Episode 596
“Oh my, what should I do with these familiar faces!”
A nice Sunday afternoon.
“Come on, everyone, come on in! “I even closed the store today so I could treat you all!”
President Choi Jeong-man happily welcomed the survivors.
The survivors who had been called by his invitation were grateful for Choi Jeong-man’s hospitality, but for a moment, they each began to blink at the sight of something strange.
“Hey boss?”
“huh? Okay, okay, Jooyoung, just say what you say. “What do you need?”
“No, that’s not it….”
It was Woo Woo-young who held the gun.
“You’re carrying Minhong in the sack.”
President Choi Jeong-man was carrying Choi Min-hong in a swaddle similar to that of a newborn baby.
President Choi Jeong-man spoke steadfastly.
“It’s cute, right?”
“Ah yes. cute.”
“ha ha ha!”
Woo Joo-young amazingly captured the meaning behind the smile, telling her not to ask any more questions.
‘…Well, how bad must Minhong have felt while he was alone in the secret world.’
Even this time, Minhong Choi went out to play with a group of high school students and got eaten up by the underworld. I couldn’t help but think of President Choi Jeong-man, who must have been worried about how long Choi Min-hong, who was just a kindergartener, would be able to survive in a team without even a single adult.
“Minhong is already sleeping?”
“That’s right. “I told him not to sleep because there was a party later… but he fell asleep right away.”
“Minhong must have been having a hard time this time, so it would be better to just let him sleep. “Minhong looks very comfortable, probably because he’s like his dad. I really like his expression.”
“okay? is it?”
President Choi Jeong-man was very pleased with Woo Soo-young’s words. It was evident that he suffered from guilt after sending his son to the underworld alone. Woo Woo-young was secretly worried about Choi Jeong-man.
‘I shouldn’t have developed something like obsessive-compulsive disorder like that.’
Unlike Choi Min-hong, who was somehow twisted, his father, Choi Jeong-man, was an extremely normal person. Above all, he was a good adult who had great affection for his family, but since he was such a Choi Jeong-man, he must have been anxious about his situation and not a main member.
Choi Jeong-man could not unconditionally protect Choi Min-hong when his son was in danger of death. Woo Woo-young, who has no children, could not even imagine how a father would feel in a situation where his son could die at any time without his knowledge.
‘But you can’t always carry Minhong like that…’
Choi Jeong-man’s insistence on carrying Minhong Choi might be one of the expressions of such anxiety.
He had always been the person who allowed the children to roam freely, but now it felt like a kind of restraint. Even if the reason is for the safety of his son.
“Wow Minhong is so cute…! “Look at these cheeks.”
Woo Woo-young’s worries quickly melted away due to Kwon Yeon-hee’s fuss.
President Choi Jeong-man smiled cheerfully.
“The child is not a picky eater, so his face is very puffy.”
“Can I poke you in the cheek?”
“What if Minhong wakes up later? “I’m sleeping, so don’t wake me up.”
“Wow, yes.”
Kwon Yeon-hee quietly approached Woo Joo-young and asked.
“Team leader, team leader, have you seen Minhong’s baby cheek-like dumplings?”
“Oh… I see…”
“Why are you looking like that?”
“I felt fortunate to have Yeonhee on our team.”
A bright colleague who cuts through unnecessarily long thoughts is always welcome.
While some people gathered towards Choi Min-hong, Lee Jae-heon and some survivors gathered towards Jang Seo-ah.
As soon as Lee Jae-heon entered President Choi Jeong-man’s soup restaurant, he was holding Jang Seo-ah in his arms.
“Oh, okay. “Have you been well?”
“Hey….”
“Why is the kid like this? Don’t cry, don’t cry. “Your pretty face is hurt.”
“Hiiiiing….”
“Mister, you were wrong.”
Lee Jae-heon was doing his best to comfort Jang Seo-ah.
“The man just said. Meat patty….”
“Why are you saying that?”
“Meat ground in a blender….”
“Oh my gosh.”
“I was torn to pieces and just… evil….”
“They said I was wrong.”
Seo Jang-hwa said upon seeing that.
“It’s good to be self-employed.”
“Why on earth do our Janghwa students do this to me?”
“No… Of course, it’s true that I escaped thanks to you, but… honestly, it was a shock to me that you got crushed. “But what did the babies think of that?”
“So I did something wrong?”
“You said everything was wrong before, but now you’re suddenly like this…?”
However, Seo Jang-hwa did not get angry or sneer. Unlike her usual strong push, she pressed her lips a few times before sighing deeply and giving up.
“…Uncle, he didn’t do anything wrong.”
“That’s right. you’re good.”
“Okay, thank you. “Thanks to you, I didn’t fall behind.”
“Student Janghwa really knows how to use polite and kind words.”
“…Oh, I’m really upset.”
Seo Jang-hwa was so annoyed that he couldn’t make eye contact with Lee Jae-heon. It was proof that this trip to the aquarium had quite a shock to her.
Vivian, seeing Seo Jang-hwa like that, asked Jae-heon Lee.
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Then you don’t look okay?”
“It doesn’t seem like there are any particularly noticeable injuries, but I heard there was no such uproar in the underworld… and I thought it was definitely a strange situation for a kindergartener to say things like blenders and meat patties to people.”
“Hey, are you really going to do this to me?”
“I was just asking how you were.”
“I guess it was just a hello.”
Lee Jae-heon was able to gain freedom only after greeting Jang Seo-ah several times while holding her.
Hong Gyeong-jun, who was watching the two, asked Jeong In-ho next to him.
“I can’t see Ha Seong-yoon.”
“He said he couldn’t come today. “There are a lot of backlogged patients.”
“I don’t think Ha Seong-yoon is working alone at the hospital.”
“Anyway, you said you couldn’t come.”
Jeong In-ho shrugged his shoulders.
A situation where all the survivors have gathered together for the first time in a long time.
They talked with survivors who were curious about their current situation, and the atmosphere of the meeting became more friendly. The fact that the time taken to conquer the underworld this time was not that long also played a role.
“Let’s gather together! “The meat is all cooked!”
President Choi Jeong-man shouted in a loud voice and dragged a large roasted pork from the kitchen.
“This smells amazing!”
The first to react to that brilliant appearance were high school students with active metabolisms.
“Wow, the whole pig is crazy!”
“What the fuck is that stain?! “I love you, boss!”
“Choi! affection! only! Choi! affection! only!”
“Praise Him!”
It was a fuss that seemed to reach the sky, but Choi Jeong-man solemnly accepted the praise from the high school students. Choi Jeong-man nodded solemnly and began to cut the whole pig with a skillful knife.
The skin, which is baked as crispy as fried food, is peeled off and the back meat, which is soaked with the thick fat that has melted due to prolonged heat, is carefully prepared. Choi Jeong-man smiled with a cheerful face.
“Usually it’s better to eat this outside, but everyone is busy and I want to serve it myself. “I prepared this from start to finish, so everyone enjoy it, okay?”
“Boss, that shell!”
“In good conscience, we should all share the peel!”
“Wow… the smell really kills it…” As
those exclamations filled with soul and sincerity continued, Kim Ki-jeong showed an expression that he was already tired.
“I’m crazy.”
This is why I just wanted to stay in the hotel if possible, but I was worried about other survivors, so I couldn’t stop coming to see their faces…
Han Do-yoon, who was looking at Kim Ki-jeong, who was as limp as a soggy cabbage, with regret, placed a doll in his arms.
“??”
When Kim Ki-jeong turned around to ask what this big doll was, Han Do-yoon winked cheerfully.
Frown.
“It is said to be the mascot doll of owner Choi Jeong-man’s soup restaurant.”
“No, I know that, but why are you giving it to me?”
“Please do some healing….”
“Would you like to do it? “Do you want to do it?”
“blarney.”
While Han Do-yoon was being hit on the back with a soup restaurant mascot doll, there was a young man who opened the store door and came in.
“Am I late…? sorry!”
It was Park Min-jun, the possessor.
“I tried to come really quickly, but strangely the bus was blocked…!”
“Wow, it’s Minjun!”
“Minjun hyung, hi.”
Han Do-yoon and Seo Jang-hwa, who had already met Park Min-jun, welcomed him warmly.
The dinner table between Lee Jae-heon and Park Min-jun, where their secret conversation took place, was kept secret, so this was officially the first time Park Min-jun met the survivors in real life.
Park Min-jun entered the store, showing off the unique friendliness and politeness he had shown in the behind-the-scenes world.
“I’m really sorry. I’m not too late, am I? Please say no….”
“I was just about to start. Do not worry.”
Park Min-jun looked relieved at Kim Ki-jeong’s words, and the other survivors looked at him with sparkling eyes. Most of them were Kwon Yeon-hee and high school students who had not seen him.
“Mr. Park Min-jun…? Can I call you Minjun? How old are you?”
“Hyung, brother, do you live around here? Or did you live near the aquarium?”
“Oppa, how much is 3 hits? “Do you like your strength?”
Park Da-young stopped them.
“Please calm down.”
“Why?”
“It’s burdensome.”
“Hey.”
“I feel burdened.”
However, Park Min-jun also willingly accepted the approach of such survivors.
“Uh… you can call me whatever name you want.”
“Wow.”
“I’m 26 years old and I live near the aquarium. “I’m a little late because I have to cross a bridge, but… will you please take care of it?”
“So how many 3s do you hit?”
“I don’t know because I’ve never measured it.”
Lee Jae-heon, who was comforting Jang Seo-ah, thought to himself when he saw Park Min-jun like that.
‘Fox bastard.’
It was very natural for him to act coy, as if someone thought he was not a big chicken.
‘I know the real name of that guy…’
As for Park Min-jun, well, I can’t remember his actual original name, but Park Min-jun in his previous life was quite blunt.
Rather than the emotions themselves being blunt, the way they expressed them was evaluated as snappy, cold-hearted, and threatening.
Lee Jae-heon’s heart warmed at the sight of such a guy disguising himself as a harmless chick.
“Mister….”
“Oh, yes, yes.”
Poor bastard.
‘There’s no difference between him and me.’
It’s all because this world is so soft.
Although Lee Jae-heon grumbled inwardly, he felt reassured by Park Min-jun, who naturally infiltrated among the survivors. Since it was a new character, it would have been a pain in many ways if the existing characters were unfamiliar, but since they were acting as if they were originally a team, there was no discomfort.
Thinking like that, Lee Jae-heon gently touched Jang Seo-ah’s cheek.
“Jang Seo-ah, would you like the child to raise his head? “Your pretty face has become a dumpling.”
“It’s not a dumpling…”
“Man, that tone is a little scary. Seo-ah, are you angry?”
“I’m not angry….”
“Then Seo-ah, let’s eat some meat. “The owner made it really delicious, but it was a waste.”
“…Hiiiing….”
“The skin here is crispy and delicious. right?”
Jang Seo-ah pretended not to be able to help herself and put the shell in her mouth and soon slowly stopped crying.
“…sigh….”
“It’s delicious, right? “I heard it’s delicious.”
“Huh….”
“Shall I give you some more peel?”
It certainly seemed like delicious food was a quick fix for crying kids.
‘I think I know why you’re crying and clinging to me like this.’
It was probably because Lee Jae-heon, who returned to reality, did not come to pick up Jang Seo-ah.
While the other survivors were in the underworld, Lee Yun-byeol also did not go to Lee Jae-heon’s house. Not only was there no one at home to look after it, but Lee Jae-heon himself was in a disorganized state, so he just left it at CEO Jeong-man Choi’s house…
‘It must have been quite a wound.’
As expected, it was difficult for children to understand.
“What do you think about going to your house after we finish eating today?”
“…I like it.”
“Okay then, you have to eat well so you can sleep well at home.”
“Ugh….”
“Oh my, I’m eating well.”
Lee Jae-heon, who succeeded in soothing Jang Seo-ah, gave the child to Hong Gyeong-jun, who was sitting next to him. Hong Gyeong-jun, surprised by the sudden action, looked up at Lee Jae-heon with doubt.
Jaeheon Lee said with a tired face.
“restroom.”
“Ah yes.”
Hong Gyeong-jun must have thought that he couldn’t take the child to the bathroom, so he nodded obediently. Jang Seo-ah seemed a little dissatisfied with being separated from Lee Jae-heon, but like a child who can’t be forced, she accepted it.
Around the time Jaeheon Lee was away, a new person came to visit.
Jing…
“Over there.”
Surprisingly, it was Dr. Seo In-young.
“You said there was a meeting here…”
“―Ssaeaeaeam!!!”
“Surprise!!!”
By far, Kwon Yeon-hee greeted him most warmly.
“Sir, how are you?? Do you know how anxious I was when I didn’t get a reply on time? Were there any problems after going out into the secret world?? Are you feeling okay?? how have you been doing??”
“Yeo Yeonhee… just a moment.”
“Come inside now! “There’s no way I’m just hanging around a doorway somewhere!”
“Huh.”
Kwon Yeon-hee grabbed Seo In-young by the collar and dragged her into the store. As Kwon Yeon-hee treated her without hesitation, other survivors also accepted Dr. Seo In-young without any hesitation.
It was the so-called ‘friend of my friend’ power.
“Are you Seo In-young?”
“It’s nice to meet you. I never thought we’d have another doctor on the team…”
“I heard you treated Yeonhee every time she got hurt?”
In such a warm atmosphere.
“….”
Hong Gyeong-jun was the only one with a subtle expression.
‘…I feel something…’
Around the time his eyes were going back and forth between Park Min-jun and Seo In-young, Lee Jae-heon came out of the bathroom and returned to his seat, shaking off his wet hands. Lee Jae-heon, who wiped the moisture from his hands with a handkerchief, opened his mouth.
“What is it, someone else came again?”
“Ah, Manager. Don’t you remember? I’m the doctor who helped Yeonhee survive together last time…”
“My memories from that time are a bit sparse.”
“I see.”
“So, what kind of teacher is this again…”
Lee Jae-heon turned his gaze away from Hong Gyeong-jun and made eye contact with Seo In-young.
And Seo In-young confirmed Lee Jae-heon’s face.
“….”
“….”
The two remained silent for a long time.
Seo In-young was the first to open her mouth.
“…uh?”
Kwon Yeon-hee later testified that it was an example of a face that said, ‘Why are you coming out there?’
(Continued in the next part)
