As I polished off another bowl, it hit me: Choi Jingi, the character I was embodying, was supposed to be terrible with sweets and sour foods.
I froze for a second, worried I’d broken character, but nobody seemed to notice.
Thankfully, Joo Unyoung was too distracted by his argument with his brother, and my best friend, Go Yeol, was just happily shoveling yogurt into his mouth without a thought in the world.
‘I hope we can just leave quietly like this.’
I found myself wishing that the brothers would keep fighting—it beat the idea of me trying to intervene.
Just then, Go Yeol let out a small sigh and lowered his eyes.
My gaze drifted to him naturally.
He was kneeling neatly, back straight, and stealing glances at my back.
“You’re not wearing it.”
“Hm? What?”
“…The doll.”
His expression was blank, but I caught a flicker of disappointment.
‘Don’t tell me he actually wanted me to wear that keychain on my bag? The one even an elementary school kid would think is cheesy?’
I blinked for a moment, then went, “Ah,” and licked the yogurt off my lips.
The ‘doll’ was his signal to play matchmaker between me and Joo Unyoung.
He was asking me to switch seats with him.
“I left it at home so it wouldn’t get dirty. You want to sit here?”
“Should I buy you another one?”
“No, no! It’s okay. Come here and sit.”
That damn keychain.
I was planning to play cupid, sure, but I didn’t mean for him to use me as his personal guardian angel!
Disturbed from my meal, I grumbled a little, pushed myself up, and started to shift.
Just then, Joo Unyoung, who had been trading barbs with Joo Hyeonje, grabbed my wrist without even turning his head.
“Where are you going?”
“Uh? Oh. Just switching seats.”
“Why?”
“Well… so Yeol can eat more! He can’t reach much sitting on the edge.”
“Why do you care what he eats?”
“Athletes need to eat a lot, it’s natural.”
‘They’re so obviously into each other, why are they being so difficult?’
I knew exactly what Joo Unyoung was up to—he just wanted to sit next to Go Yeol.
I tried to stand again, but he wouldn’t let go of my wrist.
When I stared at him with a ‘please let go’ look, he let out a long sigh and swept his bangs back.
“You, seriously…”
“…Why? What?”
“Just sit still. The food is served in individual portions anyway, so mind your own business and eat. You’re always on the verge of dying whenever it gets a little hot lately. And you don’t even exercise!”
“I’m not dying. I’m… just taking a short break from exercise.”
“You fainted, though.”
“The b-ball…”
“You’re not a heroine in a romance manga—who faints from getting hit by a ball?”
Joo Unyoung was clearly in a foul mood.
I shut my mouth and sat back down, silently mouthing “Sorry” to Go Yeol.
The food arrived shortly after.
True to a Korean restaurant, fragrant scorched rice soup and perfectly grilled croaker were placed in front of each of us.
Two royal hot pot dishes sat in the center, surrounded by an endless array of side dishes, greens, and kimchi.
After that, even Joo Unyoung stopped ignoring Joo Hyeonje’s barbs.
Aside from Baek Jaehui and Go Yeol occasionally piling side dishes onto my plate, the five of us were too busy eating to talk.
I officially retired my opinion that Western food was the best.
Eating salty, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside croaker with white rice was pure fantasy.
I finally understood why I failed my Korean cooking certification in my past life—it wasn’t the recipe, it was my own clumsy hands.
The bland food I used to make was just a victim of a bad owner.
‘How can this be so delicious?’
A wave of pure emotion surged through me.
“Jingi, try this.”
“Okay.”
Surrounded by good food and friends who looked after me, I felt genuinely happy.
“Oh, it’s skewered meat and veggies!”
“You like this?”
“Yeah.”
“This is good, want some?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re eating well. Must suit your taste.”
“Yeah.”
I was too busy finishing off the side dishes on my fluffy rice to say much else.
I ate diligently, even sipping the barley tea Go Yeol held to my lips.
By the time we scraped our plates clean, the employee brought out iced persimmon for dessert.
My eyes lit up at the nostalgia—it was a common school dessert—and Joo Hyeonje slid his over to me.
“I don’t eat sweets. You eat it.”
“Th-thank you.”
Now I had two iced persimmons in clear glass bowls.
Just as I licked my lips and picked up a spoon, Joo Unyoung spoke up.
“Jingi doesn’t eat sweets either. Why are you dumping your leftovers on him?”
“I gave it to him because I thought he liked it.”
“He’s just pretending to like it because you gave it to him.”
I froze, spoon in hand, realized he was right, and clamped my mouth shut.
‘What do I do? I really want to eat this.’
“Jingi, you don’t have to force yourself.”
“Oh, uh… but he gave it to me.”
“It’s fine.”
Go Yeol pushed Joo Hyeonje’s serving aside and placed his own in front of me.
“Jingi likes it when it’s hot.”
“…Really?”
“I know him better. We’ve spent a lot of time together.”
I gulped, looking at the two persimmons back in front of me.
Joo Hyeonje’s serving sat awkwardly in the middle of the table, and Joo Unyoung was scowling.
For the sake of staying in character, I probably shouldn’t eat it, but I wanted it so badly.
The half-frozen persimmon looked like it would melt smoothly in my mouth.
My face fell a little as I sighed, and Joo Unyoung immediately leaned in from behind, wrapping an arm around my waist.
“So you eat sweets when it’s hot. Didn’t know that. Want me to order another one?”
“Uhh? No, it’s fine.”
“Can you eat both of them?”
“Hmm, uuh. Maybe it’s a bit much… since it’s so sweet.”
It wasn’t too much at all. I could have easily eaten four.
But I answered as calmly as I could.
Joo Unyoung, as if he’d been waiting for that, rested his chin on my shoulder and opened his mouth slightly.
“Then let me have a bite. Say ‘ahh’.”
“Oh, okay.”
His smiling face was slightly flushed, and I didn’t begrudge him a single spoonful.
I fed him the iced persimmon, and he chewed it happily, laughing.
“Delicious.”
I joyfully finished the remaining persimmon.
A full stomach really does make a person more relaxed and generous.
In my past life, I would have been so annoyed if a boss tried to share my food while I was struggling to make ends meet.
As I finished the last bite, Go Yeol pulled out a tissue and wiped the corners of my mouth—a habit that felt strangely natural, even if it wouldn’t have been normal for the ‘old’ Choi Jingi.
Across the table, Baek Jaehui scowled.
“What are you guys doing? It’s creepy.”
“What? Baek Jaehui, are you jealous again?”
“Are you crazy?”
He snapped back, but I saw his earlobes turn bright red.
He had the look of a delinquent, but he was the type who couldn’t stand it when his friends hung out without him.
I sighed and pressed a tissue into his hand.
“Here, use this to wipe Unyoung’s mouth.”
I was rooting for the Go Yeol/Unyoung couple, but I figured I’d throw a bone to Baek Jaehui.
His face went from blue to white to bright red.
He seemed shy now that he actually had to do it.
Watching him just nervously dab at his own lips instead, I patted my full stomach.
As the meal concluded, Joo Unyoung gathered his things and glared at Joo Hyeonje with venomous eyes.
“We’re done. Don’t call us again. I have my limits.”
Joo Hyeonje rested his chin on his hand, smiling through lips that were partially covered.
Neither I nor Joo Unyoung needed to hear a ‘yes’ to know he wouldn’t listen.
“Joo Hyeonje.”
“Ah, am I the villain here?”
“Do I have to spell it out? Stop bothering innocent people. If you want to pick a fight, pick it with me.”
Being the ‘innocent person’ in question, I sat awkwardly between them, not knowing whether to stand or stay seated.
It seemed this wasn’t going to end quickly.
“Unyoung, do you think you’re any different? Do you think I don’t know you met Secretary Jang?”
Joo Unyoung’s expression crumpled like crushed paper.
I silently sank back onto my knees. Just then, the employee knocked and entered again.
I thought the persimmon was the end of it, but no.
Elegant hands placed cinnamon punch and traditional Korean sweets on the table.
There were even flower-shaped pancakes kkotjeon shimmering with sugar syrup.
I glanced at Joo Unyoung and sipped the cinnamon punch.
The sweet, spicy aroma filled my mouth.
“That’s my business. What does that have to do with you?”
“Why do you think it has nothing to do with me? You’re my Unyoung, my little brother.”
Joo Hyeonje smiled, his eyes crinkling.
He didn’t touch the dessert, just like he hadn’t touched the meal.
‘Did he even eat the food at all?’
I watched the two brothers stare each other down in silence and took a small bite of the dessert.
Truly, there is no entertainment like watching a family feud.
Go Yeol, who had been taking care of me the whole time, wiped my cheek with his thumb.
“Is it good?”
“Yeah.”
“Want to come again next time?”
“Yeah.”
Baek Jaehui, the loser who couldn’t bring himself to wipe Unyoung’s mouth, grumbled, “You guys are creepy, seriously,” as he tossed the prettiest pink flower pancake onto my plate.
Go Yeol followed up by placing a yellow one on my plate.
Both glittered with syrupy sweetness.
Knowing exactly what my mission was, I popped the food into my mouth and held it out toward Joo Unyoung.
