“I got it, don’t worry,” I offer a light smile as a consolation prize.
“The least I could do is feed you, right?” Jae gestures to the two plates in front of us. “Please, eat.”
You don’t have to tell me twice. It looks so fucking delicious. “What is it?”
Jae takes the seat where Murphy had been sitting, unfolds a chopstick from his napkin and uses it to point out each thing on the plate. Everything looks so expensive, more than I would ever pay for dinner. Jae explains each dish to me as he takes a bite, and I try after him.
“Sautéed pea shoots. I get these special from a guy to make sure they are just the right amount of tender and crisp. You sauté them over very high heat with chicken stock to bring out the aromatics. Next, handmade steamed vegetable dumplings. These are vegan actually. And I hand make the wrappers every Sunday night.”
“Where’d you get the recipe?” I ask.
“My mother, of course…now, the star of the show,” He stands and runs over to the bar fridge, and pulls out two small plates. “Saikyo miso-broiled nigiri. This is made with a sweeter, milder miso paste and is cooked lightly with a blowtorch. One of my favorite things to make.”
“It looks amazing,” I ogle the plate in front of me.
“And here we have, aji nigiri sushi. This is a very light and buttery fish, one of my favorite cuts by far. And for the side dishes. Baek kimchi. This is my take on the classic Korean side dish. Safe for white people, basically.” Jae chuckles at his own dig.
“It’s amazing. Where did you learn to make all of this stuff?” I ask him, my mouth stuffed with pea shoots.
“My mother’s cousin owns a sushi shop in Japan. I spent my summers there growing up, working in the shop and watching them cooking. I was a dishwasher. It was always my dream to open a restaurant, ever since I was a kid. Food was usually the only constant in my life.”
“Thank you for all this.” I gesture to the huge plate in front of me, bites of things still remaining. I couldn’t even come close to finishing. “Was this part of the practice date?” I ask, swallowing a burp.
“Well…I guess it was.” Jae looks pensive. “I didn’t really have an idea for your practice date. I just…” He trails off, looking down and away from my eyes.
“What?”
“Ever since I saw you in the apartment… can I be frank with you?” Jae now looks directly at me.
“What?” I repeat.
“I was concerned about you. It was luck that you applied for the mural. But you didn’t seem too well when I met you for the first time. I was going to try to figure out where your new apartment was.” Jae takes a breath. “And it felt weird not getting to know you after seeing I moved into your old place. There, I said my piece.” Jae rubs his temples the same way I do.
“Are you pitying me?” Frustrated, I stand up from the table. “Because if that’s the case, I don’t want your pity.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Jae leans back in his chair. “Please sit down.”
“What’s going on?” I ask.
“I’ve been spending so much time with my mother these days. She’s rubbing off on me.” Jae runs his hands through his thick, black hair. “She is always trying to take care of everyone. Even now.”
“What do you mean?”
“She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the fall. She tries to pretend like it isn’t happening. But it is, and it’s an adjustment for everyone,” He takes a breath, and his voice turns serious. “I moved into your apartment to have more space for her. She can’t live with my sister much longer. They just don’t have the room.”
“How many sisters do you have?” I pull my feet up onto my chair, I’m still dressed in my paint-covered overalls and yellow shirt.
“Three. One older, two younger.”
“And which does your mother live with?”
“The older one. Izzie.”
“I see. When will you move your mom in with you?”
“After I renovate the apartment,” he says quietly, like I might be upset.
“I bet you’re going to knock down the wall between the studio and the den, right? It’d make a nice, large second bedroom.” Honestly, I’m glad the apartment was getting new light put into it.
