Chapter 11 (Continued)

 

“Leader, I’m going to eat jjajangmyeon with the Gourmet Club members.”

 

The Gourmet Club was a food exploration club that Yesong was part of in addition to the Disciplinary Committee.

 

“Jjajangmyeon?”

 

“Today, we have to eat jjajangmyeon. It’s a significant matter!”

 

“?”

 

Not ‘want to eat,’ but ‘have to eat’?

 

Ah, maybe she just phrased her desire differently.

 

“Enjoy your meal, Leader!”

 

Yesong left the office with a bounce in her step.

 

‘Jjajangmyeon, huh… Now that I hear it, I want some too.’

 

Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I had jjajangmyeon.
I decided to order it for lunch.

 

I pulled out my smartphone to order jjajangmyeon via the delivery app.

 

Just then, my phone vibrated with a message on CoconutTalk.

 

It was a message from Vice_ Leader Oh Baek-seo.

 

[Oh Baek-seo: Leader]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: Have you had lunch?]

 

Baek-seo’s profile picture on Cocotalk was the back view of her in a hanbok in a flower garden.

 

Even through CoconutTalk, she exuded elegance.

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: I was just about to order]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: What about you?]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: Not yet]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: Let’s eat together]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: Sure]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: Sounds good, haha]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: (Cat laughing emoji)]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: Come to the office]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: Is jjajangmyeon okay?]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: ?]

 

What’s with the question mark?

 

[Oh Baek-seo: Really?]

 

What does she mean by ‘really’?

 

[Oh Baek-seo: I like it]

 

Oh, just an exclamation, I guess.

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: Jja? Jjam?]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: Jjajangmyeon]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: Got it]

 

[Ahn Woo-jin: (OK sign dog emoji)]

 

[Oh Baek-seo: I’ll be there soon, hehe]

 

I ordered two bowls of jjajangmyeon and a tangsuyuk set from the delivery app.
Soon, Baek-seo arrived at the office, and 10 minutes later, the jjajangmyeon set was delivered.

 

After setting the food on the table, Baek-seo and I sat on the sofa.

 

‘Oh, the smell is amazing.’

 

The aroma of jjajangmyeon I hadn’t smelled in a while was very stimulating.

 

My mouth watered.

 

“You ordered tangsuyuk too?”
“Do you not like tangsuyuk?”

 

“Not at all. I love it.”

 

Baek-seo shook her head, smiling gently as always.

 

I rubbed the wooden chopsticks in my hands to warm them up. Then, with a bit of force, they split perfectly in half.

 

…Wait a second.

 

‘Oops.’

 

Had the act of heating the wooden chopsticks through palm friction been unrefined?

 

No, it was within acceptable limits. The purpose was to precisely split the chopsticks using a scientific principle. It was a logical and reasonable action.

 

‘I should maintain my dignity even while eating jjajangmyeon.’

 

That was the appropriate demeanor expected of a Disciplinary Committee Leader.

 

Thankfully, I became aware in time. I almost shook the packaged jjajangmyeon to mix it, which would have been undignified. At least, it wasn’t something to do in front of the Vice.

 

After removing the plastic wrap from the jjajangmyeon, I stirred the noodles and sauce with my chopsticks. The white noodles slowly turned black as they absorbed the sauce with a slurping sound.

 

‘Yes, this is it.’

 

There was no way that a mere jjajangmyeon could tarnish my dignity, even slightly.

 

Finally, I lifted a chopstickful of jjajangmyeon to my mouth. Slurp. A rich, savory flavor with the right balance of salty and sweet burst forth.

 

‘This is fantastic.’

 

As I was happily slurping the noodles,

 

“Leader.”

 

“What?”

 

“Why jjajangmyeon all of a sudden? And with me?”

 

Baek-seo asked with a smiling face.

 

I didn’t understand her intent.

 

“I wanted to eat it. And if I’m going to eat, it’s better to eat together.”

 

“Is that so…?”

 

Baek-seo tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and slurped a few strands of jjajangmyeon. A meaningful smile played on her lips.

 

‘What’s this?’

 

Something felt off.

 

I suddenly remembered Yesong shouting that she had to eat jjajangmyeon today. Baek-seo seemed to know something as well.

 

There were no significant memories related to jjajangmyeon within the Disciplinary Committee.

 

So then?

 

I took out my smartphone and accessed the internet. Upon searching for ‘jjajangmyeon,’ I found information I hadn’t paid attention to before.

 

April 14th.

 

Black Day.

 

It’s a day when men and women who didn’t receive chocolates or candies on Valentine’s Day and White Day gather to eat jjajangmyeon together.

 

All clothes and accessories must be black, and they should drink black coffee at cafes.

 

It’s a day for singles to comfort each other and sometimes become couples.

 

“Ah.”

 

I finally understood Yesong’s earlier remark and Baek-seo’s reaction.

 

Today was April 14th, Black Day.

 

It was coincidental that I decided to have jjajangmyeon today after a long time, and my company was Baek-seo. She might have interpreted my invitation differently.

 

[It’s a day when singles become couples.]

 

That particular phrase lingered in my mind.

 

‘Should I explain this…?’

 

Should I clarify that there was no hidden meaning behind my invitation to eat jjajangmyeon together? No, that would be undignified. It would make me seem desperate and pitiful.

 

“Hm…”

 

I was lost in thought, forgetting about the jjajangmyeon in front of me.

 

“Leader.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“The jjajangmyeon is delicious.”

 

Baek-seo said with a smile.

 

“Shall we make this our regular spot?”

 

“……”

 

Surprisingly, seeing Baek-seo’s calm smile, my mind cleared instantly.

 

‘Well… what does it matter if today is Black Day or not.’

 

Baek-seo must have known it was Black Day.

 

Normally, Baek-seo would not miss the opportunity to tease me in such a situation. How could she not take advantage of the funny scenario where I invited her to eat jjajangmyeon on Black Day?

 

Yet, she made no jokes about it.

 

This meant she wasn’t concerned about Black Day.

 

‘Paying attention to such things would be childish and undignified. Baek-seo knows this well.’

 

Making a fuss to explain myself would only damage my dignity. I didn’t want to do that anyway.

 

I had worried over nothing.

 

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

I answered with a raised corner of my mouth.

 

Later, while eating jjajangmyeon without any particular thoughts,

 

Baek-seo quietly munched on a piece of pickled radish and said,

 

“Leader, you won’t be eating jjajangmyeon again today, will you?”

 

“Probably not.”

 

“Then that’s good.”

 

?

 

Slurp. Baek-seo finished her remaining jjajangmyeon.