The Kwons

A flavourful aroma lingers throughout the kitchen. Anyone who walks into the kitchen right now will definitely be guessing on how just delicious the dish will taste. With skilful motion and technique, fire blazing through the gas stove, a familiar lean-looking man was tossing ingredients in a skillet pan like-a-professional chef would do. Grabbing and adding the last few ingredients into the skillet and giving its last tosses, the man then turned off the gas. Looking at how the end-product looks like, he broke into a satisfied smile before forking up a tiny amount of the dish for a taste test.

“uhuh~ This is the taste!” He commented, satisfied that as usual, the food he made tastes delicious. “Perfect~”

Taking out a big light blue ceramic bowl from the kitchen cupboard, he slowly transfers the food from the pan to the bowl nicely, trying not to mess up the perimeter of the bowl.

“Now it’s garni- “The man’s sentence was cut midway and not to mention he almost drop the garnish onto the floor as he was surprised at a sudden intruder. A loud intruder that is.

“WAAAH! Daebak~ It smells so nice~ I can even smell it the moment I enter the front door!” The intruder cheerfully exclaimed. “Jiyong-ah~ Whatchu cooking??”

“Noona! Don’t you know how to greet first instead of barging in on me like that?” Jiyong scowled before carrying on with the garnishing.

That’s right ladies and gentlemen! The oh so talented cook is none other than Kwon Jiyong himself! *Well, I’m probably sure you guys already know it since I did mention in the foreward~ heh* But not known to the public except for his close family and friends, Jiyong do loves to cook from time to time~ He might look cold on the outside but never judge the book by its cover!

“I can’t help it! It smells oh so delicious that I feel so excited to know how it’s gonna taste like!” The intruder who is none other than Kwon Bom, argued as she walked towards Jiyong to take a better look at what’s cooking, “oooh~ it’s pasta~”

“It’s called Cajun chicken aglio.” Jiyong justified before bringing the full bowl towards the dining area. “Let’s eat together noona.”

“You don’t have to invite~ ” Bom snickered gleefully as she was already walking animatedly towards the dining table with 2  plates and utensils in hand.

‘Chomp chomp chomp’

“So, brother” Bom speak up, half-full with food. “omma was asking, where should we go for a holiday this summer?”

. . .

Bom furrowed as she looks up away from her plate, eyeing Jiyong. Somehow, Jiyong was quietly eating his food but what she noticed is that Jiyong was in his own world. He looks like someone having deep thoughts. And the fact that Jiyong did not even notice that Bom was asking him a question makes her quite surprise. Well, it was quite known in the household that Kwon Jiyong is not someone who will let his guard down as he usually attentive towards his surroundings.

Kwon Bom lips curved up into a smile. A teasing smile.

“She is pretty, isn’t she? I heard that she is a very nice person” Bom speaks, her eyes glistering with mischievous.

“Pfft! Nice, you said? Nice my ! She has the worst character that I’ve ever seen compared to other girls I’ve known. I can’t figure her out at all.” Jiyong scoffed.

“Who?”

“That Burden Choi Dara of course!”

“You like her huh?”

“NO! Are you crazy noona?!”

“Then why are you telling me about her?” Kwon Bom blinked, faking innocence. “I was talking about the actress playing on tv. Lee Sung Kyung.”

Bom pointed towards the big screen across the living room which the actress Lee Sung Kyung interview was airing, trying to prove her innocence. Jiyong looks towards the Tv and back to Bom, he felt like he was played at by his very own sister Kwon Bom.

“AIshh. You are so annoying noona.” Jiyong grumbled before digging back to his food.

“I wonder what happened that make my little brother had his mind occupied by this girl named Choi Dara~” Bom teased. “At last! Will my brother get himself a girlfriend?!” Bom’s eyes were twinkling with excitement.

“Stop spouting nonsense noona.” Jiyong rolled his eyes.

Jiyong keeps staring at his phone lying stationary on his desk as if it is a fascinating object. It is 10 PM, and Jiyong is still sitting behind his CEO desk in his office doing nothing. One week had passed since the last time he saw Dara and since that day Jiyong’s mind has been having thoughts of her every now and then randomly. Like Literally! There was this time he was having a board meeting and a lady staff went into the room wearing a white-pink dress and right at that moment Jiyong thought of Dara, then there was even another time his friend was talking about his business trip in the US which Jiyong was actually attentively listening to, suddenly had his thoughts shifted towards that conversation he had with Dara in the restaurant and not to mention those other small incidents he had for the past few days that made Jiyong almost has the creeps now that he thinks about it.

Jiyong doesn’t know why but his vague guess got to be that he wanted to know more about her after seeing her reaction when he asked her if she misses anyone back in the states.

Let’s just say Jiyong is being a busybody.

Now back to his starring game with his phone, Jiyong has been hesitating if whether he should start a conversation with Dara as a form of starting a new friendship with her. At first, he thinks that he might have gone bonkers for he vividly remembers how his first encounter with her on that very night at the park near to his house, it was not that pretty to be kept as memories if he were to tell the truth. However, Jiyong can’t help but to be drawn to her somehow.

After an hour passed and doing a lot of brainstorming, Jiyong leaves his office.

Choi Dara POV

I was quietly sitting on a bench in the backyard garden of the Choi’s Residence. Looking up at the dark blue sky, filled with tiny dots that people called it stars. The place was filled with the sound of the crickets mixing in with the cold nature atmosphere.

A flashback of how me and “him” used to stay up all night, cuddled in each other arms, having small talks while star-gazing flashed through my mind like waves hitting the shore. Good memories. And before I even knew it, a tear falls down wetting my cheek.

“beep”, my phone indicates that I received a text.

I furrowed my eyebrows thinking who will be texting me late this night before grabbing my phone beside me and read the text.

I arched an eyebrow after reading the content, slightly amused.

From: Kwon Jiyong

Are you asleep yet?

Now, what does this dude wants from me late this hour? I was about to text him back when another text came in.

From: Kwon Jiyong

Hmm If you are already asleep, Sorry for disturbing. Goodnight.

Without realizing, I stifle a short smile before quickly typing back a reply.

“Hey, Not yet.”

I was about to put my phone in my pyjama pocket and head back inside when my phone beeped again. Woah! This Jiyong dude sure is a fast text-er!

“It’s almost midnight, Not yet sleepy?”

“Wait, you are not outside lying somewhere in the middle of an abandoned park half sleeping half-drunk, are you??”

I stared at the message with a hint of surprise. Is he worrying about me? It can’t be! Suddenly feeling playful, a knowing smile was then plastered on my face as I text him back.

No one’s POV

Jiyong was driving back home but his eyes keep peeking towards his phone on his passenger seat. Somehow or rather, the feeling of anxiety starts to build up in his heart.

“beep”

With the speed of lightning, Jiyong grabbed his phone to read Dara’s reply as his one hand manoeuvre the car. Jiyong frowned, his eyebrows almost mashed together upon reading the text. Dara reply was not what he expected.

“maybe. Maybe not”

Without thinking twice, he hastily types his reply.

“YAH BURDEN, WHERE ARE YOU NOW?????”

1 hour later…

Jiyong POV

I’m now sitting in the living room having a late-night snack with my family watching the TV and I can’t help but keep glancing at my phone from time to time while munching. It’s been almost half an hour since I reached home and yet I still have not gotten a reply from the burden. And yes, from now on, I’m going to call her by that name, “burden”. It really suits her.

I’m not sure why but I have this urge to go out and find her wherever she is right now and fetch her home. Don’t get me wrong though, I’m not having any kind of feelings towards her, but It’s just that after that day where we had lunch at the Italian restaurant, I get to know a little more about her (yes, I consider our quarrels as getting to know each other) and that I feel we can be considered friends. I guess?

“yah Jiyong! Why you keep on glancing at your phone?” My sister inquired, disturbing my train of thoughts. “are you waiting for a text from Miss Choi Dara? So you asked her to be your girlfriend already?” She teased.

I looked at her with a deadpan look as she wriggles her eyebrows, a wide teasing smile plastered on her face. This is the thing about my sister, she always likes to be a busybody in everybody shoes especially me! Her younger brother! I don’t get it, why does she always have to share about my life to our parents every single time she founds out something different about me particularly whenever there’s a girl involved, EVEN THOUGH those girls are just an acquaintance or a friend or a colleague! Sometimes I just feel like Kwon Bom is just crazy!

“you have a girlfriend Jiyong?” My mum asked as if trying to confirm my sister’s accusation, a hint of hopefulness is present in her tone. “Is it that young lady of the Choi’s household? Ametrine Group? So, you guys already decide on dating each other? Why not you introduce her to me~”

“Haizz… No mum. I’m not dating her and I’m not dating anyone.” I answered with a boring expression.

“Why not?” asked my dad. “She seems like a nice girl. Am I right, yeobo?”

“yes, I agreee~” My mum happily replied.

“Uhuhhh~ I agree with omma and appa too.” My sister joined in as she nods her head before consuming another piece of the corn cheese stick.

And here we go again… the whole night, their conversation is about my love-life and about the young lady of the Choi’s household a.k.a the burden… There was even a mentioned of how handsome/pretty the kid will be if I and the burden were to have one I tell ya! They are crazy! Haizz, my life will never be normal in this Kwon household! Their absurdity is too much for me to handle!

“beep”

From: Burden

“hahaha kidding! I’m home, getting ready to sleep now. btw I’m not a BURDEN, you ahjusshi!”

No One’s POV

The lively conversation of Kwon Bom and Mr&Mrs Kwon was put to a halt when they saw what was happening right in front of their eyes. Never in their life has they see something like this happening especially coming from that someone who was casually sitting in their living room sofa, smiling from ear to ear while looking at his phone. Right there and then in their living room, Kwon Jiyong was grinning and chuckling amusingly while texting a certain someone, not noticing that his family members were staring at him with a surprised-amused look.