Serendipity

Chapter 22

The smells of pungent kimchi and savory spices waft through the apartment as I finish cooking the few dishes we bought ingredients for from the market on our way back home. It's nice having something else to focus on so I won't dwell on the events of the day. After changing into comfier clothes, everyone pitches in to prepare the vegetables for the various dishes while I start cooking.

I'm pleasantly surprised when Anaïse asks to help out with it, explaining that she wants to learn how to cook some traditional Korean dishes. We talk and laugh the whole time, poking fun at each other. And it's even more fun to watch how the guys sit watching us, especially Jae-sung who hangs on her every word the whole time.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Jimin licking his lips as I turn off the burner under the kimchi-jjigae, setting the pot in the center of the island, then checking on the rice cooker sitting near the window. I double check the kimbap and japchae, the couple dishes that Jae-sung asked for when we were at the market, as Anaïse sets them next to the pot.

"How did you become such a foodie, Anaïse?" I look over at her as I set the steamed mandu on the other side of the kimchi-jjigae pot. I catch Jimin trying to sneak one off the plate and I lightly slap his hand with a smile and a wink, handing him chopsticks and a bowl.

"When I was stationed overseas, eating MREs was loathsome after having such savory food that Mawmaw made until her dying day. When I moved to New York, I swore I would try everything I could, when I could, and I never looked back," she grins as she picks up her own bowl, grabbing a pair of chopsticks. "I also love to cook, but I'm on call a lot with NYPD so don't really have the time. Plus, living in a studio apartment means there isn't the space needed to get into it much when I actually have down time."

"I've tried different kinds of foods, but not a lot. This," and I wave my hand to encompass our meal, "is what I grew up on. I learned everything I know about cooking from my eomma, and even Ha-eun helps in the kitchen when all of us get together. Soo-ah only does it because it's expected. But come to think of it, she always does the least she can without getting in trouble for being disrespectful. I'm going to miss having those meals with my family..."

I wipe a stray tear that escapes down my cheek at the thought of not cooking with my mother or Ha-eun anymore.

"Who are Ha-eun and Soo-ah?" Anaïse pauses in adding food to her bowl, waiting expectantly.

"They're my sisters-in-law. Ha-eun is married to my eldest brother, JiYeong. The twins you met the other day are their oldest children. She's currently pregnant with another set of twins, which they found out about on our wedding day. Soo-ah...oh man, Soo-ah. What to say about her... She's still my sister-in-law, married to my second eldest brother, HaeYun, but they'd better be getting a divorce as soon as possible. If he takes her back..." I shake my head, anger briefly crossing my face. "They have a son, who's three."

"Why are they getting a divorce?"

"Other than disrespecting our family every chance she's had??" I ask bitterly.

"Um, sure?"

"I guess when they were fighting at the dinner the night before our wedding, it came out that she'd been cheating on HaeYun for the past few years. I wasn't there when it all happened though. She's a very despicable person in general, but that? Nope. Just nope. And then to hit HaeYun for protecting their son? And then...and then, cutting all of my brother's clothes up before she left the hotel...?" My anger is back in full force thinking about that night and I just want to hit something!

"Love...breathe," I hear Jimin's voice murmuring in my ear. I'm surprised to find him standing next to me, hands wrapped loosely around my tight fists. I turn into his chest, burying my face as I pant the hatred away. My arms snake around his body, needing to feel him close to ground me. In minutes, the anger starts to drain away, leaving a numbness.