Home Cooking Novels & Stories

Thanks to his friend Rancho na palagi siyang pinapahiram ng kusina nito sa tuwing nasa bahay siya nito. “Saan mo natutunan to?” tanong ni Laarni kay Kyre. “Nabasa ko lang sa recipe, then, I try to cook it on my own,” sagot ni Kyre. “Okay,” sabi naman ni Laarni at pinagpatuloy ang pagkain. Saka lang niya napansin na hindi naman kumain ang kaharap naiya. “Kain ka na rin. Baka maubos ko pa ito.”

Tanong ko sa kanya habang hinuhugasan ko ang mga gulay sa sink. "Yes. I like home cook food, than food from restaurants—but since I can't spare so much time cooking, I order usually or dine outside." Sagot nito sa akin habang nagsalang ito ng casserole na may lamang tubig. Para siguro yun sa pasta dahil binuksan na niya iyon. He even added bits of salt.

At nasabi na ba niyang inaakit siya nito with that shirtless thing? "Just the basic. Madalas sunog at maalat," she sneered at pagkuwa'y binuksan ang induction cooker. Aiah started the preparations, cutting some veggies for side dish. "Nasa sa iyo kung kakainin mo ang niluto ko..." At nagsaing siya ng kanin sa rice cooker after. "I have all the time in the world for my wife's cooking. Kakainin ko lahat 'yan," sagot ni Rodrigo. Aiah didn't bother to look back at nag-focus sa pagluluto. But deep inside, she felt pressured.

Parang kahapon lang, sumbatan at bangayan ang eksena sa pagitan namin pero biglang nagbago iyon . "When you're cooking, watch out the heat. Kailangan mong alamin kung ano'ng init ang dapat para sa lulutuin mo para hindi masunog. Katulad ng frozen food, it's easy to cook so you need to set the stove in medium heat," litanya niya habang binabaliktad ang ham na nasa kawali. "Sa totoo lang, hindi naman talaga ako nagluluto sa bahay. I'm dependent with my Mama," pag-amin ko. "Kaya hindi mo ako maaasahan sa pagluluto. Tagakain lang ako sa amin, eh."

He realized that he was making the same dish they had often enjoyed, a dish that had become a symbol of their togetherness. At first, the act of cooking brought a sense of contentment. The familiarity of the ingredients and the rhythmic motions eased his mind, providing a momentary respite from the turmoil he had been grappling with. As he followed the recipe they had perfected over time, he couldn't help but remember the laughter that had once filled this space.

Ang tahimik sa loob ng kusina kahit ang dami namin parang nanunuod kami nang Cooking show, I mean nasa loob ng simbahan. At ang kilos niya parang isa siyang totoong Chef. Kung humiwa ng mga sangkap ang galing. Ako ata yung tipong napapanga-nga na sa sobrang amazing na Cook na kaharap ko. Ito ba ang magiging ama nang magiging anak ko? Ay este, ito ba si Aaron na kilala ko?..

Isang malalim na buntong hininga ang pinakawalan niya bago siya lumabas. Napakatahimik ng buong living room, ngunit may naaamoy siyang mabangong aroma ng pagkain mula sa kusina. She walk towards the kitchen at nadatnan niya si Levin na abala sa kitchen counter at nagluluto. Napatigil siya. Wala sa sariling napangiti. She never thought that someone as bossy as him knows how to cook. He was on his back kaya malaya niya itong napagmasdan. Naka white shirt lang ito and jogging pants.

I would ask him about everything later, but for now, I had to pretend to be a good wife—cooking his favorite food while he was at work. Inihanda ko na ang mga sangkap para sa lulutuin ko. I managed to prepare everything with the help of YouTube and the internet. I focused on the task, mentally noting every step from the cooking tutorials. For a moment, I pretended everything was normal—na isa lang akong asawang naghahanda ng masarap na hapunan para sa asawa niya.