Episode 25
"...Huh?"
Baek Eun looked back and forth between the dish she made and the tomatoes and potatoes.
Come to think of it, the quest mentioned that new effects might appear.
"Potatoes make the heart strong and tomatoes make skin better...."
Could this be a combination of those two?
Item Description
Name: So-so Edible Tomato Potato Gratin
Grade: D
Description: A dish born from high-quality ingredients meeting low-quality cooking skills. When consumed, 0.5% of waste products in blood vessels are removed.
Wow. They want me to get 100 people to recognize a dish with this effect?
Are you crazy? This is practically asking me to reveal my identity?
And besides....
'The detailed description is kind of annoying.'
Low-quality cooking skills. I worked so hard cooking.
With a sulky face, Baek Eun sullenly raised her spoon again.
***
Baek Eun prepared to go out, patting her belly enriched with tomato potato gratin.
After finishing preparations in a rush, she received a text from Lee Dojae saying he had arrived.
- I'm in front of your house. Take your time coming out.
Smiling at the text, Baek Eun put on her jacket and left the house.
It was September so the weather was cool and her stomach was full, so Baek Eun was in a rare state of relaxation.
"You came out quickly."
"I'm the type to keep appointments on time."
When Baek Eun spoke coolly, Lee Dojae laughed, haha.
He opened the passenger door for her to sit, then got in the car.
Entering the narrow space, she seemed to sense his body scent.
While Baek Eun fidgeted with her fingers awkwardly, Lee Dojae opened his mouth.
"I'm asking just in case, have you had dinner?"
"Yes, I've eaten. You haven't yet, Professor?"
Lee Dojae seemed slightly flustered.
He must have made a restaurant reservation like last time.
With an awkward smile, Lee Dojae quickly composed his expression and spoke.
"It can't be helped then. Since dinner is done, how about coffee...."
"Yes. Coffee is fine. Rather, what about your sibling? Is he still in the hospital?"
At Baek Eun's question, Lee Dojae didn't answer and quietly gazed at her.
A gaze with unreadable thoughts. He touched his chin slightly and laughed low.
"It seems Miss Baek Eun has a lot of interest in my sibling."
Of course I'm interested.
Since Lee Eunjae appeared in the fragment.
'It seems he has some important secret anyway.'
Baek Eun roughly nodded.
"Well, something like that."
After a brief silence, Lee Dojae answered.
"My sibling has been discharged. Because he ate the potatoes you gave him and got better."
"That's a relief. I was asking because I thought it was time to supply more potatoes. Then where is he staying now?"
"Until he finds a place, he'll stay at my house for the time being."
"That's good. Then let's go to the professor's house."
Actually, Baek Eun hadn't planned to see Lee Eunjae today. She just needed to deliver potatoes to Lee Dojae.
But her thoughts changed immediately when the quest appeared.
'For now, those two know my secret.'
Thinking about filling 100 people without revealing her secret seemed daunting, but she planned to do what she could. So Baek Eun decided to cook for the two of them today.
"My house? Are you doing this because you want to see Eunjae?"
At Lee Dojae's emotionless question, Baek Eun shook her head.
"No. You said you haven't had dinner yet, Professor. I'll cook for you."
Lee Dojae's expression became strange.
"You don't have to go through the trouble.... Why go through such effort."
"It's for a quest. I'd appreciate it if you enjoy it deliciously."
Lee Dojae felt momentarily caught off guard.
He briefly ran his hand over his face, then soon began laughing pleasantly.
His refreshing laughter filled the narrow car.
'What's so funny.'
"Very well. I'm looking forward to your cooking."
With those words, Lee Dojae drove toward their destination.
***
Lee Dojae's house was in a high-end villa complex in Cheongdam-dong.
Among them, Hexville, the most luxurious villa that only top-tier awakeners could enter.
As expected, the exterior looked very luxurious from the outside.
He used an entire floor of Hexville, and Baek Eun was slightly intimidated by the fact that he had such wealth.
"But why did you buy an entire floor?"
Baek Eun asked inside the elevator going up to the house.
"It's bothersome having people nearby."
At his languid smiling answer, Baek Eun understood.
It was a very characteristic reason for him.
The interior of the house, opened with a security key, was brightly lit.
Baek Eun thought that even the house resembled its owner, with its charcoal gray tone interior and cold marble texture.
Then a familiar voice was heard.
"Hyung, you're back? You said you're meeting Miss Eun today...."
Lee Eunjae, who was reading a book on the living room sofa while yawning, turned his head.
He spotted Baek Eun standing beside Lee Dojae, his eyes widened, and he ran over.
"What brings Miss Eun here?"
"We meet again. Have you been well?"
His rushing out like a house-guarding puppy made her laugh.
Lee Dojae also showed a helpless smile.
"I'll go change, so make yourself comfortable."
After Lee Dojae disappeared, Lee Eunjae chattered away.
"Miss Eun. I've been doing great. Exercising and swimming.... I really never imagined I could do such things in my life. I'm so happy. It's all thanks to you."
"That's good."
Though she had saved him for the quest, seeing Lee Eunjae actually looking much healthier made Baek Eun's heart warm as well.
'The person I saved.'
Facing him, she thought of the other Lee Eunjae she saw in the fragment, but Baek Eun shook her head.
'This is reality.'
The painful and unhappy Lee Eunjae in the fragment no longer existed.
She didn't know how saving him would affect the future, but Baek Eun didn't think it would apply in a bad direction.
Then, Lee Eunjae seemed to hesitate before cautiously approaching Baek Eun.
"Um... did you see that note?"
"The note with the contact number?"
When Baek Eun asked back, Lee Eunjae nodded, avoiding her eyes shyly.
"I saved the number. Is this right?"
When she showed her phone, Lee Eunjae smiled brightly with a happy face.
Then soon his eyebrows drooped with a disappointed expression.
"I was worried... since there was no contact. How have you been? Nothing happened, right?"
It's only been 3 days since discharge....
Baek Eun made a reluctant face at Lee Eunjae acting like they hadn't seen each other in a very long time.
"Nothing happened. Just managing the garden bed and such, time flew by."
"That's a relief. I was worried you might be unwell."
While smiling bashfully, Lee Eunjae suddenly let out a short groan and made an expression of having made a mistake.
"Ah. You're a guest and I've kept you standing too long. Please sit comfortably here. What would you like to drink?"
Lee Eunjae seated Baek Eun on the living room sofa and asked in a kind voice.
"Then just a glass of water, please."
He quickly went to the kitchen to get water, handed her the cup, and sat beside her.
"Thank you."
"What for. But Miss Eun, how old are you? We introduced ourselves but I didn't ask your age."
Baek Eun knew Lee Eunjae's age from Baek Dan, but pretended not to and nodded.
"I'm 24. How about you, Lee Eunjae?"
At that, Lee Eunjae's eyes widened.
"Miss Eun too? I'm also 24...! Wow. We're the same age?"
A smile spread on his lips at finding a small commonality with Baek Eun.
With a pleased expression, Lee Eunjae bowed his head deeply, fidgeting with his fingers before cautiously asking.
"Then... shall we speak casually now? I mean, our connection isn't ordinary... and we'll keep seeing each other in the future.... If, if you don't want to, it's fine to refuse!"
Why does he make asking to speak casually so difficult.
He didn't stammer this much when suggesting they introduce themselves.
Baek Eun smiled and answered.
"Sure. Let's be comfortable."
"Thank you! No, thanks!"
Lee Eunjae added a small, barely audible '...Eun-ah' at the end of his words.
Perhaps because he was kind, her name sounded from his mouth didn't feel bad.
Baek Eun smiled faintly and opened her mouth.
"Mr. Eunjae. No, Lee Eunjae. You haven't had dinner either, right?"
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