The two of you were speechless for a while, then erupted into laughter at the same time.

"Yah! No wonder I found you familiar! You lost so much weight!"

"Yeah, I was quite the fat boy then." Kyungsoo chuckled.

"When did you come to Seoul?"

"Three years ago, you?" He reached into his pockets for his car keys as both of you arrived at the carpark.

"Slightly less than three years." You climbed into the passenger's seat as he opened the door for you.

 

You waited as he settled himself into his seat. Both of you caught each other's glances and broke into mutual laughter again.

"This is too funny..." He grinned as both of you slipped on your seatbelts.

"So... you haven't told me where we are going for dinner."

He put an index finger to his lips and mouthed "Secret" before he drove away.

___________

 

"W-here are we?"

This doesn't look like a restaurant at all. It's a residential area.

 

He peered at you and said mysteriously: "You'll soon see."

Steering into a carpark, he pulled up and motioned towards the apartment beside it."Here we are."

You followed his cue out of the car, still puzzled.

"This... isn't an eating place."

He twirled to face you, biting back a smile.

"You'll get something to eat, I promise." He kept pace with you while maintaining the lead.

 

"Kyungsoo ah, w-here exactly are we going?" You asked again as he stopped in front of the 10-storey apartment.

"My house." He smiled, taking out a bunch of keys.

You gaped.

"My mom is here tonight. She comes once in a while to visit from Gyeonggi-do. And her cooking skills..."

He did a thumbs-up.

As if to assure you, he pressed on the intercom and a woman's voice answered after some time.

 

"Umma, I'm home."

"You little rascal, just come right up, why do you need to call me?" Kyungsoo gave you a "Sorry, my mom" look and pushed the door as it opened.

You panicked as realization set in.

"Wait! Wait! Kyungsoo ah, you didn't tell me your mom is here, I didn't get her anything?"

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you." He shrugged nonchalantly as he pressed the lift.

 

"Wait... " You pulled at his sleeve. "I-- shouldn't be here, maybe I should just..." You turned to leave but Kyungsoo held you by the wrist and stared you in the eyes.

"It's alright. She'll be happy to have company." You were about to protest when the lift door opened and he ushered you in.

_________

 

Kyungsoo was right. His mother was elated.

After the initial shock wore off, you could only hear "Ommo... ommo..." coming from her mind.

 

She pulled her son to the side and chided him quietly.

"Yah! You rascal! Why didn't you tell me you are bringing back a girl? A pretty girl!" She hissed in a tone louder than she intended and you blushed.

"Umma, ______ is a friend..." He started.

"I-I hope I'm not disturbing..." You bowed, but his mother shook her hands frantically.

"No! No! Not at all! You are really welcome! It's just that this little rascal... " She smacked him for good measure. "Should have told me earlier so I could prepare! Yah! Is this how you treat your guests!?" She smacked him again.

 

"Ow... Umma... Shouldn't we prepare more dishes for an extra person?" Kyungsoo slid into the kitchen and washed his hands.

"I-I'll help." You followed him but was waylaid by his mother.

"No, no! You sit! I'll cook and yah!" She cried out to her son. "Get out of there and entertain your guest properly!"

"Umma, it will be faster if there's an extra pair of hands." He reasoned.

"You and your sharp tongue." His mother relented. Turning back to you, she waved you towards the sofa. "Go.. go sit, we'll be ready soon, ok?"

Out of respect, you walked towards the living room and glanced around.

 

For a guy, his house is awfully neat. The walls were painted white and the furniture mostly rosewood stained and contemporary black. A collage of black and white framed photos covered an entire wall and you took some time to admire them.

You noticed he's good at capturing expressions and moments. One photo stood out for you. A photo of recycled apple crates with a child smiling in the foreground.

An aroma rose from the kitchen. You sneaked a peek and saw Kyungsoo helping his mother with the cutting of vegetables. He looked seasoned. His mother was frying potato cakes and saying something to him about bringing a girl again.

Inching closer towards Kyungsoo, you saw him putting some vegetables into a bowl and mixing them up with the seasonings.

 

"I'll do it." You snuck beside him and said quietly, taking over the spoon. Kyungsoo looked at you, amused, then turned to check on his mother. She was still busy rabbling to herself. He didn't protest, only smiled as he watched you for a while.

"What?" You whispered.

He shook his head and turned back to the vegetables, chopping up more vegetables to add to the mix.

 

At some point, his mother apparently saw the two of you working silently together because you heard her "Ommo... ommo" again. And so did Kyungsoo. Both of you turned around and saw her beaming brightly. When she got caught gawking, his mother let out a laugh and said: "Continue, continue, don't mind me!"

 

You blushed as Kyungsoo defended: "Umma, you are making her feel uncomfortable."

"Oh! Right, right.. _________ ah, make yourself at home ok? Our Kyungsoo seldom bring friends home."

Especially not girls. You heard his mother thinking out loud.

"Ah, is it?" You nodded and glanced at Kyungsoo, who was snickering again to himself while cutting the vegetables.

 

_____________

 

The dinner went better than you expected. Kyungsoo's mother asked you a little about yourself and after knowing you are from Gyeonggi-do too, she started sharing stories from the hometown. The three of you walked down memory's lane whilst enjoying the home-cooked dinner. You had missed your own mom's cooking after she passed away. Though his mom's cooking wasn't as strong in flavor, it was still authentic.

After dinner, she persisted on showing you some childhood photos of Kyungsoo, which he initially protested. But you wanted to see them too. Kyungsoo lifted his arms in surrender.

An hour later, his mother announced she's leaving.

"What? Aren't you staying for the weekends?" Kyungsoo was flabbergasted.

"Ah... I've got to visit the Oh family tomorrow, I forgot to tell you that."

 

The two of you read her thoughts and immediately knew she was lying.

"No, I can't have you leaving by yourself at this hour." He insisted.

"I knew you'd say that. I called your elder brother, he's picking me up in 10 minutes."

"But umma..."

"I'll visit soon, ok? Now, are you going to send me downstairs or not? Your brother is arriving anytime soon."

Kyungsoo sighed and glanced at you.

 

"I'll send my mother down, can you wait?"

"Y-yeah."

He held his mother by the shoulders as they filed out the door.

 

"Son, she looks like a really nice girl, you have to treat her well ok?" Kyungsoo's mother patted him on the back in the lift.

"Umma, I only met her a few times, it's too early to tell."

"I hope I didn't scare her. She's the first girlfriend you brought home."

"Umma..." he rolled his eyes. "She's not my girlfriend."

"I know... I know... I just want you to be happy, ok?" She squeezed his shoulders.

Kyungsoo gave her a knowing smlie.

_______________