Chapter 11
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Scene 11: Are You Alive?
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*Thump, thump, thump!*
“Miss. Please open the door. Miss.”
There was no response to the continued knocking. Kang Man-dong’s expression grew serious.
“Damn it. Don’t tell me…”
The way she was perched on the terrace last night had seemed unsettling. Had something finally happened?
After knocking a few more times, Kang Man-dong, deciding he couldn’t wait any longer, took out a spare key.
If she had hanged herself or slit her wrists inside, the situation could be dire.
Just as he was about to unlock the door, he heard a frantic movement from inside.
“Wa… Wait a moment.”
“Oh! You’re alive? Let me in. Move aside.”
“Just a moment. Just a moment.”
Another urgent voice, followed by the sound of bustling movement, came from within.
Kang Man-dong let out a sigh of relief.
*Phew. That scared me. Thank God she’s not dead.*
Kang Man-dong let go of the doorknob and waited for a moment.
But five minutes passed, then ten, and the door showed no sign of opening.
*What is she doing?*
Entering a guest’s room without permission was unthinkable, but given the circumstances, he felt he couldn’t wait any longer.
You never knew. She might have been about to kill herself, gotten interrupted, and was now stalling to buy more time.
Even if she had been naked, this was more than enough time to put on some clothes.
“Miss. I’m coming in.”
His patience at its limit, Kang Man-dong could wait no longer and opened the door. He took a step inside.
*Ugh. The smell. Just how much did she drink?*
Wrinkling his nose at the piercing smell of alcohol, Kang Man-dong was momentarily stunned by the scene inside the room.
“Wh… What… is this.”
Never mind the clothes strewn about like shed skin; trash was littered everywhere.
This… this filthy mess is Pension Camu!
My God… How could she do something so awful!
Kang Man-dong’s entire face contorted in a wave of bewilderment. And there was the woman, frozen stiff at his appearance.
As if realizing how bad it was herself, she had been frantically trying to tidy up before stopping and standing there foolishly.
“This young lady… What is all this!”
“I’m… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!”
With disheveled hair and clothes that looked hastily thrown on, she repeatedly bowed her head.
Kang Man-dong was about to give her a piece of his mind but managed to hold it in.
She was still a guest, after all. No matter how angry he was, it was right to refrain from harsh words.
“Haa…”
At the sound of Kang Man-dong’s sigh, Kim Seong-hui hunched her shoulders, looking utterly dejected.
“Miss.”
“Yes…”
“First… go wash up. Then come see me.”
“.....”
“You know the main building next door, right?”
“Yes…”
“You can clean the room later. Come over there.”
“Yes…”
Kang Man-dong let out another sigh, then turned and left.
As the door closed and Kang Man-dong was gone, Kim Seong-hui collapsed onto the floor.
“Haa… How did I end up like this. Crazy bitch. What a mess.”
Her face burned as if it would explode from shame and humiliation.
***
When Kang Man-dong returned, Allang, who had finished his meal and was smoking outside, hurried over.
“How did it go? Is she dead?”
“This guy. What are you talking about… Who’s dead!”
As Kang Man-dong spat out his irritated words, Allang said, “Ah, what a relief. She’s alive then.”
“She looked out of it, so I told her to wash up and meet me. I figured it would be awkward if others saw her, so I told her to come here. Now, hurry up and take the kids to the farm.”
“I was just about to head out. The kids have been nagging me to go to the farm.”
Allang, who was about to go inside, turned back around.
“Still, you never know. Don’t push her too hard. She might get shocked by your yelling and…”
“Get out of here!”
When Kang Man-dong made a kicking motion, Allang scurried away, saying, “I’m only saying this because I know your temper, boss.”
Left alone, Kang Man-dong was puffing on a cigarette outside the main building when Kim Seong-hui timidly approached.
“Sir… I’m here.”
Kim Seong-hui announced her presence in a barely audible voice, looking completely deflated.
He’d rushed over, worried he might be dealing with a corpse, but seeing her so crestfallen now made him wonder if he’d overreacted.
The room was a mess and she was dazed from drinking, but she hadn't exactly given off a suicidal vibe.
“Don’t you know that just chugging alcohol like that will mess up your stomach?”
“I’m sorry…”
“No, nothing to be sorry for. Geez. Look at the state you’re in. Let’s go inside.”
Kim Seong-hui followed Kang Man-dong into the main building.
She was familiar with the pension wing where her room was, but this was her first time in the main building, which was separated from the pension by a wall.
Seong-hui, who had a keen interest in interior design, would have normally taken her time to look around, but given the situation, she pretended not to notice and simply followed Kang Man-dong.
They passed through a high-ceilinged, off-white corridor and went further inside, where the smell of food wafted out.
Just as Kang Man-dong gestured for her to sit on the sofa, a loud growl echoed from her stomach.
*I’m going crazy. Why now of all times.*
She was already dying of embarrassment, but her stomach clock, oblivious to its owner’s plight, was demanding to be fed.
“Well, you didn’t look like you were in any state to eat.”
“.....”
“Let’s get some food in you first. Everything we do is to live and eat. It’s no good nagging someone who’s starving.”
“No, it’s alrigh…”
*Grrrrowl.*
At the second growl, Kang Man-dong let out a chuckle, and Kim Seong-hui’s face flushed once again.
“Leaving without eating would be a sad thing in itself. So, no more arguing, just follow me.”
“Am I… getting kicked out?”
Kim Seong-hui, who had been looking down in shame, snapped her head up in surprise.
“The room you’re using right now. I told you it was originally reserved, right?”
“Yes…”
“The previous guest didn’t book it for the entire year, did they.”
“Ah…”
“The time is up, so you just have to vacate the room. You were able to use it because of a cancellation, but I need to take the next reservation.”
“Ohh…”
“Anyway, we can talk later.”
*GRRRRROWL!*
“Tsk. Let’s eat first.”
“Okay…”
Following Kang Man-dong into the dining area, a familiar and mouth-watering aroma once again stimulated her nose.
*Bu… Bulgogi?*
The source of the smell that had made her stomach go haywire was the king of fragrant and sweet flavors. It was the scent of bulgogi, a dish so universally loved that even foreigners went crazy for it.
Her hunger was amplified by the fact that she had barely eaten any Korean food since fleeing the country.
*Gulp.*
Just a moment ago she had declined, saying she was fine, but now she found herself swallowing a mouthful of saliva.
Just as Kang Man-dong had said, she hadn’t had a proper meal, let alone any snacks, just alcohol, so her stomach was a wreck.
Smelling the food of her homeland, rather than greasy cheese, made it even harder to resist.
At this point, even if he told her not to eat, she would have to beg for just one bite.
“Have a seat over there.”
“Okay.”
Forgetting all about her embarrassment, Kim Seong-hui’s only thought was to eat, and she promptly took a seat at the table.
Seeing her like this, Kang Man-dong felt an unwitting sense of relief and a smile crept onto his face.
The way she was gulping told him that she wasn't a suicide risk, at least.
As Kang Man-dong opened the pot containing the bulgogi hot pot to serve her, his expression turned awkward.
“Well now. That friend Allang. He sure cleaned it out.”
“What?”
“The taxi driver who brought you here.”
“Yes.”
“He came by with his kids for the first time in a while, so I made him some bulgogi. He ate every last bit.”
“Ah…”
Disappointment was written all over the face of Kim Seong-hui, who had been swallowing hard.
“By any chance, do you eat doenjang-jjigae?”
“O-Of course!”
Kim Seong-hui, who had looked dejected at the news of the finished bulgogi, instantly perked up and raised her head.
Bulgogi was nice, but for a hangover, doenjang-jjigae was even better.
“Wait just a moment. I’ll whip it up for you.”
“Okay, okay!”
Kang Man-dong took an earthenware pot from a shelf and placed it on the gas stove. Then, he took ingredients from the fridge, deftly trimmed and chopped them, and had a stew boiling in no time.
As the doenjang-jjigae bubbled and sent its aroma into the air, Kim Seong-hui’s stomach clock rang like crazy.
“My, my. Its owner has been doing nothing but drinking, so it must have had a hard time.”
At Kang Man-dong’s playful remark, Kim Seong-hui scratched her head with an awkward expression.
“What about Cheongyang peppers?”
“Add them in!”
“Let’s do that. A Korean hangover cure wouldn’t be complete without a spicy kick.”
A short while later, a steaming bowl of rice with a sweet aroma and the earthenware pot of doenjang-jjigae were placed on the table.
A small dish of kimchi was added.
“This is how I usually eat, so there aren’t many side dishes.”
“This is more than enough!”
Kim Seong-hui looked like she wanted to grab a spoon and gulp down the stew right that second.
“I’ll be in the living room. Call me when you’re done. There’s more rice in the rice cooker over there. Have more if you’re not full.”
“Thank you.”
Kang Man-dong left to give Kim Seong-hui some space to eat comfortably.
As soon as Kang Man-dong left the dining area, Kim Seong-hui began shoveling the stew and rice into her mouth like someone who hadn’t eaten in ten days.
“Ugh… So good!”
Kim Seong-hui, who prided herself on being something of a foodie, used to make special trips to visit acclaimed restaurants even before she became a writer.
Doenjang-jjigae was a common dish you could find anywhere, but for that very reason, its taste, ingredients, and overall quality varied wildly.
But to have such an incredible doenjang-jjigae not in Korea, but in a foreign country she was visiting for the first time!
After quickly finishing one bowl, Kim Seong-hui carefully stood up, trying not to make a sound with her chair, and refilled her rice. She then tilted the earthenware pot and scraped out every last drop before finally putting down her spoon.
Having finished two bowls of rice, the doenjang-jjigae, and all the kimchi, Kim Seong-hui let out a satisfied breath.
“Hoo… I feel alive again.”
Just then, as if on cue, Kang Man-dong came back inside. Kim Seong-hui, who had been leaning back in her chair with her stomach pushed out, quickly straightened her posture.
Kang Man-dong saw the empty dishes and nodded.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“I was worried you might just pick at it. I’m glad.”
“Not at all. It was delicious. It’s been over a month since I started traveling, and I haven’t really had any Korean food.”
“I see.”
The food provided at the pension was prepared by local staff, so they didn’t offer Korean cuisine.
Kang Man-dong nodded and began to clear the dishes.
“Ah, let me…”
“No, just stay seated. If you smoke, you can step outside for one and come back in.”
“What? No.”
Kim Seong-hui waved her hands, saying she didn’t smoke.
“Do you drink coffee?”
“Yes. I love coffee.”
“Let’s have a cup together.”
“I’d be grateful to have some.”
Nodding, Kang Man-dong took out some coffee beans and began to grind them. A rich, sweet aroma cut through the lingering scent of the doenjang-jjigae and reached her nose.
“Wow… The aroma.”
“Smells nice, doesn’t it?”
“Yes!”
“Everyone’s taste in coffee is different, so I don’t know if you’ll like it, miss, but these are beans from Nicaragua. I prefer a nutty flavor over a sour one, so I drink this often.”
“I prefer nutty flavors too.”
As she was flaring her nostrils to take in the rich, sweet coffee aroma, a question came out of nowhere.
“I have drip, French press, a Moka pot, and a machine. How would you like it?”
“Huh? Ah. Well. I like coffee, but I don’t really know much about it.”
“Then let’s do drip today.”
“Okay. I’ll gratefully drink whatever you make.”
A short while later, two cups of coffee were placed on the table.
As the rich coffee filled her mouth, she felt her weary body reviving a little.
As her mind settled, she finally began to notice her surroundings.
*Wow, what is this? It’s practically a restaurant-grade kitchen.*
From the neatly organized kitchenware to the espresso machine the size of a grown man’s torso, it seemed to have everything. A door leading outside was wide open, offering a panoramic view of the sea.
*No matter where you look, the view here is just incredible.*
Lost in her own thoughts for a moment, she was sipping her coffee when Kang Man-dong began to speak slowly.
“I don’t usually meddle in other people’s affairs, but…”
At Kang Man-dong’s words, Seong-hui immediately apologized.
“I’m… I’m sorry.”
"No need to look so guilty."
"..."
"A young lady like you was staring into space as if you'd lived your whole life already. Let's hear what's going on.”
“Well… That’s…”