YURI’S STORY

LOVER’S QUARREL PART II

A lesson I learned from a toothache;

Even the SWEETEST thing on earth can HURT.

Sticks and stones may break my bones,

But your words, they surely kill.

“You better prepare all the vegetables ASAP! The first event at the hall is almost finishes. Sooner or later this booth will be full with people craving for food.” Tae Yang instructed me as he busied checking the boiling noodles inside a big pot.

“I know my job. Don’t need you to boss me around.” I said harshly. Who died and gave him the authority to make me his exclusive slave? Arghhh! His attitude is sooooo soooo annoying!

“Yeah right. Look who’s talking. If you really know what to do, how come the vegetables still look uncut?” After making sure that the noodles were soft, he drained the water and put the noodles in a large bowl.

“Duh… I’m going to cut them right now. Satisfy?” I pulled the tray filled with spinaches, carrots, onions, garlics and green onions closer to me. My gaze fixated at the tray for a second before I let out a heavy sigh. Halfheartedly, I made my way near the busy Tae Yang.  “Dude, how about we exchange our job?”

“Weiyo?” Without even looking at me, Tae Yang cut the noodles several times with scissors before adding one tablespoon of soy sauce and sesame oil.

“I hate cutting vegetables.”

“And why is that so?” He glanced at me.

Forehead creased. Oookay… how to explain it without embarrassing myself? “Because it’s troublesome. Just let me handle the noodles. You cut the vegetables okay?”

“Naaaah… no way! Nope! Sorry! You go and do your own job. Mind you, cutting vegetables are just as easy as ABC. You are lucky that I only ask you to cut them. And it’s not even troublesome at all. Miss Hyun already helped you to peel off the layer of the onions. Even the carrots also have been peeled. You just need to cut them into small pieces.”

From the looks of it, Tae Yang won’t ever exchange his job with mine. Yah! Dumb player, can’t you take a hint? I don’t freaking know how to cut vegetables! Must I say it out loud for you to understand?! Urghhhh! With rage began filling the core of my heart, I took an onion from the tray. Another hand of mine reached for the knife that was on the table. My gaze first went to the onion and then to the knife.

Uneasiness began to creep slowly inside my heart. Suddenly, something popped up in my mind. The words that my dad always repeated countless of times began to echo.

“Kwon Yuri, when are you going to learn how to cook from your mom? Look at you honey. You’re 21 years old and you don’t even know how to slice an onion. Aigoo, my daughter, don’t you feel ashamed?”

I shut my eyes tightly. Dad, now I’m ultimately, beyond any doubt ashamed to the infinity! Seriously a total embarrassment! Huaaaaaaa! With wrinkles and doubtfulness began to plaster on my face, heart filled with hesitation, I sliced the onion. Ahhhh! Whatever, let’s just do this Kwon Freaking Yuri! Confidence began to level up inside me as I finished slicing up 5 onions.

Next up, garlics. Come to mama! Let me cut you into tiny pieces okay. Muahaha.. I began to focus on my job. Carefully, I handled the knife with care. I rarely ever held a knife in my life except for scalpel when I assisted Professor Kim during surgery cycle. So, better be careful not cut myself in the process. After all the garlics were safely cut, I moved on to the carrots.

“WHAT THE HELL?!”

“!” That one loud scream took me by surprise. I unconsciously let go off the knife from my grasp. Quickly, my eyes went straight to find Tae Yang’s face that was now standing beside me.

“What the hell is wrong with you?! I almost cut myself because of your sudden shout!” My anger began to take the toll on me.

“What actually are you doing?” Tae Yang set his gaze to the bowl filled with the sliced onion.

“Duh…. Are blind dude?”

He didn’t answer me. Instead his hand went to reach for the knife that was on the floor. He wiped the edge of the blade with his apron before handing it back to me. “Mind me asking; usually when you eat Japchae, are the onions sliced like this?” His hand played with the sliced onions in the bowl.

“Err… Molla. I never really check how they sliced the onions. Usually, I just eat without even bother about anything else.  Did I slice them wrongly?” I asked while showing my “I’m-so-blurred” face.

Tae Yang immediately smacked his forehead. What? Did I really make a mistake when I cut the onion? I saw him shaking his head from left to right. “Yah, Kwon Yuri! You did sliced the onions but you know what? They are so damn thick! Do you want to kill someone?  One onion, you sliced into…” He took out some sliced onions and put them back together forming an uncut onion. He was flabbergasted, dumbfounded, and static. “Into three?? You only sliced them into three?!

“Then, what do you expect me to do? Last time, I saw my mom sliced the onions like that.”

“What was your mom cooking at that time?’

“Err.. I think maybe kimchi stew and jjamppong.”

“Aigoo… Those kinds of dishes usually can use onions that were sliced as thick as this one. Tell me this, who the hell in their right mind would use this kind of thick-sliced onions to cook japchae? They use thin-sliced onions for your information. So think logically please. How can people eat if you cut the onion this big? With this size of onion, surely it can kill. And if someone did choke this onion to death, what are you going to do? What are you going to say? Whoooaaa… I’m telling you, I don’t want to be held responsible for their death okay.”

I showed him my stern-sourly-irritated face. “I told you before that I don’t want to do this slicing thingy. You were the one who insisted me to do it. So, don’t go all nagging like an ajumma to me.”

“Yah, I gave you the easiest job of all time but you can’t do it!” Tae Yang looked at me with a fuming ferocity. “I bet you’re the kind of girl who never ever set foot in the kitchen.”

“You’re right. I’m not the kind of girl who likes to go to the kitchen to cook. Kitchen is only a place for me to find food.” Instinctively I revealed my weakness to him. Ahhh… No point of pretending anymore. He’s not that stupid to not notice my lack of skill in cooking.

“You really never ever slice an onion?”

I just shook my head. “But I used to peel off the skin.”

“Only the S.K.I.N?”

This time I just nodded.

Tae Yang looked frozen solid with my acknowledgment. “How old are you?”

“I’m 21. Sweet 21.”

“Gosh! If you’re 21 and you don’t even know how to slice an onion, where the hell is the sweetness in that? You! Kwon Yuri, you should be ashamed of yourself. Even guys like me know my way around the kitchen a hell lot better than you.” Tae Yang continuously nagged about my lack of skill while shaking his head.  “Who usually cook at your house?”

“My maid.”

“If your maid takes a day off, who will cook?”

“My mom.”

“If your mom needs to go somewhere?”

“My dad.”

“If your mom, maid or dad isn’t at home, who will cook for you?”

“Dude, there’s like tons of restaurant in Seoul. I won’t die if nobody cooks at home. Yah! What actually do you want to know? Just straight to the point will you?” His way of questioning me was like a police interrogating a criminal. Can’t he just be specific and spill whatever that he wants to know from me?

“Okay. So, do you know how to cook?” Tae Yang hesitantly asked me.

“See, it’s a lot easier if you would just be honest. I know how to cook….errr… instant noodles and mushroom soup.” I said arrogantly as my eyes twinkled due to my cooking skill. Kekekeke..

“Only that?”

I plastered a poker face.

“If you ever get married someday, what will your husband or children eat?”

“Like I said before, there’s tons of restaurant in Seoul.”

He shook his head a couple of times.

“Why do you even care if I only know how to cook only two things?” And right at that moment, my mom’s voice echoed.

“Yuri honey, please be a dear and help me out in the kitchen sometimes. You’re already 21 years old honey. And shockingly, you don’t even know how to cook anything. AT ALL! Aigooo… You’re a girl for heaven’s sake. It’s up to you if you’re still stubborn. But don’t come whining and crying at me when someone laughed at you because of your zero skill in cooking!”

I immediately closed my eyes. Mommmmmmmmmmmm………

“Of course I care. If I knew that you’re a total hopeless in cooking, I would ask Professor Yoo to assign me another partner. You’re not making things easier for me. Instead, you’re making things worse!” Huaaaa…. Mom, his words hurts like hell! He’s the one I love and he dared to criticize me like that?! Mom, he’s a douchebag!

Tae Yang snatched the knife away from my hand. “And for your information, I like a girl who can cook.”

“Your point is?”

He just shook his head. “Like I said, FOR.YOUR.INFORMATION.”

I bit my lips. Hard. Is that a hint from him to pressure me so that I will learn how to cook?

“Pay attention missy. This is how brainy people slice onions for japchae.”

“How about you just cut all the vegetables?”

Tae Yang shot a glare to my face. Yikes! “Hey, if you don’t know how to cut vegetables, then you should learn how. I’m kind enough to teach you here. So your eyes please fix here! I will only show you once. So, if you can’t even pick up the skill after this, I don’t know what else if left for me to say.” Tae Yang reached for an onion from the tray. Then, he sliced it quickly but still neat and skillful.

O.M.G! This guy is not pulling my leg. He really has the skill to cook! Oh lalala… Kwon Yuri, you should and must be ashamed of yourself.  “Shoot! You really are amazing!”

“Am I?”

“Totally. How about you show it to me again?”

Tae Yang was like in cloud nine after he heard my compliment. Without thinking much, he grabbed another onion and sliced it with the same manner.

“Dude, you’re like a master chef.”

“See the hand babe. Want to watch it again?”

“ Yesssss!” I squealed like a fan girl. And that definitely made Tae Yang more excited to show off his skill. Muahahaha… Finally, he has taken the bait. Just finish them all, Tae Yang. Cut, slice, mince or whatsoever you want to do! Just finish them all!

And Tae Yang continued chopping all the onions until there was no more left behind. And like a cue, Tae Yang finally realized what he had actually done. With a blurred confused face, he turned to meet my eyes. He looked like someone who just woken up from a dream.

I gave him a wink. “Eh?????” His eyes once again looked at the chopping board and then my face.

Eyebrows jerked. Lips crooked a cynical smile. “Yup Tae Yang oppa. You just did it. You cut all the onions. And for that… thank you.” Kekeke… serve you right! Who asked you to go all dreamy just because of some compliments?

“You!” If looks could kill, I’m sure I’ll be dead by now. Hi