chasing girl wonder

cook sous vide

Sinn introduced everybody to Lisa and then made her sit at the head of the long table, across from Sangmoon. She was not able to process how to feel about that when she was easily in everybody's line of sight at the same time that she got a good view of Roseanne. Seated on her right were her dad, Young-ae, Nichkhun, and Subin. To her left were Suzy—instantly her least favorite person, even ranked lower than Nichkhun—Roseanne, and her family, Alice, Clare, and Mason.

Great. Fucking great. This feels like having a last supper with strangers. This is the last time I'll ever share a meal with these people. Lisa made Love sit on the grass to her right, tying his leash to the arm of the chair and using telepathy to plead with him to prevent her from being a klutz because the next hour would make her exactly that, no doubt.

It was the first time Suzy's and Roseanne's parents were meeting, and Lisa was so pissed that her dad missed telling her about the lunch being more intimate than a simple Sunday family lunch. Had she known she was being invited to some pre-engagement engagement luncheon or whatever it was called when a couple's parents met, she would take the culinary school any day.

The only good thing that would come out of it, she half-hoped, was that the couple would be the subject of the conversation and she would gladly stay a wallflower. That way, she would know more things about Roseanne even if it would tear her heart a little at its corners—like maybe how she and Suzy met, where they would go for their honeymoon, or why they were back together. Really. Because she was so intrigued, she wanted to find fault in Suzy and a multi-million-dollar reason from Roseanne.

But of course, Nichkhun would make it about her.

"So, Lisa," Nichkhun began, propping his chin on his crossed fingers.

Of course, he'll pull a Judas, so I should give him this bread roll after dipping it in this homemade cinnamon butter, right? Is that how Jesus shaded his ultimate betrayer? Lisa's mind was gravely crafting inappropriate thoughts to humor herself.

"Dad, we better start with the first course, the elephant in the room, aged for what, sixteen years?" Nichkhun wore a smug look upon seeing Lisa's jaw tightening. "What brings the prodigal child here?" He leaned forward to make sure Lisa caught his sinister grin.

"Nick, don't call your sister that," Sinn said. "I invited her. For the past six years, Lisa's been coming here to Seoul, so we can get tattoos together. It's our annual, uh, tradition."

Nichkhun did not seem to like the idea as his smile faded and was replaced by a displeased hard line. "For the last six years you've been—," he raised his voice, "and you never bothered seeing your brother?"

Gut twisting, Lisa glanced at Roseanne to observe her reaction. It was not supposed to be in the cards dealt for her—Roseanne knowing more of her dark past and estranged relationship with her family. But concerning herself with the blonde's reaction was not how she wished the cards would turn out either when she shuffled it. Last night, her logical side of the brain talked her out of having a stupid crush on someone out of her league. Their serendipitous encounter ended last night. And the only reason they probably saw each other again was to seal that ending with Roseanne not liking every fiber of her being. And for her to quit thinking of her face, her smile, her pout every damn morning.

Sinn answered Nichkhun. "You never tried to reach out to Lisa either, so I think it's only fair that—"

"Dad, will you please let her talk? I haven't heard her voice in a long time." Nichkhun said, his eyes locked on Lisa's face, keen not to miss any reaction. "Right. You never spoke for months after Amara's death. Have you ever gotten your tongue back?"