Chapter 143
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 143
“Ahhh.”
“Here you go.”
Dokyun held a slice of raw fish to Eun-chae’s open mouth.
He had dipped it lightly in chojang [a sweet and spicy sauce], and a smile escaped his lips as she promptly snatched it with her mouth and began to chew.
How could she look so happy just from eating? Was this what people meant when they said just watching someone eat could make you feel full?
Feeling strangely satisfied himself just from seeing how much she was enjoying it, Dokyun watched her for a long while before picking up another slice.
Since raw fish was difficult to eat with a fork or spoon, he was feeding Eun-chae, who couldn’t use chopsticks.
“Is it good?”
“Yes.”
Nod. Having already swallowed the piece, Eun-chae answered and opened her mouth again.
Dokyun chuckled and fed her another slice.
He wasn’t sure if he should call it a relief, but the raw fish was a perfect match for Eun-chae’s palate.
He had been worried when buying it, since raw fish, regardless of how appetizing it looks, is an acquired taste. But his worries had been for nothing.
Dokyun let out a few soft chuckles as he watched Eun-chae munch on the fish, then popped a slice into his own mouth.
The texture of the fish was quite decent. For Dokyun, who hadn’t had it in a long time, it was a thoroughly satisfying meal.
Chewing and swallowing, Dokyun turned his gaze to the sky.
It’s already evening.
It felt like he’d spent the whole day just spacing out, doing nothing, but the sun was already beginning to set.
Had he been infected by Eun-chae’s dazed state? A strange sense of accomplishment filled him despite having done nothing, and he was smiling to himself when a tug on his arm drew his attention back to her.
“Ahhh.”
She had already swallowed another piece and was opening her mouth for more.
Dokyun placed another slice of fish in her mouth.
*
Dokyun sat on a bench at the beach, watching the sunset.
Far in the distance, the evening sun was sinking beyond the sea.
A sense of awe bloomed deep within him at the sight of the endless blue transforming into a fiery crimson.
Feeling his soul captivated by the waves carrying the sunset on their backs, Dokyun stared for a long time. Only when the setting sun overlapped with the waves, creating distinct layers of red and blue, did he belatedly come to his senses and check on Eun-chae.
She was gazing at the sea with shimmering eyes.
He figured that what Eun-chae was feeling right now probably wasn’t so different from what he was feeling.
And why wouldn’t it be? People say that everyone feels something different even when looking at the same sight, but the emotions evoked by a spectacle of nature like this were surely more primal.
It was a feeling that transcended reason and ideology; any living creature on this earth would be helpless but to feel awe at such a sight.
The world turned a deeper shade of red as the sunset breathed out its last vestiges of warmth.
Dokyun thought that the crimson hue settling on Eun-chae’s cheeks seemed to hold an unparalleled warmth.
As he stared blankly at her, a gasp escaped his lips, and he belatedly captured the scene in a photo.
Click. The shutter sounded. Eun-chae turned her head, and Dokyun took another picture.
Click.
“Photo?”
“Yeah. A photo.”
After their brief exchange, Eun-chae stared blankly at the lens on the smartphone before reaching out and snatching it from Dokyun.
“I want to take a picture of you too, Honeybee.”
Dokyun let out a small smile as Eun-chae shoved the lens right in front of his nose.
He watched her struggle with the phone for a while, not knowing how to operate it, before speaking with a hint of mischief.
“If you take it that close, all you’ll get is my nose.”
Eun-chae’s brow furrowed.
Dokyun chuckled again at the sight, then took the phone back and switched the camera to selfie mode.
“We can do it like this and take one together.”
“…Okay.”
Was her pride hurt? Seeing her somewhat sullen reply, Dokyun took her hand, guided it over the smartphone screen, and pressed the shutter button.
Click.
The shutter sounded once more. Seeing Eun-chae’s eyes go wide, Dokyun handed the phone back to her.
“You want to try?”
“Yes.”
With the smartphone in her hand, Eun-chae, having figured out how to take a picture, began to press the shutter button repeatedly with an excited look on her face.
Click. Click. Click. Click.
She wasn’t even looking at the screen, just furiously pressing the button.
Dokyun let out a troubled laugh. Eun-chae looked up at him and said, “I took a lot.”
“Good job.”
The camera was shaking so much, there probably aren’t any good shots, he thought, but then followed it up with, Still, there must be at least one decent picture. He stroked Eun-chae’s head.
“Should we head home now?”
“Okay.”
Eun-chae took Dokyun’s hand.
Dokyun held it back and started walking, his eyes on the darkening sky.
*
By the time they returned home, the sky was completely black.
“Ughhh…!”
Dokyun sat on the sofa, letting out a groan as he stretched.
It had been a satisfying outing, the first in a while.
Spending the whole day in such a relaxed mood had put his mind at ease like nothing else.
This is what healing feels like.
A smile spread across his face from the rising satisfaction. He then looked over at Eun-chae, who had gone straight to the aquarium the moment they got home.
She was staring blankly at the fish swimming inside.
Then.
“Gulp.”
Eun-chae audibly swallowed.
Flinch.
Dokyun felt an involuntary shudder run through him and stared at Eun-chae with trembling eyes.
No way…
Come on, she couldn’t be thinking that about those tiny, fingernail-sized fish.
Forcibly shaking off his rising anxiety, Dokyun decided he should get her washed up and opened his mouth.
“Time to get ready for bed.”
“Okay.”
Eun-chae headed to the bathroom. Dokyun followed her, and after they had both finished getting ready, he lay down on the bed.
Eun-ji tomorrow, I guess…
I should get a good night’s sleep.
He was closing his eyes with that thought when he felt a poking on his arm. He opened his eyes to see Eun-chae.
She was staring at him with wide, alert eyes.
“I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“What do carp taste like?”
Flinch.
Dokyun felt a violent tremor rack his entire body.
It wasn’t…
My imagination.
Eun-chae was starting to develop a taste for fish.
His eyes squeezed shut of their own accord.
He had no idea how to answer the question written all over her face, which was brimming with curiosity. He kept his eyes closed for a long moment before Eun-chae’s next question came.
“Are carp tasty, too?”
“Well…”
Dokyun’s eyes darted back and forth as he tried to think.
He had to come up with an excuse. He had to tell her that carp aren’t for eating.
But he couldn’t think of how to convince her. After a long moment of deliberation, he finally recalled something he’d heard somewhere.
“We don’t eat carp.”
“Huh?”
“Carp don’t taste good, so people don’t eat them.”
“They don’t taste good?”
“Nope.”
Seeing Eun-chae tilt her head, Dokyun continued in a soft, gentle tone.
“The carp in the pond and the tropical fish in the aquarium are pretty, right?”
“Yes, they’re colorful and pretty.”
“That’s why they don’t taste good. When it comes to fish, the uglier they are, the tastier they are. So the fish we have at home aren’t for eating, they’re for looking at.”
“Ohhh…”
Eun-chae gave a small nod.
Did I manage to get through to her? Dokyun was letting out a breath of relief when Eun-chae, who had been staring at him, asked another question.
“Then are you tasty, Honeybee?”
…The question was loaded with impure intentions.
What did she mean by that? Was she trying to say he was ugly as hell? Was she taking an indirect jab at him?
Dokyun narrowed his eyes and stared at Eun-chae.
She was just tilting her head with an innocent expression.
It didn’t seem like she had any ulterior motive. It was a pure, simple question. But did Eun-chae know that made it so much worse?
Dokyun felt a familiar bitterness rise in his gut as he answered in a gloomy tone.
“…I’m not tasty.”
“Huh?”
Eun-chae’s head tilted again.
I knew it…
The theory of innate evil was right.
*
“Princess wants water.”
Eun-ji spoke, sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed.
She said it with a ridiculous air of arrogance. Dokyun let out a chuckle, shook his head, and poured her a glass of water.
Eun-ji took the glass Dokyun offered and sipped at it as if it were black tea, then glared at him.
“You know what day it is today, don’t you?”
“It’s Children’s Day.”
“No!”
Leap.
Eun-ji shot to her feet.
“Whoa, you scared me. Why are you yelling?”
“You foolish servant. You don’t even know what day it is today?”
She said it with narrowed eyes. When Dokyun just tilted his head in confusion, Eun-ji thumped her chest in frustration and shrieked.
“Today is Princess Day! You don’t even know that?!”
Princess Day. Was this some anniversary only Eun-ji knew about? Dokyun couldn’t help but laugh at her frantic shouting. He ruffled her hair vigorously and offered an apology.
“Oh my, how could I have forgotten? I’m sorry.”
“Hmph!”
She immediately turned her head away haughtily. It was an incredibly annoying gesture, but Dokyun brushed it off, thinking, Well, at least she’s better than Eun-sam.
“Today, we’re going to the zoo.”
“Huh?”
“You promised!”
“Ah.”
At Eun-ji’s roar, Dokyun nodded. It was a promise he’d made the day they went to the amusement park—months ago.
So she pretended not to care, but she remembered everything.
Had she been looking forward to it? As Dokyun’s lips curled into a slight smirk at the sight of Eun-ji huffing with a stern expression, her face crumpled and she moved away from him.
“What’s with that look on your face? It’s creepy.”
Freeze.
Dokyun’s body went still.
A wave of depression washed over him at the state of his heart, which had been getting repeatedly trampled since last night. He quickly shook it off by thinking of Eun-ah.
Whatever happens, as long as I look good to Eun-ah, that’s all that matters, right?
Quickly composing himself, Dokyun let out a deep sigh and headed for the kitchen.
“Alright, how about we eat first and then head out right away?”
“The princess wants a hot dog. Lots of hot sauce.”
“Alright, alright.”
Dokyun nodded in response to her order and looked at Eun-ji, who was now sitting at the table with her legs crossed.
She’s especially prickly today.
He watched her, wondering if something bad had happened, but no matter how he looked at it, she just seemed to be pouting.
“What are you spacing out for? Are you going to take responsibility if the princess starves to death?” she urged, her eyes sharp.
Dokyun felt a vein bulge on the back of his hand and gritted his teeth before replying.
“Just wait a second, I’ll make it right now.”
“Sigh, how does he expect to be a servant when he’s so slow?” she muttered, shaking her head.
A single flick to the forehead wouldn’t hurt, would it…?
Dokyun seriously contemplated it for a moment before taking a deep breath to suppress his anger.
No, it’s Children’s Day, after all.
He could humor her for just one day.
Dokyun exhaled the breath he’d been holding, pulled the refrigerator handle, and opened the door.
All the ingredients for a hot dog were there. He always kept them stocked, since Eun-ji’s tastes were so particular.
He took out a bun, a sausage, a few vegetables, and the sauce from the shelf. With practiced movements, he assembled the hot dog and placed it on the table.
The furrow in Dokyun’s brow smoothed out as he watched Eun-ji eat, and he let out a small laugh.
“Is it good?”
“Well, it’s edible.”
She replied curtly, but the tone of her voice was undeniably softer.
“I’ll give you a special passing grade.”
“Oh, wow. Thank you so much.”
What is she even trying to do? Dokyun chuckled at Eun-ji’s antics.