Chapter 176
Chapter 176
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: The House of Laughter
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So, the secret turned out to be Suryeon's feelings all along.
In the end, thanks to Daeun, the two of them ended up sharing Suryeon's secret, and they both looked quite relieved.
"There's not much to sort out."
"We didn't have a lot of stuff to begin with. We've already prepared clothes and such in advance."
We'd come to help with the move, but there wasn't much to do.
Instead, we helped pack up other things.
"Still, it's going smoothly since we know each other."
"That's pretty much why we came, after all."
Clink.
We organized Painter Oh's tools.
We sorted brushes, easels, and the paintings he'd done over time separately, then packed them up.
Meanwhile, Director Go carefully removed Suryeon's photo from the wall, wiped it clean, and packed it into a box as gently as possible to avoid any damage.
Just over two hours later, the packing was done faster than expected.
"Whew, it's finally done."
"You all worked hard. It's late, but we should have lunch."
At that, Director Go looked around and said,
"But is there anywhere nearby worth ordering from?"
"There's plenty of food around."
Painter Oh then grabbed a flyer from the fridge and unfolded one.
"Still, on moving day, it's gotta be Chinese food!"
The flyer he unfolded had the name of a Chinese restaurant boldly printed on it.
"Daeun, you like jjajangmyeon, right?"
"Yes! Daeun wikes bwack bean noodwes!"
"And you?"
"I like it too."
Then Director Go looked at me and asked,
"Jjajangmyeon okay with you?"
"Sure. Jjajangmyeon."
"Okay! Jjajangmyeon all around, and a jjajangmyeon tangsuyuk set."
With that, Painter Oh quickly called the Chinese place to order.
It was already past 1 p.m., so it probably wouldn't take long.
"Ah, hello? Is this the Chinese restaurant?"
Swish.
At that moment, Director Go slowly looked around the now spotless studio.
"Still, they've kept it pretty clean. Shouldn't be any issues even if we sell the house later."
"You're selling the house?"
"Got to, since we're moving up to Seoul."
Well, it wasn't a cheap place, and there was no point keeping it just for maintenance costs.
Still, it must have held a lot of sentimental value. Right as I thought she might feel regretful...
"What do you mean selling? No way."
Painter Oh finished his call and approached, blinking in surprise.
Director Go pointed at the house and said,
"This house. Got to sell it once we go to Seoul."
"This house?"
"Yeah, no."
"Of course not. Do you know how hard I worked to get this house?"
"Why?"
"Why...? You don't remember?"
"What?"
Swish.
Painter Oh stepped back slightly, as if truly shocked, and said,
"This house... It's the one you said you absolutely had to live in someday."
Director Go had said she wanted this house.
That was unexpected.
But the problem was, she didn't seem to remember it.
"Why would I have said I wanted this house? Was that why you came down to Daegu?"
"Well, among other things. The original owner wouldn't sell at first, so I was about to give up, but I finally convinced them."
From what I heard, Painter Oh had gone through quite a struggle to buy this house.
When he first came to Daegu, he'd gone straight to a realtor hoping to buy it.
But the owner had no intention of selling, so he'd lived in a nearby villa for over a year, constantly keeping tabs.
Just as he was getting exhausted and ready to give up...
The owner wanted to meet the hopeful buyer, Painter Oh.
"So what did they say when you met?"
At Director Go's question, Painter Oh smiled and replied,
"What do you think? I just told them the truth."
"The truth?"
"Yeah. I said I wanted to give my wife the coolest house in the neighborhood as a gift."
Watching Painter Oh over time, I could tell he was the complete opposite of the cool-headed Director Go—a total romantic.
He'd remembered a passing comment from decades ago, bought the house, and lived there long-term.
It couldn't get more romantic than that.
"They thought about it a lot. I was so nervous back then; I still remember it vividly. Well, the original owner did end up selling."
As if recalling it, Painter Oh shook his head.
"Sorry, but I really don't remember."
Unfortunately, even after that, Director Go still didn't recall.
"You really don't remember? Not even why you wanted this house?"
Nod.
She wasn't the type to lie about something like that.
At that, Painter Oh's expression shifted subtly.
Like a mischievous kid.
"Hmm, suddenly I don't feel like telling you."
"Just stay here and live forever?"
"So that's why you avoided me for so long and changed your personality? You weren't that petty before."
Director Go bit her lower lip slightly at that.
It really showed their years together.
He knew exactly how to rile her up.
But Director Go was Director Go.
The epitome of cool composure, not one to crack at mere teasing.
Surely she'd push back even harder against Painter Oh's words...
"Wh-what do I have to do to get you to tell me?"
'...Huh?'
Director Go turned her head away as she spoke, and Painter Oh chuckled as if she were adorable.
Ding-dong—
"Food's here, perfect timing. Think about it over lunch."
With that, Painter Oh went out to get the food, and Director Go just let out a long sigh watching him go.
Was that really the Director Go I knew?
It was enough to make me seriously wonder.
'Ah...'
But her follow-up reaction made me chuckle despite myself.
"Those two..."
Looks like Director Go loved Painter Oh dearly.
Enough to drop her usual demeanor.
Slurp!
The Chinese place Painter Oh recommended so confidently.
"Wow, this is really good."
"Yeah, I had no idea Daegu had a place like this."
"Right? Told you it's good."
There was a reason for the fast delivery.
It was fresh, not greasy at all, and the jjajang sauce was savory and clean.
How long had it been since I had jjajangmyeon this good?
Slurp!
Daeun seemed to love it too, her face a mess of jjajang as she shoveled it in.
"It's suwper yummy!"
"Haha, your face is covered, Daeun."
"It's okay! Daeun's face is bwack bean noodwe cowor too, so it's fiwne!"
"Right."
Was that her way of saying don't eat it, give it to her skin?
At this point, I got curious about the tangsuyuk that came with it.
Painter Oh picked up the sauce bowl with a grin and said,
"Shall I pour?"
"Wait!"
Director Go's sudden shout startled us.
"Weren't you always a dipper?"
"What are you talking about? Tangsuyuk is obviously pour."
"Did your tastes change after moving to Daegu? Tangsuyuk is dip."
"It's pour."
"Dip."
...Huh?
Suddenly, tension crackled between them.
The hand gripping the sauce bowl trembled faintly, like an arm-wrestling standoff.
But neither would back down.
"Tangsuyuk is meant to have sauce poured over it from the start."
"Then why fry it crispy? You dip to keep that crunch."
"Heh, you don't know tangsuyuk. This place's stays crispy even poured."
"No, it's not about that crunch. It's the fresh-out-of-the-fryer crunch."
"You're really going this far?"
"I can yield on anything else, but not this."
Why are you two fighting?
Swish.
Then, as if on cue, they both looked at me and asked,
"Kanghyeok, what about you?"
"Obviously pour."
"And you?"
Why me?
I didn't care if it was poured or dipped, but it seemed crucial to them.
"Honestly, either's fine for me."
Their expressions grew even graver.
"No, Kanghyeok. Fried food is fundamentally..."
"Nah, tangsuyuk is a dish meant to be eaten with sauce poured over..."
I cut in before they launched into tangsuyuk history.
"Why not split it? Half poured, half dipped?"
There was plenty anyway.
"No way."
"Can't do that."
Neither would compromise.
Who'd have thought tangsuyuk would cause this?
One of them had to give in to continue eating.
Then Director Go made a proposal.
"How about this?"
"What?"
"We ask Daeun, and do whatever she wants."
"Oh, good idea."
"But no pressuring, and accept the result right away. Deal?"
Painter Oh nodded, satisfied.
"As long as you accept it."
Swish.
Director Go's face darkened, then she turned to Daeun, who was generously donating jjajang to her face.
"Daeun, how do you want your tangsuyuk?"
"Daeun?"
"Yeah, we'll go by your choice."
Daeun looked at the sauce bowl they were both holding.
Then she beamed and said,
"Daeun wikes evewything! It's suwper yummy!"
I knew she'd say that.
Daeun was always dead serious about food.
But they weren't giving up.
"Pick just one."
"Just one?"
"Yeah."
Swish.
Daeun started pondering deeply.
It was like handing her the final say, after all.
But if even she hedged, we were stuck.
So Painter Oh smiled to help her decide easily.
"No need to overthink. We're just curious what you like."
"So how do you want to eat it, Daeun?"
After a moment's thought, Daeun said something unexpected.
"Daeun! Puts it in bwack bean noodwes!"
"What?"
"Daeun wikes bwack bean noodwes!"
"Jjajangmyeon! Haha!"
"Daeun, you rascal."
They exchanged glances and burst out laughing.
Not the answer they wanted, but her unique take broke the tension, filling the table with smiles.
In that mood, Painter Oh looked at Director Go and said,
"That's why."
"What?"
"The reason you wanted this house."
And with Painter Oh's words, Director Go finally seemed to remember.
"As we passed by here, such bright laughter came from inside. That's why you wanted this house so badly. You said you wanted our family to be that happy."