Seol Ah glared at Tae Oh behind her mother’s back, then elegantly plated the well-mixed japchae.

Right. It’s the person I dislike, not the food’s fault.

“Mother, let’s add some egg garnish on top too.”

Tae Oh’s eyebrows twitched in surprise.

“Oh, that’s right. They say pretty rice cakes taste better too, so let’s do that.”

Ignoring Tae Oh’s gaze directed at her, Seo Hee focused on transferring the finished japchae into an airtight container.

“Tae Oh, enjoy your meal.”

“…Yes. Thank you, I will enjoy it.”

The japchae, neatly topped with egg white and yolk garnish, was placed in front of Tae Oh.

The dish, adorned with various colorful toppings, emitted a rich sesame oil aroma. Just looking at the japchae before him, Tae Oh felt a subtle ripple in his heart, making him clear his throat to compose his fluttering emotions.

Tae Oh grasped the chopsticks, feeling Sun Joo’s tense gaze fixed on him. He picked up a generous amount of the neatly piled japchae and stuffed it into his mouth, a faint smile spreading across his lips.

“It’s delicious.”

Seeing Sun Joo’s unrestrained bright smile and Seo Hee’s barely discernible faint smile, a warm breeze stirred in Tae Oh’s heart.

As he ate the japchae diligently with his head down, another large plate was placed beside him.

“Try some of this too. It tastes best when eaten right after being made.”

The plate Sun Joo offered contained an appealing assortment of fried dishes like peppers, shrimp, squid, sweet potatoes, and various types of jeon.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Tae Oh picked up a fried pepper and bit off half of it in one mouthful. The crispy fried dish was slightly spicy yet light, salty, and perfectly suited his taste.

“The fried food is delicious too.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste. Eat plenty. Let me know if you want more.”

Only then did Sun Joo turn around, looking relieved, her eyes slightly reddened.

As Tae Oh ate the japchae and fried dishes, he unconsciously surveyed his surroundings. On the 10-person table, each stainless steel tray was neatly filled with one or two completed holiday dishes, and various food aromas intermingled in the air.

The sound of something boiling could be heard from the electric stove, and beside it, his stepmother Sun Joo was busily preparing another dish.

In one corner of the dining room floor, Seo Hee could be seen transferring the japchae into a container, and next to her were basins filled with vegetables and washed fruits, each occupying a spot.

If he were to define the current situation in one word… it was chaotic. The dining room, which was usually monotonous and spotlessly clean, appeared unprecedentedly disorderly, hectic, and complicated.

Nevertheless, as Tae Oh took in the unfamiliar scene bit by bit, an unknowable smile bloomed on his lips.

Tae Oh meticulously stored the sights, the aromas wafting through the air, and the various heartwarming sounds reaching his ears deep in his memory.

For the first time, it felt like he was experiencing a genuine holiday.

Sun Joo’s eyes glistened with tears as she looked at the two spotlessly empty plates.

“My goodness, it must have been greasy, but you ate it all without leaving anything behind.”

Seo Hee responded nonchalantly to her mother.

“I can eat that much too, you know? Is it really something to get emotional about?”

“You don’t know because you’ve been abroad. Tae Oh, this is the first time he’s come home the day before a holiday. He always briefly visited only on the day of the holiday to perform the ancestral rites. Even then, he barely ate one meal, and even that was just a little bit of japchae.”

Sun Joo had always been anxious, wondering if it was because of her, if he couldn’t feel at home because he was uncomfortable around her. Today, it seemed like Tae Oh was taking a step closer to her, opening up his heart even a little, filling her chest with a deep sense of relief.

“Then why did he come so early this time?”

“I know, right? Anyway, it’s fortunate. This time, we’ll have a real holiday-like holiday. Our daughter is here, Tae Oh is here, I’m so happy today. You’re okay with it too, right? Are you still uncomfortable with Tae Oh?”

“No, well… It’s not like I have a choice to be uncomfortable or not.”

“That’s a relief. Truly a relief.”

Seo Hee didn’t want to dampen her mother’s relieved mood. For her, it was just two days of inconvenience she had to endure.

But still, it bothered her. Why did that cold face suddenly come to mind?

Tae Oh’s face from earlier, as he was eating, suddenly flashed in her mind. His face always carried a chilly atmosphere.

His expressionless, stiff face, coupled with his fierce-looking eyes, was enough to freeze one’s heart just by looking at him.

But today, he seemed somewhat different. In his rigid face, where a cold shadow usually lingered, an unfamiliar warmth could be felt.

His sharp, fierce-looking eyes appeared unusually gentle, and his tightly pursed lips also naturally revealed faint smiles from time to time.

The problem was that his smiling face somehow looked sorrowful. She never expected to see a vulnerable expression on him, whom she had only known to be overbearing, and it weighed heavily on a corner of her heart.

Did something happen? Or is he feeling unwell somewhere? Based on his eating, he didn’t seem to be sick… Ah, what do I know?

Seo Hee quickly shook her head, shaking off the intruding thoughts that bothered her.

Just then, her mother approached Seo Hee and gently asked.

“Seo Hee, you said the person you’re seeing lives alone now, right?”

“Huh? Ah, yes… He lives alone.”

“His mother is not around, and his father is far away, you said.”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Feeling inexplicably flustered, Seo Hee tried to gauge her mother’s intention while calming her startled heart.

“But Mom, why are you suddenly asking about him…?”

“Why? Because I feel sorry for him being alone during the holiday. I’d like to invite him over and at least have a meal together if I could.”

“Mom, that’s too much. We haven’t even formally greeted each other, and you’re already… It’s a bit too soon.”

“Right? Okay, it might be burdensome since you haven’t been dating for long. But still, it must be lonely spending the holiday alone. I wonder if he’s eating well.”

“…Who knows.”

“Then Seo Hee, could you take some food to him? It’s a holiday after all, so he should eat holiday food. Don’t you think?”

To be honest, Seo Hee had also been thinking about Kang Mo while preparing the food. Since Kang Mo had a similar taste in food to her, he enjoyed eating Korean dishes like various namul (seasoned vegetables), sanjeok (grilled meat skewers), and the eggplant jeon (pan-fried eggplant) and skewered jeon (pan-fried skewered dishes) that he liked, so she thought of him even more while making those.

However, feeling embarrassed to openly express her emotions to her mother, she casually touched the back of her neck and spoke nonchalantly.

“No, Mom. He said he’s going to visit his grandfather briefly. He’ll probably eat holiday food there. You don’t need to worry about it too.”

“Hey, don’t be like that. Even if he visits his grandfather’s house briefly, he’ll only eat one meal and be done. How much can he eat? Just take some to him. Or tell him to come and get it. Why do you think I made so much food?”

“What? Then, did you make extra to give to Kang… I mean, the person I’m seeing?”

“Yes. A man living independently on his own, even if he takes care of himself well, how much can he really take care of? So just take some to him. Okay?”

“Geez, Mom, you’re really something else. Then… should I take a little to him?”

Sun Joo chuckled. She thought it might be considered meddling since Seo Hee didn’t seem to think much of it, or perhaps their relationship wasn’t deep enough yet to bring him food. But seeing her daughter’s blushing face, it didn’t seem to be the case. She laughed, thinking Seo Hee was just embarrassed because it was in front of her mother.

“Wait a moment. I’ll give you a food container. No, let me pack it for you.”

“No, it’s okay. I know that friend’s taste well, so I’ll take care of it, Mom.”

As his name kept slipping out inadvertently, making her feel awkward, her mother smiled and asked.

“Is that friend, by any chance, the same age as you?”

“Huh? Ah… well.”

When Seo Hee hesitated to answer, Sun Joo asked with surprised eyes.

“What’s with that reaction? Don’t tell me… he’s younger than you?”

Seo Hee’s face reddened as she merely moved her lips. Sun Joo grinned meaningfully and poked Seo Hee’s side with her elbow.

“Ooh~ Our daughter is quite capable. Is the person you’re seeing younger than you? By how many years? It can’t be more than four years difference, right?”

Seo Hee shook her head vigorously, looking at her mother who was actively using her imagination.

“No, not four years. I don’t have a preference for younger men. With this friend, it just happened… But the age gap isn’t that big.”

“Right? Yeah. I don’t particularly care about age differences either, but more than four years is a bit… I’m afraid he might lack reliability and seem childish. What if he gives our daughter a hard time? So how many years apart are you?”

“Hmm… Two years.”

Sun Joo clapped her hands and smiled brightly.

“That’s perfect. It’s not too much of a difference. What about his personality? Is he reliable? He’s not childish or anything, right?”

“Childish? No, not at all.”

If only he were childish, Seo Hee wouldn’t have been helplessly drawn to Kang Mo. She quietly sighed, hidden from her mother’s view.

Kang Mo, who had parked his car in the empty park’s parking lot, was aimlessly tapping on the steering wheel, killing time. His gaze, fixed outside the car window, was preoccupied with searching for someone who might arrive at any moment.

Soon, someone’s figure appeared in the distance. The shadows on Kang Mo’s face, which had been concentrating on the view outside with furrowed brows, lifted, and his face instantly lit up.