281 – EP.11 What I Gave Up-2
***
She should have been in a better mood after a long time of shopping, but Kim Seong-ah felt strangely uncomfortable, as if she had a fish thorn stuck in her throat.
Even when she bought clothes that she liked and shoes that fit her feet, she didn’t feel much better.
Her discomfort, which she did not know the cause of, continued all the way to the food court, where she had no appetite even when faced with the Japanese food that she had found difficult to eat at home.
“Why did you do that earlier?”
Is it because I was too quiet? Her partner asked, placing her tray across from her.
“No, just.”
Has there ever been a time when it was so difficult to recognize her own inner thoughts? Kim Seong-ah answered, still wondering about her feelings that she herself could not understand.
“It’s been a long time coming, so I need to feel better before I leave.”
“Of course. Why are you like this?”
Kim Seong-ah tossed the katsudon with chopsticks. She moves her chopsticks at a time and sighs at a time.
Kang In-ho thought about saying something about her behavior that was obvious to anyone, but then he silenced her.
Because there is nothing more foolish than touching someone you don’t want to talk to…
It was an idea that came from an experience one day.
For that reason, in contrast to the noisy surroundings, their meal proceeded quietly.
Kim Seong-ah scooped up some rice, and Kang In-ho scooped up a spoonful and put it in her mouth.
“By the way, when will I meet my homeroom teacher?”
Since Kim Seong-ah had spoken to her while she was eating her food, she was unable to respond immediately.
Kim Seong-ah glanced at him until he had swallowed all of her food.
“He said it would be good to see him as soon as possible. We decided to meet tomorrow.”
He swallowed the food and said, wiping his mouth with a tissue.
“Tomorrow is Saturday?”
“…Huh?”
“Why? Is there something wrong?”
“No.”
Kim Seong-ah turned her eyes again to the food in front of her.
Once her mood subsided, she had no intention of returning.
***
“I’ve prepared lunch. If you’re not going to eat it right away, keep it and reheat it before eating.”
The next day, he said to Kim Seong-ah while putting on his shoes at the entrance.
Kim Seong-ah sat on a chair in the kitchen and pretended not to listen to what he said.
“…Then let’s go?”
I guess I’m still in a bad mood. Kang In-ho thought to himself and said.
No answer came back.
The front door closed, and then the sound of the front door opening and closing was heard.
Kim Seong-ah got up from the chair and looked at the pot placed on the gas stove.
Kimchi stew made with large pieces of pork was giving off a spicy smell.
Normally, the smell would have made her mouth water, but for some reason she couldn’t reach for the food.
Still, this is the food prepared for me to eat. It is polite to have at least one drink.
Kim Seong-ah brought her pot to her table and took her rice out of the rice cooker.
White rice and delicious pork kimchi stew.
Take the hot soup with a spoon and place it on top of the rice, like footprints on snow.
Red footprints are left on the white snow field.
Put the pork again on a spoon and place it on top of the rice.
A moderately wet grain of rice and pork enters her mouth. Immediately the texture of the meat and the rich taste of the seasoning hit her tongue.
She f*cked her mouth eagerly and soon had them all down her throat.
“…It tastes good.”
But it has no taste.
It really doesn’t taste good when eaten alone.
Still, I wanted to eat it, and it was food he had prepared with great care.
She took another drink and put it in her mouth.
It was tasty, but not tasty.
***
Kang In-ho, who got lost a bit, arrived at her meeting place a little late.
The meeting place was a Japanese restaurant that was neither too expensive nor too cheap.
‘Japanese food again….’
Because the food wasn’t particularly sticky, there wasn’t really a problem.
The two met in front of the store and sat down where the employee guided them.
“Did you wait long? I was a little lost.”
Kang In-ho apologized, pouring water into an empty cup.
“No, it’s okay.”
Seong-ah’s homeroom teacher smiled brightly and accepted his apology.
“I’m going to eat this, but Mr. Inho… What would you like to eat?”
As if the title didn’t stick well in her mouth, Seong-ah’s homeroom teacher, Im Su-ah, burst out laughing at the end of her sentence.
“Ah, this is me.”
He chose something that would adequately fill his stomach.
While the food was being prepared, we started talking about Seong-ah.
“I hope Seong-ah comes to school regularly…”
Lim Su-ah made a troubled face.
“It’s not in line with my policy to force someone to go. You have to feel like you want to go.”
“But….”
“Of course, I will persuade you.”
“Yes, then I’ll just trust Inho.”
When does she believe she saw this woman? A thought like that suddenly occurred to him, but he didn’t show it.
“Did you hear anything else from the person who was in charge last time?”
“I didn’t come to school often back then, but it wasn’t to the point where I had to repeat a grade. But…”
“But.”
“They say that at some point, I suddenly stopped going to school and ended up repeating a grade.”
“Is it still the same now?”
“It’s a bit more severe.”
“I see. I’ll talk to you carefully. It looks like he’s hiding something.”
He nodded.
“Yes, if you say so, I would be grateful. I’ve been alone for a long time, so I’m sure there’s something I’ve been keeping inside.”
The food they ordered was placed in front of them. Kang In-ho handed the chopsticks to Lim Su-ah.
“Ah, thank you. …Anyway, even though he’s my homeroom teacher, he’s a stranger… In times like this, it’s best for family members to step up.”
“Family….”
He muttered as he put the pork cutlet into his mouth.
“I lost my parents in an accident at a young age… So I’m sure it hurts.”
“Yes?”
“Ah, ah! My aunt told me this. I didn’t ask Seong-ah about it.”
From Noble mtl dot com
When Kang In-ho asked about the unexpected remark, Im Soo-ah waved his hand and explained.”
“Aha… Yes, yes….”
He smiled as if to reassure her, but her heart sank.
Without any preparation, a big secret was thrown at him.
“…….”
As I was calming my startled heart, chicken skin suddenly began to grow.
“…Is it fun? I’m smiling.”
A red-haired woman, looking inside the store in casual clothes, muttered.
The cell phone in her right hand, and on the map app on the phone screen, a round dot was blinking over a Japanese restaurant.
The shape was similar to a location tracker from a movie.