Sound of Silence

Dumpling Master

Inspired by Ye Jin's dumpling post. I've been thinking about this all night!

***

"Omo Kitty, your appa is calling. Let's say hi." Ye Jin picked up their little furry bundle of joy as they waited for the video call to connect.

Seconds later, a series of tiny yips could be heard as Kitty wagged her tail excitedly in Ye Jin's arms. The little one was pawing at the screen, trying to lick Hyun Bin's cheek through the phone. Deep chuckles joined the bell-like giggles as Ye Jin waved cutely at her lover.

"Jagiya, how's filming?" Ye Jin asked.

"It's going well. I miss you and Kitty Kat." Hyun Bin admitted sheepishly.

"You saw us an hour ago." Ye Jin giggled.

"That's an hour too much of not seeing the two of you." Hyun Bin teased.

"Omo Kitty, look at appa being a big baby again." Ye Jin said in a baby voice.

"Can't a man miss his babies?" Hyun Bin pouted, quickly reduced to a child with a stubble because of Ye Jin and their furbaby.

Ye Jin let out a loud laugh at Hyun Bin's pout just as his manager informed him that his break was over.

"Baby, I have to go. If we finish early, I'll be back slightly before dinner." Hyun Bin was back in work mode.

"Shoo, work calls! I'll see you back at home." Ye Jin said, using one of Kitty's snow-white paws to wave goodbye.

As usual, a few lines of I love yous were exchanged before the lovers hung up. That left Ye Jin to entertain them for the rest of the day while Hyun Bin was working hard for his last day of filming.

After a morning of tending to her flowers with Kitty prancing around the garden to catch the butterflies, Ye Jin's brilliant mind came up with an equally brilliant plan. She knew how Hyun Bin loved to eat after filming concluded. Perhaps she should surprise him with some homecooked food.

With a plan brewing at the back of her mind, Ye Jin picked up her car keys and Kitty's doggy bag.

They had grocery shopping to do.

***

That night

Upon the chopping board were the remnants of fresh ground pork, pale mung bean sprouts, scallions, and fiery red kimchi. On the granite counter, mini bowls of mandu fillings of various flavours lined the counter as Ye Jin seasoned the last filling using her hands.

At her feet, Kitty was walking around and sniffing at the air, curious as to what her eomma was making for them tonight. Whatever it was, she was sure it would be delicious.

"And one pinch of pepper!" Ye Jin added the last bit of seasoning with a flourish.

Standing back, Ye Jin's eye smiles wormed their way onto her face before she rearranged the ingredients in a system that was unique to her.

Fillings on the right, dumpling skin on the floured board, a bowl of water in front of her, and a dusted plate for the wrapped dumplings to her left. Dumping the chopping board into the sink to make more space, Ye Jin dusted her hands with some flour and quickly got to work.

Now came the next question. How does she wrap the dumplings?

It was the first time Ye Jin was making dumplings on her own. At family gatherings, her eomeoni always tasked her to make the fillings because she had a natural affinity for seasoning them well. Her eonnie always helped with the wrapping – not that Ye Jin was truly interested in it back then.