Chapter 10 …
The innkeeper hurriedly set the table and bowed in front of Im Hye-sook and the children, explaining:
“Since the lady has severe morning sickness and cannot eat spicy food, I prepared bibimbap with a mild seasoning. I have also prepared some soup and side dishes to go with it. I sincerely hope it suits your taste.”
“Mother, we will try it first.”
“We will see if there’s anything palatable and let you know, so please wait.”
Before Im Hye-sook could pick up a spoon, the children stepped forward and quickly scanned the dishes on the table.
‘Even so, it probably won’t taste good today either.’
Their eyes showed no trace of expectation.
Go Se-rin sighed heavily, but in the meantime, Go Hae-chan picked up a spoon first.
He mixed the bibimbap with a few swipes, scooped a spoonful, and brought it to his mouth.
“…!”
Then.
Go Hae-chan looked down at the bibimbap with a stunned expression.
Go Se-rin, thinking her brother was teasing her, narrowed her eyes.
“What are you doing, oppa? Are you trying to make fun of me?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Hae-chan couldn’t continue speaking, and his spoon went straight back to the bibimbap.
One spoonful, then another.
Soon enough, the large bowl of bibimbap had almost disappeared.
Go Se-rin looked at her brother suspiciously from the side.
Im Hye-sook, too, tilted her head, puzzled.
“Why is he eating so fast all of a sudden? Was he really that hungry?”
“Hae-chan, why are you eating so hastily?”
With suspicion in her eyes, Go Se-rin carefully scooped some bibimbap onto her spoon.
“…!”
In that instant, Go Se-rin’s eyes widened in surprise.
‘W-what… is this?’
Seeing the children’s reactions, Im Hye-sook immediately tried the bibimbap herself.
“Oh my?”
She, who had been unable to eat anything comfortably before, looked up in surprise.
The three of them met each other’s eyes.
The next moment, the children and Im Hye-sook exclaimed in unison:
“It’s delicious?!”
Later that evening, an elderly man wearing a conical hat slowly passed by the inn.
He stopped in his tracks, drawn by the cheerful laughter of people and the savory aroma of food.
“…Hmm?”
He lifted his head slightly, twitching his nose.
‘Somewhere, there’s a rare smell of something truly delicious.’
He tilted his head and glanced over the fence.
‘Now that I think of it… this inn might close soon.’
Even though only a day had passed since Im Hye-sook and her party had visited, rumors had already spread throughout the village.
Walking along the fence, he muttered in a low voice to himself:
“Today, even Goheon’s lord’s children came. There should have been wails from inside by now… but why is there laughter?”
Curiosity led him closer to the inn, and the chatter from inside became clearer.
“How can it taste this good in just one day!”
“It’s unbelievably delicious!”
The old man stopped in his tracks.
‘Hmm? Is something really going on?’
He raised his eyebrows slightly.
As he looked suspiciously inside, he noticed a small shadow slipping out from behind the jar stand.
A small child.
“Huh?”
The man squinted under his hat and watched the tiny, adorable figure.
The child’s bright eyes sparkled as short arms waved furiously while running—
“Oh, right!”
Suddenly, the child turned and dashed toward a gap in the fence.
Peering through the hole, the child secretly observed the reactions of those sitting at the table.
Seeing their constant praise, a bright smile spread across the child’s face.
Red cheeks, sparkling eyes.
“Good. I was able to help.”
Muttering softly to themselves, the child smiled proudly.
But soon, the child exclaimed urgently, “Oh no, I’m late!” and scurried off somewhere.
Just then, the innkeeper, wearing a dish towel as an apron, rushed out of the kitchen in a panic.
“Sir! Have you seen a little one about this tall?”
“Well, I saw someone passing by, but I think they’ve already gone.”
“Oh no!”
The innkeeper held her forehead in dismay. The old man asked quietly:
“What’s the matter?”
“It seems that while I was away, that child made a new batch of bibimbap seasoning. And… um, I can’t even describe it—it was just! So delicious!”
“Ah?” Hearing this, the old man’s eyes suddenly sparkled.
“And?”
“When the lady asked how the seasoning was made… I told the truth, and now she’s insisting we bring the child immediately.”
The old man stroked his white beard, looking toward the direction the child had gone, and muttered:
“Ha, ha, this is going to be quite interesting!”
Night had deepened.
Bok-hee and Eon-nyeon were busy handling the arduous chores given by Chun-ja, so they fortunately didn’t notice Choa had disappeared.
Having returned home safely, Choa lay under her blanket, eyes wide open, staring at the ceiling.
Whenever she closed her eyes to sleep, the sounds she had heard earlier kept echoing in her ears:
“This seasoning… how can it taste so good?”
“I want another bowl!”
Recalling Im Hye-sook and the children’s reactions, Choa’s eyes curved into a smile.
‘They all said it was delicious…’
Of course, it wasn’t entirely fair to say that Choa had made the entire bibimbap.
The fresh vegetables and perfectly cooked rice were thanks to the innkeeper’s skill.
But Choa knew that the people’s satisfaction came from the seasoning she had made.
“My heart… is pounding.”
Placing her hand over her chest, Choa muttered softly and fidgeted with excitement under the blanket.
‘I really want to cook! Then Father will surely become healthy and happy!’
As the thought blossomed in her heart, her cheeks and earlobes flushed red.
Slowly, Choa’s eyes closed.
The child smiled faintly under the blanket.
“Hehe…”
Tonight, it seemed as if she would have a truly happy dream.
The next morning.
As usual, Choa wandered around the kitchen the moment she woke up.
Her gaze swept over the jars on the shelves and the boiling pots.
“Wasn’t the kitchen off-limits?”
A low, cold voice came from behind.
Turning around, Choa saw Kim Chun-ja standing with her arms crossed, glaring.
“B-but…”
Choa hesitated briefly, then clenched her fists.
‘I won’t lose!’
Remembering how everyone had enjoyed the bibimbap she touched yesterday, Choa gathered her courage.
She opened her eyes wide and looked Chun-ja straight in the face:
“Hey! Did Father eat all the food you made, Chun-ja?”
Kim Chun-ja’s shoulders twitched slightly, trembling ever so faintly.
