chapter 4;

Kai was welcomed by sizzling, mouth-watering and tempting variations of foods with different kinds and shades of colors, even if he hasn't fully   reached the kitchen and he was just standing on the doorstep of the house. Whether he admits it or not, it was long time ago since when he had felt the house being so lively and full of spirits.

Prior to that, when his mom was still alive, the house had the same exact current aura. Somehow, to have it felt again after a very long time, it was  just oddly peculiar and weird considering the fact that the house became so dully dead for the longest time he could ever imagined.

He took off his shoe and placed it on the rack, still couldn't care less if he had put it on a orderly way though nowadays, there are other shoes to put on it.

"Oh Kai, you're here. Wait for a bit, We'll just finish this off and we'll start eating. Your dad said he will be home early, he'll be joining us with the dinner." Mrs. Kim says as casually as Kai could ever recognize. A red-colored apron was hanging on her body and a warm smile flustered on her face.

Kai peered on the kitchen and saw Yoomi with a laddle whilst mixing the mixture of the soup. Apparently, she was helping her umma prepairing the dishes.

"I'm not hungry." Kai spat in a surly tone, though in reality, his stomach churms for hunger. 

He climbed up the stairs, purposely making a sound just so to have it heard by them.

Mrs. Kim sighed, she was really longing to get closer to him and to tug with his heart but for the meantime, she still can't.

 Yoomi sauntered forward to her mom.

"Is Kai already there?"

"He said he's not hungry."

Yoomi sighed and shook her head.

It took only merely some minutes for Mr. Kim to arrive. He dropped his suitcase and hang his car keys on the key case hanging above.

"Oh yeobo! You're here! We prepared many food today."

"Oh thanks yeobo! Did Yoomi helped you too?"

"Yes, she is."

"Umma!" Yoomi had a patent shade of embarassed deep red on her cheeks. Mr. Kim laughed at her actions and shook her head. It was long time ago since he had laughed like this and they are the reason why.

"Oh let's eat!" Mrs. Kim announced.

"Where's Kai, anyway?" Mr. Kim asked.

"He said he's not hungry." 

"As always." Mr. Kim dolefully sighed.

 

 

 

Kai buried his face on his pillows and covered his ears with his headphones, having to intersect on the depths of his another world through his music. When suddenly, he felt the need of having to pee. Since he has no bathroom to have him called his own, he has to descend downstairs just so to release his pee.

At first he was resistant and hesitant, but having no left with other alternative options, he then forced all his will to go downstairs.

He got up from his current slacking off position and proceed on descending the stairs even if it is fully against his very will.

At the halfway of the flight of stairs, though he hasn't reached the end of the stairs, laughters are already audible. The thing he actually is expecting  for him to see but then he went down anyway.

When he had already reaches the end of the stairs, their sounds halted and paused to take a glance on him. Kai ignored them and head of the bathroom. 

A few seconds after, he had finished peeing and get out of the bathroom. 

"Oh Kai, why don't you join us?" Mrs. Kim impelled with a very overpowering smile, her eyes gleaming in hope.

Kai hated the outcome of her tone though he knowledgeable that she had clean intentions about inviting him, it's just that for Kai, she had only invited him out of symphathy because he might look as if he grw envious about them being so happy. Either way, he replied..

"I'm not hungry." He proceeded on climbing up the stairs.

The couple sighed.

"As always." Mr. Kim heaved a sigh.

 

 

After having to finish eating their dishes, Mrs. Kim had assigned Yoomi to wash the plates. Yoomi stomped her foot, showing visible signs of protesting about the matter.

"Umma! I have assignment, you know."

"Ha, how come you already have an assignment when you still doesn't enter school?"

"Uh-oh. Wrong alibi. Heehee." Yoomi chuckled nervously then hugged her mom.

"Umma, please? Promise, I'll wash next time."

"No. What should done will have to be done." Mrs. Kim states, pinching on her nose before untangling Yoomi's arms surrounding her. 

"Ahhhh!" Yoomi winced in pain as she on her nose.

Mrs. Kim then climbed up the stairs together with his husband as they were chuckling about something.

Yoomi shook her head, "Aish, those two."

All of a sudden, certain matter crossed her mind.

"Will Kai will be eating?" She mumbles to her ownself.

Prior with that, she purposely left some parts of the dishes to have it reserved only for Kai.

"Maybe he'll go downstairs when he got hungry." She then spun around to wash the dishes.

 

 

Yoomi loves to stay out all night, watching variety shows even if it may take her until midnight. She enjoys  too much watching those kind of shows, at some other times, it is where she got her ideas when she jokes around with her friends.

She switched on the T.V. and shifts one channel unto the another until she had come across her favorite channel where her favorite variety show is being aired. She wore her favorite dark pink socks to her petite feet and laid down her feet on the center table. She beams happily and pleasurably, having to became comfortable within her own current position. 

At the middle of her leisure, the same thought again once crossed on her mind.

To stop the botherness about the thought, she then proceed on the kitchen without turning off the T.V.

She opens the kitchen cabinet and searched for any available plastic container. Fate is on her side since she didn't only found one, but two. She laid it down on the kitchen island. She opens the fridge and grab the left-over food she especially took a reservation especially for Kai.

Even herself, thinks why is she doing this thing despite the fact that she had grown a feeling of detestation for him with a short amount of time. Maybe she is going crazy.

Never did ever occured on her life doing something for the person whom he hates so much. There is just something on her will that is pushing her to  go on on what she is doing.

She scooped an amount that she assumes is suitable for the capability of the container. 

"How will I put his name on it?" She mumbles quietly only on herself.

She swarmed up upstairs and went unto her room. She seized her bag and rummaged the insides of it. When she successfully founded what she's finding, she dashed off in quick steps as possible.

She then descended the flight of the stairs and strolled going to the kitchen.

She took the plastic container and wrote Kai's name on bold big korean hangul character through his black marker at the cover of the plastic container.

It came so fortuituosly and coincidentally that Kai had just reached the kitchen. He can no longer bear the hunger he's trying to keep for the past hours. 

Yoomi jumped a bit on her position upon hearing someone's steps little by little getting closer. She hide it behind her before checking on the person.

It was Kai.

Now it was awkward.

"Oh Kai! What are you doing here?" Yoomi says in a casual tone, having to put an end on the awkward atmosphere.

"None of your business." He proceed on opening up the fridge, pretending to grab a water when then his original intention was to search for any food that could possibly fill on his too crumbled stomach.

But then, Yoomi is here. He has to be pretencious just so not to be humiliated.

Yoomi shook her head and quietly chuckled. No matter how Kai hides it too much, it was just way too noticeable on his actions. 

She put back the container on the fridge, seizing up the opportunity when she faces his back, having number of gulps on his drink.

"If you're still hungry, there's a food on the fridge." 

"Don't try to fool me. I just opened it and found nothing."

"Ha! So you're searching for a food, right?" Yoomi chuckled upon the realization.

"Whatever. None of your business."

"Pssh, forever denial." Yoomi muffles in a most possible lowest tone and Kai wasn't able to catch her words.

Yoomi then left, strolling back on the living room to have a resume on the anteecent event she's too inclined to do since she already done on her part, it is only for Kai to decide.

When Kai had an assurance her present isn't near on the proximity of the area, he hastily checked on the fridge, verifying if Yoomi is telling the truth. One thing, he's hungry too.

Yoomi is right. There is a plastic container being labeled by his name in big bold hangul characters.

How could be that possible when he had checked it, he found nothing? If there was an answer, Kai didn't know.

Anyways, he's too immersed on filling up his stomach that he has no time finding up the answer for the absurd and petty idea. He took a pair of metal chopsticks on the cabinet before grumpily took bites on the food, on how delicious it might get. Before he knew it, he had finished all the contents of the container.

Kai had never been so hungry like he is currently is for his entire life. And he had never been too grumpy about eating a certain food like he currently does ever on his life. 

He finished it all by drinking on his water, quenching all his kept thirst.

He spun around and found Yoomi leaning on the wall of the kitchen.

"Like what I've thought, you're hungry."

"None of your business." Kai rolled his eyes, ignoring him, brushing pass on her.

"None of your business." Yoomi mimicked his tone.

Kai glanced back on her. He doesn't care about her childishness, only a thought was bothering him for some time now. 

"Why are you trying to be nice to me?"

Yoomi taken aback on her question. Even herself doesn't have any answer for this. He is now scrutinizing her with all his intense stares. Yoomi ignored the fact that he's too good-looking to look at before actually finding words for the question.

"I don't know. Maybe I just want a brother. You know, I'm an only child and.." She start in mumbling words Kai doesn't really care to catch.

"I don't care how much you like to have a brother. I just want you to sop being so nice to me. I don't give a damn about it."

"Why are you like that? Umma and I obviously want to be closer to you but you're putting a wall and space within us."

"I said I don't care!! this." Kai burst out before taking his leave.

He had enough. He had enough of her being so stubborn. He had enough of her being so persistent to get closer when then she is one of the reasons of the breakdown of the previous family Kai had. He just had enough and he is too determined to make her life the worsiest nightmare she could ever dreamt off.