TPWA 17⚽

Chapter 17

The menu featured spring’s seasonal delicacy: spicy octopus stew with abalone and water parsley generously piled on top. Gasps of admiration echoed across the table.

“Wow, unni! Even Jang-geum would abandon her tomb to see this!”
“Boss! My eyes are spinning! How many talents do you even have?!”

Sitting next to the two enthusiastic voices, Yeongwon was equally amazed. He had never imagined he could prepare something like this at home.

But the feast didn’t stop there—there was beef bulgogi, seasoned stonecrop salad, and small pan-fried shepherd’s purse pancakes. The fragrant aroma filled the room.

Lighting the burner with a smile, Yuna said:

“I thought I wouldn’t get many chances to eat seasonal food. The presentation isn’t perfect since I don’t have fancy tableware or placemats… but I hope it tastes good.”

They had pulled out every dish and utensil they owned, resulting in a mix-and-match of plates. While Yuna didn’t mind eating alone, presenting food so informally to guests made her feel a little self-conscious.

Her cooking skills had unexpectedly honed through the years of catering to her picky father-in-law and ex-husband. Although she had always enjoyed cooking with her mother-in-law, her attention to subtle details had sharpened only after marriage. Managing meals for two households in the same apartment building was a daily battle with food.

However, her guests didn’t seem to mind, and the chopsticks began to move quickly.

Meanwhile, Yuna shyly pulled something from a bag she had placed under the table.

“And this… I thought it might go well, so I bought it.”

It was a transparent, premium sake. The reaction was ecstatic.

Although she had studied food and drink pairings simply because her ex-husband and father-in-law enjoyed a drink with meals, Yuna had discovered her own combinations through experimentation. Seeing her friends enjoy it brought her great satisfaction. Two cups each would be enough, and it was just the right amount. Each emptied plate filled Yuna’s heart with happiness—the joy of seeing someone savor food she had prepared was something she had long forgotten.

“I think I should just work at your house and get meals here, unni. This is incredible.”

“Delicious?”

Yuna glanced subtly at Yeongwon. Today, he hadn’t offered much evaluation, but his bowl was already nearly empty. She pressed her lips together to stop herself from smiling foolishly.

After the lively meal full of praise, Yuna was seated on the sofa, leaving the cleaning to the others. She looked at the blue sports drink in her tumbler. The capsule coffee at home had run out, and there was no tea, so Yeongwon had poured her something. Since all cups had been used, the tumbler was the only option. Yuna let out a silent laugh—it was so typical of him.

Once the cleanup was done, the four of them went outside. Kitae offered to treat them to dessert.

They tried to go to a café near the officetel complex, but it was fully packed on Sunday. Since they couldn’t go to Yuna’s café after all the cooking she had done, they decided to take out drinks from the first place they found.

With drinks in hand, they decided to walk a bit since the weather was nice. The area, filled with officetels and villas, had no particularly interesting shops, but spring was evident everywhere. Forsythias were in full bloom, and magnolias in sunny spots had opened their buds, releasing fragrant scents.

Thanks to Seoyeon and Kitae, conversation flowed easily as they wandered aimlessly. Soon, they approached the main street, where bars and franchise restaurants appeared.

Seoyeon’s attention was caught by a claw machine arcade.

“Time to show off my old skills. Shall we play a round, seniors?”
“I’ll provide some funds for you, boss.”
“I’ve wanted to try this too!”

Kitae was confident, and Yuna visibly excited. Seeing her eager face, Yeongwon abandoned any thought of the money being wasted. They all crowded into the arcade.

The arcade had more than just stuffed toys. Kitae went for the machine with the most expensive prizes, while Seoyeon, with a professional eye, chose a keyring claw machine. Naturally, Yuna followed her.

“I don’t know how to do this. Can I watch you first? Teach me.”

Standing behind Yuna, who was practically bouncing with excitement, Seoyeon glanced at the tall Yeongwon and asked with a teasing tone:

“Why did Yeongwon sunbae come along?”
“…It’s my first time too.”
“Ohh, I see.”

Seoyeon giggled and inserted a card. Three tries cost five thousand won. The machine’s lights flashed brilliantly.

Seoyeon’s three attempts earned her a keyring with a tiny hamster plush. She proudly held it up, and Yuna clapped enthusiastically.

“So cute! Amazing! Is it always this easy?”
“You’ll see. You learn as you go.”
“I must get a keyring too.”
“Right. Giving ginseng as a freshman gift was too much.”

Next was Yuna. She inserted a card seriously, and Seoyeon guided her, choosing good targets and showing her how to move. Yet, three tries proved insufficient. The toys were wrapped tightly in plastic, making them difficult to grab.

“Seoyeon got hers so easily…”

Feeling defeated, Yuna did some quick calculations. Buying the keyring for ten thousand won would be more efficient.

“I’ll just stop…”

Rationally, it was wise, but it didn’t make her happy. Stepping aside sulkily, it was Yeongwon’s turn.

“….”

He hadn’t intended to play seriously, but seeing Yuna’s sulky face made him feel he had to. Yeongwon inserted his card.

He had been eyeing a brown rabbit plush on the top row, with a heart-shaped patch of white fur on its belly. It resembled Yuna. The position wasn’t ideal, but fifteen thousand won at most—why not try?

Surprisingly, it didn’t take long. On his second attempt, the rabbit fell to the top. Yuna’s joy was immediate.

“Wow, Yeongwon, you’re amazing! One more try and it might come down!”

But that was when trouble began. The third attempt failed. The next three tries only nudged the rabbit sideways. Its position worsened with each attempt.

“….”

Yeongwon’s expression darkened instantly. His gaze, black and focused, wouldn’t leave the rabbit. Silently, he inserted another card.

“…Another round?”

Yuna began watching him nervously, and in the blink of an eye, another five thousand won disappeared. Yeongwon continued without drawing cards, still aiming only for the brown rabbit.

The intensity he brought created an awkward tension among the other three. When the arcade’s repetitive music became almost unbearable, Seoyeon muttered:

“At this rate, we’ll scratch the rabbit’s back until dawn.”

“….”

Apparently, it only spurred Yeongwon further. Eventually, Kitae, who had lost a few tens of thousands, approached and looked at Yeongwon, exasperated.

“Didn’t get a single one… and you’re still at it… Choi Yeongwon?”
“K-Kitae….”

Yuna quickly pressed her index finger to her lips, signaling him to ignore the comment. Yeongwon seemed to filter it out.

After a long stretch of time, Yeongwon’s relentless determination finally paid off. The rabbit fell into the prize chute, and all three shouted in unison:

“Yeongwon, amazing! It’s so cute!”
“Crazy guy! Thought you were done, but you did it!”
“An eighty-thousand-won keyring! Worth it, worth it!!”

Yeongwon held the rabbit, gazing at it with a hint of emptiness. He realized he had a competitive streak, but falling so predictably into a prize designed for players like him felt hollow.

Yet, his accomplishment soothed him slightly, and Yuna quickly spoke:

“Yeongwon, you don’t have a keyring on your backpack, right? Put it there… or somewhere else…”

She felt it would be a waste to spend that much money and just store it away. But Yeongwon remained silent.

“….”

Finally, his gaze shifted from the rabbit to Yuna.