By Zephyria 
While the children were doing chores they weren’t meant to do, Ki Jae-eon followed Shin Yoon to the market. Come and see the hairtail! The bustling marketplace snapped him awake.
“Wh, why are we here?”
“Why else? Are you going to starve the kids?”
Shin Yoon twirled the car keys, saying, “You’re tough. Still, they have to eat.” Since he had brought the car, he told him not to hesitate and buy whatever he wanted. Thankfully, being Korean and serious about food, he seemed willing to make sure they at least had a proper meal.
“If you come to Busan, you have to take a good look around the market.”
Right? Shin Yoon’s expression was quite bright as he asked. Despite the uninvited guests who had swarmed in, he seemed to be enjoying the situation.
“Right. I was supposed to use Seoul dialect.”
He boasted that he was good at Seoul dialect, even though no one had asked. Hello. Nice to meet you. One blueberry smoothie, please.
“How is it? Am I good?”
“……”
“My mother was born in Seoul, I heard. But she moved to Busan when she was too young and forgot everything.”
Still, isn’t it pretty good for this much, he laughed heartily. Ki Jae-eon obediently nodded.
“But I can’t help it if it slips out sometimes. You have to understand that, Eon-i.”
That’s the bond between people—the bond. Ki Jae-eon stared silently at the broad back walking ahead.
To be honest, Shin Yoon wasn’t exactly Ki Jae-eon’s favorite type of person. Starting with their violent first encounter and continuing with their rude second encounter, there was nothing good about him.
Of course, Kim Ju-won from the main office wasn’t much different. If you were to list the bad deeds he had committed, it would take two full nights.
But there was one distinct difference between Kim Ju-won and Shin Yoon.
It was aura.
Kim Ju-won was born with Yang Energy, while Shin Yoon was born with Yin Energy.
In particular, the Yin Energy that Shin Yoon possessed was very similar in nature to the aura that Ki Jae-eon possessed.
The eerie feeling that sent shivers down his spine just by getting close, and the melancholy that wafted out no matter how hard he tried to hide it with his boisterousness.
Ki Jae-eon found that aura very unsettling.
Yes, it was unavoidable self-loathing.
But the more they talked, the more his first impression faded. How should he put it? He seemed like the kind of person who had a stronger human scent than he thought.
‘I don’t dislike that kind of person…’
It was around the time he was redefining his assessment of Shin Yoon.
“Okay, let’s go in.”
Shin Yoon grabbed Ki Jae-eon’s dry wrist and started walking around the market.
One slightly unusual thing was…
“Eon-i.”
“Um, could you not call me Eon-i…”
“Try this.”
“I, I’ll eat it myself.”
“Hurry.”
My arm is falling off. Please.
“……Ah.”
“You eat well. Boss, put one of these in a bag.”
He kept trying to feed him something.
He even insisted until he ate it. He had refused a few times because he kept offering him this and that, but he just stood there, repeating “Ah—” and being stubborn.
Moreover, he was so big that he was a nuisance to traffic. It even caused an unexpected traffic jam. It was no use telling him not to.
Eventually, one of the women who was blocked said, “Aigo! What are you doing!” and got angry. But Shin Yoon didn’t give in and nonchalantly turned around, saying nonsense like, “The kid is picky. I’m sorry. But I’m going crazy too.”
The woman looked at the handsome Shin Yoon and put on a bright smile on her stiff face, praising him for taking care of his grown-up younger brother.
That’s how handsome Shin Yoon’s appearance was, enough to easily win people over.
Neatly styled hair, a white shirt with gray vertical stripes, black loafers, a heavy wristwatch, and a strong perfume scent that stung the nose. He was already good-looking and had a great physique, and he was dressed so harmoniously that it was like a painting.
“They must have thought we were brothers.”
Shin Yoon said something that Ki Jae-ha would have immediately chased after him with an axe for, and then asked with a seemingly pleased face, “What else do you want to eat?”
“……I think we, we have enough now.”
His hands were already full.
He had ended up like this because he had been buying everything he was offered.
“Really?”
Shin Yoon lightly lifted the black bags in his hands to check and then tilted his head. There are a lot of guys, is this enough? He muttered to himself, then suddenly said, “Ah, right,” and winked, telling him to follow him.
“I’ll take you to a fun place.”
“……Pardon?”
“We came all the way here, it would be a shame not to go.”
The place Shin Yoon took him to was inside the market… a raw fish restaurant.
Under the sign that read [Youngsoo’s Seafood], Shin Yoon entered as if he were familiar with the place, following the owner’s guidance.
The dining area, roughly made of vinyl sheets, had a couple of plastic tables. A raw scene different from ordinary raw fish restaurants.
Another difference was that they only provided wasabi, soy sauce, and vinegar chili paste without any special side dishes. In other words, they were confident in their raw fish itself.
“I gave you a lot.”
Shin Yoon picked up a wooden chopstick at the owner’s blunt greeting, “Aigo, yes. I’ll enjoy it.”
“It’s fresh. Here, say ah.”
“I’m not h, hungry…”
“Okay.”
Shin Yoon knew, and he waggled the chopsticks holding the raw fish, almost begging. The rainbow-colored raw fish looked thick and appetizing, but he was already full from eating this and that. He felt like he would get indigestion if he ate any more… He really wanted to refuse, but he knew. If he refused, he would persistently cling to him until he ate it.
‘It’s better to just take a bite…’
Ki Jae-eon sighed and slowly opened his mouth. Squish. The raw fish that entered his mouth had a moderate savory taste and a texture that Koreans preferred.
In short, it was just delicious.
“It’s good, right?”
“……Yes.”
“I wanted to feed you like this.”
Shin Yoon smiled sincerely and even muttered an incomprehensible thank you, “Thank you.” Then he called out, “Auntie!” and ordered a bottle of soju. He brought the car, but he’s drinking? Is he going to drink and drive? When Ki Jae-eon made an incredulous expression, he smiled as if he knew what he was thinking.
“I can call a designated driver.”
“No, still…”
“If you want, you can drink a glass for me.”
Shin Yoon lifted the cold bottle and shook it in front of Ki Jae-eon.
“Pardon?”
“If you drink it for me, I won’t drink. Do you know what vicarious satisfaction is? Vicarious satisfaction.”
He was smiling brightly, but he didn’t seem like he was going to back down. He wasn’t joking.
“It’s okay if I just drink it.”
But I drink a little slowly. Shin Yoon added slyly.
“If I call a designated driver and do this and that, the kids’ dinner time will be long gone.”
“……”
“Meh, it’s okay. They’re not babies, right?”
“……Haa, give it to me.”
“Really? You’re going to drink it? Wow, you’re a man. A man.”
Shin Yoon twisted the cap off the soju bottle as if he had been waiting for it. Soju with raw fish. He tilted the bottle, his shoulders shaking. Soon, a clear and transparent liquid filled the empty glass.
“I’ll at least cheers.”
Shin Yoon picked up a water glass.
In the end, with the raw fish and soju, Ki Jae-eon couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being played by Shin Yoon.
“You’re better than I thought.”
“…….”
After drinking one glass, then two, he had emptied the bottle before he knew it.
Eventually, Ki Jae-eon, who had become insensible, was about to collapse onto the table.
“Oya—you’ll get hurt.”
A large palm supported his hot forehead.
“You can’t get hurt, not with that body.”
“…….”
“He can’t come to his senses.”
How did you get like this with just one bottle, you little rascal. Eon-ah, Eon-ah. Keep your wits about you. He playfully shook the head resting on his hand, but there was no response. He was gone.
Shin Yoon smirked. Then he got up and approached Ki Jae-eon, who was nodding like a sick chicken.
“I really wanted to have a drink with you.”
Shin Yoon muttered as he supported his tilting upper body.
“See you soon.”