, because how in the world does he just let you, you little wildcat, roam around like this? How big is his heart???” To not worry Shuri would be— 

“As big as mine!” The speakers blasted loud music, playing Beyoncé’s Single Ladies. The single ladies in their group all got up to dance, Moran bumped into her shoulder, “Aren’t you going?”

“I’m not a single lady~~~” Shuri stuck her tongue out at him, taunting him.

“If it was me, I would have put a ring on my not-so-single lady long ago!” Moran joked.

“Who said he hasn’t put a ring on me!” Shuri smugly showed off the jade bracelet on her wrist, filled with affection, she told him, 

“I’m out here in the world, carrying his name with me. There is no expiration date on this.”

She got up to join the dance, leaving the man admiring and in awe of her stunning presence.

…

“I saved the day.” “I rocked the stage.”

“That’s my boy!” “That’s my girl!”

They shared their nights.

“The renowned food connoisseur, why are you still up? Working on your paper?”

“And the famous cook and pride of our hometown, why aren’t you sleeping yet? Yeahhh, this review is scheduled to be published tomorrow and I still want to make some changes.”

“Got it, then let me take you to the beach and listen to the sound of the waves while making those changes.” Namor went out during the night, letting the breeze brush him away.

“How’s business lately?” Shuri could hear the waves already.

Namor chuckled in honesty, “Thanks to you, I’m swamped.”

Shuri sighed, “I should’ve never agreed to write it. Now the whole world can see how handsome my “ husband” is.”

“Well, it’s really your fault, princess. Remember the girl who slipped and you asked me to help out? She rented your stall and now she’s running it every day in front of me, so…”

There was a loud “pak” sound from the other end of the phone, and Namor laughed when Shuri started yelling.

“Book me a flight ticket for tomorrow, the earliest one! Now!!”

“Are you serious?” Namor gazed at the stars, grinning smugly.

“Dead serious! You didn’t tell her you have—”

“I did tell her that I’m not married yet, but I do have a “wife”.

“She wouldn’t believe you! You have to let her meet the real person! Book me a flight! I’M COMING HOME!!”

Namor burst into laughter, he had to crush her, “Stop pretending, Best Actress! I already knew you bought a ticket to come back and celebrate my birthday with me ages ago, your tricks ain’t workin’~!”

There was silence on the other end. Then Shuri exploded.

“I’ve been betrayed!!!” Must be Bast damn T’Challa!

“Yep, you’ve been betrayed~” Sorry, T’Challa, my bro.

They giggled over the phone, gazing at the different night sky that shone with countless stars.

“...I feel like kissing you right now,” Shuri confessed, her voice tinted with longing. She missed him so much.

“Hang in there for two more weeks, it’ll pass quickly.” Namor comforted her softly, he missed her so much too.

“I can’t bear it anymore~”

“I want to hug you too…” Namor confessed… he missed holding Shuri in his arms, warm and squishy.

“Then let’s hug each other in spirit! Come on, keep going! Show me a hundred-meter sprint, one, two, three, let’s go!”

So Namor started running on the beach, racing with the breeze.

“People must think I’m crazy!”

“My crazy boyfriend!”

…

They meet in the same dreams every night.

“Uncle! Let me explain, please.” 

Namor offered as calmly as possible. He and Shuri were cooking together like good old times, except Auntie Ramonda and Uncle T’Chaka came back earlier than usual from their walk, just in time to catch Shuri on her tiptoes and kiss him.

“Explain what?! No wonder Shuri hasn’t dated anyone all these years, turns out she’s been tied down by you! Wasting her youth! And now you’re two-timing her, betraying my daughter!” T’Chaka was furious from hearing all that gossip during the walk with his wife in the park. They didn’t expect to come back to their village for a short stay and receive two shocking news at once.

“Baba, listen to me! Namor is not two-timing me! Ada has been a good friend of ours, why are you like this?!” Shuri tried to reason with her father, but he waved her off furiously, not buying her and insisted she was being fooled. Namor sighed, holding her close and decided.

Since the piñata is out, might as well strike it.

“Uncle T’Chaka, Shuri and I, we’ve been together for almost 8 years now and I will not let go. We are planning to get married after she graduates, we—” They were this close.

“You have been dating Ch’atoo Almehen’s son behind my back all these years?! You disappoint me, Shuri!!!” T’Chaka’s sudden outburst scared her and Shuri’s eyes welled up with tears and fear. Namor quickly stepped in front of her, tightly gripping her hand, even though he was a bit scared too.  

He squeezed her hand two times, their little secret that means…

Don’t be afraid. I’m right here with you.

“You are dating T’Chaka Udaku’s daughter behind my back for 8 years?! Chaac will strike you with lightning! His daughter is a lost cause!”

Things just can’t even get worse without giving them a break as Namor’s father barged in. They lived side by side, all that shouting could be heard miles away. The dads started arguing in each other’s faces.

“What’s wrong with my daughter?! Do you want her to marry your ambitionless son and be stuck in this village forever?!”

“What’s wrong with my son?! Your overzealous daughter has had plenty of scandals these years! How many restaurants had she closed down with her articles?! She’s the one messing around!”

“Uncle, I had never closed down any restaurants with my articles, they had bigger issues than their food! Baba, please stop this, Namor is nothing like what you said!” Shuri pleaded with them.

“Yuum, Uncle, please listen to me, Shuri and I are very serious about this relationship, we are not messing around! Uncle, I have planned to move our business to the city—”

“NO! You two are NOT compatible!!”

“Both of you are not meant for each other!!”

T’Challa rushed home with a bang, after sending his wife, Nakia, and their baby boy, Toussaint, back home so Toussaint wouldn’t be frightened by the impending mayhem. They were at the market when his mother called him and said it was an emergency!

“Baba, Uncle Ch’atoo, enough! I have known for years Shuri and Namor are dating! Mama and Auntie Fen knew too, we didn’t tell you both because this is exactly how we thought you would react!” 

“You call yourself a brother, T’Challa?! Instead of looking out for your sister, you let her sink deeper and deeper, conspiring together to deceive me!!!”

“Baba! I don’t understand why you and Uncle can’t let go of whatever grudges you have in the past!! If you’re rejecting Namor because of his background, then you’re insulting us because we come from the same roots! Not everyone’s ambitions are as ambitious as yours.”

T’Challa stood tall with Namor, shielding their precious Shuri together. He turned to a fuming Uncle Ch’atoo.

“Uncle, since we moved our business away from here, we have become the so-called upper class in your eyes. I don’t care about your prejudices, but you can’t question us for leaving our roots behind. The world is big and we are striving to progress, to adapt and to welcome changes. Otherwise, we will be isolated from the world.”

Namor and Shuri hoped that their brother’s strong and compelling words could knock some sense into their thick skull, change their fathers’ minds, or at least let them understand how much effort and sacrifices they made for each other over the past few years.

“It’s not your turn to lecture me, son.” T’Challa pursed his lips, he looked at Uncle Ch’atoo and back to Namor, with a face cold as death and clenched fists, he remained by him and his sister’s side, unyielding together.

“Shuri, if you insist on diving headfirst into this hopeless future, I will not give you my blessing.”

Even if they could shield Shuri under their wings, her heart was still mercilessly shattered by her father’s words.

Stepping out from behind them, Shuri stood strong beside Namor and T’Challa, eyes red but resolute, ready to defend him. And their love.

“Baba, even though I’m heartbroken without your blessing, I’m sorry for selfishly keeping it from you all this time, but I’ve grown up, I’m not a little girl anymore.”

Shuri resisted with defiance in her eyes.

“I want to have my own family now.” She held his hand, squeezing it two times.

“Namor has been the one I wanted to build a family with from the beginning, all my efforts, our efforts, have been for our future.”

Namor squeezed back two times.

“I won’t let you humiliate Namor like this. Insulting him is insulting me.”

Her heart doesn’t hurt so much anymore.

“What has he done for your future??? I haven’t seen him sacrifice anything for you! Is he planning to stay here and make a living forever??? How will he make you happy?! How will he support you and your children in the future?!”

“Uncle, I have investments and the savings to build our future, a better future for Shuri together, I will prove it to you—” Namor saw the waver in his uncle’s eyes, they would make him see.

“I don’t need him to support me, Baba, and Namor doesn’t need to rely on me either. We’ve always been independent, your traditional ways don’t apply anymore.” Shuri knew that in the future, even if life became extremely difficult, they would never abandon each other.

“You’ll regret it, my daughter. You are still young, there are otherchoices. Please, listen to your Baba…”

“I’m already 24, Baba, I know what I’m doing. All I know is if I let go of him, I’ll definitely regret it for the rest of my life.”

Namor’s heart shattered as he watched Shuri’s stubborn tears well in her eyes, putting on a facade of strength and composure in front of the person she loved and respected the most.

But when she knelt beside him, picking up the shards of glass scattered on the ground with him— he wouldn’t let her kneel for so long, and get hurt ever again.

“NO! Out of so many people you could’ve liked, yet you chose her!! The girl in the next stall is so much better!! Down-to-earth, honest and practical! Why marry someone with lofty ambitions like her?! You’re such a stable and reliable person, Paal! How will you build a family with her?! She’s always out there fooling around with no shame, and you just turn a blind eye to it all, enduring all the humiliation and gossip she brings to you?! I didn’t raise you all those years to have a useless son that tarnishes my reputation and her ruining our family name!”

Namor’s face darkened as death, his grip on her hand almost crushing.

Shuri’s shoulders finally slumped, tears overflowing. She couldn’t understand why their fathers were so convinced that they weren’t worthy of each other. They weren’t from prestigious families, it’s not like they were from completely different backgrounds. They were perfectly matched in all aspects, so why couldn’t it work? 

And she never fooled around, Namor knew that. She wouldn’t do anything to betray him. All her friends knew of his existence and they even helped keep an eye out for her on behalf of him. Even her friends could do that for them, why not their fathers?

Why? Why? Why? Shuri bit her lip tightly, holding back any cries, but eventually couldn’t help but cover her mouth with her hand in desperation, hurriedly wiping away tears with a broken heart.

“Yuum, if you still disagree and don’t wish me happiness, then consider me no longer your son.”

“You—!!” Ch’atoo was not thinking straight, he struck.

That slap was so forceful it immediately drew blood from Namor’s face.

Yuum had never hit him before, this was the first time.

Namor took his father’s slap head-on, without flinching. 

And the last time.

He glared with wrath, his face flushed dark red, but he didn’t budge an inch, only gritting his teeth with fury, crushing his jaw.

“How dare you slander Shuri right in front of me, Yuum?” Right in front of my fucking face?

Namor will not have it. Not even his own father.

Others desperately tried to drag Ch’atoo away, even T’Chaka was shocked, while T’Challa blocked him from doing anything rash and impulsive.

But only Shuri stood in front of him, effortlessly pushing him back a step when no one could, using herself, her whole body, to shield him.

Protectinghimdesperately.

“My family will not welcome—!!!” Ch’atoo couldn’t believe this as he stared at his son’s bloody face.

“If this family doesn’t welcome her, I won’t stay either.”

Ch’atoo gave his last word, “My home doesn’t welcome you either, you ungrateful child! You don’t have to come home again!!!”

Namor held Shuri tightly and forced himself to calm down. It did, with her in his arms. “...Na’, I will come back to have dinner with you from time to time.”

Shuri dashed out of his embrace, and threw herself into her mother’s arms, holding on tightly as Ramonda whispered words of comfort to her and T’Challa held them together, while T’Chaka was trapped in the storm they created.

His mother, Fen, restraining her urge to hit her husband who had almost driven her to anger, could only sigh repeatedly while holding back Ch’atoo. At moments like this, she would still protect her only son.

“Go now, Ch’ah. Don’t worry about Na’, I still have your Yuum.”

Namor’s tears fell. He had to break it to Shuri one day…

Because the first woman he ever loved will always be his mother. She taught him love.

“Go with Shuri, go—”

And he learned how to love from Shuri— she will always be the first, and the last person he ever loves with his whole being, his everything.

He reached out to her…

“Shuri! If you leave with him, don’t ever come back!!” Shuri ignored her father, saying her goodbyes to her mother, telling her not to worry about them and hugged T’Challa before turning around.

She reached out to hold his waiting hand…

“T’Challa! Stop your sister!”

“No, Baba.”

Then without looking back, Shuri ran away with Namor.

They ran and ran, towards the future they longed for and dreamed together for so long.

…

She nestled into his embrace, gently kissing his swollen face, softly blowing air along the night breeze, cradling his face with a heart full of pain.

“...I’m so afraid, that one day you’ll regret it, that one day you won’t love me anymore…” Shuri said with a smile, tears streaming down her face. She buried herself in his chest, listening to his lively heartbeat.

Namor huffed. He lifted her chin up and kissed away her tears, then pinched her cheeks lovingly until Shuri yelped in pain and tickled him. She wanted to pinch his cheeks too but found that she couldn’t…

She couldn’t not love him.

“I had love you all my life, Shuri…” he lets go of her, leaning in to kiss her softly, “...might as well love you until the day we die.”

“I will love you until the end of my days…” Namor gazed into the stars in her eyes, brighter than the stars in the night sky.

She beamed, repeating after him, “You will love me until the end of your days…” Shuri engulfed in the love reflected in his shimmering eyes, while Namor pressed his forehead against hers, promising again.

“...and I will love you until the end of your days.”

“...and you will love me until the end of my days, until the day you die, until the day I die, and even after I die, you would say you love me all your life.”

They held onto each other on the beach, determined to embrace each other until the end of time.

Screw them.

They summoned the courage they had at 16 and 18 when they asked each other, “Let’s be together.”

This time, she finally took him away, and he came with her.

This time, he accompanied her to taste all her favourite foods, letting her show him the world.