Chapter 119
"Want to see the cat at my place before you go?"
"What's this? A tasty shabu-shabu spot?"
"No idea. This area's pretty unfamiliar to me, actually. I was gonna ask you."
We'd settled on shabu-shabu for the menu, but it wasn't like we'd found some hidden gem or anything. Lee Seo-yeon pondered for a moment, then pulled out her phone.
"Hang on. I'm not exactly a regular around here either, so I'll just ask my brother."
"Oh yeah? I thought you secretly rated every restaurant you passed."
"...What do you take me for, some Yelp reviewer...?"
Lee Seo-yeon shot Yoo Seol-ah a wronged look at the teasing, then hit call a moment later. Sure enough, she was soon gritting her teeth through the conversation.
"...What do you mean, shabu-shabu omakase around here...! ...No, but thinking about it, maybe there is...?"
It wasn't on speaker, so I couldn't catch the exact words, but her reactions painted a clear enough picture. She hung up with a hollow chuckle.
"...Ha, well, he found something."
"Omakase?"
"Just regular shabu-shabu!..."
I'd never tried it myself, but with omakase places popping up everywhere these days, shabu-shabu omakase didn't seem all that far-fetched. Just offer a variety of meats to dip in the broth, right? Boom, omakase.
"Not far at all. Wanna walk?"
"How long?"
"Like five minutes on foot."
"...We could drive... Nah. Walking's better, obviously. Good for the body."
Yoo Seol-ah mumbled under her breath, but as soon as Lee Seo-yeon grabbed her wrist, she flipped her stance. She walked plenty fine once we got going. Felt like watching a kid throw a tantrum over side dishes.
True to her word, we arrived at the shabu-shabu spot in under five minutes. The prices, the interior—totally ordinary shabu-shabu joint.
"...This feels kinda weird."
"Not just me, huh?"
As Yoo Seol-ah and I exchanged glances, Lee Seo-yeon just looked baffled.
"No, like... eating at a normal restaurant with you feels off."
"Hanwoo special set, but not 200,000 won per person..."
Hanwoo shabu-shabu at 20,000 won a serving. Pretty pricey compared to other meals, but somehow it felt like a bargain. If Lee Seo-yeon weren't here, I doubt it'd hit that way. She looked genuinely puzzled by our reactions.
"We ever eat out together?"
"We went to that place tied to your family once, and otherwise we just cooked at home, right?"
"...For real?"
First date, we made shabu-shabu ourselves. Next time at her place, same deal. Only fancy Western spots stuck in my memory.
"...I thought you were just messing with me. My bad..."
Lee Seo-yeon didn't flaunt luxury brands or anything, so it didn't show day-to-day. But as the kid of a massive food conglomerate heir, food just hit different for her. She devoured our home cooking, so her tastes weren't picky, but that serious face she made while eating screamed "raised on fine dining."
"Table for three, hanwoo shabu-shabu."
"Right away. Salad bar's self-serve."
Shabu-shabu was the star, but the salad bar had simple sides too. Yoo Seol-ah and I got up first, scooping small portions into bowls.
"Love this. Seasoned lettuce wraps."
"Easy to make. Done in a flash, perfect for meals."
"Yeah? Let's do it next time we eat."
We'd been cooking together more lately, so even casual chats like this made our bond feel real.
With meat served separately, we loaded up on veggies and salads. But one side Yoo Seol-ah straight-up ignored.
"Eat a variety."
"I got a variety. Lettuce wraps, sesame leaves—all here."
"Cucumber kimchi over there."
"...Cucumber kimchi's like seasoned lettuce anyway. No need."
Half-joking, but she radiated "over my dead body" vibes. Said she'd never touch cucumbers.
Back at the table, I asked again.
"Cucumbers that bad?"
"Taste, smell, texture—all gross."
"Allergy?"
"Nah. I've eaten 'em. Just avoid on purpose."
She ate everything else fine, so her cucumber hate—no allergy—was kinda fascinating.
"Picky eating's bad for growth."
"...I'm twenty already... Growth's done!... 'No pickiness means taller' is all BS anyway..."
Like I'd poked a sore spot, she squeezed her eyes shut, face falling sad. Lee Seo-yeon, watching quietly, patted her shoulder.
"It's fine. Your height suits you perfectly."
"...Tall people wouldn't get it..."
But coming from late-160s-cm Lee Seo-yeon, it didn't land. Honestly, Seol-ah's height suited her great.
Lee Seo-yeon glanced down thoughtfully, then nodded like she'd figured something out.
"...But nutrition has limits, right?"
She stopped there, but following her gaze made it crystal clear. No more explanation needed.
"......"
Yoo Seol-ah caught on too, suddenly standing to snag an apron off the wall. She tied it on bashfully, the fabric hovering mid-air a bit—magic, probably. Mesmerizing.
Lee Seo-yeon tilted her head.
"...Does that even work?"
"W-what?! It's for soup dishes! Need an apron!..."
No one spelled it out, but we all got it. Only Yoo Seol-ah could make a plain shop apron look sexy.
Shabu-shabu arrived soon after. Meat cooked fast, so we dug in right away.
"Hanwoo shabu's delicious."
Lee Seo-yeon spoke, and Yoo Seol-ah nodded instinctively before catching herself and shaking her head furiously.
Then, flustered:
"Don't say 'shabu.' Say shabu-shabu properly..."
"...Got it. Hanwoo shabu-shabu."
No clue why, but she'd latched onto "shabu" as the cat's name. Only after the correction did she resume eating, satisfied.
"Definitely tasty, though. 20,000 won? My tastes must not be that fancy."
"Mine neither. I order local Chinese all the time."
"Really?"
"...Just so you don't get weird ideas: jjajangmyeon bowl's under 10,000 won."
"...Tch."
Lee Seo-yeon preemptively shut down Yoo Seol-ah's teasing engine. Busted, she meekly focused on her food.
"Why do you like shabu-shabu so much, though?"
"Mm... Tasty, for one? Feels clean for meat. Less heavy."
"Yeah, easier on the stomach."
"And we don't make it at home much. Fried rice and stuff? Yeah, all the time. So I crave it out."
She loved it this much? Gotta make it more often.
"There's pots perfect for shabu-shabu. Wanna get one?"
"...Hell yes."
Wide pots weren't solo-living staples. Some split broth halves.
Sipping broth, Yoo Seol-ah piped up casually.
"...But when washing Shabu, gotta use lukewarm water."
Her dead-serious face had me and Lee Seo-yeon chuckling in sync.
"Cats need lukewarm baths anyway?"
"Lucky. Hot water would've felt weird."
Would've felt weird? Try extremely.
Lee Seo-yeon smirked cat-owner style.
"Water temp aside, water-loving cats are rare as hen's teeth. Bath time's a struggle sometimes..."
"Yeah, super rare. But Shabu seems water-friendly?"
"...That's why you named him that?"
"Nooo!... Don't make me sound weird...! Name's just a name. Feels like I vibe with cats."
With her cat-like face and mannerisms, plus cats' mystic-mage ties, no wonder they clicked. Grand mage and all.
"See you tomorrow~"
"Yeah. Get home safe."
We saw each other daily anyway, so light goodbyes. Furniture hadn't arrived yet, so back to her studio for us.
Yoo Seol-ah's voice brimmed with excitement.
"Haa... Shabu was so cute. Can't wait."
"Kitten level—insanely adorable."
Big sparkly eyes, luxe fur. Clung only to us? Heart-attack material.
A few steps later, she hesitated, then asked:
"...Is Shabu cuter, or... m-me?"
Blushing but persistent—impossible to dodge.
I answered without hesitation.
"Shabu, obviously. How's a human beat a cat?"
"...Ha."
She knew it was a joke, but ego took a hit. Pouting silently ahead, then she spun, blocking my path.
"...Want to see the cat at my place?"
"......"
That's a classic line for separate homes. Cat was coming tomorrow anyway.
"Where's the cat?"
"Here."
"Huh?"
"...Here. If I'm here, he's here."
She seemed a tad unhinged, so I shut up.
At the 1st-floor entrance, as I went to enter, she held me back.
"...Come in after 5 minutes."
Her place, her rules. I hit the convenience store for beers, pondering. Total seduction bait. 'See the cat?' was kinda passé these days, though.
Five-ish minutes later, I rang the bell instead of punching the code.
Door opened—and Yoo Seol-ah yanked me inside.
"......"
Too stunned for words. Gray cat ears and tail—who knew where from. Cosplayer staple?
I'd said humans can't beat cats, so she became one.
Face flushed, same clothes otherwise, but embarrassed. Still, bold as hell.
She grabbed my nape, whispering in my ear.
"...Meowr."
...Not a standard meow. Tigers were felines too, I guess. Her vibe right now? Beyond cat—pure predator.