episode_0273

***

Was it because of the long battle and the mess at home?

Seongah Kim felt like she had slept soundly for the first time in a long time.

refreshing body,

chirping birds,

Around the quiet house,

She knew what this meant.

Kim Seong-ah lifted the cell phone upside down and tapped the screen with a thin finger.

Tap, tap, her fingerprint appeared on the black screen, and the screen turned on.

10 am.

After checking the time, she lay back down on the bed.

She blinked her eyes slowly.

The beige ceiling caught her eye and then disappeared.

She said that several times, stretching while lying down.

“You’re late.”

I wanted to sleep more, but my body, which had already woken up, didn’t seem to want to go back to sleep.

Seongah Kim picked up her cell phone and watched YouTube.

When she was late, she gave up the idea of going to school.

Even if she had woken up on time anyway, she wouldn’t have gone to school to watch over someone else at home.

The videos selected by the algorithm caught her interest.

She watched several videos while lying down.

After about an hour of killing time in bed, she started sniffling.

“Hmm?”

My mouth watered at the pungent smell.

It seduced her sense of smell and stimulated her brain, eventually leading to hunger.

She got up and headed to the first floor.

When I arrived at the kitchen, the outsider who came in yesterday was putting a spoonful of red-flavored ramen into his mouth.

– slurp slurp

Seongah Kim muttered as he watched the ramen being sucked into his mouth.

“It looks delicious.”

Kang In-ho, who was pulling up noodles with his face in the bowl, paused for a moment.

He picked up the noodles that had not yet been put into his mouth with his chopsticks and got up with a sigh.

The way he took out dishes and chopsticks from the cupboard and placed them in front of her made it seem as if this house was his.

“I didn’t even get up and tried to eat first.”

Kang In-ho said, avoiding eye contact as he placed the pot in the center.

It seemed that boiling ramen as I wanted was a bit of a prick.

“Ah… Well, it doesn’t matter.”

Kim Seong-ah said as she brought a bowl of ramen.

Glancing over, she saw him.

Judging by the fact that there was nothing wrong with the barrier that was put up or the magic that was attached to him,

I knew he didn’t do anything stupid while she was sleeping.

But letting someone who was an enemy into your home… It was your choice, but it didn’t feel real yet.

We were obviously throwing fire and magic at each other until this morning, but I never thought we would be sharing ramen like this.

When that thought occurred to her, she put ramen in her mouth and laughed.

The ramen I ate when I woke up was really delicious.

Neither he nor she said much between meals.

At the quiet table, the only sound was the noodles.

***

“It was a good meal.”

Kim Seong-ah put down her spoon and chopsticks only after she had finished eating the cooked rice.

“All you have at home is Instant?”

Kang In-ho asked as he took the empty dishes and pots to the sink.

“I rarely eat at home.”

“Speak informally?”

Kang In-ho said, putting on rubber gloves.

“Huh?”

Kim Seong-ah asked him a question without even looking back.

“I told you to be respectful.”

Kang In-ho responded by rubbing a sponge soaked in detergent to create foam.

“…Yes. I will call you uncle.”

Kim Seong-ah did not want to argue with him, so she accepted his request.

At the same time, he showed off his wits, but the other person didn’t seem to be the type to really care about that.

“Anyway, you don’t eat it at home?”

“Yes… No, yes. I don’t eat breakfast often, and I eat lunch at school.”

“What about dinner?”

“Something simple like bread at a convenience store…”

Although she answered his words faithfully, the feeling that she was being interrogated did not go away.

In-ho, who was washing dishes with a clatter, probably wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but clicked his tongue.

“You have to eat well. Student.”

“Speaks like a real man.”

She pouted her mouth.

“Because you are uncle.”

I shrug, drying the bowl with a dry towel.

He took off his red rubber gloves and turned around.

Kim Seong-ah felt strange as the eyes that were always full of life looked at her softly.

“College student? High school student?”

“I’m a high school student.”

“But, aren’t you going to school? Is today your day off?”

Kang In-ho said while looking at the clock hanging in the living room.

“I woke up late so I just don’t want to go. I worked hard until dawn today and I was tired…”

She stretched again.

When did she go out faithfully? She reassured herself.

“Don’t your parents say anything?”

Kim Seong-ah stopped with her arms outstretched in response to In-ho’s question.

He immediately realized that what he had just asked was not a very good question.

“No, I didn’t ask you just now…”

“Both of them passed away. 5 years ago.”

She answered quietly, lowering her outstretched arm, and the man scratched his head.

“Okay, sorry.”

“No. It’s not like I knew anything before asking.”

An uncomfortable, shy, and condescending silence began.

“Ah… the house is really nice.”

Kang In-ho, who had nothing to say, walked around the living room pretending to be cheerful.

Seongah Kim just observed him quietly.

She was observing the man as if she was watching YouTube and started laughing without realizing it.

Eating with someone at home,

Talking to someone at home,

Seeing someone walking around the house,

Because it’s really been a long time.

While she was immersed in such sentiments, after looking around the living room, he made a proposal to her.

***

“…….”

As Kang In-ho walked around the living room feeling awkward, things that were annoying caught his eye.

These were things I had not seen in the morning when I was anxious and hungry.

First, I saw white dust settling all over the house and loose hinges.

Then the mold-infested wallpaper made the house gloomy.

I also remembered the cupboard full of instant food and the empty refrigerator I saw while cooking.

Tsk, he clicked his tongue.

Ah, I guess I’m the one who can’t help it. It’s because Ojirya is so wide.

He turned and looked at Kim Seong-ah.

He made eye contact with the woman who was still sitting on the kitchen chair, staring at him blankly.

The man thought as he looked at those calm eyes.

I think I have a lot to offer this girl.

“I don’t have much at home, let’s go shopping.”