#39

“Thank you, Tae-heun.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t get all emotional over something like this. You’re making me embarrassed.”

I had no way of knowing if the man was actually moved or not, but I spoke as it came to me.

“Tae-heun, your face is really red. I’ll take care of the rest, so you should rest a bit.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ve done almost everything. You can leave the weeds to me, and you should pick the peppers.”

The man shouted “But still!” before picking the peppers. After finishing the pepper harvest, he organized the dying green onions.

Just when I thought it was over, he picked up a shovel.

What on earth was this endless work? The man began to dig into the harvested field with the shovel. Tae-heun, who had planned to pull out the weeds and take a break, approached the man and asked, “Why are you doing that?”

“This way, the soil becomes soft, and the crops can root well. Nutrient absorption is better too.”

The man demonstrated slowly. It was what they called turning the soil. Every spot he dug with the shovel brought up hardened clumps of soil. This time, he picked up a pickaxe and smashed the clumps of soil one by one. It was a labor-intensive task.

“Don’t you have another shovel and pickaxe?”

“I have them in the storage.”

“Got it. I’ll go get them.”

Tae-heun quickly dashed through the side door to the storage. It wasn’t hard to find the shovel and pickaxe.

“Shall we make a bet? From here to there, who starts digging first?”

“No, thanks.”

“Why? Are you not confident? Oh, you’re not confident, are you?”

Tae-heun teased.

“No, it’s not that. Of course, I’ll win.”

“That’s something you can only know by trying.”

“Digging is harder than you think.”

“Are you going to do it?”

“Yes.”

“What should we bet on?”

There was no need to think. I was hungry after barely eating at the church. I didn’t know how to cook, but if I lost, I could at least make ramen.

“How about the loser makes a snack?”

“I’ll win.”

“Deal?”

“…Yes.”

The man reluctantly agreed.

The two of them sat facing each other in the same position.

“Ready, go!”

Tae-heun shouted.

It was a match that was bound to be one-sided. It wasn’t just about speed; the man was doing it properly. While Tae-heun stumbled and flung dirt around, the man dug with a steady pace, expertly turning the field over. Had they gone halfway? The man stood up after finishing his share of the digging, a victorious smile on his face.

“See? I told you I’d win.”

“Wow, is there really that much of a difference? I can’t compete with Ki-beom.”

Tae-heun threw the shovel down. He raised both hands in surrender.

The man laughed.

“Shall I make you some noodles?”

“Oh, come on. The loser has to do it.”

“It’s fine. Let’s eat cold noodles.”

“Wait, how did you know I liked that?”

He shamelessly accepted right away.

The man picked up the shovel again and continued with the remaining work. Tae-heun used the pickaxe to break up the hardened soil that the man had dug out. What he thought would be a quick task took nearly an hour, even with two adult men working together. It was hot and tiring, leaving no room for stray thoughts.

By the time they finished, they were drenched in sweat. Tae-heun took off his shirt and held it in his hand. The area where he had been wearing clothes was fine, but his arms, fully exposed to the sun, were as red as his face.

The man, wearing a long-sleeved shirt, wiped his sweat with his forearm and picked up a basket filled with green onions and peppers.

“Aren’t you going to plant lettuce?”

“I plan to plant it next week.”

“Good thinking. Just the ones we picked earlier will last us a week.”

At Tae-heun’s words, the man scratched his head, looking a bit awkward. He added, “You have such a big hand, Ki-beom.”

“Since we have plenty of lettuce, how about we buy some pork belly for dinner?”

“Yes.”

“We have to go to town, right?”

“Yes. We can buy it at the cooperative.”

“Oh, the cooperative. Let’s eat cold noodles first.”

“Yes.”

The man squatted by the faucet and washed the lettuce and peppers he had just picked. Hearing the refreshing sound of water pouring, Tae-heun felt thirsty. He could drink barley tea, but pretending to be oblivious, he went over to the man and put his mouth to the faucet.

“Shall I wash your back for you?”

As the man moved the washed vegetables to one side, he asked.

With his shirt off, Tae-heun immediately bent down, placing both arms on the ground in a position perfect for a back wash. The man turned on the faucet and filled a ladle with water, pouring it over Tae-heun’s back.

“Ahh. Damn.”

It felt so refreshing that a curse slipped out.

“Ki-beom! This is so damn refreshing.”

With every splash of water, the man’s large hand rubbed Tae-heun’s back.

Tae-heun, like a middle-aged man, kept exclaiming, “Ahh, that’s refreshing.” It truly was refreshing and felt good.

“Now it’s your turn, Ki-beom.”

Tae-heun stood up, not caring if the water dripped down.

The man willingly took off his long-sleeved shirt and cotton t-shirt and lay down in front of Tae-heun. Just as the man had done, Tae-heun scooped water into the ladle and poured it over the man’s back. The man flinched slightly.

“Refreshing, right?”

“Yes.”

The skin of the man, which touched Tae-heun’s palm, was much softer than he had expected. He made a joke close to the truth, saying, “Your skin feels like silk,” but it seemed the man didn’t hear him due to the sound of the water. Tae-heun repeatedly poured water over the man’s back, washing his back, neck, and waist with his palms.

Satisfied after receiving enough of a back wash, the man stood up with a smile.

“I’ll wash up first and prepare the noodles.”

“Okay.”

The man disappeared into the house.

After finishing his shower in the bathroom, the man called for Tae-heun. He had taken off his top and was only wearing shorts as he headed straight for the kitchen. Following suit, Tae-heun went to the bathroom, washed himself down, and came out to sit on the porch, wearing only shorts like the man.

“It’s hot, so hot.”

Through the light blue mesh screen, he could see the man moving back and forth in the kitchen. Tae-heun lay flat on his back. The sky was a chilling blue, and there wasn’t a breeze. Under the floor, the puppies were sound asleep.

The sound of boiling water, the smell of noodles cooking, and the fishy yet savory aroma of anchovy broth.

It was truly peaceful.

Tae-heun closed his eyes. When was the last time he felt such fullness of emotion? He couldn’t remember. The smells and sounds were unfamiliar, yet a wave of nostalgia washed over him.

“Could you set the table?”

At the sound of the man’s voice, Tae-heun opened his eyes.

He hurriedly spread the metal rice table on the floor and rushed to the kitchen to receive the bowls the man handed him. Just like before, the neatly arranged noodles were topped with young radish kimchi. The man, having added ice to the richly brewed anchovy broth, tasted it once more before carrying the pot of broth and leading the way. Tae-heun followed, carrying the man’s bowl of noodles.

The man carefully poured the broth, avoiding the sliced cucumber. Tae-heun scooped the broth first with his spoon. Damn. This was the taste. It was genuinely delicious. The cold noodles he had eaten in town couldn’t even compare to the man’s noodles.

“Did you learn to cook somewhere? Why is this so delicious?”

Tae-heun marveled, and the man turned red.

“I have more noodles, so if you want more, just let me know anytime.”

“Okay. I’ll enjoy it.”

Tae-heun hurriedly moved his chopsticks. After eating half with just the young radish kimchi, he poured the red sauce with chopped peppers over the remaining half. The noodles with the sauce had a delicious umami flavor.

One bowl was nowhere near enough. The man noticed Tae-heun’s bowl was empty and brought more noodles on his own.

“Just a little, please.”

Though he said that, he would have been disappointed if the man had really given him just a little. Fortunately, the man seemed to misunderstand the meaning of “a little.” He rolled the noodles and placed them in the center of the bowl, adding more cucumber and young radish kimchi as toppings.

The man looked at Tae-heun as if he were a child. It was both embarrassing and nice. It felt strange to be looked at so affectionately by someone, especially while eating so greedily.

The man was curious. Did the calm and quiet man, who seemed as peaceful as the deep sea, also have intense emotions boiling inside him like any other man? Something like lust, perhaps.

While Tae-heun devoured two bowls, the man leisurely ate just one bowl’s worth before putting down his chopsticks.

“I’ll do the dishes. You sit and rest.”

“No.”

“Have you ever seen a chef do the dishes? Just relax. I need to move a bit since I’m full.”

Tae-heun pressed down on the man’s shoulder as he tried to stand up. Without realizing it, he gripped his hand tightly, causing the man to stumble.

“See? That’s what happens when you refuse.”

Feeling sorry, he said something unnecessary.

Tae-heun took care of clearing the table and washing the dishes. He moved around as if it were his own home. Although he usually never stepped into the kitchen, somehow, in just a few days, he had become so familiar with the man’s kitchen that he knew what was in every cupboard and where to put the dishes. It felt so familiar that he had the illusion he had lived there for years.

Just as he finished washing the dishes and was rinsing his hands, the house phone rang. He saw the man flinch at the sound.

“I’ll answer it.”

Tae-heun shouted this as he dried his hands with a dishcloth and hurried to the living room to pick up the receiver.

“Hello.”

This is Detective Park Dong-hyup.

Damn. A curse slipped out involuntarily.

It wasn’t that he disliked Detective Park. Including Detective Oh and Detective Park, they had treated Tae-heun very well. But whenever they called, it was always for a clear purpose. That meant he had to think of his uncle and Lee Hyun-jun, whether he liked it or not.

I’m in town, and I was wondering if you could step out for a moment?

“What is it about?”

I have some questions, and I’m curious if you’re doing well. Can we meet in an hour?

It was not a suggestion but an order.

“Yes. I suppose so.”

After Detective Park told him where he was, he hung up.

Tae-heun looked back at the man. He could see the silhouette of the man leaning against the sliding door.

“I should buy some pork belly while I’m out.”

He muttered to himself as he put down the receiver.