Episode 9
“I’m actually a pretty good cook. Ah, not to brag or anything. I just meant I can make food that’s edible…”
Inhyeok slowly looked over Harang as she continued her attempt at self-promotion, as if observing a museum artifact.
The pure emotions so plainly visible on her pale face were adorable. He wanted to observe and tease her all night long.
Every time her red lips chattered, her sheep-like cheeks twitched, making him want to bite them right then and there.
Hiding his sinister curiosity toward his friend’s younger sister, Inhyeok spoke.
“Make me anything. Whatever you’re good at.”
The next day.
Harang frowned as she scanned the ingredients inside the refrigerator.
“What I’m good at cooking……”
Finishing her scan, Harang soon pulled out well-fermented kimchi, tofu, and a bit of leftover pork neck.
She planned to make kimchi jjigae.
Every time he returned from long training sessions, Hajun would often say there was nothing he missed more than Harang’s kimchi jjigae, promptly polishing off three bowls of rice on the spot.
Much later, he even suggested that if Harang ever quit her job because it didn’t suit her, they should open a kimchi jjigae shop together.
Since Inhyeok mentioned he was back in Korea after a long time, he’d probably like it too.
A spicy-sour aroma spread through the kitchen along with the bubbling sound. She also made rolled omelets and prepared a couple of new side dishes to set on the table.
“Is this too little?”
She could eat a meal with just kimchi jjigae, but technically, Inhyeok was a guest.
Bothered by the meager spread, Harang only took off her apron after taking out and cooking some frozen chicken nuggets and dumplings from the freezer.
“Why did you prepare so much?”
Inhyeok, who had also worked out this morning, finished his shower and sat at the table with a surprised face.
“I-I just cooked whatever was available.”
Though ‘whatever was available’ was an understatement, considering the care and even plating she’d put in.
Harang set down two bowls filled with freshly cooked rice and sat opposite Inhyeok.
This was the first time she had cooked for someone other than her own brother.
She tried to act nonchalant, but her gaze, mixed with expectation and worry, inevitably drifted toward Inhyeok.
Inhyeok’s spoon moved toward the steaming kimchi jjigae.
“……Hmm.”
Inhyeok was oddly placid for someone who had just tasted food.
‘Is it good? Is it bad?’
Harang’s upper body gradually leaned toward Inhyeok, from whom she could read no expression.
“…….”
Inhyeok silently took another taste of the stew. That only made Harang more nervous.
It was only after a little more time had passed that Inhyeok flashed a slight smile at Harang, who was staring holes into his mouth.
“It’s delicious.”
“R-really?”
“As expected of a model student. You cook well too.”
Only then did Harang’s face brighten up.
She didn’t think she’d been this nervous even when checking her exam scores.
“Whenever my brother comes back from overseas training, he only eats this with rice. Even though kimchi jjigae looks simple, getting that deep flavor isn’t easy, right? The kimchi being tasty is most important, and how you make the broth is key too, so that’s why I…”
Harang began recounting her cooking secrets, even though no one had asked.
Listening pleasurably to her bird-like chattering, Inhyeok tasted the other side dishes.
The fluffy rolled omelet melted in his mouth the moment he ate it, and the seasoned vegetables were perfectly seasoned to his taste—lightly savory.
He hadn’t said it was delicious just to satisfy her expectations.
‘So this is what home-cooked food is like.’
People always said they missed home-cooked meals when they left, but Inhyeok had no standard for what that meant.
Inhyeok’s mother was what people commonly called a concubine.
Rare delicacies that others could only dream of were on the table every day, but not once had he eaten a meal in peace.
For Inhyeok, eating was merely an act of supplying energy, a means to continue surviving.
Ten years ago, when he turned twenty, he left the Taegang family with his mother and went to America. Even there, he didn’t have proper home-cooked meals.
His mother was too busy chasing the dreams that had been crushed by an unwanted marriage and pregnancy.
She probably had no time to make her son a single warm meal.
He didn’t particularly resent her.
His mother had her own life to live, after all.
In the blink of an eye, Inhyeok emptied two bowls of rice.
“More.”
“Okay!”
Harang beamed and went to the rice cooker.
Watching her bustle about the kitchen, Inhyeok felt it was a good decision to have come to this house.
After finishing the peaceful breakfast,
Inhyeok saw Harang off to the bus stop since she had afternoon classes to attend at school.
Inhyeok, hands shoved in his pockets, spoke with mild displeasure.
“I said I’d drive you to school.”
“The bus goes directly there.”
“I’m bored, that’s why.”
The words ‘If you’re bored, why don’t you do the recycling or the dishes?’ rose to the tip of her tongue, but she held them back.
‘Remember. Teacher is a guest in our house.’
She recalled Hajun’s request to make sure Inhyeok felt comfortable during his stay.
“It’s just……. Your car stands out too much.”
“My car?”
“The red sports car.”
Harang preferred to avoid drawing attention as much as possible.
Arriving in the middle of campus in a flashy car, and with someone as striking as Inhyeok, would attract attention whether she wanted it or not.
Inhyeok nodded with a serious expression.
“So you don’t like red. And red is so pretty.”
“…….”
“Well. How can anyone be perfect? You can’t have excellent taste in food and excellent aesthetic sense.”
He had completely missed the mark, but she didn’t feel the need to correct him.
Just then, the bus Harang needed to take appeared in the distance.
There was something she had thought about bringing up since morning, but had missed the chance to say.
“Um…… Teacher. There’s something I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
Harang hesitated, tightly gripping the hem of her clothes.
“About what happened at school yesterday……. I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell my brother.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to give him something to worry about.”
Inhyeok’s thick eyebrows tilted sideways, as if he didn’t understand.
“Such a tear-jerkingly affectionate sibling relationship.”
“You know how it is. My brother tends to overreact about anything related to me. I want to try and handle the Minwoo sunbae situation on my own.”
“But remember one thing. There are plenty of people in this world for whom peaceful methods don’t work. Think carefully about my proposal.”
“Okay. I’ll think about it.”
The bus arrived just then, and Harang, bowing her head slightly, boarded.
Vroooom—
Inhyeok stared intently at the receding bus.
“Maybe I should teach you how to be careful around men before English.”
The image of Minwoo clinging to Harang last night came to mind.
No matter how he thought about it, those eyes were grating. It was clear he was just waiting for another chance to get close.
As he was thinking about what measures to take, the phone in his pocket rang.
<Do Not Answer 2>
“Tsk, I should really change my number or something.”
Clicking his tongue lightly, Inhyeok pressed the answer button.
“If I don’t answer, you could just assume there’s an unavoidable reason I can’t. Why do you keep calling? Don’t you know what time it is in America right now?”
A blunt tone escaped him automatically.
-It’s currently midnight in America.
A soft, middle-aged voice was heard.
“Exactly. I need deep sleep to grow taller, and you woke me up, Manager-nim.”
*-You’ve already finished growing taller, and 1:13 PM isn’t a time for deep sleep.*
Inhyeok quickly checked the time.
1:13 PM.
The exact Korean time.
-The Chairman wants you to come to the company this afternoon. Shall I send a car to your location?
As expected. The summons had come.
The always-relaxed tone vanished, and Inhyeok’s dark eyes sank low.
“No. I’ll go myself.”
