Lie to Me Again | ONC 2024

7 - Breakfast and Ballrooms

Yuki helped herself to another serving of pumpkin porridge, asking Minji to pass the bowl of soybean sprouts. Mrs. Tudor had really outdone herself cooking a hearty breakfast complete with several of the side dishes or banchan, that Korean cuisine was known for. 

"Two coffees and one hot cocoa," Rhett's mother said, setting down an elegant green mug filled with dalgona coffee in front of Yuki. She'd twisted her dark hair into a bun with a long silver hairpiece speared through to hold it up. Before she sat down at the table with them, Mr. Tudor helped untie her mint green apron and hung it on the back of her chair. 

Mrs. Tudor loved green. Paired with the sunlight streaming through huge windows, the hue brought life to the house, from the pastel shade of the cupboards, to the little bulbasaur planters in the window sprouting herbs and green onions from their backs.

"Thank you," Yuki said. She took a sip of the fluffy foam.

"When am I old enough to have coffee?" Minji sighed, using her spoon to drown a lone marshmallow bobbing in its chocolate sea.

"You don't even like the smell or taste of coffee," Rhett pointed out from his seat on Yuki's other side.

"No, but it's the sentiment that counts," Minji retorted.

After a few minutes of eyeing the clock between bites of scallion pancakes, Yuki finished off her coffee and rose from the table. "Thank you so much for breakfast and letting me spend the night. I have to get going so I'm not late."

"Sit down, dear." Mrs. Tudor waved her hand. "I'll drop you off on my way to work."

"Oh no, I really don't want to be a bother," Yuki stammered. She wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt, trying not to appear too flustered. "I don't mind walking at all and have to get my daily steps in."

Rhett cleaned off his plate and attempted to clear away both their dishes. "Mom, I can drive Yuki. It's out of the way from Minji's school."

With insane reflexes, Mrs. Tudor managed to get another pancake served onto Rhett's plate before Yuki could blink. "Eat more. Remember our agreement? No driving friends for the first year having a license. No added distractions or foolishness. If you get into an accident, you're not going to injure anybody but yourself."

Gripping the back of the dining chair until her knuckles whitened, Yuki tried to even out her breathing. But along with the thunder of her heart echoing in her ears, she heard rain drumming on a windshield, brakes screeching, and in her mind's eye, she watched the blink of a digital clock as it changed to 12:00. Midnight.

She recognized her vocal chords thrumming, opening her mouth to speak, but the words didn't process for her. It didn't seem like she'd breathed until she found herself standing on the front porch, shoes on and her bag slung over her shoulders. Whatever excuse she'd come up with, Yuki hoped it hadn't been too rude. 

Starting to walk home to fetch her school things, Yuki flipped her phone open to find a voicemail from Era. She pressed play and put the device to her ear.

"Meet me outside the tiger building after school. Bring your day clothes." The message ended.

Yuki sighed, pocketing her phone. The house was quiet when she unlocked the door. Most days, her grandfather slept in and her grandmother likely was gardening out back. After exchanging the night's luggage for her school bag and a change of clothes, she headed back out. 

The creaking of one of the rocking chairs on the porch alerted her to Rhett's presence. "Fine morning for a walk, isn't it?" he said while she re-locked the door.

"You don't have to walk with me," Yuki said, reluctantly surrendering her bag when he gestured for it. "I'm sure you want to drive your Dodge."

Rhett spun on his heel to face her while his sneaker heels hit the sidewalk. "Sure, I do. But I told you I was going to prove you wrong, right?"