Rainbow City

Seokhwa wanted to stay up all night with Kwak Soohwan more than anyone else.How wonderful would it be if he could muster up the energy to match him sexually? Seokhwa stared seriously at the long rod. Then he decided against it and put it back in the drawer.Bzzz, the object on top of the drawer vibrated. It was the cellphone Kwak Soohwan had bought for him. Since the signal didn’t reach everywhere smoothly, he hardly used it outside the house.“Hello.”[Just called because I wanted to hear your voice.]Today, Seokhwa had the day off. Since Kwak Soohwan had to go to work, one side of the bed had been empty since early morning.[Let me hear your voice.]“…Voice.”[What’s that? Did you have lunch?]He never got used to conversations without seeing the other person’s face.“When are you coming home?”[You miss me too, right? I’ll leave straight away at six. You know they purposely send me to Gangnam while you’re at Yeouido, right? But who am I? I’ll finish up here and come straight back to Yeouido. Don’t eat dinner without me.]These days, he usually had lunch with his colleagues at the research building. There were still people who disliked him, but just as many liked him.“Got it.”[I love you like crazy.]The call abruptly ended, so Kwak Soohwan didn’t hear Seokhwa say, “Me too.” Seokhwa pressed the unfamiliar phone’s call button again.[Why? Is something wrong?]Kwak Soohwan’s voice was urgent. It seemed he thought something had happened because the call came right after he hung up.“Me too.”[…Ha, you’re killing me. I’ll leave as soon as possible.]This time, Seokhwa ended the call first because he could hear his colleagues talking in the background. He changed his phone to ring mode and got up from the sofa.Since they had moved in not long ago, the house didn’t feel very lived-in yet. The furniture was in place, but recently Kwak Soohwan, who had taken an interest in chansons, had even bought a gramophone with a morning glory-shaped horn. Getting the gramophone wasn’t too difficult, but finding LP records was like picking stars from the sky.Seokhwa walked around the living room and lifted the floor door leading to the underground bunker. Most houses in the city still had such bunkers. He heard that even newly built homes often included bunkers. Although the Adam incident was unlikely to recur, people’s fear hadn’t completely disappeared.Seokhwa opened the floor door and descended the wooden stairs. At the bottom of the stairs, he flipped a switch to turn on the light. The secret that Kwak Soohwan and he had to keep until their deaths was here.The vial inside the stainless steel cylindrical container was shattered and burnt black. It was the end of the ultimate evolved Adam virus. The invisible virus was destroyed by fire.The city of Rainbow still didn’t fully open to other allied nations out of caution. If a new mutant Adam virus emerged abroad, the city’s vaccine might be ineffective. However, as far as Seokhwa knew, the Russian side where he had been was sufficiently protected by the city’s vaccine.The council was divided between those who wanted to mass-produce and sell the vaccine internationally to boost national power and those who argued for continued isolation, considering it premature.Kwak Soohwan, attending as one of the army representatives, would come home cursing that only incompetent but diligent people caused trouble.Seokhwa had attended the council just once as the representative of the Yeouido Shelter researchers. Just watching people shout and fight there exhausted him. That day, he pretended to faint with his head on his desk and managed to leave after four long hours. He heard the meeting continued for another five hours after that. Horrible.A bill to pay royalties to Seokhwa for the vaccine sales was proposed by the Yeouido researchers but was dismissed by the council.The noble families foamed at the mouth, saying it was enough not to penalize the doctors and generals who had taken over the broadcast without authorization; they couldn’t also pay royalties. Meanwhile, other representatives raged that it was unfair those two hadn’t been disciplined, as it threatened military discipline and the city’s safety.Seokhwa chuckled in front of the stainless steel container.‘The law against illegal broadcast takeover hasn’t been proposed yet, and no one got hurt. But, how about Dr. Seokhwa and I spend a year in prison? Then you can pay royalties while we’re in jail and continue paying after we get out. Simple, right?’When Kwak Soohwan spoke into the microphone, the council fell silent. In the end, the royalties were off the table. Money was the priority now.Hearing the doorbell ringing even down in the bunker, Seokhwa quickly sealed the stainless steel container. He tripped on the stairs but soon regained his balance. After closing the bunker door properly, he picked up the intercom.“Who is it?”[We’re here, doctor.]Seokhwa instantly recognized the visitors by their voices. Two friends from the learning center had planned to visit today since it was his day off.“I’ll be right there.”Not expecting them so early, Seokhwa just put on slippers and went out to open the main gate.“Welcome.”He was slightly out of breath after crossing the garden.“Hello, doctor. This is a housewarming gift. They say you should bring something when you visit someone’s house for the first time.”It was Hyun Kang, who couldn’t speak, and Daehoon, who had once impersonated Seokhwa. Seokhwa was surprised by the set of toilet paper rolls Daehoon handed him.“Even with your limited allowance…”“We can afford this much.”“Thank you. Come on in.”When Seokhwa took the toilet paper set from them, the two boys, whose faces brightened, shook their heads.“What’s wrong?”“We’re still under surveillance.”Daehoon motioned with his eyes behind him. Two uniformed soldiers were waiting in front of the school bus.“They said we won’t be free until this year passes.”Unfortunately, they could only go out under the watch of a supervisor.“Is life at the learning center okay? If you have any trouble, tell me anytime.”“Doctor, life can’t get worse than it was back then. Every day feels like a dream now, and I think we’ll need this year to get used to it. Thank you so much.”The reason they were allowed to go out was that they had adapted well at the learning center.“But there are so many stones here.”Daehoon laughed, looking at the garden. Hyungang felt the same.There was a small pond, and the stones surrounding it were all brought from their house in Jeju Island. The stone Hareubang Kwak Soohwan had shipped from Jeju stood beside it.“Yes, there are quite a few stones. Contact me when you can go out freely next time.”“Sure! The soldiers are giving us looks, so we should get going.”“Really, get in touch. I’ll make good use of the toilet paper.”Hyungang nodded his farewell. Despite saying they were getting looks, the two seemed to get along with the soldiers guarding the school bus. When Seokhwa playfully ruffled their hair as they boarded the bus, they laughed happily, not minding it.Daehoon and Hyungang, though curious about what had happened to the virus in the vial, never asked. For them, it was a non-existent fact, and so Seokhwa didn’t bring it up either.Even though the mutation had been revealed through the broadcast, they kept silent about the truth they had to take to their graves: the existence of the final evolved form of the Adam virus. That was a secret to be buried with them.Looking at the stone Hareubang with its numerous holes, Seokhwa thought it looked cool but kept it to himself.People often visited their new house. An old man from the Gangnam shelter had come by, clicked his tongue, and left. Lee Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon often drank and passed out here, getting kicked out by Kwak Soohwan each time. The crack in the Hareubang’s nose was from Lee Chaeyoon, who punched it in anger when he was thrown out. The next day, Seokhwa had to repair it with glue, but the crack was still visible.Returning to the house, Seokhwa placed the toilet paper rolls in the utility room. It was heavier than expected, being a set, so he laid down on the sofa for a bit. His mind was wild with excitement, but his body remained weak.Following Kwak Soohwan’s advice, Seokhwa got off the sofa to exercise. He unfolded the mat under the sofa and lay down on it for a few minutes to conserve energy before getting up.He stepped forward with his right foot, bending his knee to support his lower body. It was tough, moving only his lower body while keeping his back straight. He was supposed to get up using his glutes, but he used all his strength. After ten reps, he sprawled on the mat again. He had improved a lot from the first time when he barely managed three reps. Overdoing it always made him sick the next day, spending the whole day in bed.He considered doing a few more reps but decided to lie down instead. Inevitably, nap time approached.***The city’s economy was developing rapidly. With know-how from the past, businesses sprang up, and entrepreneurship flourished once Adam disappeared.However, many couldn’t adapt to these changes, notably some soldiers.A few days ago, a soldier was caught robbing a jewelry store in Gangnam. Despite the surveillance cameras, he brazenly stole gold and jewels, thinking like in the old days. His reason was even more absurd.“I wanted to give them to my girlfriend.”Yang Sanghoon, enraged, was barely held back by his subordinates and the thief was handed over to the military police.With Adam gone, one might think it would be less busy, but it was a huge miscalculation. Like others said, work piled up. Without Adam, military law was being extensively revised, and dissatisfied soldiers were emerging. Those who couldn’t shake off habits of threatening citizens and extorting money were expelled, and the military prison was always full.The military could no longer control all citizens and soldiers. Kwak Soohwan deeply felt the need for separation of powers. Implementing it would take years, even for a detailed separation. Adam’s emergence had turned the world upside down, and its disappearance still left lingering effects.“We found a bear in Jirisan that seems infected with Adam.”Ha, Kwak Soohwan sighed heavily.The report came from a Major of the Information Security Department, selected to assist Kwak Soohwan. He had led a platoon during the last Adam incident, providing vital field information and earning a medal for his efforts.“Are there moon bears in Jirisan? Anyway, leave it to the Gyeongnam guys.”“The infected bears appear to be a family. It doesn’t seem to be just one or two. They’ve requested our support.”“Send Commander Jowoon.”“Commander Jowoon is in Gangwon Province.”Right, Jowoon had gone to deal with arson in the East Sea a few days ago.“Then send a team of three A-grade soldiers and have them resolve it within 48 hours. After that, leave it to Major General Cha Hakhyun. I’m off duty.”Kwak Soohwan got up from his desk, removed his cape, and hung it on a coat rack.“You have the day off tomorrow.”“So what?”“I just thought you should know.”You’re leaving early today even though you have tomorrow off? That was the implication.“You admit I’m swamped with work, right?”“I’ll take care of it.”“Fine. Go to Major General Cha.”Kwak Soohwan grabbed his car keys and quickly headed to the underground of the Gangnam Shelter. Seokhwa had said “me too.” So he had to go right away. Sacrificing himself for the military only brought him losses. He should do just enough; doing too much only resulted in more work.It was just after 3 PM, so he’d arrive in 20 minutes. Kwak Soohwan drove a military jeep. Recently, regular cars had begun to appear on the roads because the factories making military jeeps had started producing cars. Yet, the roads remained relatively empty.In the past, even a ten-minute walk could become a one-hour ordeal if traffic was bad, but that was unimaginable in the current city. The population had drastically decreased compared to before, partly due to population control policies. However, the city’s current slogan was the opposite of before.[Children are our future. Build the happy family you’ve dreamed of in a world without Adam.]Kwak Soohwan quickly passed under the banner. All learning centers were free to use, and once registered as a citizen, everyone had to attend when they came of age. The illiteracy rate among those under 20 had significantly decreased, which was a good thing.Parking in front of the gate, he jumped over the fence instead of opening the door. He hadn’t brought the house key and also wanted to surprise Seokhwa. He walked briskly, tapped the Hareubang’s nose to check if it was well-attached, and headed straight to the front door. The door should always be locked. Apparently, Seokhwa had fallen asleep and forgotten to lock it. Seeing Seokhwa’s slippers in the entrance reassured Kwak Soohwan.Kwak Soohwan took off his military boots and stepped inside their house. He saw Seokhwa sleeping on a mat under the living room sofa.On the TV stand, the zoddo was proudly displayed. Although his obsession with stones had decreased, he still liked them when given. Next to the stone were two framed Polaroid photos and an old cube.“A happy family.”Kwak Soohwan muttered the words from the banner. Suddenly, he was overwhelmed with emotion.Live.Yes, his mother was right. It was something he could feel because he was alive. Kwak Soohwan quickly embraced the still-sleeping Seokhwa on the mat.“Uh!”Seokhwa woke up with a start, looking terrified. Feeling sorry for startling him, Kwak Soohwan kept stroking his forehead.“Sorry, did I scare you?”Seokhwa tried to calm his racing heart. The trauma of being suddenly startled was probably ingrained in every city dweller.“There’s nothing like Adam here anymore. You destroyed them all, remember? It’s safe now.”Seokhwa nodded and hugged him back. But Seokhwa wasn’t startled because he thought it was Adam. It was a recurring nightmare.In his dream, he was left alone in the cabin. Instead of the person he waited for endlessly, Choi Hoeon, whom he had shot, appeared. Choi Hoeon wandered around the cabin, holding the arm of the already-dead Kwak Soohwan. Seokhwa felt there was no reason to live anymore and ran toward Kwak Soohwan to die too, only to be jolted awake by the sudden impact on his body. So he touched Kwak Soohwan’s arms and face for a long time.Kissing his palm, Kwak Soohwan brought his lips closer. Although his lips were a bit cold, spring was not far off. New sprouts were already emerging in the garden, and the magnolia tree that shaded the Hareubang was budding.Seokhwa gently bit Kwak Soohwan’s lower lip and rolled his tongue. As Kwak Soohwan continued to kiss him, he took off his uniform jacket. Seokhwa hooked his finger on the tie, pulled it down, and threw it away. He deftly unbuttoned his shirt, even with his eyes closed.Seokhwa completely opened his shirt and wrapped his hands around Kwak Soohwan’s solid, scarred back. The marks of having shed all his blood, proof of protecting him, made Seokhwa’s heart ache. Tracing them with his fingers, he recalled the memory of almost losing him.‘Did it hurt?’He whispered.‘No, I became stronger because I thought I was going to die. All I thought about was surviving and coming back to you, so I felt no pain.’As if no one could interrupt them now, Kwak Soohwan whispered his reassurance.Kwak Soohwan pulled down Seokhwa’s pants. Since he was in workout clothes, they slid down to his ankles in one go. He lightly kissed him again after a long kiss, lifting Seokhwa onto the sofa instead of the mat. Though they hadn’t bought the large sofa for this purpose, it was as comfortable as a bed for the two of them.Reaching into the drawer at the end of the sofa, Kwak Soohwan pulled out a condom and felt something hard. Pausing while undressing Seokhwa, he pulled out a thin, hard rod alongside the condom, which shimmered silver.“What’s this?”When Kwak Soohwan brought it close to his face, Seokhwa made a subtle expression.“It’s supposed to prevent ejaculation. Once you get used to it, it feels good too.”“Who said that?”“…The broadcast.”Kwak Soohwan felt a headache coming on. Recently, even adult broadcasts were emerging with parliamentary approval. Various sports that the previous masters hadn’t approved were also becoming popular.Screen, sports, sex, it was a time when all suppressed desires due to the authoritarian regime were being unleashed.“Do you even know how to use this?”“You insert it to block the urethra.”“Pass, throw it away.”Kwak Soohwan skillfully tossed the urethral rod into the trash. Then he took out a tube of gel from the drawer.“I’m always the one who gets tired first.”Seokhwa took the condom from him and opened the package. It was a thin, strong product made by an old man skilled in rubber, selling like hotcakes these days.Seokhwa lowered Kwak Soohwan’s briefs and fitted the condom onto his already erect member. Carefully rolling down the latex, Seokhwa enjoyed the sensation and always did it himself.Visually excited to the brink, Kwak Soohwan restrained himself from pouncing by gripping his thighs.“Using such things won’t change anything. And I don’t want anything but me inside you.”Finally ready, Kwak Soohwan lifted Seokhwa’s legs, squeezed a generous amount of gel onto his perineum and anus. Seokhwa twitched in response, but soon felt the warmth. Since they had engaged in light petting the night before, he was already loosened up. Seokhwa guided his hand down, rubbing Kwak Soohwan’s member against himself.“Ha, hyung. I’m really glad I came early, right?”“Mmm, you did well, Soohwan.”Seokhwa whispered, and he pushed his hips inside where Seokhwa was tightening around him. Seokhwa let out a melting moan, his mouth open. As he penetrated, Seokhwa also gripped his own penis, squeezing it. With gel on it, his hand became sticky. It was an obscene sensation.“You’re getting more and more into this, what if I die from how much I like it?”“I… like it too.”Because of Seokhwa’s honesty, he thought he might come first. He took some gel and squirted it onto Seokhwa’s belly. The cold gel made Seokhwa’s insides shiver. He slid his palm up to Seokhwa’s nipples. Heavy breaths escaped, and Seokhwa’s cheeks flushed. Kwak Soohwan rolled both nipples with his hands as he thrust into him. The gel splattered everywhere, making even the leather sofa slippery.“Ha, ugh.”Their bodies were melting into one another. What if his entire body melted down like gel, Seokhwa thought, looking at him through blurry eyes. He loved that expression. He loved the slightly furrowed brow and the lips exhaling rough breaths, focused entirely on him.“Ha, Soohwan, ah! Ah!”As he pinched his nipples, Seokhwa’s moans grew louder. Kwak Soohwan slid his hand down, massaging the smooth belly, and tickled his sides. Ha! Seokhwa pressed down with his legs on his shoulders. The urgent weight made him lift his hips, gathering both legs and holding them. As he continuously thrust into him, he felt the insides becoming softer. Seokhwa gripped his own penis tightly to prevent ejaculation.“It’s okay, ha, you can, okay?”He kept kissing Seokhwa’s calves. Kwak Soohwan’s speed was impossible to match. Seokhwa’s hand, trying to keep up, fell behind, drawing more attention to the bottom.I can’t do it. Soohwan, I can’t. As Seokhwa mumbled, Kwak Soohwan gripped his penis firmly. Matching his pace, he roughly masturbated the leaking penis. With each stroke, thick semen spurted out. Seokhwa had said his sperm was more active than before, which might be why he was more enthusiastic lately. The reason for building strength seemed lewd to Kwak Soohwan, but it was a lewdness that worked in his favor.“Ha! Ah!”As he ejaculated, Seokhwa rubbed his head against the sofa. Worried he might hurt his scalp, Kwak Soohwan placed his hand there. As he pressed close, he too released the pent-up need for ejaculation.The intensity with which he ejaculated into the condom made Seokhwa feel as if his entire stomach was heating up, though it wasn’t possible.Seokhwa cradled his lower abdomen, covered in gel and semen, with his hands as he caught his breath, eyes closed. This sight was too much for Kwak Soohwan. He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and gave Seokhwa a kiss. Slowly withdrawing his penis, Seokhwa trembled a bit. He kissed him again and quickly removed the constrictive condom.As he was about to throw it away, Seokhwa, struggling to open his eyes, stopped him.“… Give it to me.”Perhaps regretting not taking it to the chalet, Seokhwa took the knotted condom. Naked, he turned and struggled to the drawer, taking out an empty container. Meanwhile, Kwak Soohwan, observing his narrowing bottom, pushed down his still aroused penis. But as soon as he let go, it sprang back up.Seokhwa placed the condom in the container and lay back on the sofa, staring at the ceiling. He seemed entirely rid of any sleepiness from earlier, now thoroughly exhausted from the ejaculation.Kwak Soohwan lifted Seokhwa’s upper body and carried him to the bathroom. He should’ve filled the tub earlier. But he didn’t expect to have sex with Seokhwa right after coming home. How could he resist when welcomed so eagerly?Kwak Soohwan had deliberately bought a house with a large tub, enjoying bathing Seokhwa in warm water. He turned on the water from all directions, letting the level rise slowly as he massaged Seokhwa’s calves. Massaging his muscles after working out was part of Kwak Soohwan’s routine. Although Seokhwa wasn’t exercising to the point of muscle knots.Seokhwa, in turn, slowly moved his hands, wetting Kwak Soohwan’s arms, shoulders, and chest. He admired the play of muscles moving under the water droplets. It might be strange to call it beautiful, but watching water trace his body’s contours captivated him.“… Soohwan.”Seokhwa’s voice was drowsy again. Spring brought an excessive sleepiness for him.“Yes, Seokhwa.”“I… no longer obsess over stones.”It’s nice, but no need to move expensive things like dol hareubangs.“But you still like them.”That’s true. Seokhwa sank deeper into the water, blinking.“My nature… seems to be changing to yours.”“Then you can really fight a bear?”He gently embraced Seokhwa, who was now lying on top of him. The tub was deep, submerging Seokhwa up to his chest. Kwak Soohwan caressed his thighs, belly, and chest. These were his hobby and healing times, making the day fly by. Does Dr. Seok know how much I want to be with him all day long?“Soohwan, didn’t you…?”Seokhwa rubbed the back of his head against Kwak Soohwan’s shoulder, feeling secure and more sleepy.“What?”Hearing his gentle, laughing voice, Seokhwa closed his eyes.“Obsess over anything…”He kissed Seokhwa’s shoulder. Continuously caressing his upper body, he kissed his ears and cheeks.“I think you’re my first. You taught me all these feelings.”Kwak Soohwan kissed his earlobe as he spoke.“You know I love you like crazy, right?”“… Me too.”Seokhwa fell asleep, feeling as comfortable as if he were born from water.***According to some, all mutants were flawed. So Seokhwa speculated that Kwak Soohwan’s obsessive traits were a result of breeding. But the premise was wrong from the start. Kwak Soohwan was a perfect mutant.Kwak Soohwan firmly massaged Seokhwa’s hands, who had fallen into a light sleep. Even after leaving the bathroom, he stayed close.Kwak Soohwan hated the transition from day to night because it meant dawn would come and Seokhwa would have to go to work again. But before that, it was dinner time. Kwak Soohwan covered Seokhwa up to his chest with a blanket on the bed and headed to the kitchen.Neither of them were good at cooking. The most Kwak Soohwan could manage was an egg roll, but at least he was better at it than Seokhwa.He got out a cutting board and finely chopped some green onions. He whisked ten eggs, adding pepper, salt, and the green onions to the mixture. He poured the mixture into a heated frying pan and, while it cooked, heated up some pre-packaged seaweed soup. Alongside anchovies, pickled perilla leaves, and kimchi from a side dish shop, the meal looked quite decent.Lee Chaeyoon had suggested hiring someone to cook for them, but Kwak Soohwan had preferred to learn to cook himself. This house was a space solely for him and Seokhwa, and he disliked the idea of other people coming in.After microwaving some instant rice, he went to the living room and placed the needle of the gramophone on a record. The price of the chanson singer’s LP was higher than the cost of the house, something Seokhwa didn’t know. The less-than-perfect sound quality matched the transitional phase of the city quite well.Returning to the kitchen, he transferred the steaming egg roll onto a plate. He thought it was time to wake Seokhwa up, and as if on cue, Seokhwa came into the kitchen, looking a bit guilty despite his expressionless face. Kwak Soohwan pulled out a chair with a soft cushion.“Please have a seat, Master Seokhwa. Your servant Kwak has prepared a meal with some music.”“I’ll cook tomorrow.”“I’ll come pick you up after work tomorrow since I have the day off.”He transferred the instant rice into bowls, placing two bowls on the table along with the seaweed soup. The steam rising from the soup and the egg roll made Seokhwa’s mouth water. He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the egg roll Kwak Soohwan had made. Even though it would have been easier to split it in half, he bit into the thick roll as it was.Seokhwa exhaled white steam from his mouth as the hot food warmed him up.“It’s delicious.”The soft, fluffy eggs warmed his entire body.He had said that his obsessive tendencies started because of Kwak Soohwan. Now, having received his blood, he had been affected by the evolved virus in Kwak Soohwan’s DNA, altering his own chromosomes. It was as if he had been exposed to radiation. He might have been lucky to survive, as most people who received Kwak Soohwan’s blood would likely die.The human body has always been an unconquered mystery since the dawn of humanity. The strange thing was that the aging of their cells seemed to have almost stopped. This phenomenon was unique to the two of them, requiring further experiments to understand.Kwak Soohwan’s descendants would all be immune to the virus, and Seokhwa had become like one of his descendants.Thinking about when he started losing his obsession with stones, it was after receiving Kwak Soohwan’s blood. Maybe Kwak Soohwan never had any obsessive traits after all.“What are you doing?”‘What are you doing?’Oddly enough, he remembered the day they first met.Back then, he never imagined he would fall in love with him like this.Seokhwa gazed at Kwak Soohwan. He returned the gaze, his black eyes filled with Seokhwa.“Can you look at me like this without feeling sick now?”He stared openly, almost resting his chin on his hand.‘Major Kwak Soohwan, if you keep looking at me like that… I’ll get sick.’Seokhwa recalled the memory from long ago.He felt the past and present selves merge and become one.They were the only family for each other. A family and lovers sitting across from each other at one table in one home.No one in the world should ever be alone. It was clear that they would stay together until the end.“Now… the only thing I’m obsessed with is you, Soohwan.”His eyes widened slightly before he smiled.“I’ve felt that way for a long time.”He was as confident as ever.Instead of bloodstained sleeves, he saw white sleeves now. The city of blood had come to an end. Their sanctuary was safe, but outside, it was still stained with blood. Someday it might seep in again.As humans evolved, so would the virus, but in the end, the will to survive was stronger. At least they were stronger than the virus.Seokhwa smiled back.Hoping for a rosy life.***There were only two chairs at the table, so Lee Chaeyoon and Yang Sanghoon had to drag over a box of provisions to sit on.“Wow, you even grilled fish. You’re better off than us.”“Please, help yourself.”Seokhwa divided his trout between them. Kwak Soohwan took it back and put it in Seokhwa’s bowl.“Well, it’s not like we could have any of the trout the good doctor caught himself, right?”Yang Sanghoon’s tone was laced with disappointment, mirroring Lee Chaeyoon’s.“The trout was caught by Dr. Seok. He’s like a trout master from Russia.”Three bottles of whiskey the two had brought from the Jeep were also on the table. It seemed they were planning to have a drink and chat. Although they hadn’t finished eating, it was too much food for four people. Seokhwa moved the pan used to grill the fish aside and filled a crumpled aluminum pot with water.“We have seaweed soup, dried pollack soup, hamburger patties, chicken porridge, ramen… What would you like?”“No need, doctor. Don’t worry about boiling water.”Lee Chaeyoon removed her cumbersome cape and ran back to the Jeep. She returned shortly with a cooler. Opening it under the table, Seokhwa couldn’t help but be impressed. The cooler was packed with over ten pounds of pork and beef, with visible marbling still intact, likely due to the cold weather.“Fortunately, the weather’s cold. We brought it all the way from the city. The marbling is amazing, isn’t it?”