NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45
“Wow, you’re really enjoying that.”
Even with not much food laid out, watching Older Sister Seo-ha delicately move her chopsticks and demolish the side dishes was quite a sight.
It’s honestly impressive how she’s eating quickly and in large amounts, yet it doesn’t feel greedy at all. Maybe it’s because her meal etiquette is just so polite.
“Hey, noona, you should try this too.”
“Oh… thank you.”
After I picked up a piece of seasoned perilla leaf with my chopsticks and placed it in her bowl, she blushed a little and resumed eating more gently.
I was really worried she wouldn’t like it, but seeing her enjoy it so much is such a relief. Maybe the saying about her being a good eater is not just a compliment after all.
“By the way, Uju, you really cook well.”
“Oh, it’s just the average level of a bachelor.”
“If this is just the average level of a bachelor, then we need at least a thousand more restaurants in our country.”
Clearly satisfied, Older Sister Seo-ha didn’t hesitate to shower me with compliments throughout her meal.
I knew she was saying it out of courtesy, which felt a bit embarrassing, but at least her smile didn’t seem fake, so that made me happy.
Maybe that’s why, today, I felt my appetite surging. Typically, when I eat alone, I start losing interest after clearing about 70% of my bowl, but today I was almost done in the blink of an eye.
“Hmph.”
“…?”
Trying not to give her any pressure while she was eating, I focused hard on my bowl, but I suddenly heard a laugh that sounded like a balloon deflating.
Thinking I misheard, I slowly looked up and caught Older Sister Seo-ha trying to stifle her laughter while covering her mouth.
What’s going on?
“Uju, did you save that grain of rice on your mouth for tomorrow?”
“Huh? Oh, did I, where?”
I was a bit flustered by her comment that sounded like something our mom would say, and hurriedly checked my face.
“Come closer. I’ll help you with it.”
But as I fumbled around, unable to find my way, Older Sister Seo-ha looked at me with the gaze of a disappointed little sister and gestured for me to come closer.
Like I was enchanted, I moved my face closer, and soon her delicate fingers reached out to take something off my cheek.
“Oops, didn’t mean to expose you.”
Feeling my face heat up as she showed me the grain stuck to her finger, I quickly apologized.
If this was a blind date, my chances with her would have plummeted. Not that I’d know, I’ve never been on a blind date.
“Come on, it’s nothing. I used to get rice stuck on my face all the time when I was little, and my mom would help me take it off.”
“Oh really? I can’t quite picture that…”
Older Sister Seo-ha shrugged and started sharing stories from her childhood, but frankly, I found it hard to visualize.
She sometimes shows a mischievous side, but mostly, I’d never have guessed she was even slightly silly as a child.
“Everyone’s like that when they’re little. …Nom.”
“……!?”
As I wondered at her, Older Sister Seo-ha, who was brushing off the rice on her finger, suddenly popped it into her mouth without a second thought, and my eyes went wide.
What did I just see?
“Uh, noona, why….”
“Huh? Is there a problem? Oh!”
Pointing at her empty hand, she looked from it to me, tilting her head in confusion before letting out a sigh.
Her face gradually turned red, starting from her neck, until it spread all the way to her cheeks, and only then did she wave her hands vigorously.
“Oh no…! I, I did that out of reflex because of how my mom used to do it!”
Ah, so that’s what happened.
That’s why the way she pointed out the rice on my face felt more seasoned than it should have.
It seems her mom would take the rice off her face and eat it like that when she was a kid.
But then again, there’s nothing strange about that kind of interaction between a parent and child.
I just never expected her to do that with me, so I was a bit taken aback.
“It’s fine, really, calm down, noona. It’s not like you did anything terrible.”
“Ugh….”
Knowing there was a reasonable explanation behind it, I was able to help calm Older Sister Seo-ha down.
Still looking flushed and covering her face with her hands, watching her squirm seemed oddly refreshing.
It’s like an onion; the more you peel it, the more layers you find. Good layers, I mean.
“Well, it looks like you’re done with dinner, so I’ll bring out some dessert. Would you prefer coffee or tea?”
Feeling like my presence would only keep her embarrassment alive, I carefully stood up, moving the empty dishes onto the tray.
“Um, I’ll go with coffee.”
“Then I’ll have coffee too.”
It would’ve been a bit awkward if she didn’t respond, but thankfully, she managed to voice her choice even with her face half-hidden.
“… Phew.”
With a casual expression, I headed to the kitchen, trying to cool my flushed face while preparing coffee.
Even if she likes me as a fan, isn’t she being a bit careless?
At this rate, my heart might not survive.
*
After dinner, we moved on to dessert time and a little family inquiry session.
Thinking back, we hadn’t talked much about each other’s families, so when Older Sister Seo-ha mentioned her mom, we decided to share stories.
“So, it seems you’re also in a family of four.”
“That’s right. My father is quite busy, so I don’t see him often, but my mom showered me with love.”
“What’s your mom like?”
“Well, she’s the complete opposite of me. She’s super cheerful, bright, and… very caring.”
Is that really the opposite?
While I wouldn’t call Older Sister Seo-ha cheerful, she seems quite bright and caring to me.
“What about your older brother?”
“My brother has a personality similar to my mom. He always has people around and has a way of making everyone cheerful.”
“I think I get that vibe.”
He must be the kind of social butterfly, which makes sense since there’s a notable difference compared to Older Sister Seo-ha.
I’d say she’s calm and a bit quiet at first glance, giving off a slightly cold vibe, but she’s warm inside and playfully mischievous with close friends.
“I guess because of that, I’ve often been told I look like my dad since I was little. We’re like two peas in a pod.”
“That must mean your dad is quite the handsome guy.”
“Huh? That’s not really what I meant….”
Though she chuckled shyly, she didn’t strongly deny it.
If someone as pretty as her didn’t know they were good-looking, that would be a crime. They should be arrested right away.
“By the way, I think your mom would find this sight very intriguing.”
“Huh? Why’s that?”
As we chatted, Older Sister Seo-ha gave a slight smile while biting into a piece of apple, mumbling quietly.
“Actually, you’re the first guy I’ve ever been personally close to. Because of that, my mom is always asking when I’ll get married.”
“Sounds like she worries a lot.”
Somehow I could picture that, and I couldn’t help but smile wryly, while at the same time, I found it surprising that Older Sister Seo-ha had no other close male friends aside from me.
At this point, there’s no way nearby guys would leave her alone. Or maybe, she just isn’t interested in dating at all?
“Yes, so she just nags me all the time. When am I going to show her a grandchild or why don’t I take a break and date someone…”
“I can totally understand that.”
I can imagine feeling a bit worried if I had such a lovely daughter who was just burying herself in work and ignoring the romance scene.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that dating is the best thing in the world, but as a parent, you naturally want your child to enjoy their youth.
“Even you are siding with her?”
At that, Older Sister Seo-ha shot me a sulky look, her lips pouting in a cute way.
That wasn’t my intention at all, but… hmmm.
“I’m not siding with her; I just get where she’s coming from.”
“Really?”
“Of course! By the way, I think your mom and I would really get along. I’d like to meet her sometime.”
The comment that came out more as a joke, wasn’t entirely sincere, but it was meant to lighten the mood and cheer up the sulking Older Sister Seo-ha.
But for some reason, as soon as I said it, her eyes widened, and she looked at me with a ‘Are you serious?’ expression.
“You want… to meet my mom?”
“Huh?”
“You just said that.”
“Uh… well, I guess I did?”
It was indeed true that I’d said that, so I could hardly deny it, giving a nonchalant tilt of my head as I affirmed with my voice.
Instantly, her expression brightened, and after finishing the piece of apple in front of her, she shot out an outrageous suggestion.
“Then let’s try to set up a time to meet!”
“…A meet-up?”
“Yeah, I think my mom would love to meet you. How about we meet up whenever we’re both free in the future?”
…Well, this is unexpected.