Chapter 45: Surprise Attack.

“She eats well.”

Despite the limited dishes on the table, I watched Seoha nuna neatly polish off her food with careful chopstick

movements. She ate quickly, and quite a lot, yet it didn’t seem voracious in the least—it was impressive, likely thanks

to her impeccable table manners.

“Nuna, have some of this too.”

“Oh… th-thank you.”

When I placed a perilla leaf side dish on her bowl, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she resumed eating with a more

subdued demeanor. I’d worried that the food might not suit her taste, but seeing her eat so well put my mind at ease.

Maybe her reputation for eating anything well wasn’t just an empty compliment.

“By the way, Wooju-ssi, you’re really good at cooking.”

“Ah, it’s just the basics of a typical bachelor’s cooking.”

“If this is typical, then we’d need at least a thousand more diners in the country.”

Clearly satisfied, Seoha nuna didn’t hold back on the compliments throughout the meal. Though I knew they were

partly out of politeness, the sincerity in her smile made me happy. Perhaps that’s why I found myself with an

increased appetite today as well. Normally, when I eat alone, I lose interest after clearing about 70 percent of my

bowl. But today, I was emptying it in no time.

“Poof.”

“…?”

I tried focusing only on my bowl, worried that looking her way might make her feel self-conscious. Then, I heard a

sound like air escaping from a balloon. Thinking I might have misheard, I glanced up to see her covering her mouth,

trying to suppress a laugh.

What’s that about?

“Wooju-ssi, did you save that grain of rice on your cheek for tomorrow?”

“Huh? Oh, is there something? Where?”

Momentarily caught off guard by a comment only my mother would say, I touched my cheek in a fluster.

“Come closer. I’ll get it for you.”

Still unable to find it, I fumbled around awkwardly. Then, unable to hold back, Seoha nuna beckoned me with a

glance that looked like she was scolding a clumsy little brother. Mesmerized, I moved closer, and her slender fingers

reached out and gently removed the stray grain of rice from my cheek.

“Sorry for showing such a sight.”

She held up the rice on her fingertip, as if to show it off, and I felt my cheeks flush as I mumbled an apology. If this

had been a blind date, I’m sure my likability would’ve dropped immediately. Not that I’d been on one before to know

for sure.

“For this? It’s nothing. When I was young, I used to get rice on my face a lot, and my mother would always wipe it off for me.”

“Really? It’s a bit hard to picture…”

Seoha nuna shrugged and shared stories of her childhood, but honestly, I found it hard to imagine, so I tilted my

head in wonder. She could be playful at times, but for someone who seemed so meticulous, it was surprising to think

she’d been clumsy as a child.

“Everyone’s like that when they’re young. …Nom.”

“…!?”

Just as I was marveling at her childhood, Seoha nuna casually popped the grain of rice on her fingertip into her

mouth. My pupils practically trembled at the sight.

What did I just see?

“N-Nuna, why did you…?”

“Hm? Is something wrong? Oh.”

Pointing at her empty hand with a shocked expression, nuna looked at her hand and then at me in turns, finally

letting out a sigh.

Then, as her blush spread from her neck to her whole face, she waved her hands frantically.

“N-no! It’s… just a reflex from what my mother used to do!”

Ah, that makes sense.

Her tone did have a hint of experience when she spotted the rice on my cheek. Her mother must’ve done the same,

removing any stray rice grains on her children’s faces and putting them into her mouth. It’s natural between parents

and children, but I didn’t expect her to do it with me, leaving me somewhat bewildered.

“It’s fine, nuna. Really, it’s not like you did anything wrong.”

“…Thank you.”

There was a reasonable explanation, so I quickly calmed down and reassured her. Seoha nuna still seemed

embarrassed, covering her flushed face with her hand and fidgeting. She was like an onion, revealing new layers

every time—always in a good way.

“Since it looks like you’re done with your meal, I’ll bring out some dessert. Would you like coffee or tea?”

To help ease her embarrassment, I carefully stood up, gathering the empty dishes on a tray.

“Th-then, I’ll have coffee, please.”

“Then I’ll make coffee too.”

I was glad she managed to answer, even if half-hidden behind her hands. As I headed to the kitchen with a composed

expression, I finally let my own blush surface and began preparing the coffee.

Even though she likes me as a fan, her unintentional gestures are really getting to me. My heart might not survive at

this rate.

Over dessert, we had a brief chat about our families. It occurred to me that we’d hardly discussed them, so we took

this chance to share a bit.

“So, you’re also from a family of four.”

“Yes. My father was always busy, so we didn’t see him much, but my mother showered us with love.”

“What kind of person is your mother?”

“Hm, she’s the opposite of me—very lively, cheerful, and warm-hearted.”

Opposite? Well, while I wouldn’t call her bubbly, she does seem plenty bright and warm-hearted to me.

“How about your brother?”

“He’s got a personality similar to my mother’s. He’s constantly surrounded by people and always laughing,

brightening up those around him.”

“I can picture it.”

Sounds like a classic social butterfly. Comparing them, I could see how Seoha nuna might differ. She’s calm and a bit

reserved at first, but once close, she’s unexpectedly playful and warm.

“Because of that, I’ve always been told I resemble my father, both in personality and looks.”

“So, your father must be quite the handsome man.”

“W-what? That’s… not exactly what I meant…”

She smiled shyly, but didn’t deny it outright.

After all, if such a pretty person didn’t realize how beautiful she was, that would be a crime. They should be arrested on the spot!

“I can just imagine how surprised your mother would be to see this.”

“Hm? Why do you say that?”

As we were chatting, Seoha nuna bit into a piece of apple on her fork, wearing a wry smile as she mumbled frankly,

“Actually, you’re the first guy I’ve been personally close to. Because of that, my mom keeps asking when I’m going to

get married.”

“Your mother worries a lot, huh?”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of that. It was a bit surprising to learn that nuna didn’t have any close male

friends aside from me. I mean, with looks like hers, there must have been plenty of guys vying for her attention. Or

maybe she simply wasn’t interested in dating at all.

“Yeah, so she always nags me. ‘When are you going to show me your boyfriend?’ or ‘Why don’t you take a break and

focus on dating?’”

“I can see why.”

If I were her parent and had such a beautiful daughter focused solely on work without any romance, I’d be a little

worried too. Of course, it doesn’t mean dating is always a good thing, but parents generally want their children to

enjoy life while they’re young.

“Are you siding with her now?”

Nuna’s pouty expression made it clear she was a bit miffed by my understanding.

That wasn’t my intention, but… hmm.

“I’m not siding with her; I just understand where she’s coming from.”

“Really…?”

“Of course. By the way, I have a feeling that your mom and I would get along really well. I’d love to meet her someday.”

The second half of my comment was not meant to be taken seriously. I said it as a joke to lighten the mood and cheer up the sulking nuna.

However, something about my words seemed to captivate Seoha, her eyes widening as if asking, “Is that true?”

“You want to meet my mother…?”

“Yes?”

“You just said that, didn’t you?”

“Uh… I guess I did?”

Since I had indeed said it, I couldn’t deny it, so I tilted my head awkwardly while affirming with my lips.

Her expression brightened immediately, and after finishing off the apple slice in front of her, she said something absurd.

“I’ll try to arrange a meeting.”

“…A meeting?”

“Yes! I think my mother would definitely want to see you. How about we find a time when we’re both free to meet?”

I didn’t expect that at all.