Party In The House

"Ma Ri noona!"

Greets the youngest officer this morning. What is his name again? Ji Sook. Yes, Ji Sook.

I give him a plain smile which disappears immediately when my eyes fall upon the face of the detective at his back- Pyo Ji Soo. Ha! How can I forget his name? He almost got me jailed and was even thinking to charge me with assault!

I scoff at the sight of him which he returns with a lift on the chin.

‘Brute' I mouth to myself.

Two more officers who were also present in the police station appear beside Tae Yoon. Each one of them is holding a brown paper bag. The aroma of fried chicken filled the air, making me gulp subconsciously.

But, why are they here? Are they possibly having their party here? In the house?

With my arms folded in front of me, I stand beside the doorway as they enter the house one by one. Tae Yoon is the last person to come inside and I lift my face to give him an inquisitive stare. Geez, why is he so tall? I have to raise my face up high to be able to meet his eyes.

"We decided to eat here instead. The restaurant is full," he explained to me, probably reading my thoughts from my stare. I give him a short nod as a response although my face remains rigid.

As if they were in the house before, the police officers get their own cushions and settle on the floor.

"Wow, this traditional house is so nice, Detective Ri," Ji Sook says, complimenting the structure of the house as his eyes survey around.

Jun Ki busies himself from bringing out the beer-in-cans and the chicken as well. He seems to be a quiet type of person as I haven't seen him talk since the first time I saw him at the police station. Upon seeing that they will need plates for the chicken, Tae Yoon goes to the kitchen. It is my chance to confront him so I follow him.

I stand at the entrance of the kitchen and put my hands on my waist. But before I could open my mouth to interrogate him, he speaks:

"You did not cook something?"

"Oh... I did not know you guys are coming," I reply. A bit perplexed why he asked about it.

"I mean, it's not for us but for your dinner. It's already 6:30 in the evening and you haven't cooked anything?" he says in a rather grave tone.

I stand frozen for a few seconds with my mouth agape as I did not expect him to say that. So, is he concerned about me? Wait. No. I shouldn't assume. He just said that because he did not want the household to appear shabby in front of his peers by having no food. Right, that’s it! What a prideful man he is.

"I was about to... yeah, I was about to cook when you came, " I reply, almost stammering, for the truth is I am planning to cook ramen again for dinner.

He tilts his head and looks at me in disbelief, then he strides in my direction taking my arm the moment he reaches me.

"Join us for dinner then."

What? Join them? That is not a good idea, right? Joining the police officers who have seen my embarrassing state in the police station. I want to say no but he has already pulled me back to the living room. But the thing that surprises me the most is his hand over mine. Since when did he become so touchy? Well, is he? I immediately pull my hand away from his hold once we reach the officers who are busy observing the house.

Ji Sook and Yeong Ho smile when they saw me, Jun Ki gives a small nod, while Detective Pyo remains looking smug in my opinion. Since I can’t do anything anymore, with a proud expression on my face, I sit on the nearest cushion and cross my arms in front again. Why? They are in my house so why should I feel embarrassed?

"I'll just go get something," Tae Yoon says and he goes back to the kitchen again. Leaving me with four sets of eyes now observing me. Unluckily, Detective Pyo is sitting opposite me. Aigoo!

Yeong Ho, who sits beside me, broke the silence that I brought to them. "Ma Ri-noona, Detective Ri said you just came here four days ago. What do detectives look like there?"

His eyes are wide from excitement and anticipation. He is the most cheerful among them. ‘Detectives?’ Did he mean the police? Hmmm.

"They are rather small, with a bulging stomach coz they drink a lot." While saying it, I use my hands to describe their height and how big their stomachs are, "-and some of them are such a ladies’ man. Well, I'm not generalizing though,” I continued.

I am describing the stereotyped policemen in the Philippines by the way.

His eyes droop as if I have brought bad news to him. I’m just stating a fact though.

"Hmmm?" I ask curiously.

“I knew it! Detectives from the capital are no better. Stop your fascination, Yeong Ho," Detective Pyo says, his protruded mouth extending more outward than I can imagine. Yeong Ho sighs deeply while I grimace slightly not happy in somehow giving Detective Pyo satisfaction for whatever it is. Tch!

“Ma Ri noona, we saw how good you are in fighting a while ago. You are jjang! (the best)” Ji Sook says.

“I’m a black-belter in taekwondo and judo,” I reply shortly. Lifting my head higher and stretching my shoulders wide in the process.

“Wow! Are you a national sports player?” he asks.

“Nope. But I’m in their level, I guess,” I say.

I’m not bragging, I really am in the pro level. I was almost sent to the nationals, it’s just that my parents and I also prioritized my studies first.

“A stunt woman?” Yeong Ho guesses this time.

I pointed to him enthusiastically as I found his guess rather peculiar but cool, “That- that’s an unusual job, officer. Nice guess. But don’t you think, I could pass as an actress more? Not just a stunt woman, hmmm?”

I look at him intently and when I did not get the answer that I want, I turn to the others one by one and see their blank faces. I raise my eyebrow and with my formidable aura, they start to nod vigorously except Detective Pyo who just clears his throat. Well, understandable, they haven't seen an elegant Yoon Ma Ri.

“Maybe she’s just a delinquent- a thug,” Detective Pyo mutters in between his teeth.

I stare menacingly and snap at him then I turn to the quiet young officer beside him- Jun Ki.

“How about you officer? What do you think is my profession?”

He lifts his face to me and I can see that he is a young fine man with soft features that can pass as an idol. But his face is rather inexpressive.

I guess, forced to say something, he said in a low tone, “Detective?”

“A nurse,” a voice coming from behind me says. Tae Yoon places the plates and glasses on the table, “She’s a professional nurse. Not a detective.”

The way he said it, why do I feel like he has a strong disagreement with me being a detective.

“A nurse? But she looked like someone who would send a person in the hospital, not someone who will cure them instead,” Detective Pyo commented.

I give him a fake laugh and roll my eyes at him.

“Ma Ri noona looked so cool when she flipped Detective Pyo this morning, it almost seemed like an action scene I saw in dramas with a female agent protagonist,” Ji Sook says.

I stare at him adorably.

“Eyyy! That’s something you can even do in the basic level,” Detective Pyo buts in. He sure is embarrassed. Ha!

“Oh sure! The basic level move got you, huh?” I say, challenging him with a stare.

Tae Yoon clears his throat loudly while he places the plates on the table. Probably hinting us to stop arguing with each other. My eyes instantly fall to the chickens and beer-in-cans on the table. They look so delicious and refreshing. The monster in my stomach growls once more upon the sight of them. But then, a bowl of tteokbokki is placed on my side of the table...

It’s a one-person serving... for me?

I glance at Jeong Hyeok who is telling the others to make themselves busy with the food. So, I am the only one with tteokbokki? Did Tae Yoon buy it especially for me? I feel speechless once again, but... I guess, no, it is supposed to be his and he just gave it to me out of courtesy.

He glances at me and gives me a questioning look as I stare at him. I immediately turn away and focus on the food in front of me. I don’t know what to react or what to feel so I give in to my hunger and eat.

“By the way, Detective Ri. About last time, we don’t have a female detective in the police station. And there are no available female officers too from the other stations here in Jeju,” Detective Pyo says in between munching a chicken.

“Then I guess, one of you has to go undercover...” Tae Yoon replies with a stoic expression.

They lift their faces to Tae Yoon at the same time in surprise. Foresighting a dilemma.

“-as a woman,” he continued.

The four glance at each other looking astonished. All sizing up each other.

“We haven’t done that before,” Yeong Ho says as their stare falls upon him.

“Not me, I’m short,” Ji Sook stammers when it is his turn.

And, when they turn their eyes to Jun Ki, he just shakes his head and took a bite of his chicken. Now, all eyes are at Detective Pyo. Feeling the pressure put on him being their senior, he turns to Jeong Hyeok who doesn’t look interested in them at all.

“We have never done that before, Detective Ri!” he exclaims. Imagine him with make-up and woman’s clothes... Ugh! Unsightly, indeed! I take a bite of my chicken and munch satisfyingly from hearing his predicament.

“I don’t know how guys you do it in Seoul but here if we need a female in our operations, we hire a civilian to act as an agent. And since the case is quite dangerous, we just need to find someone who is good in-”

“Wait... Ma Ri-”

I lift my head upon hearing my name. They are all looking at me with bright and expectant eyes, Detective Pyo too... except Tae Yoon.

* * *

“...dogs, a glass of beer, chicken...”

Tae Yoon looked out in the front yard where he heard someone talking. Squatting in front of the ground with marked sticks, Ma Ri was counting with nine of her fingers up. Only one thumb left.

“Tteokbokki!” she happily exclaimed.

He scoffed and murmured to himself, “She even talks to seeds?” He chuckled slightly and then hid immediately in the wall when Ma Ri stood up abruptly.

“Cha! Now, grow quickly, kids.”

He peeked again outside and saw her resuming in dusting the yard. A wide smile forming on his lips.