Chapter 14

"Kyungsoo, where are you going?"

Kyungsoo grinned at Sehun. "I'm going to the Tea Room. Grandpa will teach me how to do a tea ritual properly," he enthusiastically told Sehun. "Grandpa said that I have made so much progress in making a decent cup of tea," he went on, proudly.

Kyungsoo was slightly running when Sehun spotted him at one of the corridors that lead to the Main Room, holding his chima and raising the skirt to his ankle as he prancing through the corridor.

"Grandpa?"

Kyungsoo nodded. "Yes. Grandpa asked me to not call him Master Oh. He said that he likes grandpa better as he considers me as his own grandchild." He smiled gleefully.

"I always want to have a grandpa."

Sehun raised an eyebrow. He never thought Kyungsoo would accept the arrangement his grandfather made this fast. The boy's surely unpredictable; he was strongly against the idea just a few days before. To think back, Kyungsoo was too naive to even realize he's being tricked all this long. There was definitely something off in this.

"Is it related to the engagement thing? I mean for you to get to call my grandpa 'grandpa'." Sehun asked out his curiosity bluntly.

"Eh, what?? No!!" Kyungsoo squeaked. Pink blush crept over his face all the way to his ear. "Where did you even get such idea." He shook his head in disbelief. From too many things you fail to comprehend.

"I guess grandpa has changed his mind. He has not said anything about the matter since that time, and I got to my jobs as usual, nothing's changed," Kyungsoo assured Sehun. Except the part when you get to call him grandpa, which any grandchild-in-law would normally do.

"And about the tea ritual thing?"

"Grandpa told me that my craftsmanship in embroidery is outstanding already, so there is no need for me to learn it further. He said that my attention to detail could overcome any descendent of a noble family." The boy blushed at his own words.

To have a fine craftsmanship is one of the skills nobles need to know how, and of course you would just happily skip the important detail. You're now basically being taught to be a good noble bride.

"And you get to learn the tea ceremony instead?" Which is also a major ritual of being a noble family.

"Yes. It's so fun! You know I love to learn new things right? When I've finished work, grandpa will teach me the tea ritual step by step." Kyungsoo beamed. "Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure." It's interesting to see how dense Kyungsoo can be.

***

"Mom, what are you doing here?

Sehun frowned questioningly at his mother. It was unlikely for his mother to be spotted inside the Tea Room, moreover wearing the traditional hanbok she hated the most. No one could ever guess that her mother was a renowned supermodel judging from how awkward she was right now, shifting in her position every few seconds and wiggling her socks-covered toes.

"Learning to do a tea ceremony of course, what else, right, little Soo?" his mother chirped, cooing Kyungsoo who just got inside the room.

The boy nodded solemnly. He gracefully took a seat in front of the wooden trays on the ground. Each tray consisted of bowls and cups made with clay decorated with pretty bamboo leaves pictures, a bamboo scoop, and a small round jar containing green tea leaves.

"True, Aunty Oh, it is very important for us to learn our own culture," Kyungsoo gave a firm answer. Grandpa might have burst into proud tears, Sehun thought. (His mother had caused tears in his grandfather’s eyes in regards to her knowledge of the traditional culture as well, but for far different reason).

"Halo, grandpa," Sehun greeted the leader of the Oh family.

"What are you wearing? Go change your clothes," Master Oh chided his grandson. He swept his eyes over Sehun's attire in disapproval. His eyes narrowed toward his grandson who nonchalantly shrugged his shoulder and went out to change his clothes.

"Let's start. Sehun can catch up later." Master Oh gestured Kyungsoo to be the tea master, and then he remained silent and still.

Kyungsoo nodded. His small hands skillfully rinsed tea pot and cups with boiled water and poured boiled water into the transfer bowl to let it cool slightly. He poured hot water and a small amount of tea leaves into the teapot, and then poured the brewed tea into the transfer bowl.

Kyungsoo was just about to lift the tea pot to pour the brewed green tea into individual cups when Sehun came in.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Sehun said as he took his position next to his grandfather.

Kyungsoo breathed sharply, his eyes grew large. He waved his upper limbs frantically, mouth letting out a soundless hiss at Sehun. The boy brought his fingers toward his mouth, holding his thumb and forefinger together and moving them across his lips. Kyungsoo stared at Sehun with his huge, unblinking eyes as he shook his head fervently and crossed his arms in the shape of an "X" in front of Sehun, before bringing his hands back to his mouth to zip his lips. Sehun's mother released a soft whine. Sehun knew she was dying to pounch the boy across her.

After making sure that the tea ceremony's serenity was not ruined because of Sehun's unceremonial appearence, Kyungsoo continued pouring the tea into the cups. He held the tea pot from a certain distance to create beautiful bubbles in the tea, which was a crucial part of the tea ceremony. The boy suddenly stopped his hands in midair. His brows furrowed, nose twitching like a rabbit in distress. Another strange squeak was coming from Sehun's mother closed lips. She fidgeted in her position, squirming restlessly.

Fortunately Kyungsoo got his composure back. He began to serve the tea to everyone in the room. They bowed to each other and took a cup of tea each, taking their moment to supposedly enjoy the beauty of their tea and inhale the pleasant aroma, before sipping the flavor and finishing the tea (only Kyungsoo and Master Oh were serious enough to get into their roles; Sehun's mother eyed her tea like it was a poisonous liquid whilst Sehun didn't care enough to admire the beauty of his tea, and gulped his tea in one go).

Afterward, they were free to speak. "Well done Kyungsoo, there was not a single mistake and the bubbles were very beautiful," Sehun's grandfather told the boy with a satisfied smile.

"Really, grandpa?" The boy's eyes brightened. "I managed to not say anything at all. I nearly said 'a-chu' when my nose felt itchy, but I was able to control myself," Kyungsoo remarked proudly.

Sehun's grandfather cleared his throat. "Next time you could just say 'a-chu', no need to restrain yourself."

Sehun's mother sprung from her seat, she went pass the trays, hugging the boy for her dear life. "What a cute little nose twitch! Ya ya ya you can twitch your cute button nose and say a-chu anytime!" She squealed, rubbing their cheeks together. Sehun sighed. He unclasped his mother's tight grip and dragged the poor boy away from his aggressive mother. This happened every single time.

Kyungsoo got dizzy after being swayed like a rag doll. He wobbled around between the three towers before he was finally able to steady himself. "Grandpa, aunty, do you need me for anything else?" Kyungsoo asked.

"No. You may continue your work, Kyungsoo," said Master Oh. His squinted at his daughter in-law who was about to blurt out her objection.

"Okay, I'm going to go to the marketplace then," Kyungsoo beamed. He bowed his head at Master Oh and Sehun's mother, ready to have his way out.

"Wait, I'm coming with you," Sehun quickly said.

"Why?"

"Err, to make sure you won't poison us with dangerous things you refer as food."

"I won't!"

"Just to make sure then. I'm too young to die," Sehun answered calmly as he had his long strides to get outside, ignoring the boy's protests. Behind them, Master Oh and his in-law exchanged a knowing look.

***

Sehun had changed his outfit back into simple shirt and jeans, and was waiting for Kyungsoo to show up. He leaned back, sitting on the couch as his fingers dancing over his Iphone's screen, checking for emails.

"Sehun, let's go," Kyungsoo's voice broke his attention.

Sehun looked up and froze. He had to admit that his mother had all the reasons to lose a hefty sum of her elegance every time she saw Kyungsoo.

He could tell that Kyungsoo was trying his hardest to find not-so-girlie outfits out of the extra-ordinary girls' clothes Luhan shoved at him, but unfortunately his effort came back futile as Kyungsoo pretty much still looked like a cute little girl.

The boy had changed his hanbok into a peach short-sleeve shirt in kitten print and faded-wash skinny jeans. He pulled his long hair away from his face, gathered his hair together at the back of his head and secured them with a hair tie. His naughty fringe was tousled over his forehead slightly above his eyebrows.

Kyungsoo was wearing a summer straw hat with an extra-wide brim on his head. A large straw bag was hung over his shoulder.

"Go green. It's not wise to use plastic bags," Kyungsoo chirped, showing his large straw bag.

“Uh, if you say so," Sehun quickly said. "Let's go already, I don't want my mother to see you like this."

"Eh, why?"

Sehun sighed. He swept his gaze over Kyungsoo, and let out another sigh.

"What's wrong with my look? Why did you sigh?"

Sehun responded with a sigh.

"What are you going to buy anyway?" He asked Kyungsoo before the boy could protest the lack of an answer.

"Beef!" Kyungsoo spoke with great ardor.

"Mrs. Cho planned to make some yummy grills today, and I need to buy some-" Kyungsoo chirped. He, entirely forgot about the matter, started to ramble about things he deemed yummy.

***

The marketplace was not like the previous one that got Sehun scarred for life. It was tidier, and most importantly; fly-less.

Kyungsoo knew his way so well around there. The boy walked fast (as fast as his short lower limbs allowed), ignoring the stalls on each side of the road. His pony tail bounced and swayed to his left and right as he walked.

He went into a meat stall with Sehun following him a few steps behind. Sehun ran his gaze around to look for possible threats (ones could not be too sure in places like this). He breathed a sigh of relief. They were relatively safe for now. Finding no life-threatening thing, he stood next to Kyungsoo.

"Uncle Huang!" Kyungsoo chirped, calling for the stall owner.

"Hēi! Qing Zhu! Nǐ jīntiān de ròu xiǎng zěnme zuò？Wǒ dédàole gāo pǐnzhí niúròu cóng májiàng dòng shěng. Nǐ shì bùshìshuō nǐ xiǎng yīxiēròuzhì xìnèn ma? Wǒ yǐjīng Shōucáng yīxiē hǎo ròu Gěi nǐ, niúnǎn, dài lǐjí, lē yǎn, nǐ shuō ba." A middle aged man wearing a white wife-beater came out, blurting words energetically in Chinese.

"Uncle Huang, I told you to not speak Chinese, you won't able to speak Korean fluently that way." Kyungsoo shook his head in dissaproval at the man.

"Ai-ya, forget." The meat seller laughed.

"But I do want some tender meat, uncle. The brisket and rib eye would be fine."

"What?"

"Beef."

The meat seller, going by the name of Uncle Huang, understood the word. "Ya, beef!" He shouted excitedly. Kyungsoo nodded proudly and went on, "Brisket," Kyungsoo patted his upper chest.

"Ah, Niúnǎn! Bris-ket!" The meat seller beamed.

"Yes, and rib eye, uncle," Kyungsoo whined as his short arms tried to reach to his back in difficulty, patting his upper back.

"Shì, shì, lē yǎn! Rib eye!" The meat seller shouted excitedly, slapping his upper back.

"Two kilos each," Kyungsoo said slowly. He raised his right hand, palm outward with his index and middle fingers opened and all others closed.

"Yes, yes, two kilos!"

"Thank you, uncle!"

The meat seller was about to chop the beef meat when Kyungsoo just realized that he had not introduced Sehun to him. "Ah. Uncle Huang! This is Sehun," Kyungsoo patted Sehun's forearm, "My friend I told you about."

The meat seller stopped chopping. He narrowed his eyes, staring at Sehun with a dangerous glint in his eyes. His eyes were fixed at Sehun as he raised his big knife and cut the meat too eagerly he created thumping sounds.

Sehun gulped, unconsciously bringing his hands to his neck.

"DISHONOR ON YOU! DISHONOR ON YOUR COW!" The meat seller shouted.

"Nǎ, zhè shì nǐ zài tán de nánhái ma? Hēng, Ràng yīgè kě'ài de nánhái xiàng nǐ chuān nǚpūfúzhuāng, Tài bù xiànghuàle! Sèláng!"

"He's calling you a ert, Sehun," Kyungsoo whispered.

"I'm very aware of that. I can speak Chinese well; too well I know he's calling me a ert. I also know you are the major reason he refers me as one," Sehun said in gloom.

"I just said that I have to wear maid dress at work. I need to explain him that I am a boy wearing girl's outfit without sounding too creepy, I have to, okay? He was going to introduce me to his son." Kyungsoo grinned apologetically at Sehun.

Sehun smiled nervously at the meat seller. He decided to order more meat to calm down the furious butcher. "Uncle, more brisket! Two more kilos!" Sehun grabbed Kyungsoo, pulled the boy closer and patted his upper chest. Obviously what he did was unforgivable; the butcher barked at him and kept yelling, "DISHONOR ON YOU! DISHONOR ON YOUR COW!" as he dangerously swayed his butcher knife in front of Sehun.

The butcher's wife went out, calming her husband as she cheerfully greeted Kyungsoo and accepted the payment. Kyungsoo hurriedly took the meat she had packed, put it inside his straw bag ("Uh it's so heavy!" he whined), and dragged Sehun away.

"We'll meet another time, Auntie Huang! Bye Uncle Huang!" Kyungsoo shouted from afar.

"Phew, that was close. For a second I thought he was really going to cut you, Sehun." Kyungsoo giggled.

"You don't say," Sehun said sourly.

"Uncle Huang had been a widower for years before he met his wife, a Korean, a few months back when she visited China. They got married and moved here. Auntie Huang could speak Chinese well, whilst Uncle Huang was struggling really hard to understand Korean, so I got an idea for him to watch movies with Chinese subtitles, to help him learn. I referred him a few good ones," Kyungsoo explained as Sehun took Kyungsoo's straw bag and carried the bag over his shoulder.

"Uncle Huang loves to memorize the movie lines he likes," Kyungsoo went on with a giggle.

Sehun's face darkened. He had a hunch of the kinds of movies Kyungsoo offered to his so-called Uncle Huang.

"Where are we going next?" Sehun asked.

"The vegetables stalls."

"Okay. Hey, Kyungsoo?"

"Mmm?"

"This time try not to get me killed, okay?"

...............................................................................................................................................................

A/n

What Uncle Huang said was:

1. Hei Qing Zhu, how do you want your meat today, I got highly qualities beef for you. You said that you want some tender meat aren't you? I have some of the good parts for you, the brisket, strip loin, rib eye, you name it.

2. So, this is the boy you're talking about right? Hmmph! Making a cute adorable boy like you wearing a maid dress, how outrageous! what a !