Hambaek Flower Restaurant - Chapter 14

Kim Tae Rin remembers the moment she first saw Choi Yoon.

Nine years old. At the orphanage.

In the capricious May when seasons changed several times a day, when Choi Yoon brushed Kim Tae Rin’s eyelashes with his fingertips, Kim Tae Rin also stared back into Choi Yoon’s clear pupils.

Just as Choi Yoon marveled at Kim Tae Rin, Kim Tae Rin also marveled at Choi Yoon.

A clean, young, noble warmth. Not something one could easily see.

However, the impression did not last long.

As time passed, Choi Yoon became etched in Kim Tae Rin’s mind in ways completely different from that first impression.

From the photos plastered on the lockers of students who bullied monsters without hesitation.

From the advertisements of coffee brands declaring they would exclude monsters from regular employment.

From the screens of department stores announcing they would restrict monster entry times to mornings.

From dramas portraying monsters as terrible criminals.

Kim Tae Rin unwillingly had to watch Choi Yoon’s growth process. She had to fit herself into the policies he represented.

Soon, Choi Yoon became another face of the government to Kim Tae Rin. She despised his clear face as much as she hated the government.

It was deeply regrettable that a man so charming he could steal one’s soul with just a glance was, in name and reality, the beloved anti-monster representative of the entire nation.

Even if everyone loved him, she began excluding him from even small consumption, saying she would never accept Choi Yoon or Hae Woo. It soon turned into an obsession.

Thus, throughout her life, she had fought against Choi Yoon’s image. Because she believed it was right.

‘You dislike me, don’t you? Then why are you taking my side?’

When Choi Yoon asked, her answer was clear.

‘I don’t dislike your past, I dislike your attitude.’

Instead of cursing, she added:

‘It’s terrible that you don’t even realize it’s wrong to trample others with just a word.’

Kim Tae Rin clearly saw the blue heat rising in Choi Yoon’s eyes.

But she didn’t avoid it.

Why should I? I’ve lived avoiding and hiding all this time.

Because of the public opinion you lead, Choi Yoon. Because of the policies you promote and the political party you support.

She wanted to glare with all her might. As she had done dozens, hundreds of times before.

Whenever she glimpsed him on TV or encountered him in advertisements, Kim Tae Rin would always stare at Choi Yoon as if ready to devour him.

But facing him in person, strangely, her anger lost its power. She just felt at a loss.

Choi Yoon exuded an ease he wasn’t even aware of, dripping from his entire body. Just standing there, he was far more elegant than Kim Tae Rin had imagined. With him as the owner of Hambok Restaurant, his social status was clearly disadvantageous to Kim Tae Rin.

It completely nullified Kim Tae Rin’s attempts to console herself by staring at Choi Yoon through screens, telling herself he was just one person, nothing more than trash with a pretty face.

‘I absolutely wouldn’t have come in if I knew it was your restaurant.’

So the words Kim Tae Rin managed to spit out were just a pitiful protest. Better left unsaid.

Choi Yoon didn’t reply.

He just slowly took his gaze off Kim Tae Rin’s face. He turned around and walked away with long strides, soon disappearing down a path shaded by greenery.

After sending him off like that, all strength left her body.

Thinking that if someone asked whether it was possible to charm others just by perfectly arranging one’s eyes, nose, and mouth, Choi Yoon would be the perfect example.

“Are you alright?”

Ji Chun Bae approached and asked.

Kim Tae Rin rubbed her cold cheeks with her hand and smiled weakly.

“It’s quite a shock.”

“Because the owner is Choi Yoon?”

“I’m such a fool. I made such a fuss about my restaurant being a Choi Yoon-free zone, yet I didn’t even know who the owner was.”

She had felt a similar sense of powerlessness before.

The day she filed a complaint against Hae Woo.

She knew better than anyone that she couldn’t win.

“I was surprised too. I heard he had sold it to a relative long ago.”

“He must think I’m ridiculous. Wondering what difference my hatred alone could make.”

“That’s not true.”

“I told him I disliked him to his face. Do you think he was hurt by that?”

“Well, he doesn’t seem like the type to be hurt by such things.”

“I hope he was hurt.”

She spoke as if spitting out the words, then swallowed a breath. It felt strange.

“You’re the one who gets hurt. That’s how it is when you hate someone.”

At the end of his words, Ji Chun Bae held out his phone.

The screen was filled with news about Choi Yoon.

Choi Yoon. Star Live. Rumors of discord with agency. Sun Entertainment

Headlines flashed across news outlets, each plastered with Choi Yoon’s photo.

Choi Yoon manipulates ‘Star Live’ broadcast time, then abruptly announces ‘Can’t go’ on the day

Broadcasting industry helpless against ‘Top star’s tyranny’

Choi Yoon, third broadcast no-show this year, personality controversy unavoidable

‘Star Live’ production team: “We even adjusted live broadcast time… deeply regrettable”

Lee Kang Woo, CEO of Choi Yoon’s agency Sun Entertainment: “Choi Yoon’s no-show was an independent action, investigating the facts”

As she quickly scanned through several articles, Kim Tae Rin felt something was off.

“Hm? This doesn’t make sense.”

“Right?”

She carefully went through the articles again.

“Choi Yoon changed the Star Live broadcast time on the day of… If it’s the day of, that means today, but how could someone who came down here yesterday move up their Seoul schedule to the morning? There wouldn’t even be enough time if he delayed it. This doesn’t make sense.”

“Exactly. So that tyranny wasn’t done by Choi Yoon. Someone intentionally made it look like Choi Yoon did it.”

“And at this timing?”

Kim Tae Rin looked up and stared at Ji Chun Bae.

They knew they were thinking the same thing.

“If this happened separately from us, it’s fine. But in the worst case, if these articles are coming out because Choi Yoon came down here to see the protest…”

She hoped it was an exaggeration.

That it was just a coincidence of coincidences.

“Choi Yoon said it himself. He came down because he was worried about what was happening with a policy he supported having opposition protests. If that’s true, it wouldn’t look good from the perspective of those who asked him to promote it.”

“He’d be a thorn in their side.”

Kim Tae Rin stared again at the phone, at the flood of articles.

Even for someone like Choi Yoon, such persistent articles were clearly a big loss.

“If these are retaliatory articles telling Choi Yoon to shut up and stay put, and if Choi Yoon came down here accepting all this…”

Feeling a chill down her spine, Kim Tae Rin paused for a moment. Then she continued.

“…The situation is much more serious.”

Ji Chun Bae frowned his sun-tanned face.

“Right. Is Choi Yoon a bit busy? A top star who appears on every channel coming all the way down here just because he’s curious about the site? That doesn’t make sense. He clearly came knowing something. Because he had to come.”

“Since he’s Hae Woo’s person and is close with government officials, he might have heard something.”

Kim Tae Rin chewed the inside of her lip.

“Choi Yoon has supported anti-monster policies until now. For someone like that to come here in person, what on earth could be happening?”

With a throbbing headache, Kim Tae Rin closed her eyes tightly, then opened them.

“It would have been better if he came to interfere.”

“This is all just speculation, but.”

“I really hope we’re wrong.”

“What did you decide to do about Choi Yoon? I saw you two talking earlier.”

“I said I’d guide him to the county office myself since it would be awkward with the villagers.”

“Good. Contact me immediately if anything happens. Keep a close eye on Choi Yoon.”

Ji Chun Bae, who was turning towards the restaurant, suddenly looked back at Kim Tae Rin.

“Be careful.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean Choi Yoon. He’s not just survived in the entertainment industry, he’s dominated it. How ruthless must he be? And his acting on top of that. He has the face to make you believe poison is medicine.”

“But if our guess is right, Choi Yoon must have come with considerable resolve.”

Ji Chun Bae still had a stern expression.

Kim Tae Rin added.

“Then he must have at least a shred of conscience?”

She couldn’t know whether Choi Yoon had a conscience or not, but looking at him quietly, she felt like even if he didn’t have one, it might sprout.

That was her impression as she walked down the path searching for Choi Yoon, and finally spotted him standing under a willow tree.

As soon as their eyes met, Choi Yoon smiled brightly.

She thought this guy keeps smiling so openly at someone who said they dislike him, but then again it was so beautifully bright that she felt she needed to pinch, no, tear at her thigh to preserve her sanity. She approached him, deliberately frowning to maintain her composure.

“…Yes. That’s right. I requested it.”

Choi Yoon was absorbed in a phone call.

“If we air it as a special episode, it won’t seem awkward.”

Choi Yoon gently gestured towards his car, as if telling her to come this way.

“Yes. It’s fine even if you just attach one camera. But please be careful. This must air.”

Choi Yoon approached with long strides, holding his phone to one ear but his gaze directed this way. Before Kim Tae Rin could reach out, he pulled open the passenger door first.

After watching Kim Tae Rin get into the car, Choi Yoon carefully closed the door.

The interior of the car was surprisingly spacious and cool.

Kim Tae Rin shrank her body slightly. She thought about turning off the air conditioning but decided not to touch it.

There were sporadic red residues along the edges of the car windows. Tomato remnants. From what was thrown last night.

Beyond that, she could see Choi Yoon ending his call and approaching the driver’s seat.

Choi Yoon got into the car.

With his long limbs, even the motion of putting his phone down in the console box and gripping the steering wheel with his other hand seemed grand.

Suddenly realizing it was an enclosed space, Kim Tae Rin moved her body slightly backwards. She pointed to the opposite direction.

“The county office is that way. We need to turn the car around first.”

Choi Yoon, after confirming the direction Kim Tae Rin was pointing, looked back at her blankly.

He turned off the air conditioning. He reached out towards her.

His large hand grasped the backrest of the passenger seat where Kim Tae Rin was sitting. He bent his upper body towards the back seat.

Kim Tae Rin unconsciously held her breath.

Right above her shoulder, Choi Yoon’s hand was firmly planted, and below it, she could hear the soft rustling of his clothes.

Choi Yoon’s scent wafted over Kim Tae Rin’s exposed nape. Like water-soaked tree bark, cut reeds, sun-warmed paper.

He straightened his bent upper body. There was a blanket in his hand.

“You looked cold.”

Choi Yoon unfolded the blanket and draped it over Kim Tae Rin’s knees. Looking at the flawlessly neat lines of his hand, Kim Tae Rin asked.

“Why did you come here?”

Choi Yoon blinked and then smiled like watercolors dissolving. He answered.

“I was worried. As I told you.”

“Did those articles come out because you came down here?”

She asked again.

“Is the government involved?”

Choi Yoon reached out, this time grasping the seatbelt above Kim Tae Rin’s shoulder. He pulled it.

Click.

Even after fastening the clip, Choi Yoon didn’t move away. Staying close, he whispered softly.

“If the government is going to interfere with the protest, and I stop them.”

Choi Yoon gazed deeply at Kim Tae Rin.

Just like when they first met in that young spring.

“May I stay here overnight?”

Male lead is a Love-Obsessed Merman

When he discovers she has gone, he risks everything to pursue her on land, enduring agonizing pain to transform his tail into human legs…

One-line summary: Male lead chases female lead. The male lead’s love is a bit sick, an invincible love brain.

Synopsis

During a voyage at sea, Jiang Yang accidentally captures a merman.

Servant: I heard that mermen are fierce and brutal.

Jiang Yang looks at the merman obediently rubbing her palm like a puppy: “You call this fierce and brutal?”

Servant: I heard that mermen have no human nature.

Jiang Yang looks at the merman with wet puppy eyes, obsessively calling her ‘A Yang’ like a childish infant: “You call this having no human nature?”

With great difficulty, she releases the merman back into the sea and returns to shore.

Who would have thought that in less than half a month, the merman, who should have been freely wandering in the South China Sea, would shed his scales, endure the pain of losing his tail, transform into human legs, and come ashore to find her?

He kneels at her feet, rubbing her palm, with merman tears rolling down: “A Yang, don’t abandon me.”

_____

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