Chapter 50 - To Be Closer
Aaron was not aware that he had been in Anne's apartment for almost two hours, he even enjoyed Anne's ramyeon which was topped with a sunny side up egg and sliced meat along with some mushrooms and peppers. Even though the ramyoen had ordinary looks but the taste was amazing. Aaron even complimented the food and he thought that it was the most delicious Korean food he had tried so far compared to other Korean dishes that he had tried even in 5-star hotels.
"It's mine Aaa ... ron," said Anne stammered when she saw Aaron took the ramyeon bowl she had not touched since it was still hot.
"It's the most delicious ramyoen I've ever tasted, Anne. You better find something else to eat," Aaron said quickly as he ate Anne's ramyeon without guilt.
Anne sighed in response to Aaron's words, she then chose to let Aaron enjoyed her ramyeon. Anne got up from the carpet and she slowly walked to the refrigerator to find other food, her smile blossomed when she saw a kimbab that she made last night before going to bed. The kimbap was still edible and it had not been eaten even a slide because she was in a hurry to go to campus earlier this morning. Without thinking, Anne grabbed her Korean food and warmed it in the microwave for two minutes. After making sure that the food was warm enough and ready to be enjoyed, Anne then took out the kimbab from the microwave and placed it on a plate. She then took it to the sofa table where Aaron was enjoying his ramyeon voraciously.
Aaron got curious when he saw Anne carrying food rolled in seaweed, he stared at Anne without blinking as he continued to chew the beef in the ramyeon.
"This is kimbab, another Korean food. Would you like to try it?" asked Anne quietly as she pointed her plate towards Aaron.
"May I?" asked Aaron back with a mouth full of food.
"Of course, food is made to be eaten," answered Anne, smiling.
Aaron grinned right after he got permission from Anne to enjoy the kimbap, he then pointed his chopsticks at the kimbab slice offered by Anne. After successfully pinching one kimbab, Aaron immediately put it in his mouth and chewed the remaining ramyeon in his mouth, his eyes widened as he ate the two Korean foods together.
"Isn't it better?" asked Anne quickly.
"This is incredible, Anne," Aaron replied honestly.
"You can take another slice if you want. Eating kimbap with ramyeon is the best thing ever, it's a perfect combination," said Anne with a laugh.
Aaron shamelessly took another kimbab brought by Anne, he then dipped the kimbab into ramyeon sauce before he put it in his mouth. After he felt like the kimbab was wet enough with ramyeon broth, Aaron devoured it and chewed it quickly. He gave another an unexpected expression and it made Anne laugh again. Anne loved making people happy with the food she cooked.
Five minutes later, Aaron finished 2 large bowls of ramyeon and five large pieces of kimbab and he was currently leaning on the sofa. Aaron felt very uncomfortable because of his satiation, while Anne was seen busy in the pantry washing utensils they had used to eat before. She occasionally laughed when she saw Aaron was in pain for eating too much food.
"There is nothing good that can come from overeating, Aaron," said Anne quietly as she put a glass of warm water on the table in front of Aaron.
"It's your fault, Anne, you have to take the responsibility," Aaron replied curtly.
"Why should I? You were the one who took my ramyeon bowl and ate 4 pieces of my kimbab. Why am I the one to blame?" asked Anne, confused.
"Of course, it's your fault. Do you remember the time when you promised to pay me with food?" asked Aaron back in a rising voice.
Anne was silent hearing Aaron's words, she tried to digest the conversation of the man who was leaning back on her sofa.
"But didn't I already pay you at that time, I made you shrimp paste after you helped me at the coffee shop. Do you already forget it?" asked Anne quietly with a smile.
"Yes, I know, but that's not what I meant, Anne. You did pay me with shrimp paste when I helped you at the coffee shop, but after that, you haven't paid for the energy I had used at that time, Anne," Aaron replied quickly.
"What do you mean paying the energy you used at that time? You're only helping me once, Aaron," said Anne, confused.
"Ishh, you are so clueless, Anne. Listen to me carefully. At that time, we agreed that you would pay me with food when I helped you at the coffee shop, right? You did pay me that night after work. But you haven't paid me for the energy I spent the next morning to get back to your coffee shop and your apartment, Anne. Do you get it now?" said Aaron at length.
"D-did you come, again?" stuttered Anne as she covered her mouth with both hands.
"Of course, I even came twice. I came the next morning but the coffee shop was closed, at that time I sent a message to you asking why the coffee shop was closed but you didn't reply to my message, then I also came the next day and I was shocked to find out that the coffee shop was closed. It was already owned and operated by someone else. Can you imagine how shocked I was, Anne?" Aaron asked back curtly.
Anne was silent when she heard Aaron's words, she did not expect the man she had just met to come to her coffee shop twice.
"Are you that hungry that you try to find me by coming to the coffee shop twice, Aaron?" said Anne softly.
"What do you mean 'hungry'?" asked Aaron again.
"I know that I promised you to pay you with food instead of money but then you came back to my coffee shop several times so I assume you must be starving at that time?! I'm sorry Aaron, I didn't mean to leave without saying goodbye, it's just that my cellphone was broken at that time so I couldn't reply to your message," replied Anne quickly as she grabbed Aaron's hands with a look full of regret.
To be Continued