Chapter 104
“Chocolate milk? Oh, iced chocolate latte. Got it. I’ll bring it right away.”
The staff member nodded at Choi Eun-young’s signal and requested the drink over the radio. Yeo Moon-beom smiled subtly as he watched the half-dokkaebi, who had been relieved that his hesitantly made request was accepted, pat his chest in reassurance.
It was admirable how he trembled like a rabbit in front of what he thought was “poison,” yet still made his request, and didn’t refer to it as a “mysterious elixir.”
Though honorifics and calling someone “mister” didn’t seem natural to him, Eun-hwi knew how to respond appropriately according to the situation. Despite still having much to learn, he wasn’t unintelligent.
Yeo Moon-beom could somewhat understand why the Jangseung dokkaebi, who had supposedly passed the civil service examination and held office during the Joseon Dynasty, hadn’t provided education beyond a certain level.
Nothing was more effective at preventing mishaps caused by natural curiosity meeting cleverness than restricting knowledge.
Ignorance is generally a threat, but sometimes it becomes a means of self-protection.
It’s better not to be stained by the dirt of the secular world if possible.
After completing his revenge, he planned to find a new home near Mount Bukak to live with Eun-hwi. While Eun-hwi needed to become accustomed to Seoul life, if possible, Yeo Moon-beom wanted to preserve his purity.
“Young master. Please try this.”
Professor Bang Ki-bong, who had been admiring the room’s interior with exclamations, pointed to a dessert on the tray as he addressed Eun-hwi. Bite-sized round tarts were topped with square-cut mangoes and blueberries.
Only then did Eun-hwi seem to notice the colorful, elaborately designed desserts, his mouth forming a perfect circle as he stared in amazement.
“What is that?”
“These are called mango tarts. They’re snacks made from fruit that primarily grows in high-temperature regions with tropical climates.”
Professor Bang Ki-bong used snack tongs to place a tart on a small plate and offered it to the half-dokkaebi.
“It’s beautiful…”
Eun-hwi held the plate and examined the tart, decorated with a mint leaf in the center that gave off a refreshing scent, turning it this way and that.
How could it shine with such a glossy finish? And the aroma was so sweet.
While the rabbit-shaped cookies had certainly been cute, he couldn’t take his eyes off this fruit confection that matched the color of his own irises.
It looked less like food and more like an ornament made from luminous jewels. His eyes, round as candy beneath his curled eyelashes, sparkled brightly.
“Go ahead and try it.”
“H-how should I eat it?”
“Like this.”
Yeo Moon-beom picked up the tart with his hand. Eun-hwi opened his lips obediently like a baby bird and took a bite from the crisp edge. His bright red tongue carefully accepted the food, lightly touching Yeo Moon-beom’s fingertip.
“Ah… it got on me.”
The brief contact with that long, firm sensation evoked a strange feeling. His heart pounded so hard that he flinched involuntarily, and Yeo Moon-beom casually licked the crumbs from his own fingers with a smiling face.
“Don’t just eat the outside, eat the filling too.”
He fed the tart to Eun-hwi once more. Eun-hwi opened his mouth wide and swallowed it in one bite. All three of them fixed their gaze on his bulging cheek and small lips as he chewed adorably.
“How is it?”
“It’s de-li-cious!”
The pastry surrounding the fruit was savory, but the plain taste of milk combined with the soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the mango was truly shocking.
The half-dokkaebi rolled his seemingly numbed tongue eagerly in the spreading sweetness, licking up every last crumb in his mouth.
“You eat so prettily. You’re really adorable, Eun-hwi. Try this mango panna cotta too.”
Choi Eun-young watched with satisfaction as she handed him a glass jar layered with yellow and white, containing a tiny spoon suitable for a baby.
“Wow…”
The panna cotta topped with white fruit dotted with black seeds and mango was a different experience from the tart. The chewy, bouncy texture was followed by the refreshing, fragrant taste of fruit.
Again, Eun-hwi’s eyes widened as he scraped the container clean until it was transparent. His disappointment at not seeing the marketplace vanished instantly.
“There are so many delicious things in Seoul!”
He was about to exclaim in admiration and urge “Mr. Yeo Moon-beom to eat quickly too” when Choi Eun-young asked:
“You said you’re from Wolhwa Island, right?”
“…Yes? Yes.”
Eun-hwi answered in a nervous voice, afraid they might think he was acting like an unsophisticated country bumpkin.
“If you want desserts, don’t go to inadequate places, just come here. I’ll select only the most delicious ones for you.”
“I-is that really okay?”
“Of course. You’re Moon-beom’s friend. I can give you desserts like these a hundred times over.”
Choi Eun-young winked, closing one eye slightly as if to say she could be trusted.
“Now, shall we look at some clothes? Moon-beom said you’d be uncomfortable, so I’ve mostly selected loose overfit styles rather than tight ones.”
Tight? Overfit?
Feeling momentarily dizzy from the unfamiliar terms, Eun-hwi simply nodded. Choi Eun-young took an outfit from a rack of clothes and displayed the overall look on a mannequin.
“That T-shirt. Don’t you have one with a larger logo?”
Yeo Moon-beom, sitting with his back against the leather sofa and leisurely drinking coffee, asked about the T-shirt that had a rabbit logo embroidered the size of a fingernail on the chest. It was from a brand that Eun-hwi had liked before.
“There’s one from the Big Bunny line.”
“Please bring that one. Let him try it on.”
Choi Eun-young showed several clothes with large logos in a lookbook on her tablet. After carefully selecting colors, Professor Bang Ki-bong, who had been watching, spoke up.
“You’re wealthy, so why not just say ‘I’ll take everything from here to here,’ or something like that?”
“Moon-beom has quite the particular taste. Though with such a clean face and beautiful body line, he’d look good in anything.”
To act like a typical corporate heir, one had to pay considerable attention to appearances. Naturally, his standards had become high, developing tastes he couldn’t have imagined in his childhood.
Yeo Moon-beom looked at the half-dokkaebi who perfectly matched—no, exceeded—his taste in appearance.
Regardless of clothes, seeing him lick whipped cream from his lips and immersed in the sweetness of the chocolate latte was incredibly endearing. Even if dressed in rags, his face would undoubtedly catch attention.
“What about this hand-print shirt? It’s from a trendy new brand that’s just delivered three pieces to Korea.”
With narrowed eyes, Choi Eun-young examined the newly presented clothes. Though the English graphics seemed somewhat busy, Eun-hwi couldn’t take his eyes off the vintage-printed teddy bear character that apparently appealed to him.
“Go try it on.”
Choi Eun-young gathered a navy cap that would match the T-shirt, loose-fitting jeans, and limited-edition Converse shoes, then took Eun-hwi to the fitting room. After much grunting and struggling, Eun-hwi emerged wearing the new clothes and stood awkwardly in front of the mirror.
“Your slender figure stands out too much, so remove the belt.”
Rising from the sofa, Yeo Moon-beom personally undid the belt with long straps hanging over Eun-hwi’s thighs. Removing just one item eliminated the idol-like impression, making him look more clean-cut.
“Ohhh! It suits you perfectly, young master! You look like a model walking straight off the fashion show runway!”
“Eun-hwi’s ancestors must have been from Northern Europe. How can his bone structure be so beautiful? Moon-beom’s body was too thick to wear many things, but I’m finally feeling the satisfaction of dressing someone up again.”
Though he was short, his small face and good proportions gave him a model-like body that anyone would recognize. His square shoulders and narrow hips accentuated the clothing lines perfectly.
Gulp.
Yeo Moon-beom’s prominently visible Adam’s apple rippled. He wanted to strip off those clothes right then and lick the protruding wing bones and ankle bones with his tongue. He wanted to bite every inch of that body until tears flowed from the pain.
While the other two continued their excited chatter, Yeo Moon-beom gave an awkward smile and addressed Eun-hwi, who was eagerly awaiting only his opinion:
“You’re beautiful.”
So beautiful that I look forward to undressing you, layer by layer.
As he swallowed the words he couldn’t possibly say in front of others—
Vrrrr—
His pocket vibrated. It was a message from the weapons manufacturer.
“Sorry, Eun-hwi. Something urgent has come up that I need to handle, so I think I have to go back now.”
With the crucial moment just ahead, thorough preparation was the only way to survive. Yeo Moon-beom took a card from his wallet and extended it to Choi Eun-young.
“Auntie, we’ll be leaving with him wearing these, so please send all the other prepared clothes to Wooshin Hotel.”
At this sudden announcement, Eun-hwi, who had been gazing longingly at the remaining desserts on the tray, quietly tugged at his sleeve. Though he didn’t speak, he was obviously quite upset. Yeo Moon-beom stroked his cheek, where emotions were plainly visible, with his thumb.
“Eun-hwi. Can you wait for me?”
“Y-yes…”
“I’ll be back as soon as possible. Wait quietly like you did yesterday. I’ll have dinner and dessert sent up through the manager, so eat that.”
“…Okaaay.”
As soon as Eun-hwi finished answering, Yeo Moon-beom nodded to Choi Eun-young and Dr. Hong.
“I’ll be going first.”
“Y-yes. Take care on your way back, young master.”
“Take care, Eun-hwi.”
“Goodbye.”
After offering an awkward bow and leaving the room, Eun-hwi followed Yeo Moon-beom back down to the basement. The distinctive air of the quiet parking garage seemed to greet him, stinging his nose.
Despite having dined in a place overlooking the palace, tasting desserts as amazing as the “mysterious elixir,” and getting new clothes, somehow his heart felt empty.
The joy of seemingly having the world at his fingertips had cooled like a breeze that had lost its midday heat. Eun-hwi mumbled in a voice too quiet for anyone to hear:
“I wanted to wear these clothes and receive praise…”
Another night alone had arrived.
Seoul—not Hanyang—was a city filled with sweetness he’d never tasted before, yet somehow with a bitter aftertaste, a lonely city.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
