By Zephyria “I’m just embarrassed that there’s not much to offer.”
Ryu Seong-hee, the mistress of the Gi Clan, gave a short humble remark. It was literally humility.
Kim Yeong stared blankly at the sumptuous meal prepared in front of him.
Starting with the aperitif he received as soon as he sat down, black sesame porridge to make his stomach comfortable, chewy and soft tangpyeongchae, savory croaker pancake, well-boiled baeksuk, and the indispensable braised short ribs and japchae. There was even sinseollo, which was said to take a lot of work. To exaggerate a little more, there was nothing missing. But even so, Ryu Seong-hee kept adding words like she was ashamed that she couldn’t pay attention to it. It was a very grateful treat, but on the other hand, it was a very burdensome welcome greeting. They were in the position of guests who suddenly became dependent on them, so the very fact that they were receiving such a grand table setting was embarrassing. He wouldn’t have felt so sorry if they had just given him rice with water and kimchi.
“Wow……”
Instead of the adults who couldn’t even open their mouths because of the awkwardness, honest reactions poured out from the children. The children drooled like people who hadn’t eaten for days. Is it really okay to eat it all? Ryu Seong-hee smiled kindly at the sight of them asking excitedly and gestured for them to eat. As soon as the elegant permission was given, everyone picked up their chopsticks.
“Thank you for the meal!”
“Hyungnim, I’ll enjoy the meal!”
“Oppa! Thank you!”
The greetings naturally went to Ki Jae-eon. Kim Ju-won, who was sitting next to him, also casually slapped his thigh, saying, “Hey, I’ll enjoy the meal.” The large hand conveyed warm warmth and disappeared smoothly. A tingling sensation remained on his thigh, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Ki Jae-eon nodded awkwardly. He received thanks even though he didn’t prepare it. Something felt strange. ‘Close people’ gathered at the main house and said in a group greeting, ‘Jae-eon, I’ll enjoy the meal-’……
‘It’s like the birthday party the manager hyung was talking about.’
Yes, that.
It was like a birthday party that young children had.
He had never experienced it before, but he thought it would feel something like this.
A little noisy and very fun.
Ki Jae-eon looked around once and quietly lowered his head. For some reason, the area around his cheekbones became hot at the fact that he had such childish imaginations. But he didn’t hate it. Even though it was a similar experience, it was fun. Ki Jae-eon glanced at the children who were laughing while picking up this and that. Seeing them happy made him feel excited too. It seemed like his shoulders were slightly shrugging.
“Wow- it’s really delicious.”
“I want to eat the leg!”
“Can I have another bowl of rice?”
At the children’s continuous praise, his left hand, which wasn’t holding a spoon, kept twitching. So, Ki Jae-eon, unlike himself, even said to the children, “E, eat a lot,” showing off.
It was during that time.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
A servant who came in the middle placed a single-serving earthenware pot in front of Ki Jae-eon only. Red stew boiling with a bubbling sound. The white lump in the middle was probably soft tofu. Why this? There was already more than enough to eat. The voice of his mother suddenly came to Ki Jae-eon’s mind as he blinked his eyes.
-[“Soft tofu? Okay, Mom will make it for you when you come home.”]
His gaze naturally turned to that side. Mother? Whether it was a coincidence or not, the two people’s eyes met exactly. But Ryu Seong-hee pretended not to know and lowered her gaze. Her gestures, which had lost their elegance, were creaky and awkward. Ki Jae-eon also couldn’t ask properly and hesitated, only moving his lips. The only common thing was that both of their earlobes were reddish. Really, neither of them was honest.
In the end, the eldest son stepped in.
“Mother made that herself. Only that.”
Ki Jae-ha, who added a short additional explanation, chuckled, saying that she was depressed because she couldn’t guarantee the taste because she made it in a hurry after hanging up the phone.
“I didn’t know my brother liked soft tofu stew. I’ll take you to a really good place later, hyung. Let’s hang out. There in Sokcho… Ah.”
Ki Jae-ha smiled brightly, then quietly shut his mouth. A look of “oops” flashed across his face. Soon after, he offered a sudden apology, “Sorry.”
“Now that I think about it, asking you to come along now… it probably wouldn’t be great for you.”
Ki Jae-ha meaninglessly fiddled with his water glass. His expression was quite serious, like someone who had been unexpectedly hit. He must have realized something from his previous statement. It was likely close to self-reproach, like, ‘Why didn’t I ever think to take Jae-eon out to play?’
In a way, it was obvious.
He knew which regional foods were delicious, which restaurants were famous. But his only brother was carrying the family’s expectations alone, working himself sick… Aside from feeling ashamed as a brother, his heart must be tearing apart in real time.
Ki Jae-ha put down his spoon and sighed, as if he had completely lost his appetite. His hardened expression didn’t soften at all.
‘That’s right. All the freedom I’ve enjoyed was thanks to…’
Ki Jae-eon, the breakwater.
Once, I thought of my brother as my own amulet to escape this damn oppression.
‘But I acted like I was so great…’
Ki Jae-ha’s expression darkened.
“……”
Ki Jae-eon, who had been quietly watching Ki Jae-ha, slowly turned his head and carefully ate some soft tofu stew.
“Mmm.”
His mother’s soft tofu stew had less sweetness than Aunt’s, making it lighter, and it wasn’t very spicy compared to the red broth. Overall, it had a non-stimulating, bland taste.
Plus, it tasted like affection.
“…Yeah, it’s good.”
Ki Jae-eon said, picking up the rice bowl in front of him and mixing it with the stew. He didn’t touch any of the other side dishes at all. He only diligently ate the soft tofu stew. Of course, he chewed slower than the other children and didn’t show much enthusiasm, but he steadily kept eating.
Ryu Seong-hee and Ki Jae-ha were surprised by his unexpectedly active behavior and widened their eyes. They stared blankly at Ki Jae-eon, having already forgotten their guilt. Then, they exchanged glances. Did you see that, Mother? Yeah, did you see it too?
‘He’s eating so well?’
‘Jae-eon is eating a whole bowl…’
He’s not even gagging, and he’s eating so well.
One spoonful, then another.
They even felt a strange sense of fullness watching him eat so well. Yes, it was definitely heartwarming. Isn’t it funny? Just him eating a meal well is so amazing!
They wanted to pick up side dishes and put them on his bowl, telling him to try them, but their ingrained manners barely suppressed their intense emotions. However, they couldn’t help the corners of their lips from slightly turning up.
The satisfying meal eventually came to an end.
“I… I can’t eat anymore. Burp!”
The children patted their full stomachs.
They all looked like little pigs from eating so much.
But the feeding wasn’t over yet.
After clearing the table, the dessert table came in next. A relentless food torture that continued without any time to rest. However, the growing children weren’t easy opponents either.
“Wow… even dessert.”
“So pretty!”
The children were excited to see the desserts that pleased their eyes and mouths, such as plum tea, yakgwa, sweet jelly, jeolpyeon, and fruit, and they pounced on them. They ate voraciously, as if they had never been full. Ki Jae-ha, who had been quietly watching, cautiously asked, “Have they been starving?”
Another round of enjoyable munching time continued.
“……Ahem!”
Jo Eun-ha, who had been waiting for the right moment, closed her eyes tightly and mustered her courage, “Um, Teacher Ryu!” Her raised hand was trembling.
“H-H-H-Honestly…! Could I get your autograph?! On my clothes!”
She even cracked her voice.
“Oh, I’m a fan too.”
“Teacher, me too!”
The other children raised their hands all at once, as if they had been waiting for this moment. Their eyes were sparkling. It was understandable, since [Fortune Teller Ryu Seong-hee] was a huge star in this industry. In fact, just having eaten at the same table was enough to go around saying, ‘I ate with Ryu Seong-hee,’ for at least two hours.
But Ki Jae-eon couldn’t help but feel self-conscious about the children’s expectations. He glanced at his mother with a subdued expression. That’s because he knew his mother hated these kinds of requests. He knew that she had even refused requests from long-time customers – my daughter is a fan, my father likes you so much, etc. – for autographs or photos.
‘She’ll probably say no, right?’
Ki Jae-eon already anticipated the refusal that would come from his mother’s mouth. It wasn’t that he was disappointed. The choice of whether or not to extend a favor was solely his mother’s right, so he had no intention of presumptuously adding his own opinion.
He just felt sorry for the children who would be disappointed.
“Of course. Absolutely.”
…Huh?
“Would you like to take a picture too, if you want?”
Take what?
Ki Jae-eon blinked like a fool. He looked like he doubted whether the sound had really come from his mother’s mouth. Ryu Seong-hee, on the other hand, was busy holding up a hand mirror and fixing her disheveled appearance.
“Wow!”
“Thank you!”
The children flocked to Ryu Seong-hee. Teacher, it’s an honor! Ryu Seong-hee quietly smiled at the noisy cheers. It’s nothing. She fixed her gaze on the camera and said in a gentle voice.
“I hope you all get along well with our son in the future.”
Although she couldn’t hand out hamburgers to help her son make friends during his childhood… she was glad that she could help her grown-up son with his relationships. Yes, what wouldn’t she do for Jae-eon’s ‘first friends’?