Chapter 19: His Terrible Dinner

Dojin's apartment was on the sixth floor of a narrow building behind a bakery.

It had one bright room, a kitchen the size of a closet, and more books than shelves.

He opened the door in an apron that said "Kiss the Cook" in English.

"A gift from my mother," he said. "She does not understand why I never wear it."

"I understand completely."

"Please do not read it out loud."

I held up the bag of rice.

He took it from me with both hands.

The soup was on the stove in a pot that had clearly been through something.

He ladled it into two blue bowls and set them on the low table.

I took one spoonful.

It was so salty I had to put a hand over my mouth.

"It's terrible," Dojin said, watching my face.

"It's not."

"Susanna."

"It's a little terrible."

"I salted it, forgot that I had salted it, and then salted it again."

I started to laugh, and I couldn't stop.

I laughed until I was bent over my knees, and he put his head in his hands and laughed too, and the apron slid sideways.

When I could breathe again, I wiped my eyes.

"Three days of practice," I said.

"Three days of practice."

"Then I can't imagine what the first day was like."

"We do not speak of the first day."

We ate the rice with the egg he fried to save the meal, and it was the best thing I'd eaten in a month.

Afterward I carried the bowls to the sink, and he stood next to me and rinsed, and our elbows touched.

Keep reading free with an account. Start My Boyfriend Traveled with My Bestie from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.