Chapter 59
Chapter 59
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Ideal Couple
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Even in the midst of his busy schedule, Ji-hoon made sure to film a YouTube video with Lily once a week.
Today was that day.
But today's content was a special project led by Lily.
Korean home cooking for her husband.
Ji-hoon had no idea about this.
As usual, he planned to film with Lily after finishing work and coming home.
But Lily had different plans.
'When my husband comes home exhausted from work, what kind of reaction will he have if he sees a warm meal I've prepared?'
This was the surprise hidden camera content Lily had prepared for today.
What was Lily supposed to do staying home all day?
During the daytime while Ji-hoon was at work, her routine consisted of practicing makeup by watching tutorial videos and searching for Korean recipes to try making various dishes.
Lily set up the camera in one corner of the living room.
She pressed the record button and stood in front of the camera.
Today, she wore a sky-blue dress she had recently bought, complete with a cute apron.
Her makeup was finished with a light pink touch to add vitality.
"Hello~!"
Lily waved both hands and greeted the camera with her signature bright voice.
"I'm Lily from 'Lily Flower Has Bloomed'! Hehe. Actually, today's a secret content!"
She whispered while placing her index finger to her lips.
"Right now, my husband's working hard at the store. He works tirelessly outside every day for me, and even when he comes home, he makes delicious meals... But today, it's my turn! For my husband!"
Lily clenched her fist triumphantly.
"I'm going to prepare delicious Korean home cooking... as a surprise gift! What kind of reaction will he have when he comes home and sees the meal I've made? I'm so excited!"
She headed to the kitchen excitedly.
"Alright then... shall we get started?"
Lily moved the camera to the kitchen counter and took out the marinated beef from the fridge.
"This is bulgogi! I marinated it with a delicious secret soy sauce recipe. Since my husband likes sweet flavors... I added a bit more sugar and honey!"
She poured broth into a pot and began dissolving miso paste.
"And this is doenjang jjigae! He says that after working outside, he needs warm soup and rice like this to recharge."
She carefully sliced and added tofu and squash.
"Cooking for my husband makes me so happy. I really hope he enjoys it!"
Lily smiled at the camera, the happiest smile in the world.
Her face was filled with love for Ji-hoon.
"I'm home..."
It had been an exhausting day.
Ji-hoon dragged his heavy body and unlocked the front door.
"Honey! Welcome home!"
As his voice sounded, Lily came running from the kitchen with a radiant voice.
She grabbed his wrist firmly.
"Come here! Quick!"
"Huh? What?"
Not knowing what was happening, Ji-hoon was led by Lily's hand to the dining table.
And there, he froze at the sight before him.
On the table was a perfectly set meal with steam rising invitingly.
Sweet soy-scented bulgogi.
Rich, bubbling doenjang jjigae.
Even neatly arranged side dishes.
Ji-hoon looked back and forth between Lily and the table.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"Lily... you did all this for me?"
His voice carried no trace of fatigue, only deep emotion.
Only then did Lily release his hand, twisting her body shyly.
Her white cheeks flushed a light pink.
"Hehe... You work so hard every day coming home tired, so of course I should! Men go out, women to the kitchen! Sit down quick! Eat before it gets cold!"
Ji-hoon sat in the chair in a daze.
Lily sat demurely across from him.
Ji-hoon picked up his spoon and took a bite of the doenjang jjigae.
"Wow..."
Lily said nothing, just resting her chin and watching him eat.
Her red eyes were filled with affection, as if gazing at the most beloved person in the world.
A couple that made you feel good just watching them.
Why do people watch couple or husband-wife YouTube channels?
A man and woman uniting to form a family is perhaps the natural order of the world.
People imagine their own futures while watching their happiness.
'I could live that happily too, right?'
The affectionate words bursting from the screen, the honey-dripping gazes, and the overflowing loving actions.
Ji-hoon and Lily were the picture of the ideal couple everyone envied.
No matter the PC ideology or whatever these days, that was just nonsense from a minority.
The vast majority of ordinary people still longed for this normal, sweet male-female relationship.
That's why Lily's channel views were exploding.
Well, there were occasional malicious comments from haters.
But those got deleted automatically.
After finishing the meal, Ji-hoon and Lily sat side by side on the sofa, chatting.
Ji-hoon, having enjoyed the meal Lily prepared, asked while holding back laughter.
"Lily. Where on earth did you learn that 'women to the kitchen' line?"
Thinking about it again made him chuckle, his shoulders shaking.
"Huh? I saw it in a historical drama."
Lily answered with innocent eyes.
"And isn't that right? My husband works hard outside to feed me, so as his wife, I should diligently do the housework for him! Husbands and wives have their roles!"
"Uh... um... Lily. In today's world, saying that could get you in trouble."
"Huh? Why? Did I do something wrong?"
"Huh? No... it's just..."
Ji-hoon scratched his head awkwardly.
"Some people... feel uncomfortable with rigidly fixing gender roles like that."
At Ji-hoon's words, Lily's cheeks puffed up.
She looked slightly upset.
"I can't understand it! I was so happy cooking while thinking about my husband enjoying it! What's uncomfortable about that?"
"Hm... In Korea where I lived, that was the vibe. Like, 'are you treating her like a rice-making machine?'... Society flowed that way."
"How can people say that?"
Lily looked truly baffled.
"Men and women are different! Women are physically weaker than men. So they need protection. In return, they do relatively easier housework... I love my husband's homeland Korea, but I really can't understand that culture!"
If Korean men heard this, they would cheer, feeling a sense of relief.
"So Lily, you think it's natural for wives to fulfill that role?"
"Yes!"
Lily answered without hesitation.
"I'm so happy right now!"
And she planted a light kiss on Ji-hoon's cheek.
All this conversation was faithfully captured by the camera Lily had left on.
And when this video went up,
Comments praising them exploded.
Additionally, parts of this video were captured and exported to Korea's largest communities.
The reactions were sharply divided, as expected.
First, the responses from men who had given up on marriage in Korea or already experienced one failure.
It was beyond jealousy—a desperate despair and envy.
But curses poured from those who couldn't tolerate this situation at all.
In Korea.
Even showing a wife carefully preparing a lunchbox for her husband.
Draws curses close to maledictions.
What exactly is so dissatisfying, and why is making a meal for a loved one such a wrong thing?
The reason was perhaps simple.
Due to the plummeting marriage rate that's already in ruins.
There was a term for women of marriageable age who hadn't married generation after generation.
'Old Maid Hysteria'.
Korean society now might be exploding with that collective hysteria.
'Why can't I be that happy?'
So they forcibly attach plausible reasons to tear down others' happiness.
That venom was growing stronger by the day.
And perhaps, Korean men.
Were instinctively sensing this venom,
And rejecting the institution of marriage itself.
That's why they were even more enthusiastic about Ji-hoon and Lily's videos.
Vicarious satisfaction.
Today is the day to visit the hospital with Lily.
We check in regularly once a month, and fortunately, we've been hearing that her condition is stable.
'How much care am I putting in!'
I treasure the parasol Father gave me as a gift whenever we leave, using it so carefully.
Work is important, but family is more so.
No, for me, Lily is always the top priority.
"Mr. Kim, Lily Kim. Please come in."
At the nurse's call, I held Lily's hand tightly and entered the examination room.
Our attending physician, Dr. Anderson, greeted us with a warm smile.
"Hello."
I sat down and couldn't hold back, asking immediately.
"How are the results...?"
Anderson nodded while flipping through the chart.
"Very good, Mr. Kim. All values are stable today as well."
"Really?"
"Yes. Blood test results are clean, skin condition is excellent. Especially the immune system values we were concerned about haven't worsened at all; maintenance is going very well."
Anderson looked at me and said approvingly.
"The most important things for albino patients are thorough UV protection and nutrition management. The diet rich in tyrosine needed for melanin synthesis that I mentioned last time—you've followed it perfectly. If you keep managing it steadily like this, Lily can maintain this healthy state for a long time."
Haa...
I let out a sigh of relief without realizing.
It felt like my past efforts were being rewarded.
"Thank you so much, Doctor!"
I was genuinely happy.
Lily beside me gripped my hand back,
And I could feel her smiling brightly through her sunglasses.
Yes. This is enough.