Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Why Did You Come to Our House? (1)
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Drip, drip—
Thin raindrops patter against the umbrella.
It's April's light drizzle.
"Rain had to fall today, of all days."
"Uuu... That's why I couldn't wear my racing jacket."
The two siblings are low-pressure since morning, just like the weather.
We each have our reasons—mine's that I hate working on rainy days.
My little sister's because she couldn't wear her favorite outfit.
"But Yoon-seule looks cute even in a raincoat, right?"
"Yeah, whatever..."
She's indifferent.
Maybe she's attached to it because she's been wearing it steadily to brave the spring weather.
She insisted on that jacket in particular, but there was no helping it.
The size difference between the raincoat and jacket.
'Yoon-seul-ah, the jacket's too big to wear under the raincoat. How about taking it off just for today?'
'Eeeh, but...'
'Yoon-seule will get all wet—the rain's coming down.'
'But Oppa bought it for me—I wanna wear it.'
We debated this right before leaving the house.
Yoon-seule was sulking unusually, grumbling away.
She's not one to do that often, and even the reason was cute, so I decided to offer an alternative.
'Then how about Oppa packs it in the bag instead? You wear the raincoat just for the commute, and at the shop, you switch to this jacket? Sound good?'
'Ah! Yeah, that works! Oppa's so smart.'
She looked up at me from below like I'd come up with some genius solution.
The walk from the subway station to the shop.
It was raining, so we took public transport.
Just like when we bike, we walk alongside Seongbuk Stream.
"Oh, Oppa! Look."
"Hm?"
What Yoon-seule was pointing at were the trees.
The ones that once held cherry blossoms on their branches.
Lately, with rain day after day, they've all fallen.
Pink petals roll around the tree bases like trash.
Mixed with damp dirt.
"It's a shame. The flowers were so pretty. You sad too, Yoon-seule?"
"Yoon-seul's fine."
"Really?"
"Yeah! 'Cause next year, we'll see 'em again with Oppa."
"You're right. By then, Yoon-seule will be six."
"Eek."
Hearing "six" makes Yoon-seule clutch her head, face full of worry.
"What's up?"
"Even if... I'm still only six... I'm still a baby."
That's what was bugging her.
I get it—I wanted to grow up fast when I was little too. An hour felt like it would never end.
A day seemed unbearably long.
If Yoon-seule's living with that sense of time, I can't blame her for not wanting to grow up.
I think I read a book at the used bookstore that said something like that.
You finally cross into adulthood when you start dreading getting older.
So wanting time to slow down means you're still a kid.
"Yoon-seule, do you wanna grow up fast?"
"Uh... yeah!"
"Why?"
"So I can cook with Oppa sooner."
"So when Yoon-seule grows up, you'll cook at the shop with me?"
"Obviously."
"Last time you said you'd be a kart racer."
"I'll do both! Both is fine."
Simple and clear—love it.
I'll have to ask the same question next year and see how she answers.
Chatting nonsense with my sister calmed my mood, and before I knew it, we were at the shop. The moment I open the door, I lay out the mat at the entrance.
Rainy days make the floor dirty and slippery—headache waiting to happen.
"Yoon-seule, wipe your feet here to shake off the water."
"Scrub scrub!"
I take off Yoon-seule's raincoat, shake the water outside, and fold it neatly.
Then I turn the fan on low and help her into her precious jacket.
"Yoon-seule, put on this jacket."
"Yay!"
She excitedly shoves her arms into it.
I sit Yoon-seule in front of the fan with the jacket on.
"Oppa's gonna prep ingredients in the kitchen—dry your clothes a bit so you don't catch a cold."
"Got it, sir!"
Where'd she pick up that 'dana kka' tone? She salutes with her left hand.
I didn't serve in the military due to my education record, but I know lefty salutes are wrong. I let it slide.
I sort today's ingredients, and about ten minutes before opening.
I'd sat Yoon-seule on my lap and was reading her a book when two familiar silhouettes knock lightly on the door from outside.
[May. I. Come. In.]
Through the clear glass door, they're mouthing it exactly like that.
"You can just talk normally and I'd hear—why bother with the lip-sync?"
- Just feels more vibe-y, y'know? Like, you know without me saying. Can we come in?
- Hey, Kwon Su-young. It's before opening—of course he'll say no.
- Duh, that's why I'm asking. Joo-hyun Oppa, cool, right?
"Come in. Just wipe off the water well—I'm a bit sensitive about the floor getting dirty..."
- Okie dokie. Can't be sensitive to the guy letting us in early, Joo-hyun Oppa.
Kwon Su-young and Song Ji-ah.
Students from nearby J High School.
Sophomores or juniors, something like that.
The issue is it's not even noon yet, and it's a weekday.
Meaning these two ditched school.
I open the door, and the high schoolers wipe the water off their shoes on the mat.
"What's your excuse today?"
- Kwon Su-young just stared at the moon, and I said my grandma's not feeling well.
- Hey! Song Ji-ah, does your grandma get sick once a month or what?
- Don't you know old people always have something wrong? Try living to eighty yourself—bet you'll whine too.
- How would I know? I'm not even twenty. Wait sixty more years and see if you whine or not.
- Hmph, suit yourself!
These two call themselves friends but fight every day.
And they wrap it up all heartwarmingly out of nowhere—what gives?
If they hang around the shop too long, they get noisy, and as an adult, it gives me pause.
Skipping school to wander around isn't great—I should probably scold them.
But who am I to talk? I didn't even finish high school—what right do I have to lecture?
[O-nui Tycoon!]
[J High School Sophomore Kwon Su-young]
[Overall Satisfaction: 50%]
[J High School Sophomore Song Ji-ah]
[Overall Satisfaction: 40%]
More than that, Ji-ah and Su-young come to our shop often. We've even switched to casual speech.
From the restaurant's perspective, they're customers we can't afford to lose.
- Oh? It's Yoon-seule. Won't you say hi to your Unniees?
"Don't wanna."
Song Ji-ah spots Yoon-seule on my lap and crouches to eye level.
But Yoon-seule's still got her iron wall up against these two today.
- Why not?
"'Cause Yoon-seul's playing with Oppa."
She answers cynically, whips her head away, and buries her face in my chest.
Seeing that, Kwon Su-young teases in a playful tone.
- Yoon-seul-ah, is Joo-hyun Oppa all yours? Share a little—we're customers too.
"Can't give up Oppa."
Her speech is all historical drama, dead serious.
Kwon Su-young laughs like it's hilarious and mimics the drama tone.
- Very well, Yoon-seul. How about we divvy up Joo-hyun Oppa by body part? We're hungry now, so we'll take his cooking arms.
"You... Hmm... Lemme think."
"Why are you carving me up without asking?"
We banter like that until opening time, and the two sit down pondering what to order.
Chance time.
"Hey, I've been悩ing over new menu items lately—so how about trying something not on the menu today?"
- Ooh! Totally yes. Honestly, I wanna come here more, but with only two items, it's kinda tough.
Perfect—Su-young's super positive.
Ji-ah looks intrigued too.
- What kinda dish?
"Not sure if you'll like it, but... pork kimchi rolls steamed."
- Whoa, insane. Two servings ASAP. Oh, and two beers?
"We don't sell booze. And if you're drinking, I'll report you to school."
- Eek! Joo-hyun Oppa, no reporting! We've never drunk once.
Kwon Su-young waves her hands frantically, pleading.
Her face looks genuine.
"Then why say it?"
- It was a joke...
What lame jokes they tell.
But it's surprising she says they've never drunk. Prejudiced or not, seeing them skip school, I figured they were the delinquent type having fun with vices.
No boozy smell up close either—they don't seem to smoke.
"Guess they just hate studying."
I head to the kitchen and pull out today's special pork cut.
Pork belly.
Cute thing with bright red hue and fat marbled throughout.
I score it with a sharp knife.
"This way, the seasoning soaks in well, and the texture stays good."
Even intervals, no mistakes—I slice the pork belly.
Then the marinade: mirin, ginger, garlic.
Catches the porky smell while enriching the flavor.
Especially garlic for us Koreans.
I set the marinated meat aside and grab the kimchi.
Perfectly fermented.
Too sour and I'd need extra sugar—could ruin the balance.
Lay out the kimchi strips, roll up the marinated pork—already looks pretty.
Stack neatly in the pot, add anchovy stock, kimchi brine, soy sauce, sugar to just cover, bring to a boil.
Finish with red chili and green chili peppers.
"Like Su-young said, it'll make you crave booze."
But with Yoon-seule here, no way I'm selling even one beer.
Glance at the clock—prepping took longer than usual. Being steamed, even in the pot, it's a solid twenty minutes.
Lucky no other customers yet—nearly held up the line.
"Sorry, girls—kept you waiting?"
I plate the steaming pork kimchi rolls neatly from the pot and head out to find, surprisingly, Yoon-seule chatting and laughing with the two.
- Nah, Yoon-seule kept us company—totally worth it.
"No prob!"
Yoon-seule puffs out her belly proudly.
But Song Ji-ah's still holding the book we were reading earlier. Guess Ji-ah cleverly used it to win her over.
Right on cue, Kwon Su-young's acting out the book's content with her whole body. It's a folktale.
*The Brother and Sister Who Became the Sun and Moon*.
I swung by the used bookstore and borrowed it since it was there.
- Ah...
She spots me and freezes.
The pose is ridiculous.
Like those SNS videos of special forces gripping ropes in training.
Exaggerated gestures—she's nailing the reenactment.
"Su-young-ah, is that the part where the siblings grab the rope to climb up?"
- Eep, yeah.
"Suits you."
- So embarrassing—pretend you didn't see.
If it's embarrassing for me to see, why do it in the shop?
I wanna call her out, but I went through similar humiliation at Seokchon Lake, so I'll let it pass once.
Probably trying to win Yoon-seule's favor.
"But hey, random thought—what if the real O-nu-i had killer bodies?"
- Ahem, why think that?
Su-young clears her throat and asks.
Just tossing it out there to ease her embarrassment.
"Climbing ropes like that can't be easy. Even the military trains for it.
Saw a video once—soldiers messing up left and right."
"Oh! Yoon-seul knows!"
Suddenly Yoon-seule tugs my shirt hem, demanding attention.
"O-nu-i's bodies are super strong."
She flexes like a bodybuilder, bunching her arms to make a bicep.
All flab.
"O-nu-i has good bodies? How do you know, Yoon-seule?"
"Yoon-seul saw."
"I see."
Gotta ask her later if that's true.