Chapter 9 - The soup that tastes good
As he looks through the bag, Tae-hyun sees that he only bought instant noodles and dreadlocks. It's not much, but it needs to be done.
He quickly boiled water and cooked noodles and then sat down at the small table in his kitchen to eat. Tae-hyun feels a little ashamed of his simple food as he eats it. The noodles are cooked in water until they get soft and tender. The delicious spices, soy sauce, and other seasonings are mixed with the noodles to make the soup, which gives it a rich and tasty taste.
As the soup simmers, you can smell the spices and soy sauce, which makes your mouth water. The noodles are then topped with thinly sliced veggies like carrots, mushrooms, onions, and sometimes a soft-boiled egg or a handful of juicy, spicy kimchi.
Noodles are put in a big bowl, and the soup is poured over them. On top, veggies and other toppings are neatly placed, making the dish look bright and delicious. The food is finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and hot chili sauce, which adds an extra layer of taste and texture.
"I should have bought something better," he said to himself. "But it's probably too late now," he said.
When you take your first bite, the warm, savory soup, soft noodles, and crunchy veggies, all come together beautifully. Spices, soy sauce, and chili sauce add bold and spicy flavors, making for a tasty and satisfying experience. It's great for people who want a quick, filling, and flavorful meal.
Tae-hyun takes a quick look around his room after he eats. Even though there isn't much to clean up, he wants to ensure everything is in order before Soo-ji wakes up. He quickly cleaned the living room and returned to check it out.
Tae-Hyun's heart hurts as he looks at Soo-ji's sleeping body. He moved closer, looking at her calm face and how her chest moved up and down with each deep breath. He stared at her beauty, even in his sleep.
Tae-Hyun carefully took the towel off his shoulders and threw it over a nearby chair. He then kneels next to Soo-ji and brushes a hair out of her face.
"Soo-ji, wake up," he whispered.
Slowly, Soo-ji opens her eyes and looks at Tae-Hyun with a sleepy face. He rubbed his eyes and mumbled, "Taehyun."
"Yes, it's me," he answered with a soft smile. "Come on, let's get changed and sleep."
Tae-Hyun helps Soo-ji get up and leads her to the bathroom, where he allows her to change into comfy pajamas. He tucked her into bed, pulled the covers up her chin, and kissed her. Soo-ji rubs her eyes as she tries to figure out what's happening around her. She was lying on a small bed in a room she had never been in before. The walls looked old, and only a tiny window and a door led outside. She sat up and rubbed her head, trying to remember how she got there.
He was trying to collect his thoughts when he heard a voice from outside. He walked up to the door and peered through the crack. Soo-ji sees someone wearing an apron and having short, wet hair.
Soo-ji grunts as she sits up, her head hurting from the drink she had last night. She falls out of bed and tries to walk into the kitchen, where Soo-ji sees Tae-hyun standing over the stove, flipping pancakes. The wonderful smell of bacon and syrup fills the air, making Soo-ji's stomach rumble.
Tae-hyun turns around and smiles when he sees her. He winked and said, "Good morning, sleepyhead." "Hungry?"
Soo-ji agrees, her mouth watering at the sight of the food. She sat down at the table with her head still aching. Tae-hyun puts a plate of pancakes and bacon in front of him, and he takes a bite and enjoys the taste.
He took another bite and said, "Wow, this is great." "I can't remember the last time I had food like this that was made at home."
Tae-hyun is sitting next to him and smiling. "I think you could use a little pick-me-up after last night," he told her.
Soo-ji nods and thinks about the events of the night before. He only remembers that he had too much to drink.
She looked down at her plate and said, "I'm sorry to have bothered you."
Tae-hyun reaches across the table and grabs her hand. "Don't regret it the important thing is that you're fine."
Tae-hyun sighed while looking at the ramen and kimchi before him. She wanted to save time and money by making a simple breakfast, but now she feels terrible about it. He can't let his friend, Soo-ji, eat food from a convenience shop because she comes from a wealthy family. He must do better.
Tae-hyun quickly chooses to make a good breakfast for both of them. He looked around his kitchen and found eggs, bacon, cheese, and bread. He gets to work, cooking the bacon in the pan until it's crisp, then breaking the eggs into the same pot and topping them with salt and pepper. He put the bread into the toaster, and while it was cooking, he grated the cheese.
Once everything was ready, he made a sandwich by putting the eggs, bacon, and cheese on the toast. The sandwich is placed on a plate and set in front of Soo-ji.
"That's it," he said with a smile. "I hope there's more to it than ramen and kimchi."
Tae-hyun is happy when the girl likes her food, and it looks like her hard work is paying off. They kept eating with quiet ease while they talked.
Tae-hyun cleans up after breakfast and puts everything away. He looks at Soo-ji, who is sitting at the small kitchen table.
"What do you want to do today?" he asked.
Soo Ji shrugged. "I have no plans. I'm just going to walk around town and then head back home."
Taehyung nodded. "That makes sense to me. But I have to work today. Sorry."
Soo-ji sighs when she learns her boyfriend is going to work that morning. She wanted to ask him to enjoy the city, but now she couldn't. She chose to go by herself and go back home.
Tae-hyun looks sad when he sees Soo-ji because he can't go on a walk with her. He hides his sadness because he doesn't want Soo-ji to deal with his feelings. Tae-hyun offers to let Soo-ji shower before they go out, and she thanks him for the offer, afraid that Tae-hyun will smell her. She couldn't help but feel embarrassed, so she quickly took a shower to get rid of any proof that he had been there.
Soo-ji trying to hide makes Tae-hyun happy, and she can't help but smile. Soo-ji sees that Tae-hyun's eyes are on her. When she looked at his clothes, she saw that he was different.
"What happened last night?" he asks Tae-hyun, looking at him and holding his shirt.
Tae-hyun looks at her and tries to figure out what she wants. "What are you saying? What did you do last night?
Soo-ji makes frown because he is still trying to figure out what happened. "I don't remember putting on a new outfit. Last night, did I do that?"
Tae-hyun tries not to laugh as he looks at Soo-ji. She was so cute that he couldn't help but tease her a little.
"I was the one who changed your clothes last night," he said with a smile. "You're so tired that you have no idea."
Soo-ji stares at him in disbelief. "What? That can't be true. You wouldn't do that without my permission, would you?"
Taehyun chuckled. "Oh, please. It's no big deal. You're so tired that you didn't even move when I changed your clothes. So, to keep that secret from her own boyfriend?"
Soo-ji is still in disbelief. She couldn't picture Tae-hyun doing something like that without her approval. Soo-ji was going to talk back to him, but he stopped her.
"Don't pretend to be so good," he joked.
Soo-ji blushes as she remembers the time she hid Tae-hyun's keys as a joke.
"I seem to remember an incident where you hid my keys and wouldn't tell me where they were."
Soo-ji stands behind the bathroom door, trying to piece together what happened the night before. She only remembers Tae-hyun teasing her, which is a blur. She rubbed her temples to try to ease the growing pain. He hears Tae-hyun's voice calling him all of a sudden.
"I have to go to work now, Soo-ji. Tonight, I'll be back. Are you okay?"
Soo-ji opens the door and shows how messy he looks. "I'm fine. I'm just trying to remember what happened last night. "Why am I in your apartment?" he asked, his face full of confusion.
Taehyun chuckled. "You were very drunk last night, so I brought you here to be sure you were safe. Don't worry, nothing bad happened."
Soo-ji heaves a sigh of relief, but at the same time, she feels ashamed. "Thanks, Tae-hyun. I really do appreciate it."
Taehyung nodded. "No problem. Try to feel at home!"
"Tae-hyun, wait! I'd like to join you!"
Tae-hyun turns and grins. "Sure, I'll wait for you for another 10 minutes."