Emotional Baby Steps (4)

"Alright, what can you cook?"

"..."

Before bringing Song Soo-yeon into the kitchen, I conducted an interview.

In fact, there wasn't a specific job assigned for her.

After all, hiring her wasn't really about needing help.

I'm quite idle myself, so there's no real need to employ her.

Naturally, all of this was for her sake.

It was my way of helping her to make a fresh start as an adult in a few months.

She might not realize this.

But if I simply let Song Soo-yeon sit idle, she'd refuse out of pride, so I had to go through this kind of formality.

Lately, I've been feeling proud to be able to help her.

She's been thanking me more and more, and it's unbelievably gratifying.

I didn't feel this emotion in my previous life, but it kept tickling my face.

Even just to keep feeling this, I planned to continue helping her.

"Ms. Song Soo-yeon? You need to answer."

I questioned her sternly, as if I were a corporate interviewer.

Song Soo-yeon expressed her annoyance at my role-play.

"Ah, stop it... It's annoying."

"Really now. What's bothering you this time?"

"....What's with 'Ms.', Ms. Song Soo-yeon."

"What should I call you, then? Maybe, 'Soo-yeon'?"

"Ah!"

Song Soo-yeon suddenly got up from her seat.

It's almost a reflexive action by now.

She gets irked by almost anything.

"No, that's not it. 'Ms. Soo-yeon' just sounds unnatural."

"....."

Song Soo-yeon seemed frustrated but didn't have a better answer.

She didn't like it, but couldn't find a solution either.

I tried to calm her down.

"I know 'Ms.' sounds odd to you as a student, but you'll have to get used to it. Adults always use 'Ms.' or 'Mr.'"

"........"

"Or I can drop formalities and call you 'Soo-yeon'."

Again, Song Soo-yeon flinched at my words and frowned even more.

Realizing it was time to back off, I acknowledged that a man like me closing the distance might still be uncomfortable for her.

She seemed very upset, blushing and fidgeting with her fingers.

After a while, she sat down again.

"....Call me 'Ms. Soo-yeon,' then."

She turned her head away as she responded.

Feeling a sense of regret, I smacked my lips.

"...Alright. So, back to the question, what can you cook?"

"......Ramen."

"......"

"....."

There was a moment of silence. If I were really conducting an interview, that would be a failing answer.

Why mention ramen specifically, instead of simply saying she can't cook?

Honestly, if this were a company, such an answer would lead to immediate rejection -

"-Wait a moment."

As I continued with my thoughts, Song Soo-yeon interrupted me.

"...Am I going to be fired?"

She asked, her expression so earnest that I found myself at a loss for words.

Wary of carelessly speaking and hurting her again, I mulled over my response.

As I hesitated, she said,

".....I...I can really cook it well..."

I raised an eyebrow.

This changes things.

Why, doesn't ramen from a good snack bar taste almost the same as the one made at home?

There might be a special trick she knows.

Perhaps I underestimated her because it's just ramen.

"Really...?"

Nod.

"How well?"

"....Better than you, Mister."

She provocatively avoided my gaze.

Her confidence started to instill trust in me.

I hadn't expected much, but now it seemed she could actually accomplish something.

"Then can you make one for me?"

"....What?"

"Let's see how well you can do it."

"....Ah...that...."

".....?"

Song Soo-yeon swallowed nervously, then abruptly stood up.

"...I'll have it ready."

She announced.

"Looking forward to it."

As I spoke honestly to her, Song Soo-yeon's expression seemed to darken a bit.

---

---

"Don't come into the kitchen.....!"

Song Soo-yeon shouted to Jung-gyeom waiting in the hall, and then crouched in the kitchen.

"....Ah...jeez..."

With anxious hands, she quickly pulled out her smartphone.

'Delicious and simple ramen recipe'.

She hastily began to search.

In truth, she knew nothing about cooking.

Having never had the opportunity to cook at home, it was only natural.

Honestly, she couldn't even properly cook packet ramen.

The only ramen she had ever eaten was cup ramen, so she had no idea about the right water ratio.

Despite this, she had boasted so loudly to Jung-gyeom because his inner thoughts echoed to her.

'Failing answer', 'Immediate rejection'... those thoughts had echoed to her, making her unable to stay silent.

She had to seize any opportunity.

When her expectations of everything going well were shattered, she fell into panic.

".....Phew..."

Still, she took a deep breath.

She calmed her racing heart.

Right, it's just ramen.

Even if she had never tried it, she should be able to make ramen.

Elementary students could make it, after all.

Of course, since she had loudly claimed it wasn't ordinary ramen, she would need to find a somewhat special recipe... but she could do it.

Song Soo-yeon came out with the food.

---

---

Honestly, my expectations had already hit rock bottom.

Hearing the occasional screams and the sound of dishes falling in the kitchen, it was inevitable.

I wasn't expecting anything great, just hoping it would be passable.

"...Here....here you go."

She placed the food in front of me.

"......."

I was at a loss for words.

".....No...."

".....Here are the chopsticks."

Chopsticks were placed in front of me, who was in shock.

Unable to hold back any longer, I spoke to her in a serious tone.

"...This wasn't necessary..."

"Sorry...?"

".....I get it if you're making fun of me by calling me a fool, a loser, a pervert, but playing with food like this..."

"...It...It's not a joke...?"

"Stop it. It's not funny. Did you really want to torment me this much? It would be hard to make it this bad even on purpose..."

The noodles were mushy like porridge, with enormously chopped green onions.

There were eggshells in it, and the broth was burnt.

This couldn't even be called ramen.

Even a young elementary school student wouldn't make it like this.

As I spoke, I got carried away, raising my voice at her.

"Do you think I would just eat anything without thinking? I won't accept everything, you know? Go throw this away and make it properly. Ah, what a waste of ramen. I won't let it slide anymore?"

".....I did it properly... Mister..."

Song Soo-yeon murmured with a crawling voice.

Obvious shame spread across her face.

Seeing her expression, I hesitated.

The atmosphere was shifting oddly.

Her ears couldn't have been redder.

As I waited for her to end the joke, I gradually came to terms with the situation.

".....Is this... for real?"

"The... The stove was too hot. How was I supposed to know the restaurant's stove would be this strong..!"

"....Even so... what's with these eggshells and the state of these onions..."

"...Ah, jeez, I'll just eat it myself!"

Song Soo-yeon reached out her hand.

Reflexively, I extended my hand to stop her.

Realizing the extent of the situation, I understood this was her sincere effort.

It was still hard to believe, but I had to accept it.

Now, I was cornered into backtracking my words.

"Ah..now that I look at it....it... might be good, yeah."

"Don't give me that crap and hand it over."

"Why are you getting mad at me when you made it, Ms. Soo-yeon....!"

I lightly counterattacked with a tone of injustice.

Only then did Song Soo-yeon's intensity falter for a moment.

Now it seemed, she was hiding her extreme embarrassment behind her anger.

"Alright, I'll evaluate it, so go sit over there. Don't bother me from the side."

"........"

"What are you doing, can't you hear the boss's order?"

"....The boss is a... fool."

"......"

However, she soon turned around.

It was a small restaurant with only three tables, so she didn't go far.

She leaned against the wall, glaring at me intently.

...Unfortunately, I guess I have to manage my expression now.

Honestly, there's no need to eat something like this.

I didn't want to criticize the first dish made by that scarred child with effort.

Thinking about what she might have been feeling while making this food, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

"......."

But she really didn't make it to tease me, right?

Glancing at Song Soo-yeon, who might be laughing at my gullibility, I saw her looking back at me with a serious, slightly worried expression.

I picked up the chopsticks.

Sighing inwardly, I started putting the ramen in my mouth.

---

---

Song Soo-yeon knew too.

She knew the moment the food was finished.

That it was a disaster.

She, who had criticized my black bean noodles as tasteless, couldn't even properly boil ramen.

The shame returned to her twofold, feeling like a punishment for her past mistakes.

"...Hmm, it tastes... good. Hmm."

But there was Jung-gyeom, forcefully shoving that food into his mouth.

For her sake, since her effort was genuine, he managed his expression, erasing any sign of disappointment he had shown earlier.

Both of them knew it, unless they were fools.

That the ramen was inedible.

Yet there he was, doing this for her.

"......."

Song Soo-yeon leaned against the wall, watching him.

She felt sorry for him, and yet, grateful.

Just looking at him made her feel like she might burst into tears, like she would cry her heart out.

She couldn't understand why she felt this way.

It was as if her tears had caught a late wind.

Instead of laughing at this ridiculous play, her throat just tightened.

She clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly.

If she didn't do this, she felt like she might really start crying.

-Crunch.

Occasionally, the sound of eggshells being crunched could be heard.

Then he would stop chewing for a moment, only turning to check on her.

"....."

And then, as if nothing had happened, he exaggeratedly sniffed and swallowed the food.

"Yum, it's good. Hmm."

Watching him repeat this, now laughter started to come out.

There's a saying about not laughing while crying, but watching him, she couldn't control it.

'....Why is he so cute...jeez...'

She had to accept a fact she didn't want to admit.

He was older than her, yet cute.

There was no denying that he possessed a certain innocence.

He had no family, no friends.

He didn't know much either.

Just like her, learning new emotions, many aspects of him seemed like a blank slate.

His acts of kindness often seemed awkward.

But that made her happier.

His sincerity was more apparent, and the thought of both of them adjusting to each other's colors in the future made her happy.

Her dark past and the shining present were incomparable.

This was the first time she looked forward to the future.

Song Soo-yeon watched him, then sneakily lifted her phone.

Pretending to search, she made gestures and acted.

....And then she turned on the camera.

It was impulsive yet deliberate.

She looked at him through her phone.

She had to restrain herself from smiling.

She watched him, then turned down the volume on her phone all the way.

And then, she pressed the button.

-Click!

A loud sound echoed through the restaurant.

Her eyes widened in shock.

She couldn't understand why the sound went off even though she had turned down the volume.

"Ah... uh..."

As Song Soo-yeon was preparing an excuse, he asked her.

".....What's this, was it really just a joke...? Are you playing with me and taking photos..?"

With his mouth full of swollen ramen noodles, he asked with a disappointed face.

"No, no, it wasn't...! I really put my heart into making it...!"

This wasn't just to protect her pride.

It was for him, who wore a hurt expression thinking he had been tricked.

After all, she really did try her best to make it.

She hurriedly explained.

"It's... it's a selfie. Why would I take a picture of you, are you joking?"

"Oh, I see."

"And if you think I was just fooling around, why are you eating it...! I told you not to eat it...! Give it to me, I'll eat it."

"....No, no. Actually, I didn't think it was a joke, yeah."

"....Ah... such a fool..."

Song Soo-yeon sighed secretly.

Though she spoke harshly, she was relieved he believed her.

As the incident seemed to settle, she swallowed and browsed through the gallery.

The photo had come out well after all.

"........"

Song Soo-yeon stared blankly at the photo.

She continued to look at her first photo and then... slowly smiled.

It felt like she had gained a treasure.

---

---

Months passed.

Song Soo-yeon was now an adult, and her graduation was approaching.