IH Ch 55

Chapter 55

The endless stretch of ocean felt like it was clearing his chest. The bright blue sea, the sound of the wind, even the scent of it—everything was delightful. Dohwa closed his eyes and repeatedly took deep breaths in and out. Then, as he slightly lifted the corners of his lips into a smile, Jae-i’s expression turned sullen.

What’s there to see that makes him so happy? Tilting his head indifferently, Hwang Jae-i also took in the tranquil view of the sea. Coming from the densely packed city of Seoul, the sudden openness felt unexpectedly refreshing. Removing his hand from Dohwa’s head, Jae-i shoved both hands into his pants pockets and stood with a crooked posture.

Shhhh— The sound of waves brushing against his ears made Jae-i close his eyes, only to open them again almost immediately. Because—

Grrrgle, growllll—

At the small but unmistakable sound of a stomach growling, he turned his head to find Dohwa, eyes wide with tension. Despite knowing full well that his own stomach was crying out in hunger, he stared straight ahead, pretending not to notice, and suddenly muttered something unprompted.

“It’s not because I’m hungry, it’s just making noises.”

“……”

“There’s nothing I can do about it.”

His voice grew smaller and smaller until he wrapped both arms around his stomach. Seeing him put on such a stubborn face, Jae-i let out a quiet, amused snort. Nothing about the situation was funny, yet he found himself smiling. Glancing back, Jae-i scanned the scarcely populated area and shortly said, “Let’s go.”

People generally avoided exposed areas. Whether it was the mountains or the sea, it was the same in that no one could predict what might emerge from such environments—but for some reason, the coastline was less popular. Unlike mountains, the sea inspired a primal fear, perhaps because no one could fathom what might be lurking in its depths.

Still, basic safety measures had been installed, so it wasn’t uninhabitable. It was simply the slightly higher rate of gate appearances and slower emergency response compared to the metropolitan area that made people reluctant to settle there. Even so, it was a place where people lived, which meant restaurants naturally existed.

“Are you from out of town?”

Although there was a heightened sense of wariness toward strangers.

Along the roadside stood a run-down convenience store and a noodle shop side by side. In front of them, elders sat on a wooden platform preparing vegetables. Upon seeing the sudden appearance of the two young men, they reacted sharply. It was understandable. In Jae-i’s case, his face was too well-known, so he wore appearance-altering glasses that made him look like a plain man in his mid-thirties—but he was large. And Dohwa, although just wearing a mask, looked suspicious with his shoulders hunched.

The elders, though thin and small in frame, exuded an intimidating presence. It probably had to do with the sharp knives each of them held for cutting vegetables.

Judging from the signboard, the noodle shop seemed to be the destination, but it hadn’t opened for business yet. Dohwa subtly tugged on Jae-i’s sleeve as if to suggest they should just leave, but then Hwang Jae-i spoke nonchalantly.

“Hello. We’re just passing through the area, and this guy said he’s hungry.”

“……”

“You’re hungry, aren’t you? Your stomach’s been growling so loud since earlier, it’s driving me nuts.”

At Jae-i’s words, all three elders turned their attention to Dohwa. Now the center of their scrutiny, Dohwa flusteredly shook his head. He was about to insist he was fine, but before he could, his stomach let out an even louder grumble—so loud, in fact, that even the elders on the platform right in front of him clearly heard it.

“……”

Dohwa, eyes wide, clung to Jae-i’s arm in desperation, pleading that they leave. Embarrassed beyond belief, he was trying to escape when one of the elders, her white hair neatly tied up, swung her legs off the platform and slipped on a pair of rubber shoes. As she passed by, she asked casually,

“The young radish kimchi is nicely fermented. Want some noodles with that?”

“Yes.”

Jae-i answered.

Still muttering insistently about leaving, Dohwa was dragged into the shabby little restaurant, clinging to Jae-i’s thick arm.

It turned out not to be closed after all—the interior was surprisingly clean. There were four four-person tables and two for two. The elder seated them at the largest one and told them to help themselves to water and utensils before heading into the open kitchen, rubbing her lower back.

She poured bottled water into a pot and began pulling ingredients from cupboards and the refrigerator. Soon the other two elders strolled in as well.

“Sister, is there anything we can help with?”

“Just mix some rice in a bowl. There’s sesame oil leftover from yesterday that you brought.”

“Should I add lots of greens? And an egg too?”

“Do as you please.”

As they exchanged their casual, curt words, one elder opened the rice cooker and clicked his tongue at how little rice remained.

“Better steam some dumplings too.”

“They’re in the back of the freezer. Go get them.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

While the conversation flowed naturally, the once-quiet shop filled with the sound of boiling water and the sizzle of oil in a hot frying pan. The savory aroma of cooking began to waft through the air. Wondering what exactly was going on, Dohwa nervously glanced at the opposite seat, where Jae-i sat with arms folded. With his appearance transformed, he looked like an entirely different person—a completely average man in his mid-thirties, someone you might walk past on the street without a second glance.

“……”

Dohwa looked away from Jae-i and surveyed the surroundings. Underneath the worn menu was a note: “Barley tea is self-serve.” Looking back toward the entrance, he spotted a water dispenser and, after cautiously checking the coast was clear, quietly stood up.

The elders were still busy cooking in the kitchen, and Jae-i remained seated, gaze lowered with arms still folded. Taking advantage of the moment, Dohwa poured barley tea into a stainless steel cup. He confirmed it was hot and glanced outside. Since the restaurant was on a roadside, the ocean was directly visible. The sunlight reflecting off the sea sparkled, and Dohwa instinctively wet his lips. It was definitely better to see things with your own eyes.

Holding a cup in each hand, he moved carefully. Setting one cup down in front of Jae-i, he softly said, “Drink this.” Without even looking at him, Jae-i lifted the cup to his lips.

“It’s hot.”

That was meant to be a warning to be careful.

But Jae-i glanced briefly at Dohwa like he’d just heard something strange, then took a sip without hesitation. It didn’t seem hot to him at all.

“……”

Is S-class really immune to hot drinks? Or maybe he was pretending it didn’t bother him. Living with him, Dohwa had noticed that despite his status, Hwang Jae-i often seemed exactly his age—just twenty. He could be immature over the most trivial things. Dohwa cupped his warm cup with both hands.

His palms grew warm, and a savory aroma filled the air. Sitting across from Jae-i in a place like this suddenly felt surreal. Was this really happening? Was it a dream? Just as Dohwa was having those silly thoughts, he felt someone’s presence beside him and flinched, lifting his head.

Standing there was the elder, holding a large metal bowl. She placed it with a loud thud in the middle of the table. It was heavy, and for good reason. The massive bowl was brimming with bibimbap, filled to the brim with various greens, egg, seaweed flakes, and other generous ingredients.

“……”

Seeing it, Dohwa swallowed the saliva that had pooled in his mouth.

“Um, this is…?”

“Eat.”

“……”

“Grab spoons from the utensil bin and eat.”

Though not particularly kind in tone, her instructions left little room for disobedience. Quickly obeying, Dohwa fetched two spoons from the bin inside and handed one to Jae-i. Expecting him to take it, he was puzzled when Jae-i only stared at it.

“We should eat.”

In his quiet whisper was the implication: surely you’re not going to refuse. A thin wrinkle formed between Jae-i’s brows.

“You saying this old man’s food isn’t good enough for you?”

“……”

The elder’s abrupt remark made Jae-i lift his head. Seeing the stern-faced man, he pushed up his glasses and murmured,

“I just wasn’t thinking…”

“Just eat.”

“……”

Lowering the hand that had been adjusting his glasses, Jae-i took the spoon. Only then did Dohwa turn back to the large bowl of bibimbap. With a mix of ingredients, it looked delicious. Normally he wasn’t fond of green vegetables, but somehow, everything in this bowl looked appetizing. Spotting the sesame seeds scattered between grains of rice, Dohwa gripped his spoon tightly and murmured,

“Thank you for the meal.”

Driven by hunger, he scooped up a big portion and shoved it into his mouth. He opened his small lips wide and stuffed his mouth full. After the first bite, his eyes widened.

It was his first time tasting this, but it was delicious. The texture was tender, and the umami from the various greens created a perfect harmony. How could it taste this good? Though he hadn’t chewed much, the food vanished quickly from his mouth. Still, he made sure to chew ten times with each bite as he glanced at the elder.

Arms crossed, the elder raised an eyebrow, then slowly pushed the bowl toward Dohwa and said, “Eat plenty, take your time.” Though the words were blunt, the sentiment was kind. Dohwa quickly nodded and eagerly took his second bite. Mouth wide open, he devoured it, and then glanced over to see how Hwang Jae-i was doing. A neat scoop of bibimbap sat on his spoon, the perfect bite size.

As Dohwa had piled rice high like a mountain into his mouth, he suddenly realized that eating small, neat portions like Jae-i looked much more refined. So from the next bite onward, he tried to imitate Jae-i and serve modest spoonfuls—but failed. Every time he tried, he ended up greedily filling the spoon. Even chewing each bite ten times, he finished his portion quickly. It was only then that Jae-i, who had been quiet all along, finally spoke.

“Eat slowly.”

With his mouth still full, Dohwa glanced at Jae-i and gave a little nod.

“……”

He hadn’t even been listening. At this rate, it really would seem like Jae-i had starved him. And then, Jae-i remembered—he hadn’t properly taken care of Dohwa’s meals since they began living together.