Ch.134The Resemblance Is Uncanny (6)

The golden eyes that had lost their luster and grown dim amid Do Hamin’s face—which had been flushed even before he woke up—suddenly snapped open.

It seems Ban Doyoung’s rolled omelet really does work wonders. Even Do Hamin, who couldn’t recognize who was in front of him when I fed him homemade rice porridge, opened his eyes wide and shouted.

At this rate, I must own at least some stake in this guy’s golden eyes with my rolled omelet.

“Well, since Hamin seems to have come to his senses, shall Mom and I join him for a meal?”

I opened the door to Hamin’s room and peeked my head out toward the kitchen where Mom was.

“Should we? Doyoung, are you the type who likes to eat rice porridge with kimchi on top?”

“No, I’ll eat it plain. I like to eat food in its original color. I absolutely hate things like adding radish kimchi juice to seolleongtang.”

“Oh my, you’re just like me. I like raisins, but I don’t like them in white rice cakes.”

“Oh, me too. Wow, it must be fate!”

“This kid! You should say it’s a coincidence, not fate! I’ll serve it right away. How much would you like?”

“As much as Mom loves me.”

“A full bowl? Got it.”

Mom smiled with a wink and filled the bowl to the brim with freshly made rice porridge.

“Wow… See? Mom and I really understand each other, don’t we, Hamin?”

“That’s not the issue here-! *cough* *hack hack*…!”

Hamin raised his voice as usual despite having a cold. Sure enough, his throat couldn’t handle it, and he started choking.

“Ah, you spilled everything that was in your mouth. Why are you shouting when you’re coughing? So rude.”

“I can’t help but shout! What is this situation?!”

“I think he’s still half-asleep.”

“Am I… perhaps still dreaming? Not only does Doyoung appear in my dreams now, but I’m even dreaming she’s in my house…”

*Stretch*

I pulled Hamin’s cheek, which had turned violent from being unable to accept what was happening right in front of him.

“Owwww.”

“How is it? Does it hurt?”

“Uh-huh… it hurts.”

“Then it’s not a dream.”

*Snap!*

His right cheek, which had stretched like cheese, snapped back to its original shape with a popping sound. Hamin’s cheeks, which hadn’t lost their baby fat even in high school due to his late growth spurt, had a unique elasticity that made them fun to play with.

“Doyoung, I’ve set the rice porridge on the table…”

Just then, Mom entered Hamin’s room. Her gaze immediately shifted to the traces of rice porridge scattered around the room.

“My goodness, what’s this white stuff all over the place?”

“Hamin spit it out.”

“*Cough! Cough*…! Hey, Ban Doyoung!”

What? I just told the truth.

“Oh dear… It didn’t get on your clothes, did it?”

“I’m completely fine thanks to the apron Mom gave me.”

Fortunately, none of the traces Hamin spewed out got on my clothes. There were a few projectiles that came straight at me, but luckily they were safely contained by the chick-patterned apron Mom had given me.

“That’s good. I’ve set the table, so come out before it gets cold.”

“Oh, great. I just checked on Hamin like a royal attendant, so I’ve confirmed he’s okay.”

“Huh? Was I not the first one to check on him?”

“Hamin, if you’re awake, would you like to eat together in the kitchen? It would be lonely to eat alone in bed.”

“Um… okay.”

Hamin hesitated for a moment before nodding.

“Okay, got it. Bring the spoons too. Better than creating more dishes to wash.”

“A wise choice, Mom.”

Mom headed to the dining table first, and I picked up the bowl and spoon Hamin had used and stood up.

“Let’s go, Hamin. Get up.”

“…Wait a minute.”

“Ah… Are you in a state where you can’t get up right now? Quickly rub at least one arm while singing the ‘Mari♥Hana’ opening. I’ll look away.”

“Th-that’s not why I can’t get up!”

Hamin blushed and bundled up his blanket, using it to cover his lower body.

Despite his denial, the way he covered his vital area was quite efficient and clean. As if he’d done it many times before.

“Um… I still can’t quite follow the situation… Why are you in our house, Doyoung? Why are you wearing our apron… and why have you been calling our mom ‘Mom’?”

“Ah… Hamin. Are you the type who doesn’t let anyone else call your mom ‘Mom’ except yourself?”

“No… it’s not a type, it’s just normal, you know?”

“Why? People usually call their friends’ mothers ‘Mother.’ That’s what I’m doing too. It’s just that she doesn’t look like someone I could call ‘Mother,’ so I call her ‘Mom’ instead.”

“‘Mother’ and ‘Mom’ feel completely different… Anyway, the ‘Mom’ title doesn’t sit right.”

“Hmm…”

This is a problem. I’ve gotten used to just calling her “Mom” without thinking about it. Now I have to find a new title.

But if I ignore Hamin’s request and insist on calling her “Mom,” I don’t think I’ll hear anything good from him. I need a title that rolls off the tongue as easily as “Mom” and still sounds cute…

“Then I’ll call her Hami-chan.”

“That’s even worse!”

“Tch.”

If a sick Ban Doyoung loses her filter, a sick Do Hamin seems to be the type who builds up more internal filters.

“Just come out. Whether we talk or eat, wouldn’t it be better to sit together and see each other’s faces?”

I extended my hand toward Hamin, who was sitting on the bed in his pajamas.

“…I can get up by myself.”

“Just take it. I’m trying to help you in case you get dizzy from standing up suddenly and fall.”

“…”

“It’s okay, right? We’re not the type to get awkward just because we’ve seen each other in pajamas.”

“…That’s true, but.”

Hamin hesitated before grabbing my outstretched hand and lowering his legs from the bed.

“…Ah.”

*Thud!*

Just when I thought he was going to put his feet down and lift himself off the bed, Hamin glanced at his lower body hidden under the blanket and immediately pushed my hand away.

“Huh? What’s wrong with you?”

For some reason, Hamin rolled himself up in the blanket and flopped back down on the bed.

“…Go ahead. One minute. No, give me one minute and thirty seconds, and I’ll come out.”

“Huh? Why suddenly?”

“…I think I need to sing the ‘Mari♥Hana’ opening before I come out.”

“Ah… Did you pitch a tent in your pants?”

I could guess why Hamin had to hurriedly wrap himself in the blanket.

He denied it earlier, but waking up to find a pretty girl hand-feeding him homemade rice porridge must have been quite a shock.

It would be impossible not to have a reaction.

“You said you could get up well by yourself, but I see that’s definitely true.”

“Ugh… I would have been fine getting up alone… but because I took your hand to stand up…”

“Is it A-type? D-type? Maybe size 24?”

“S-stop joking around and please go first…!”

I came all this way to Hamin’s house, so I shouldn’t provoke him and lower his affection level. Seeing his tearful face, I honored his request and left the room ahead of him.

…

A little while later, Hamin, his mother, and I sat around the dining table.

The table was quite minimalist, designed for two people. It made sense since it was just mother and son living here, and the house itself wasn’t as spacious as Ban Doyoung’s home.

There were only two chairs included with the table, so Hamin, who came out last, brought his desk chair from his room and placed it at the table.

“Well then, let’s start with simple introductions. Going clockwise from the left.”

“…I’m Do Hamin.”

“I’m Hamin’s mom.”

“I’m Hamin’s girlfriend.”

Yes, introductions complete.

“Now, I’m hungry, so let’s eat. The rolled omelet must be cold by now.”

“Should I heat it up in the microwave? Just 30 seconds.”

“Ah, please do, Mom.”

“W-w-wait a minute-!”

Just as I was about to take a spoonful and bring it to my mouth, Hamin raised his arm like an exemplary student asking a question one minute before class ends, and shouted in a strained voice.

“What is it now? I’m hungry. Let me taste the female rice porridge I made.”

“Yes, son. Mom hasn’t even tried a spoonful of Doyoung’s rice porridge yet. Or the rolled omelet.”

“…Why do I feel like I’m the only strange one here?”

Despite Hamin’s bold request for a tactical timeout, due to protests from Mom and me who couldn’t bear any more hunger, we decided to continue the conversation while eating.

“Then why doesn’t Hamin properly introduce Mom and Doyoung? That should be fine, right?”

“Yes, that would work. Let’s properly introduce ourselves, Mom.”

“It seems like you two have already become as close as possible… but I’ll do it anyway. This is Ban Doyoung… my classmate…”

*Poke*

I jabbed Hamin’s side with my left hand, which wasn’t holding a spoon.

“Ugh… my girlfriend.”

“I’m Ban Doyoung. It’s not the first time, but nice to meet you, Hamin’s mother.”

“And Doyoung… this is my mom, Do Ha-mi. Her name is Do Hami.”

As soon as she heard her name from Hamin, Mom smiled brightly and said to us:

“I’m Do Hami. It’s not the first time for me either, but nice to meet you, Ban Doyoung. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“*Cough* Hey, Ban Doyoung…!”

“Yes, I do. His name is Do Hamin.”

“Oh, that’s me.”

“Oh, Mom…! *Cough*!”

That day, Hamin choked unusually often.