41. Uninvited Guest
The door to the hall opened and her mother returned.
“Son~ Mom is here~”
My mother came into the hall and immediately ran to me. She then lifted me up just as she was, then she pulled me into a strong hug.
Not long after,
As if at a reunion for separated families, my mother greeted me fiercely.
She lifted her head slightly and looked at her mother.
She said her mother had a very satisfied expression on her face. It seemed that the conversation with her staff had ended well.
She looked like her mother was in a great mood, and she put her face to me and started rubbing her cheeks. She
She didn’t hate me either, so she rubbed her mother’s cheeks and enjoyed skinship with her mother.
After enjoying skinship with my mother for a while, the detectives sneaked up on us.
As the detectives approached, my mother paused her skinship with me.
When her mother stopped her skinship and turned her gaze to the detectives, the detectives who met her eyes first expressed their gratitude to her mother.
“Thanks to this, I ate well.”
“…… I really enjoyed the meal.”
“Nothing to say. I should have served you something better.”
“Ah, no. The bonus is going to come in thick anyway, so you don’t have to worry about that. By the way, did you finish the conversation well?”
“Yes, it’s done well. I’ve finished all the payments, so it’s okay to leave now, can I ask you to prepare something?”
“Ayu, of course. Then we will go out and get ready first.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Nothing to say. Then, I will be outside.”
Detective Kim smiled kindly and bowed his head to his mother, and Detective Yoo, who was next to him, also bowed his head.
After saying hello like that, the two of them moved out of the hall.
As they walked out of the hall, my mother stroked my cheek and said,
“Son, did you like the rice?”
“Yes, it was really delicious.”
It was sincere.
It was much tastier than the food I ate at the shelter.
If there is one thing I regret,
As expected, it was really disappointing that I couldn’t eat dessert.
Next time, I really wanted to eat dessert.
My mother nodded her head in satisfaction with my lively answer.
“Yes, I’m glad. Then, shall we go?”
“Yeah~”
My mother put me down slowly.
She then took her handbag and she didn’t forget anything in the hall. She took one look and then she held out her hand to me.
As I held my hand, my mother lightly led me toward the hall door.
After coming out of the hall, we and the detectives moved to the hallway where the partition was built again.
Unlike the first time I visited, the commotion heard through the partition had now stopped.
Since lunchtime was almost over, it seemed that many customers had left.
As I walked looking at the partition like that,
I could see the manager and staff standing at the end of the hallway.
As if the manager found us first,
She was coming towards us with a soft smile.
The manager who approached us lightly bowed his head and said.
“Hello, Jinhyo. Did you like your meal?”
The manager picked me up and asked me.
Somehow, it seemed like he had a separate conversation with his mother earlier, so he only asked me questions.
I answered the manager’s question with a wide smile.
“Yes! It was really good! I want to come back again next time!”
“If you visit us again, it will be our greatest honor. Please, please.”
“Yes! I will definitely come.”
Having said that, I looked around.
I looked around because I couldn’t find the person I wanted to thank.
The manager asked again if my behavior was suspicious.
“Is there anything you are looking for?”
“Well, the head chef seems busy.”
“Ah, are you talking about the head chef?”
The manager continued his message with an interesting expression on his face.
“Do you mind if I dare to ask what you are looking for?”
“Ahahahaha, that’s it.”
I spoke with a slightly embarrassed expression on my face.
“I wanted to say thank you for eating so well. In particular, they even prepared pork rice bowls separately.
I should have greeted you in the hall. Something like that happened earlier… “
When I said it while scratching my cheek, the manager smiled even more kindly and said.
“That’s right. So, could you wait a little bit? I will bring the head chef.”
“Ah! No, it’s okay You seem busy, but I can’t help it even if I’m sorry.”
The head chef of such a great restaurant must be very busy.
But I thought that I was too presumptuous to call someone who was busy just because of my greeting.
“Instead, could you tell me that you really enjoyed your meal?”
“hahahaha, yes. I will definitely do that.”
After the manager finished talking with me, he turned his gaze back to his mother.
“Once again, I would like to express my thanks as well as an apology.
I’m really sorry today. And thank you very much.”
“No. I am really sorry for asking you too much.”
“No. As the manager of the restaurant, I am rather proud of it.”
The manager shook her head as if telling her not to pay attention to her mother’s words.
“And I’ll try to get things done as quickly as possible.”
“It’s not urgent, so it’s okay if you take your time.”
Umm… At first glance…
Did you two make a deal with each other?
I wonder what the deal is.
I’ll have to ask her mother later.
While the manager was talking to her mother, she let out a small exclamation as if she remembered something and put her hand in her arms.
When the manager put his hand in his arms, the detectives next to us stood guard and walked out as if blocking our way.
Despite the actions of the detectives, the manager calmly apologized for being rude.
Then, so that the detectives would not misunderstand, he slowly began to remove his hand from his bosom.
In the manager’s hand, who took it out so slowly, there was something like a credit card.
Only then did you decide that there was nothing wrong,
The detectives turned to the side again.
Wow, the detectives are really cool.
You really protect me thoroughly.
Let the detectives step aside,
The manager cautiously took a step closer to us and politely grabbed the card with both hands and handed it to my mother.
It’s like handing a business card to a high-ranking person.
My mother, who received the card from the manager, asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“What is this?”
“It is the card key that gives access to the rooftop garden on our building.”
“… An access card key?”
My mother still looked at the manager with a puzzled expression.
Soon after, the manager explained.
“Our building is accompanied by many male-only areas.”
“Yes, you explained it earlier.”
“That’s right. And on the roof of this building, there is a rooftop garden exclusively for men.”
“Oh, really?”
As if her mother hadn’t expected that at all, she was slightly surprised and she put on an interesting look.
Soon after, the manager looked at me and continued her explanation with a smile.
“And to the men who visit our building, we are giving out card keys to access the rooftop garden like this.”
“Hmm. Is it so?”
To the manager’s explanation, the mother replied with a worried look on her face.
Then the manager said as if he could understand her mother’s reaction.
“To tell you a story, our building owner has a man in his family, just like the VIP.”
“… Is it so?”
“Yes. So, the male-only area is always in the best condition so that the male family can use it at any time.”
“There was a story like that.”
Mother finally cleared her expression and nodded her head as if she was relieved.
“For some reason, starting with the parking lot, I was puzzled by the neatness of the dedicated areas. I didn’t know there was such a story.”
“It’s a story that only those who have moved into the building know, so it’s a story that is not well known to those around you.”
The manager added with a somewhat lonely smile.
“Above all, no man has ever visited the garden.”
“… ….”
No, isn’t that man too much?
Her family thought about it and always maintained it.
Isn’t it polite to stop by at least once?
It’s really too much.
“I’ve been here a few times as a manager, and it’s a really nice garden. I would like you to visit us at least once.”
“Hmm.”
At the manager’s explanation, the mother lowered her head and looked at me.
My mother seemed to be asking if she was going to go to me with her eyes.
Hmm, it’s a garden.
To be honest, I’m not that interested.
I like to go for walks, but…
As for me who prefers a natural feel to an artificial one… The rooftop garden wasn’t that appealing.
Umm… Unfortunately,
Let’s just give up this time.
Let’s go next time.
Having made that decision, I opened my mouth to decline the manager’s favor.
“Um… The roof garden is—”
“Oh, and a visit to the garden should not be without tea and refreshments. Tea and refreshments will be prepared by us.”
“―I really want to go there!”
Hey, a rooftop garden! I’m really curious!
What does it look like?
It’s absolutely not because I was seduced by dessert.
Anyway, really.
At my answer, my mother looked at me with a questionable expression.
I had to avoid my mother’s eyes.
“Hmm, so?”
“… Yes I want to take a walk with my mom~ and enjoy tea!”
“Oh, really? Okay~”
When she answered with her eyes shining, her mother nodded her head as if she understood, and then she moved her gaze to the manager and said.
“I don’t know if it’s because of us that you’re bothering us.”
“Absolutely not. This is also part of the promise made in advance with me and the landlord.”
“Okay. Then would it be all right if I ask you a favor?”
“As much as you like.”
My mother said with a smile.
“Could you skip the refreshments?”
Mother!!! Please!!!
Ahh!!! Heck!!!
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If it’s delicious, it’s zero calories!!!
“Ah, you said you care about nutrition. Excuse me for this.
Well, then how about a fresh fruit dessert?”
Oh, fruit! Fruit is good too!
Compared to other desserts, it’s a pity, but…
Mother, wouldn’t it be all right with some fruit?
I looked at my mother again with my eyes wide open. She looked at me as if my mother had noticed my gaze too.
Seeing my eyes like that, my mother smiled bitterly as if she couldn’t help it.
“Is it okay if I ask you a favor?”
“Yes, gladly.”
Yay!
My mom is the best!
After the conversation with her manager, the mother turned her head to her detectives and said,
“Is it okay if we delay the departure a bit?”
“Of course.”
Detective Kim nodded her head as if it didn’t matter.
In response to the detective’s reply, the mother said that she was grateful and turned her gaze back to me.
“Son, do you want to take a walk with mom and go home?”
“Yes! I like it too.”
“Yes, I’m glad you’re happy. It must have been a pity that he couldn’t eat the dessert he wanted.”
“Ahahahaha….”
Ugh, as expected, you knew everything.
I was taken aback by my mother’s words, and smiled awkwardly.
Seeing me like that, my mother sighed and let out a small laugh, then asked the manager again.
“Then can we wait here until the tea and fruit are served?”
“No. It’s okay to go up first and enjoy a walk. Tea and refreshments will be brought to you by us.”
“Oh, thank you so much.”
“No.”
After that conversation with the manager,
Following the manager’s guidance, we headed towards the elevator we had come from.
At that moment, I thought that it would be faster to just go up the stairs than the elevator.
However, since the target floor is a rooftop, I quickly withdrew my thoughts because it seemed difficult to climb.
When the elevator arrives,
Employees who had been following us until now began to line up.
Employees lined up like that bowed their heads and greeted us.
“Given, thank you so much for coming today! We hope to see you again next time!”
“””I hope!”””
Feeling overwhelmed by such a grand greeting, I raised my hand and shook it without hesitation.
When I waved my hand and said hello, the staff flinched and shook their bodies slightly.
Some people were looking at me with very strange eyes, which somehow gave me goosebumps.
It feels like I’ve been seeing it often lately…
Something like being eaten…
Well, it must be because of my mood.
“Then, I’ll see you later.”
The manager saw us off with such a greeting. It seemed that the manager on the roof was trying to bring it himself.
It was a male-only area outside the restaurant, so it seemed difficult for other people to enter.
So, after we received a grand send-off,
I took the elevator and headed for the rooftop.
…… After all, it’s a male-only elevator.
It’s really very slow.
◈◈◈
When the door of the elevator arrived on the roof opened, the detectives got off first and looked around.
Detective Kim, who was looking around like that, said to Yoon-hee and Jin-hyo.
“In case you don’t know, we’ll take a look around first.”
“Yes, please.”
“You stay here and protect me.”
“…… (Nod)”
Detective Yoo was entrusted with guarding, and Detective Kim entered the rooftop garden alone.
Detective Kim looked around the rooftop and activated the radio earpiece.
“This is a sparrow. The schedule has been changed. Please check communication with each team leader.”
「This is Team A Pigeon. Good communication.”
「This is Team B Crow. Good communication.”
“Sparrows have good communication. Team A wants to change back to guarding inside the building, over.”
「Pigeon, communication confirmation.」
“Team B wants to change back to external security, over.”
「Crow, check communication.
And there is a message.”
“What is it, crow?”
「I missed the uninvited guest who was constantly under surveillance due to my return.」
“Ah.”
Detective Kim exclaimed as if he had made a mistake.
As he made his way back to the parking lot, it was clear he had been forced to miss.
After thinking for a while, Detective Kim said as he approached the place where he could see the outside of the rooftop.
“Crow, by any chance, where was the last place the uninvited guest stayed?”
「The last place I stayed was… It was a building with a large signboard at 11 o’clock on the main road.”
“Hmm.”
Detective Kim peeked out the railing.
Detective Kim, who had been looking at the road and surrounding buildings for a long time, nodded and replied.
“Crow, can you see the building at 12 o’clock?”
「You mean the building with the XX bank sign?」
“Right. Have someone wait on the roof of that building.”
「Okay, check communication.」
“Confirm communication.”
After finishing the radio call, Detective Kim looked at the building across from him with a wry smile.
“Well, let’s not cause a big problem.
Correspondent Shin So-jeong.”
Detective Kim was muttering to himself while looking at the roof of the building opposite.
Yesterday at the shelter, today on the street
The face of reporter Shin So-jeong whom I met by chance
As I recall.
Honestamente… si no fuera por la regresion infantil, ver a un adulto comportarse como un niño es bastante extraño….