CHAPTER ELEVEN: GRANNY'S HEART WARMING MEAL

After the wonderful and beautiful dinner, we rode back to the town I was happy and excited something I had not felt for a while," Thank you for the ride and for the dinner." I said to Min Young who responded with a smile and an assurance nod," It's okay, we friends." he said as I waved good bye to him and turned to return to the house, I found Yuri and Mina asleep so I freshened up and and slept too.

The next morning at breakfast, Mina had really gotten better at cooking which was visible from her soft cookies we were having over a cup of coffee," I have an idea but iam going to wait for granny to come back so I can discuss it with all of you." Mina said as she picked as she took a bite from her cookie," Which idea?" I asked but she insisted on telling all of us later, I had to pick up granny so I took a quick sip on my coffee and left to get ready.

While in the car with granny, I couldn't help notice the glow on her face, after so many years she still had that glow she had back when I was still staying with her, she caught me staring at her so she turned to be with curiousity," Do I have something on my face?" she asked as I smiled at her question," iam just taking a closer and more critical look at my favourite granny in the whole world..no universe." I said as she slightly hit my shoulder," You and your flattering." she said as we both giggled, it was really nice to physically see her again I could feel the same healing energy by sitting next to her that I got from moving into her house," Can you pull over at that supermarket?" she said as I stopped the car," What's wrong?" I asked as she unfastened her seat belt and opened the door to her side of the car," Granny be careful." I exclaimed as I rushed to help her out of the car," I want to make you something nice for dinner." she said as I smiled warmingly at her," So I want to buy is some groceries." she added as she pointed at the Supermarket," We could have bought these at the market in Aayan." I said as I locked the car and headed in with her, she pulled out a trolley and there we were navigating the aisles with different cooking materials she was going to use for the special dinner she had in mind for us, among the ingredients was minced meat, my favourite, fresh Irish potatoes, broccoli and many others including mayonnaise which was Yuri's favourite but my least favourite, after she was done with her shopping and then we continued out journey back home.

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YURI'S POV

I looked around the class room as my eyes searched for Ye Jun, he had not come to school for the last two days and I was getting curious as to why, I had tried asking Nana but she told me he must be taking time off and that he does that alot but after witnessing him being beaten up in the bathroom during my first school visit I wasn't sure whether to calm down at what Nana had told me or to panic about him possibly being hurt, I don't know why I was suddenly interested in what had happened to him but I was maybe because seeing him get beaten up sort of reminded me of the life I was leading at my former school after my dad was jailed," Yuri!" yelled Nana snapping me out of my thoughts," Yes!" I said as I put my hand over my chest," Where are you lost at, I've been calling you." she said as she pulled out her phone and showed me a poster, of a movie" let's watch a movie together during the weekend." she said as I took a closer look, it was a Korean movie called «20th century girl»," I remember watching a trailer of this." I said excitedly," We should watch it then, how about we invite Ye Jun too?" I asked as she stared blankly," Okay though he's always not contactable during weekends, Ill try to talk to him." she said as we both smiled excitedly while staring at the poster.

After classes my initial thought was to ask Nana to go over to Ye June house, I don't want to sound like a superstitious person of any sort my for some reason not seeing him around make me feel like something bad had happened to him what if the bullies who beat him up in the bathroom did the same to him on his way home, « Granny made us dinner today, make sure you come back early» said a message from Hyuna," So should we go?" asked Nana from behind me," I don't think I can go, my granny cane back and she made us a special dinner." I said as Nana nodded," Okay then we can wait till tomorrow, if Ye Jun doesn't come to school then we can go to his home and look for him." she said as we switched to the route that takes me home and her to her granny's restaurant.

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HYUNA'S POV

There it was, the aromatic smell from granny's food, I could smell it all the way from my bed room, my stomach was groaning at the excitement of eating it, but aside from that I was refreshing my email again and again with hope of getting one from Yuri's school that had promised to invite me as the English substitution teacher but after a dozen rounds of refreshing, I lost hope and instead lied in my bed waiting to be called down for dinner.

While at the dinner table, we all started digging into our food, it smelled good and I knew it tastes twice as much, it had been a while since I last ate granny's food especially since she never used to visit us often while we were in the city and during end of year gatherings, we never used to go for reasons I still don't find clear, " Can we eat?" Yuri said as we all laughed at her statement," Let's eat." Granny said.

After dinner, we sat with granny at the balcony and stared at the stars, we all had smiles on our faces as we talked about our experience in Aayan so far, Mina talked about her work at the bakery while Yuri talked about school and the friends she had made, I on the other hand didn't have much to say but still listened attentively to what my sisters had to say, we asked granny why she took so long to come and all she did was smile and say " I was taking rest and having fun with my friends but I missed you all as well."," We missed you too granny." we all said as she pulled all three of us in for a hug," Okay then, let's go and get some rest so that we can all be fresh for a new morning." she said as we all insisted to hug her a little bit more..." Hey! just hug me and don't strangle me." she said as we all burst into laughter.

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MINA'S POV

" Since granny is back, I should tell you the idea I came up with a week ago." I said as everyone turned their eyes and attention to me," Yuri can go to school though, this doesn't really concern her." I said as she glared at me and angrily picked up her school bag and left before she rushed back and have Granny a hug and kiss on the cheek," Bye Granny." she added as she left," Are the rest of us invisible." Hyuna said as we all laughed," What's your big idea? Mina." she added as I cleared my throat," So as you all have seen, I've been taking baking lessons from Van recently, I've also been managing the bakery well." i said as Granny and Hyuna agreed," So I noticed that our bakery needs to be more than just a bakery for us to pull in more customers." I added arrousing their need to know more seeing how attentively they all stared at me," So I was thinking that we should add a cafe spot." I added as they stared at each other then back to me," I know how to make cafe, I used to work in Vans cafe before and it can be beneficious in a way that we can sell the pastries the cakes along with the coffee, tea and milk shakes and more." I continued but they just kept staring at me without saying anything," Uhhmmm what do you think?" I said as granny smiled," It's not a bad idea but we need space for that, the bakery isn't big enough to add a cafe to it." she said," Yah and also we need money for the coffee machines and all the other equipment." Hyuna said," I know about all that, for the space I managed to contact our realtor and she agreed to offer us the space Infront of our bakery, the open space where can can put a few tables and seats for those who want to eat from the cafe." I said as granny nodded in approval," as for the savings I managed to get some for starters." I added as Hyuna stared at me with curiousity I could see she was asking her self where I got the money from," I got the money from Van who agreed to invest as long as I can give him 5 percent of our earnings." i said," Will this work?" Hyuna asked as she stared at Granny hesitantly," We won't know unless we try." she said as I clapped my hands with of excitement," Well I'll make a budget and show it to all of you after I get some consultation from Van." I said.

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YURI'S POV

" He don't come to school today as well." I said to Nana who also suddenly got worried," Should we go and check on him during our lunch break?" she asked as i agreed...

At lunch we moved to his house which was a slightly a longer distance from school," Can you believe that I haven't been to Ye June house for months now, yet we always meet up to play games, eat food and even play pranks on people." Nana said as I looked around only to notice Ye Jun coming out of a shop with a black polythene bags in his hands, he was dressed casually in karki shots with a vest and he didn't seem injured at all" Ye Jun!" I exclaimed as Nana turned around and spotted him too," Ye Jun!" she called out as he turned to look at us," What are you..." he said as Nana cut him short with a round of questions," Where have you been, what happened to you, why are you not in school?" she asked as he tried to answer but couldn't," You will need to keep quiet first before I can answer you." he said as Nana and I stared at him," Iam taking care of my dad, he hasn't been well and I don't have anyone to leave him with." he says as I get worried," Uncle Ye! what happened to him?" Nana asked," He isn't well but also insists on not going to the hospital, he keeps sending me for medicines." he said as his voice started to break," But I was planning to take him to the hospital today seeing how he wasn't getting any better from the pills." he added as Nana tapped him shoulder to comfort him, I on the other hand didn't know how to comfort him except stare at him with worry.

" You can have a seat!" he said as he pulled out stools for us to seat on," Do you want anything to drink?" he asked as we all nodded," You should have something since it's your first time in my house." he says as he stared at me then shortly moves to his refrigerator," Have this." he says as he puts a cola Infront of me," Yaahh what about me?" Nana asks," You just nodded your head saying you don't want anything and now what has happened?" Ye Jun replies as Nana frowns," I'll take this medicine to dad." he says as he walks to the other room, I looked around his room and I couldn't help notice the student merit certificates hanging on the wall but they weren't Ye Jun instead they had a name Ye Hai," Who is Ye Hai?" I ask at Nana who hurries to tell me to shusshh," What's wrong?" I ask curiously as I sit down," Ye Hai is Ye juns brother." she said as I lean in to hear more," But he kind of ran away from home and moved to the big city." she added as He Jun walked in," What are you two talking about?" he asks as Nana laughs nervously," Nothing." she says as I back her up," Well should I make you guys something to eat?" he asks," No need, we came to see how you are doing, it's almost time for class." Nana says as we both stand up," I will tell min Young about your dad, iam sure he will help convince Uncle about going to the hospital." she adds," Be strong.." I say as he stared at me and smiles," Iam strong." he says as his smile widens," But thank you for checking up on me." he adds as we say good bye to him and head to school.

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