“This way, please.”
The staff guided the two to a room at the very end. They took off their shoes and stepped up, opening the sliding door.
The traditional paper doors where indirect lighting seeped through, wooden pillars that showed the passage of time, shelves, and such created an overall luxurious atmosphere.
Ganghyuk entered the room first. Ian also followed him, taking off his shoes and stepping inside. The floor made of compressed natural bamboo felt slightly cool even through his socks.
The air inside the room was warm, but the floor didn’t seem to be heated ondol. When Ian unconsciously curled his toes, Ganghyuk took Ian’s hand and had him sit on a soft cushion.
“How shall we prepare your meal?”
“Course A.”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
After the staff bowed politely, they closed the sliding door. Ian looked around here and there with curious eyes at the space that was a bit too spacious for just the two of them sitting.
Perhaps because he was sitting on a cushion, the cold feeling quickly disappeared. On the wooden shelf sat a moon jar with an elegant feel and small stone decorations. Behind Ganghyuk, a woman in a kimono stared intently at Ian from within a painting.
“This is my first time at a place like this. It looks really expensive. Is this a place that sells Japanese food?”
“Yeah. They sell various things, but the sashimi is good. You’ll like it. Try the food and if it’s not enough, you can order more.”
During the day, there had been a meeting with an appraiser deeply involved in the Hyoseong-dong redevelopment. When Jaehyun contacted him first and casually asked what kind of food he preferred, the answer came back that he liked this restaurant.
It was a place where the cheapest course cost 200,000 won. If you ordered alcohol to go with the food, 300,000 or 400,000 won per person was easily broken.
The particularly talkative man showed in real-time throughout the meal how the food in his mouth was changing.
Naturally, Ganghyuk completely lost his appetite and barely touched the course dishes that came out. Then Ian contacted him, so he snapped a photo of the sashimi in front of him and sent it.
Hearing that he liked sashimi, he finally picked up his chopsticks and tasted a few pieces. It was definitely a place worth its expensive price. The atmosphere wasn’t bad either, so once he decided to bring Ian here, even the boring time passed fairly well.
The appraiser’s words about what crumbs he expected to fall to him if the redevelopment proceeded properly went in one ear and out the other.
Once the contract was confirmed with Taehyun Construction, he would have no more business with that person anyway. He planned to compensate him appropriately. Though he didn’t know what would happen if he kept demanding things beyond his station.
“Can I eat until my stomach bursts?”
His gaze lingered long on the face that bloomed brightly like spreading sunlight.
“If possible.”
He was a bit curious about how much he was trying to eat. Ian was on the thin side, enough that he couldn’t tell where all the food he ate went. Though there was quite a bit of flesh on his buttocks.
Ganghyuk let out a faint smile at the thought that came unbidden. It wasn’t an appropriate thought to have in front of a kid who was excited about eating delicious food.
Knock knock, a small knocking sound came from the direction of the door. Soon the door opened and a different staff member from the one who had guided them earlier appeared carrying a wooden tray.
“First, we’ll prepare tea for you. This is Gyokuro. It’s a tea with an exquisite subtle sweetness and deep aroma.”
The staff lowered their posture and approached the table on their knees, placing empty teacups in front of Ian and Ganghyuk. Then they poured the brewed tea from the teapot little by little into the cups.
With a trickling sound, tea water with a deep jade color filled the teacups. Ian made an expectant expression at the gently spreading fragrance.
After pouring the tea, the staff quietly left the room. Warm steam rose thinly from inside the cups. Ian looked at Ganghyuk as if asking for permission. The thought that he was the elder was deeply rooted, so he waited for him to drink first.
“Don’t be conscious of me, just drink.”
“Yes.”
As soon as permission was given, Ian lifted the teacup with both hands. The warm aroma swirled around the tip of his nose. He carefully touched his lips to it, worried it might be too hot, and felt an appropriate temperature that was good for drinking.
Taking a sip, a subtle sweetness spread throughout his mouth. It wasn’t his first time drinking green tea, but it was definitely different somehow. When he took a deep breath, the aroma was so deep it created the illusion of being buried in tea leaves.
“The tea is delicious.”
“Want to drink more?”
“Is that okay?”
Instead of answering, Ganghyuk lifted the teapot and filled Ian’s cup. Ian closed his eyes and savored the tea’s aroma. That appearance was quite earnest, making Ganghyuk’s eyes soften gently.
Around the time the teapot was showing its bottom, the first course dish came out. On a pale jade-colored plate shaped like an elongated pear, three foods were arranged in bite-sized portions.
“We’ll prepare your first dish. Seasonal seafood salad, simmered soft tofu topped with premium uni, and abalone vinegared appetizer.”
It was too pretty to eat. Seeing the thinly sliced yuzu arranged in a flower shape on top, Ian rummaged through his pocket.
He took out his phone and took a picture. With a click, the food was clearly captured in the rectangular screen.
“Please start from the left.”
“Thank you.”
Bowing to the kind staff, Ian held chopsticks in his hand. Ganghyuk was tasting the food on the far left with elegant movements.
Ian also followed Ganghyuk and ate the seafood salad first. The crisp texture of vegetables, the chewy texture of octopus, and the springy texture of sea cucumber harmonized together, making his eyes widen.
The sauce was refreshing yet appetite-stimulating. At the feeling of saliva pooling under his tongue, Ian moved his jaw quickly. After tasting the first food, he wanted to hurry and try the others. The soft tofu was placed on a small spoon, so he just had to lift it as is and eat it.
‘What do I do. It’s really delicious.’
It melted so smoothly in his mouth that it was regrettable for the food to disappear. It was his first time eating sea urchin, and it was soft like cream with a savory yet slightly salty taste.
The abalone vinegared appetizer pleased his mouth with its unique texture that was both crisp and chewy. Seeing the empty plate that had disappeared in an instant made him feel hungry.
It was literally an appetizer. His appetite was whetted, but when there was no food to eat next, his hand holding the chopsticks tensed up.
“Does it suit your taste?”
At the voice from across, Ian nodded his head off.
“It’s incredibly delicious. This is the first time I’ve eaten food this delicious. Ah, of course the soup restaurant that Grandfather makes is an exception.”
At Ian’s hastily added words, Ganghyuk chuckled briefly then picked up and shook the bell placed in one corner of the table. Ring-a-ling. A clear bell sound rang through the room.
Slide. The door opened and the staff who had been waiting outside came in. As the staff bowed politely, Ganghyuk stated his business.
“I’d like the courses to come out a bit faster. Also, please give us three of the à la carte dishes that the chef recommends.”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
The staff, who also confirmed that the teapot was empty, came back shortly after with tea, the second course dish, and one à la carte dish.
“We’ll first prepare the second course dish, the seasonal dish, and the à la carte dish, wagyu tataki.”
Ian’s eyes stared as if entranced at the dish placed before him. Small partitioned plates were placed on a wooden tray.
Inside them, various foods were arranged in bite-sized portions. There were as many as nine kinds, making his heart pound. The tataki that came out as a specialty dish also looked appetizing just from its crimson color.
“Hurry and eat.”
With Ganghyuk’s permission, Ian tasted the most eye-catching food first. It was a small simmered silver-colored fish. It had no fishy taste at all, and the more he chewed, the more savory it was, raising his expectations for the next food.
Ganghyuk, who had been lifting his teacup, smiled faintly. It was nice to see him eating well. Even without eating the food, it seemed he could tell what taste was being experienced just by looking at Ian’s face.
How variously the small face changed made him want to buy this entire restaurant.
