Third person's POV.
∞♡∞∞♡∞∞♡∞∞♡∞∞♡∞∞♡∞∞♡∞∞♡∞
Lisa has not expected to see Jennie at the spa. She looks much better than the last time she has seen her and she figures the lady must have sorted out her thoughts on Taehyung.
She is happy a beautiful woman like her has finally seen the light and greets her politely. “What a coincidence.”
Jennie shakes her head. “It is not a coincidence, I have waited here to see you.”
Lisa does not know what she is up to. “If you are thinking of buying a car, you can just call me.”
“I am not thinking of changing my car at the moment; I am here to speak to you.”
Lisa is curious what other things they can talk about besides cars but she agrees to meet Jennie for a talk at a nearby cafe after her massage.
To Lisa, Jennie may not be a bad woman, but she is definitely not an easy customer. She suspects Jennie may have been spoilt rotten by the men in her life and Lisa should rather she keep her distance. Furthermore, since she is not thinking of getting a car from her, Lisa sees no reason to humor her beyond what is necessary. When they are seated at the café, Lisa speaks her mind. “Ms Jennie, let us not beat around the bush. Whatever matter that you are looking for me, please speak your mind.”
Jennie rests elegantly in her chair. She is so easy on the eyes, even the waiter looks twice at her when he serves them their drinks. “I only wish to remind you not to place false hopes on Taehyung He is not someone whom you can deal with.”
Before she can talk further, Lisa holds out a hand to stop her. “Hello. I think you have misunderstood. Boss Kim in my boss. That is all there is.”
“We are both woman, you really should not be so quick to deny.”
Seeing her stubbornness, Liss rubs her temple. “So? The long and short is that you are unable to get over your relationship with our Boss. If so, please chase him back. Why do you bother with me as I have nothing towards my Boss?”
Jennie continues as if she has not spoken. “There is this woman. She graduated from a second-tier university, traveled here in SK, has no local residency rights, and sells cars for a living. Her biggest asset is probably her looks but she is already 28 so how long do you think her beauty is going to last? To such a woman, marriage is probably upmost in her mind and I do not believe you are as relax as you seems to be.”
Before Lisa can interject, she continues. “Please believe me, you have chosen the wrong target Taehyung is a complex man, and….”
Pang!
Lisa finally had enough and slams her hands on the table. At the curious glances shoot their way, Jennie looks at her reproachfully for her rude behavior while Lisa counters. “But Taehyung is someone who has ditched Ms.Jennie, and if such a beautiful woman like you cannot hold on to him, what are my chances? Have I missed out anything that you with you say? If not, can I leave now?”
Jennie looks a little helpless. “Whether you believe or not, I am saying this for your own good.”
Lisa nods. “I am sure you are. But let me return the favor: there is no big deal being ditched by Taehyung. I see that you are a big believer in “a woman cannot live without a man” or “a successful marriage is a woman’s greatest triumph” so let me urge you to find a rich man quickly and get married.”
“Oh, and you mentioned that I am 28? Are you not 29 though? Do not bother denying it for I can tell it from your face. Let me also say that you are neither my dad or my mom, and I really do not need your concern.”
At Jennie's furious expression, Lisa waves cheerfully. “Bye-bye!”
When she is at Jungkook's place that night, Lisa has to roll a few times on his prized rug that she loves so much before she can feel better. As she flops on her back and looks at the ceiling, she suddenly realizes why she had been so furious at the café earlier. Although the truth hurts, Jennie has not misstate the facts.
A migrant worker in a country of 50million is like a speck of sand in the sea. Minute and humble, weak and rootless. She has no relatives here, no house, no car, no boyfriend, and the work she tries so hard to do is looked down upon by a lot of people. Without an anchor, she is only a homeless spirit. So although she has stayed in this city for 10 years, gotten used to the food, adopted its accent…. at heart, she is only a guest in this country.
Such is the price of leaving home.
While she is lost in thoughts, Jungkook comes out from the kitchen with a pretty glass bowl. In it are a bunch of freshly-washed, green seedless grapes each about the size of a finger. He sits down besides her and feeds her one. Lisa opens her mouth, curls her tongue around the fruit and munches automatically. “Hmm, this is so sweet.”
“Yup.” Jungkook nods in agreement and pops one into his mouth, before feeding her another.
“Jungkook, I’m really curious. Why is it that everything in your house taste so good? Your rice is superb, your fruits are superb, even a salted duck egg taste superb. Is it because your family house has good fengshui(luck)?”
Jungkook shakes his head. “No. The reason is because my stuff are all organic food.”
“I don’t believe you. Even the salted duck egg?”
“Yes.”
“I nearly forgot your grandpa probably rears his own ducks and make his own salted duck eggs. But then how about the peach. Or grapes? Or kiwi, or pistachio nuts?”
He nods. “They all are.”
Lisa roll her eyes. “Ha! Do you think your grandfather operates QQ farm?”
Jungkook shakes his head. “No.”
“Which is why you might as well say that your food are special foodstuff that is offered for tribute. Really, you should have thought of a better excuse even if you are trying to bluff me.”
Jungkook opens his mouth as if to say something but he stops when Lisa opens her mouth wide for another grape: “Ahhhh…”
He pops a grape into her mouth before asking. “What is wrong with you today? You don’t look good when you came back.”
“I have nothing to say besides the fact that I met a lunatic today.”
Remembering Jennie's words, Lisa gets pensive and flips over to her side. “kook-ah, if I go home one day, will you miss me?”
“No.”
Lisa is a little disappointed. “I see.”
He adds. “I will see you the next day so it doesn’t matter.”
“You misunderstood me. I am saying if I return to my country.”
Jungkook stares at her. “You… you are going back? When are you coming back?”
She flops back onto the rug and stares at the ceiling. “If I pack my bags, I may never come back. Maybe when there are special occasions or festivals, I may pop by your place for a a meal or something, ha.ha.”
Jungkook is silent for a bit before he frowns. “Why do you want to go back? Isn’t it nice here?”
She sighs. “You don’t understand.” No matter how good this place is, this is not her home. When the spirit is only a guest in another place, the sense of wandering can become pretty unsettling.
Jungkook falls silent as he contemplates what she has just said. Both bask in the silence until a loud knock interrupts them. The knocking is not on Jungkook's door and sounds muffled as if it is coming from next door. True enough, someone calls out a few minutes later. “Is Lisa at home?”
Lisa gets up to get the door and finds a courier man with a document for her, which she signs on before returning to Jungkook's living room. Jungkook sees her taking out a red invitation card from the envelope before she gives a cold smile. “My, is today the day where all the lunatics decide to get together for a party?”
•─────────·𖥸·─────────•
YOU ARE READING
The Rice Pot Next Door | LISKOOK
Humor[Sneak Peak] "Yo, Rice Pot next door. You ate so much of my rice, how are you going to repay me?" "Money? I do not want money. I want you." 饭桶[Rice Pot/Container/Bucket]: - literally means a person who eat a lot of rice. The term usually has a nega...
