"Ouch!"
Hyunji felt dizzy when she woke up this morning. She ruffled her hair while squinting a little, trying to adjust the sunlight that caught in her irises. Realizing how bright the sun was shining, it seemed like it was already late afternoon.
With her gaze fixed on the window, Hyunji was lost in thought. The scene from her dream was still vivid in her mind. Abandoned building, blood, corpses, and the night sky. More than enough to make her sigh tiredly as she closed her eyes.
That dream again ....
"Are you awake? "
Hyunji turned her head spontaneously, then blinked a little when she saw a strange man coming down from upstairs. "Who are you?"
"What?! How can you forget the person who helped you last night?!"
Hyunji racked her brains, trying to remember what happened last night, and finally nodded. "Ah, Jungkyu Yoon, right?"
Jungkyu snorted, then strolled away. Walking towards the kitchen followed by Hyunji behind him.
While following Jungkyu's long steps, Hyunji took a look around. This apartment was apparently tidier than she had expected. Remembering how Jungkyu looked last night, she thought his apartment would look just as messy as his fashion style.
Hyunji's activities had to stop for a moment when they arrived at the kitchen. The subtle aroma of cooking managed to distract her. She gasped to see so many dishes arranged on the dining table. There is more than enough breakfast for the two of them.
"You cooked it by yourself?"
Jungkyu shook his head. "My household assistant did it."
"Oh? I didn't see her."
"She had gone home."
"Ah, i see. So, she just came to clean the apartment and make breakfast?"
This time, Jungkyu nodded.
Hyunji pulled one chair and sat opposite Jungkyu. "Then, how about lunch and dinner?"
"As you can see, it's too much for breakfast. I just need to set aside some and save it for lunch and dinner."
Hyunji nodded in understanding. "Does that mean you can't cook?"
"Did you just insult me?" said Jungkyu with an annoyed face.
"I'm just asking," Hyunji said as she put the kimchi into her mouth.
Jungkyu snorted. "Only the easy ones.
Ramyun for example. "
"Oh really?" Hyunji grabbed a glass of water nearby and downed it until it was half. Then, she looked at Jungkyu enthusiastically. "How about we make an offer? If you let me stay here, then I'll do all the housework for you, including cooking and cleaning of course. Think of it as payment."
Jungkyu almost choked at Hyunji's words which sounded ridiculous. A little chuckled in disbelief, he said sarcastically, "Oh, seriously?"
"You don't believe me?"
"Of course I don't."
Hyunji sighed irritably. She got up, then walked to the refrigerator.
This certainly amazed Jungkyu. "What are you doing?"
"Showing my skill."
Hyunji was busy looking through Jungkyu's refrigerator. Her forehead furrowed faintly when she realized the large refrigerator in front of her was almost empty. There were only vegetables and a small bag of shrimp. The rest is filled with some canned soda and banana milk.
Wait, banana milk?
"I have a bad feeling. I hope my kitchen doesn't end up burning down soon."
Hyunji rolled her eyes. She took out the ingredients from the fridge, then walked to the kitchen drawer and took some tools from there. "Just wait and see. My food can whet the appetite of anyone who smells it."
"You mean the hungry flies that come because of the smell?"
"You ... shut up!"
Jungkyu suddenly laughed out loud. But quickly he pursed his lips when he saw Hyunji take a square to hit him with a frying pan. With great effort he held the corners of his lips from being pulled upward.
It would be very unethical if his life ended because he was hit by 'something' in Hyunji's hand. The frying pan will certainly become a deadly weapon if misused.
Hyunji looked away, chose to ignore Jungkyu and returned to struggling with cooking utensils.
She looked at the ingredients she had taken from the refrigerator. There were not many ingredients available, and now she was confused about what to cook.
"Ahem!" Jungkyu cleared his throat. "What are you going to make?"
Hyunji didn't answer right away. She paused, before smiling and saying confidently, "Vegetable pancake!"
Jungkyu frowned. "Is that all? That's too easy."
Hyunji turned her head while squinting sarcastically. "Just blame the host for never filling his refrigerator."
Jungkyu fell silent. Didn't dare to deny it because it was true.
Before her head exploded because of Jungkyu, Hyunji immediately put on an apron and washed her hands.
As a first step, she washed all the ingredients and then chopped them into small pieces. After that, she took two bowls. One is for storing the cut ingredients, while the other is for making pancake batter. She mixed eggs, water, broth, salt, and flour to make the batter. Then, she switched to heating the frying pan while mixing the batter with the chopped vegetables and shrimp.
On the other hand, Jungkyu was silent with one hand supporting his chin, busy watching Hyunji's activities without any intention of helping. His brain was just filled with escape plans if that girl actually set fire to the kitchen later. Who knows, Hyunji wants to take revenge on him by burning the kitchen and everything in it—including Jungkyu of course.
"How long do you want to look at me like that?"
"Until you're done."
"Oh? Are you amazed at my cooking skills?"
"Not really. I just wanted to make sure my kitchen remains safe until you finish."
Hyunji looked annoyed. She chose to ignore Jungkyu and was busy cooking the pancake batter she had made. She cleaned the kitchen table while waiting for the pancake to cook.
A few minutes later, the pancake was served on a plate—complete with sauce. Jungkyu had to swallow hard when Hyunji brought and put it on the dining table.
"Try it!"
Jungkyu looked closely at Hyunji's pancake. "Did you add poison to it?"
Hyunji felt her annoyance rising again. "Yes, indeed! I found bug spray in your refrigerator and mixed it with the batter. Are you satisfied now?!"
Jungkyu smiled. "At least my apartment didn't catch fire."
Hyunji glared. Before she could swear, Jungkyu had already tasted the pancake. Hyunji spontaneously sparkled, forgetting her annoyance. "How?"
Jungkyu fell silent. He chewed slowly. Like a judge in a cooking competition, he put on a serious face which made Hyunji even more curious.
"Not bad," he said later.
Hyunji let out a sigh of relief. "Right?" A smile triumphantly etched on her lips. "So ... how? Can I stay over again?"
Jungkyu's movements stopped. He took a deep breath as he put down the chopsticks. "I don't get it ... why do you keep insisting on staying here?"
"Of course to avoid problems at home. What else?"
"You can live in your relative's house. Why would you want to live in a place with a stranger like me?"
"Because I have no relatives."
Jungkyu was stunned. "Absolutely not?"
Hyunji nodded.
"You-"
Ding dong!
Jungkyu's words were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. The two of them simultaneously turned towards the voice.
"Let me open the door. You wait here, don't move!"
Whether it's a warning, or an order, but one thing that needs to be made clear here is that Hyunji is not an obedient girl—except at certain times. The more it is prohibited, the more it is violated. Jungkyu's words had no effect on her. So, with slow steps she followed Jungkyu from two meters distance while hiding behind his muscular body in case something unexpected happened.
Still not realizing someone was following him,
Jungkyu opened the door wide with a cheerful smile, "Hyung!"
"Jungkyu!"
In contrast to Jungkyu's facial expression, Hyunji was petrified. Surprised to see someone who came, and even more surprised to hear the call that Jungkyu gave to that person. She is trapped in a complicated situation that is very unexpected.
Realizing nothing else could be done, Hyunji immediately stepped back and walked away. She grabbed her phone which was lying on the living room table and hid in the bathroom. She squatted by the sink while turning on her phone. Ignoring a few missed calls and a string of incoming messages, she typed a message to someone.
Her fingers pressed the 'send' button in a hurry.
She let out a short breath. "Ah, shit!"
***
Hyung: a word used by males to address another male older than them who they are close to.