Big Trouble (4): The Scent of Home
"...Just let me buy this one."
I checked the snack Min Soyeon was holding, then shook my head firmly. "No. You already picked three packs."
"...But we didn't get this flavor."
Min Soyeon refused to back down, passionately arguing the necessity of one more bag. "We were only supposed to buy one, but you grabbed three. We can just eat the ones we have at home. Right?"
After several rounds of bickering, she finally gave up. Her lips poked out in a pout as she trudged ahead reluctantly. The sight was so much like the little girl she used to be that a smile unconsciously formed on my lips.
Once she returned after putting the snack back, I gently coaxed the sulking Min Soyeon and took hold of the cart again. "I'll make you something even tastier than snacks, okay?"
"...Whatever."
She seemed seriously upset. We moved on from the processed foods aisle and stopped in the fresh produce section. Tonight's menu would be steamed white rice, kimchi stew, and stir-fried sausage with vegetables. A classic combination.
I would have preferred to cook something more impressive, but we were critically low on basic ingredients. Buying everything at once felt excessive, so I'd decided to pick up only what we needed each time.
At the refrigerated section with Min Soyeon, I scanned the rows of sausages, hunting for her favorite brand. They all tasted similar, sure, but what parent wouldn't want to serve their daughter exactly what she loved most?
"Found it."
I dropped the package into the cart, then called out to Min Soyeon, who was browsing nearby. "Soyeon. Let's go."
She trotted over, glanced at my selection, and asked quietly, "...Did you get the good one?"
"Of course. You'll like it too."
She looked away as if it didn't matter and walked on ahead. After picking up a few more necessities, we headed home.
I'd originally planned to chat with her on the way, but she kept scolding me about how much we'd bought. In the end, we had no choice but to take a taxi back.
Once we were home, I immediately got to work putting the groceries away. I set out what we'd need for dinner, then explained where everything went while organizing the rest.
"Soyeon, the vegetables are in the fridge. The snacks and seasonings are..."
"...Yeah."
She didn't seem interested at all.
Yeah, I figured you wouldn't remember anyway.
In the end, I simply told her to do whatever she wanted and finished organizing everything my way before starting dinner.
First came the rice. I measured out the right amount from the bag we'd bought, rinsed it, and loaded it into the electric rice cooker I'd spotted earlier. It should be ready by tomorrow morning.
Next was the kimchi stew. Since it was the main dish, I decided to put real effort into it. I added the stewing pork we'd purchased into the pot, turned on the induction cooktop, and spread the meat out evenly to cook thoroughly.
As the meat sizzled, I sliced the mart kimchi into bite-sized pieces. Well-fermented kimchi would have been ideal, but we'd have to make do. While I roughly chopped the green onions to add at the end, the savory aroma of cooking pork began to fill the kitchen.
Min Soyeon had been sitting at the table playing with her phone. She sniffed the air, glanced toward the cooktop, and reached for one of the snacks.
"Soyeon, I'll have it ready soon. Save the snacks for later."
She flinched, quickly pulling her hand back with an excuse. "I-it's not like that..."
Her face flushing with embarrassment was incredibly cute.
Back to cooking. I added a splash of oil to the pot, then tossed in the chopped kimchi. It hit the hot surface with a loud sizzle. I quickly stirred the kimchi and pork together, and the delicious smell intensified. I lowered the heat to let the kimchi cook through, then moved on to the sausage and vegetable stir-fry.
It was simple—slice everything and stir-fry. What could be easier or more satisfying?
I cut the sausage and vegetables into sizes Min Soyeon could eat comfortably, then dumped them into the prepared pan. Since the stew wasn't finished, I set the heat low and returned my focus to the kimchi stew.
The kimchi and pork were nicely browned now. I added water and cranked up the heat. From years of experience, kimchi stew only needed three key seasonings: red pepper powder, MSG, and anchovy broth. I added them all, then let it boil vigorously.
All that remained was the stir-fry. I turned the heat high and began tossing the vegetables. The preheated pan made them release their aroma almost instantly. Sizzle. Sizzle. Once the onions had softened, I added the seasonings one by one—ketchup and sugar for the base, plus black pepper and a touch more MSG.
Just as the mouthwatering fragrance wrapped around us—
"...Is it done yet?"
Min Soyeon urged me with an impatient voice. When I turned, she was swallowing hard, eyes fixed on the food. The way she kept licking her lips told me the smell had passed inspection. Now for the taste.
I picked up a piece of sausage and onion, offering it to her. "Want to check the seasoning?"
She snatched it immediately, eyes sparkling as she chewed. "When are we eating...?"
The taste had passed too. I told her we'd eat a little early and finished the final touches—topping the stew with the chopped green onions and setting out the side dishes. The rice was perfectly cooked, fluffy and steaming. I asked her to turn it out onto a plate, but she was already pestering me to hurry.
It was still a bit early for dinner, but waiting felt pointless.
"...Shall we eat?"
With Min Soyeon's enthusiastic agreement, we set the table.
The perfectly steamed white rice. The kimchi stew with its somehow nostalgic flavor. And the sausage and vegetable stir-fry that suited her palate perfectly. Nothing was missing.
Min Soyeon quietly set down her spoon and glanced at Yu Jihwan sitting across from her.
How can he even cook this well?
Even after she'd treated him so harshly, he kept reaching out. Now he was cooking for her. There had to be a limit to being this affectionate. He was clearly after something. But what could be big enough to warrant all this? Her mother's name? Money? Or maybe...
"...Why are you looking at me like that?"
She must have been staring too obviously. He'd noticed.
"...It's nothing."
She brushed it off and looked away, picking up her spoon again. One bite of rice. One bite of stew. She couldn't remember the last time she'd tasted home-cooked food this good.
Deciding to simply enjoy it, she moved her spoon busily.
"...Soyeon, slow down."
He must have thought she was rushing. He spoke with that gentle smile again.
There it was. That habitual smile was the problem.
She lowered her head so he couldn't see her face and continued eating. It definitely wasn't because she felt embarrassed.
After the meal, Yu Jihwan offered to do the dishes.
He'd gone shopping with her, cooked everything, and now he wanted to clean up too? At this rate she'd look completely shameless.
"Ah, no! If I let you do that much..."
"It's fine if you do it, but then I wouldn't know where anything goes."
"...Huh?"
His words caught her off guard. It sounded like he planned to come back.
Leaving the flustered Min Soyeon behind, Yu Jihwan tied on an apron. "I'll call you when I'm done. Eat some snacks and rest for a bit."
She hadn't done anything—what was there to rest from? Thinking she should at least help, she insisted, "...I'll help."
"Huh? It's okay..."
"I want to help."
Maybe her persistence worked. He thought for a moment, then suggested, "Um... Then could you just wipe the dishes and put them away?"
Wiping dishes was something she could handle. "...Okay."
As the washing began, she stood ready with a dry cloth. She took each dish he handed her, wiped away the moisture, and placed it in the cupboard. It wasn't anything special, but the feeling of being useful eased something in her chest.
While she was carefully drying the spoons and chopsticks, he spoke up.
"You have to wipe them thoroughly or you'll get water spots."
"..."
The moment she heard those words, an inexplicable sense of déjà vu washed over her. The dishcloth in her right hand. The spoon in her left. The sight of him in an apron, working at the low sink. It all felt strangely familiar, like something seeping into her heart.
What was this feeling?
Her hands had stopped moving. Yu Jihwan, passing her the last dish, asked gently, "...What's wrong?"
Snapping out of it at the sound of his voice, she muttered that it was nothing and started moving again.
Watching his back as he put away the dishes she'd wiped, Min Soyeon felt that same mysterious déjà vu return.
When everything was finally clean, Yu Jihwan left as naturally as if he belonged there. He said he'd see her tomorrow, but she couldn't tell if it was just a casual remark or a real promise.
Alone in the house once more, Min Soyeon grabbed the snacks from the mart and headed to the living room. She sat on the sofa, turned on the TV to some random channel, and opened a bag.
The snacks crunched satisfyingly in her mouth. The salty, savory flavor was exactly what she usually loved.
But for some reason, they tasted bland today.
Maybe she was too full.
In the end, she threw away the barely-touched snacks.
"..."
An inexplicable loneliness settled over her. Was it because she'd felt human warmth after so long?
Overwhelmed by the sudden emptiness, she chose to run away.
...Let's just play some games.
The only thing that could soothe her aching heart was, after all, games.