chapter 6
6 – Lee Eunji
The scene I had only seen in movies is unfolding before my eyes.
Driving an open car at high speed.
For a moment, I almost mistook it for a foreign country, but the glamorous K-signboards illuminated by neon lights shattered the atmosphere.
“Why are you acting like it’s your first time riding?”
Eunji chuckled.
It’s not the first time riding, but Ara doesn’t lift the lid.
There might be various reasons, but privacy seems to be the most significant.
It’s not like the car can keep running indefinitely, and it’s not a job to open and close the lid every time it stops.
“When did you get your license?”
“Huh? What did you say?”
It seems she couldn’t hear because of the wind.
I thought about shouting into her ear, but considering the high conversation rate in car accidents, I just pressed the switch to open and close the lid.
“Hey… it was fun.”
“It’s cold.”
“Was it cold? Sorry.”
After apologizing, she took off the sunglasses she was wearing and tossed them forward.
That looked like a quite expensive one…
“By the way, where are you coming from?”
“The mart. There’s nothing at home.”
“Oh~ by the way, Ara unnie seems to like that you cook for her.”
“…somehow, I feel sorry.”
“You can be a bit sorry.”
I felt depressed after hearing Eunji’s words.
It seems like all the members know that I don’t cook.
Sigh… only sighs come out.
“It’s a joke. Compared to other guys, you’re a gentleman.”
“…Is that so?”
“Just look at my older brother… Ugh, suddenly getting on my nerves.”
Eunji said that and abruptly rang the doorbell.
So, she has an older brother.
Is their relationship not good?
I asked her with a wry smile.
“Not getting along well?”
“There’s no way you can get along with that guy. Didn’t you have any siblings?”
“…I’m an orphan.”
“…Sorry.”
Eunji apologized and tightly sealed her lips.
We didn’t speak until we arrived home.
Actually, it wasn’t a big deal, but it was difficult to bring up the topic when the other person was feeling so sorry.
It was quite amusing to think that she was misunderstanding things on her own.
Before we knew it, we arrived at the apartment, parked the car in the parking lot, and opened the door.
Just as we arrived, a girl in a mart uniform was coming out of the apartment.
Perfect timing.
“By the way, what about your luggage? Did you go to the mart?”
“I had it delivered. I bought rice too, how am I supposed to carry that all by myself.”
“Is it even possible for someone to go buy rice without a car?”
“Well… I can’t argue with that.”
This time, Eunji chuckled lightly.
It’s surprising how straightforward idols can be.
Their fans would never believe it.
When I arrived at the front door, there was no package.
It seems like Ara must have taken it inside.
As I opened the door and went in, I could hear the sound of water running from the shower room.
Is she taking a shower?
“Sister? I’m back.”
“Seonghwi, you’re back? Good timing. Can you bring me the towel hanging on the dining chair?”
“Sure.”
With the towel in hand, I headed towards the shower room.
Maybe she couldn’t hear me because of the sound of water, so I opened the door and handed her the towel.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
Ara didn’t take the towel right away. Instead, she rinsed off the foam from her hair and body with water before accepting the towel.
Is it because of a man’s instinct?
I couldn’t help but let my gaze wander from Ara’s chest down.
I didn’t want to stop it either.
I just engraved it in these two eyes.
Ara looked at me with a sinister face.
“Why, do you want to touch? You can touch if you want.”
“Later.”
“Tsk…”
Even though my place was also on edge, Eunji is here now.
No matter how much I’ve come to know the taste of women and my s*xual desire has awakened, I wouldn’t do such a crazy thing.
I brought a towel and went outside to the kitchen.
Eunji seemed curious about what I was going to do when I came out to the kitchen and followed me like a puppy.
I took out a box of frozen mackerel with confidence.
Today’s main dish is braised mackerel!
“Oh… are you going to make braised mackerel?”
“Yeah, that’s why I bought it.”
“It looks delicious… Can I stay for dinner too?”
“Well… I guess two mackerels should be enough.”
I washed the radish clean and cut it into round slices.
The radish should be thick enough to soak up the broth and become delicious. If it’s too thick or too thin, it will either become tough even after a long simmer, or turn into a tasteless waste product that becomes mushy even with a little simmer.
Then, I placed the mackerel pieces on top and sliced various vegetables to add.
Finally, I sprinkled plenty of the prepared seasoning sauce and adjusted the heat to low.
Half of cooking is controlling the heat of the fire.
When I took out the radish to prepare it, Ara came out of the shower.
She didn’t even wrap a towel around herself, and although I enjoyed the sight, it didn’t seem to faze Eunji.
“Hey, put some clothes on!”
“Eunji, what are you doing here? And isn’t this my house?”
“Stop with the ‘my house’ talk! There’s a guy here, you know.”
“He’s my husband. And our Seonghwan seems to enjoy the view, doesn’t he?”
Did she catch on?
She used to stare intently as I changed in front of her.
Ara probably didn’t know that, but…
No, that’s not it…
“Ara, put some clothes on.”
“Okay.”
As she went into the dressing room to get dressed after my comment, I couldn’t help but smile.
She’s definitely older than me, but there’s a childlike cuteness about her.
“Ara, you never listen to the boss. You’re so peculiar.”
“Is that so?”
An idol from an agency owning the majority of its shares.
What a peculiar structure…
Somehow, I started feeling sorry for the agency’s CEO.
“So, Ara Unni, you’re the only rein holding me.”
“Rein… Someone might misunderstand if they overhear.”
Anyone listening might think she’s in some kind of training.
While conversing, Altarimu finished handling radishes and cabbage, and prepared the kimchi seasoning.
Since we went to the mart, might as well buy a head of cabbage to pickle.
“Wanna taste?”
“Sure, where…”
Eunji fed a slice of Altarimu to her.
It was adorable the way she covered her mouth with her hand, eating like a hamster.
“Wow, it’s damn delicious.”
“Using ‘damn’ for food…”
“We’re in a girl group, is it okay? Using a word like that? More importantly, give me another bite.”
She wrapped the stem-end and put another piece into her mouth.
Not too salty.
Tastes good.
“Want me to pack some for home?”
“Really?! I’ll eat it alone so the unnies won’t snatch it!”
Since she only bought one cabbage, it won’t last long, but it should be enough for a week.
Packed it in a Lock & Lock container and placed it in a small paper bag.
When Ara came out, all the food preparations were done.
Eunji, perhaps feeling apologetic about taking the lead, set the table with utensils and laid out the rice.
Once everyone was seated, she opened the pot containing braised mackerel.
The intense aroma of the seasoning and the scent of mackerel blended together, creating a fragrance that not only tantalized the nostrils but also hinted at the taste of the flesh in the mouth.
Fetching a ladle, she portioned out pieces into the plates, leaving the ladle in the pot for others to help themselves before closing the lid.
This warmth, indeed, was the flavor that completed the braised mackerel.
A cold braised mackerel is no longer a braised mackerel.
“Let’s eat.”
Afterwards, I witnessed the magical disappearance of the braised mackerel I had served on my plate,
and a chuckle escaped me as I watched the ladle skirmish between the two for the remaining portions.
Of course, the winner was Ara, the landlady.
***
After seeing Eunji off with the radishes in hand and finishing the dishwashing, I sat on the living room sofa.
Ara had offered to do the dishes, but how could I leave such a task to my hardworking wife, who returned after toiling in the name of unemployment.
Once I finished the dishwashing and sat in the living room, Ara emerged from the bathroom.
Judging by the foam around her mouth, it seemed she had just finished brushing her teeth.
Did she forget to check the mirror?
I stood up to wipe her mouth, but I was stopped.
Then, I found myself pressed against the sofa, unable to escape.
“Where did you meet Eunji?”
“Huh? Uh… at the bus stop in front of the mart…”
“What were you talking about?”
“N-nothing in particular…”
Although they had a conversation about not listening to the CEO’s words, Ara didn’t like discussing work matters at home, so she lied.
This was a well-intentioned lie.
A lie to save Eunji from death.
“R-really?”
“T-that’s… right… No words… hmph…”
Even if my lie was exposed, did Ara see through it?
I quickly brushed my teeth and sealed my fish-smelling mouth overflowing with a minty flavor with my lips.
Like the fortress walls of today, the teeth guarding my tongue and oral cavity were pierced by Ara’s siege weapons and fell captive.
My tongue flicked around in my mouth, as if it were going to suck up all the saliva.
“Phew… Sis, I haven’t brushed my teeth yet…”
“Lying is a sin.”
“Hmph… swish… swish…”
As I deep-kissed Ara and let her undress me,
I decided to entrust my body to her.
***
“Sigh….”
Two hours passed.
Several times, my heartbeat quickened, and I fell into a sleep that felt like fainting.
Is this the end of Christ, who once uttered lies?
I gently stroked Ara’s cheek, which was smiling without a care.
Certainly, it seems to be a world where women’s desires are strong, but the ratio of those who approach willingly is quite high.
“…I shouldn’t make Ara angry.”
Under the pretext of venting anger, not knowing how much pressure would build up, I vowed not to make her angry again.