Episode 13
13.
The boy's mother told herself she was overthinking and shook her head.
Looking at Jinu, she spoke.
"The food here is delicious, right? Jinu."
"Yeah! The uncle was nice to me too."
"Was he?"
Jinu nodded and neatly wound the Napolitan around his fork, bringing it to his mouth.
It was the result of observing the adults eating around him.
Jinu's mother watched the child eat for a moment.
He looked like he was eating so deliciously, and as if he was truly happy.
"Is it delicious?"
At his mother's question, Jinu answered with a nod, as if he didn't even need to think about it.
"Yeah! Here, Mom— Ah!"
The mother put the Napolitan the child offered with his fork into her mouth, and her eyes went wide.
'If the tofu steak at lunch was soft, savory, and nutty, this Napolitan right now is... The tomato flavor is really good.'
Jinu's mother glanced toward Sihu.
"Oh my? I should have ordered this too. Jinu."
At his mother's words, Jinu pulled the plate toward himself, opened his eyes wide, and spoke.
"No, even if you say it's delicious, I won't give you any more."
Seeing that, the mother's expression softened.
Jinu, seeing his mother's face, broke into a bright smile and said,
"Mom! I think your eye is all better."
**
That evening.
Sihu and Hayun were sitting and talking as they always did with Ganghun before closing the shop.
On the table were salad, fried food, and a can of beer.
Fsssh—
Sihu poured beer into Hayun's glass.
And then, after pouring the remaining beer into his own glass, he opened his mouth.
"I'm sure Ganghun-hyung is doing well, right?"
"Huh? Yeah. It's that hyung, after all."
"Ah! Right. Hyung. Didn't you say you're working on a new piece this time?"
Sihu looked at Hayun, his eyes sparkling.
Hayun spoke in a voice that seemed slightly sheepish.
"Huh? I am, but I don't know how it'll turn out yet."
Sihu got the feeling from Hayun's words that something wasn't going well.
Seeing Sihu's cautious expression, Hayun changed the subject.
"But wasn't Jinu funny?"
"Jinu?"
"Yeah, after that, when his mom asked for just one bite, he pulled the plate all the way to himself and even stuck his tongue out. It was really cute."
"I couldn't see it properly because I was working, but it was a relief. I felt something was off when I saw the mom, but I never thought it would be facial paralysis (Bell's palsy)...."
"Right. Huh? It's already late, so let's close up and go. I have plans today."
Hayun got up from his seat and headed to the changing room.
Sihu cleared the table and looked around the hall.
It was truly nice to see people eating the food he made and being happy.
Recalling today's small episode with the child named Jinu, he smirked.
***
The shop lights of [SeeYou] went off, and the two young men were seen leaving the shop.
There were eyes watching them.
"I told them so many times to change the menu, but those bastards won't listen and just keep stuffing their faces?"
It was Gusukyeong, the owner of [Mom's Shop], next to [SeeYou].
"It was the same when that President Yun was running it; anyway, they're no help...."
Gusukyeong crossed her arms, watching the young men's backs, and drummed her fingers.
"Are you serving food?"
A guest who appeared to be a couple asked Gusukyeong.
As if to ask when she had ever made such a fierce expression, she smiled brightly and welcomed them.
"Oh my, of course. Please sit wherever you're comfortable."
The couple sat down in the restaurant and looked at the menu, choosing their food.
"[SeeYou] always closes early, so let's come a little earlier next time, oppa."
"...Yeah."
The man who answered wasn't thinking anything of it.
He just wanted to fill his stomach quickly and go home.
At the woman's words, Gusukyeong felt anger boiling inside.
'What? Are we just an alternative to [SeeYou]?'
Gusukyeong suppressed her anger and approached the couple.
And then she asked in a kind voice.
"What would you like to order?"
"I'll have one aglio olio, and oppa?"
"Huh? I'll have the seafood risotto."
"One aglio olio and one seafood risotto?"
"Yes. Ah, and two colas, please."
"Please wait a moment. I'll have it ready soon."
Gusukyeong took the order and went to the kitchen, but the chef wasn't there.
She hurriedly went out the back door and saw the chef puffing away on a cigarette.
"Uncle! How can you smoke there? The smell will get into the food!"
The chef frowned, glared at Gusukyeong with narrowed eyes, then threw down the cigarette butt and stood up.
"An order for seafood risotto and aglio olio came in."
Without even looking at Gusukyeong, the chef went into the kitchen, roughly washed his hands with soap, and started making the food.
Gusukyeong glared at the chef as if she couldn't stand him, then went out alone and brought two cans of cola with glasses of cold ice.
'Sigh. Those [SeeYou] bastards, just you wait until tomorrow.'
**
As soon as Sihu got home, he went down to the garden.
It was to harvest the vegetables to be used the next day.
The garden was still warm.
Sihu went down with a basket and enjoyed the pastoral atmosphere of the garden for a moment.
The quiet yet gentle wind ruffling his hair and passing by felt good.
Screech—
Hearing the bird sound, Sihu looked up at the sky and was startled.
"Is that a bird? What's so big?"
Sihu's eyes narrowed as he looked at the bird.
It had wings, but it didn't look like a bird's face.
A bird with a large form, despite being quite far up in the sky.
Screech—
After letting out another cry,
it circled once above Sihu's head and then disappeared toward the distant mountain range.
Tilting his head.
"Is this a different world from reality? I should look around once the shop settles down a bit. But... it's vast."
Muttering to himself, Sihu began putting the garden's ingredients into the basket.
Ungh—
He put the quite heavily loaded basket into a mesh bag and exited the garden.
Coming out into the inner room, he looked at the framed photo with his parents, then checked the clock.
"Ah, I should wash up and go to bed quickly."
**
Sihu commuted to [SeeYou] early in the morning, pulling a hand cart.
As he was about to open the shop door, someone called out to him from behind.
"Excuse me."
Sihu turned around at the voice.
It was a sturdy man about 175cm tall.
"Yes? Did you call for me?"
Sihu asked, pointing at himself with his index finger.
Then the man nodded.
"What brings you here? The shop won't open for more than an hour yet."
The man let out a sigh and spoke.
"Is that so? Then could I at least get it to go?"
"We don't do takeout... May I ask why?"
The man glanced at the shop next door and continued.
"Yesterday... I ate at the shop next door, and my girlfriend said it was so tasteless that she begged me to buy some here today no matter what, so I came early. I'm sorry."
The man bowed his head as if truly sorry.
Sihu was looking at the man's complexion and thinking deeply about something when Hayun came in.
"Good mor... There's a customer here?"
The man greeted Hayun with a bow as well.
"Hyung! Is there a place nearby that sells paper lunch boxes?"
"Lunch boxes? Why? To pack it for him?"
Sihu nodded at Hayun's question.
Hayun, seeing Sihu's actions, headed to the convenience store.
"Please sit and wait a moment. I'll prepare and pack it for you as soon as it's ready."
At Sihu's words, the man expressed his gratitude as if he had met the savior of his life.
"Ah, ah. Thank you. Really, thank you. You have no idea how much she nagged me this morning...."
"Yes, please wait a moment."
Sihu went into the kitchen and started preparing the ingredients.
Chop-chop-chop-chop—
Swish—
Clatter— Clatter—
The man watched the sounds and movements coming from the kitchen and stared, slack-jawed.
'What's so fast? Is he a machine?'
Ding—
Hayun entered the shop and asked the man,
"Which menu should I pack for you?"
"Ah, spicy shrimp pasta and tofu steak."
"Yes, please wait a moment."
Hayun went into the kitchen and told Sihu the order.
"Sihu— spicy shrimp pasta, one tofu steak to go."
"Yes, I'll prepare it right away."
Sihu quickly prepared the remaining ingredients,
and before starting to cook the ordered food, he glanced at the man in the hall.
'Hmm...'
Sihu quickly started cooking.
Grind—
A grinding sound and a stir-frying sound came from the kitchen.
The man in the hall kept glancing toward the kitchen and rubbing his stomach.
'Argh— I don't know if it hurts or if I'm hungry....'
The man fiddled with his phone while waiting for the food, then headed to the bathroom again.
After coming out of the bathroom, he fiddled with his phone, sent a text to someone, and still rubbed his stomach.
Sihu, while cooking, glanced at the hall for a moment and nodded.
Sihu packed the finished dishes into paper lunch boxes.
One lunch box contained spicy shrimp pasta.
He put tofu steak in the other and covered the lid.
'I should pack dessert too, right?'
Sihu thought for a moment and then packed a fruit salad as a service in a takeout container.
'Looks good? Should I try doing takeout from now on?'
Sihu sealed the lunch boxes and put them in the plastic bag Hayun had brought.
And finally, he placed the tray with the plastic bag on the hall counter.
On the tray, four earthenware bowls were lined up side by side.
Sihu picked up the tray and set it down on the table where the man was sitting.
"Huh? What is this? I didn't order this...."
Sihu spoke with a smile.
"When you were speaking earlier, you kept clutching your stomach. It seemed like you've been suffering from a stomachache since morning, so I made some porridge that won't burden your stomach and intestines. It's also a token of my gratitude for coming back so early in the morning."
The man looked down at the tray.
Inside the earthenware bowl was white porridge, and beside it was a small earthenware saucer and a bowl containing water kimchi.
The man looked at the porridge, then at Sihu.
'He noticed I was in pain just by watching my unconscious actions? What an observant person.'
The man couldn't help but stop thinking.
When he saw the porridge, his intestines began making loud noises.
Had Sihu heard that sound?
Sihu offered the food.
"Please eat slowly before it gets cold."
The man realized it wasn't a stomachache but a hunger signal, and picked up the spoon.
"I can eat this, right?"
Sihu smiled and nodded.
Slurp—
As soon as he put a spoonful of porridge into his mouth, the man's eyes widened.
"It's hot, so please be careful. And try it with the soy sauce here in the saucer."
The man took another bite of porridge as Sihu instructed.
'Whew— Isn't this just plain rice porridge? Why does it go down so smoothly? Plus, my stomach feels so comfortable.'
Sihu, watching the man, explained some precautions.
"Even if the porridge goes down smoothly, you must chew it once before swallowing. Otherwise, you might get indigestion—porridge can do that."
"What? You can get indigestion from porridge?"
The man asked Sihu with surprised eyes.
Sihu nodded and gave a bit more explanation, then excused himself, telling the man to eat comfortably.
When he entered the kitchen, Hayun was waiting with a smiling face.
"Sihu— I have a question?"
Thank you for reading.
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