The Villain’s Recipe - Chapter 23.1
“In any case, nothing would have happened.”
A gaze of resentment lingered for a moment at the words Woo Eun-yul muttered belatedly, but it did not last long. While everyone was immersed in their meal again, Min-ha and Baek Seok-gyol fell into deep thought.
‘A date. What do people usually do on a date?’
For once, their thoughts matched. Other people had already given them examples, but those alone couldn’t fill in the minute details. It was because they should have just called it an outing, yet attached the name of a date to it. And as if on cue, both of their gazes headed toward Ma Jin-cheol.
Ma Jin-cheol was putting on an unfazed expression, but inside he was shrinking back in fright. It was because Ma Jin-cheol, the eldest hyung and vice leader of ZERO, in his late twenties, was a lifetime solo.
“Then when will you be departing?”
Even so, Ma Jin-cheol didn’t show the slightest bit of that. How he had managed to patch up this explosive situation! Could he ruin all that just because he was a lifetime solo?
“I need a little time.”
Min-ha replied while rolling his eyes around.
‘Mr. Ma Jin-cheol is the oldest and an adult.’
Wouldn’t he know something good about dates? Min-ha thought so.
‘Since he’s someone who naturally knows a lot about this and that.’
If he asked about a date, he would surely give some kind of answer. Baek Seok-gyol’s thoughts were not much different from Min-ha’s.
“Yes, then I will wait.”
Ma Jin-cheol replied like that and tried to slip away from the spot, but he was intercepted by Min-ha first.
“Could we talk for a moment?”
He looked at Baek Seok-gyol as if asking for help, but the person who would normally even feel jealous was quiet now. In the end, Ma Jin-cheol was led by Min-ha into an empty room.
Min-ha fiddled with his fingers and asked him.
“How do people go on dates?”
The exact question he had predicted came out. Cold sweat poured down Ma Jin-cheol’s spine.
“Just do as you usually do, but emphasize a slightly different side.”
“A different side, you mean?”
“What kind of feelings does Mr. Lee Min-ha hold toward the leader?”
“Feelings.”
Min-ha reflected on what kind of feelings he held toward Baek Seok-gyol. To be honest, at first, he thought he was scary. However, as he learned more about him, the fear gradually subsided. If it were the initial him, even if told to say what he wanted, he wouldn’t have been able to say he wanted to leave.
But now he could. That was the change in the feelings Min-ha held toward Baek Seok-gyol, though it was still difficult to attach a name to it. He pitied the Baek Seok-gyol of the difficult past. He even thought that living by his side as a guide like this might not be so bad.
Still, every now and then, he missed Gamheung-ri. The grandfather and grandmother who had always cherished Min-ha, and the animals that followed him. Though it was a small neighborhood that was awkward to even call a village, Gamheung-ri held a huge meaning for Min-ha.
Only around that point did Min-ha realize. While he missed Gamheung-ri, he did not entirely want to leave Baek Seok-gyol behind. Even if that stemmed purely from sympathy.
“I want to help him.”
“That is enough. Originally, espers and guides who meet for the first time start from right there.”
“I see.”
Just how does a date work, though? The moment Min-ha tried to open his mouth again, Ma Jin-cheol nodded his head happily with a look of admiration and backed away into the distance.
“I will be going now since the leader is calling me.”
“……Did he call?”
I didn’t hear any sound at all? Leaving a bewildered Min-ha behind, Ma Jin-cheol bolted out of the room. And right at the entrance, he crossed paths with Baek Seok-gyol.
He should have opened a port and bolted. Even knowing it was an absurd thought, Ma Jin-cheol regretted it.
“Leader.”
“Let’s go over there and talk for a bit.”
“……Yes.”
And Ma Jin-cheol heard the exact same question from Baek Seok-gyol that he had heard from Min-ha. Fortunately, the advice he could give him was easier than Min-ha’s case.
“Don’t get angry. Just unconditionally tell him he is cute and pretty. Buy him everything he wants.”
“Is that all?”
“That is all.”
