Chapter 157

As Kang Jin pondered why someone who dislikes Vienna sausages would order them, Hwang Minsung smiled and raised his glass.

“And if you take small bites of sausage slowly, it tastes better.”

“Really?”

“Yes!” Following Hwang Minsung’s advice, Kang Jin picked up one sausage, put just a bit in her mouth, and gently bit down. As she chewed deliberately, she noticed a difference compared to biting into the whole thing at once. By focusing on each bite, she could taste the saltiness and texture of the meat… However…

I still prefer eating them whole.

It was more satisfying since they easily slid down her throat with minimal chewing. With that, Kang Jin popped another sausage into her mouth.

“I prefer taking big bites.”

“It’s all down to personal preference.”

As Kang Jin watched Hwang Minsung drink his beer, he turned towards Bae Yongsoo.

“So, which place had the best food among those you’ve visited?”

Bae Yongsoo rubbed his chin before shaking his head.

“How can I compare them? Each establishment has its own unique appeal.”

He then looked at Hwang Minsung.

“But everyone has their favorite places, right? Which one did you like the most, hyung?”

Hwang Minsung pondered for a moment before replying.

“For me…it was Woonam Restaurant.”

At this response, Bae Yongsoo’s expression slightly hardened, but Hwang Minsung didn’t notice it immediately.

“Their food is clean and tasty no matter what you order. Plus, foreigners love it there… Whenever I meet foreign investors, we often dine at Yunam Restaurant.”

Seeing Bae Yongsoo’s mood dampen upon hearing about Woonam Restaurant while drunk, Kang Jin quickly changed the subject.

“You receive investments from overseas as well?”

“Yes, some projects are too big for me to handle alone, so I accept foreign investment. Also, sometimes I travel abroad…”

Hwang Minsung chuckled mid-sentence.

“Let’s not bore each other with such talk.”

“You’re right; this isn’t a conversation for a drinking session,” agreed Hwang Minsung, nodding and raising his glass.

“Cheers!”

As Kang Jin raised his cup, Bae Yongsoo also brightened up and joined them in taking a drink.

Morning arrived around nine o’clock, and Kang Jin rubbed his eyes as he woke up.

Kang Jin woke up around nine o’clock in the morning, rubbing his eyes.

“Ugh…”

For a moment, he lay there groggily before stretching out fully.

Kri-kri-kri-kri!

As Kang Jin’s joints cracked loudly, surprise and confusion washed over him. Hwang Minsung was sleeping next to him.

Why is Mr. Hwang here?

Kang Jin looked around cautiously while observing Hwang Minsung, then slowly got up. Thankfully, despite sensing some movement, Hwang Minsung remained asleep, only letting out a small moan.

“Mm…cold.”

As Kang Jin rose, he gently covered Hwang Minsung with a blanket and increased the temperature of the boiler nearby.

Working at One Meal Restaurant had inadvertently exposed Kang Jin to ghost matter, which not only allowed him to see ghosts but also made him less susceptible to extreme temperatures. Consequently, except when showering, he rarely turned on the boiler for himself. However, considering Hwang Minsung’s human sensitivity, it seemed necessary now.

It was due to that energy he could see ghosts…but one positive aspect was that he felt less affected by extreme temperatures. Consequently, Kang Jin didn’t use the boiler except when showering, which might have been too cold for Hwang Minsung, being an ordinary person.

In any case, after adjusting the boiler temperature, Kang Jin quietly opened the door and entered the living room. He then went into the kitchen and drank water from a glass.

Gulp! Gulp!

After drinking some cold tap water, he felt refreshed and more alert. Gradually, memories of yesterday came back to him.

“Oh…I dragged you here to sleep it off.”

Ultimately, Kang Jin had brought Hwang Minsung home because he insisted they spend the night together. Although Minsung wasn’t fully aware at the time, his internship life seemed quite stressful.

It seemed like she had been under considerable stress lately. Thinking that her internship was finally over, she unknowingly drank more than usual. During their first round of drinks, she consumed pork belly with soju and then switched to several glasses of soju during the second round. Additionally, at the third location, she downed multiple bomb shots… It was the first time Kang Jin let loose until she blacked out.

So naturally, she decided to bring Hwang Minsung home amidst all the ghosts present.

One night shouldn’t be too much strain on his body, right?

With this thought, Kang Jin began stretching.

Krick-krack! Krick-krack!

She twisted her body and started doing push-ups.

“Huff! Huff! Huff!” After some push-ups and yoga stretches, Kang Jin headed to the bathroom for a shower once he started lightly sweating.

Feeling refreshed after washing up, Kang Jin gently opened his bedroom door. Seeing Hwang Minsung still fast asleep, he quietly closed it again. He pondered briefly before heading to the kitchen and opening the refrigerator.

However, there wasn’t much inside. Since they usually ate at restaurants, this second-floor kitchen only had water and little else. So Kang Jin went downstairs to the first floor with a sigh.

“Sigh… When will I ever finish cleaning this place?”

Since Kang Jin had gone straight to bed after drinking last night, the first-floor dining area was littered with leftover food and dishes from the ghosts’ feast. After briefly surveying the mess, he sighed and headed for the kitchen on the second floor.

“Bae Yongsoo, Bae Yongsoo, Bae Yongsoo.”

After calling his name three times, Bae Yongsoo appeared.

“I was outside the store. You could’ve just opened the door and called me.”

Kang Jin looked at him, puzzled by Yongsoo’s response.

“Why were you outside?”

“Because of the smell.”

Kang Jin grimaced slightly before sighing again.

“Yes, good thinking.”

Even if Kang Jin wanted Yongsoo to clean up, it wasn’t possible since Bae Yongsoo could only exert physical force between 11 PM and 1 AM… Regardless of his willingness, there was no way for him to tidy up during those hours.

“Are you going to bed?”

Kang Jin looked at Bae Yongsoo after hearing his question.

“It seems like you really liked Hwang Minsung.”

“We were able to communicate well with each other. He also appreciates good food.”

It appeared Kang Jin had a soft spot for those who enjoyed eating delicious meals. This might be due to him being a cook himself. Kang Jin nodded at Sung Yongsoo’s words before washing some rice and placing it on the stove to make rice.

“What are you doing now?”

“I’m making kimchi stew as a hangover cure.”

“You’re adding meat?”

“For a hangover, greasy foods are best.”

“Yes, true. Oh, add bean sprouts towards the end. It’ll give it more of a kick.”

“I see.”

Once the pot heated up sufficiently, Kang Jin added pork shoulder to it.

Sizzle! Sssshhh!

As the meat started sticking and frying on the bottom of the pan, Kang Jin quickly scraped at it with a wooden spatula.

Sizzle! Sssshhh!

The meat repeatedly stuck to the bottom only to be loosened by the spatula, causing chunks to fall off. After letting enough pieces detach from the larger cut, Kang Jin gradually poured some soju over the meat, allowing the fallen bits to dissolve.

When oil began rising to the top, he added kimchi, stirring it before adding water and seasonings.

“Let me know when it starts boiling.”

“Will do.”

Following Bae Yongsoo’s instruction, Kang Jin carried out trays laden with dishes, clearing tables in the dining hall. Quickly finishing his tasks, Kang Jin then added bean sprouts and green onions to the kimchi stew, reducing the heat.

Next, he heated up a frying pan and started cooking some fried eggs.

He’ll probably eat two of these, right?

Kang Jin gently cooked the eggs over low heat. Hwang Minsung preferred his eggs runny, so Kang Jin ensured that the yolks remained soft while still being lightly cooked. After making several fried eggs, Kang Jin placed two on a plate next to the sink.

“You should have some too,” Sung Yongsoo said with a smile as he placed utensils atop the fried eggs.

“Thank you.” Although it was breakfast time, Sung Yongsoo enjoyed the eggs like one would savor sacrificial food at a ceremony.

As he watched Sung Yongsoo relish the eggs, Kang Jin arranged kimchi stew, more fried eggs, side dishes, and rice onto a tray. As Kang Jin headed upstairs, Sung Yongsoo curiously asked:

“You aren’t eating here today?”

“I want to eat upstairs today.”

“Why is that?”

“If I eat here, it’s like eating at a restaurant. However, if I eat upstairs, it feels more like home cooking.”

“That logic makes no sense.”

Bae Yongsoo’s words made Kang Jin pause as she placed his tray on the table.

“Don’t worry about me. Tell Choi Hun and Captain Han to come inside.”

With those words, Kang Jin turned on the TV with a remote control. He then tuned it to a drama channel before heading upstairs with Bae Yongsoo’s tray.

Hwang Minsung was staring blankly at the ceiling. It had been several minutes since he woke up, but he couldn’t bring himself to get out of bed.

What should I do?

This was the first time Hwang Minsung had woken up in someone else’s house…

He felt flustered and unsure of what to do next. As he hesitated, Hwang Minsung caught a delicious aroma wafting through the air.

Sniff sniff!

Hwang Minsung licked his lips as he savored the scent. It was tangy yet spicy, making him salivate profusely.

Rrrumble!

The sound coming from his stomach made him lick his lips again.

I’m thirsty too…

As he debated what to do, footsteps reached his ears.

Tak-tak!

Hwang Minsung hastily closed his eyes.

Creak!

At that moment, Kang Jin peeked inside the room after opening the door.

“Hyung, breakfast is ready.”

“Ummm…” Pretending to groan softly, Hwang Minsung slowly sat up. “…What time is it now?”

He genuinely wanted to know the current hour.

“It’s past nine thirty.”

Hwang Minsung’s eyes shot open at Kang Jin’s words.

“Nine thirty?”

“Yes.”

Hwang Minsung hastily sat up and looked around.

“Where’s my jacket?”

“In the living room. Please drink this first.” Hwang Minsung accepted the cup from Kang Jin and gulped it down.

Gulp! Gulp!

A smile spread across his face after drinking the liquid.

“It tastes like honey water.”

“It helps with hangovers.”

“But there’s also a slightly bitter taste…” As he spoke, Hwang Minsung smacked his lips and wiped his mouth. Something fibrous was left on his hand.

“It’s dandelion root extract.”

“Dandelion root?”

“I added some grated dandelion root to the honey water.”

“It’s my first time having dandelion root with honey.”

“There’s nothing wrong with trying something new that’s good for you. Let’s go.”

As Kang Jin left ahead of him, Hwang Minsung watched her and smiled with relief. They had informally agreed to call each other “brother” or “sister” while drinking last night, but he worried she might feel uncomfortable about it when sober. However, since Kang Jin casually addressed him as “brother” first, he felt at ease reciprocating by calling her his sister. Of course, he was also preoccupied searching for his phone, but nonetheless, hearing Kang Jin address him as “brother” put him more at ease.

Once in the living room, he picked up his coat thrown on the sofa and searched through its pockets.

Once he retrieved his phone, Hwang Minsung quickly scanned through his messages. They were updates from employees of his investment company about both domestic and international news.

Flick, flick, flick!

As Hwang Minsung’s finger rapidly scrolled down the screen, Kang Jin spoke up.

“Hyung, please have some food.”

“Just a minute…”

Hwang Minsung let out a sigh of relief as he glanced at Kang Jin, then smiled when he saw the spread on the table.

“When did you make this?”

“While you were sleeping,” replied Kang Jin, prompting Hwang Minsung to take a seat at the table.

“Let’s eat.” As Kang Jin said this, she ladled kimchi stew onto her spoon and took a bite.

“Ahhh! I made it, but it really tastes good.”

Despite being heavy on pork for breakfast, kimchi stew is ideal for hangovers due to its slightly oily and protein-rich nature. The abundant kimchi added with a spicy kick kept it from feeling too rich. Of course, once cooled, the fat would solidify, but while warm, the spiciness balanced out the richness quite well.

Hwang Minsung looked at the kimchi stew as Kang Jin observed him.

“Please dig in,” said Kang Jin.

At his words, Hwang Minsung stared blankly at the table before eventually opening his mouth.

“There’s fried eggs.”

“You don’t like fried eggs?” Considering how Hwang Minsung claimed to dislike street food despite eating it regularly, Kang Jin wondered if he might also disapprove of this dish.

Hwang Minsung shook his head in response.

He paused before continuing. “I almost forgot that I like fried eggs too.”

Kang Jin looked puzzled at Hwang Minsung’s remark.