RACA 68

Gurgle-gurgle.

It happened just as the car pulled into the apartment parking lot. A loud noise echoed inside the car. Eunsol quickly covered his ears with both hands.

“Shouldn’t you be covering your stomach?”

Pyo Jaebeom asked, looking at him in disbelief.

“Ah, well… my ears turn red first.”

Whenever something embarrassing happened, his ears reacted first. They’d start turning red from the tips, then the entire color would change in an instant. Next, the flush would spread up his cheeks and forehead, reaching his neck and collarbone area.

Because of this, Eunsol realized others could immediately tell when he was flustered. That’s when he developed the habit of covering his ears first.

Until now, he hadn’t had any reason to panic and had let his guard down, but it seemed that habit had resurfaced at precisely this moment.

“It might be a bit late to start preparing dinner… What should we do? Should we go to a restaurant now?”

“Um… No! Let’s go up.”

Eunsol, who had been agonizing over what to do, spotted a familiar car that had just finished parking and quickly answered. The one who got out was Bulgom, who had been with him in the officetel just moments ago.

He must have wrapped things up with Lee Daebak faster than expected. But what was even more welcome was the supermarket bag he was carrying.

“If we go now, there won’t be anything to eat, right?”

“Bulgom-nim said he’d make naengmyeon. The broth is already simmering, so we just need to boil the noodles. We’ll have it ready in no time.”

That would actually be faster than finding a restaurant, ordering, and waiting for the food. Eunsol said this while unbuckling his seatbelt and opening the passenger door. His movements were so swift that Pyo Jaebeom didn’t even have time to respond.

“Bulgom!”

Watching him retreat as quickly as he’d fled the elevator earlier, Pyo Jaebeom frowned.

“You should be careful if you’re pregnant.”

More than anything, he disliked how he’d ran straight to Bulgom before he’d even gotten out. Even more irritating was the sweet, fresh pheromone lingering in the air.

Pyo Jaebeom slowly scanned the car interior before stepping out of the driver’s seat. What was so great? Lee Eunsol was glued to Bulgom, chattering away nonstop.

He didn’t even seem to notice him approaching. As he got closer, his excited words came through loud and clear.

“It’ll be ready in 10 minutes, right? For sure?”

“Yes. The noodles cook quickly. The egg takes a bit longer, but it’ll be done quickly while I prepare other things.“

”Then I’ll peel the egg.”

It seemed like pointless chatter about something unimportant. He was baffled, wondering if he’d rushed out just to say that, when Bulgom, who had noticed Pyo Jaebeom first, locked eyes with him.

“Making cold noodles for lunch?”

“Yes, CEO. He said you wanted spicy cold noodles, so I was preparing them.”

“Spicy cold noodles?”

“There are cold noodles so spicy they make your tongue tingle. You’re having some too, right?”

He wondered if Eunsol still craved spicy food after eating every spicy dish under the sun.

“Are the twins okay with this?”

He asked teasingly, and Eunsol opened his eyes wide as if he’d heard the strangest thing.

“Of course. I keep seeking out spicy food like this because the twins want it, right?”

“Who said that?”

“Isn’t that how it is?”

This time, Pyo Jaebeom frowned, thinking he was making some ridiculous claim. Watching the two of them, Bulgom slowly shifted his feet.

It wasn’t worth getting involved in a pointless marital spat. Better to leave this place and wisely prepare the cold noodles for the two hungry people.

“Right, Bulgom-ssi?”

Unfortunately, before he could take two steps, Eunsol tripped him. With his hyung-nim looking this way to hear his opinion too, he couldn’t pretend not to notice.

Rustle.

Frustrated, he clenched his fist unnecessarily, only to hear the crumpling sound of the bag, making him even more embarrassed. He lowered his eyelids.

“It’s not scientifically proven, but it’s true that such stories exist!”

Deciding that was a reasonable enough answer, Bulgom hurried toward the apartment elevator, afraid someone would catch him.

Eunsol and Pyo Jaebeom followed behind, continuing their heated debate. The topic remained the correlation between a pregnant omega’s cravings and the food the fetus supposedly wants.

“Anyway, as long as I enjoy eating it, that’s all that matters.”

“It’s because we’re worried about stomach discomfort. Eating spicy food puts a strain on the stomach.”

“My constitution is stronger than it looks, so I’m fine.”

Pyo Jaebeom didn’t immediately retort. Instead, his gaze lingered on Eunsol for a moment.

“Well, I suppose that’s true.”

Why did he say that with such a meaningful look? Whether he noticed Eunsol’s unease or not, Pyo Jaebeom quickly averted his gaze and started walking. Since Bulgom had arrived and was waiting by the elevator, Eunsol followed him without delay.

Once home, he changed into comfortable clothes and headed straight to the kitchen. He intended to do something like peeling eggshells, as he had mentioned to Bulgom earlier.

“Please sit there. I’ll be right with you.”

The moment he stepped into the kitchen, Bulgom pointed to the dining table. Pyo Jaebeom was already sitting there, legs crossed.

What else could he do? Eunsol scratched his head and pulled a chair up opposite Pyo Jaebeom.

“Here you go, it’s ready!”

A large bowl was placed before him shortly after. Seeing the heaping portion of cold noodles and the red broth made his mouth water. He quickly picked up his chopsticks and scooped up a strand of noodles.

He was happily slurping when he felt a gaze on his forehead and cheeks. He cautiously lifted his head and met the eyes of Pyo Jaebeom, who was staring at him.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Eat.”

A completely unexpected answer came back. Wondering why he was acting like that, he met his eyes, but seeing he didn’t seem inclined to answer, he refocused on eating.

His tongue stung, and his mouth felt hot and dry. But the more he ate, the more his appetite came alive, and Eunsol quickly finished half the bowl.

“Eat this too.”

At the voice that sounded again, he only rolled his eyes to glance at him. Pyo Jaebeom had pushed his own bowl, placed in front of him, over to Eunsol’s side.

Eunsol didn’t refuse. After finishing the remaining cold noodles, he pulled his bowl toward him. Perhaps it was because he was so hungry, but one bowl really didn’t feel like enough.

He could hear him chuckling softly in front of him, but he didn’t even glance up.

“We almost had a disaster when I suggested going to a restaurant. Seeing how well you eat like this. Another bowl?”

“No. I’m fine.”

Eunsol, who had polished off two bowls of cold noodles in just 15 minutes, replied while rinsing his mouth with the pineapple-flavored Coolpis he’d prepared beforehand.

“If you’d suggested going to a restaurant, you would’ve suggested a cold noodle place.”

He did spot Bulgom getting out of the car before that, though. Ever since becoming pregnant with twins, he’d developed this problem: once he got fixated on a certain food, he couldn’t rest until he ate it.

“Are you satisfied now?”

“Yes, completely.”

With that, Eunsol gave Bulgom, who was busily clearing away the empty bowls, a thumbs-up.

“I ate well. It was really delicious.”

“Thanks for the compliment!”

Bulgom’s tone was unusually loud today, probably because Pyo Jaebeom was sitting next to him. Eunsol naturally turned his gaze to him, only to realize belatedly what he’d missed.

“Aren’t you eating?”

Since he’d given him all the naengmyeon, that meant he was on an empty stomach. He didn’t have anything to eat in front of him now either. Only then did Bulgom realize this fact and fall silent.

“I’m sorry, CEO! I’ll prepare something for you right away.”

“I’m fine. I’m not really hungry.”

Pyo Jaebeom stopped Bulgom, who was about to rush off.

“You’re not eating anything?”

Eunsol, feeling embarrassed for having eaten two bowls by taking even Pyo Jaebeom’s portion, asked, but Pyo Jaebeom simply nodded plainly.

“Seeing you eat makes me feel full.”

Even making a joke that no one would find welcome, Eunsol’s face crumpled.

“I know I ate a lot. But it’s because I’m sharing all the nutrients with the twins.”

“Ah…”

Seeing his head nod in a sort of half-hearted acknowledgment, though he clearly didn’t understand, made him even more anxious.

“I’m telling you, it’s true!”

He didn’t usually eat this much. Eunsol insisted that the food he ate was meant for three people. 

But judging by Pyo Jaebeom’s expression, he seemed completely unaware.

“Come to think of it, I’ve been feeding you so much all this time. How is it possible you haven’t gained any weight?”

“Wait, how does the CEO know my weight…?”

Why did the conversation suddenly jump to that? Eunsol, feeling burdened by his piercing gaze, which had been just as intense earlier, slowly covered his stomach with both arms.

He said that, but he wondered if Jaebeom was implying he’d gained weight. But Jaebeom was genuinely curious.

“How would I know? I touched it, so I know.”

His nonchalant tone made Eunsol’s eyes widen in shock.