Chapter 73. More Than A Dinner (4)

Translator: Aura

Minkyung was sure that the pasta would be tastier than the ones sold in restaurants. If it satisfied his own picky palate, there was no way it wouldn’t be tasty.

Lee-Seob smiled confidently as he watched Min Kyung roll up the pasta and put it in her mouth.

The soft, springy noodles coated with the rich olive oil sauce slid into her mouth. When the spicy touch of the chili flakes hit her tongue, her nose twitched. Although oily, it was a refined dish. Simple, but full of flavor. She didn’t know how to describe it exactly, which made it more palatable.

“It’s the best, right?”

“Yes, it’s delicious.”

Minkyung swallowed the noodles in her mouth and continued,

“I promise you, I’ll never forget it.”

Lee-Seob stuffed a sizable portion of noodles into his mouth and chewed slowly as he continued to watch Minkyung.

“It’s very addictive.”

Even her eyes smarted from the spiciness. Minkyung blinked, and looked at Lee-Seob’s glossy, oily lips. He then raised his wine glass again,

“Cheers.”

Minkyung’s cheeks were a little red, but she toasted with him and took another sip of wine.

As he tapped the screen of his cell phone next to him, a soft pop song came from the bluetooth speaker installed in his living room.

“On a Saturday Night.”

Lee-Seob took a sip of wine, and said in a slightly inebriated voice,

“It’s the name of that pop song.”

Minkyung nodded with a smile. In the blink of an eye, darkness fell. The lights in the apartment turned on, and a soft glow filtered through the tree branches in the building’s garden. The beginning of a clear spring night, a beautiful centerpiece, pasta prepared on time, and mellow background music.

‘What more perfect does this man want to be?’

“What did you do today?”

“I went to the flower market.”

“Did you rest well, sir?”

Minkyung tried to sort out what was unclear in her mind as this casual conversation continued. Unstable emotions, scattered thoughts, and unreasonable expectations were things she had never experienced before.

“So? How was it?”

“Ah, yes… So, umm…”

Minkyung was having trouble concentrating on the conversation, so Lee-Seob would occasionally ask her questions to get her attention.

*Ding*

The oven alarm went off. Just as Minkyung was about to get up, Lee-Seob motioned for her to stay seated and he stood up. Now that she had had a little to drink, she didn’t even have the confidence to lift the bowl of pasta.

“Pepper steak.”

The steak had a delicious smell that stimulated the appetite. He would serve it with a side dish of asparagus, eggplant and roasted vegetables.

However, he said with a serious expression,

“I need to touch it up with the blowtorch.”

Once done, Lee-Seob cut the steak with a slightly nervous expression. He popped a piece into his mouth and said in satisfaction,

“It’s cooked well.”

‘Why does he put so much effort into it? Isn’t it just dinner?’

Minkyung wanted to ask that, but she simply cut the steak once he brought it to the table and ate it silently. She drank some wine and ate another piece of steak.

“It’s not that good?”

Minkyung showed her familiar smile,

“It’s delicious. It’s the best. There’s really nothing you can’t do.”

Lee-Seob, who had been frozen, smiled brightly.

He had received this kind of compliment countless times over the past ten years. Whenever that happened, he found it childish and unpleasant, but today it made him happy. His smile was so beautiful that she wanted to touch it.

When she looked away from his lips, her eyes fell on the centerpiece. Minkyung lightly tapped the light pink double flower with her index finger.

“What flower is it?”

“Lisianthus.”

N/T: It is a flower that is often used in bridal bouquets to symbolize eternal love.

“Ah…”

“It’s my favorite flower.”

Said Lee-Seob. His cheeks blushed as lightly as the petals of this flower. Minkyung felt her mouth water, so she drank the wine quickly.

“Do you want more?”

“No.”

Minkyung finished cutting the steak and eating it.

“The wine is really good, but I think I’ll get drunk if I drink more.”

“I understand you.”

Lee-Seob poured wine into his own glass, and instead of wine, he served Minkyung a cup of aromatic tea he had prepared in advance.