As I entered the room, I threw myself onto the bed. Burying my face into the pillow, I scread,
“Aaaah-”
Upon seeing Han-gyeol’s back, my mind was overwheld with the desire to hug him.
It was a broad back… it didn’t make sense not to hug him. Perhaps this was just my rationalization…
I took a mont to compose myself and got up from the bed.
Carefully, I opened the door and stealthily poked my head out. There, I saw Han-gyeol, busily moving about in the kitchen.
Although I was incredibly embarrassed, I walked towards the kitchen as if nothing had happened.
Surely, he must have heard my footsteps, but Han-gyeol didn’t turn around to look at .
His broad back was still vulnerably exposed. I wanted to hug him again, but that probably wouldn’t be wise.
“Um...I’ll take over from here.”
When I cautiously spoke, Han-gyeol looked at with a smile.
I was embarrassed and ashad but wanted to act as if nothing had happened.
“Let’s just do it together.”
“Huh? Han-gyeol, you know how to cook?”
“Just the basics? Besides, it’s more fun to do it together.”
Han-gyeol, considerately, suggested cooking together.
As it ant spending more ti close to Han-gyeol, I readily agreed.
“Sure. I like that better too.”
“Do you have an apron I can use?”
“Yeah. Of course, I do.”
I fetched the apron folded at one corner of the dining table.
“I’ve been handling onions. Eun-ha, can you put it on ?”
“Ah- Okay. Can you bend your head down a bit?”
As Han-gyeol lowered his head, I hung the apron ties around his neck.
“Han-gyeol, turn around. I’ll tie it for you.”
“Mm.”
And I tied the apron strings neatly for him. During that, seeing his back again made want to hug him.
“It’s done. The apron suits you well, Han-gyeol.”
“Yeah? Thanks for complinting . Ah- the onions are chopped. Next, we need to prepare the salmon.”
“Mmhm. Han-gyeol, can you pour so salt into the scoop over there? I’ll handle the salmon.”
I went to the cutting board and took out the packaged salmon.
Even though it was prepped, I checked again for any bones. Then, carefully wielding the knife, I sliced the long piece of salmon in half.
“Eun-ha, you’re good at cutting.”
“Am I? Just average, I think?”
“I just wanted to complint you.”
I burst into laughter at the unexpected complint.
“What’s that for? Hurry and pour the salt.”
“Can’t I watch a bit more? I want to see Eun-ha cooking.”
“It’s nothing big. Still want to watch?”
“Yep. Extrely.”
Han-gyeol nodded his head vigorously.
He was so adorable doing that, I couldn’t refuse.
“Then carefully watch from the side?”
“Yeah. After cutting it horizontally, what do we do next?”
“We need to cut it vertically since it’s too big. Look- watch.”
I lifted the knife and cut the salmon again, this ti into halves.
I was a bit nervous with Han-gyeol watching, but the salmon cut smoothly. That was a passing grade.
“Now- we need to marinate this in salt for about an hour.”
“That long? It seems like it would be delicious enough to eat like this.”
“I want to make sothing even tastier, so bear with it. Still, want to try a bit?”
“Yep. I like raw salmon just as it is.”
Upon Han-gyeol’s words, I carefully sliced a piece from the salmon’s belly.
I lifted a beautifully cut slice of salmon sashimi with my chopsticks and carefully handed it to Han-gyeol.
“I will enjoy it.”
Han-gyeol, taking the sashimi from , was incredibly cute.
His slight smile, an indication of the deliciousness, ward my heart.
“It’s really tasty.”
“You really enjoy it, too.”
Our playful, sneering expressions locked for a mont before we refocused on the cooking.
Doing sothing together with the person I liked, just that, ward my heart.
My chest fluttered and tingled.
“Eun-ha, is this enough salt?”
“Mmhm. That’s plenty. You put in just the right amount.”
“Yeah? I guess I do have a knack for it.”
“That’s true. When I watch Han-gyeol, it seems like there’s nothing you can’t do. It’s amazing.”
I said as I placed the salmon I had prepared into the scoop.
Han-gyeol took the chopping board and knife I was using to the sink and washed them.
Our movents synchronized seamlessly, no words were needed.
“Hey- I’m human too; there are many things I can’t do.”
“Oh? Like what can’t Han-gyeol do?”
Although we weren’t looking at each other, our conversation continued.
“I can’t cook, can’t play soccer; if you look, there’s probably a lot?”
“Really? The Han-gyeol I’ve been watching seed to be good at everything, a jack of all trades?”
‘Ah- should I add a little more salt?’
I picked up the salt shaker beside .
“I guess I only wanted to show Eun-ha the side of that’s good at everything.”
My hand paused at Han-gyeol’s soft voice.
Slyly, I turned my head to look at him.
“So... if Eun-ha thinks that way, it went as planned.”
Han-gyeol, speaking with a subtle smile, looked incredibly cool.
That was right. Han-gyeol was human and wouldn’t be good at everything.
He just didn’t want to show that side to .
I caught a glimpse of Han-gyeol’s desire to appear well in front of .
“I want to see the side of Han-gyeol that can’t do things, too.”
At my words, Han-gyeol turned his head too.
“Hmm?”
“I want to see that side of Han-gyeol too.”
“Oh? It’s a bit embarrassing to show.”
“Well, that may be, but I still want to see that side of Han-gyeol.”
Upon hearing my words, Han-gyeol stared at intently.
“Ah-! I’m not forcing you!”
“Mmhm. I know.”
“I’ll continue to like you even if you show that side. And, I also want to be soone comfortable for Han-gyeol.”
Even after I finished speaking, Han-gyeol still gazed at .
His eyes, gradually reddening, changed quite powerfully.
“Eun-ha, is it okay if I hug you now?”
“What, what-?! All of a sudden? My hands are...from handling the salmon...!”
“It’s okay. I want to hug you, so you just stay still.”
“But, still...”
In the room, there was also my brother...!
But I do wanted to be hugged...!
If it was only for a very brief mont...
“Can I?”
“Yes...”
As my words ended, Han-gyeol walked toward with big steps.
Although his forceful strides slightly tensed up, my heart began to beat rapidly.
Eventually, Han-gyeol tightly enveloped in his arms.
The hug was a bit stronger than when we embraced last ti, and my ear touched Han-gyeol’s chest.
The sound of Han-gyeol’s fiercely beating heart reached .
It was a mont when I could palpably feel that his feelings were the sa as mine.
My hands were thoroughly coated with salt, so I hadn’t planned on embracing Han-gyeol.
However, wanting to hear the sound of Han-gyeol’s heartbeat a little more, I eventually wrapped my arms around his waist.
Han-gyeol and I embraced each other like that for a while before cautiously letting go.
“Han-gyeol, your heartbeat was really fast, huh?”
“Was it? It always is when I’m holding Eun-ha.”
“Really? It would have burst if we stayed like that a bit longer.”
“You say scary things. But should we hug a bit longer?”
“Did you miss it that much?”
“Just a tiny bit?”
“Okay.”
I promptly nestled back into Han-gyeol’s arms.
‘Ah, I really love this.’
The accelerating beat of Han-gyeol’s heart too.
And the touch of his hands, again embracing my head.
I loved all these monts, where warmth was conveyed.
“Eun-ha, my back is going to break at this rate.”
“Hey- it won’t break from just this.”
I embraced Han-gyeol’s waist a bit tighter.
But at that mont, a click sound of bone ca from Han-gyeol’s back.
Surprised, I opened my eyes wide and looked up at Han-gyeol.
“Ha, Han-gyeol-?! I heard a bone sound, are you okay?”
“Mmhm. I’m fine. Don’t worry and let’s stay like this a bit more.”
“Did I hug you too tightly?”
“It felt like cracking a joint a little.”
“What is that-!”
A natural laughter escaped at Han-gyeol’s witty joke.
It was then, while gazing at his gently smiling face, that a click sound of the door interrupted us, startling us into parting.
My brother, having left the room earlier, was walking towards the kitchen.
‘Why on earth now, you darn brother…!’
The atmosphere was just really good a mont ago.
I wanted to hug a bit more…!
“Shin Eun-ha. Hyun-joo called, asking if there’s beer at ho.”
“I think there was a small can in the fridge. If you want to drink, go buy so.”
“Ah- I suppose I should. I’ll run to the mart quickly.”
With that, my brother vanished from the kitchen.
Not much later, upon hearing the sound of the front door opening, Han-gyeol approached .
Then, gently embracing from behind, he rested his face on my shoulder.
Without a word, I accepted the heart-fluttering back hug.
“Eun-ha.”
“Hmm. What?”
“The apron suits you well.”
“Ugh- it’s embarrassing, stop praising now.”
“It’s the apron you chose to show , right?”
“Pointing that out makes it even more embarrassing...!”
“Mm. Your face is totally a radish.”
“Ah, really..! Stop teasing!”
--- The End OF The Chapter ---
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