RACA 3

He couldn’t take back what he had already said. He only needed to make himself seem like a different personality from the original protagonist.

“What are you doing?”

Pyo Jaebeom tilted his head.

‘Isn’t it obvious? I am eating. Eating!’

There were two possible reasons for that question. Either he was annoyed that Eunsol had used the kitchen without permission, or he disliked that he was eating alone.

“I, I was hungry… I am sorry… I used the kitchen without asking… I will clean it up right away.”

He murmured and reached for the dish. He thought he would clear it into the sink, then eat again once Pyo Jaebeom left.

“What?”

“Huh, yes?”

“Were you trying to sneak something to eat alone?”

Pyo Jaebeom looked him up and down and smirked. It was a really a mocking smile.

“Ah…”

So that was what he meant??

‘He should have just said that from the start.’

Eunsol grumbled inwardly, but his eyes still looked nervously around.

“The, the thing is…”

If he said he had slept, he would look too careless. But if he said he had been wandering the house, it wouldn’t suit the timid persona.

He needed a suitable excuse, but nothing came to mind. Why did he have to ask that of all things?

“Forget it. Just finish what you were eating.”

Fortunately, Pyo Jaebeom’s new line erased his worry. He had given him permission to eat more.

What was the proper way to act here?

If he sat down too quickly, he wouldn’t look timid, but if he hesitated and tested the waters, maybe five seconds would work?

While he sat frozen, weighing the timing, Pyo Jaebeom furrowed his eyebrow, displeased again.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh, yes? Th, that is…”

“Eat.”

Pyo Jaebeom sent him a look full of disdain.

…He got what he wanted, so why did it feel so unpleasant?

At least he wasn’t being told to clear the food away, so he placed the dish back on the table, sat in the chair, and lifted his spoon.

‘Since I am an omega, if he sees me eating greedily, it will ruin the mood.’

He probably wanted a pretty, modest image, but if he watched someone shovel kimchi fried rice down, it would be distasteful.

Eunsol shoveled a large spoonful into his mouth. He ignored the grains that spilled and chewed loudly.

A piercing stare pricked at his cheek. When he turned his eyes, he saw Pyo Jaebeom leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, watching him. His gaze was fixated, he looked like he was studying something curious.

‘Shouldn’t he leave.’

Why was he observing someone eat like this? It was suffocating. He wasn’t a mukbang YouTuber. And Pyo Jaebeom was the one who told him to eat.

Then he realized something.

‘Is he hungry?’

Yes, that could be it.

“Um, then… would you like to eat together?”

He asked without thinking, then immediately regretted it. If he was supposed to be timid, he shouldn’t have made that offer.

“What?”

“No, nothing…”

He shrank and mumbled. That was sincere. On the surface, Pyo Jaebeom seemed sly and sociable, but his eyes were always cold. Who could speak boldly when facing such a chilling gaze?

But the doubts didn’t go away.

If he didn’t want to eat, why did he stay there? It’s not like he’s waiting for him to choke.

Suddenly feeling him closer, Eunsol lifted his head.

“Gah!”

When did he come so near!?

“Cough! Cough, cough! Cough cough!”

Seeing Pyo Jaebeom standing right in front of him made him so startled he started coughing. His eyes teared as the coughing wouldn’t stop.

Tak.

He blinked at the sound and saw a glass of water before him. The rippling surface showed it had just been set down. Looking up in disbelief, he saw Pyo Jaebeom give a faint smile and nod. It meant to drink.

He hesitantly picked up the glass and brought it to his lips. As he drank the lukewarm water, he looked at him again.

“I am not trying to take a flea’s liver, so eat it yourself.”

“Yes?”

He failed to understand for a moment, then realized he was talking about the kimchi fried rice.

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, all his comments had been about the meal.

‘So he is not actually a heartless character.’

Someone who handed over food couldn’t be so cold. He had even scoffed when asked about meals earlier but still answered.

“Um, then should I cook you something fresh?”

“Hm?”

“Kimchi fried rice.”

He guessed he could say that much. He thought he was being considerate, but Pyo Jaebeom raised his eyebrows in surprise. Now that he looked closely, he seemed very skilled at expressing things without words.

‘Well, he was originally an actor who was good at acting with his eyes.’

Eunsol thought of Pyo Jaebeom’s strengths as naturally as breathing, and when he saw him nod, he quickly got up.

“Wait just a moment! I will finish it right away.”

“Eat the rest first.”

He was about to leave the table when he heard a voice stop him.

“Ah…”

He sat back down slowly and glanced around, Pyo Jaebeom pointed at the dish with his eyes to make sure he had heard right.

“Uh, I was just going to warm mine up since it cooled down, um, yes…”

He was talking incoherently, but he realized this wasn’t quite right, so he trailed off.

“Is that so? Then make it again.”

Pyo Jaebeom changed his words. Eunsol grumbled inwardly, asking why he was confusing people by switching back and forth, and ran to the fridge.

A quiet gaze followed the back of his head as he took out kimchi and ham, grabbed eggs, and moved around busily.

The kimchi fried rice was done quickly. The veteran student living alone put a flawless dish before Pyo Jaebeom again and didn’t forget to pour him a glass of water.

“Please enjoy your meal!”

He spoke like a waiter accustomed to serving and sat back down. Since it was freshly made, it looked even tastier than before.

He watched with sparkling eyes, filled with expectation. But no matter how long he waited, Pyo Jaebeom kept tapping the table with his spoon as he stared at the food.

‘Why again!’

The meal was served, and he had even told him to eat first.

Maybe it was because he was seeing up close the man he had only admired from afar, or maybe it was because this was a character inside a drama, but he was so different from what he imagined.

Of course, someone like this had to be watched from a safe distance. He didn’t need to learn this way how vital it was to keep that distance.

“Lee Eunsol.”

“Yes.”

“Lee Eunsol.”

“Yes.”

He answered more politely than the first time and even placed his hands together. He didn’t know the reason, but being called twice meant Jaebeom was annoyed or he had business.

“Are you good at cooking?”

The question was unexpected.

“Yes?”

“I asked if you are good at cooking.”

“Oh, yes, well, no, kind of, just… to some degree?”

Since he had years of living alone, so basic cooking was simple. But why was he asking that?

Pyo Jaebeom was acting far from his expectations. It’s was even more disconcerting that he asked people questions, made them curious then gave no answer.

Then he calmly began eating. Watching him, Eunsol picked his spoon again. The food was still delicious.

After all, kimchi is delicious, so how could fried rice not be delicious?

In the silence, all he could hear was the sound of the spoon clanking against the bowl. He was constantly mindful of Pyo Jaebeom in front of him, so he had to speed up his eating, swallowing it like water, but it was okay.

“I enjoyed the meal!”

He checked his own empty bowl and sneaked a glance at Pyo Jaebeom’s. Fortunately, he was done too.

“I’ll clean up after you finish eating.”

The answer to difficult situations was to clean quickly. With that in mind, he quickly gathered the dishes and carried them to the sink.

While running the water and washing, he kept his ears perked up. He couldn’t bring himself to look back but he was on edge, wondering if the man at the table had left.

He hoped Jaebeom had gone once his business ended, but he wanted him to stay longer. His feelings wavered.

‘How often does an opportunity like this come?’

Even if it was something he never expected. It was still a moment with Pyo Jaebeom that he had only ever longed for, so it would be a shame to just let it go.

While Eunsol was already forgetting his discomfort from earlier and mulling over that, he glanced back and met Pyo Jaebeom’s eyes. His shoulders hunched.

“Uh, uh, would, would you like some coffee…?”

He offered, but it felt wrong since it was late at night, so he stopped and quickly corrected himself.

“No, not coffee, maybe, tea or, dessert.”

But even that felt like nonsense before the homeowner, so he closed his mouth. While he wiggled his toes and wondered how to break the heavy silence,

drrrk.

He heard the chair slide. He glanced over and saw Pyo Jaebeom leaving the kitchen without a word.

“What.”

Eunsol blurted out. It was fortunate yet disappointing ending.

The first thing he did when he opened his eyes was look around.

“Ah, it wasn’t a dream.”