episode_0031

“It’s delicious….”

“It is.”

For Jung Siwoo, not only was playing the piano black, but life itself was black.

“I didn’t know flower crab tasted this good….”

“I bet the soup is delicious. We used to eat crab dishes often even in Austria.”

“Is that so. Anyway….”

In life, there are various forms of happiness that people can experience.

Among them, food, which forms the basis of human life, plays a significant role in happiness.

Food enthusiasts often describe the ecstasy felt when tasting a new delicacy as if they had visited heaven.

Some people even say it’s better than lust and pleasure, and it might be true.

“Have I been living without tasting such delicious food?”

Reflecting on the past, there are memories of trying various dishes at Professor Dae’s house with Baek Cheongha. There might have been flower crab soup among them.

But the reason it doesn’t come to mind is that Baek Cheongha was a negative element.

People easily forget less happy memories when they have happier ones.

For me, it was music. The happiness I felt when completing a piano piece surpassed imagination.

With over 90% of my life dedicated to the piano, to the point where I would forget to eat while immersed in playing. How could a mere meal leave a lasting memory?

The beginning of the decline of my piano obsession started in my fourth year.

After a clash between happiness and reality, I realized that the emptiness in my heart could be filled by other activities.

I even considered compromise to adapt to reality.

It was a chance encounter with a graduate’s broadcast that led me to discover that option.

At that time, I was aimlessly watching live broadcasts since Aclerct’s uploads had stopped.

By chance, I came across a graduate who had turned to broadcasting after graduating from our university and became a hit.

Throughout the broadcast, the person looked extremely happy.

They joyfully played the songs requested by viewers.

Occasionally, they would laugh along with the playful comments.

Musicians specializing in other instruments would come for collaborations.

Senior students from the Korean National University of Arts and world-famous musicians would visit to liven up the atmosphere.

Spending 6 to 8 hours a day talking only about music with viewers, the day would pass by.

I thought it was quite a happy life.

If the money earned from the broadcast was not enough, I could make up for it by playing as an accompanist.

If I felt lonely, I could call Baek Cheongha for a drink.

Living a life that wasn’t too much or too little.

That was the wish of 23-year-old me in my fourth year.

“It’s delicious….”

However, perhaps a fulfilling life was even more remarkable than I had expected.

The idea of pursuing small happiness may have been not a compromise, but a consolation for those who had given up.

Maybe I just didn’t know because I had spent my whole life playing the piano.

Perhaps driving along the West Sea coast in a convertible was the best thing ever.

And the flower crab soup cooked at a seafood restaurant with a view of the sea was invincible and divine.

“It’s delicious!!”

“Okay, okay, keep it down.”

The middle-aged men and women at the surrounding tables laughed, finding my voice cute.

“Have you been eating this delicious food alone all this time?”

“I brought it for you.”

“Before that.”

“I took you out to eat.”

“I see.”

What’s the point of these back-and-forth exchanges?

Chewing on a piece of crab meat soaked in the broth in my mouth, I couldn’t figure it out.

Right now, in this moment, I felt happy and joyful, similar to when I played the piano.

I’m sorry, piano.

Still okay? Siwoo is by your side.

I’m lucky to have two in this world. That’s right.

… Ah, that jerk is in pain right now.

“Groan.”

It was a good idea to learn Alpha mail from Song Seonghyuk.

But I felt a sense of unnecessary guilt for being so close to him in Chaewon’s body.

“He’s probably still groaning at home.”

Our next meeting is scheduled for next Monday. There are still over three days left.

Where is the time to take care of myself and what day is it? But.

The relationship with Siwoo has progressed more than I wanted. I am now in danger of losing in the hierarchy battle with him.

I can’t afford to lose in the hierarchy battle.

If he stops listening to me, that would be true despair.

“I have to distance myself from myself to save myself….”

There’s nothing more frustrating than this.

How can I take control away decisively?

If I treat Jung Siwoo in Min Chaewon mode, I might lose control.

If I continue to treat Jung Siwoo in Jung Siwoo mode, it’s obvious that I will lose control and max out the familiarity and camaraderie.

Or should I just buy it with money?

… No, that would only deepen Jung Siwoo’s inferiority complex.

I already think of Min Chaewon as a tree that won’t fall even if I hit it ten times.

A way to take care of everything while keeping a distance.

That way is….

“Don’t come to mind!”

I’m not a fan of alcohol, but I’ve had a few drinks when I’m in a mood to match our professor’s taste.

My desire to drink usually arises when I have a lot to think about and everyone around me is drinking.

I shook the glass next to Song Seonghyuk, who was sipping his soju.

“Alright, give me a drink too.”

“….”

“Why. I want a drink.”

Song Seonghyuk took out his foreigner registration card from his wallet and showed it to me.

It was impressive how he had his bangs swept dramatically like when he went to a concours.

“Why are you suddenly showing me that?”

“Do you have this?”

“Of course I do….”

Ah. Min Chaewon is a minor.

And he doesn’t even have an ID as a foreigner.

“You don’t have….”

“It’s not ‘you don’t have,’ it’s ‘when are you going to make it.’”

“Make it? What?”

Song Seonghyuk opened his mouth wide.

He seemed flustered, even though he couldn’t see well.

“Are you going to stay in Korea?”

“Huh.”

“Then you need to get one.”

“… What?”

He pointed to his foreigner registration card that he was holding as if it was frustrating.

I raised my eyebrows.

“Dad, who’s Korean, has completely lost his identity as a Korean.”

This time, I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

What’s wrong?

Song Seonghyuk pointed to his dark golden hair with his finger.

Then he pointed to my hair.

…. Oh.

“You’re kidding.”

“Just now, my expression and tone, it wasn’t a joke at all.”

“It’s a joke.”

“If you’re someone who can manage your expression that well, then I believed you.”

“Anyway, it’s a joke….”

“Annoying.”

Apart from the hair and eyes, Min Chaewon looks like a Korean, and even his name is Korean, so he completely forgot.

Surprisingly, Min Chaewon is also Austrian like Song Seonghyuk!

It’s natural that it doesn’t make sense to suddenly issue a foreigner registration card to someone who has lived in Korea all their life.

“You, you didn’t really forget your name, did you?”

“….”

“Impressive, really.”

“Oh, I didn’t forget.”

“What. Don’t take out your passport.”

So he did have a real name.

I didn’t even know that.

If he’s Austrian, is it German-style?

There’s no way to know for sure except to guess.

Even the Min Chaewon Guidebook No. 26 shown by Kang Hwi didn’t have this information.

The only thing that comes to mind is Lady Acklert.

Even though I know it’s the name of Strelka spelled backwards.

“Ah—.”

“Sure, Astrid. I remember that well.”

I was truly impressed by Song Seonghyuk’s response just now.

To intercept the answer like that, Chae Won must have been really determined not to give in.

It’s remarkable. Is this what they call an alpha male?

By the way, her original name was Astrid.

Astrid. That’s a pretty name too.

Surely it means something beautiful, pretty, or something like that, right?

“I almost failed the ideological verification….”

But Song Seonghyuk. No matter who you are, you probably wouldn’t know that Min Chaewon’s name is composed of the characters for ‘color’ and ‘beauty’.

There’s no way someone who speaks Korean slowly would know Chinese characters as well.

I stirred the soup with a spoon and poured it over the rice.

One bite, two bites. It’s so delicious that it just goes down smoothly.

And as it goes down smoothly, I feel like drinking alcohol. The sadness of being underage and unable to even touch it.

When I go back to the hotel, I’ll drink everything in the minibar.

“……”

Song Seonghyuk watched me drinking soju with a wistful look.

Suddenly, outside his line of sight, in the darkened courtyard of the restaurant, a white convertible parked.

And who’s driving?

Surely Song Seonghyuk wouldn’t be thinking of driving under the influence.

Is he suggesting we go diving in the West Sea together?

Feeling uneasy, I grabbed Song Seonghyuk’s glass, which he kept reaching for, and asked, “You’re not doing that.”

“Forget that. What about you driving?”

“Driving?”

“Yeah! You came here by car.”

With slightly loosened eyes from drinking, he turned his head to look at the car in the courtyard.

“That’s right.”

“You crazy bastard!”

“So what. We can just call a driver.”

“If it’s a two-seater and we call a driver, then one person…”

“Just take a taxi.”

Ah, that’s a good idea.

…No, was he really planning to casually send Chae Won home in a taxi in the middle of the night?

Such behavior should never be learned.

“Or what. Should we book a nearby hotel and sleep there?”

There was a moment of silence.

Just when the thought crossed my mind that ‘maybe all alpha males are psychos’.

He flicked my forehead and stuck out his tongue.

“Ow.”

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m rejecting you from my side. Just take a taxi and go back quietly.”

As if that wasn’t enough to make my heart race, he dared to flick Chae Won’s precious forehead.

I couldn’t bear it any longer.

I got up abruptly and mercilessly smacked Song Seonghyuk’s head with my palm.

“Ow!”

Then, I grabbed my phone and briskly descended the stairs of the shop.

“Hey, hey. I’ll call a taxi for you, so wait.”

I showed Song Seonghyuk a pianist’s flexible middle finger as he followed me, babbling.

“Finish your drink before you come back, okay?”