[Eng]Mr. & Mrs. Cassano (FF Vincenzo)✔

Vin ~ Unforgettable

I could hear the sound of a drum band in my head while waiting for Hong Cha Young's reaction when she heard me introduce Rosé as my daughter. Will she be disappointed, angry, or show no reaction but then suddenly book a ticket to return to Korea?

And it seems she showed the third option, she didn't show any reaction. The look on her face looked surprised for a moment, but that was all. I've never been afraid of anything or anyone, until this moment. Say something, please...

She turned back to Rosé, smiling kindly as she bent her body slightly to be level with the child's height.

"Ciao, Rosé. Would you like to get to know me? I'm a friend of your father's. My name is Hong Cha Young. You can call me Auntie. I hope we can be friends too," she spoke in Italian slowly, pausing occasionally, perhaps searching for the right words to say.

"Come on, let's have dinner together before the Korean dishes that I have worked so hard to cook turn cold," thanks to Caterina who can always lighten up any atmosphere.

Caterina insisted on serving Korean food with the excuse of being worried that Hong Cha Young wouldn't suit Italian food, even though I'm sure she just wanted to show off her cooking skills. Yesterday she went to Malta with Luca to shop at Asia mart, and all her groceries are now on the table: a large pot of galbitang (beef rib soup), japchae (glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and meat), two plates jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) for children, gyeran-mari (omelet), sigeumchi namul (spiced boiled spinach), gamja jorim (potatoes boiled in soy sauce until it dry), and kimchi.

"This is my first time cooking Korean food. I don't know if the results will suit your taste. Hope you like it, Hong Cha Young," said Caterina, which I translated to Hong Cha Young.

"Actually I can eat whatever you prepare, no need to bother like this. I can also eat Italian food, I often eat it in Korea," said Hong Cha Young. Here I served as their translator.

"Are you referring to Chef Toto's cooking?" I asked and she nodded, "if you've eaten Caterina's cooking, you probably won't want to eat Chef Toto's anymore."

Hong Cha Young chuckled. Caterina brought soup into our little bowls. In Korea, we can eat straight from the pot, but not in Italy. And Hong Cha Young seems to have learned Italian manners. She even waited for the soup to cool down a bit before tasting it without a slurp like she usually does in Korea.

"Hm, this's delicious, Caterina. Deliziosa," she complimented, even kissing the tip of her index finger and thumb that joined together.

"Really?"

Hong Cha Young nodded and started eating deliciously, so did the rest of us. Enrico's mouth was covered with soy sauce as he ate the jajangmyeon with his mouth full. Only Rosé seemed reluctant to eat. I'm sure it's not because she doesn't like to eat Korean food that is taste strange for her tongue, because all this time she has always eaten whatever Caterina prepared for her. She was not comfortable when she met strangers she had just met. Every now and then I caught her glancing at Hong Cha Young, but when she noticed my gaze, she immediately looked down and played with her swollen noodles.

"Rosé, why aren't you eating? Don't you like jajangmyeon? Would you like me to cook some pasta?" Caterina asked.

Rose shook her head slowly.

"Rosé, it's not nice to be gloomy at the dinner table," I rebuked.

Suddenly Hong Cha Young got up, placed a piece of omelet on a small plate, then placed it next to Rosé. But of course she didn't touch it.

"Rosé," I scolded, but Hong Cha Young touched my hand.

"Hey, come on, don't force her. She'll be getting more uncomfortable."