Free Skewers for the Tiger Boy
……Or a MILF, maybe. Sizzle! The heat rising from the charcoal grill made the fat in the meat bubble and pop. Every time the vendor slathered on a generous coat of soy sauce marinade, the sweet-salty aroma spread far and wide through the market.
"Here you go, Tiger Boy!" The ajumma flipping and grilling skewers at her stall held one out to me.
I grumbled about the nickname but didn't refuse the skewer.
"Come on, don't call me that."
"Oh, how can I not? You're the one who saved my husband! If there's anything else you want, just say the word! It's on the house for Tiger Boy—free for life!"
"In that case, from that one on the left to the one on the right. All of them."
"Yes, sir! Just a moment!"
"Ah, no, I was kidding. One's enough."
Just like in that exchange, this ajumma was Eori's mother—the wife of Eori's father, whom I'd cleared of false charges.
"Mom! I want this one! Give me this!"
Next to me, Eori glanced around sneakily and pointed at one of the skewers.
Unlike with me, Eori's mother glared fiercely and snapped, "You pay for yours!"
"Eeeeng, Mom! He got his for free!"
"He saved your dad's life!"
"But I was the one who brought him here…!"
"Eori. Here, eat this."
I handed her the untouched skewer. Eori pouted with her lips pursed but took it with a smile. Seeing that, Eori's mother scolded.
"Oh dear! Tiger Boy! If you keep spoiling her like that, she'll turn into a brat! No manners at all!"
"Eh, it's fine. Could you grill one more? Sis?"
"Goodness, Tiger Boy, do I look like a sis to you? Is it this? I'll have it ready in a flash!"
Honestly, Eori's mother didn't look like someone you'd call "sis" no matter how you sliced it. Not because she was too old-looking or unattractive. Absolutely not.
"Eek! Mom! That one's gonna fall!"
"Huh? Where? Oh man, I used to see so well back in the day."
It was thanks to—no, because of—those massive chest mittens that blocked her view of her own feet. Add in her deep double eyelids, perky nose, and rich, dark skin, and she exuded mature allure. So "sis" didn't fit; "eye candy" was more like it.
……Or a MILF, perhaps.
"Tiger Boy! Here's a nice big one!"
"Thanks, eye candy. I mean, sis."
"No need for that! You're embarrassing me! Really!"
"Tiger Boy's the embarrassed one here. Nom!"
I chomped into the freshly handed skewer, ignoring her protests. Hot juices burst from the crushed meat.
"How is it? Good?"
"Yeah… mmm, delicious."
Soy-marinated grilled chicken was bound to be tasty. It was just a bit chewy for kids since it wasn't some improved breed.
"Greetings, Tiger Boy."
I was just finishing the meat when Eori's father approached, a rolled-up mat of meat slabs slung over his shoulder.
If you asked how I knew it was raw meat inside…
"Oh my? Honey! Your clothes are soaked in blood!"
Blood was seeping through the mat.
"Huh? They are?"
"'They are' what?! You do the laundry? You?! Ugh! I can't live with this man!"
"Sorry, dear."
Over 180 cm tall, sturdy shoulders, dark skin, huge black eyes, and that blood-soaked mat—he looked like anyone would think there was a corpse inside.
"Dear, I brought lots of meat. Cool off."
"Shut it! Before I skewer you and grill you!"
"Sorry. But did it sell well?"
"Yeah. Until you showed up."
Eori's father didn't butcher cows or pigs every day at the shop. On off days, he'd tan hides, hunt in the mountains, or hawk wares at the market like today.
"Tiger Boy. Want anything? It's on me."
"Huh? No, your wife just gave me one."
"One time and it's no fun anymore, they say. What'll it be? This? Or this? Ow, hot!"
He'd grabbed a few like he was about to hand one over, but touched the hot grill instead. Mismatched with his burly build, he fussed dramatically and dropped the skewer he'd just picked up.
"Aigoo! You idiot!"
Eori's mother smacked his back faster than the deliciously grilling skewer hit the ground.
Smack!
"Yeow! It hasn't even hit three yet! You can still eat it if you pick it up!"
"What about all the dirt on it? Huh?!"
To his indignant protest, Eori's mother held up the fallen skewer. Grease from the meat had picked up the dust.
"This is your dinner tonight, got it?"
"Man, it falls off so easy. Who knew."
"Got it?!"
"Got it, got it. But Tiger Boy's watching…"
"Watching and you pull this crap? Watching?! Why, you—!"
He only looked like a bandit; his actions were just those of a big overgrown puppy. I couldn't fathom how anyone had pegged a retriever like him as a murderer.
"Oh? Young master."
I was about to tell her to drop the Tiger Boy bit when Eori tugged at me.
She pinched my sleeve and pulled, pointing to one side of the market.
"Isn't that madam over there?"
"Who? Our mom? Huh? Mom?"
Sure enough, Mom was walking alone through the market.
I wanted to call out happily, but some punk latched onto her.
"Hey! Sis! Pretty sis!"
"Oh my."
One of the beggars I'd seen earlier blocked her path with a grinning face. Mom stopped in surprise but smiled kindly.
"What's this?"
"Sis! Buy me some food? I haven't eaten since the day before yesterday…"
"Oh dear."
He rubbed his belly with a pitiful pout. Seeing the begging runt, Mom asked softly as always.
"Your parents? They're gone?"
"!"
Mom, as expected from the woman who birthed me. The beggar flinched wide-eyed at her savage burn.
But he recovered quick, pulling an even sadder face than before.
"D-disease… they passed…!"
"Oh. I'm sorry."
"No, you didn't know. Truth is, I approached you 'cause you look like my mom…!"
He wiped non-existent tears with his sleeve. Mom listened empathetically to his sob story, full of feigned pathos.
"Didn't the magistrate's office take you in?"
"They did. But they tried to make me a slave…!"
"Places like that still exist?"
I couldn't just watch anymore. I slipped through the crowd and circled behind Mom unnoticed. Then I planted a solid kick right in that pickpocket runt's ass.
Thwack!
"Argh!"
"Eek!"
Mom yelped in shock at the sudden pained scream behind her. She spotted the beggar clutching his butt like he desperately needed to poop, and me standing behind him.
"S-son?"
"Ah, Mom. Hold on."
The beggar cradled his ass with both hands like a village head who'd snuck kimbap during a hunger strike and got the runs. One hand gripped Mom's coin pouch.
"Using that to cover up? Gross."
I snatched the pouch from his hand and handed it to Mom.
Realizing the situation, Mom looked for the beggar who'd distracted her. He'd bolted, of course.
"Urk, guh… y-you…!"
Abandoned, the runt couldn't even walk from the perfect butt-shot. Red-faced, eyes bulging unblinking, he ground his teeth at me.
"I-I-I'll remember your face…!"
"Psh, why bother remembering such a handsome mug. Nah, too handsome not to, right? Yeah, I get it."
"Y-you little sh—!"
"Eyes not working? Ever seen a dog this pretty?"
"You dog-fuck—!"
He clocked that we were mother and son from my glance at Mom.
"Son."
Mom had been glaring since she realized she'd nearly been robbed. She took the pouch from me, fished out a few coins, and held them out to the beggar.
"Next time, just ask. Don't steal."
"Mom?!"
"Urgh… fuck…!"
"If you're gonna curse, why take the money?!"
He pocketed the coins while cursing up a storm. I chewed Mom out as the limping runt shuffled away.
"Mom, why give money to a punk like that?"
"Son, we help everyone in the world."
"Still! What if he comes back asking for more?"
"I'll give more."
"Mom!"
"Hee hee hee. When will my boy grow up?"
"This isn't about growing up!"
Helping the truly needy? Sure, I'm all for it. But thieves preying on folks didn't qualify as "needy" to me.
"Hee hee, son. Want something? Bring Eori too. Mom'll buy it."
How was a former slave woman so purely kind-hearted? Anyone would think she was a noble lady!
"……Honey candy."
I grumbled inwardly but took Mom's offered hand.
"She said just ask next time?"
"Yeah, bro. And gave me money too. Check it out."
"Fuck, that's a lot. Hey, go ask her again later."
"Idiot. That's why they call you beggar. I scoped it out—that bitch is some yangban's concubine. Lives separate in her own place with her kid."
"Oh, fuck. Alone with that brat?"
"I'm telling you, you mutt. Even if separate, the yangban hooked her up good. Heard she even has a sewing machine at home."
"Really? Woman living alone with her son, sewing machine too. Worth a shot, huh? What do you think?"