Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Name
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Sizzle— sizzle—
The meat sizzled on the frying pan, turning golden brown.
It was a shame there was no grill, but a frying pan was plenty good enough for cooking meat.
Truth be told, the biggest issue was that being underground meant no ventilation.
'Whatever, as long as it tastes good.'
You won't die from sniffing the smoke and smell for a little bit, right?
Though you might if you sniff it for too long.
Just eat the nicely browned meat and enjoy.
I picked up the fully cooked pieces with chopsticks and put them on a plate.
Then, to make it easy for them, I set the plate down on the floor.
"Eat up first. I'll grill more. I worked at a barbecue joint for about a year, so it'll taste great."
It was shoulder meat instead of pork belly, though.
But I'd seasoned it roughly with salt, so it should be fine.
The little ones eyed the plate warily for a moment.
But soon enough, they brought their noses close to the meat and deeply savored the aroma.
From the looks of it, they seemed pretty pleased.
'If I leave them be, they'll figure it out and eat on their own.'
Stereotype or not, there's no way dragons would hate meat.
I went back to the frying pan and focused on grilling.
However.
Not long after, the red lizard started tugging at the hem of my pants.
"Already done?"
"Shaaak—"
"You ate it fast."
Glance—
I snuck a peek at the plate.
Not a single bite taken—it looked exactly the same as when I first set it down.
'I figured they'd smell it and devour it right away. Why aren't they eating?'
What could be the problem?
I stopped what I was doing, crouched down, and met the little guy's eyes.
To figure out why.
"What's up, lizard? Something wrong? Don't like my grilling?"
"Shaaak—!"
"Not that? Then is it too little to even bother with?"
"Shaaak—!"
The red lizard shook its head vigorously.
"Then what?"
"Shaaak—"
It glanced back and forth between the table and the plate.
"Ah."
I think I get what it's trying to say.
A silent plea to put the plate up on the table right now.
I'm not so oblivious that I can't pick up on something that straightforward.
"You want to eat at the table?"
"Shaaak."
Only then did the red lizard nod.
Guess it doesn't want to eat off the floor.
Dragons will be dragons, huh?
"Well, eating off the floor is for beasts. You must have figured that out instinctively, red lizard. Or did you learn it from TV?"
"Shaaak—!"
It just let out a cry without moving.
"I can't tell what you're saying if you just cry like that, you know."
Anyway, point is, it doesn't want to eat off the floor.
Looks like it's trying to uphold some dignity, dragon-style.
I took its opinion into account, picked up the plate, and set it on the table.
At that, they leaped onto the chairs like they'd been waiting.
"Shaaak—!"
"..."
"Shaaa—!"
But a problem arose.
Being quadrupeds, their heads didn't reach the table.
Their mouths couldn't touch the plate.
It was less like sitting in the chairs and more like climbing on them.
I kindly asked the little one.
"Even like that, your mouth doesn't reach the table. Want me to put you back on the floor?"
"Shaaak—!"
The red lizard threatened me to stay put.
It absolutely refused to eat off the floor.
It pondered for a moment, then reared up its upper body and stood on its stubby legs on the chair.
"Shaaak—!!"
The red dragon, standing straight-backed on its short hind legs.
But maybe those legs couldn't support its heavy upper body.
It kept wobbling precariously, on the verge of toppling.
"Shaaak—!"
Still, it refused to give up and kept its back straight to the end.
To steady its swaying body, it leaned its tiny arms on the table.
Only then did it stop shaking and find stability.
It had cleverly succeeded at what seemed impossible.
"Whoa—you're impressive! True dragon material!"
"Shaaak—! Shaaak—!"
It snapped at me like I shouldn't underestimate it.
The other dragons followed the red one's lead and safely got their heads to table level.
From quadrupedal to bipedal.
All that was left for the evolved dragons was to poke their heads toward the meat.
"Shaaak—!!"
"..."
"Shaaa—!!"
Chomp chomp—
Munch munch—
They slowly chewed the meat in their mouths with their teeth.
Looked like it suited their tastes just fine.
'Never thought I'd see dragons eating meat at the table.'
I haven't lived long in this world, so I'll just take it in stride.
"Oh, right—the meat I was grilling."
Almost let it burn to a crisp.
I quickly flipped it.
Grilling meat right means nailing the flip timing.
Timing's key, but.
Flipping once per side is easier, but flipping twice makes it tastier.
I've grilled like this since I was a kid.
No idea why, but it tastes the best this way.
'Truth is, the best-tasting meat is the kind someone else grills for you.'
Anyway.
While grilling, I occasionally popped some into my mouth to check doneness and filled my empty stomach.
No instant rice or anything, of course.
Where would the money come from?
Just grilling and eating meat like this was practically a miracle.
'Gas bill's overdue too. Lucky the heat hasn't been cut off.'
From experience, once you're about six months overdue, they threaten to cut the gas soon.
Then you can't use fire at home anymore.
'Been away from home six months ago, so...'
A notice should come soon.
And the gas will get cut.
The flame I was using to grill this meat was burning fiercely now, as if asserting its final moments before vanishing.
"Thanks for everything, fire."
I gave a eulogy to the flame that might be our last encounter.
As I muttered that familiar soliloquy, the red lizard—which had finished its meat—opened its mouth like a baby bird begging for food.
"Shaaak—! Shaaak—!"
"Shaa—"
So impatient.
Must taste good even for a dragon.
"Who grilled it? Of course it's delicious."
Eat up and grow big and strong.
I piled more fully cooked meat onto their plates.
They buried their heads in the plates and devoured it happily.
Watching them, a warm smile crept onto my face without me realizing.
'...When was the last time the table felt this full?'
I'm not their real dad.
But in this moment, I felt like a father.
"Eat slowly. You'll choke."
"Shaaak—!"
"..."
***
Truth is, grilling meat at home has one massive downside.
The smell.
It clings to every corner of the house, giving off that musty meat stench.
That's why people avoid grilling at home.
But.
"Why is there no smell at all today?"
Weird.
Not even a semi-basement—full basement, no ventilation?
Come to think of it, I didn't open the door, but there was no smoke either?
And.
Why can't I feel the mold's dampness anymore?
Impossible to ventilate, yet the air feels crisp and dry.
"Feels like a high-end air purifier's running full blast. Never owned one, though."
Didn't notice when I came in.
But now that I'm sitting on the floor after eating, relaxing, all these odd things are jumping out.
Only one explanation I can think of.
"Dragon powers, huh."
I glanced at the dragon family huddled in the distance.
They were a bit closer than yesterday.
My daughter must have sensed me, because she turned her head and let out a bright cry.
"Shaaa—!"
"Hmm."
Can't exactly ask since we don't speak the same language.
Not sure who caused it, but.
Probably my good girl.
So I decided it was her doing.
I shouted to my daughter in the distance.
"Good job, my girl!"
"Shaaa—!"
"You'll grow up to be a fine air purifier."
"Shaaa—!"
Oblivious to the meaning, she soaked up the praise.
She hadn't eaten a ton at dinner, but she seemed in high spirits.
Just her presence seemed to purify the air around her.
Anyway.
It's about time.
"How about your dad gives you all names?"
Time to name these little ones.
Can't keep calling them red lizard, blue dragon, green dragon forever.
I stood up and approached the huddled dragons.
The red lizard backed away less warily than before.
"Shaaak—!"
"Ahem. Everyone, pay attention."
I cleared my throat to get their focus, then spoke with gravity.
"Can't keep sorting you by color forever. So your dad here will name you all. No complaints, right?"
"Shaaak—! Shaaak—!"
The red lizard looked full of objections.
But complaints won't change anything.
I'd been mulling names over diligently while working.
Plus, no names means everyone's inconvenienced anyway.
"First up, the eldest. Red lizard."
"Shaaak—!!"
"Your name is Hwaryeon. Taking my surname, Lee Hwaryeon."
"Shaaaak—!!"
That good, huh?
Hwaryeon seemed thrilled at getting a name and expressed it loud and clear.
Didn't have to be so obvious.
Kids these days.
I skipped over Hwaryeon—who was protesting fiercely—and turned to the quiet blue dragon beside her.
"Second. Blue dragon."
"..."
"Your name is Suryeon. Lee Suryeon."
"..."
Suryeon kept her mouth shut tight, as usual.
She's probably thrilled inside.
Has to be.
That's what I figured as I addressed my youngest.
"Maknae. Green dragon!"
"Shaaa—!"
"Your name is Choryeon! Lee Choryeon!"
"Shaaa—!!"
Choryeon was so happy she bounced in place.
Hwaryeon next to her was bouncing too—unclear if from joy or anger.
What a harmonious family.
"Good thing you all accept your names.
"Shaaak—!"
"I agonized over these while working. Be proud."
Really, though.
I'd put meaning into each name.
Hwaryeon: red like fire, temperament fiery...
Suryeon: blue like water, temperament cool...
Choryeon: green like grass, temperament bright...
The shared lotus (蓮) is my wish that they'll bloom their own flowers someday.
Be it fire, water, or grass.
Just need them to grow to adulthood as promised.
'I'll help them grow as best I can.'
Until they become adults.
Until they leave for their own nests.
I said I'd raise them safely, sure.
But I don't plan to stop at just that.
Maybe because I grew up without much help from anyone.
I'll raise them to the best of my ability.
That way, no regrets, promise kept. Feels right.
I took in the dragons gazing at me, thinking that to myself.
"Hwaryeon, Suryeon, Choryeon."
You all.
"Let's get along from now on."
I called them by name, not as dragons or by color.
Now we knew each other's names.
The thick wall between us felt just a bit thinner.
Relationships start with sharing names, after all.
Mine and the dragons'—this is where it really begins.