Bubbling over (Editing)

41

I'm in the middle of eating an American styled breakfast of bacon, and eggs when I get a knock at my door.

No one told me that they were visiting today, who is here?

I trudge out of my seat at the kitchen table and walk towards the door. The person knocks again.

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Just as I was about to reach the door, it swings open and reveals a short, chubby woman. I jump at the slam against the wall.

"Mom, what the hell! You can't just break into my house like that!" I shriek, putting my hand over my chest. My heart steadily calming down.

Jesus, she scared me!

"Well, when you take too long to open the door, the only thing I can do is put down all my stuff and put in the password for your door." She complains, sticking her head in the doorway. She then bends back down to pick up the stuff on the floor in the hallway.

"Let me help you." I walk out into the hallway and pick up containers of food. When I pick up one I can smell the pungent odor of kimchi. It is food that our family just can't live without.

I think she bought me like 5 different kinds.

"Mom, how many containers of kimchi did you bring me this time," I ask and bend down to pick up another container.

"Oh not that many, three different kinds." She replies picking up another container and walking inside the house. I pick up the last container and follow her in. "You know sweetie, you can never have too much kimchi."

"Yeah I know mom," I say rolling my eyes. I carry my five containers and bring them to the apartment. I place them on the kitchen counter. I then hurry and close the door. When I return to the kitchen I finally get a good look at my mother. She hasn't changed much, she just looks older. It's been almost a year since I've seen her in person. With her living in Busan and me living in Seoul, it's kind of hard to see her. "Hey hey hey, can you at least tell me what you brought before you put it in the refrigerator."

My mother turns around and frowns at me. She's wearing brown corduroy pants and a khaki shirt, her personal "uniform" for her walnut shop. I believe those are the only clothes that she has, but whatever. I'm truly lucky she didn't leave with her red apron.

"Ok, fine. I brought you two walnut pies, one for you and one for Seolhee." She starts, lifting one small box after another with walnut pies in it.

"Mom you know Seolhee doesn't live here anymore," I say, sitting down at the kitchen table to finish my breakfast. I take a bite of my eggs and look back across the table to look at my mother at the refrigerator. She looks back at me with shock.

"Really, where is she living now?" She asks.

"With Hoseok, her boyfriend."

"Really? The one who she's been with since college?"

"Yeah, that's him." I sigh. Hoseok and Seolhee met our sophomore year of college. He was her partner in Chemistry. One thing led to another and I lost my friend to complete smartass. Only if...

"That's great fo her. They were always a good couple. Anybody, you want to live with at the moment?" She asks, her face perking up. I blush and go wide-eyed until I cough.

"Mom back to the food." I push. Her shoulders fall and she turns around.

"Uhh fine," she sighs. "A container of regular kimchi, cucumber kimchi, and green onion kimchi." She stacks each on top of each other as she says them. "All should be eaten within the next month." She places them in the fridge.