LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 6
Chapter 6 – Park Da-Hye (4)
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“Meat?”
“Beef, the best cuts, until you’re bursting. Don’t feel pressured, it’s on the company card.”
I showed her the company card, and a rainbow appeared on Park Da-Hye’s face.
How should I describe it? Like the expression villagers make in Animal Crossing when you give them a present.
Seeing her so happy made me feel good about asking.
Thinking rationally, I shouldn’t have.
Sigh…
I had just shattered the most precious part of my daily life.
Dragging KimPokDaughter out of Billion Saga.
“Whoa… But what should I do? I really want to eat, but I can’t.”
“I’m getting rejected a lot today.”
“I’m sorry. I have a game appointment with a friend. I want to log in before 3 o’clock.”
“With that KwonSungHyeonFighter?”
“Yes!”
What a joke.
Getting turned down because of myself? I couldn’t stand the jealousy.
I’ll break that appointment.
“What if the appointment falls through?”
“Huh?”
“Just hypothetically. If your appointment with him is canceled, would you go eat meat?”
“Of course! Ah, it’s not that I didn’t want to go…”
“Then let’s do this. While I’m in the restroom, if your appointment is canceled, we’ll go eat meat. Otherwise, enjoy your game.”
“Heehee, what’s this? There’s no way an appointment will be canceled in just a few minutes.”
“Just a thought.”
“I’m fine with it! Although that won’t happen.”
You’re wrong, my naive friend.
Everything will go according to my plan.
As soon as I left the room, I opened Billion Saga’s in-game messenger.
And activated the deception tactic.
[Me: PokDaughter ㅠㅠㅠㅠ I think I’ll be late today, sorry ㅠ]
I cast the bait.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.
*Ding!*
[You have received a message.]
And you took the bait.
[KimPokDaughter: Whoa. No way.]
[Me: What?]
[KimPokDaughter: Someone just offered to buy me meat, but I turned them down to play with you lololololol Yay, I’m going to eat meat!!! Beef!!]
[Me: Score. Get them to buy you 10 servings.]
[KimPokDaughter: lol I don’t know them that well. I’ll try for 2 servings!]
[Me: Go for it! And get some naengmyeon too!]
[KimPokDaughter: Okay! Naengmyeon too! It’s been so long since I had meat!!]
The guy buying meat tells the guy getting free meat to rip off the guy offering to buy meat, but actually, the guy telling the guy getting free meat to rip off the guy offering to buy meat is the guy buying meat.
This is kinda fun.
After a quick trip to the restroom, I returned to the room to find Park Da-Hye with an even more amusing expression.
The “Ding! How did you guess!” expression.
She’s pretty, but she can’t hide her expressions, and her reactions are so exaggerated, it makes me want to tease her even more.
“Park Da-Hye. Is that the expression of someone whose appointment was just canceled and is excited about eating meat?”
Even though I’m already teasing her mercilessly.
“Wow… what is this.”
“Did I guess right?”
“Yes. My appointment was just canceled, and I’m excited, too. Wow. How did you know?”
“I told you, I have superpowers. Let’s go. I know a good restaurant nearby.”
“Since you’re saying that, Assistant Manager, I bet that place is really delicious.”
“Of course. You’ll probably end up eating 10 servings instead of just 2.”
“Huh!?”
Since she’s taking it so well, I should tease her a little more.
“They have good naengmyeon there, too.”
“Whoa.”
**
*Sizzle!*
Pieces of meat were placed on the grill one after another.
It was only 3 p.m., but the restaurant was already bustling.
The clinking of glasses,
Toasts that trigger my PTSD just by hearing them,
The incessant ringing of the service bell.
I thought it would be less crowded at this hour, but maybe because it’s spring, there were already many groups having company dinners.
The restaurant was full of dreary-looking men in suits, with Park Da-Hye being the only one in casual clothes.
Maybe I chose the wrong place.
She can’t even order at a cafe, would she be uncomfortable in a place like this?
I looked up to check her expression, and…
At that moment, Park Da-Hye’s face suddenly came closer.
Whoa there.
“I’ve never been to a place like this before. There are so many people!”
Scratch that. I think I chose the right place.
Her face was full of anticipation.
“Right? I came here with my colleagues last time, and it was delicious. They say it’s a popular place on NewTube.”
“My expectations are already maxed out. Now I’m even more excited… I’m drooling.”
Is that so? Then dig in.
I placed the first cooked piece of meat on her plate.
“Here you go, Park Da-Hye.”
“Thank you!”
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the meat.
It must be an overwhelmingly stimulating moment for a convenience store VIP.
Park Da-Hye grabbed a large amount of sauce-soaked onions and meat and stuffed it all in her mouth at once.
So bold.
That’s KimPokDaughter for you.
*Munch, munch.*
Chewing enthusiastically.
And then…
It’s coming…
Here it is! That reaction!
Furrowing her brows, slowly shaking her head…
And cue the sound effect!
“Mmm~!!”
Yes, that’s the reaction!
Her eye smile and cheerful voice warmed my heart.
I think I’ve become a fan of Park Da-Hye’s mukbang.
But this reaction was a little loud, and the restaurant suddenly fell silent.
All eyes were on Park Da-Hye.
“Huh? Uh…?”
Then, laughter erupted from here and there.
I could feel my face burning.
“Oh, I’m sorry. It was so delicious, I couldn’t help myself…”
“Don’t worry, it’s because you’re cute, Da-Hye.”
“Huh?!”
“Isn’t it cute when kids eat with gusto? It’s like that.”
“Um… I’m not a kid.”
“After seeing only ajummas and ajeossis at the company all the time, someone like you looks like a baby. Well, relatively speaking. It’s because we’re old.”
“I see…”
Her face turned bright red again.
But as soon as I put another piece of meat on her plate, the embarrassed expression vanished, replaced by the face of the happiest girl in the world.
Her mood swings are like Udyr’s.
Based on my observations so far, Park Da-Hye seems to be an incredibly honest person.
She can’t hide her expressions, and she says what she wants directly.
I deviously tested her by acting as both KwonSungHyeonFighter and Assistant Manager Kwon, but she didn’t lie about anything.
She didn’t speak ill of either of us.
On the other hand, she’s firm about what she dislikes.
This is evident from her rejection of the contract and her reluctance to order at the cafe.
And her extremely meat-centric lunchbox preference.
KimPokDaughter in Billion Saga was like that, but… Park Da-Hye in real life is also…
A straightforward person.
The heartwarming feeling I get whenever I see her is probably…
Not just because she’s young, but because I can’t detect a single ounce of darkness in her.
It’s amazing what you see in life.
There are people like this in the world.
For the record, I’m 29 years old.
It’s not that old, but when it comes to relationships, my soul has been over sixty for a long time.
“Assistant Manager! It’s so delicious, I’ll grill now, so you should eat too!”
“I’m eating. Don’t worry about me and eat a lot. Ah, should we order naengmyeon?”
“Wow, you read my mind again. I was really craving naengmyeon. Please order it!”
She’s such a joy to treat.
Even if it’s not my money.
If I could, I’d take her out every weekend and feed her all sorts of things.
**
I wanted her to reach 10 servings, but Park Da-Hye tapped out after just 3.
But well, with that satisfied expression, I’ll let it slide.
Seeing her face healed the heartache I felt from seeing her residence.
At least she’ll be able to sleep with a full stomach tonight.
“Assistant Manager.”
“Yes, Park Da-Hye.”
“You know, it’s been a really long time since I’ve had meat. The last time I was at a barbecue restaurant… hmm, it’s been about four years? Thanks to you, I really enjoyed my meal.”
“Four years? Do you not like meat?”
“No! I love it, but I haven’t had many opportunities to go to barbecue restaurants. I grew up in an orphanage, so I haven’t eaten out much.”
An orphanage… that’s the same as the orphanages I know, right?
She doesn’t have parents.
Another piece of information about KimPokDaughter I didn’t know for eight years.
But to talk about something like that with such a cheerful expression…
Her personality is so different from mine.
I recently saw a news report about orphanages receiving 5 million won for independent living expenses.
Just 5 million won.
A ridiculously small amount for a twenty-year-old to live on alone.
To be thrown into society as soon as you become an adult, without parents, with only 5 million won…
When I became independent, I was still in college, and because I had parents, I knew how to get a loan.
But Park Da-Hye…
She’s completely alone, with no one to rely on.
Perhaps she’s living a much harder life than I did.
“I see. You must have left the orphanage recently?”
“It’s been three months. Since becoming independent, there are so many expenses that I haven’t had many chances to eat out.”
“That makes sense. Paying your living expenses by selling gold, eating out must be a burden.”
“Exactly! Just the rent alone is suffocating. If it weren’t for that, I would have practiced drawing more, and why is food so expensive…”
“Huh? But… did I tell you that I sell gold?”
* * *
—–CROW—–
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