ー章.
"so if i say to you, 'hello, my name is michi kim. how are you doing today?' what do you say to me back?"
his eyes scan over his english dictionary and then to the notes he'd copied down from her. he cleared his throat, locked his eyes with her. "hello, my name . . . ish–"
"is." she corrects.
"is. hello, my name is . . . yoongi min. i am fine today, thank you. and . . . you?"
michi nods. "precisely. that was good. but be sure to remember that there is no h on is, okay? i would proceed to say to you, 'nice to meet you, yoongi. i am also fine today.' and then what do you say back?"
"i am . . . glad that you are fine today, too. what part of america are you from?" he replies. she nods again. "that's good, you're doing great. i would then proceed to say whatever part of america i am from ー 'i am from texas.' ー like that."
"okay, i think i got it." he nods.
"good. it's getting later now so we should probably eat some real food. i only have instant ramen, is that okay?" she wonders. "doesn't matter. you have rice?"
"mhm. and left over kimchi, some side dishes." she says.
"okay. do you have any kind of meat?" he asks. "i have spam and . . . i don't know. my mom doesn't cook often, or at all." michi shrugs, getting up. yoongi gets up with her, follows her to the kitchen.
"i'll take the spam."
she hums in response, goes straight to the refrigerator to take out the kimchi and other side dishes. yoongi pops a squat down at the table.
"you okay?" he questions, eyebrows furrowed.
"i'm fine," she replies quickly, taking out the spicy instant ramen from one of the cupboards, "what makes you think i'm not?"
"because you look sad." he says, "again."
she pauses momentarily, swallows a lump in her throat before continuing her movements. "jeongguk asked me to be his girlfriend." it slips out so quick that she doesn't have time to grab it and stuff it back in her mouth.
"o-oh. um, alright. did you decline?"
she removes the plastic wrap from the side dishes, comes over to sit them out on the table. she puts the kimchi in a bowl from its container, sets that on her table, too. and then the rice – she'd almost forgotten. goes on to take out the pot for the ramen.
"no."
