Episode 401 Side Story 3 Red Lotus
Baek Woo-jin was sitting on the roof of a building, looking down at Gangnam Station.
‘Did I come too soon?’
Today is the first date since I started dating Jeok Yeon-hwa. Perhaps because I was a little nervous, I arrived much earlier than scheduled.
While I was enjoying the breeze on the rooftop for the rest of the day, a mysterious woman walked down the alley between the buildings.
‘You’re here.’
It was a red fire. She must have thought that it had come sooner than expected, so she checked the time on her smartphone and let out a small sigh.
“hmm?”
Baek Woo-jin narrowed his eyes. Jeok Yeon-hwa did not turn off her smartphone even after looking at the time. I turned on the camera app and was looking at my face here and there.
“not bad.”
Jeok Yeon-hwa spoke to herself as if she was whispering, but it sounded vivid to her.
After checking her face for a while, she also looked at the clothes she was wearing.
Looking at her white tee, pink tennis skirt, and gray shoes, she lightly dusted them off and smiled excitedly.
Then, turn on your smartphone again and check your face. Her hair, tied up in a ponytail, seemed to prick up like a cat’s ears.
“Phew.”
A smile spread across Baek Woo-jin’s lips.
cute. I don’t know if it was because she acknowledged her feelings or if she really felt that way, but Jeok Yeon-hwa just looked cute.
‘Let’s go now.’
I killed her presence and jumped down behind her.
“Huh.”
Jeok Yeon-hwa was applying tint to her lower lip without even knowing she was there.
“You came early.”
“Kyahak!”
It was only a light greeting, but Jeok Yeon-hwa jumped up and turned around like a startled rabbit.
“haha!”
Baek Woo-jin couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter. The tint went beyond Red Yeonhwa’s lips and up to her cheeks.
“Uh, when did you come?”
Her eyes spun like tops.
“just now.”
Saying that, he took out a handkerchief and wiped off the tint on her cheek.
“Ugh….”
Jeok Yeon-hwa lowered her red face like a mole and trembled her shoulders, probably because she was embarrassed.
“Why do you always approach me without a sound?…”
“Your reaction is funny.”
He smiled and put the handkerchief he had used to wipe her face in his pocket.
“I’ll wash it and give it back to you.”
“This much is okay.”
Baek Woo-jin waved his hand and looked at Jeok Yeon-hwa’s face as she slightly raised her head.
“Hey, you look pretty today. “I understand why you kept looking at the camera.”
“Yes? “My makeup went well today… hmm?”
Jeok Yeon-hwa, who was answering while twisting her body, frowned.
“wait for a sec! “You said you just came to me!”
“Aww…”
Baek Woo-jin pursed his lips and scratched the back of his head.
“This person is real! “Since when have I been seeing you!”
“From the time you turned on the camera app.”
“It’s from the beginning!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa raised her fist like a poisoned cat. It was as if he was about to punch out at any moment.
“Why didn’t you come right away…”
“I’m sorry. “It was so cute I couldn’t help but look at it.”
Baek Woo-jin kept his smile and put his hands together.
“…It’s really shameful.”
Jeok Yeon-hwa’s neck fluttered when she heard that she was cute. She lowered her head again, cupping her cheek.
“let’s go.”
“Ugh!”
Baek Woo-jin took Jeok Yeon-hwa’s hand as if passing by. Her hands trembled as if they had been electrocuted.
“I made a reservation at a really nice restaurant.”
**
For the first time, Jeok Yeon-hwa felt that her heart was pounding.
‘Ugh!’
The warmth coming from Baek Woo-jin’s hand makes me dizzy. I don’t know where I’m going or what I’m doing.
I was just embarrassed by the sweat dripping from my hands and hoped that this extreme shaking would end quickly.
“arrived.”
“Whoop!”
When I heard that they had arrived, I swallowed the saliva that had accumulated in my mouth. I took a deep breath, thinking that the tension in the restaurant and all was over.
“is it so?”
As if nothing had happened, he let go of Baek Woo-jin’s hand and stroked the side of his head. As expected, I was full of sweat.
“Hmm.”
Baek Woo-jin was just smiling lightly, as if he knew everything that was going on in his mind.
“uh?”
Jeok Yeon-hwa raised her head and looked at the restaurant sign, as if avoiding his gaze. And then he opened his mouth wide.
“Gu Gukbap?”
The restaurant that Baek Woo-jin brought to was not a restaurant or a buffet sushi restaurant, but a sundae soup restaurant called Shinsu Gukbap.
“This is a famous soup restaurant.”
Baek Woo-jin pointed to the sign and quenched his appetite.
‘I know. There’s no way you wouldn’t know.’
Shinsu Gukbap is the most famous restaurant in Korea for its Sundae Gukbap. I visited a few times with my brother, but it was always full so I didn’t have a chance to taste it.
‘But you made a reservation?’
Shinsoo Gukbap does not take reservations.
It opened in the morning and only accepted customers for the day. I don’t know how you made the reservation.
“Why do you hate soup?”
“Oh no. are you okay.”
In fact, it’s not okay, it’s life or death. My dad told me to hide my love for soup because of my image, so I didn’t tell him.
‘hmm?’
Jeok Yeon-hwa looked inside the soup restaurant and tilted her head. Shinsu Gukbap, which was always bustling with people, was empty.
“I really made a reservation? “Can I come in?”
“It’s open for business.”
Baek Woo-jin pointed to the OPEN sign hanging in front of the door and entered the store.
“welcome!”
“I made a reservation for Baek Woo-jin.”
“Ah yes! Come over here.”
I was shown to my seat by a waiter and looked at the menu.
‘Actually, I don’t need to see it.’
The only menu here is sundae and sundae soup. The only difference is whether it is basic or special.
“I want special sundae soup!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa called out for special sundae soup in an expectant voice.
“You have a lot of passion for soup.”
“That’s not it…”
“Give me the same thing and give me two servings of sundae.”
“All right.”
The waiter smiled and headed to the kitchen. She immediately brought soup and sundae, just as she had prepared in advance.
“Oh…”
I started to salivate when I saw the steaming white soup.
“Try it before it gets cold. Like I said, it’s a famous place, so it’ll be delicious.”
“It’s very famous. In particular, the taste of sundae and deep soup are said to be the best in the country….”
“You seem to know it well?”
“Just the basics…”
Jeok Yeon-hwa sighed and turned her attention to the soup. I lifted the spoon and scooped up the hot soup and put it into my mouth.
“Hook!”
As the rich soup soaked my tongue, I let out an exclamation of exclamation without realizing it. The savory taste of the soup, which is said to be the best in the country, spread throughout my mouth.
“It’s really delicious! “Try it!”
Baek Woo-jin smiled slightly and lifted his spoon. As he was about to make the soup, the floor trembled slightly and a small earth spirit jumped out.
[Crying.]
The puppy-sized earth spirit rubbed his head against his leg and made a sad expression.
“You’re an earth spirit, right? Why is he suddenly…”
“Chrome likes soup.” “I’m glad there are no other customers.”
He even ordered soup for Chrome. The waiter was not embarrassed and served Chrome a bowl of soup.
“It’s a spirit that likes soup…”
Since I was with Baek Woo-jin, I wasn’t surprised that the spirit liked soup and rice.
[Crung! Cry!]
When I saw the spirit eating soup with its head in an earthen pot, my appetite whetted. I thought I understood why people watch mukbangs.
“Sigh!”
Like a spirit, Jeok Yeon-hwa stuck her head in the earthen pot and inhaled the soup.
“Kyaaa!”
As I picked up the earthen pot and drank all the remaining soup, a feeling of satisfaction filled my whole body. My stomach was so strong that I felt like I could chew through a dungeon right now.
“Ugh!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa, who was laughing, trembled in shock. Baek Woo-jin and Jeong-ryeong were looking at themselves blankly, putting down their spoons.
‘Did you eat too much?’
My face got hot because I felt like I had been drinking soup instead of eating it.
“Hmm….”
“It must have been really delicious.”
Baek Woo-jin smiled while rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand.
“Well, okay.”
I felt the greatest satisfaction and satiety ever, but I hid my feelings and tapped my mouth.
“Then that’s it.”
Baek Woo-jin smiled and stood up. After getting coffee from the vending machine and bringing it to the table, I finished paying and went out of the store first.
“What do you know? right?”
Jeok Yeon-hwa saw Chrome lying on the floor holding a paper cup filled with mixed coffee.
[Crunch.]
Chrome nodded and finished what little soup was left.
“how is it? “Isn’t it delicious?”
[Kao.]
“So the soup melts your tongue! “I must definitely visit this place again.”
Jeok Yeon-hwa left the store after having a constructive discussion about chrome and soup.
“Since I ate, shall we take a walk?”
“I like it… no, I like it!”
He nodded, changing the protruding belt.
‘I really can’t get used to it.’
After realizing that I fell in love with Baek Woo-jin, I was happy but also difficult. I love being together, but I’m so nervous.
‘That’s why I said it would be difficult if I liked it more.’
Jang A-young said that when it comes to dating, the person who likes it more is bound to suffer the loss, and now I understand what she said.
Unlike himself, who was trembling as if he were fighting a battle at every moment, Baek Woo-jin was always so relaxed that he found it ironic.
“Is there anything else you like besides soup?”
“I don’t just like old soup. They say they eat all the other foods too…”
“Really? “What about bone haejangguk?”
“I like that too.”
“What about seonjit soup?”
“That too…”
“Then beef head soup…”
“I don’t just like soup!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa and Baek Woo-jin had a light conversation and headed to the movie theater three stops away.
‘There aren’t many people.’
Although it wasn’t as empty as the soup restaurant, the movie theater was also quite quiet. To the point where I was worried about whether or not it would be in business.
‘uh?’
Jeok Yeon-hwa’s eyes widened as she looked at the screening schedule. A movie I really wanted to see but missed while training was being re-released.
‘I can’t believe this work has been re-released…’
It’s an animation rather than a movie. It was his favorite work, about a mole and a penguin traveling.
‘But you won’t watch this….’
There are action or comic movies that Baek Woo-jin would like, but there is no way he would choose an animation like this.
I checked the re-opening date to see it on my own later, but it wasn’t written down.
“Why is the date…”
“Let’s go in.”
Baek Woo-jin pointed to the elevator going up to the theater, as if he had already decided on the movie.
“I will produce the movie!”
“I already took the tickets.”
“What kind of spirit is this?”
“Go and see.”
He said that and got into the elevator. When I got off the 7th floor and entered the theater, there was an advertisement playing and there was no one there.
“There are plenty of seats.”
Baek Woo-jin seemed to be in a good mood and moved to the center seat with a brisk walk.
“Hmm…”
Jeok Yeon-hwa sat next to Baek Woo-jin, worrying needlessly about whether business would go well.
‘I’m nervous…’
Unlike the soup restaurant, there aren’t even any employees in sight, so it feels like we’re alone in the world.
I couldn’t even hear the loud advertising sound. I feel like I can hear my heartbeat.
Boom!
Finally, the commercial ended and the movie started playing.
“Uh…”
Jeok Yeon-hwa stuck out her face. The animation I really wanted to see was playing on the screen.
I turned my head and looked at Baek Woo-jin. He said nothing and focused on the movie starting.
[hey! Duram!]
“Hmm….”
Although I thought it was strange, I turned my head to the screen when I heard the penguin’s cute voice.
That’s how Jeok Yeon-hwa fell into the movie.
**
While the penguin and the mole were dancing on the screen, Baek Woo-jin turned his head and saw Jeok Yeon-hwa.
“Oh oh!”
She was immersed in the movie with sparkling eyes.
‘It was real.’
When Jeok Yeon-hwa was lying down, I asked Jeok Gyeong-hoon and Jeok Wi-jin a few questions.
When do you like to meet up the most? Do you prefer Saturday or Sunday? What do you like to eat or watch movies? What are your hobbies?
‘It was unexpected.’
Surprisingly, it was not Jeok Gyeong-hoon, but Jeok Wi-jin who actively told Jeok Yeon-hwa about her favorite food and movie character hobbies.
Thanks to that, I was able to rent an entire famous soup restaurant and even prepare for the re-release of the animation that Jeok Yeon-hwa had missed. Of course, it took a lot of time and money.
‘It’s okay.’
I didn’t like the animation, but it wasn’t bad because there was Jeok Yeon-hwa next to me.
No, it was actually fun. To be honest, it was much better than watching darkness and drama.
‘After all, who is next to you is important.’
Baek Woo-jin gained an epiphany in life and turned from the screen to red-faced painting.
**
Today was a fun yet tiring day for Jeok Yeon-hwa.
‘I went everywhere I wanted to go.’
A restaurant you want to go to, a movie you want to see, an escape room cafe that is known for being difficult, and even a concert-style karaoke room.
I enjoyed everything I wanted to enjoy, but the tension couldn’t go away because of the man next to me.
‘But…’
Because Baek Woo-jin was by my side, I may have been more happy and happy because he made these preparations.
‘But I’m still tired.’
Because the tension and relaxation were repeated throughout the day, my body felt limp as if I had been practicing all week.
While he was trudging along, Baek Woo-jin’s steps stopped.
“Shall we take a break?”
He pointed to the side with his head. And there…
‘Ho Hotel!’
There was a luxury hotel sparkling with gold.
‘Now wait a minute! Are you going to the hotel already?’
Even in Jang A-young’s guide, there was no route to the hotel today.
‘And today’s underwear…’
I paid attention to my outerwear, but my underwear was just ordinary. No, more importantly, the top and bottom did not match. I couldn’t show you what it looked like.
“Now wait a minute…”
I tried to stop Baek Woo-jin, but he had already entered the hotel.
‘Are you trying to use the wish rights you mentioned back then?’
I remembered what Baek Woo-jin had told me at the hospital to look forward to using the wish ticket because it would be very useful.
“profit!”
I calmed my heart, which was pounding as if it was going to explode, and followed Baek Woo-jin.
‘Hmph.’
My throat was dry, as if I had fallen into a desert from stress.
However, Baek Woo-jin did not go to the hotel front desk, but to the elevator dedicated to the cocktail bar located on the top floor.
“Ugh…”
At that moment, I felt so relaxed that I almost collapsed. I thought it was a very sudden development, but it was as expected.
‘Still…’
I rode the elevator with Baek Woo-jin, vowing to myself that I would definitely match my underwear from now on.
“What were you thinking that made your face so red?”
“Turn it off!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa hurriedly cupped her cheek and turned around. My own red-hot face was reflected through the glass window overlooking the night view.
“Oh, it’s a place, so it’s easy to be mistaken. If you want, you can…”
“No!”
I screamed loudly. But the shame and heat on my face did not cool down.
Ding!
Then, like salvation, the elevator arrived at the top floor and the door opened.
“Let’s go in.”
Baek Woo-jin entered the cocktail bar with a leisurely smile. Since there was no one there, he sat by the central window.
“Is there anything you want to order?”
“For me, mojito.”
It was a cocktail I had always wanted to try because it had a pretty name.
He ordered a mojito and a gin and tonic. Here too, the cocktails came out not long after the order was placed.
The color of the mojito with thinly sliced lime and apple mint was more transparent than expected.
“Cheers?”
“Ah yes. “No, yes!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa nodded and gently clinked the mojito glass against Baek Woo-jin’s glass.
“Wow…”
As I took a bite of the mojito, the lime and mint flavors came together and a sweet yet bitter taste enveloped my tongue.
“how is it?”
“it is delicious!”
I would have gotten sick of it right away if it had been sweet, but the bitterness lingered at the end, making it so strangely addictive that I couldn’t help but drink it again.
“John Dae again? “You’ll never be able to fix that.”
“Ugh! no it’s not!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa chatted with Baek Woo-jin, speaking both politely and informally, and drank a cocktail.
The cocktails were refreshing, the chairs were as cozy as the bed, and the night view through the window was beautiful beyond splendor.
There wasn’t anything I didn’t enjoy, but the best was Baek Woo-jin. I was so happy just to be with him at this moment.
widely.
Baek Woo-jin emptied his gin and tonic and looked at himself.
“There’s alcohol involved, so let’s get to the point.”
“What’s the point? “What’s the point?”
“I told you. “I will definitely use my right to wish.”
His eyes glowed blue as if he was facing an enemy.
Wow!
Jeok Yeon-hwa’s hands were shaking and she roughly put down the glass containing the mojito.
“I don’t mind what I do?”
I crossed my arms, pretending to be relaxed.
‘damn! Why today!’
The fingers hidden under my armpits trembled. The only thing that came to mind was mismatched underwear.
“okay?”
Baek Woo-jin smiled and put his hand in his arms. Although he was nervous, he was holding a small box in his hand.
“What’s this?”
He laughed without answering. I took the box held out and opened it.
“Ah…”
There was a ring inside it. A beautiful ring that contains five brilliant colors within an octagonal gem.
“ring?”
“today.”
Baek Woo-jin looked into his eyes and opened his mouth.
“I got to know you better as we ate together, watched movies, drank coffee, and walked down the street together.”
For the first time, I felt nervous and nervous at the sound of his relaxed voice.
“Eating with you was more delicious and watching movies with you was more fun. “Just walking with you made me feel excited.”
He grinned. That smile contained a vivid emotion.
“So I knew for sure. “I love you.”
“uh? “Huh?”
I never imagined that Baek Woo-jin, who only chose obnoxious things, would confess so honestly. My eyes rolled around at the embarrassing situation.
“I will protect you.”
Baek Woo-jin said those words and took out a ring from the box.
“You protect me. “I want to be with you for the rest of my life.”
“Ah…”
The words that reached my heart seemed to melt my heart. My head was pounding and my breathing became difficult.
“If you don’t want to accept it, avoid it.”
Baek Woo-jin gently grabbed his left hand. I slowly brought the ring I had taken out with my finger.
‘Avoid?’
Now that we have finally confirmed our feelings for each other, there is no way to avoid it.
“Sigh!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa put her finger directly into the ring that Baek Woo-jin brought.
“Ah…”
The moment I put the ring on, my mind felt as if the alcohol had evaporated, and my body felt refreshed as if I had woken up from a good night’s sleep. It seemed like he also had special powers in the ring.
“Haa…”
Baek Woo-jin leaned back on his chair and sighed as if he were tired.
“Are you nervous?”
“I’m human too, wouldn’t I do it? “It was harder than when I fought Cheonma.”
He shook his head with a relaxed expression.
“Hehe.”
Jeok Yeon-hwa smiled excitedly and looked at Baek Woo-jin and the ring on his hand alternately.
“But isn’t it too quick to propose on the first date after dating?”
“I couldn’t wait to stay with you.”
“Ah…”
It seemed as if the echo of the words that I wanted to be together reached my soul.
“That ring.”
Baek Woo-jin pointed to the ring on his finger.
“This is a ring that contains my journey.”
“The journey?”
“From the vine mole dungeon with you to my father, Beelzebub, and the Heavenly Demon.”
He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and continued.
“I put everything I gained along that path into that ring. “To show you that the end of my journey is you.”
“Ah…”
I looked at the ring again. As he said, I felt so many things in the ring.
And at the end, I felt a scent. His sweet yet warm scent.
With my eyes closed, I felt the energy of the ring for a long time.
“Thank you very much.”
“Then shall we go?”
“yes? “Where?”
“hotel. “I made a reservation here too.”
Baek Woo-jin stood up with a grin.
“I don’t mind being here?”
Jeok Yeon-hwa slowly stood up. Now that you’ve received a marriage proposal, it’s time to make your move.
chin.
He climbed up on the table and grabbed Baek Woo-jin by the collar. I pretended to be calm, but my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my mouth.
Forcibly holding back his trembling hands, he brought Baek Woojin’s face closer and pressed his lips to his. Very roughly, like a sword and a fist clashing.
His thick breath made me feel like I was going out of my mind. When I tried to move my lips, feeling that ecstasy.
“evil!”
Jeok Yeon-hwa stepped back, shedding tears.
“Ugh!”
I was so nervous by now that my parched lips were torn and bleeding.
“Ha ha ha ha ha!”
Baek Woo-jin burst into cheerful laughter as he saw Jeok Yeon-hwa’s appearance.
“I guess you shouldn’t be serious.”
“Ah really!”
