In Another Life: Han Ji Pyeong's Happy Ending (Start Up)

Chapter 46: Pots and Pans

Dal mi's POV

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to Halmeoni! Happy birthday to you!" We all gather around the table to sing Halmeoni's birthday song. Everyone - me, Ji pyeong, Mom and Halmeoni - all wear ridiculous glittering party hats and sing happily for Halmeoni. Halmeoni wears the biggest smile today. She looks contentedly at all of us who are seated at the table with her.

"Thank you!" She claps her hands happily and leans forward to blow out the candles.

"Halmeoni! Make a wish first!" Ji pyeong says before Halmeoni can blow out the candles. Halmeoni looks sweetly at me and Ji pyeong.

"There is nothing left for me to wish for." Halmeoni says happily. "Heaven has been so good to me and blessed me so greatly." She says.

I look at Ji pyeong and he smiles at me.

Halmeoni closes her eyes and holds her hands together before blowing out the candles. We all clap as the candles go out.

"Okay. Halmeoni, today for your birthday, I want you to relax." I say. "So, I will be doing all the cooking today!" I announce.

"What!" Halmeoni jumps in shock at the thought of me cooking in the kitchen. "Are you sure?" She exclaims and her eyes are wide with what appears to be fear and trepidation. "You are going to ruin my kitchen!" Halmeoni says.

"Excuse me?" I exclaim as Ji pyeong laughs with amusement.

"Halmeoni isn't wrong." Mom laughs and agrees with Halmeoni. "Do you not remember all the pots you burnt when we left you in charge of cooking?" Mom says with bewilderment.

"I've only ever burnt two of them..." I say quietly, feeling slightly embarrassed with Ji pyeong here listening to all my flaws.

"TWO of them?" Halmeoni and Mom exclaim simultaneously.

"I've had to sell more corn dogs to make up for the FIVE pots that you've burnt to the crisp!" Halmeoni exclaims.

"Five pots?" Ji pyeong laughs with amusement. He reaches out to touch my back reassuringly as I bow my head in embarrassment.

"Halmeoni, don't worry. I'll be with Dal mi in the kitchen today. I'll make sure she doesn't burn the place down." Ji pyeong grins.

"Really?" Halmeoni says and immediately agrees to let me in the kitchen.

"Yah! Halmeoni, you can't be so obvious about playing favourites here!" I protest jokingly.

"I can't hear you." Halmeoni jokes, pretending to not be able to hear me and my complaints.

"Yah! Halmeoni!" I laugh as Halmeoni retreats out of the kitchen, making her way out.

"Ji pyeong ah, all the best." Mom says almost apologetically, as if sorry that Ji pyeong has to supervise me in the kitchen. "Dal mi may have been hard to mentor in Sandbox... but she'll be an even bigger handful in the kitchen." Mom jokes before following Halmeoni out.

"Yah! Omma!" I laugh.

I turn to face Ji pyeong and he laughs heartily. His dimples are etched on his cheeks and I feel my heart flutter once again.

"They are really too obvious when it comes to playing favourites." I whine. Ji pyeong tugs a piece of hair behind my ear affectionately.

"Do you have a fire extinguisher on standby?" He teases.

"Yah!" I exclaim as Ji pyeong smiles affectionately. "Watch out, I'm going to cook a great feast that will rock your socks off!" I announce.

"But first things first." I start. I reach out for a pink frilly apron and give it to Ji pyeong.

Ji pyeong looks at me with surprise.

"Am I supposed to wear this?" He laughs.

"Of course!" I say excitedly as I put it on him and tie the strings behind his back. "You are way too tall..." I add as I realize how ridiculously short and tiny the apron looks on Ji Pyeong's tall build.

"Okay, how long do I cook the Japchae for?" I ask Ji pyeong.

"Until the noodles soften." He replies.

"That... doesn't help..." I sigh. I dump the container of noodles into the pot that contains hot oil and garlic. As the noodles clash against the hot pot, a gushing, sizzling sound erupts from the pot.

"AH!" I yelp in shock as I jump away, feeling hot oil splutter forth.

"Are you okay!" Ji pyeong exclaims as he hears me exclaim in shock. Ji pyeong flies from the other end of the kitchen and pulls me away from the sizzling pot. "Are you okay?" He asks, holding my face in his hands and looking at me.

I laugh softly at his expression of worry.

"That really scared me." I laugh. "I didn't expect the oil to burst forth like that." I heave a sigh of relief.

"I think I better do the Japchae. You can cut the vegetables." Ji pyeong laughs as he leads me to the chopping board.

"Actually..." Ji pyeong stops. "The knife is a danger hazard when it's in the hands of Seo Dal mi." He jokes.

"Yah!" I laugh. "I can manage this. Easy peasy!"

Ji pyeong looks unconvinced but lets me take over the chopping board.

"Can you cut some seaweed for the Miyukguk?" Ji pyeong calls over from the stove.

"Here you go!" I say as I bring the chopped seaweed to him. I try to hide the fact that the seaweed has been chopped unevenly and looks a mess. I really need to work on my culinary skills...

Ji pyeong skillfully throws in the seaweed, meat and seasoning. I watch him in awe...

"What is it?" Ji pyeong asks me when he senses me staring at him.

"I never knew cooking could look so sexy on someone." I say breathlessly.

Ji pyeong almost topples the pot over when he hears that and laughs with amusement.

"What?" He laughs. Ji pyeong plants a small kiss on my forehead and my heart does a somersault.

Ji pyeong scoops out a spoonful of Miyukguk and tastes it.

"Try some." He says as he holds out another spoonful to me.
"AH!" I exclaim as the scalding liquid touches my lips. The high temperature of the soup catches me by surprise.

"OH! I'M SORRY! I didn't warn you it was hot!" Ji pyeong says frantically and drops the spoon as I start fanning my mouth.

"It's okay!" I laugh as I fan my burning tongue. "I was the dumb dumb who didn't realise that it would be hot." I laugh.

Ji pyeong scoops out another spoonful and blows it this time, making sure that it's cooled first.

"Try again?" He asks me.

"Wah, it's delicious." I give Ji pyeong a thumbs up as I taste it. "Han Ji pyeong! How did you get so good at cooking!" I exclaim.

Ji pyeong laughs happily.

~

"JIANG!" I announce as I invite Halmeoni and Mom to the table that holds the great feast that Ji pyeong and I whipped up. "I present to you Halmeoni's birthday feast! Brought to you by Ji pyeong and Dal mi!" I say.

"Were you a menace in the kitchen? Good Boy looks absolutely drained." Halmeoni laughs. Her eyes twinkle with delight as she looks at the food on the table.

"Wah, I can't believe you prepared all this! Thank you!" Halmeoni says gratefully.

"Halmeoni! Let's eat!" Ji pyeong says excitedly as he takes the apron off.

In the middle of eating the wonderful food, my phone rings.

"Hm?" I say in surprise as I get a call from In jae. "Hang on, I need to answer this." I say as I excuse myself.

"Hello?" I answer the phone. "In jae?" I ask, wondering why she would be calling me.

"Dal mi, it's me." In jae replies. "Can you come outside for a second?" In jae asks.

"You're at my house?" I ask in surprise.