Chapter 261
It was a snowy morning. The neighborhood beyond the balcony window was blanketed in white.
Do-Jun looked at the bed, where Byeol was asleep so soundly that she wouldn’t notice if someone carried her away. He thought about how Yoon-Hee had taken the two dragons with her for a training camp, leaving him alone with Byeol today.
He opened the refrigerator to check the side dishes. There was spinach salad, seasoned vegetables, soy-braised black beans, broccoli, and kimchi. Not a trace of meat was to be found. Even the cooking ingredients had all been used up.
Scratching his head, Do-Jun decided to get ready for a grocery run.
***
Byeol found herself alone in bed when she woke up. She looked around the living room, but it was the same; no sign of her dad, who was usually sitting at the table reading the newspaper. Thinking he might be in the bathroom, she knocked on the door, but there was no response. Just as sadness was about to wash over her, hunger took its place.
Byeol opened the refrigerator and grabbed a can of cola, cracking it open with a hiss. The sound of the can opening was followed by Byeol’s deep gulps. The combination of its sweetness and carbonation went down her throat, and soon enough, she let out a satisfied burp.
Next, she rummaged through a drawer and was lucky to find one remaining packet of ramen. Breaking it into small pieces, she dumped the entire seasoning packet into the bag and mixed it well. She scooped up a handful of the crunchy, crushed ramen and stuffed it into her mouth. Her hands were sticky with seasoning powder, but she couldn’t care less. The spicy and salty flavor of the ramen was delightful.
After finishing the entire can of cola and the packet of ramen, Byeol hid the evidence by shoving the empty wrappers deep into the trash can.
***
When Do-Jun returned, it didn’t take long for him to realize that Byeol had eaten ramen.
Her breathing was punctuated by small gasps, “Hah... Sss... Hah... Sss...,” a clear indication that her mouth was still burning. The ramen seasoning smudged around her lips further proved it. Additionally, her burps indicated she had also drunk the cola from the fridge.