If Silk Flowers Bloom by the Water’s Edge Chapter 64

As if he, too, was awkward about coming to the meal, Yirok stood holding the door, hesitating. Just as they were wondering what had brought him here, Yirok stepped inside. Hearing the door close, they flinched in surprise, as if a group of them had awoken from a trance all at once.

“Oh, welcome. Mr. Yirok Haenang.”

As if oblivious to the chilly atmosphere, Yirok found an empty seat and sat down. Coincidentally, it was the seat next to Shinwoo. It was unfortunate news for Shinwoo as well, who had just barely started his meal. The shoulders and arms of the two players who had competed in the match that day were covered in dark bruises. Feeling a surge of anger, Shinwoo scooted over bit by bit with a displeased look on his face.

“Here. Here’s your rice.”

A worker from the kitchen, known for their quick temper, scooped a heaping bowl of rice and placed it on the table. Yirok simply gave a single nod, his face unreadable. And so began an unprecedentedly quiet mealtime.

While Chaho and the other Haenangs were busy exchanging glances, unable to grasp the situation, Shinwoo picked up his chopsticks. His hand went for the bulgogi, a dish he usually loved, but someone else had gotten there first.

“Hey.”

Yirok had picked up a huge clump of bulgogi with his chopsticks, so much so that Chaho rebuked him. It would be reasonable to suspect he was deliberately trying to interfere with Shinwoo’s meal. However, Yirok, who was impervious to social cues, put the bulgogi he had grabbed straight into his mouth. After eating enough to make his cheeks bulge, the next thing he picked up was also a meat side dish.

As the meat side dishes, including bulgogi and maekjeok, disappeared from the table at a frightening rate in real time, the kitchen staff, on the contrary, looked delighted.

“My, we have another little meat fiend here, just like our young lady.”

“If it’s not enough, just say so, Mr. Yirok Haenang. I mean, of course. At that height, there’s no way you don’t eat well.”

But apart from the kitchen staff, the rest of the Haenangs all had dumbfounded expressions. Isn’t he possessed by a hungry ghost? It wasn’t just an expression; they were genuinely worried he might be possessed by a ghost. And for good reason—Yirok, who seemed like he would never share a table with them in his entire life, had shown up out of the blue and was sweeping away all the meat side dishes.

Watching Yirok put rice in his mouth without any change in expression was almost frightening. Having lost his appetite, Shinwoo put down his chopsticks and stared intently at the person next to him. Chaho, Jangsi, and the other Haenangs were also barely touching their own food, stealing glances at the strange Yirok.

“No one seems to have much of an appetite today. I made plenty of side dishes to give you all strength.”

“Th-”

Yirok, who had been stuffing his mouth full of rice, suddenly lifted his head. Because Yirok was swallowing the side dishes as if being chased by a ghost, the onlookers fell into a state of chaos pouring him water.

“Eat slowly, slowly.”

“Th-”

“Yes. Should I get you more rice? Mr. Yirok Haenang?”

Yirok gripped his own rice bowl, which the worker was about to take, and awkwardly began to speak. In an instant, all eyes and ears were focused on him.

“If there are any side dishes left over… I was wondering if you could pack them for me.”

After Yirok’s bombshell of a statement, the kitchen staff put down the spoons they were eating with. There was even someone who tried a meat side dish, wondering if it was seasoned particularly well today. The Haenangs gathered in groups of two or three and whispered.

“He’s really possessed by a hungry ghost.”

“Shouldn’t we call Old Lady Yomyung?”

But whatever the reason, the kitchen staff, who were simply proud, boomed, “Just tell us if there are any side dishes you want.” At the center of the commotion he himself had caused, Yirok silently continued his meal.

Only the eyes of Shinwoo, sitting next to him, turned strange, as if trying to grasp the truth of it all.

🌹₊ ⊹

A cheerful song had been wailing from the pink bed for three hours. Chaehwa, who had been tapping her sock-clad foot to the rhythm, suddenly turned the music off.

“Yeonrye!”

Yeonrye, who had gone off to find some sikhye, was so clearly Chaehwa’s person that she was forbidden from entering the kitchen. This was due to her grandmother’s orders to cut out meat and sweets and to spend ten days on a vegetarian diet. If nothing else, her grandmother was strict when it came to health, so Chaehwa had to be grateful that she was even allowed to have her phone.

But the thunder rumbling in her stomach seemed to disagree, roaring loudly. Feeling her stomach churn, Chaehwa awkwardly pushed herself up.

“I’m hungry….”

She did like vegetable side dishes, but that was only when they were served alongside meat. As she held her starving stomach and sluggishly got down from the bed, she heard the footsteps of Yeonrye, for whom she had been calling until her throat was sore.

“Yeonrye! Did you get it?”

Chaehwa crawled out of the bedroom and looked at the sliding door that opened into the living room. But the shadow cast on the residence door was a bit too long to be Yeonrye’s. She asked the long shadow, which was carefully setting down a table.

“Who is it?”

The taciturn shadow quickly turned its back and moved away from the door. A chilling premonition came over Chaehwa, and she walked over and flung the sliding door wide open.

“Oh.”

What made Chaehwa, now outside, pause was the smell of meat side dishes and sweet marinade. The dining table, set with bangjja bowls, was laden with bulgogi, maekjeok, pan-fried beef, and steamed rockfish. Swallowing hard, Chaehwa didn’t bother counting the dishes and whisked past the table.

“You’re Yirok, aren’t you!”

He was making a swift exit, but Nanjubeol was the palm of her hand. As she pattered out, the person she expected to see was in the middle of putting on his shoes. Chaehwa, with a look of amusement, plopped down beside him.

“Where are you going? Leaving that. Did you bring it for me to eat? From the kitchen? They wouldn’t have given it to you. On grandmother’s orders.”

The earlobes of Yirok, who was silently tying his shoelaces, were pink. It seemed he planned to ignore her and leave. Chaehwa stepped down in her sock-clad feet and blocked Yirok’s path. Yirok, his brow instantly furrowing, reached out and grabbed Chaehwa’s wrist. His touch was gentle as he led her back and sat her down again.

“Get a grip. Why is someone who’s sick standing in a cold place.”

“You can’t just leave me with the meat side dishes. Come inside.”

“I have something to do. Later….”

Knowing that Yirok was not someone who would be easily swayed by words, Chaehwa clutched her stomach and hunched over. After letting out a few groans, Chaehwa’s body was flipped over as easily as turning one’s palm. Her body was lifted. Thump, the place she landed was Yirok’s chest. Chaehwa’s eyes went wide when she realized her feet were not touching the ground. Without even putting on his shoes, Yirok lifted Chaehwa and stepped down from the stone stoop.

“No, no, no!”

Startled, Chaehwa hit Yirok’s back repeatedly. Thump, thump, at the sound of a rapidly beating heart, Chaehwa’s whole body felt hot, too. She stood still and whispered softly in the ear of Yirok, who had stopped.

“Take me to my room. Everything I need is in there anyway.”

“Are you really sick?”

Suspected of feigning illness, Chaehwa paused for a beat and then coughed. Only then did Yirok listen to her and open the door to her quarters. Chaehwa smiled to herself, pleased with the sturdy arms carrying her. So it really was Yirok. The unique sunny, soapy scent of his was exactly the same as the one she had smelled on the day she collapsed.

Contrary to his sulky expression, Yirok gently set Chaehwa down on the living room sofa. Their gazes met, but Yirok was busy avoiding hers. Finding that a bit disappointing, Chaehwa pointed a finger at the table left outside.

“Bring me the meat side dishes.”

“Ha….”

“Hurry.”

Yirok merely bit his lip like someone who was indebted, but he turned without much resistance to bring in the table. Chaehwa slid off the sofa and waited for the dining table to arrive. If she had a servant like him, she would have welcomed it with open arms. Unaware of Chaehwa’s sly thoughts, Yirok set the table down with a blank expression.

“Eat a lot.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have something to do, I told you. To you, five minutes ago.”

“What am I, a dog or a cat you’re raising? You just give me food and leave like this?”

“What do you want me to do. Should I feed you.”

“Yes.”

Yirok dropped his sneering expression and stared at Chaehwa as if he were truly dumbfounded. But since she knew his true intentions in bringing the meat side dishes, Chaehwa whined without reservation.

“Hurry up and sit. What if I get indigestion while eating? Then I’ll collapse again. And if Yeonrye finds out, you have to make excuses for me, too.”

Although Chaehwa knew what was coming out of Yirok’s lips was a sigh, she put on a bold face. Finally, he looked down at Chaehwa with narrowed eyes and said.

“Don’t make me regret doing something so stupid to bring this, okay? If you act like this, there won’t be a second time.”

“I don’t want to eat alone.”

“……”

“I’m lonely.”

Yirok said nothing and just looked at her quietly. Chaehwa, intimidated by his cold gaze, picked up her chopsticks.

“Fine. I’ll just eat alone. I can’t hold up Mr. Yirok Haenang who has so much to do, can I? A carefree young lady like me.”

It was the moment Chaehwa brought a piece of bulgogi held in her chopsticks to her pouty lips. Yirok, who she thought would storm out, quietly took a seat beside the table. He was sitting with one leg crossed in a defiant manner, but wasn’t his gaze warm? Chaehwa smiled faintly and put a piece of pan-fried beef in her mouth.

“You’re bringing some tomorrow too, right?”

Yirok did not answer and turned his gaze toward the window. But his ears and neck were quite honest. It was a very strange thing. It had been much louder before Yirok came, but it was much more fun now.

Noise has nothing to do with loneliness, I see. Chaehwa grinned, one cheek puffed out with food. That is why she needs Yirok.