A Lavish Lunch and the Puppy's Warm Welcome
A little while later, Mr. Jeong came to let us know that lunch was ready. I'd been trapped by ajusshi's little sister, so this news felt like a lifeline. She'd been nonstop asking if she could give me a piggyback ride or airplane spins—I was about to lose my mind.
Anyway, the little sister and I bundled up in our coats and followed Mr. Jeong inside. As we passed through the living room toward the dining area, the first thing that caught my eye was the table. It was huge. With a few more chairs, it could easily seat twelve. Something I'd only seen on TV, so my gaze kept drifting back to it.
The seating was already arranged. Chairman Han sat at the head, with Dad and Mom to his right, then unnie next to them, and my spot beside her. To his left was Madam Han, followed by ajusshi and the little sister we'd met in the garden, sitting side by side.
Soon, the food started coming out course by course.
"Whoa..."
I couldn't help but gasp at the menu. The main dish, braised short ribs, looked nothing like any I'd seen before. Chunky pieces of meat topped neatly with chestnuts, rice cakes, and vegetables, with a separate plate of grilled sweetfish beside it. Even the rice wasn't ordinary—it was served in individual small pots, steaming fresh for each person.
Our family exchanged glances, unable to fully hide our awe. Noticing this, Chairman Han chuckled.
"The homemaker here really showed off her skills with the braised ribs."
Madam Han waved it off with a soft smile.
"Oh, don't say that. It's just how we always eat. Please, dig in comfortably."
Mom and Dad hurried to express their thanks, and unnie and I bowed our heads too.
Chairman Han glanced around lightly.
"Well then, let's eat."
Only after he picked up his spoon did everyone else tentatively move. His family handled their utensils with practiced ease, but ours kept peeking at each other before grabbing our spoons almost in unison.
The first taste was the braised ribs. The moment a piece hit my mouth, it melted without any chewing—like butter. No overpowering salt or sweetness, just an addictive savoriness that kept drawing my hand back. It truly dissolved on the tongue. The grilled sweetfish was the same: crispy outside, moist inside, with a rich, nutty flavor bursting on every bite—no fishiness at all.
Our family silently sampled each dish, marveling inwardly. We tried not to show it... but I'm not sure how well we succeeded.
A bit later, Chairman Han set down his utensils.
"I hear the Yoon family chats a lot over meals?"
Dad gave an awkward laugh.
"Haha... yes, well. We figure at least at dinner, we can see each other's faces and talk."
"Then do the same today. We will too."
Madam Han picked up smoothly.
"Is the food to your liking?"
Mom straightened up a bit.
"Of course—it's delicious. These ribs are... on another level from what we make at home."
Dad chimed in quickly.
"Yes, truly... we're so overwhelmed by this hospitality."
Madam Han smiled bashfully.
"You're too kind. As long as it suits your tastes."
A few more light exchanges followed, mostly among the adults, but the mood gradually eased. Our family's replies grew longer, laughter mixing in naturally.
...Everyone except unnie.
A glance sideways showed her face still stiff. She'd force a smile at the right moments and give short, polite answers to questions. I turned toward ajusshi. He only looked up for questions, replying briefly, otherwise focused solely on his plate. His grip on the chopsticks looked oddly tense.
...He's not usually this quiet.
Unnie and ajusshi must still find this whole setup uncomfortable. Of course, I wasn't at ease either—for different reasons.
That thought had barely crossed my mind when a small shadow fell over my plate. Looking up, I saw a pair of chopsticks approaching cautiously.
"Seojin, try this too. It's really good."
The little sister gently placed a perfectly deboned piece of rib onto my spoon.
"Ah... thank you."
I gave a small smile, and her face lit up instantly, cheeks flushing as she grinned wide.
"This one too—it's so good."
She picked up another side dish and set it on my spoon. I could feed myself, so why go to the trouble...? Each time, she beamed with pride, her smile starting to feel a tad overwhelming. But I couldn't refuse—it was delicious—so I just quietly accepted and ate.
We were midway through the meal when unnie suddenly set down her chopsticks and spoke hesitantly.
"Um... excuse me..."
Her voice was so soft it was barely audible at first. But it carried enough—suddenly, all eyes at the table turned to her.
"Yes, Seoyeong?"
Chairman Han asked gently, but unnie faltered.
"Ah... no, it's nothing. Um... the food's great."
She brushed it off and poked at her rice. The adults chuckled it away lightly, but I sensed it wasn't that simple. Unnie with such a grave expression felt so out of place.
Maybe... she was about to say the truth.
But she didn't have the courage yet. As I turned with that thought, my eyes landed on ajusshi. Amid the bountiful spread, he was quietly scooping rice.
Madam Han noticed too.
"What's wrong with you? I even made your favorite ribs, but you're hardly eating."
She frowned slightly. Ajusshi stammered.
"Ah, uh... my stomach's off today."
She eyed him for a long moment, tilting her head.
"Really? You're not actually sick?"
"No, I'm fine. Probably just tired from the past few days."
"For tiredness, your portions have been down for months now..."
She looked skeptical but didn't press further. I tilted my head curiously. He eats so heartily with me. I'd thought he had a bottomless appetite—maybe he really is unwell?
Glancing his way again, our eyes met just as he looked up. He froze, then averted his gaze even more flustered than before.
What's really up with him today? Not feeling guilty about me or anything, right?
Feeling eyes on me, I turned. It was unnie. She glanced between ajusshi and me, tilting her head ever so slightly.
As the meal wound down, the table was cleared and replaced with tea and fruit. The adults' conversation stretched on, so we helped ourselves to a few fruit pieces and slipped away. We'd been told it was fine to look around the house.
The little sister stayed calm with Mr. Jeong watching her, which made things easier for me too. Unnie said she'd get some air and headed to the garden. I considered following but held back when she seemed to want to be alone. Must be feeling really stifled.
After she left, I slowly explored the interior. Walking the hallway off the living room, I reached the stairs to the second floor, blocked by a low iron gate-like door. It had a handle for easy opening, only waist-high—easy to step over if I wanted. Looked like a safety gate to keep the dog from coming down.
Do they really need to block it this thoroughly...? There really is a dog?
Curiosity piqued. I eased the gate open and crept up the stairs quietly. Near the top, a bark echoed from the end of the hallway.
Woof! Woof woof woof...!
Claws scrabbling on the floor rushed toward me. A voice called from the end.
"Haha, Dali! Wait!"
It was ajusshi. No sooner said than a blur shot down the hall—a brown dachshund puppy, ears flapping, tongue lolling.
Spotting me, it barked louder.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
I startled but thought, it's so small with tiny legs—cuteness overrode any fear. Ajusshi panted after it.
"Seojin! Dali, no!"
But the dachshund was already at my feet, looking up and barking.
"Woof! Woof!"
Up close, it was even cuter. Maybe six months old? Round eyes, stubby legs, tail wagging furiously despite the barks—it couldn't have been scarier if it tried. My face softened involuntarily. I crouched and extended a hand.
"Hi...?"
The dachshund sniffed my hand curiously, then wagged its tail wildly, rubbing against my knuckles and knees.
Ajusshi, arriving late, caught his breath.
"Phew... good thing. I worried it might bite."
I tilted my head.
"Even if it did, how bad could a bite from such a tiny pup be? You're overreacting."
Honestly, with this cuteness, I couldn't picture it biting. Unable to resist, I asked,
"Um... can I pet it?"
Ajusshi glanced between Dali and me, smiling faintly.
"Seems like it likes you a lot. Sure, go ahead."
Before he finished, Dali flopped over, exposing its belly and wagging furiously. Those big round eyes gazed up, begging for pets. I'd thought you start with the head, not the belly on first meet—but no reason to refuse. I reached out tentatively and stroked its warm, soft fur. The heat against my palm was irresistible; my smile bloomed fully.
"Aww... it's so cute..."
My hand wouldn't stop. Dali thrashed its legs in delight, panting happily.
"...You're cuter."
I whipped my head up in shock.
"What? No way!"
Looking up at ajusshi, my face burned. I busied myself petting Dali's ears instead.