Slowly Falling | LK Adaptation

Chapter 23

When Lisa arrived back home with her mother, Jungkook hadn't arrived yet.

"I don't know why your father put so many things in this." Lisa's mother complained while she sorted out her suitcase. Lisa sat on the nearby sofa and sent a message to Jungkook.

Lisa: Where are you?

Jungkook: Just got off the train. I'll be there soon.

Lisa: Alright, I'll pick you up.

Jungkook: No, I can go there myself.

Lisa: I want to (◠ ◡ ◠)

After closing her WeChat, Lisa stood up. "He's almost here, I'm going to pick him up."

"Alright, go quickly." When Lisa's mother heard this, she quickly started cleaning up. Lisa took her keys and opened her front door. But as she walked down the hall, the elevator doors nearby opened, and out came Jungkook. She smiled and called out: "Jungkook."

Hearing her call out, Jungkook gently smiled and quickly walked towards her. "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, we just arrived." Lisa looked at him up and down. "You...seem different today."

Jungkook coughed uneasily. "Oh, really?"

"Yes, I feel you're a lot more handsome than usual." She answered.

Face slightly red, Jungkook said: "Let's go; we shouldn't make Auntie wait too long."

"Alright."

The two went back to Lisa's home together. When Mother Manoban heard the front door opening, she ran towards the sound. Lisa, who had been putting on slippers. Looked up and was stunned.

In the few minutes it took for her to pick up Jungkook, Mother Manoban had managed to change clothes...

Lisa and Mother Manoban gave each other a tacit smile. Lisa took Jungkook's hand and said: "Let me introduce you to my mother."

"Hello, Auntie." Jungkook was a little nervous, and the hand that presented a gift towards Mother Manoban was stiff. "This is the first time we're meeting. My name is Jeon Jungkook. This is a present for you, I hope you like it."

Lisa's mother visibly brightened when she saw him. Her first thought was this young man was quite tall. After giving him a careful once over, she found that he was also very handsome. Unexpectedly, he was also quite shy.

Mother Manoban took the bag from Jungkook's hand and smiled at him. "Thank you, you're so polite."

"It's something I should be doing." Jungkook replied with a smile.

"Come, sit first." They all headed towards the sofa in the living room. Mother Manoban took a quick glance at the slippers on his feet. She had noticed them when she first came into the house and figured Lisa had bought them for her father. Now though, she knows that they were for someone else.

Mother Manoban looked at Lisa, then smiled at Jungkook. "Jungkook ah, I bought a lot of stuff back with me from overseas. I'll give you some, just wait a bit."

Mother Manoban's huge suitcase had already been dragged into Lisa's bedroom in the few minutes she had been out. Mother Manoban went into Lisa's room, then came back out with a lot of things. She placed them on the sofa, then began talking about them: "This is a tapestry, that cashmere fabric over there is quite a famous brand- I bought several. Here you go. And these are pine nuts, Lisa's father stuffed a lot in my suitcase, so you take some back to eat. Oh, and I heard from Lisa that you have a little sister? Take a look at these gadgets, is there anything your sister would like? This brand is also quite famous."

Jungkook didn't expect Lisa's mother to be so warm and affable. He was even more embarrassed because of this. "Auntie, you're too polite; Let's leave these to Lisa."

"She has plenty. Her father packed an entire box for me to bring. I think customs even thought that I bought all this on behalf of Lisa."

Jungkook: "...."

"You take it, there's a lot left in my room." Lisa told him.

Seeing Mother Manoban look so enthusiastic, Jungkook couldn't refuse again. "Thank you."

"No need to be so polite with me." Mother Manoban helped him put the items to the side, then sat down next to them. As soon as she sat down, she felt something hard under the sofa pillow. She looked to the side and put her hand underneath the pillow. "What did you put under the sofa pillow?" Mother Manoban asked.

Lisa and Jungkook both looked at what she was holding, then fell silent. The Mother Manoban saw what she was holding- a small red box. Although the words printed on it were in Japanese, she still understood what it was in a matter of seconds.

"........"

So embarrassing.

Mother Manoban slipped it back under the sofa, then turned towards the other two, as if it had never been taken out in the first place. "Well, why don't we watch some TV."

She took the remote control and turned on the TV. Regardless of the channel, she simply turned up the volume.

The news was currently being broadcasted. It was about accidental deaths and injuries in a certain country. The seriousness of the host alleviated some of the embarrassment in the room. Mother Manoban coughed twice, then said: "Ah, the situation there is so chaotic, and yet people still want to travel there regardless. Aren't they just burning their money?"

"Maybe they scheduled it ages ago, and it's hard to cancel it now." Lisa said.

"Ah, I wouldn't go anyway. Sadly, when I'm abroad I hear these kinds of news reports every day."

"Hm..."

And so, the three sat and talked about current affairs all afternoon.

At around 5:00 p.m.m Lisa asked a truly thought-provoking question: "Is anyone hungry? Why don't I order some takeout?"

Lisa's mother ate on the plane at noon. After talking about current affairs all afternoon, she was so hungry she felt that her chest was pasted on her back. "What's delicious here?"

"We can order takeout from a restaurant in Starlight Park. They're pretty good, but a little expensive." She replied.

After thinking about it, Jungkook asked her: "Have you finished all the ingredients you bought before?"

Lisa shook her head. Except for the ingredients used by him that one time, the only thing she had used was lettuce leaves.

"Then I'll cook." Jungkook said. "There should be plenty of ingredients left. And if we don't use them soon, they'll just go bad."

As soon as Mother Manoban heard this, she said: "No, no, you're our guest. Let me do it."

Jungkook smiled at her and said: "It doesn't matter Auntie, I cook at home all the time. I'll be very fast."

He then took off his jacket and said to Lisa: "I'll go cook first, you can continue to chat with Auntie."

But Lisa stood up with him. "Let me help you."

After thinking about it for a bit, he nodded. "Alright."

After the two went into the kitchen, Lisa's mother took out her phone and sent a message to Father Manoban: I saw Jungkook ah. The child is really good. He's smart and grew to be a fine young man. And he can cook! I knew the dishes Lisa sent me last time weren't made by her.

In the kitchen, Jungkook folded the sleeves of his sweater and opened the refrigerator to have a look. There were vegetables and meat left. It should be enough for dinner. He turned around and said to Lisa: "You can cook the rice while I'll stir-fry some dishes."

"Alright." She said. Then, as if remembering something, she turned around and took out an apron from a nearby cupboard. "Didn't you say you wanted to use an apron last time? I went and bought one the next day, so come and try it on."

"En." With a smile, Jungkook took the apron Lisa was holding and tied it around his waist. She looked at him from the side, her expression making him nervous. He asked: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Lisa continued staring at him, a smile in her bright eyes. "I always thought you were the conservative type. I didn't expect you to wear such a low necked sweater, so flirty."

"..." Jungkook was silent for half a minute before saying: "It's too hot to wear a turtleneck."

"I see." She replied, her smile widening. "It's quite handsome, and a little sexy." The neckline of Jungkook's sweater was lower than his clavicle, outlining the defined lines. It was really sexy.

Lisa's words made Jungkook subconsciously pull the neckline of his sweater a little higher. Lisa walked towards him, then went on her tiptoes to kiss him on the lips. Jungkook was surprised, but he didn't push her away. He whispered to her: "Don't make trouble, Auntie is still outside."

Lisa didn't care. "She didn't care about the little red box. What are you afraid of?"

Jungkook: "..."

Ah, and he tried so hard to forget that. Jungkook was very embarrassed. He meets Lisa's mother for the very first time, and she ends up seeing that kind of thing. What must she be thinking?

Lisa knew what he was thinking and said: "Don't worry. My mother is very avant-garde." After all, if they can accept the idea of her never marrying, what's a small red box?

"Yes, but..."

"Nevermind that, let's just cook first."

"Un."

Lisa turned the faucet, then began cleaning the rice.

After a while, Jungkook called out to her: "Lisa."

"Hm?"

"I signed up."

Lisa paused. She turned around and looked at him. "The graduate student?"

"Yeah." Lisa's mother came and met him today. Although she didn't ask him anything, Jungkook knew that she must be feeling uneasy. He could understand that. If one day Somi brings a boyfriend back home, he would surely care about what this boy's family environment was like, what his abilities were like, and whether he could take good care of Somi.

Even if they hadn't asked him, he should still try his best to make them feel at ease. After all, he couldn't let Lisa live with a takeaway boy her entire life.

Lisa didn't turn the water off until the rice pot was about to overflow. She smiled at Jungkook and said: "Congratulations."

He laughed. "Congratulations? I just signed up, not take an exam."

"You would definitely pass the exam." She said.

Jungkook lifted the corner of his mouth. "You're that confident in me?"

"Of course. My mother praises you to high heaven. She compared you to me and acted like you were her child, not the other way around."

He couldn't help laughing at her words.

Meanwhile, by the kitchen door, Lisa's mother opened the video app on her phone and quietly pointed the camera towards the kitchen. Jungkook noticed the movement, and Lisa followed his gaze. "Mum, what are you doing?"

"Nothing." Mother Manoban saw Lisa looking at her and immediately hid her phone behind her back. "Keep cooking, I won't disturb you two."

Mother Manoban went back to the living room and sent the video she just took towards Father Manoban. She then started talking about her future-son-in-law.

Manoban Mama: See?

Maoban Papa: That's all? What can I see from a person's back figure?

Mother Manoban rolled her eyes.

Manoban Mama: I thickened my face to sneak a few shots, and you still think they're not enough? I don't think I'll tell you anything else when I come back.

She resolutely turned her phone off, ignoring Father Manoban's explosion of messages.

Jungkook used all the meat and vegetables left in Lisa's refrigerator to make three dishes and one soup. Lisa's mother looked at the dishes on the table. She tasted the lettuce and fried pork slices, then looked at Jungkook in admiration. "Jungkook's skill is so good! Lisa, you should learn more from others."

Jungkook said: "Lisa contributed a lot to these dishes; she learns very quickly."

Lisa's mother smiled. "You don't need to speak for her, I know her level. I've tried teaching her for so long, and the only thing she could cook was noodles."

"It's just that I had a poor teacher."

Mother Manoban: "...."

After they finished eating, Jungkook stood up, planning to clean the dishes. But Mother Manoban hurriedly stopped him. "Let me wash! You cooked, there's no reason for you to wash up."

Lisa also said: "Let us clean up."

Jungkook thought about it and didn't insist. "Alright. I'll go back first then."

Mother Manoban looked at the time. "But it's only 8:00 p.m.! Isn't it too early?"

"Ah, I've been bothering you two for a long time already. Auntie, you've just come back. You must be tired. You and Lisa should rest earlier."

Mother Manoban thought that the young man in front of her was very considerate. "Well, alright. Remember to take all the things I gave you."

"Yes, thank you Auntie."

Jungkook went to the living room to put on his coat and took the gifts Mother Manoban had given to him. Lisa came out of the kitchen and handed him the heat-preservation lunch box. "Here's your lunchbox back; I've cleaned it."

Taking the box, Jungkook smiled at her and said: "You don't need to order takeout tomorrow. I'll cook you another meal."

Before Lisa could reply, Mother Manoban exploded. "What? You bring her lunch? Oh, you mustn't spoil her like that!"

Jungkook chuckled and told Mother Manoban: "It doesn't matter. I cook every day, so another portion isn't a big deal."

What else could Lisa say? She simply started pushing Jungkook towards the door. "I'm going down to see him off."

After watching the two leave, Mother Manoban opened her WeChat. She had anticipated the mass amounts of messages from Lisa's father, and sure enough, there were dozens of them, all asking about Jungkook.

Manoban Mama: You mean Jungkook? I'm halfway falling in love with him already. (*'∀'*)

Manoban Papa: .....