episode_0089

I’ve been to hotel restaurants a couple of times in my life, but today’s place had a buffet along with it.

Usually, when you think of a buffet, you imagine all the food neatly arranged in different sections, kind of like a conveyor belt where people rotate around, right? In more upscale places, the chefs cook right next to the buffet hall, serving freshly prepared dishes directly.

But the buffet for the wealthy had a slightly different structure, maybe because it had the word “premium” attached to it.

The buffet entrance fee only included foods that did not involve main course dishes, and if you wanted to eat dishes like meat or fish, you had to pay separately for them.

“You don’t need to overeat at a buffet. The real deal is… ta-da!”

Yoon Jiyoo confidently opened the menu. It was filled with various meat dishes, starting with steaks, as well as a variety of sashimi, sushi omakase, and grilled fish.

“I have to eat eel for sure.”

I feel like this is something Siwoo should eat, not me. I’ll treat him later. Today is a day for me, so I’ll eat without any worries.

“Tenderloin… caviar dish…”

The most expensive one. Four plates for now. Taste each one first. Then four more plates. That way, just with the main dish, I’ll easily hit 1 million won.

Yeah, just eating dishes is not enough. Since Yoon Jiyoo is an adult, should I recommend alcohol once? I can’t drink, so I’ll go with a non-alcoholic mojito.

“Sister… W-wine… would you like to have some?”

“You can’t drink.”

“I, I… if it’s a non-alcoholic mojito…”

“Is that so? Hm.”

Even though the preliminary results haven’t come out yet, does Yoon Jiyoo have so much confidence in advancing to the finals? She accepted my suggestion happily.

“Well, it’s been a while. Shall we have a drink? It’s a bit disappointing that Chaewon can’t drink. When will you become an adult?”

“I can drink… starting next year. From January 1st when I turn 19…”

“That’s still far away.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“What’s there to apologize for? Have you chosen all the dishes?”

With a slightly flustered expression, I selected two meat dishes and two fish dishes as I flipped through the pages.

Yoon Jiyoo seemed momentarily speechless, perhaps wondering if we could eat all of this. But soon, she realized that we didn’t have to eat everything and smiled, saying,

“As expected, Chaewon has a different class.”

“What? Ah. I-Is it too much? Should I… cancel?”

“No, no. No need for that. Chaewon’s level naturally calls for eating like this.”

“Uh… ugh.”

“It’s really okay. Don’t feel pressured. I said I’ll pay for everything, right?”

If Yoon Jiyoo really didn’t have money, there would be no reason to bring me here, let alone order expensive wine.

She must have been a little surprised to see me suddenly show a desire for food.

I don’t know how Yoon Jiyoo imagined our family’s atmosphere. As far as I know, the Minseokhyun family is quite modest.

They were a strange couple who invested more money in the future of the music industry than in their own expenses. The amount they invested in their daughter and Song Seonghyuk was all justified under the excuse of “backward cultivation.”

The amount they put into the foundation for the sake of music was even greater than the amount spent on their daughter and adopted children, earning them the nickname “indulgent neglect” among musician acquaintances.

If they were building a mansion and hiring numerous employees just to help needy children, would you believe it?

In reality, most of the maids working with Kang Hwi in Korea were girls of my age who were unmarried mothers, orphans, and other unfortunate circumstances.

The reason I found out was funny. Every time I wandered around the house, the maids would thank me as if it were a promise, so I asked them what they were grateful for.

“If it weren’t for you, it would have been difficult to find a job like this….”

At first, I thought it was a suspicious job as a maid, but when I came, they fed me well for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the workload was not as heavy as I thought, and the benefits such as vacations and insurance were generous.

If there were no age restrictions, I would want to work together until I die, bowing my head with tears streaming down my face, so I was surprised, comforted, and ran back to my bedroom.

Anyway, I was curious about why Min Chaewon had assets worth 800 million won even though it was such a household, so I looked into it in my own way. I quickly found the answer.

“All that money is donated by successful musicians who have received foundation sponsorship, voluntarily raised as a token of gratitude. You can spend it as you please, but at least you should know what cause the money was raised for,” Miss 0 said, informing me.

Before, Chaewon thought it was pocket money and spent it freely, but after knowing the truth, she changed direction to spend only where necessary. She decided to entrust some of the money her parents were investing in the Kanghwi Cultural Foundation to herself and started putting it aside little by little from her account.

“I’m spending that money happily again….”

If you feel guilty, well, not really.

Except for when I buy something for Siwoo, I hardly spend my own money. It’s just an investment to raise Siwoo, the future pillar of the family.

… And.

“Chaewon….”

Surprisingly, Yoon Jiyu wasn’t much different.

“You know. I…. like this. Just. Buying something. Like that…. isn’t it burdensome… or… not?”

As she coolly emptied a bottle of wine, she collapsed on the table. Her words spilled out uncontrollably.

“Mo. Today…. ordering food comfortably… seems like…. not really. But. Hehe. Still, you know….”

Drunk, she was looking at my departed younger sister, Jin Saeyak.

She was trying to give me the love that she couldn’t give to her sister.

“Sister…. is. You know…. too….”

Why did Yoon Gwanchul abandon Jin Saeyak? Did Jin Saeyak make such a big mistake that he had to abandon her?

But Yoon Jiyu and Yoon Jichang, who had lived as siblings, couldn’t possibly not know if such a thing had happened. There was some problem that only Yoon Gwanchul and Jin Saeyak knew about.

“I hope the work is going well… Be careful.”

“There are more than a few girls who have fallen for that method. Everyone he approaches seems to be immature like you.”

I can’t tell if she’s really sad or if she’s using Jin Saeyak to take advantage of me.

Whether it’s a drunken confession or a play disguised as a drunken confession, I can’t tell. I just watch quietly without judging.

“Sister.”

“Uung….”

I should probably send her home in a taxi.

“Let’s go home. You’re too drunk.”

“Oh. Wait, wait. Payment! I have to pay.”

In a drunken state, Yoon Jiyu took out her wallet from her handbag and accurately pulled out the card inserted in it. It was enough to make me doubt if she was really drunk, but they say that human instinct is truly remarkable, so I let it go for now.

After Yoon Jiyu paid with the card she handed over, I supported her and went down to the hotel lobby.

As she sat in the lobby chair trying to call a taxi, Yoon Jiyu muttered.

“You. Me. To send. Like that.”

How did she know? I was planning to send her home by express delivery.

“Don’t say that. Here… let me stay over.”

She pointed to the hotel concierge. The suggestion was that there was no need to go back far, why not just stay here.

It seemed like her father was managing his daughter more strictly than she thought. Is it okay to stay out overnight like this out of the blue?

“If the gentleman… doesn’t mind… it.”

As I hesitated in my response, Yoon Ji-yoo smacked the empty chair next to her and giggled.

“He won’t mind. He’ll probably hate it~. But I like it, so it’s fine. Ahaha!”

I really don’t understand this woman.

“Since it’s come to this, why not use being drunk as an excuse to ask this and that?”

I am the same gender as Yoon Ji-yoo. Even if we stay at the hotel together, it wouldn’t be a problem at all.

I have experience staying in a twin bed room with Jung Si-woo, so it’s not surprising.

“Okay. Let’s go up.”

It wasn’t difficult to support Yoon Ji-yoo. After all, I’m the one who casually walks my big Rottweiler. So, it was much easier to handle someone who moves according to my will even when drunk.

“Yahoo~.”

“You, you’re going to fall…!”

Like an excited child on a camping trip after a long time, she hopped around. Strangely, she seemed like she might slip, but she didn’t fall.

She really isn’t drunk at all. The smoke of excitement has risen. It’s amazing how such a person can exist in the world.

Hastily following her, I found Yoon Ji-yoo already inquiring about the room after submitting the card to the concierge. It was clear once again that she was able to speak coherently even while drunk.

“— Yes, for one person.”

“No. I’ll, I’ll stay too.”

The concierge staff who had been looking at me suddenly asked Yoon Ji-yoo.

“Are you together?”

“Um… yes. But… are you going to sleep alone?”

I smiled and wrapped my arm around Yoon Ji-yoo.

“Sister… I’m worried about leaving you alone….”

Me, playing the role of an angelic innocent girl. And Yoon Ji-yoo, playing the role of a sister who cherishes such a girl.

Who will be the first to give up and step back.

“Um… okay! Let’s go to bed!”