Cherry Cake Chapter 6.1

“Bokshil.”

Seo Soohyun called out to Bokshil, who was running far away, and hurried after him. Despite his urgency, his running felt strangely slow. Ever since upper elementary school, he’d been able to catch Bokshil no matter how fast he ran, but now it felt like he was back to the age when they first met.

“Bokshil…ah!”

He tripped and fell with a loud thud. He brushed off the small pebbles embedded in his hand and examined his knee. His fair skin was scraped and bleeding. Seo Soohyun finally collapsed and burst into tears. He didn’t know if it was the sight of blood or the hurt of Bokshil ignoring him and running away that made him cry.

“Woof!”

He was crying like a child when he heard Bokshil’s loud bark somewhere nearby. Seo Soohyun sniffled and looked down. He had seen Bokshil disappear into the distance, but now, he was right there, wagging his tail vigorously. Bokshil squeezed between his legs and lifted his front paws, licking away the tears on Soohyun’s chin.

“Bokshil. Sniff, why did you run off? You should listen to your hyung…”

Soohyun, his face still wet with tears, wrinkled his nose and stroked Bokshil’s head. The small boy’s embrace was just right for the tiny dog.

“I give you the most treats…”

“Woof! Woof!”

Bokshil sounded apologetic, and Seo Soohyun chuckled despite his sniffles. The feel of the soft fur against his palm quickly brightened his mood.

After petting the white fur a few times, a strange thought struck him. Bokshil was much bigger than he remembered, and his hands were much smaller.

“Uh…”

Was this a dream?

With that sudden realization, Bokshil’s body shrunk, coinciding with his hands growing larger.

“Woof!”

Instead of barking “Bark!” like he had in recent years, Bokshil barked “Woof!” This confirmed Soohyun’s suspicion that he was dreaming. He looked down at the puppy, full of energy like he was years ago, and carefully scooped him up in his arms. He buried his face in Bokshil’s warm fur, feeling a sense of comfort.

“Bokshil, hyung is okay.”

He didn’t want to show his crying face, but thankfully, since it was a dream, no tears came.

“So…don’t worry about hyung and go to Grandma and Mom first, okay?”

“Woof!”

“Eat well and live bravely.”

He didn’t want to grieve for too long. Emotions were called emotions because they couldn’t be controlled, but he wanted to mourn a little and then get on with his life. That way, his mom, grandma, and Bokshil would be at peace.

It would be enough to live his usual day-to-day life and occasionally reminisce about the happy memories with his loved ones.

“Don’t worry, you’ll meet good people like Grandma and people who will love me.”

“Woof!”

Soohyun slowly loosened his arms. Jet-black eyes stared up at him.

“Bokshil, hyung loves you so, so much.”

He wanted to tell him he loved him one more time.

“Goodbye.”

His last words were a farewell.

“Sniff…”

Seo Soohyun woke up with a sob-filled sigh. He wasn’t stuck in the remnants of his dream. As soon as he opened his eyes, he met the gaze of a man staring down at him. The man wore an expression of curious observation.

“You cry even in your sleep.”

“I didn’t cry…”

Soohyun sat up and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, muttering. They felt slightly damp, and his voice trailed off.

“You didn’t cry?”

The man, Gi Taeyeon, teased, reaching out and cupping Soohyun’s cheeks in his hands. Soohyun simply stared blankly at him, his lips puckered like a goldfish from the slight pressure. He showed no sign of wariness.

“Your face is all puffy like a steamed bun. How can you say that?”

“It’s not puffy from crying in my sleep. It’s from crying earlier. It was like this when I showered. And I really didn’t cry… Bokshil was in my dream, and I didn’t want him to see me cry, so I held back. My eyelashes are wet because of physiological tears after waking up, not because I was crying.”

He chattered on, his lips still pursed.

“Maybe you just overslept?”

Gi Taeyeon finally released his cheeks, smirking. At the mention of oversleeping, Soohyun looked around. He seemed to have fallen asleep waiting for the man to get ready for work, but now he was in the bedroom, not on the sofa. He barely had time to register the spacious room and bed before his gaze shifted to the window.

Sunlight streamed in. His body, sensitive to the passage of time, told him it was morning sunlight.

“Uh… how long did I sleep?”

“You stole my bed all night.”

“A whole day passed?”

Seo Soohyun’s eyes widened involuntarily. He had suspected it, but he hadn’t realized he’d slept for so long. No matter what, he should have slept at home. It was his mistake. The grandmothers might worry if they saw the unopened store.

“You must have been deeply asleep. No wonder you didn’t budge even when I carried you.”

So, the Director carried him. The realization that he had shamelessly occupied his host’s bed hit him belatedly. No matter how heartbroken he was, there was no reason for the man to offer him not only his home but also his bed.

“Thank you. But it would have been fine if I slept on the sofa.”

“You said you didn’t want to sleep alone.”

“Did I say that?”

As if expecting this reaction, the man simply jerked his chin towards the door.

“Come out. Let’s eat.”

“Director, did I really tell you I didn’t want to sleep alone?”

Soohyun immediately climbed out of bed and followed Gi Taeyeon, asking again. He wasn’t ashamed of having said such a thing, but he felt embarrassed for acting childishly.

“What do I gain by lying to a kid?”

“That’s true, but I really don’t remember. So, did you sleep with me last night?”

“Yes. I was quite inconvenienced by someone constantly kneading me like dough in their sleep.”

He thought he was petting Bokshil, but maybe he was touching the man.

Soohyun, who was about to apologize, closed his mouth. Technically, the man had been more physically forward with him than he had been with the man. Yet, far from apologizing, the man didn’t even seem to remember the incident.

‘Even if you don’t remember, why should I be the only one to apologize when you haven’t?’

He knew it was a childish way to react, but he felt a bit sulky at Gi Taeyeon’s remark about being kneaded like dough, which made him feel guilty. If the man had simply told him they slept together, he would have apologized or thanked him for staying by his side.

“Do you want porridge or rice?”

Gi Taeyeon asked in a calm tone, seemingly not expecting an apology. Seo Soohyun answered without hesitation.

“I want rice.”

He was hungry because he hadn’t eaten dinner.

Since he had fallen asleep after having breakfast and lunch, the last thing he ate was porridge. As the saying goes, people live on rice, so no matter how sad he was, he had to eat well. Porridge was good, but it couldn’t compare to rice.

Just as he had promised Bokshil that he would eat well and live bravely, he intended to eat diligently and live diligently starting today.

“Our Soohyun will never starve anywhere, will he?”

Gi Taeyeon chuckled, amused by Soohyun’s immediate answer, and pushed a lunchbox forward. Seo Soohyun, sitting across from him, opened the luxurious three-tiered lunchbox and chattered.

“It would be lazy to starve to death at my age. It’s not like I’m physically disabled or have a family to support. No matter how broke I am, I won’t starve if I work. There are plenty of manual labor jobs I can do without any skills…”

“Manual labor?”

“I’m stronger than I look. Why are you laughing?”

Of course, he couldn’t compare to the man, but he had built up his strength from farming. Moreover, he was good at carrying heavy things, so he was just stating a fact, but he felt a little offended when Gi Taeyeon laughed as if it was funny.

“Don’t say such strange things and just eat.”

Gi Taeyeon dismissed Soohyun’s slightly sullen retort and nudged the lunchbox. He didn’t seem to believe the part about being strong.

“I’ll eat after I see you eat, Director.”

“Oh, really now?”

He looked at Seo Soohyun, who had become cheerful again as if he had never cried, and then took a spoonful of rice. Soohyun separated the three-tiered lunchbox and neatly arranged it before he started eating. It was his first time seeing such a lavish lunchbox, so his eyes naturally scanned the inside of the compartments.

The middle tier contained rice and what appeared to be the main dish, bulgogi. The other two tiers were filled with various side dishes. The colorful side dishes were numerous and appetizing.

He took a bite of rice and then some bulgogi with plenty of enoki mushrooms. The sweet and savory flavor of the sauce spread in his mouth.

Delicious. Seo Soohyun placed some bulgogi on top of the white rice and stuffed his mouth, chewing diligently. His throat still hurt from the swelling, but he had to eat a lot to regain his strength.

Gi Taeyeon, who was watching him eat, tapped a round container with his chopsticks. Seo Soohyun then turned his gaze to another container placed next to the lunchbox.

“What is it?”

“Soup.”

“Soup comes with a lunchbox? That’s amazing. Thank you.”

Seo Soohyun opened the round lid. Inside was egg drop soup with chopped green onions. The soup, as if freshly made, was as warm as the rice and side dishes.

“How much does a lunchbox like this cost?”

He figured it must be quite expensive.

“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.”

“Maybe thirty thousand won?”

Thirty thousand won? Soohyun chewed on a well-ripened piece of radish kimchi and looked at the contents of the lunchbox again. Considering the variety and quantity, thirty thousand won seemed too cheap. Besides, Seoul was known for its high prices, so it was probably double that.

“I think it’s more expensive than that…”

“Want me to look into it?”

“Why don’t you know, Director? Aren’t you the one buying it?”

“When do I ever deal with such trivial matters?”

Soohyun’s jaw dropped. Eating was a trivial matter? It was a statement he couldn’t comprehend.

Seo Soohyun considered eating very important. That was why he cooked for himself. Since he was born an animal, not a plant, he had to consume nutrients to sustain his life. So, nothing was more important than eating good food in moderation.

Wasn’t earning money ultimately for the sake of making a living? He could manage without a house, but he couldn’t live without food and water. That’s probably why there were thieves who stole food instead of money.

On the other hand, he wondered if eating wasn’t important to the man because he had so much money. If he wanted to, he could eat expensive, high-quality food as much as he liked, so maybe he wasn’t interested.

Anyway, thirty thousand won for this lunchbox? He seemed surprisingly unaware of the world… What if he got scammed by someone?

His mouth itched to nag, but Seo Soohyun picked up some seasoned spinach and swallowed it down.

‘It’s delicious, but…’

It wasn’t home-cooked food, so he felt like he would get tired of it if he kept eating it.

“By the way, I’ll be leaving after I eat. Thank you for yesterday and for letting me stay.”

“What are you going to do at home?”

“I have to take care of the store…”

He didn’t have any concrete plans yet, but he could always find something to do.

Besides, spring had already arrived. Even if he started working the land in the summer, there were more than a few spring crops he could grow in the field.

“The store is one thing. What are you going to do if you can’t resolve the land issue? Are you really going to live with that bastard?”

“That bastard?”

“That young punk.”

Soohyun was thinking that calling someone a bastard in front of his grandmother was rude, but he only remembered Lee Chanseo’s existence after hearing the words “young punk.” It seemed the man had overheard their conversation that day.

He had been about to give Gi Taeyeon a vague answer like he had given Lee Chanseo, but he decided to be honest. He figured it was best to tell the truth since he had decided to accept the man’s help.

“I’m not going to live with Chanseo-hyung. It would be awkward, no matter how long we’ve known each other. And I can’t impose on Grandma in Seoul either. What if my legal guardian shows up and harms Grandma…?”

He was worried about his grandmother being alone. He and Kang Yiseon were young men, so they could somehow manage, but he was concerned about his grandmother’s safety.

“I’m going to think about it for now.”

Fortunately, it seemed they hadn’t found the nest egg he had carefully hidden in his old room when his grandmother was alive. It was a considerable sum, enough to rent a small place in the countryside. Finding work in the countryside would be a challenge, but since he didn’t have Bokshil anymore, he only needed enough to support himself, so he figured he could manage somehow.

If that didn’t work, he could move to a slightly bigger town, live in a tiny room, and find a job there. A factory that provided room and board didn’t sound too bad either.

“But why are you asking me this all of a sudden?”

The man, drinking water, narrowed his eyes and slowly began to speak.

“Fuzz-face.”

Seo Soohyun looked at him while diligently eating.

“Want to work for me?”

The man made an unexpected offer. Soohyun swallowed the food in his mouth and immediately replied.

“I’m not confident about hitting people…”

He thought that if he worked for the man, it would involve something like gang-related activities, and he wasn’t confident in hitting people, despite his strength. Seo Soohyun was the type to fight back even if it meant getting hit ten times for every one he landed if a bad person tried to harm him, but he wasn’t bad enough to hurt innocent people.

Gi Taeyeon furrowed his brow slightly, then seemed to understand what Soohyun meant, and laughed.

“Oh, you’re not confident about cracking people’s skulls?”

“That was a justifiable situation.”

“What idiot would assign an Omega to that kind of job?”

“You asked if I wanted to work for you, Director. Or are you talking about debt collection or something? I’m not good at math.”

“Something else.”

“Then what?”

Gi Taeyeon picked up his chopsticks and lightly tapped the lunchbox. Soohyun instantly understood and widened his eyes.

“Cook for you?”

“I’m tired of eating catered food.”

He had been thinking the same thing.

Seo Soohyun thought for a moment. Cooking wasn’t difficult. He already cooked three meals a day for himself, so making Gi Taeyeon’s portion as well would be even easier. He was more used to cooking for two than for one.

But he had to clarify some points.

“Will you write a contract?”

“What, do you want it notarized by a lawyer?”

Gi Taeyeon scoffed as if it was ridiculous when Soohyun seriously mentioned a contract. Since it sounded like he would write one anyway, Seo Soohyun added a condition.

“And when we write the contract…”

“When we write it, what?”

“I’ll be the ‘A’ party.”

Gi Taeyeon burst out laughing at the unexpected words, then nodded in agreement.

“Sure, go ahead.”

Why is he laughing like that? Seo Soohyun wondered, but focused on eating. He planned to discuss the contract details after finishing his meal.

One of his grandmother’s constant reminders was not to talk about important things while eating. The reason being that a full stomach made people generous.

“Any other demands?”

“I’ll think about it while I eat.”

“Alright.”

Actually, Seo Soohyun had no experience writing contracts. He hadn’t worked part-time jobs, and it was unlikely for someone his age to have any reason to sign a contract. Despite that, he had mentioned being the ‘A’ party because he remembered his grandmother in Seoul saying that being ‘A’ was most important when writing contracts. She had added that it could actually mean being the ‘B’ party, but he had to keep in mind what the elders emphasized as important.

‘If I hadn’t been robbed, I would have written a different contract with the Director.’

Seo Soohyun picked at a piece of broiled mackerel, lost in thought.

He had been meaning to ask the man about Seo Jeonggyun, but he thought it would be better to bring it up after finishing his meal.

I need to eat well. Soohyun diligently moved his jaw. He planned to use the energy he conserved by eating someone else’s breakfast for the first time in a long time to write the contract.

“What’s this?”

“Baby food.”

Soohyun, having finished eating, brushing his teeth, and washing his face thoroughly, walked over to the tub of ice cream placed on the living room table.

It wasn’t good to eat snacks right after a meal. He thought so, but he kept glancing between the tempting ice cream and the mug in front of Gi Taeyeon. The man seemed to be drinking coffee.

‘The Director is also having it after his meal, so it should be okay for me too, right?’

Wait. He wasn’t trying to fill him up with ice cream to make him more agreeable, was he? Suddenly, he became suspicious of the snack prepared for him, but it would be fine as long as he kept his wits about him. Besides, since his throat was swollen, eating something cold wouldn’t hurt.

After a brief rationalization, Seo Soohyun checked that the urn he had carefully placed was still in its place, then brought the ice cream tub to his lap. A snack right after a meal? It was something unimaginable if his grandmother were still alive.

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Just enough not to get a stomachache.”

“I’m strong, so I don’t get stomachaches. By the way, Director, I have something to ask before we write the contract.”

He took a scoop of ice cream and put it in his mouth. The sweet taste spread through his mouth. It made it easier to think about the unpleasant person.

“Have you found my legal guardian yet?”

“If I had, I would have brought him before you, Fuzz-face.”

Gi Taeyeon replied casually, wiggling his crossed feet. Seo Soohyun nodded with a plastic spoon between his lips. It made sense. The man wouldn’t hide such a thing from him. There was no reason to.

However, he was a bit disappointed. He thought gangsters could easily find people, but maybe that was just in the movies.

“So, let’s talk about the contract now. What should I do for you?”

“Two meals a day.”

“Breakfast and dinner?”

Since most office workers ate lunch out, he assumed the man meant breakfast and dinner.

It wasn’t a difficult task. Making side dishes or soup was usually done in the morning or evening. He sometimes cooked new dishes for lunch if he was free in the morning, but he usually finished cooking in the morning or prepared side dishes the night before.

“I don’t mind, but will you send someone?”

“Someone?”

“Someone brought the lunchbox you had this morning, right?”

It seemed a bit inefficient. There must be countless lunchbox delivery services in Seoul, but why would they bother going all the way to his neighborhood?

‘You did say it was delicious…’

Seo Soohyun knew his cooking was delicious, but he questioned whether it was worth traveling for hours to eat. No matter how good a meal was, it would lose its flavor when it cooled down. Above all, it was too much trouble.

“What are you talking about? You’ll work here.”

“At your house, Director?”

Seo Soohyun’s eyes widened at the completely unexpected words. He had thought the man would send someone to pick up the food, but he hadn’t imagined working at the man’s house.

“Would I have you commute every time?”

“I thought it was inefficient, but I didn’t realize you were suggesting this.”

“I’ll pay you one hundred thousand won a day.”

Gi Taeyeon said casually while drinking his coffee. One hundred thousand won a day? Seo Soohyun blinked again. That was three million won a month.

“You don’t have to do anything else. I have people for cleaning and such. Just cook breakfast and dinner. I’ll give you a card, so buy whatever you need.”

He couldn’t answer readily at the following words. The offer to work at the man’s house was one thing, but three million won a month was too much. Moreover, he was a fast worker. Even if he made dishes that took a long time, he wouldn’t work more than three hours a day.

‘He spent money freely last time too.’

He should have known from the time the man handed him a check for a night’s stay, but the man’s spending habits were excessive. His mouth itched to nag again, so Seo Soohyun tightly closed his lips.

“Is it not enough? It’s not a bad offer. Your housing will be taken care of too.”

“It’s not that it’s not enough… but why are you doing so much for me?”

The offer was too burdensome to accept readily.

Suddenly moving in was one thing, but the compensation was excessive. Seo Soohyun clearly remembered the elders’ advice to be wary of rewards that didn’t match one’s contribution.

“Maybe it’s because I’m getting old…”

Gi Taeyeon slightly furrowed his brow and rubbed his cheek.

“I’m tired of eating alone. It’s nice to eat with someone.”

Seo Soohyun unconsciously tightened his grip on the spoon. He wasn’t as old as the man, but he seemed to understand what he meant.

“Are you lonely?”

He cautiously observed the man as he spoke those pointed words. The man’s gaze, wandering as if searching for something in the air, made him look truly lonely.

Soohyun knew that eating alone was more depressing than he had realized. It was a feeling he had only understood after his grandmother passed away. He had been less lonely thanks to Bokshil, but now Bokshil was gone too. It meant he had no one to talk to, no one to share snacks with.

“How long do you want the contract to be?”

“Until we find Seo Jeonggyun. You can quit after that if you want. It’s not a losing deal for you, Fuzz-face.”

Far from a loss, it was an incredibly good offer. He wouldn’t have to worry about making a living for a while.

Even if he never found Seo Jeonggyun and lost all his money, he wasn’t going to be so discouraged that he would live the rest of his life in despair. However, having his livelihood resolved in this way was certainly a positive outcome.

‘It’s good for saving money too…’

Three million a month meant he could save 3.6 million in a year. If he worked hard, he could even buy a small house in the countryside. If the man brought Seo Jeonggyun before that, he would receive the land payment, so it was a win-win situation.

Seo Soohyun pondered while eating strawberry ice cream. He knew it was a great opportunity, as it solved both his immediate living expenses and provided a chance to save money. But he was worried about the store. The elderly would be inconvenienced if the only store in the village closed.

“What’s bothering you?”

“I’m a little hesitant to close the store. Even if construction starts in the summer, there are still a few months left. The elderly will be inconvenienced if I’m not there. They have to drive to the big supermarket, so they rely on our store for small things.”

He didn’t mind living in bustling Seoul. It was an unavoidable situation, and since Seoul was also a place where people lived, he would eventually get used to it. He could move back to the countryside after saving up some money. However, he kept thinking about the store.

“You can just keep it open. Or have someone you know look after it.”

Seo Soohyun visualized the scenarios Gi Taeyeon suggested. Both were viable options. He had only kept the store open while working in the fields or going out because there was no one to steal anything, so running it unmanned wasn’t a bad idea. Or, he could entrust it to the grandmothers who needed something to do.

‘I already told the suppliers I won’t be ordering any more goods, so there’s nothing complicated… If I run it unmanned, I’ll save the earnings, and if I entrust it to Grandma, I’ll give it all to her.’

Even though he lived in the countryside, he wasn’t completely naive about the world. He had to accept Gi Taeyeon’s offer first.

“Then I’ll do that.”

“Shall we write the contract?”

“Yes. Please put my name as ‘A’.”

“This is the first time I’ve ever put an employee’s name as ‘A’ in a contract.”

The man said incredulously, but chuckled and stood up. Seo Soohyun glanced at him as he made a phone call, then scooped another large spoonful of ice cream. The ice cream, melted to the right consistency while they talked, was easy to scoop without any effort.

As he ate the ice cream, the urn he had carefully placed on the table came into view.

Bokshil, hyung will live bravely.

Seo Soohyun repeated the words he had whispered in his dream. Fortunately, he had found a job quickly, so it felt like he had taken a step forward.

‘And I’m glad it’s something I enjoy doing.’

It might be a little tricky if the man was a picky eater, but since he had never seen Gi Taeyeon refuse anything, he thought it would be okay to make whatever he wanted to eat each day. It wouldn’t be bad to learn new dishes if the man requested something he didn’t know how to make.

‘So, the Director feels lonely too.’

It was unexpected.

Soohyun understood loneliness well.

Loneliness was an emotion that seeped in without one realizing it, soaking the heart completely. By the time one realized its name, they were already drenched in its dampness, with nothing left to do.

And to feel loneliness, one needed time to ponder ambiguous feelings alone. It was truly surprising that the man had such time.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Gi Taeyeon, having finished his call, put down his phone and raised an eyebrow. Seo Soohyun shook his head.

“It’s nothing.”

Considering how freely he spent money and his seemingly easygoing personality, he might really feel lonely.

“Who were you talking to?”

“My lawyer.”

“Your lawyer?”

“You wanted it notarized, didn’t you?”

Seo Soohyun accepted the contract from the lawyer.

It was a strange contract with his name, Seo Soohyun, as ‘A’ and Gi Taeyeon’s name as ‘B’.

🍑

Soohyun carefully tasted the soup.

“Delicious.”

It was soybean paste stew, a dish usually eaten during winter, so he figured it wouldn’t be suitable for the season once early spring passed. Since he preferred it with napa cabbage rather than pork, he had added plenty of cabbage instead of meat. The stew, perfectly seasoned, was just right for his taste.

“What is it?”

The man, who had walked out late, rested his chin on his hand and asked. Seo Soohyun recited the menu without surprise.

“Soybean paste stew with napa cabbage. Want some?”

“I eat everything.”

Gi Taeyeon, gazing at the bubbling stew, headed for the dining table. Seo Soohyun turned off the induction cooktop and ladled the stew into bowls, carrying them to the table. Neatly arranged on the table were side dishes he had prepared earlier and golden-brown grilled tilefish. They were dishes that paired well with the multi-grain rice mixed with plenty of beans.

“Let’s eat.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

Even though he was the one who cooked, Soohyun said, “Let’s eat,” and when Gi Taeyeon cheekily replied, “Enjoy your meal,” Soohyun simply responded with a customary, “Yes,” and warmed his stomach with the stew. He had tasted it earlier, but it was still delicious.

“Does it suit your taste with the napa cabbage?”

“Delicious.”

“That’s good. It’s usually made with pork, but I don’t really like meat in tofu dishes, so I cook it with napa cabbage. It’s cleaner that way.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It’s a matter of preference, but it’s much cleaner without the meat. And since we have fish, I purposely didn’t add meat. I thought a lighter soup would be better to appreciate the tilefish’s flavor.”

“Eat. You said you were curious.”

“I’ll eat after you do, Director.”

He had said he was curious about tilefish, so the man’s subordinate had brought some.

He stared intently at the chopsticks heading for the fish, waiting for the elder to take the first bite. A perfectly flaked piece of fish landed not in Gi Taeyeon’s bowl but in Soohyun’s.

“Uh…”

“Just eat. Don’t be so self-conscious. People would think I’m making you nervous.”

“I wasn’t being self-conscious…”

He had simply waited for Gi Taeyeon to eat first because he was older.

Seo Soohyun glanced at the man, who looked drowsy from just waking up, and put the white fish in his mouth. The tilefish, his first time grilling it, was soft, moist, and absolutely delicious. He felt like he could eat three bowls of rice with just one fish.

“It’s really delicious.”

“Should I tell them to stock the fridge with it?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

He was happy at the thought of being able to eat the precious fish again.

Far from being self-conscious around Gi Taeyeon, Seo Soohyun was doing quite well. It had only been a week since he started living at the man’s house, but he had adjusted to a lot of things.

One of them was the bed. The man had given him a room bigger than the master bedroom in his country house, and it had an equally large bed. He was used to sleeping on a floor mat, so on the first day, the bed was so soft that he couldn’t sleep and ended up on the living room sofa. But after about three days, he got used to the bed. Now, he wondered if his back would ache if he slept on the floor.

Another thing he had adapted to was Gi Taeyeon’s lifestyle. It wasn’t difficult for Seo Soohyun, who was used to waking up early. Meal times had become more flexible since the man wanted to eat with him, but that was fine. He actually liked being able to eat with someone instead of alone.

‘Maybe it’s okay since I haven’t been going out much.’

Contrary to his worries about having difficulty adjusting to the crowds of Seoul, he hadn’t been outside the building much. The man’s subordinates brought him any ingredients he wanted, and he didn’t feel like going out and doing anything, so he stayed home.

He felt restless without his garden to tend, but he was busy with his own personal tasks, so he hadn’t had time to go out.

These tasks weren’t assigned by Gi Taeyeon. They were Seo Soohyun’s own errands.

— You’re going to live with that shady guy?

‘Yes, it’s work, so don’t worry.’

He had called all the grandmothers in turn and finally called his grandmother in Seoul. It was right after the youngest grandmother kindly offered to look after the store.

— Don’t be ridiculous! Come down here right now! I told you to live with me.

‘No, Grandma, it’s okay. Thank you for the offer, but I don’t have much money, and I can’t impose on you. Yiseon-hyung helps you with work, but I don’t have those skills.’

— What kind of work is that guy making you do?

‘We eat together. He said he was tired of lunchboxes.’

— He took a young kid like you to cook for him?

Soohyun had to hold the phone away from his ear because his grandmother in Seoul raised her voice.

Eating is a very important job… He found it difficult to understand why she was angry, but considering Gi Taeyeon’s appearance, he thought it was understandable for her to have preconceived notions.

‘And I’m worried that that man, oh no, my dad, might show up later. He’s an Alpha and a man, so he must be strong.’

— You said that bastard was going to find him. Hasn’t he found him yet?

‘I don’t think so. Maybe he’s hiding somewhere.’

— …I’ll look into it too.

He felt sorry, knowing she was already busy looking for suitable neighborhoods for the others.

‘It’s okay, Grandma.’

— It’s not okay. Tsk tsk. So, you’re at his house now? The store was closed.

‘Yes.’

— What about Bokshil?

He was momentarily speechless. Seo Soohyun bit his lip and managed to speak.

‘Bokshil… crossed the rainbow bridge. That’s why I came to Seoul with the Director. It felt wrong to bury him in the field, so I cremated him like Grandma and Mom.’

His grandmother in Seoul was silent for a moment. Her belated reply came with a heavy sigh.

— Alright, I understand. Call me immediately if anything happens or if that guy tries anything funny. I’ll send a car. Got it?

‘Yes. Don’t worry. I’m really doing well.’

Contrary to the elders’ worries, Seo Soohyun was genuinely having good days. The work the man asked him to do was so easy it was embarrassing to call it work, and the mere fact of having someone to eat with filled a void and chased away his loneliness.

“What are you going to do today?”

He also enjoyed the small, everyday conversations.

“I’m going out for a bit.”

“Where?”

“I’m going to look for a supermarket or something nearby. I feel bad asking the uncles to buy things for me every day.”

Seo Soohyun had been wondering what to call the people Gi Taeyeon employed and started calling them “uncles.” Gi Taeyeon scoffed when he heard Soohyun referring to the bulky Alphas as uncles, but he didn’t tell him not to.

“Want me to send someone with you?”

“It’s okay. I’m not a child.”

“Keep your phone with you.”

“Yes.”

Seo Soohyun recalled the new phone he had received from the man as an employee benefit. They said it was easy to transfer photos and contacts from old phones to new ones, and this phone contained all the photos he had taken of Bokshil.

‘I should visit home once.’

He needed to organize things, and while he was there, he would also bring things like photo albums. He wasn’t planning to move completely since they might find Seo Jeonggyun before the construction started, but he still had a lot to take care of since he would be away for a long time.

He couldn’t completely shut off the electricity and water because of the store, but he had to unplug unused outlets, empty the refrigerator, and take care of other small things. He had to prepare in advance, especially since his old house was old and needed extra care.

‘I’ll empty the refrigerator first… throw away what needs to be thrown away, and I can bring the dried side dishes as they are. Oh, but what about the earthenware jars?’

The side dishes in the kimchi refrigerator were fine, but he couldn’t move the entire set of jars.

I’ll check how much is left in the jars when I get there and decide then. Soohyun decided not to worry prematurely. Since the man was busy, it would be a few days before he could visit his country home, and he didn’t want to worry unnecessarily.

“What time are you getting off work today?”

“I don’t know yet. Why, are you bored? Want me to entertain you?”

Gi Taeyeon smirked at his question.

“Just asking. Not particularly bored.”

“Come visit the office.”

“Is that okay?”

Soohyun swallowed his spinach and asked back, surprised. Could a civilian like him go to a place crawling with gangsters? …Was he talking about a different office?

Even though he knew the man was a construction company director, perhaps due to the grandmothers’ words, his thoughts kept leaning towards the gangster side rather than the construction company. He was about to ask which office the man meant, but he stopped himself. He figured it was probably the construction company office.

“Why wouldn’t it be okay?”

“What if you get in trouble, Director?”

“Trouble for what?”

“Isn’t there someone higher up than you?”

Like a chairman or a CEO? He thought it was a natural question, but Gi Taeyeon twisted his lips as if he had heard something funny.

“Does a baby know about such things?”

“It’s common sense.”

“Oh, common sense.”

He belatedly remembered that the man wasn’t involved in common sense matters, but it wasn’t a wrong question.

“Don’t worry about such things.”

Gi Taeyeon continued, a smile playing on his lips.

“Come if you want.”

He seemed amused.

“There are so many people in Seoul.”

Seo Soohyun muttered to himself, cheerfully swinging the shopping basket in his hand. It was his first proper outing since arriving in Seoul. It wasn’t even a grand outing. It was more like a trip to buy ingredients for dinner.

He could have bought ingredients at the department store, but since it seemed crowded, he searched on his phone and went to the nearest supermarket. The neighborhood was strangely laid out, or maybe he couldn’t find it, but there were no supermarkets nearby, so he had to take the subway.

At first, he considered calling the man, but he didn’t think Gi Taeyeon would know the supermarkets around the house, so he went on his own.

“But riding the subway is fun.”

He was a bit lost at first, but there were many kind people, so he was able to get on easily. It was similar to a bus, yet different, making it fun to ride.

“But it would be hard to ride it every day.”

Even if it was fun, it seemed difficult to travel by subway every time. The basket was light today, but if he bought things like fruits, it would be heavy to carry.

What should I do? Soohyun suddenly stopped walking.

“Huh?”

Something caught his eye.

🍑

“Ha.”

Gi Taeyeon let out an annoyed sigh and released his grip. The long object that fell with a thud was drenched in blood. He flicked his hand, took the cigarette offered by Seo Jihwan, and casually ran his blood-soaked hand through his hair.

A gruesome scene unfolded in the luxuriously decorated office, something hard to believe had happened in broad daylight, but everyone wore indifferent expressions, as if they were used to it.

“Ah, this ruins my mood after so long.”

Those who had sensed that Gi Taeyeon hadn’t been in a bad mood for the past week remained silently motionless.

The man, smoking in the office, walked towards the table at the faint buzzing sound. He had received a few messages.

[Web notification]

CY card 93 approved

Ki*Yeon

48,520 won

Hana Mart

It was a message from the card company about the card he had given to Seo Soohyun.

He spent a small amount.

He wondered what Soohyun had bought that cost less than fifty thousand won.

The man, checking the messages from the first one as if tracing Soohyun’s movements, furrowed his brow slightly. An unfamiliar store name appeared, one he couldn’t even guess what it sold.

[Web notification]

CY card 93 approved

Ki*Yeon

50,000 won

Coque

What’s this again? As he wondered, another message arrived.

[Web notification]

CY card 93 approved

Ki*Yeon

73,500 won

Chae Yooseon Bakery

“Keuk.”

Gi Taeyeon, finally realizing the identity of the unfamiliar store names, stretched his lips into a grin. He burst out laughing, uncaring that Seo Jihwan and the other Alphas stiffened and held their breath at his amused expression.

Lately, there was no one as entertaining as Seo Soohyun.

🍑

Seo Soohyun placed the shopping basket and the much heavier bags on the spacious dining table, letting out a short sigh. He had bought more than planned, and trying to enter the house in an unfamiliar way had made him break into a sweat.

“I should eat one before I work.”

He reached into the large paper bag he had brought along with the shopping basket and rummaged inside. There were two boxes of the same size inside. He opened one and took out a cookie. The palm-sized cookie was heavy, matching its large size. The macarons seemed to be in the other box.

“It’s big and heavy, but it’s more expensive than I thought.”

Four thousand won for one cookie? He remembered being surprised by the price when he saw the desserts displayed in the store. Seo Soohyun, who had been about to buy just one out of guilt, ended up asking for one of each. He recalled Gi Taeyeon’s words, “Buy as many snacks as you want.” Even though four thousand won for one cookie seemed excessive, he was curious because they were desserts he had never tried before.

Well, the Director has a lot of money.

Despite wanting to nag the man who spent money so freely, he figured this much was okay since he was rich.

Seo Soohyun took a small bite of the cookie, half-pulled out of its plastic wrap. The pretty red cookie tasted as lovely as it looked. He didn’t know how to describe the flavor since it was his first time trying it, but he liked the chewy texture and the subtly sweet taste. The whitish lumps he had seen inside seemed to be cream cheese.

“Delicious.”

Soohyun took a large bite of the cookie and started putting away the groceries. He hadn’t bought much, so there wasn’t much to organize. Besides, since the man had messaged that he would be home soon, he could just place the ingredients on the counter without putting them in the refrigerator.

So, he just had to put away the cookies and macarons he had just bought.

The cookies can be frozen, right? Seo Soohyun put the macaron box in the refrigerator and the cookies in the freezer. The empty freezer had plenty of space, so he didn’t have to struggle to fit the box. He already wanted to try the other cookies, but he planned to savor one a day.

By the way, even bread is so expensive in Seoul.

He had bought quite a bit since he was buying for both himself and the man. That’s why he had the shopping basket and the paper bag with desserts in one hand and a large plastic bag in the other.

The plastic bag with the bread was especially bulky. He had grabbed the chestnut bread, which he liked but rarely saw, as soon as he spotted it, and filled the rest of the bag with other interesting-looking breads he had never seen before. He was most curious about the salt bread.

Salt on bread? He wasn’t very interested in baking, but he had heard that salt was needed to make bread. He hadn’t expected it to be sprinkled on top. He could imagine the taste, yet couldn’t, so his hand reached for it.

“I shouldn’t eat this before dinner.”

He muttered contradictory words while diligently chewing the cookie. Snacking before a meal was something he would have been scolded for by his grandmother.

Even if he ate a lot of snacks, he never picked at his meals, but his grandmother never allowed him to have snacks before dinner. She even set snack times in the morning and afternoon because of this.

Now, there was no one to scold him… But the absence of someone to nag him wasn’t entirely pleasant. He felt a bit gloomy when he felt the void left by his grandmother and mother in moments like this.

But I’ll just eat this one.

Soohyun took milk out of the refrigerator and poured it into a glass. Cookies were much better with milk.

After quickly finishing the cookie, he put the milk back in the refrigerator and started taking out the ingredients he needed for dinner. He felt a sense of satisfaction looking at the refrigerator, which finally looked like it belonged to someone who lived there.

‘Doesn’t the Director eat anything at home?’

His first impression upon opening the refrigerator was, what does this person eat?

‘You ate the lunchbox earlier.’

‘That’s a lunchbox. This is the first time I’ve seen such an empty refrigerator.’

He felt empty seeing the bare interior, having only seen refrigerators packed to the brim, both the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Even though refrigerators in the countryside were usually large, so the size must be similar, the man’s refrigerator seemed much larger because it was empty.

‘What if you suddenly get hungry?’

‘I rarely come home, so that won’t happen.’

‘But you could get hungry while you’re home.’

‘There’s delivery. Or I can have the guys buy something. What’s the problem?’

Do you make them run errands even at dawn? Soohyun was about to ask, but closed his mouth, thinking the man would probably call his “uncles” even at dawn.

‘And if you smoke, you don’t feel hungry.’

‘Director, you’ll die young like that.’

Seo Soohyun advised seriously. He wouldn’t die young just because he didn’t cook and ate out, but considering his frequent smoking and lack of attention to his health, he might really die young. Alphas were much stronger than Betas, but they still needed to take care of their health.

Despite his remark about dying young, Gi Taeyeon just chuckled. He even took out a cigarette and lit it, as if to tease him.

“You’re such a contrary person…”

Seo Soohyun sighed, but took out bean sprouts and tofu from the refrigerator. Even though the man had a peculiar personality, he enjoyed eating with him.

“I should soak the rice first.”

Spring was spring, and the supermarket was full of spring greens. He had put Korean parsley, wild chives, and beef in his basket to make a spring-themed dinner. He planned to make a sauce with the wild chives and stew with the Korean parsley.

“Smells good.”

He liked spring not only for the warm weather but also for the fragrant seasonal greens.

After thoroughly washing the rice and soaking it in water, Soohyun decided to season the beef while the rice soaked, so he poured the beef into a large bowl. Even with the wild chive sauce, the beef needed to be seasoned.

He added soy sauce, minced garlic, and sesame oil to the ground beef, then quickly chopped and added green onions. Then, with clean hands, he kneaded the beef with the various seasonings. The rice needed to soak for at least thirty minutes, so he planned to let the beef marinate and make soup in the meantime.

After washing his sauce-covered hands again, he finished washing and draining the bean sprouts, then took out a pot. It seemed the man didn’t cook at home because the new pot he had bought a few days ago was placed on the induction cooktop.

“Gas stoves have better firepower…”

Comparing the induction cooktop to a gas stove reminded him of the time he struggled to cook in this kitchen for the first time.

Seo Soohyun figured out how to use the induction cooktop on his own without asking Gi Taeyeon — he didn’t think the man would know anyway. He was the type to become more determined rather than angry when things didn’t go his way, so he smiled brightly when he finally mastered it.

Unlike a gas stove, there was no direct flame, which seemed safer, but the subtle lack of heat was disappointing. However, it was a relief that there was no risk of burns. He had never been burned before, but he was always careful, so this eased his worries.

Soohyun chopped radish, tofu, and chili peppers in order, then roughly chopped the cleaned Korean parsley. The distinct spring scent of the Korean parsley made him feel like he was standing in the middle of spring.

“It will be fragrant and delicious with Korean parsley.”

He was slightly worried if the man, who seemed picky, would like the spring greens, but he figured Gi Taeyeon would eat it without complaint.

He put the chopped radish in the pot, added water, and turned on the induction cooktop.

“Oh, right.”

He rummaged through the shopping basket and found a plastic bag hidden at the bottom. Inside were round, flat seasonings shaped like pills.

Soohyun took one out and dropped it into the pot. It was a seasoning he bought at the supermarket that supposedly tasted like anchovy broth.

He sometimes used seasonings like dasida, but he always made his own broth with natural ingredients, so he felt a bit uneasy about this.

“I’ll bring everything from home when I go.”

He had to make do with this today since there wouldn’t be anchovy powder in this house.

Seo Soohyun waited for the water to boil, then added the fermented soybean paste he had bought with the spring greens and gently dissolved it. Soon, a savory smell filled the marble kitchen. He felt a bit awkward since it wasn’t his country house, but he didn’t think the man would mind him making fermented soybean paste stew.

It would be petty to complain about that.

Eating was the most important thing for people, so it would be narrow-minded to dislike it just because it smelled a bit.

‘If you don’t like it, I’ll eat it alone.’

It would be a little lonely, but since he planned to make it delicious, he could enjoy it by himself.

After dissolving the fermented soybean paste, Seo Soohyun added minced garlic and waited for the stew to boil again. When it started bubbling, he added tofu and the pre-chopped green onions, then carefully tasted it. It seemed a bit bland, so he added a little more soy sauce and tasted it again. The seasoning was perfect.

“Now I just need to add the Korean parsley.”

He waited for the stew to boil a bit more, then added the chopped Korean parsley and chili peppers to finish it. He checked the time; it was time to start the rice.

“He said he would be home early today…”

Seo Soohyun drained the soaked rice and estimated the time.

Gi Taeyeon didn’t always come home early. Perhaps because he wasn’t a typical office worker, his下班time varied. He had eaten dinner with the man more often than not, but it wasn’t every day. He felt strange when he ate alone in the large house. It seemed they would be having dinner together today.

Soohyun started by stir-frying the marinated beef. He didn’t think he needed a frying pan, so he stir-fried it in the pot. After checking that it was almost cooked, he added the rice, bean sprouts, and water in order, and turned up the heat. It had been a while since he made pot rice, and since he was using an induction cooktop, he wasn’t sure if he could control the heat properly, but it would be fine as long as he didn’t burn it.

He closed the lid tightly to prevent the bean sprouts from smelling fishy and habitually checked the time. He had to lower the heat in about five minutes.

As he stared at the pot, worried about it burning, he heard the door open. Soohyun debated whether to go to the entrance or stay with the pot, and ultimately decided to stay put. Greeting Gi Taeyeon wasn’t as important as not burning the rice right now.

“What are you doing?”

“Bean sprout rice.”

“What are you doing?”

He thought the man was asking about the menu, but it seemed he wasn’t. Seo Soohyun looked back at Gi Taeyeon and answered with a puzzled expression.

“Preparing dinner…?”

“Ah. Should I have asked, ‘What have you been up to’?”

He understood what the man meant after seeing his relaxed smile.

“You should ask that way so I can understand… I went to the supermarket today.”

“What’s that?”

“Salt bread. I also bought chestnut bread and other things.”

Gi Taeyeon’s gaze shifted to the plastic bag on the dining table. It was the bag filled with bread.

“I’m going to eat bread for breakfast tomorrow. Is this dereliction of duty?”

“I’ll pay you well, so don’t worry.”

“Okay.”

Seo Soohyun lowered the heat and added,

“Go wash your hands quickly.”

It was a tone of urging towards Gi Taeyeon.

“It’s almost ready. Since it’s pot rice, it needs to steam anyway, so we have some time, but it’s best eaten right away while it’s warm, so go wash your hands quickly.”

“You sure are good at nagging.”

Gi Taeyeon frowned slightly as if he had heard something strange. Then he chuckled, as if amused.

Why is he laughing? Soohyun blinked, bewildered, as he had only repeated what his grandmother always said.

As expected, the spring greens had a fragrant flavor. Seo Soohyun took a bite of the bean sprout rice with beef, mixed well with the wild chive sauce, and nodded with satisfaction. After having a spoonful of Korean parsley and fermented soybean paste stew, he felt that it was a good decision to go to the supermarket.

The “uncles” usually brought him ingredients, but he could only truly feel the season when he saw these seasonal foods with his own eyes.

“By the way, Director.”

Gi Taeyeon was also eating well without any complaints. Seo Soohyun, watching him with satisfaction, suddenly voiced a concern.

“What.”

“Could you lend me a car?”

At his request, Gi Taeyeon smirked and asked teasingly,

“Do babies drive these days?”

Come to think of it, the man had also asked him if he had a driver’s license last time. I haven’t told him. Seo Soohyun replied with a calm expression,

“I have a Class 1 license.”

He could even drive a truck.

🍑

“You’re quite the driver.”

Soohyun turned off the engine and turned his head towards the voice. The man, leaning against the passenger window frame with his elbow, was openly looking around the driver’s seat.

“I was a bit nervous since it’s been a while, but I wasn’t too worried because it’s an expensive car. The uncles in my village said that people avoid expensive cars. Or they give way.”

He had just driven from Seoul to his country home in one of Gi Taeyeon’s cars.

Even though he had never had an accident while driving a truck, it had been a while since he last drove, and Seoul was incomparably more congested than his hometown, so he had been worried, but thankfully, he arrived safely. He didn’t know much about cars, but he figured other drivers were being cautious because it looked expensive.

“When did you get your license?”

“As soon as I was old enough.”

It hadn’t been that long, but he actually had driving experience before that.

“This is a secret…”

Soohyun, after a brief hesitation between keeping it to himself and telling the man, began to speak. He figured the man wouldn’t tell anyone his secret. Since the man seemed to commit illegal acts without hesitation, what he had done probably wouldn’t even count as illegal.