"Your food is delicious. It's so delicious that I wonder if it's worth postponing destroying the world" Chunn said.
Dan was unsure of how to respond.
Chunn''s comment was too strange for him to even imagine.
It wasn't that Dan didn't know that he was good at cooking; he did. But to say that his culinary skills and simple homemade dishes could protect the world from destruction by tired and hungry salaried humans... Who says things like that after dinner?
Because ChonDan didn't say anything that would offend Chunn, so Chunn assumed that ChonDan understood everything he said and accepted it as true. Then, the young intergalactic engineer revealed his secret.
"After much thought, I have decided that I still want to eat your food over and over again," the engineer said.
"But... How do you plan to destroy my world like you said earlier?" ChonDan didn't understand how he got himself into this conversation, but he asked back, curious to know where Chunn's story would lead.
"It's not that hard, really. I just submitted a fake report to the main office of The intergalactic expressway authority that the mission to destroy the world faced more obstacles than we initially thought, so we need more time," Chunn smiled.
Dan wasn't sure if he heard correctly. "The main office of The intergalactic expressway authority?" he asked.
Chunn replied firmly, "Yes, The main office of The intergalactic expressway authority. You got it right, Dan."
Dan understood things easily, and didn't fuss or panic. He was much calmer than Chunn had initially thought.
At first, Chunn had assumed that if the world knew it was about to be destroyed, people would go crazy. But that wasn't the case with Dan. He seemed serene and peaceful, maybe a little pensive at times, but never frantic.
He was so calm, it was almost eerie. Chunn was impressed.
While Chunn had this realization, in Dan's mind, it was the complete opposite.
When he first met Chunn during lunchtime, Dan thought this guy was weird. But now, he felt like Chunn was the weird one. The word "weird" didn't quite fit him. He didn't look like a lunatic at all, yet he could say crazy things with a serious face. And despite hearing all of this, Dan still didn't think Chunn was insane.
But he did feel sorry for him.
Dan thought it was possible that Chunn was stressed out from work at the company, to the point where he started fantasizing about creating a new world. Perhaps he believed that the company he worked for was evil, destroying the world, and that he himself was unhappy with his work there.
Then, he stumbled upon some delicious food, and just like that, he found solace. He even said that his food was the thing that could protect the world... which might have been a reference to the world in Chunn's imagination.
Dan thought back to his own past... he used to be like that, stressed out from the pressure at the bank.
While working at the bank, Dan was not happy. None of his coworkers were happy with the work there either. His only happiness was going back home to see grandmother. The food that his grandmother made for him was his daily medicine.
Now, looking at Chunn, he sees himself in the past. A young man working hard with the daily burdens until he created his own private imaginary world to soothe himself.
If he didn't follow Chunn's lead, it would be like destroying the imaginary world that Chunn had created to soothe himself. Thinking this way, Dan followed Chunn's conversation.
"Chunn... Does that mean the world can still go on?"
"At least for one day," Chunn said with a smile.
"Because of my cooking skills? Is that right?"
"Yes," Chunn smiled again.
Chunn was pleased that Dan understood something so simple and didn't wake up to the reality he had just told him. This young engineer from another planet felt really lucky to have met this smart and aristocratic restaurant owner.
"So, how many days can the world survive?"
"I don't know, maybe until I get rushed at work or until I get tired of the food you make, Dan."
"Until you get bore with the food I made?"
"Yes, if I eat the food you make and don't feel excited or satisfied anymore, I have no reason to stay in this world. At that point, I could just press the button to destroy this world."
"So, does that mean...Chunn, you will come and eat with me every day?"
"Can I? In exchange for protecting this world, right?"
Dan thought quietly...Does he really need to help this man so much? Actually, he likes eating dinner with friends, but that doesn't mean he wants to have someone to eat with every day.
"Don't you need to go back and eat at home, Chunn?"
"No, Dan. I don't have anyone left."
Even though Chunn's face appeared normal when he answered, Dan felt a twinge in his heart from the response. He understood the feeling of being alonel. At first, he thought about rejecting Chunn's proposal, but after understanding this sentence, Dan changed his mind.
He may have been just a failed salaryman who gave up and decided to live a simple life, without competing with anyone. He may have been a powerless middle-aged man with nothing special.
But if his food could help Chunn maintain the world in his heart, he was willing to do it. If his granny was staying with him today, she had to make this decision. She always said that food was the embodiment of love, and that food was magic that could be felt. He had just understood what she said today.
"OK, you can come eat with me every evening, but you have to pay for your monthly food expenses. And I'll cook whatever I want. Is that okay?"
"Okay," Chunn replied.
"And if you want to come for lunch, that's fine too, but do you want to pay separately?"
Dan proposed a condition that did not bother Chunn. He said he was happy to pay for Chunn's dinner every day, but he would keep the bill every time he bought ingredients for dinner (which were separated from the ingredients for cooking at the restaurant). Then he would ask Chunn to pay him back. Chunn was fine with it.
"So, we agreed then," Dan said.
"Yes, we did," Chunn replied.
"Great, then eat up so I can wash the dishes."
"Sure."
"By the way, do you live far from here?" Dan asked.
"Meaning do I live here?" Chunn clarified.
"Yes, your house. Is it far from here?"
"Yes, it's far. But I have to work here."
"Then where do you stay?"
"Uh, I don't have a place to stay yet."
That's why he was still in his work attire, holding a briefcase. This was probably his first day at work here, and he had already encountered heavy workload. Dan wondered if this was the office of a factory nearby.
"You don't know where you're sleeping tonight?"
Chunn just smiled dryly, as if it were a small matter.
"Hehe, no, I don't know yet."
On the first day of work, this poor guy encountered heavy workload and was exhausted. He had never had good food. On top of that, he moved to work in a place where he didn't even know where he would sleep that night.
Dan felt more pity for Chunn, as if he was looking at a grown-up Golden Retriever (which was definitely bigger than him) that was more pitiful.
Clear eyes without poison, without malice, and pitiful.
Dan asked, "So... Are you looking for a room to rent?"
Chunn replied, "Um... Probably."
He answered, but in Chunn's mind, he searched his database, which made him realize that people in the working age of this world generally live their lives just like him. They live in rented rooms, go to work in the morning, and return in the evening.
Meanwhile, Dan turned his head to look at the empty room in the hallway. In fact, there was a vacant room that he only went in to clean, but never used after…
"Then... it just so happens that I have a vacant room for rent, but it's a shared house," ChonDan said.
"What's a shared house?" After asking, Chunn quickly looked it up in his memory bank.
"It's renting a private room in the same house," ChonDan explained before Chunn could find the information.
"Oh... which house is it in? Who else lives there?"
"It's in this house, with me," Dan answered.
"Huh?" Chunn was surprised.
"I have a vacant room in this house, it used to be my grandma's room, but since she's no longer here, I've kept it empty. If you agree to rent it, I'll clean it up and you can move in right away. But don't worry, I clean it all the time, there's no musty smell, it's guaranteed to be clean."
"Um... is that a good idea?"
"Do you mind to stay in a dead person's room?"
"No, but I'm a little apprehensive."
"Don't be, it's better to have someone else living here as a friend. You can come and have dinner with me every night. What do you think? Will you stay here with me?"
Chunn hesitated... in reality, he hadn't thought about where to stay tonight (or the next night, in case Dan's dinner tomorrow impressed him). His first thought was to stay at a hotel alone, which would be more convenient.
Living with humans on Earth was not Cunn's first choice because he was still an alien, even though his appearance was similar to that of humans on Earth. He was afraid that his secrets would be revealed and cause people to panic.
But then again... Dan already knew his secret. Dan just told him earlier and he didn't seem to be disturbed by it. He understood the situation well, so there was no need to worry about it anymore.
So if he had to live with someone, it should be Dan.
Chun weighed the pros and cons. It was true that he received a living allowance from his work. The process was complicated and the compensation could be converted into Earth's currency. Eventually.
However, it wasn't a lot of money. He was only at the operational level, so he saved it for now. According to the dictionary he opened in his head now, sharing a house was a relatively economical option.
So he thought and said, "Okay Dan, I'll rent a room from you in a shared house."
Dan smiled and replied, "Okay, that means we're already housemates now."
Chun quickly looked up the meaning in his head. Housemate meant a roommate. He liked the meaning of this word.
Chun said, "Yes, we're housemates now."
Dan said, "Okay, then I'll go clean up the room for you first."
Chun said, "Wait, Dan."
Dan asked, "What's wrong?"
"We're roommates now, can I call you by your nickname Dan instead? Or would you prefer I use your full name ChonDan?"
Dan smiled widely, "Sure Chun, you can call me Dan. Just wait for me to finish cleaning up our room, and then we can watch TV together."
Chun smiled back, pleased that his choice of words seemed appropriate. "Thanks Dan," he replied.
After a few moment, Dan exited the room and noticed Chun standing there with a large travel bag. "The room is clean now, and where fif you get that bag? I didn't see it before?"
Chun explained, "I left it outside your shop earlier, but went back to retrieve it just now."
Dan scratched his head, slightly confused. He didn't remember seeing any other bag besides the one Chun was holding. But he decided not to dwell on it too much and simply said,
"Alright then, let's get you to your room. The bathroom is right there. You can take a shower comfortably," Dan said.
"Okay then, see you tomorrow morning, Dan. Good night," Chunn said.
"Good night, Chunn," Dan replied.
As Chunn entered the room, he thought that he had made the right decision to let the world continue for another day. It wouldn't affect the project much, as it would be a long time before the construction site arrived in this area. The explosion of the world was delayed a bit, no one would care. This was so rural, indeed.
Also, if Dan's food tomorrow didn't taste good enough, he wouldn't be impressed and might press the button. See that? It's easy step, there's nothing too difficult to understand. And now, it's better to take a relaxing shower. Chunn thought.
On the other side, after Chunn closed the door, Dan came back to wash the dishes, pondering the decision he had just made.
At first, Dan thought he had followed his sympathies, as he had seen someone pass by with a similar story. Dan was also hesitant about whether he had made the right decision.
But when he raised his head and met his grandmother's gaze in that picture, the wise eyes of his grandmother gave Dan the answer that when choosing between what is right and what is kind, choose kindness.
The whole world strives to stand firm on what is right, but it would be good if there were people who stood firm on kindness as well.
"I've made up my mind, grandma," Dan said.
Although the grandmother in the photo did not answer, her smile was the answer. Dan washed the dishes and went into his own room, planning for tomorrow's cooking in the restaurant.
And then the first night under the same roof for the two young men began on that day.
No one in this world knows that this is the first day of the rest of the world. And how long the world will last depends on Dan's culinary skills.
When we talk about superheroes who protect the world, we often think of people with special powers and strength, but who would have known that this world is protected by Dan's culinary skills and recipes passed down from his grandmother.
Let's pray together that tomorrow's food made by Dan will continue to make Chunn feel delicious and satisfied. He will not press the button to destroy our world.
...