Swallow Hunting - Chapter 60.1
As he watched with a pitiful expression, looking as though he might drip saliva at any moment, Lee Kang-ju could not stand it anymore and placed a peeled shrimp on Hae-jun’s front plate. It was a steamed king prawn topped with five colored garnishes.
Hae-jun hesitated for a moment before carefully putting it in his mouth. The crunchy flesh melted and vanished before he could even chew it a few times. Hae-jun’s eyes sparkled.
It was the first time in his life he had tasted such food. He had lived thinking he had no appetite and that the amount he ate was small, but that was not the case. Until now, meals had merely been consumed for survival. This was what real food was. A dish where sincerity was poured even into a single strand of garnish.
From then on, the meal began in earnest. Whenever Hae-jun finished a plate, Lee Kang-ju called the staff to refill the empty dishes. He even trimmed the food near him into bite sized pieces and pushed them toward Hae-jun, much like tossing fodder to a hungry animal.
He felt as if he were the only one eating greedily. Hae-jun peeked at Lee Kang-ju’s reaction, deboned the braised short ribs sitting beside him, and offered a thick piece of meat to the man. Perhaps it had become a habit from what he used to do for Yohan, but he ended up holding it with his chopsticks and bringing it right to Lee Kang-ju’s mouth.
Lee Kang-ju did not refuse. He naturally bit the meat from the chopsticks Hae-jun offered. Hae-jun was surprised by the unexpected behavior but did not show it.
“It’s delicious, isn’t it?”
Beaming, Hae-jun brought the chopsticks back and lightly bit them. Whether it was because of the seasoning or because Lee Kang-ju’s lips had touched them, the taste felt sweeter than before. Seeing the corners of his mouth curl upward, Lee Kang-ju simply offered a single laugh.
After polishing off the endless stream of food, Hae-jun’s small stomach soon reached its limit. Half of his rice remained, but even eating just one bite of each side dish was far more than his usual intake, so he truly could not swallow another morsel.
After he set down his spoon, saying he couldn’t eat anymore, dessert was brought in. It was ice cream made from newly harvested rice and medicinal cookies simmered in grain syrup. There wasn’t room for even a single piece of raw fish, but thinking he might never get to eat this again if he missed the chance, Hae-jun diligently moved his spoon.
“Eat this, too.”
Lee Kang-ju handed his own portion of dessert to Hae-jun. When Hae-jun refused for fear of looking like a pig, the man said he didn’t like sweets very much. Since throwing away such precious food was out of the question, Hae-jun accepted it as if he had no choice.
“How was the meal?”
“It was really delicious. It’s the first time I’ve eaten something like this in my life.”
“Which one was the best?”
Everything was so excellent that it was hard to pick just one. Abalone simmered in special soy sauce, beef tartare topped with a yolk, fresh pine mushrooms served with oil sauce, and more. Hae-jun pondered seriously, even forming wrinkles between his brows. After a fierce tournament, a winner was decided.
“The steamed king prawn!”
Aside from the taste, it was deeply meaningful because Lee Kang-ju had personally trimmed the head and tail before giving it to him. A relieved and happy smile, as if he had finally ended his long deliberation, appeared on his face.
Lee Kang-ju, who had been glancing at him, shifted the topic with a “By the way.” Hae-jun looked at Lee Kang-ju while taking a bite of ice cream.
“The deduction of Mr. Cha Hae-jun’s advance payment is almost over.”
Hae-jun paused. He lowered his hands beneath the table and counted the number of nights he had spent with Lee Kang-ju. He gave up midway through folding his fingers. There was no way he could remember. Foolishly, he hadn’t even checked them off on a calendar.
“How do you want to handle it?”
Suddenly, the pit of his stomach felt tight. He wondered if he was getting indigestion from eating too fast. It felt as if a lump of the soft ice cream was stuck right in the middle of his throat.
Hae-jun sipped some water and lowered his eyes. He had been so happy to taste the finest delicacies for the first time in his life; was this his final supper with Lee Kang-ju?
“Do I have a choice?”
If it had been Yohan, he would have wagged his tongue brilliantly to extend the contract somehow, but Hae-jun had no such talent. If it had been any other customer, he would have pretended to cry or tried to look pitiful, but in front of Lee Kang-ju, Hae-jun’s tongue and brain failed to work properly. It was always a blank slate.
“You’re smart. Of course, Mr. Cha Hae-jun doesn’t have a choice.”
Lee Kang-ju brought a warm teacup to his lips. Unlike Hae-jun, whose insides were burning black, his attitude was beyond relaxed, appearing almost indolent. Hae-jun dug his nails into his thighs. He felt like he would burst into tears the moment he heard a greeting like, “You’ve worked hard until now.”
“But isn’t it still a bit early? You said you would find a hobby for me.”
Hae-jun, who had been anxiously fiddling with his fingers, lifted his eyes. Lee Kang-ju met his gaze and set down the teacup.
“It would be a waste to end it just when it’s starting to get interesting. Let’s see each other for three more months.”
It was a completely unexpected answer. The tears that had been brimming beneath his eyes vanished instantly. Hae-jun nodded his head so hard it looked like it might fall off.
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