Confinement Constitution Guide

Warning! Gully 300m Ahead (5)

My eyes shot open at the sound of birds chirping loudly, as if they had encountered a predator. Startled, I got up and checked the clock on the bedside table, which read 9:29. Although my heart was racing from the surprise, at least it had effectively chased away my morning drowsiness.

“Meow.”

Cream, who was lying next to my calf, yawned widely and made eye contact with me.

“Did you sleep well?”

I gently stroked Cream’s head as she answered by slowly blinking her eyes. Then, I put my feet on the floor. A delicious smell wafted through the gap under the closed door. As I caught the familiar yet exotic scent, my mouth began to water.

I was eager to see what delicious dish Sa Hae-geon had prepared today. As I headed towards the door, following the food smell, I suddenly stopped in my tracks. Remembering yesterday’s events, I felt embarrassed and couldn’t bring myself to confidently walk out and sit at the table as usual.

‘…Still, it’s better if I go out on my own before Sa Hae-geon comes to get me.’

Trying to convince myself, I turned the doorknob. As I slowly walked out, listening for any movement from the kitchen, Sa Hae-geon somehow noticed and rushed to stand in front of me.

“Did you sleep well, hyung?”

For a moment, I was speechless at the sight of him, eyes sparkling, wearing an apron covered in hamsters holding sunflower seeds, looking like a large dog greeting its owner. And then I was speechless again at the thought that filled my head.

Am I really in my right mind? A large dog would definitely be cuter, so how could I compare Sa Hae-geon to such an adorable creature? Well, not that Sa Hae-geon isn’t cute, but…

As I stood there silently, lost in endless contemplation, Sa Hae-geon tilted his head and showed a worried expression.

“What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”

“…Oh, no. I’m fine. I guess I’m just not fully awake yet.”

“Really? You can sleep more if you’re still sleepy.”

“It’s okay. I’ll just watch you cook.”

Although he tried to hide it, Sa Hae-geon’s ears turned red as he nodded, seemingly pleased with my response. I followed behind Sa Hae-geon as he scurried back and sat at the table. On the table were a few freshly made side dishes and neatly arranged utensils.

For about ten minutes, I absent-mindedly watched Sa Hae-geon’s back as he focused on cooking, inhaling the aroma of the steaming side dishes. Sa Hae-geon carefully placed a bowl of food in front of me. Soon, a dish combining abalone, bok choy, shrimp, and mushrooms came into view. Upon closer inspection, I noticed small grains floating in it, which turned out to be scorched rice.

“…Is this jeongabok?”

“Yes. Nurungji jeongabok.”

“For breakfast?”

“I thought it would be warm and filling. Don’t you like it? Should I make something else?”

“What? No, no. I was just surprised.”

“Eat this too.”

This time, a tomato and egg stir-fry was placed on the table. Is today a Chinese cuisine special? Jeongabok alone seems like a dish that requires a lot of preparation, but Sa Hae-geon appears to be full of energy this morning.

“I just made something simple.”

I stared incredulously at Sa Hae-geon, who had the talent for confidently saying the most absurd things. Preparing a meal you’d typically find in a Chinese restaurant for breakfast and calling it simple? His modesty was excessive.

“You’ve worked hard since morning. Thank you, I’ll enjoy it.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

Turning my gaze away from the brightly smiling Sa Hae-geon, I began to eat in earnest. As I took a spoonful of the hot jeongabok, blew on it, and put it in my mouth, my eyes widened. A deep, savory, slightly sweet and salty flavor spread throughout my mouth.

The texture of the perfectly blanched, chewy abalone and shrimp was also exquisite.

“Does it suit your taste?”

“…Yeah. Very much.”

Sa Hae-geon smiled brightly, seemingly relieved by my answer. From the moment I tasted the jeongabok, I became so engrossed in eating that I completely forgot about yesterday’s events and focused solely on the meal. Suddenly, I felt a persistent gaze from somewhere and looked up.

“…”

“What is it?”

As expected, Sa Hae-geon was watching me with a fond smile. The jeongabok in front of him remained untouched. I had been eating with my face almost in the bowl, could it be that he had been watching me the whole time? My suspicion turned into certainty when I saw Sa Hae-geon, his chin resting on the table, unable to take his eyes off me, and it made me feel extremely embarrassed.

Why does he always choose to do such embarrassing things? I gulped down some cold water to shake off the embarrassment rising from deep within me. As I roughly wiped my damp mouth with my pajama sleeve, Sa Hae-geon brought up a strange topic.

“Oh, right, hyung. You said before that you’d help me practice my ability.”

…Did I really say such a crazy thing? No way. Even though I like the environment here, there’s no way I would have volunteered for such a thing foolishly. As I was mulling over my conversations with Sa Hae-geon, disbelieving his words, a certain memory suddenly flashed through my mind.

‘Being able to use two abilities is something to be proud of in itself, why? If you feel it’s not enough, you can practice. You even have a guide to help you, even if it’s temporary.’

Those were words I had said to encourage him when he seemed quite pitiful. I never thought he would take them so seriously. My hand holding the spoon trembled slightly at the thought that I had dug my own grave, but I tried to respond calmly.

“…Ah, right. I did say that. But why?”

“Can we start from this afternoon?”

“Huh? From today?”

“Yes.”

Starting from this very afternoon? Isn’t this too sudden? I was about to say that I needed to rest today because I had played games too intensely yesterday. However, faced with his expectant gaze and innocent face, I felt an inexplicable pressure and compulsion, and could only nod.

“S-sure. Let’s do that.”

“Thank you, hyung.”

As I was about to nod vaguely and continue eating the jeongabok, a question suddenly occurred to me. Was there a place to train in this house? I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that. I fiddled with the spoon handle for a while before speaking up.

“But where will we do it? Isn’t it difficult to do it in this house?”

“There’s a private training ground in the suburbs under my family’s name. So there’s no risk of getting caught.”

“I see…”

I didn’t expect to be able to go out like this while under confinement… I felt somewhat uneasy about this unfamiliar experience. It was absurd that Sa Hae-geon suddenly made plans to go out together, especially after I had gotten excited about outdoor clothes and even put on shackles. Well, the thought of getting some fresh air after a long time wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

“I’m already nervous about training in front of you, hyung.”

“…What’s there to be nervous about? Just do as you usually do.”

“Still…”

“I’m fine with it, so feel comfortable.”

Sa Hae-geon nodded at my words as I smiled slightly.

“And you should eat too. How can you train properly if you don’t eat?”

“Okay. I’ll eat. Make sure you chew your food well too, hyung.”

“Alright. I will.”

As our conversation ended, a sudden wave of fatigue hit me. I absentmindedly stirred the remaining jeongabok, which was slightly less than half finished, and thought to myself. …Wait a minute. Was this jeongabok a bribe for ability practice? Have I become a corrupt guide who accepted a kind of improper solicitation?

Although it wasn’t a particularly funny thought, my idle musings continued to snowball.

Around 1 PM, Sa Hae-geon put down his knitting and headed to his bedroom. Curious about what he was up to, I watched him closely. He peeked his head out through the crack in the door. His deep blue eyes held a puzzled look. As if asking why I was just sitting there, I tilted my head.

“What?”

“Aren’t you getting ready, hyung?”

“Ready?”

“Yes. We agreed to go training, remember?”

Only then did I recall the promise we made during breakfast. Seeing Sa Hae-geon’s eyes sparkling with anticipation, I suddenly felt guilty. I nodded slightly, avoiding Sa Hae-geon’s gaze.

“…Ah, training. Right, we did. I’ll get ready now.”

As I walked like a zombie from the comfortable sofa to the bathroom attached to my bedroom, I felt a persistent gaze following me.