—and opened the next lunch box. This time, it contained steak cut into bite sized pieces.
Doh Yihyun stood frozen in place as if nailed to the floor, unable to move.
While he hesitated, more than half of the lunch boxes had already been opened. Seo Jeongun had prepared everything—Korean, Japanese, Western, even Chinese dishes.
"I don’t like eating alone, but I don’t have anyone to eat with."
Holding the lid of a lunch box with both hands, Seo Jeongun looked at Doh Yihyun with a dejected expression. It was a rather pitiful sight.
'Liar.'
However, Doh Yihyun didn’t believe a single word.
Among the employees of Taewoon Trading, there were countless people desperate just to make eye contact with Seo Jeongun. As for sharing a meal, that went without saying. There was no reason for him to cling to Doh Yihyun like this.
'...What should I do.'
Doh Yihyun stood there, conflicted.
Judging by how Seo Jeongun had kept his distance over the past few days, if he refused here, the man would likely stop chasing after him. It was the perfect chance to return to a normal routine.
Just in case, Doh Yihyun carefully took a breath he had been holding.
Strangely, the smell of the food didn’t make him nauseous.
"...I can’t eat raw food."
In the end, he gave in to the hope that he might be able to eat a proper meal. It had never really been a dilemma—the answer had been decided from the start. If he kept starving like this, his condition would become more dangerous than the baby’s.
"Okay."
As if he had never been dejected, Seo Jeongun beamed and removed the lunch boxes containing sashimi and raw meat.
Doh Yihyun sat down, unable to hide his awkward expression.
Seo Jeongun immediately took the seat beside him. Though Doh Yihyun shot him a displeased look, Seo Jeongun cheerfully set out utensils and a napkin for him.
"Thank you for the meal."
Not wanting to waste time arguing, Doh Yihyun ignored him and picked up a large grilled short rib patty, biting off a small piece at the end. He tasted it carefully.
His morning sickness was unpredictable. There had been many times when he thought he could eat something, only to throw it up.
But the mildly sweet and savory seasoning clung perfectly to his tongue. After a couple of chews, rich juices spread throughout his mouth.
Gulp.
'It’s edible. No—it’s good.'
His eyes widened slightly. It had been a long time since he had properly tasted food. His stomach didn’t churn.
He took another, bigger bite, then scooped up a generous spoonful of glossy white rice. Suddenly, his appetite surged.
Almost as if possessed, Doh Yihyun brought the spoon to his mouth.
"Does it suit your taste?"
A warm, smiling voice sounded beside him.
Startled, Doh Yihyun paused while reaching for a piece of well fermented kimchi. He had been so focused on the food that he had momentarily forgotten Seo Jeongun was sitting next to him.
Seo Jeongun was watching him, resting his chin lightly on the back of his hand.
"Aren’t you eating, Executive Director?"
"I feel full just watching you eat, Yihyun."
For a moment, the words "Don’t talk nonsense" rose to the tip of his tongue, but Doh Yihyun barely swallowed them down. No matter how ridiculous Seo Jeongun acted, he was still his superior. Still, he couldn’t hide his displeased expression.
"Haha, I’m joking. Don’t make such a scary face."
Seo Jeongun chuckled and picked up his chopsticks.
Doh Yihyun lifted a piece of braised tofu coated evenly in sauce and glanced at him sideways.
Seo Jeongun was acting friendly again, as if the past week of distance had never existed. What kind of change of heart was this? It was strange, but not enough for Doh Yihyun to bother asking.
Instead, he focused on eating.
His hands didn’t stop moving. Even as he ate his fill, he made sure to chew thoroughly, mindful not to upset his stomach.
Aside from the occasional sound of chopsticks clinking, the table remained quiet. Doh Yihyun had expected him to chatter and be annoying, but Seo Jeongun was surprisingly silent.
"Yihyun, try this too."
Seo Jeongun placed a yellow jeon onto his rice bowl.
Though it was slightly bothersome how Seo Jeongun kept handing him side dishes, the food itself was innocent. He ate everything without leaving anything behind.
"It’s all gone. What a shame."
From time to time, Seo Jeongun muttered things that made no sense. His gaze once again lingered around Doh Yihyun’s sleeve.
It didn’t seem like he expected an answer, so Doh Yihyun ignored him.
"Thank you for the meal."
In the blink of an eye, he had emptied his bowl of rice. He set down his chopsticks with a perfunctory remark.
He was full—he couldn’t eat another bite. Aside from the uncomfortable feeling of being watched, it had been a very satisfying meal. This story is hosted at novelping.com.
"Is that really enough? You eat like a bird."
Seo Jeongun looked regretfully at the lunch boxes still filled with food.
Like a bird? It was such nonsense that Doh Yihyun didn’t even bother responding.
Although his stomach had shrunk and he ate less than before, he had still eaten more than the average adult man. It seemed Seo Jeongun had forgotten that he had prepared enough food for fifteen people.
Meanwhile, Seo Jeongun himself had barely eaten, too busy watching Doh Yihyun.
"I’ll be going."
"Thanks for eating with me, Yihyun."
Without a shred of pride, Seo Jeongun thanked him with a soft, spring breeze like smile as Doh Yihyun stood up stiffly.
"...Where did you buy this?"
Doh Yihyun, who had been about to leave immediately, stopped and impulsively pointed at one of the lunch boxes.
At the tip of his finger were assorted seasoned vegetables. They were light and clean, something he kept reaching for.
"You’re curious? Then tomorrow we can—"
"Never mind."
"Ah—okay, okay. I lose."
As Doh Yihyun turned away without hesitation, Seo Jeongun hurriedly stepped in front of him. With a sulky expression, he told him the name of the restaurant where he had bought the vegetables.
Doh Yihyun firmly rejected Seo Jeongun’s suggestion to grab coffee and returned to the office. As he lightly reviewed the documents he had worked on in the morning, the team members gradually returned one by one.
Near the end of lunch break, Kim Yumin cautiously approached him.
"Team Lead, did you make up with Executive Director Seo?"
"We’re not in a relationship that needs making up."
"Come on, you look like you’re in a great mood."
At Kim Yumin’s fussing, Doh Yihyun touched the corner of his mouth. It was true that he felt better after eating well for the first time in a while, but his expression wasn’t any different from usual. Kim Yumin was clearly imagining things.
"Go do your work. If you’re that free—"
"Yes, understood!"
Quick witted, Kim Yumin realized he was about to be assigned work and quickly ran off.
That evening, Doh Yihyun canceled his hospital appointment.