Chapter 50: The Friend Card and the Three-Colored Cat
The silver-plated serving cart rolled across the carpet, setting down two plates of red wine-braised beef short ribs before them.
The caramel-colored sauce cloaked the tender meat, steam rising with a warm aroma tinged by rosemary.
Once she confirmed the friend’s identity, Jung Soo-jung, like a music box unwound, relaxed from a rigid ninety-degree posture to a languid seventy-five degrees.
She even poked at the edge of Kang Jae-hoon’s plate with her fork.
“Try this. It’s a hundred times better than kimchi fried rice.”
Kang Jae-hoon speared a piece of meat and popped it into his mouth.
The moment the beef touched his tongue, it melted like a velvet waterfall; the rich acidity of black garlic and sherry vinegar exploded like tiny fireworks between his teeth. His pupils dilated as if an eighth-level earthquake shook his senses.
He puffed out his cheeks and nodded wildly.
“Delicious!”
Jung Soo-jung’s dimples deepened with his squirrel-like puffed cheeks, brightening her smile all the more.
“If it’s good, eat more.”
Suddenly transformed into a gourmet salesman, her fork traced silver arcs under the light, as if conducting a sweet symphony of flavors.
“Try this roasted pumpkin.”
“Mmm…”
“Broccoli for vitamins.”
“Uh…”
“Honey walnuts help you sleep.”
Kang Jae-hoon’s plate quickly turned into a miniature botanical garden, his protests cut short by a fresh round of food bombardment.
When he forked the roasted pumpkin, some of the soft flesh fell. His panicked attempt to retrieve it made Jung Soo-jung burst out laughing.
At that moment, she finally understood what Kim Ji-won meant by “friend privileges.”
Once the “crush filter” was lifted, even his clumsiness became comedy gold.
And now she could openly laugh at his foolishness; it was ten times more joyful than sneaking glances in secret.
Jung Soo-jung propped her chin on her hand, watching Kang Jae-hoon’s comical scramble to pick up the pumpkin.
“Have you ever had a pet, Mr. Kang?”
“Not allowed in the shared apartment.”
Kang Jae-hoon scooped the pumpkin pulp off the table and popped it into his mouth.
“Besides, Seong-gyeong’s afraid of cats, so whenever I feed stray cats near the convenience store, I have to roll myself with a lint roller for ten minutes before entering the house.”
Jung Soo-jung lowered her eyes, stirring the lemon slice in her iced water.
“…So is your ideal type Lee Seong-gyeong?”
In the adjacent private room,
Park Hyeong-shik’s eyes widened at that.
“Is she crazy? Bringing up Lee Seong-gyeong now?!”
“Shh—”
Kim Ji-won turned the monitor volume up to the maximum.
“Let’s listen first.”
On the video screen, Kang Jae-hoon was wiping pumpkin residue from the table with a napkin.
“As for Seong-gyeong, she’s emotionally stable, caring, and has a clear career plan.”
“You admire her?”
“Of course. A roommate for five years with zero conflicts is rare.”
“Just a roommate?” Jung Soo-jung raised an eyebrow.
“More than a roommate… like family.”
Hearing this, Park Hyeong-shik slapped his forehead.
“Oh no! The ‘family’ line after five years? It’s game over!”
Kim Ji-won snatched the earphone mic.
“Bona, don’t panic! Mr. Kang has avoidant attachment personality—”
“Huh?!”
Park Hyeong-shik stared at Jung Soo-jung, who was savagely stabbing tiramisu with a fork.
“But he said family!”
“Romance turning into familial love is the end station, but Mr. Kang’s train hasn’t even left the platform!”
“Stop, speak human!”
“It means he’s so familiar with Seong-gyeong that their gender distinction is blurred, and thus the sexual tension is lost!”
“Then what about Bona now?”
“Jackpot!”
Kim Ji-won suddenly smiled mischievously.
“Bona, wipe that smile off your face and invite him to the gym to create physical contact! Sweat and hormones work ten times better than red wine-braised beef! And by the way… check out those abs.”
“Now?”
“What now?”
Kang Jae-hoon was dumbfounded by Jung Soo-jung’s random question.
“No, I mean—”
She waved her hands in panic, nearly knocking over her lemon water.
“It’s time to pay!”
When the waiter brought the bill, Kang Jae-hoon reached for his wallet in his pocket.
“Let’s split it.”
Jung Soo-jung slapped her credit card on the bill.
“I said I’ll pay. Don’t be shy—”
“Next time, it’s my treat.”
“Han River cruise buffet.”
Kang Jae-hoon glanced at the six-figure Korean won total at the bottom of the bill, his Adam’s apple bobbing with tragic resolve.
“…Fine.”
The night wind swept ginkgo leaves into the revolving door.
Just as they stepped out of the restaurant, dazzling high beams suddenly cut through the darkness.
Jung Soo-yeon’s BMW was parked at the entrance. The window rolled down to reveal her nuclear-level death glare.
“Soo-jung, you—”
Her Chanel heels had just touched the ground when her sister lunged forward, shoving her back into the passenger seat.
The click of the seatbelt locking mixed with Jung Soo-jung’s forced smile.
“Oni, we’ll talk slowly at home!”
“Hey! You ate spinach?!”
“Inherited Dad’s genes…”
Jung Soo-jung braced her knee against the car door, turning to wave at Kang Jae-hoon with a honey-sweet smile.
“See you on set tomorrow~”
“…See you tomorrow.”
The white BMW sped away, its taillights shrinking into the corner.
Jung Soo-yeon gripped the steering wheel, momentarily dazed—
It turned out, the only reason she could dominate this girl before was through the spiritual victory of bloodline superiority.
Kang Jae-hoon watched the BMW disappear at the corner, then turned to find Kim Ji-won and Park Hyeong-shik sneaking out of the restaurant.
“Hey? What a coincidence, you guys here for dinner too?”
“Ha ha… We just happened to be shopping nearby!”
“Oh…”
Kang Jae-hoon’s gaze flicked between them, eyes suddenly wide.
“You two aren’t…?!”
“Ani!!”
Park Hyeong-shik and Kim Ji-won leapt apart as if electrocuted, bouncing three meters away.
“I swear my ideal type is a gentle senior like Lee Yeon-hee!”
“And I hate all creatures wearing baseball jackets!”
Kim Ji-won ignored their simultaneous downward glances at their jackets.
“Let’s go, got a shoot early tomorrow!”
“…”
Kang Jae-hoon scratched his head, watching them flee, then belatedly pulled out his phone.
[Seong-gyeong, guess what gossip I just heard…?]
Moonlight etched diamond-shaped patches of light on the convenience store’s glass walls.
The September night wind stirred dry ginkgo leaves by the vending machine.
Kang Jae-hoon squatted on the store steps. A calico cat nudged the foil container of red wine-braised beef short ribs with its nose.
“This is Bona’s… Soo-jung’s leftover gourmet meal.”
He poked the cat’s head.
“Don’t get drunk on the wine and scratch me, okay?”
The calico’s purring vibrated the foil container, its tail sweeping across his hand like a feather duster losing fur.
The glass door sensor chimed as the night clerk peeked out.
“Mr. Kang, an anonymous citizen wants to adopt this little one.”
“Is it reliable?”
Kang Jae-hoon waved the cat’s paw.
“Hope it’s not a cat dealer. Our princess is the chief mouser of Seongsu-dong convenience store.”
“The adopter passed the animal protection association’s review.”
The clerk pulled out a copy of the adoption agreement.
“The Animal Protection Act requires adopters to submit a video of their living environment, income proof, and attend a four-hour care lecture.”
The calico suddenly flipped over, exposing its belly.
Kang Jae-hoon’s hand sank into the fluffy fur as he smiled.
“Traitor, heard there’s food and lodging and now you’re acting cute?”
“Meow—”