Somehow today, he had a premonition that even if he took one more step closer, Ganghyuk wouldn’t push him away or step back.
“Sure.”
As soon as the indifferent permission fell, Ian’s face brightened like the moon. Today was truly strange. Bad things and good things came at the same time.
When he was harassed by the gangster-like customers, the world felt scary, but now his heart was comfortable like a young bird that had nested in a safe haven.
“Food—”
As soon as Ganghyuk’s words ended, a rumbling sound flowed from Ian’s stomach. The timing was spectacularly perfect.
He’d been so out of it he had no time to take care of meals, and his energy had drained from crying. Embarrassed, Ian clutched his stomach with both hands and flushed. His earlobes burned hot.
At this rate, it seemed Ganghyuk would never develop affection for him even if he lived forever. Feeling like he’d only look like a child who needed caring for, he bit his lower lip.
“Let’s eat first.”
Ganghyuk brushed over Ian’s crown with his large hand as if stroking it. He opened the shop door and gestured with his eyes at Ian.
When Ian entered the shop, the gazes of those having a conversation focused on him. Jaehyun was sitting next to Okjeong quite sociably, listening attentively to the stories she was telling.
Okjeong also felt more comfortable with Jaehyun, who looked like a proper office worker, than Sucheol who looked like a gangster. His way of speaking wasn’t rough like Sucheol’s, and his gently smiling face broke down Okjeong’s wariness.
Sucheol sat between the two with a sullen face, only shaking one leg busily. Jaehyun had extracted from Okjeong information about what happened to Ian today and about the strangers who’d started appearing in Hyoseong-dong recently.
Just as Ganghyuk worried, Geumin and Mijung were working more secretly and pettily than expected.
Though they’d planted a Taehyun person on the association committee, because rumors spread that he was Taehyun’s lackey, they were getting intimate information happening under the surface a step late, which became troublesome in various ways.
“Elder, here’s my business card. If you have any questions going forward or if you learn any additional information, I’d be very grateful if you’d contact me here.”
“Hmm, so what do I get out of this?”
“I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed. In that regard, our Executive Director doesn’t spare money.”
That was the gist of the conversation the two had before Ian and Ganghyuk entered. As soon as Ganghyuk followed Ian in, Jaehyun and Sucheol jumped up from their seats.
“Executive Director.”
Jaehyun approached Ganghyuk closely. Sucheol, with his hands clasped behind his back, just rolled his double-lidded eyes gauging Ganghyuk’s mood. Without giving Sucheol a single glance, Ganghyuk gave instructions to Jaehyun, then bowed his head to Okjeong in greeting.
“Order some food. Have you eaten, elder?”
Okjeong’s brow twitched as if surprised. This was the first time facing Ganghyuk closely like this since meeting at the funeral home.
But though blunt, Ganghyuk treated Okjeong quite politely. Having heard from Soyeon several times about how big Taehyun Construction was and how frightening the Hyunho faction that was its parent organization was, she’d secretly held a faint fear toward Ganghyuk.
Though she’d heard from Ian that he was a decent person, the prejudice that he was a gangster hadn’t completely disappeared, but seeing him today, she seemed to understand why Ian relied on and trusted Ganghyuk.
“Ahem. I haven’t had my meal yet either.”
The sun was already setting outside the window. The day that had been quite arduous for both Ian and Okjeong was running toward its end.
“If there’s anything you’d like to eat, please tell this friend.”
When Ganghyuk pointed to Jaehyun, Jaehyun, who’d been diligently choosing food with Sucheol while opening a delivery app, held out the phone screen for Okjeong to see easily.
“Ian, what do you want to eat?”
Okjeong asked Ian. As one aged, meals were just best when easily digestible. Rather than what she wanted to eat, the priority was filling Ian’s stomach after he’d been so shocked today.
“I’m okay with anything……”
After making a sound he didn’t want to be caught making in front of Ganghyuk, Ian was pressing his stomach with his hand worried the sound might come again. Right now, even plain rice alone would taste good.
“Is samgyetang okay? I think something with broth would be good.”
At this rate, it seemed like choosing food alone would take half a day, so Jaehyun suggested a safe food. Ian glanced at Ganghyuk then answered softly, “Yes.”
A moment later, white plastic containers with one whole white chicken each instead of soup were placed on the soup restaurant table according to the number of people.
Ian just stared at Ganghyuk sitting across from him with the steaming hot samgyetang in front of him. Ganghyuk, who took out a spoon from inside the transparent plastic, handed it to Ian.
“Eat before it gets cold. Before thunder strikes from your stomach again.”
“……Yes.”
He could forget about that. Ian, with a reddened face, scooped up a spoonful of the glossy white broth. The hot yet rich taste stuck right to his tongue.
For a while, only the sounds of chewing and swallowing food quietly echoed in the shop. Ian looked across while holding meat in his mouth until his cheeks bulged.
Unlike his plate where chicken bones were piling up neatly, Ganghyuk’s plate was clean. He’d only scooped up a few spoonfuls of broth and torn off a bit of chicken meat to eat.
But it’s delicious. Does he not really like samgyetang? Concerned, Ian’s chopstick movements gradually slowed. Then Ganghyuk only lifted his eyes.
“Full?”
Ian shook his head. His stomach was only a bit full—he could eat another whole chicken. Then Ganghyuk transferred one large chicken leg to Ian’s bowl.
“Eat more, then.”
“……What about you, Executive Director? Is it not to your taste?”
The samgyetang had a subtle herbal medicine flavor, so its savory taste was strong. The meat was also tender, and it went well with the fresh kimchi that came with it.
“No. I’m just sleepy.”
Unlike his flat voice, the speed at which Ganghyuk’s eyelids rolled up was slower than usual. Ian observed with somewhat fascinated eyes the sleepiness filling those pitch-black pupils.
His languidly relaxed face looked like sleep was more urgent than food. But then why was he keeping his place here? Then Ian discovered that Ganghyuk’s gaze touched his bowl once in a while.
He’s waiting until I finish eating.
Though it was a trivial fact, his face grew hot like when he’d been caught making that rumbling sound. Each time Ganghyuk showed unexpected tenderness, Ian felt a dizzying sensation like being thrown into the sea with his bare body.
Would he show this side to other people too? Or was it a special thing presented only to him?
When you come to like someone, you inevitably assign meaning even to objects that person casually glances at.
But Ganghyuk’s kindness, which anyone not completely oblivious would notice, helplessly tore down the barrier Ian had erected in his heart.
He’d thought there was nothing more to crumble, but apparently not. He only realized it after liking Ganghyuk even more than a moment ago.
Ian hurriedly finished the remaining food. He chewed and swallowed the chicken leg Ganghyuk gave him especially thoroughly. Even though he hadn’t made it himself, he felt even more moved than that.
After finishing the meal, the cleanup was done by quick-handed Ian and Jaehyun. By then, Ganghyuk had his arms crossed and brow faintly furrowed, occasionally closing and opening his eyes at length.
Ian, who saw off Okjeong, approached Ganghyuk standing blankly with a cigarette in his mouth in front of the shop and asked,
“You’re coming home today, right?”
If Ganghyuk said he was going back to work again, his shoulders drooped slightly, thinking he’d feel very disappointed. The house where he slept alone was uncomfortable, just like someone else’s house. It was really strange.
It wasn’t as if the time living with Ganghyuk had been long, but just because he wasn’t there, the house felt too big. He was also tormented because he thought of his grandfather more.
He’d thought Ganghyuk’s absence would feel significant, but reality was worse. He newly realized how deeply Ganghyuk had burrowed into his life.
“Yeah.”
Even at the short, blunt answer, Ian couldn’t completely hide his excitement. He tried putting strength into his twitching mouth corners, but he’d already been caught with his cheeks squirming.
“Executive Director, then we’ll be going now.”
“Hyung-nim, rest well.”
Jaehyun and Sucheol greeted Ganghyuk. When Ganghyuk lightly nodded his head in permission, the two got into the black sedan parked in front of the shop and quickly disappeared.
Now that only the two of them remained, strangely Ganghyuk’s presence became even more conscious to him, so Ian just fidgeted with his innocent nape with his hand.
