Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Lily (3)
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A relationship where they only met at night.
Looking at that sentence alone, it was a devastating line that couldn't help but stir up risqué thoughts.
With a full month of vacation giving him plenty of time, Ji-hoon visited Lily's place almost every day.
Of course, they couldn't meet during the day.
It was because of the UV rays, and she said even turning on a lantern at home irritated her skin under fluorescent lights.
It was a situation straight out of a novel, eerily similar to a vampire.
Upon closer inspection, he thought the vampires in fantasy novels must have been fictional monsters modeled after albinos.
There were just too many similarities.
'A vampire that doesn't suck blood or use magic? I can't deal with that.'
Maybe because he'd consumed so many novels and anime back in Korea, he didn't feel any particular aversion.
Today, after sunset, he'd taken Lily out for a walk.
Of course, she was bundled up head to toe in her usual all-covering outfit to avoid prying eyes.
They strolled around the downtown area near Babsang, breathing in the cool night air in the evening.
"Feels good to be out, right?"
I matched my pace to Lily's footsteps as she clung to my arm beside me.
She still seemed scared to be out and about.
"Mm..."
There weren't few people coming and going.
Maybe because of that, Lily shrank back even more, but Ji-hoon hoped she'd adapt to environments like this.
She couldn't live alone forever, after all.
But seeing her struggle, he turned toward the quieter outskirts where fewer people were.
He planned to loop around here and head back to the car.
About 200 meters ahead, turning left would take them around the shops and back the way they'd come, so they walked slowly, chatting about everyday things.
"Ahh, only two weeks left, and thinking about work already wears me out."
At Ji-hoon's dying whine, Lily let out a cute "pfft" of laughter.
"Don't you need that green card? Work hard, Hoon."
"Haha, who wants to wait two years? Ughhh~ Why won't time pass?"
Lily burst into giggles at that.
"No word from Korea?"
"Hmm... well, nothing yet. Whatever, if they don't come crawling back, I'll just give up. Not a penny from me. Hope she chokes on her rage."
"Why is that woman like that? You're such a great guy, Hoon... She's awful."
"Haha, but thanks to that awful woman, I got to be friends with you, Lily. Total lucky break, right?"
His Won Young mindset was cheat-level optimistic as always.
"...So it works like that? Guess I should thank her then?"
"Huh? Probably? Hahaha."
Laughing as they rounded the corner, a somewhat secluded alley came into view a short walk ahead.
Just 100 meters more and they'd hit another turn.
The dim alley must have spooked Lily, as she pressed closer to me.
But who am I? The invincible former sergeant, right?
I strode forward confidently, chest out and shoulders back.
"Scared?"
"...A little?"
"No one's around. Turn that corner up there, and we're back on the path we came."
"...Okay."
That was when it happened.
In the middle of the straight alley, there was another side path.
As Ji-hoon and Lily passed by it, a group of tattooed guys came pouring out into the alley.
Ji-hoon remembered a small pub down that side path—they must've been coming out after drinking there.
The burly men swarmed out, and Lily, terrified, ducked behind Ji-hoon.
As he tried to carefully slip past them, a whistle sounded, and the group blocked their way.
Freeze.
Ji-hoon's steps halted, and Lily hiccuped in shock from the fright.
It was scary enough.
Their faces were so menacing, it was no wonder.
As Ji-hoon stopped, Lily peered at him through her sunglasses with trembling eyes.
But strangely, he was smiling, which puzzled her.
The men lumbered closer.
Lily's body began to shake.
And as they closed right in, she squeezed her eyes shut.
Something bad was about to go down.
That's when the men's voices rang out.
"Hahahahaha! Look who it is! Hoon, what brings you here?"
At the front of the pack was Lucas, his eyes gleaming white in the dark like floating orbs.
Overjoyed, Lucas hugged Ji-hoon and patted his back.
"Jeez, Lucas. Nothing feels as gross as hugging another guy."
"Hahahaha! It's just 'cause it's so unexpected here. How've you been? When's the opening?"
"Two weeks left."
"Nice. Haha."
"Been drinking?"
At Ji-hoon's question, Lucas replied.
"Haha, that pub back there is our hideout. Just having a cool one and heading out."
That's right.
They'd unwittingly passed right in front of Lucas's gang's hideout.
"Who's that? Looks like a girl?"
Lucas glanced at Lily and said.
"Yeah. My friend."
"Whoa! Hoon, who ignores all those lady customers' flirting, has a girl friend? Didn't see that coming. But why's she disguised like that?"
Bending down to peer at the petite Lily, she yelped "Eek!" and hid behind Ji-hoon.
"Lucas, you're scaring my friend. Why shove that seizure-inducing mug in her face?"
"Haha, sorry, sorry. Just curious. Hey, miss, my bad. Didn't mean to startle you. Got excited."
At Lucas's apology, Lily peeked out from behind Ji-hoon.
"It's okay... I was just a little startled."
"Haha. Looks like you were on a date—sorry for interrupting. Go on ahead. Catch you later."
Lily gave a small nod at Lucas's words.
"See ya, Lucas. Come to the opening in two weeks."
"You got it, Hoon. Later."
As Lucas stepped aside, his crew parted the way.
Once around the corner, Lily let out a huge sigh.
"You were scared, huh?"
"Yeah... You have friends like that, Hoon?"
"Ah~ Regulars at the shop. Got friendly over time."
"Looked like you have a lot of friends. Makes me jealous. I only have you, but you have tons..."
Ji-hoon found Lily's sulky tone adorable.
It was vacation time, but Ji-hoon's mind was entirely on the shop.
His biggest concerns were 'taste consistency' and 'table turnover'.
Ji-hoon was well aware he wasn't a chef.
His identity was that of a 'food business owner'.
Rather than chasing Michelin stars with flavor alone, his goal was to serve fast, tasty, hearty meals to as many people as possible.
Korean food inherently required too much hands-on work.
The current menu worked because it could be prepped in bulk like school lunches.
After expansion, he'd hire more kitchen staff, but the menu itself needed to stay simple.
'Menus that don't take much effort and can turn out quick...'
Ji-hoon started jotting ideas in a blank notebook.
'Hmm... Andong braised chicken?'
Bulk-cook boneless chicken in a cauldron, then portion onto hot stone plates to warm when ordered.
Just lay pre-boiled sweet potato noodles underneath, and done.
Okay, check that.
'And... soy sauce bibim noodles?'
Seemed perfect as a quick meal option.
Pour secret soy sauce over chilled noodles, sprinkle some seaweed powder... simple.
Check that too.
Ji-hoon's greatest strength was his 'sauce flavors'.
Soy, doenjang, gochujang—irreplaceable ones inherited from his father.
All menus had to be based on these sauces.
'Hmm... Both easy to make, so let's compile recipes and test with Amy.'
He planned to rotate menus every couple months anyway, so more repertoire was better.
"Ughhh."
After agonizing over it, Ji-hoon sprawled on the sofa and stretched long.
Suddenly, one face came to mind.
'I wonder what Lily's up to...'
Since coming to America, Lily was the only friend Ji-hoon could truly open up to.
It wasn't mere pity.
A pure, comfortable connection of hearts.
Even now, when food supplies ran low, he'd visit to stock her fridge.
She always thanked him sincerely, and apologized too.
Back in Korea, women often took everything for granted without a word of thanks.
It was just words, but her pure gratitude felt good to Ji-hoon.
"Once we open, I might not be able to come as often, Lily."
Tomorrow was already Babsang's reopening day.
At Ji-hoon's words, Lily's shoulders slumped.
To her, who'd always been trapped in her solitary world, he was the first person to approach warmly.
Hearing the one who'd brightly illuminated her dark surroundings might not come often was heartbreaking.
Lily's kitchen had changed dramatically since they first met.
From a small one-person rice cooker to clean utensils, pretty bowls and chopsticks.
The biggest change was the lighting.
Ji-hoon had gifted her several incandescent bulbs with almost no UV.
Worried bright light might irritate her skin, he'd chosen dimmable ones and set them low.
His own thoughtful care.
That evening's meal was especially prepared by Ji-hoon.
Main dishes: protein-packed braised short ribs and soy-braised salmon.
Side dishes: black soybean simmer and lightly blanched broccoli and cabbage salad.
Dessert: sweet steamed pumpkin and black soybean milk from Korea.
Soaking and blending the beans had taken quite some time.
Lily didn't know, but Ji-hoon had studied albinism a lot since meeting her.
Beef rich in tyrosine, the melanin precursor.
Black soybeans packed with anthocyanins, iron, and zinc to activate melanin.
Salmon full of omega-3 to promote melanin production.
Cruciferous veggies broccoli and cabbage with potent antioxidants.
In short, a diet packed with Ji-hoon's care to keep her albinism from worsening.
But he never mentioned it to her.
Didn't want to burden her.
Unaware, Lily just felt glum about seeing him less often as she picked up her spoon.
But thinking of it as the last meal from her friend before he got busy, every bite felt precious.
She savored the food he'd brought from the world outside, slowly and deliciously.
In the dim room.
Lily lay on her bed, staring at the invisible ceiling.
She'd always been friends with darkness.
The world and her heart alike.
In pitch black, even a single firefly glows like a brilliant light.
A city full of bright lights versus a rural night without any.
In the city, a firefly's light would barely register.
That was the difference.
To Lily, Ji-hoon was like that one firefly drifting in a rural night sky.
Lonely.
Dark.
And...
Frightening.
Lily knew.
That she wouldn't live long.
...What if she hadn't known?
Suddenly, she wondered.
Just live in this darkness and quietly follow her departed parents.
Having been alone her whole life except for them, she hadn't truly grasped loneliness.
But now, with Ji-hoon—who'd just made her laugh—leaving,
She finally understood what 'loneliness' felt like.
...Ah.
I don't want to die.
Lily whispered softly.
Her true feelings, scattering into the darkness.