There are Many Flowers in Seoul

Chapter Twenty-Five

Myeongdong market was one of Seoul's premier night markets. While they were primarily a shopping destination – offering clothes, accessories, and everything else a person who preferred to shop under cover of dark could want – they also lined up to offer out Korean treats to anyone who needed to refuel between stalls and stores. Squashed into one another's sides as they navigated the crowded street, Rose trusted Tae-won to read the signage on each stall and to guide her to foods that she might not otherwise try. She was glad that he started with something that was universally enjoyed – a dish it was almost impossible to get wrong – which was ice cream.

The ice cream in question was so tall that it defied gravity, and the two flavours – blueberry and matcha for Rose – rippled up either side of the tower of sugar and cream. It was also something they could eat one-handed which was just as well, because Tae-won still hadn't released her.

'So good,' Rose enthused around a mouthful of dessert, loving the way the cold tingled her teeth and melted on her tongue. 'I could eat this every day.'

'You'd be fat,' he replied.

'I don't care,' Rose said. 'If I get to eat this, I don't care.'

It was worth mentioning that Tae-won was paying to feed her. If she was going to be kidnapped from a bar and forced into a date, then Rose wasn't about to spend her own money on it. Besides, she'd not had a chance to take out any cash before their departure, so all she had was a credit card. The vendors much preferred to be paid with notes, and that left Tae-won to foot the bill. He hadn't complained about the fact, so Rose could only conclude that he didn't mind even if his eyes had pinched when she'd told the ice cream stall owner that she had no money.

'This isn't traditional,' he said. 'It's not even Korean, really.'

'Then why buy it? Do you have a secret sweet tooth?' she asked. Colour brushed Tae-won's cheeks and Rose realised she'd hit the nail on the head. 'No! You? You, the miserable idol weird pervert of South Korea? You have a sweet tooth?'

'Shh,' he hushed. 'Don't use that word!'

'Pervert?'

Tae-won sighed, 'You're a kid.'

'Better than a weird pervert.'

Delicious as the ice cream was, Tae-won was determined that Rose have something that was the epitome of street food; odeng. A fish cake on a stick, it was a flat piece that was folded over itself like a concertina, skewered, and cooked and served in a spicy sauce. Unwilling to share her spoils, Tae-won bought them one each, and the pair stood off to the side to enjoy it while other customers clamoured to order their own.

'This looks –'

'Just try it,' Tae-won said impatiently.

Fish was a diet staple in Japan, but with her mixed heritage, Rose enjoyed more poultry and meat in her diet than fish. Still, she didn't expect she'd ever return to Korea after her one visit, and she did want to see what the country had to offer. Without any expectation, she bit into the meaty snack and was instantly taken aback by the spice which hit the back of her throat, making her eyes water.

'Oh my God,' she breathed. 'Oh my God, it's so hot! Why is it so hot?'

Tae-won chuckled. 'Ah, not good with spice, Japan?'

'Slow burn, not instant fire,' Rose replied. 'Is it meant to be like that?'

'Aish, if you can't eat it, I'll have it.'

'No,' she complained. 'I'm hungry!'

'I'll buy you something else.'

'I'll eat it,' Rose said stubbornly. 'I don't care if my tongue falls out, I'll eat it.'