Even though both were seated, Song Hanyeong didn’t open his mouth. He was just tapping the table with his fingertips as if lost in some thought. That sound gradually made Surim more anxious.
Unable to bear it any longer, Surim opened his mouth first even though he knew it was rude.
“Um, Manager Song.”
“Surim-ssi, you don’t need to report every time you go somewhere anymore.”
“…What?”
That was too sudden an announcement. Surim, who had been finding some enjoyment in those reports, was flustered and couldn’t say anything. In fact, Surim and Song Hanyeong didn’t have that many points of contact. With the contract made this morning, Song Hanyeong would draw Surim’s blood, but that was only something that happened once a week. He had agreed to take responsibility for meals, but that too was only when going to restaurants. At most it would be once or twice a week.
So the reports he made every time he left his seat were Surim’s only excuse to talk to Song Hanyeong every single day.
And now he was telling him not to do that…?
“Why, why?”
“Is there any meaning to those reports?”
Song Hanyeong, who sneered lowly, continued speaking.
“When you only report what you want to report and hide what you want to hide as you please, what meaning does it have?”
So he wasn’t not angry. Surim only realized it now and turned pale. Song Hanyeong even seemed to know that Surim had gone to the first-floor cafe to buy coffee and killed time there. Thinking of the gaze that had looked at the cold brew coffee earlier, it was certain.
“That, that was…”
“Forget it, let’s not do it from now on.”
To Surim, those words sounded like he wouldn’t care about Surim anymore. The fact that he had accepted him as a Research Lab 0 member, the fact that he had treated him well as a subordinate—all of it might become as if it never happened, and from now on he might become someone who had to do errands and cleaning amidst hazing like the other peers.
No, if Song Hanyeong ordered it, cigarette errands would be fine too. What felt more painful was Song Hanyeong’s chilled gaze.
“I’m sorry, Manager Song. I was wrong. So could you please not say things like that…?”
“…What did you do wrong?”
“The work report took longer than I thought but I didn’t report it right away.”
“And?”
“I went to drink coffee but I didn’t tell you about that either.”
“And?”
“When I reported earlier, I hid it because I was afraid of getting scolded…”
Surim’s voice gradually became smaller.
“I’m not saying don’t rest. But you shouldn’t hide things when reporting.”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
Song Hanyeong, who had been silent for a moment at Surim’s sullen apology, let out a low sigh. Surim realized that was a signal of forgiveness and subtly lifted his gaze.
Thank goodness. Song Hanyeong’s eyes were much softer than before. Though not yet like usual, it was still like sunshine compared to the cold gaze from earlier.
“So, you went to drink coffee?”
At the question that seemed to transition into casual conversation, Surim brightened.
“Yes, there’s a colleague I got along well with during the probation period, and we met for the first time in a while today.”
“A colleague?”
“A friend working on the Research Lab 8 side.”
“Ah. So…”
As if he could guess who it was, Song Hanyeong narrowed his eyes.
“You met a man?”
“…What?”
Surim looked at Song Hanyeong, doubting his ears. His dazed expression must have been fully visible, but Song Hanyeong showed no sign of concern and just smiled faintly.
“Please continue.”
“…Well…”
“Go on.”
“After I started coming to work here, he contacted me several times but I couldn’t answer. I forgot and didn’t call back either. So we just talked for a bit…”
“I see.”
“We didn’t talk about much. He just told me how other teams work so I only listened, and I didn’t say anything about our team. Absolutely no leaking of classified information…”
“Yes. I’m sure you didn’t.”
Is he being sarcastic…? Because Song Hanyeong’s expression was very relaxed, it was confusing whether he was being sarcastic or just responding. If it were someone else, he would have concluded it was sarcasm. But to Surim, Song Hanyeong wasn’t that kind of person.
“Let’s stop talking about that and have a meal.”
“Yes, Manager Song.”
Come to think of it, it was well past lunchtime. Surim, who stood up and looked outside the conference room, tilted his head when he saw that all the researchers had left their seats. As far as he knew, Song Hanyeong usually ate in the employee cafeteria with them too.
The flustered Surim was about to go outside the conference room to check if there was anyone left when Song Hanyeong clicked his tongue.
“Where are you trying to go again?”
“Um… it seems everyone went down to eat first.”
“They probably did.”
“I’m sorry. Because of me, only you, Manager Song, have to eat alone…”
“If you’re sorry, you can eat with me.”
You know I can only drink green juice so I can’t even go to the employee cafeteria… Thinking it was too much to say that to someone who wants to eat but can’t, he pressed his lips shut and complained inwardly, when Song Hanyeong pulled over a shopping bag and took out the contents.
It was a lunchbox. Not just one, but two.
“Sit down.”
Surim sat down as if entranced and opened the lunchbox lid. It was a lunchbox with twelve pieces of sushi neatly arranged. There was also pickled ginger, pickled radish, and salad.
Saliva gathered at the appetizing sight. Surim couldn’t take his eyes off the glistening sushi, then suddenly came to his senses.
“I told you I can’t eat just anything!”
“You’ll be able to eat this.”
“But…”
“Here.”
Song Hanyeong took out a tablet and showed him the familiar map app. Stars were marked here and there on the map.
“This is hyung’s…?”
“Yes.”
It was hyung’s favorites list that he had shared with Song Hanyeong yesterday. When Song Hanyeong selected a certain star located in the Gangnam area, the store name appeared large.
Japanese Restaurant Haru.
When he inadvertently checked the lunchbox lid, the same name was written there too.
“The lunchbox, you bought it from a restaurant in the favorites…?”
“Yes.”
“So I can eat it…?”
“That’s the promise, isn’t it?”
“Promise?”
“Taking responsibility for Jin Surim-ssi’s meals. Why are you acting like this after signing this morning?”
“I did sign… but I didn’t know it would be like this.”
Although there was a clause about taking responsibility for meals, he had only thought it meant making restaurant reservations and taking him there about once a week, he never dreamed he would even provide regular meals.
“You said you didn’t want to die.”
“…Yes, I can’t die…”
I should have chosen my words more carefully. Surim meekly agreed but blushed with regret. Thinking about it now, he seemed to have spoken too casually back then.
Surim changed the subject with his reddened face.
“But I can’t eat meat. Fish or eggs aren’t okay either.”
“I know.”
You know? A teasing gaze was waiting for Surim’s reaction. Surim, who had been staring at Song Hanyeong blankly, soon realized the meaning.
“Then this is vegetarian? Not fish?”
But no matter how he looked at it, it was fish, squid, and egg. All of it was sushi made with splendid animal-based ingredients by appearance. How could something like this be vegetables?
“It is, so eat without worry.”
Surim scanned the sushi with an expression that couldn’t hide his suspicion, then first picked up what looked like squid sushi and put it in his mouth. When he chewed it, he could tell it was konjac, but strangely it tasted like squid. How could this be? So food can be made this way too.
While gazing at Surim who was chewing each piece of sushi with emotion, Song Hanyeong felt the base of his tongue tingling tightly again. Intense greed surged up.
Surim, who felt the gaze, opened his eyes wide with his mouth full of food. It seemed like he was asking what’s wrong, so Song Hanyeong chuckled.
“It’s nothing. Enjoy your meal.”
“…You too, Manager Song!”
Surim, who hastily swallowed what was in his mouth, answered with a smile. He hadn’t felt pleasure in eating for a long time. To Surim during that time, eating was nothing more or less than the act of filling fuel to survive.
But now something was different. Even though it was because of the contract, it was a lunchbox Song Hanyeong had specially prepared for him. And the meal eaten sitting face to face. Everything was special to Surim.
That’s when they finished the meal. Song Hanyeong, who put down his chopsticks, opened his mouth.
“From now on, we’ll eat lunchboxes like this for lunch. And for dinner, we’ll go to a restaurant once a week and I’ll prepare lunchboxes for the rest.”
“That much…?”
“And for breakfast.”
“Breakfast is okay! I’ll drink green juice.”
He didn’t originally eat three meals regularly anyway. If he ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner regularly with such a luxurious menu, it was obvious he would gain weight quickly.
“Why?”
“What?”
“Why?”
Unlike his smiling eyes, his voice was cold. Surim felt his shoulders shrinking for some reason. Song Hanyeong wasn’t even scary, but he didn’t know why. Surim obediently revealed his true feelings.
“I think I’ll gain weight…?”
“Weight.”
“Yes, if I eat something like this for three meals, I’ll definitely gain weight.”
“…You should gain some.”
Song Hanyeong’s gaze slowly scanned Surim’s thin jaw and neck. At that moment, Surim couldn’t help but recall Song Hanyeong touching his nape not long ago. The lingering touch that had traced his neck and then groped down his spine below was vivid.
“What were you thinking about?”
“N-nothing!”
“Ah. I see.”
“Really…”
Surim answered mumbling while avoiding his gaze.
