Saturday (6)

Ddorang-

I entered the store along with a clear bell sound.

The interior had a cozy and warm atmosphere. Wine bottles were displayed on the red brick walls, and the lamp on each table softly lit the surroundings. Gentle classical music played, and from somewhere came the savory smell of garlic and olive oil being stir-fried.

'The atmosphere isn't bad.'

Pasta, huh...

It's not like I'm particularly fond of it, but I don't hate it either. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I just wouldn't go out of my way to spend my own money to eat it.

'Why do girls like pasta so much?'

It's something I can't understand even when I try.

Looking around, it was all female customers. There was exactly one male customer at a table far inside, surrounded and fussed over by three or four women. They were bringing him water, wiping his mouth—it was quite a commotion. Almost like an Emperor being served.

We were led to a corner table by the window.

"Here is the menu."

I opened the leather-covered menu the staff handed me.

"Jin-hyeok, what are you going to eat? They say the signature dish is truffle cream pasta. The one with bacon."

Ga-young asked with hopeful eyes.

"Hold on. Let me look at the menu."

I scanned down the menu. And my brow furrowed automatically.

[ Aglio e Olio - 19,000 ]

[ Truffle Cream Pasta - 24,000 ]

[ Seafood Tomato Pasta - 25,000 ]

'Wow, holy shit. Is this price for real?'

The curse welled up in my throat.

Just some boiled wheat noodles stir-fried in sauce, and it costs over 20,000 won. Do they coat the pasta with diamonds? Or is the olive oil squeezed drop by drop by an Italian artisan?

This price gouging would make even Bong-i Kim Seon-dal cry.

'If I go to the mart and buy Fontana sauce and noodles, I can make three servings for 5,000 won and eat until I burst.'

I desperately thought eating at home would be much better, but I couldn't show it on the outside. Because I decided to treat her.

'Well, whatever.'

She dragged me, who would have been holed up in my room all weekend, out to see a movie and even bought me popcorn. I can't say I can't spend this much. Sometimes eating expensive things like this isn't so bad.

I chose the most middle-of-the-road looking menu item.

"I'll have the seafood pasta."

"Then I'll have the cream pasta!"

Ga-young replied with a bright smile. Just then, a staff member carrying a water bottle approached. She was a female part-timer, neatly dressed with a bow tie.

"I'll, I'll help you with your order."

"One seafood pasta here, and one truffle cream pasta, please."

"Yes, understood. Do you not need any separate drinks?"

"Uh... I'm fine, Ga-young, you?"

"I'm fine too."

"Then just water please. Oh, by the way..."

I closed the menu and asked casually.

"Can I get a double serving here?"

"Excuse me?"

The part-timer's eyes went wide.

"Uh... I mean, adding noodles... or is there a size up?"

I just asked just in case. I had a bad feeling that the portion would be tiny despite the high price.

The part-timer stammered, seeming flustered.

"Oh... We have a fixed recipe, so we can't adjust the size separately... Sorry."

"Oh, is that so? Okay."

For a moment, silence fell.

'It's not like this is a Chinese restaurant.'

Even I thought I looked a bit cheap. I just asked out of curiosity, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now I feel like a country bumpkin who can't read the room. My face flushed for no reason.

Then, Ga-young sitting across from me cautiously asked.

"Jin-hyeok, are you really hungry? If you think the amount isn't enough, should we order an extra pizza?"

"No, it's fine."

"I'll buy it! Don't worry about money, you can order more."

Ga-young made a motion to take out her wallet. I appreciate her consideration, but I already declared I'd pay. No matter how much of a cheapskate I am, I have to keep my word. I can't let her treat me again.

"No, I just asked out of curiosity. I don't need pizza. And I'm paying for this."

I said firmly.

"But if you want to eat more, tell me. I'll buy that."

"Huh? Oh, okay... got it."

Ga-young obediently put her hand down at my firm attitude.

A little while later, pre-meal bread and oil with balsamic vinegar came out. I tore off a piece of bread, dipped it deep in the oil, and just rolled my eyes.

"......"

Silence hung in the air.

Usually when guys go out to eat, they just eat in silence or stare at their phones. I've heard girls chatter nonstop while eating. Am I supposed to break this silence?

While looking for a suitable topic, I suddenly recalled the movie scene I missed earlier.

"Ga-young."

"Yeah?"

"When I went to the bathroom earlier, did any important scene come up? Just curious."

At my question, Ga-young's eyes sparkled and she put down her fork.

"Oh, that? It was an iconic scene."

"What was it?"

"Captain Soldier whispered 'Hail Quail' into the agents' ears in the elevator."

"Hail Quail?"

"Yeah. With that one word, he completely fooled the Quail Corps, grabbed the Stone, and got out. The whole theater went wild."

"Oh..."

I let out a short sigh.

'I missed that...'

I thought they'd just have a boring verbal fight in that cramped elevator, but who knew there'd be such a twist. I guess I should have held it in even if my bladder burst.

But I have one more question.

"But what does 'Hail Quail' mean?"

"Long live the quail. It means the Quail Corps is everywhere and nowhere."

"I see."

No deep meaning then. Just seems like some villain's slogan.

The movie talk naturally eased the awkwardness. I munched on bread and brought up another topic.

"But Titanium Woman died this time, right? At the end."

"Oh, right... It was really sad. I didn't expect her to sacrifice herself."

"So she'll never appear in the next one? I kinda liked her."

"Yeah. I heard ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the actress ended her contract after this one."

"Really? That's a shame."

Contract expiration. As expected, even hero movies are ultimately business.

I smacked my lips and tossed the remaining bread crumbs into my mouth.

There was still no sign of the food coming. Did they leave to airlift noodles from Italy right after we ordered? Why isn't it coming?

I was fiddling with my water glass out of boredom when Ga-young spoke.

"Jin-hyeok, what do you usually do when you're not at school?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Ga-young nodded, eyes sparkling. As if she's dying to know my every move.

"What do I usually do..."

Nothing special.

"Well, I play games at home. Or work out."

"Games? What games do you play at home?"

"Do you know 'Storm of Time and Space'?"

"Uh... no... first time hearing it."

Ga-young rolled her eyes awkwardly.

"...Never mind. I just play 'Rel'. We played it together at the PC bang before."

"Oh, right right! After playing then, I tried it a few times at home, but it's still difficult."

"It's not difficulty, the problem is politics."

"Oh... politics? The fighting in chat?"

"Yeah. Rel is almost like a mental hospital. Even a pacifist who plays Animal Crossing becomes a schizophrenic patient after 5 minutes of playing Rel."

At my answer, Ga-young laughed awkwardly.

"Ahaha... I, I see."

"You be careful too. It's full of guys asking about your parents if you chat recklessly."

"Hmm... scary. I'm not good at that kind of thing..."

Ga-young fiddled with her hair, looking embarrassed. Well, she doesn't look like someone who would curse in games anyway.

"No matter what anyone says, just quietly block them and play the game. That's easier on the mind."

"Yeah, I should. I don't really like... fighting dirty with words."

Ga-young obediently nodded at my words. With that innocent face blinking, what politics.

Honestly, the state of the game is ridiculous. As soon as they grab a keyboard, they act like they've entered politics. Blaming others when they themselves fucked up is basic passive ability, and they're holding an emergency hearing in the chat when the nexus is about to explode. "Why didn't you heal then?" "Ah, jungle diff." "Your parents odd?" They just bite each other, fabricate, and incite—it's enough to slap the faces of those politicians.

A girl like Ga-young stuck alone in that mud-slinging parliament... no, ravine, would just get her mentality shredded. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worry she might get hurt by the wrong people.

"Let's play together again when you have time."

"Yeah! Let's."

Just then, from the kitchen came a clattering sound and a delicious smell.

"Your order is ready."

The part-timer set down two plates on the table. Huge white plates. And in the very center, preciously rolled up to the size of a fist.

'Wow...'

It looks delicious, but the portion is really tiny. You could play soccer in the empty space on the plate.

"Enjoy your meal."

"Yeah, I'll eat well, Jin-hyeok."

I twirled the noodles with my fork. I took a big bite and chewed.

'Hmm.'

It is tasty. The noodles are cooked well, and the sauce has depth. It's definitely different from what I make at home, but...

'But this is still not right.'

The calculator in my head was running nonstop. With this money, I could go to the mart, buy Fontana sauce, dump a bag of cocktail shrimp, and boil noodles for the price of a 500-won coin, and it still wouldn't be even half the price. No, I don't even need to go that far. One plate's price could get a whole branded fried chicken and a large cola. One whole chicken vs. a single chopstick's worth of pasta. The price-performance ratio is destroyed.

"It's delicious. Jin-hyeok, how about you? Does it suit your taste?"

Ga-young asked with anticipation, chewing.

I gulped down the 25,000-won-worth of flour and nodded.

"Yeah, it's tasty. The sauce is good."

There's no need to ruin the mood when we came out to eat happily. I resolved inside 'I'm never coming here again,' but I flashed a smile, pretending to be as satisfied as possible.

I looked around. Everyone was taking pictures and chatting with happy expressions, despite the small portions and high prices.

'Why do they go to these Instagram aesthetic restaurants?' Stand in line, pay a lot, and not even get full. I don't get it. Maybe they're paying for the intangible value of the atmosphere and memories, rather than just the taste of the food.

'......'

I poked at the fork. Normally, it's an amount that would be gone in three bites. But if I finish it all now, Ga-young might feel awkward. I tried to eat as slowly as possible, counting each strand of noodle, nibbling it bit by bit. It almost felt like meditation rather than eating.

Then, Ga-young, who was emptying her plate, asked cautiously.

"Jin-hyeok, how about going to a cafe after this?"

"Cafe?"

"Yeah! There's a place nearby with good desserts. I'll buy that!"

'......'

Honestly, I want to go home. I really want to go, change into comfortable pajamas, and lie in bed watching Newtube. But I can't say 'Nah, I'm going home' to her looking at me with sparkling eyes. I guess I'll just have to go along with her for the whole day...

"Uh... let's go. Yeah... cafe sounds good."

I picked up the last pickle and nodded weakly.