episode_0003

“Alright, it’s ready.”

Mapo tofu, Jin’s favorite dish.

Perhaps due to having this as the main dinner menu for the past few years, it was finished surprisingly quickly.

Placing the fragrant mapo tofu in front of Jin and turning on the induction stove, I made sure not to forget the anti-shake spoon. Nothing is more essential than this for Jin’s ordinary meal.

“Just one thing.”

“It’s because it’s getting too late. Sorry.”

“Whining…”

Jin pouted with puffed-up cheeks.

When you think of mapo tofu, it’s easy to imagine tofu floating in bright red oil, but there are actually various types of mapo tofu.

Korean-style mapo tofu with lots of onions and excluding garlic spices. Japanese-style mapo tofu focusing on a smooth taste like stew. Sichuan-style mapo tofu cooked with various spices and chili oil, frying the meat and generously adding pepper and Sichuan peppercorns. Depending on the ingredients and method, they vary greatly. Disappointed that despite ordering, only one type was served, it was inevitable given the weak firepower of the induction stove to cook it all, so I had no choice but to comfort Jin.

“I’ll read you a picture book while you eat instead.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“Um… Okay then. Please read this.”

Fortunately, it seemed Jin had no intention of being more stubborn, handing me the picture book she brought.

I had been trying to read it continuously, or rather, throughout the week, but it seemed I failed to finish it.

Originally, I intended to give more time and effort, but since ‘Teacher’ said he would give a new picture book next time we visit the hospital, reading it didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“By the way, how far did you read?”

“Huh? Um… Well, uh…”

Jin furrowed her brow, pointing at each finger in response to my question. However, recalling from her already messy mind seemed impossible, so she pursed her lips.

It seemed quite embarrassing to have forgotten everything after reading aloud so loudly. Always wanting to show me a cool and lovely side, it was one of Jin’s few remaining normal beliefs. So now, it seemed necessary to consider our wonderful girlfriend a little.

“Well, I haven’t read it yet… Would it be okay to start from the beginning?”

“Sure, that should be fine.”

“Then let’s start while eating.”

As Jin awkwardly held the spoon with her uncooperative hand, I opened the first page of the picture book.

Although it was a poor quality production, merely sketches bound into a sketchbook, Jin somehow preferred this picture book, knowing that ‘Teacher’ had personally written it.

These days, it wasn’t just about reading; she also wrote and drew herself. Impressive. Our Jin is the best.

“Shall we begin reading?”

“Yes, bon appétit.”

Once upon a time, one day, God decided to clean the world with water.

But thinking there would be nothing left if He did so except Himself, God built a large ark and gathered forest friends inside. The rabbit and squirrel were among those called by God. Holding hands, they joyfully arrived at the ark, where they were welcomed by numerous animals.

Having gathered all the forest friends, God rained water from the sky and decided to sleep until the cleaning was done.

However, oops, didn’t God mistakenly rain fire instead of water?

The fire burned through the forests, fields, mountains, and rivers, blazing fiercely.

Fortunately, the sturdy ark kept the forest friends safe, but they couldn’t go outside.

In the beginning, the forest friends who initially thought the fire would be extinguished quickly grew tired as one day passed, then two days passed, and still nothing changed. Above all, there was nothing to eat.

Eventually, the lion, unable to endure any longer, shouted loudly.

“I’m hungry. If I don’t eat something, I’ll die.”

Having said that, the lion ate the nearby cheetah before consuming it. Everyone was surprised, but they couldn’t stop the strong lion, and since they were all equally hungry, they shared the eagle. However, the rabbit and squirrel were too small and weak to join in.

The next day, the lion ate the pig before sharing it with the rest.

However, the rabbit and squirrel were too small and weak to join in.

The following day, the lion ate the goat before sharing it with the rest.

However, the rabbit and squirrel were too small and weak to join in.

The next day, the lion ate the ox before sharing it with the rest.

However, the rabbit and squirrel were too small and weak to join in.

Finally, only the rabbit, squirrel, and lion remained in the stomach.

They were too small for the lion to eat, but the lion wasn’t eating the forest friends because of hunger.

“When I finish eating you all, the door of my stomach will open.”

No one had ever said such a thing, but the lion believed it. Without believing it, their hearts felt too stifled and painful.

The squirrel tried to protect the rabbit, but the lion, having eaten many friends, was too strong and easily knocked the squirrel away. The lion chuckled at the sight and tried to attack the rabbit.

Startled, the squirrel once again rushed at the lion, but was thrown away once more.

Enraged, the lion charged at the rabbit. Not knowing what to do, the rabbit instinctively kicked the lion, causing it to collapse. It must have been from overeating all this time.

Unaware of this fact, the frightened rabbit didn’t know what to do. So, the squirrel reassured the rabbit:

“It’s okay. You’re not bad. Look, this is just nothing.”

When the squirrel pulled the lion’s arm off with a snap and laughed, the rabbit decided to believe the squirrel’s words. With all their might, the rabbit and squirrel pushed the lion’s head away. At that moment, belatedly regaining consciousness, the lion roared loudly and cried out, but that was the end.

Fortunately, startled by the lion’s final roar, God, who had awakened from sleep, looked down from the sky, jumped up in surprise, and quickly began to pour water instead of fire. The fire was extinguished. Only a reddish-black ash remained, emitting dusty smoke in the forest.

Yet now, the rabbit and squirrel did not cry. They were not afraid.

Everyone lived happily ever after─

“─We lived well.”

“Slurp… How is it?”

“Tasty?”

“It’s delicious. Because you made it.”

“Thank goodness.”

Jin held a spoon in one hand, absentmindedly slurping while speaking.

Whether it was due to developing a tolerance from eating spicy food every day or being immersed in the story, Jin seemed satisfied with the mapo tofu itself.

“I have a question.”

“A question?”

“Did the forest friends come out of the lion’s stomach?”

“Well, I’m not sure about that.”

“So, did the rabbit and squirrel come out of the stomach?”

“They did. They came out and are living well.”

“Are the rabbit and the squirrel happy?”

“They are. They are happy now, and they will be happy.”

Among other things, that was one thing he could be certain of.

Was it because I spoke with a strange conviction that Jin simply nodded without a word?

“Yeah, the rabbit and the squirrel are happy.”

“Really? That’s unusual. You saying all that.”

“The rabbit protected the squirrel from a bad lion.”

“That’s right.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“So, I want to protect you from bad people like the rabbit did for the squirrel.”

“···Huh?”

“You’re in danger. People are all bad. They all pretend not to be.”

“Well… It’s not always like that. There are kind and good people too.”

“No, I know. They’re all the same. Everyone is bad. They ignore you, torment you, make things difficult for you, insult you, deceive you, obstruct you, try to trick you. I won’t be fooled. Not again. I’ll tear apart every deceitful face…”

“Hey, do you want more mapo tofu?”

Jin, holding a spoon with a serious expression, who had been muttering, looked at me blankly as I closed the picture book and said that.

Then, after nodding once… he turned his gaze to the half-empty plate. His restless pupils, trembling anxiously, looked up at me as if the hands of a clock were ticking. But even that was brief.

“Um… I want to eat. I want to eat.”

“Alright, I’ll warm it up for you right away.”

“Yeah.”

With that reply, Jin began reaching out with his spoon towards the remaining mapo tofu.

The words he had just whispered. Even more so, all the past before the heavy rain and storm came.

He seemed completely calm, as if he didn’t care at all.

“The rabbit and the squirrel are happy.”

Stirring the spicy mapo tofu that was so comforting that tears could well up just by looking at it with a wooden ladle, I muttered to Jin in a small voice that wouldn’t reach him.

At least this much─ I couldn’t believe it at all unless I said it out loud.