The Test (1)
I’m dead.
The moment I realized it, it was already too late. I frantically tried to use my movement skill, but I couldn’t dodge the attack in the end.
“Ah…”
The screen had already turned gray, and the chat window was exploding with messages. I squeezed my eyes shut.
I quickly typed out an apology and quietly lifted my hands from the keyboard.
“Haa…”
Shame over my control mistake mixed with an inexplicable frustration, tightening around my chest. Why the hell have I been like this since earlier?
It felt like something sticky was clinging to my heart. No matter how many times I sighed or drank something cold, that lump in my chest refused to go away.
My character was surrounded on all sides while they kept yapping away. The way they were even dancing to taunt me started to piss me off a little.
…These bitches are for real…
I wanted to snap back and tell them to mess with me in moderation, but getting mad after I was the one who messed up would’ve been ridiculous. In the end, I had no choice but to take it humbly.
I sent my friends a single emoji, then leaned back deep into my soft chair and casually checked my phone.
[ 8:26 PM ]
Still no messages. Time was slipping away mercilessly. He’d said he’d come even if he was late.
“…Stupid bastard…”
I cranked the phone volume all the way up, tossed it aside, and placed my hands back on the keyboard.
Leaving the computer behind, I headed to the kitchen to eat dinner. My condition felt off and I probably wouldn’t digest anything heavy, so something simple would be best. In times like this, it’s always ramen.
I immediately started searching the kitchen for some. But…
“Damn it… Where did I put them…”
No matter how much I dug around, there wasn’t a single pack of ramen in sight. This had to be Yu Jihwan’s doing. That rotten bastard. He won’t even cook for me, but he hides the ramen? As if saying this is better than instant noodles, the easy-to-find instant meals he’d left out made it obvious—this was one hundred percent intentional.
While cursing Yu Jihwan in my head and rummaging through the kitchen, I suddenly stopped.
“Ha.”
A pack of ramen was slightly hidden between the pots. Seeing the packaging peeking out, I pictured Yu Jihwan hiding it and felt a fresh wave of irritation. I snatched the ramen irritably, filled a suitable pot with water, and set it on the induction stove.
After waiting a bit, the water quickly came to a boil. Time to add the noodles. Standing in front of the pot, I quietly picked up the ramen.
All I had to do was open the package and drop it in, and delicious ramen would be ready. Spicy… salty… full of seasoning and that flour taste…
“…”
Bubble bubble—
…For some reason, I wasn’t hungry anymore. My appetite had vanished in an instant. I quietly set the ramen down and turned off the stove. The bubbling water gradually settled.
Ding-dong—
The doorbell rang. When it rang a second time, I rushed over to check the intercom.
Soyeon-ah. Sorry I’m late, can you open the door…?
As expected, it was Yu Jihwan.
…You break a promise and all you can say is sorry?
Even though I was grumbling inside, my hand had already pressed the button to open the gate.
Thanks, Soyeon-ah!
Whoops. I finally snapped out of it and hurriedly ran to the front door. Feeling someone’s presence outside, I reached for the door lock—then paused.
“…”
I slowly withdrew my hand and checked my face in the entryway mirror from different angles. Do I look okay?
I casually swept my hair back once, then slowly opened the door.
“Sorry I’m late! I went grocery shopping… Did you wait long?”
Yu Jihwan really had come back with both hands full of grocery bags. All for me.
What should I even say to him? Should I get angry and ask why he was late, or should I play it cool and say it was fine? While I stood there unsure what to do, he seemed to think I was upset and apologized again.
“…I’m really sorry. Something took longer than expected. I tried to contact you as soon—”
I snatched one of the grocery bags from his hand, turned my back to him, and said,
“…I’m hungry.”
That was the best I could manage.
*
“How is it?”
I glanced at Min Soyeon, carefully gauging her reaction as I spoke. She gave me a quick look, then silently moved her chopsticks.
“…”
She dipped a piece of gimbap heavily in sauce and took a big bite. The way Min Soyeon chewed with her lips pressed tightly together somehow reminded me of a small animal. After tasting everything, she finally opened her mouth.
It was a tense moment.
“…It’s edible.”
Despite her indifferent words, the slight upward curl at the corner of her mouth and the way she busily worked her chopsticks brought an unconscious, satisfied smile to my face. It seemed to suit her taste after all.
Only after Min Soyeon gave her approval did I finally start eating. I still couldn’t quite understand how tteokbokki counted as a proper meal, but… if my daughter liked it, what could I do?
I slurped down the ramen she had taken out earlier while thinking back on what had happened.
It was when I was talking with Jeon Nando at the Academy. He had made me an offer. Asked if I was interested in a part-time job. It was so out of nowhere that I almost refused, asking what kind of part-time job it even was, but… after hearing the conditions, it was an offer I absolutely couldn’t turn down.
Weekend shifts, 500 a month. The workplace was a remote mountain valley in Gangwon-do. It was my wife’s house.
Jeon Nando said that after locating my wife’s residence, he had sent housekeepers to look after Ju Yeonhee. He had carefully chosen veterans to take care of her, but it hadn’t been very effective…
Of course I accepted the offer. No matter how long we had lived together or how much she had neglected our child, she was still the woman I once loved with all my heart. Once a husband, always a husband. If I didn’t take care of her, who would?
In my heart, I wanted to go see her tomorrow, but since I was in the middle of looking after Min Soyeon, I had no choice but to put it off until next week.
While I was lost in thought for a moment—
“…What are you doing? Aren’t you going to eat?”
Min Soyeon spoke up. “Oh, right. I should eat…”
I snapped back to reality and reached for the food, but Min Soyeon’s face caught my eye. She must have really enjoyed it; she was eating so enthusiastically that she hadn’t even noticed the sauce around her mouth.
Along with the pride of seeing her enjoy my cooking, I felt a pang of sadness at the fact that a child who ate this well had been living off instant food until now. Until Soyeon could take care of herself, I would make sure to look after her as much as possible.
“…Why.”
Whoops. I must have been staring too obviously. I naturally pulled out a tissue and handed it to her.
“You look pretty when you eat well.”
Her face instantly turned bright red as she snatched the tissue away.
…Did I compliment her too directly? Since Min Soyeon was at that sensitive age, I probably needed to be a bit more careful.
After we finished eating, she suddenly stopped me from doing the dishes and demanded I make up for being late.
“…You broke your promise and you were just going to leave without doing anything?”
She wasn’t wrong, so I obediently accepted her suggestion.
“Alright. I was in the wrong, so just tell me what you want.”
Compensation for a child should always be clear. That was something I had learned from countless internet seniors.
Min Soyeon thought for a long time about what to make me do. In the end, she seemed to have made up her mind and spoke with a determined expression.
“…Teach me how to cook.”
Huh? Was that all?
It was much lighter than I had expected. Since I wanted Min Soyeon’s independence more than anyone, teaching her to cook was something I could gladly do. I readily accepted her request, and Min Soyeon looked quite satisfied.
After making another promise, we finished the dishes together.
*
“Hey. You’re not going to get anything done like that. Give it here!”
Manager Kim snatched the remote from my hand and immediately started scolding me.
“This is why you never improve… You have to be thorough so you don’t have to do things twice. Got it?”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
When your boss tells you to do something, you do it. What else could I do? I quietly accepted his words.
“Turn up the electricity.”
Following the signal, I pulled the lever up. Pop— Pop— The sound echoed through the room. The smell of burning flesh filled the air; he must have cranked the voltage pretty high.
After a while, the electricity automatically cut off and the lever dropped back down. Manager Kim, still holding the remote, kicked the terrorists a few times and spoke in an annoyed tone.
“You kids… You really think that ‘Lady’ or whatever is going to come save you? Just confess already and find the light.”
Lady. She was the central figure suspected of being behind the recent string of terrorist attacks—the mastermind of the Gujae Church. Strangely, even the terrorists themselves knew nothing about her, to the point where some were saying she might not even be a real person.
“Ugh, you frustrating bastards… What’s so great about that damn religion anyway… Hey, turn it up again.”
I followed his order and pulled the lever once more. Pop— Pop—
After several rounds of torture—
“…Even you couldn’t break them, Manager Kim.”
“Hey, you think these stubborn pricks are just going to start talking? Huh?”
I tried to talk back and ended up losing the argument. Manager Kim tossed the remote aside in annoyance, threw himself into a chair, and spoke to me.
“What did the Academy say? They said that guy was suspicious or something.”
I took out the notebook I had tucked away and read from it.
“…The chairman confirmed it. The student Yu Jihwan who was at the scene is not part of the Gujae Church.”
“Really? For a high schooler, his skills were pretty good… Did he say he’s not interested in becoming a public official?”
“Since Jeon Nando has his eyes on him, he’ll probably go to the Association, won’t he?”
Manager Kim clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed.
“…Just what kind of woman is this ‘Lady’ that she’s got everyone wrapped around her finger…”
“Well, at least her chest must be huge, right?”
“Right? Like, ridiculously big? Heh…”
At that moment, a rattling sound came from the terrorists who had been unconscious.
“…Hm?”
When I turned my head, the terrorists who had been passed out were now wide awake, glaring at us with murderous intent.
“…What? They woke up fast—”
In that instant, a stream of blood trickled down from the terrorists’ eyes.
“…Huh?”
And then…