Chapter 23 –
Joo Hana’s Lunchbox, You’re Mine Now!
Siwan held the container of seaweed soup reverently in both hands, gazing down at it.
My goodness.
What an overwhelming sight.
If he had a spoon in his hand right now, he wouldn’t have been able to resist taking a bite already.
Korean cuisine wasn’t just about taste—it placed great importance on aesthetics as well.
After all, there’s a saying: “Good-looking rice cakes taste better.”
If Western cuisine focuses on plating—the art of arrangement—then Korean cuisine values the harmony of colors in the food itself and the art of looking delicious.
The fact that a simple stainless-steel lunchbox of seaweed soup could look this appetizing was astounding.
Hana, her face slightly flushed and eyes sparkling, looked at Siwan.
He can tell the ingredients and cooking process just from the smell? Really?
He had already proven it with the kimchi fried rice, but she wanted to see it again for herself.
There was a reason Hana only cooked for her mom and dad.
Though her parents didn’t know, she had cooked for a few other people before. But when they too easily dismissed all the time and effort she had poured into making her dishes, it hurt her deeply.
An hour—no, several hours if you included carefully selecting the ingredients—went into those dishes. But all she got in return was, “It’s good.”
Of course, they probably meant it sincerely, but Hana felt deflated. And she felt a deep self-reproach for even wanting more praise.
So she made a decision:
Only Mom, Dad, and I will eat the food I make.
Some might say she was overreacting, but who could criticize someone for protecting themselves from hurt?
Still, Hana knew it was a bit extreme, so she never told her parents the real reason.
To them, it was simply because she was “shy” or “introverted.”
But then—!
That strange man she’d thought was crazy was now shaking a decision she had kept for over ten years.
Even if she’d made the kimchi fried rice out of pity, she never thought she’d end up giving away a lunchbox she had packed for herself.
Under her expectant gaze, Siwan finally spoke.
“First of all, this seaweed is excellent quality. I can tell you didn’t just grab whatever was available—you chose it carefully.”
“Gasp! You’re right. I actually went all the way to Wando to buy it.”
“And when you stir-fried it in sesame oil, you didn’t just toss it in. You checked the seaweed’s condition and cooked it only until the perfect moment for maximum flavor.”
At his words, Hana’s heart raced wildly.
When she stir-fried the seaweed, she had set a timer but never took her eyes off it, ensuring it wasn’t over- or underdone.
“For the flounder, you used a semi-dried one, simmered it thoroughly with the seaweed, and removed the bones. But you didn’t throw the bones away—you wrapped them in cloth or something similar to draw out more flavor.”
“That’s right! Whether it’s meat or fish, the bone broth is where the real flavor is.”
Hana’s cheeks flushed red as she smiled innocently like a child.
Ah, so it’s true! The director really is a psychic!
Who says superpowers are only about flying or moving objects without touching them?
Just then, Siwan frowned slightly.
“Hmm, but there’s one thing I’m not sure about.”
“Oh? What is it?”
“What did you use for seasoning… was it tuna extract, by any chance?”
The more they went back and forth with questions and answers, deduction and confirmation, the more Hana’s gaze grew dreamy.
Ah… this is fun. I never knew talking to a man could be this fun.
The men in her life right now were just two.
One was her dad, Joo Pyeong-hwa—wonderful most of the time, but occasionally drove her crazy.
The other was Gu Dong-geun—awful most of the time, and sometimes even worse.
Sure, she ran into other men here and there, but to her, they were just “people,” not “men.”
Even Dong-geun, when he wasn’t annoying, was just a “person.”
But because he constantly bothered her, sent unnecessary messages, and said strange things, she came to think, “Are all men like this? How irritating.”
It wasn’t like Hana had never dated before.
She had held hands with men, even kissed them.
But those relationships weren’t because she truly liked them—they just asked her out, and she agreed. Naturally, she was disappointed, and concluded: “Men are all the same.”
But the director… he’s different. Really different.
His good looks were just a bonus. Siwan himself was unlike other men.
Well, how different could he really be?
Truthfully, it was probably just his “superpower” that made her see him through rose-colored glasses.
Before they knew it, even the passengers around them were listening intently to their “cooking talk.”
As they listened to Siwan, they could vividly picture the seaweed soup being made in their minds.
Hana’s seaweed soup, combined with the fact that some of them had skipped breakfast, drew them in completely.
An elderly woman edged closer and asked carefully,
“Young people, could I have just one spoonful of that?”
Before the woman could even finish, Hana snapped the lunchbox lid shut so quickly her hands were a blur. She stuffed it into the lunch bag and zipped it closed.
With a sweet smile, she told the woman,
“Sorry, ma’am. This is his lunch today.”
The woman seemed to realize her mistake and apologized, embarrassed.
“Oh my, I must be crazy. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to steal your boyfriend’s lunch, I just got curious about the taste. I’m not normally like this. Oh my, oh my.”
She repeated “oh my” about a hundred times before shuffling off to another seat.
Hana let out a relieved sigh and handed the lunch bag to Siwan.
“As promised, here’s your lunchbox.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Siwan’s face brightened.
Finally, he would get to taste this amazing seaweed soup.
The side dishes were probably homemade by Hana as well. How great would it be if he could eat them all?
But then it hit him—this lunchbox was supposed to be Hana’s lunch today.
“Uh… if you give me your lunchbox, what will you eat for lunch?”
“Oh, I’ll just go out and eat with Team Leader Oh Ah-young.”
She hadn’t actually made plans with Oh Ah-young, but Hana was certain that if she suggested it, the team leader wouldn’t refuse. After all, despite constant refusals, she still invited Hana to lunch every single day.
Hana answered casually, but Siwan felt uneasy.
Wasn’t he making her spend money on lunch because of him?
She had probably woken up early to prepare this—just letting it go to waste seemed shameless.
Still… just because he felt bad didn’t mean he was going to give up the lunchbox.
“Um, then how about I buy you lunch?”
“Huh?”
“Well, you gave me the lunch you prepared for yourself, so wouldn’t it be fair for me to buy yours?”
Hana silently looked at him, making Siwan nervous again.
“Of course, your lunchbox is far more valuable and wonderful than anything I could buy. But since you said you’ll eat out, I think it’s only right that I treat you.”
It wasn’t flattery.
For Siwan, a Joo Hana lunchbox he could actually eat was priceless.
Even the most expensive fine dining was a waste for him if he had to force it down.
“So, you mean you’ll be buying lunch for both me and Team Leader Oh?”
“Uh…”
The obvious answer was “no.” He’d only offered because he felt bad for Hana—why should he be buying Oh Ah-young’s lunch too?
When he hesitated, Hana asked again,
“So you’re saying you’ll only buy for me?”
“Well… in this situation, yes…”
Even though it was the obvious answer, Siwan still felt awkward saying it.
Will she think I’m stingy?
After a moment’s thought, Hana shook her head.
“Sorry, but that won’t work.”
“…Ah.”
Her refusal made Siwan’s heart sink.
He hadn’t expected her to turn him down.
He quickly realized his mistake.
Who would be happy if their male boss suddenly invited them to a one-on-one lunch?
He should have just said he’d treat both her and Oh Ah-young.
While he was regretting his choice, Hana spoke in a quiet voice,
“I can eat my lunch alone, but I don’t really want to eat alone at a restaurant. And it’d be awkward to use your card to pay.”
“…What?”
What was she talking about?
She must have thought his offer meant: Here’s some money—go buy yourself lunch.
Realizing that, Siwan suddenly recalled his father’s advice:
Siwan, when you speak, be clear. Leaving room for multiple interpretations can easily lead to big misunderstandings.
