Chapter 68: How Did You Make Something So Delicious?
Mika then turned without a word, heading back toward the house. A minute later, he returned, a kitchen knife in hand. The blade caught the light with a clean, silvery edge as he crouched beside the fallen, colorful bird.
And without any hesitation, he began gutting it, moving with the skill and efficiency of someone who’d done this more than once.
Yelena watched him work for a moment before he glanced up at her with a grin that was a little too smug for her liking.
"Well, Yelena?" He said, eyes glinting. "I proved you wrong. So now, you’ve got to accept your loss and help out with dinner."
She raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." He said, nodding toward the second bird that had died earlier. "Gut the other one. De-feather it. Start grilling it."
Yelena scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine, it’s enough to tell me twice. I accept it, okay? You win. This is the least I can do."
She started walking toward the other bird, muttering under her breath before something crossed her mind. She paused and looked back at him.
"But wait, what about the marinade? And seasoning? You already prepped something, right? Should I apply it before grilling? Or are you going to do that?"
To her surprise, Mika shook his head. "Nope. I’m not applying anything...No marinade. No seasoning. Not even salt."
"What?" She frowned. "I don’t get it. I’ve eaten this bird before, you know. The flesh is tender, sure, and juicy, but it doesn’t have much flavor on its own."
"...You need a proper marinade. Even a simple chili rub or a honey glaze makes a world of difference."