BANE

20

Today, the pub is extra busy since a medium-sized architecture company 3 blocks away have booked the full restaurant for their team dinner. Soo Ah herself is busy to decorate several props for the team dinner. They did not ask for it but since majority of the staff there are actually their regulars, she feels it is just right to show the appreciation by going extra miles with their dinner today.

When stream of people from the company came in and settled down, Soo Ah finally felt at ease and went to the kitchen. Her crews are serving the customers (especially the regulars) cheerfully as if welcoming them home. Laughter and cheers fill her pub and can be heard to the kitchen. She smiles blissfully. This moment is always very tender for her.

Usually, on busy night like this, Geun Won would prepare her a simple hot meal just in case she did not eat the whole day. The small smile drops as soon as it came. A pang of sadness came uninvited. How is he doing now?

"Sajangnim..." Soo Ah zapped from her melancholic thought when Myeong Do suddenly called her.

"Oh...Myeong Do ya... waegurae???" stuttered a bit, she asked the bright kid. But not long after, Myeong Do serves her a bowl of Kimchi Jjigae with a smile.

"Eh? Why?" puzzled, Soo Ah asked the boy. She finds it uncanny because she had just thought about it...and tadaaa! Here it is? What is this coincidence?

"Geun Won hyung taught me his family's Jjigae recipe. He told me to serve it for you on busy days, whenever I'm on night shift. Just in case if you've forgotten your meals for the whole day. I've seen you the whole day, Sajangnim. And you just had a light breakfast this morning. So, taraaa!"

"Oh..."touched, but she didn't know how to respond. Upon looking at Soo Ah's uncertainty, Myeong Do thrust the spoon to Soo Ah's hands. Truthfully, he knows these two people might have some unspeakable past, but he didn't dare try to pry on it. What he does know is, he actually felt Geun Won's sincerity towards Soo Ah. He is quite excited to know Soo Ah's reaction on his cooking as well, since Geun Won have poured in extra effort teaching him to make it exactly like the recipe. Geun Won hyung said, its very rare someone knows the full recipe of the Jang family like him.

By the first slurp of the soup, Soo Ah felt as if all her past days working at Jangga Co came pouring in. It has the exact same taste as the main chefs of Jangga Co pubs. But...still, something is amiss. The Jang family's recipe is being passed down only to the main chefs and it has been uniformed to give consistency. But, Geun Won's cooking is a little bit on the salty side that suits her taste.

"Sajangnim, how is it? Is it delicious? To your liking?" Myeong Do almost doing small jumps with his big bright eyes, can't wait for Soo Ah's feedback.

She smiles looking at that excited kid. If she has a family, she would love to imagine this is how her younger brother would be like.

"Ung...its delicious, Myeong Do-ya. You did great!" and pat his head.

Hearing this, Myeong Do cheers thunderously and puffed his chest. 'Hehehe...I can show it off to my mom that I can cook very well now.'

Soo Ah laughed at his comical reaction. When he left to help the other crews outside, Soo Ah stared at the Kimchi Jjigae. Again, the questions keep nagging in her head, "How is he doing now?" and "Where might he be, in that condition?"

Nevertheless, she finished the soup and entrust Yoon Ha to do the closing.

Right when her head reached the comfy pillow, Geun Won's smile flashed before her eyes. He looks so longingly as if waiting for her, like he always did. Somehow, a lone tear came out of her eyes. Surprised, she shoot up straight and touched her chest.