Ch#8
Episode 8
There was no need to hear polite compliments about it being delicious.
Given Jeok I-geon’s personality, he was hardly the type to utter such pleasantries, and the bowl, emptied to the last drop of broth, already spoke volumes.
“Then, this servant will take her leave.”
Although Cheon Gang had advised me to hold my tongue as much as possible in front of Jeok I-geon, from what I had experienced over the past half-day, the young master actually tended to demand explanations quite often.
Though I was still terrified, I intended to say whatever was necessary from now on.
After all, I didn’t want to die just because I failed to answer.
Oh?
But why won’t this lift?
Having declared my departure, it was time to carry the table away.
Yet, the damn thing wouldn’t budge at all.
He had eaten all the noodles and drained the ice water, so it should have been lighter than before. Yet, it remained utterly stationary, as if it had transformed into a massive boulder.
“…Y-Young Master?”
Finding the cause wasn’t difficult at all.
Sure enough, Jeok I-geon was pressing down on the table.
With just a single index finger.
He wasn’t even exerting visible force; he had merely rested his finger on it, yet the legs of the table felt as though they had been fused to the floor.
Flustered, I gripped both sides of the table and stared back at him from my awkward, half-bent posture.
As expected, he was glaring at me with that terrifying intensity of his.
If you want something, just say it, you jerk!
What on earth do you even have a mouth for?
Do I seriously have to read your mind on top of everything else?
While a barrage of curses swirled in my head, I furiously racked my brain.
What could Jeok I-geon possibly want to say to me right now? What was he after?
Could it be… that?
Jeok I-geon was nineteen years old.
Back home, he would be a high school senior.
For boys that age, a single bowl of hand-pulled noodles would barely register as a snack.
They were at the prime age to inhale several packs of instant noodles in one sitting.
On top of that, Jeok I-geon was constantly training.
Though I didn’t know any athletes personally, I had heard their appetites were legendary.
“Um… would you like some more noodles, Young Master?”
Jeok I-geon neither nodded nor replied.
He merely lifted his finger. It was a silent command to fetch it immediately.
Unbelievable.
The unnies at Jamigwan are going to absolutely lose their minds with joy.
I ran, clutching the table. Judging by Jeok I-geon’s expression, any delay would surely result in a catastrophe.
Fortunately, I had prepared plenty of chicken noodle soup, and I made it back to the pavilion in record time.
Jeok I-geon resumed slurping his noodles.
Just in case, I had brought nearly double the original portion, but he devoured the entire bowl in the blink of an eye.
Yet, he ate with such innate grace that not a single drop of broth splattered.
As he set down his chopsticks after finishing his second bowl, Jeok I-geon’s face bore a look of deep satisfaction.
It felt like a good idea to serve a variety of noodle dishes for lunch for the foreseeable future.
Surely he wouldn’t hold the table hostage again.
Rendered foolish by my own worries, the table lifted effortlessly this time.
Genuinely thrilled to finally escape his presence, I moved quickly and stepped down from the pavilion.
Although the hurdles of dinner and late-night snacks still lay ahead, knowing lunch had concluded without incident put my mind at ease.
I needed to get as far away from this place as possible.
Even if only temporary, it was a necessary measure for the sake of my mental stability.
“The Young Master seems to have quite an appetite today.”
On one side of the Training Grounds stood a zelkova tree with a remarkably thick trunk.
Cheon Gang, who had been watching Jeok I-geon from beneath its shade, walked toward me with a gentle smile.
Oh, my favorite character is smiling at me.
Considering he had looked at me with pity just this morning, this was a massive leap forward.
“He must have been starving. What about you, Cheon Gang-nim?”
Since I had something to give him anyway, I set the table on the ground and asked.
“I didn’t see you eat anything for breakfast or lunch either. Aren’t you hungry?”
“There is no need to worry about my meals. You are the Young Master’s maid, so you only need to look after him.”
“Yes, of course. But a person has to eat to work. What can you possibly do on an empty stomach? Especially an escort warrior like you, Cheon Gang-nim—shouldn’t you be taking even better care of yourself?”
“No, I am…”
“Here, take this. I got it from a friend at Jamigwan. Please, have some.”
I held out the rice ball So-ok had given me.
She used to pack them for me to eat at the laundry area, and they always tasted absolutely divine.
For someone so clumsy, she possessed a miraculous talent for cooking.
“This is really delicious. Just one of these will keep you full for hours.”
“I am truly fine. I cannot accept something your friend made specifically for you.”
“I didn’t say I was giving you all of them, though.”
“…What?”
“I have one for myself, too.”
I proudly pulled the remaining rice ball out of my sleeve.
It was no exaggeration—just one of these was enough to satisfy a person.
“To be honest, your advice this morning was incredibly helpful. Consider this a token of my gratitude, so please don’t refuse. My hand is starting to feel a bit awkward here.”
Surely he would accept it after I went that far?
Ah, who could possibly understand the sheer joy of feeding delicious food to one’s favorite character?
“Very well. Thank you.”
Yes!
At my earnest pleading, Cheon Gang finally relented.
Accepting the wrapped rice ball with a smile, he took a large bite right then and there.
Oh, wow. He’s eating it right here?
I had naturally assumed he would save it to eat quietly indoors, but it seemed I had misjudged him.
He was far more easygoing than he let on.
“You weren’t exaggerating.”
Having swallowed the bite, Cheon Gang’s expression shifted completely.
“This is the best rice ball I have ever tasted.”
“Right? I told you my friend has magic hands.”
Before I knew it, the rice ball had completely vanished into his stomach.
As he finished, a flash of genuine disappointment flickered in his eyes.
Oh yes! Mission to feed my favorite character: Success!
I never expected to experience the sheer joy of offering tribute in a place like this.
“I’ll make sure to get some more next time.”
“I shall be in your debt, then.”
With his typical upright personality, he would have refused to avoid imposing, but the rice ball must have been exceptionally delicious.
Truly, there was no better way to win someone over than with food.
“Well, Cheon Gang-nim, I’ll be on my way. I’ll see you this evening!”
Time was running short if I wanted to sweep and dust Geonyeonggak again.
The booklet Madam Gwak had provided specifically noted that Jeok I-geon was a clean freak, demanding the residence be cleaned at least twice a day.
Seriously, he was so high-maintenance.
I picked up the table and trudged toward the exit of the Training Grounds.
That was when I turned my head, wondering what Jeok I-geon was up to.
“……!”
I nearly dropped the table right then and there.
W-What was his problem now?
Why was he glaring at me with those terrifying eyes again!
I had no idea how long he had been doing it, but Jeok I-geon was shooting daggers straight at me.
His aura was so murderous that despite the distance between us, I felt a sharp chill, as if a blade were grazing my throat.
It was a miracle my heart hadn’t stopped flat. Goosebumps erupted across my skin, so intense I felt like I was breaking out in hives.
I was incredibly lucky I hadn’t fainted on the spot.
Had I done something wrong in the last few minutes?
Although glaring as if he wanted to murder someone at the slightest provocation was typical of him, there had always been a reason behind it.
But this time, no matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t fathom the cause.
He had just devoured two whole bowls of hand-pulled noodles, so what on earth was he throwing a fit for now?
As expected, Jeok I-geon was a man around whom I could not let my guard down, not even for a single second.
Thinking that the atmosphere had softened over a simple meal was my own foolish arrogance.
Right, who was I kidding? This was Jeok I-geon we were talking about.
There was no way he would become docile so easily.
If I wanted to keep my head attached to my shoulders, I had to remain hyper-vigilant at all times.
Feeling that harsh reality sink in once more, I practically fled the Training Grounds.
The brief, fleetingly beautiful moment with my favorite character had already vanished into the far recesses of my mind.
