Accessory Wars

Chapter 33-Ki

            My butt felt like a popsicle by the time we headed back inside. Jay looked like a mess. His eyes were red and puffy, his face streaked with stains. I sent him to the bathroom to wash off the salt caked on his cheeks while I made him a cup of hot chocolate in the microwave. I watched the mug turn around on the plate, my fingers tingling as they warmed back up. Once the machine beeped, I pulled out the steaming mug of milk and poured in the powdered chocolate packet. I looked up as Jay entered the kitchen and he took a seat at one of the counter stools. I ventured to stand on the other side of the counter from him, sliding him his mug. He uttered a quiet thanks and wrapped his hands around the warm ceramic.

My eyes spotted a clear, plastic container off to the side and I slid it over the surface towards us. When I opened the lid, the sweet aroma hit my senses and made me drool. I took a kkultarae and nudged the box closer to Jay. He examined the contents with a furrowed brow while I took a bite, my taste buds dancing with delight as they tasted pecans.

"What are they?" Jay asked.

"Kkultarae," I replied. "More commonly known as dragon beard candy." Jay hesitantly took one and took a bite. His face brightened and I saw his eyes sparkle as the sweet and nutty taste hit his tongue. "Good, right?"

"These are delicious," he said with his mouth full. "What are they made out of? It looks like they're wrapped with string."

"Honey."

Jay balked. "This is honey?" I burst out laughing, watching as he picked apart the sweet in attempts to dissect how honey could be made into so many tiny strands. "There's no way this is honey."

"It is."

I pulled out my phone and filtered through my videos. I recorded one two years ago to prove to my friends the exact same thing. I placed the phone down and spun it towards Jay to let him watch. My Gran smiled at the camera before setting to work. She dipped the glob of honey into the bowl of cornstarch and twisted it. Bit by bit, the strands multiplied before our eyes, looking like spider webs in her fingers. Jay's eyes were glued to the screen and each time the strands multiplied, I watched his kid like fascination grow.

"That's so cool," he breathed as the video ended. "Do you know how to make them?"

I stuffed the phone back into my pocket, grabbing a second kkultarae to munch on. "I've tried a few times. I'm not nearly as good as my Gran. She's been making them for forty years so I've got a lot of practice to make up for." My heart soared as Jay smiled at the remark and I resisted the urge to lunge across the counter to hug him.

"If I ask, do you think she'd teach me?"

"I guarantee she would, although you're going to have to deal with hours of disappointment."

"So long as you're there with me." I stopped chewing, feeling the blush spread across my face. I think my brain short circuited for a moment. It didn't help he kept staring at me with those eyes, the cerulean accentuated by the pink of his whites.

"It's rude to stare, Ki." I jumped as my mother walked in and accidentally swallowed the bite in my mouth in one go. It slid heavily down my throat, making me want to gag. My mother came over and peered inside the almost empty box of sweets. "Looks like gran will need to make more."

"Jay's offered to help," I blurted out, still flustered. My mother's eyes slid over to the lanky blonde.

"I'm sure my mother would love to boss you around in the kitchen," she said with a hint of a smile. She reached over and started fixing some of Jay's unruly curls. I couldn't help snickering, although Jay looked unsure. He probably felt anxious around my parents due to the treatment his own parents gave him. "How do you do anything with his hair?" my mother muttered, her expression determined as she tried to make the curls cooperate.