Gender Reversed Geum Taeyang - Chapter 64

Chapter 64 – A Family-Like Atmosphere

It was Sunday, a day without broadcasts anyway.

Wouldn’t it be cold-hearted to just film the video with Ari’s help and go straight home?

Since Ari said she didn’t have any special plans either, we were spending time together.

There wasn’t much to do specifically, but we’re the kind of friends who enjoy just chatting for hours anyway.

And personally… I was also enjoying exploring this spacious house…

Anyway, I had originally planned to leave at a reasonable time. Because of Ari’s parents.

It would be bad enough that they had to work on a Sunday, but if they came home to find a stranger there… Well. At least if I were them, I’d be quite unhappy about it.

But Jihun, who was looking at his phone at the dining table, stopped me when he heard this.

‘Stay longer. Both of them said they’d be really late today anyway.’

It worked out well. Neither Ari nor I had any other plans.

Several hours passed like that, and as evening approached.

All three of us started feeling hungry.

“Noona. Should we order something to eat? It’s dinner time now.”

“Should we? Yuhan, is there anything you want to eat? I’ll treat.”

These rich kids, I swear. How easily they suggest delivery.

The resilience that had been ingrained in me for over 20 years rebelled.

Actually, I’m earning decent money these days, so whether it’s delivery or eating at a restaurant, it wouldn’t be a problem as long as it’s not excessive.

But my body was rejecting the delivery culture at a genetic level.

“No way. Eating too much of that is bad for your health. I’ll just cook instead.”

“J-just this once. Something like tteokbokki or pizza…”

Jihun’s protest.

I could understand pizza, but why tteokbokki of all things? Even for a guy from the reversed world, this level of addiction is too much.

“Forget it. How is that a proper meal?”

“Don’t you ever want to order delivery when your parents aren’t home? Just this once, really!”

“I don’t have parents.”

“Huh?”

“I’m an orphan. And how is that a proper meal? I’ll make dinner for us, let’s eat that together.”

The same expression as Ari’s. Genetics really can’t be ignored, it seems.

Why are people’s reactions so rich? If I keep this up, I might get addicted to it. I should control myself.

Anyway.

The refrigerator I saw earlier had quite a lot of ingredients.

Of course, the quantity wasn’t comparable to my house, but the quality was on a completely different level from my ingredients at home.

Leaving the shocked Jihun behind, I started cooking.

Today’s menu is fried rice… no. Jeyuk-bokkeum (Stir-fried Pork). And doenjang-jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew).

You could say it’s the epitome of home cooking. It’s also one of the dishes I’m confident in making.

The cooking didn’t take long.

It was quite difficult to keep Ari seated when she wanted to help, but the cooking itself was something I’d done many times.

Warm rice, stew with a rich aroma, and meat with an amazing visual presentation. The culmination of my impoverished life was complete.

I seated Jihun and Ari, who had barely recovered their mental faculties, at the dining table.

So along with the few side dishes that were already there, the meal was about to begin… when…

-Beep beep beep

The sound of the door lock opening.

“Huh?! Mom’s home already?! She said she’d be late!”

Hmm.

What a shame to destroy this comfortable Sunday evening. An unfortunate incident has occurred.

Though with Jihun here, there shouldn’t be any strange misunderstandings…

Meeting a friend’s parents who just returned from work on a Sunday evening is quite awkward.

But I’m a man who has never lost at socializing with adults. A professional in hospitality!

I can’t leave a bad impression on Ari’s parents.

While Ari and Jihun unintentionally bought time, I fixed my clothes and stepped forward to meet Ari’s parents.

There was a minor issue. My hand automatically went to Ari’s shoulder… this damn Geum Taeyang.

Still, it’s within a range I can cover up…!

Since this is the reversed world, I’ll reduce the intensity and add more calmness. Bowing politely.

“Hello… I’m Seong Yuhan, Ari’s friend…”

This time, looking up with a bright smile while maintaining that position…!

Look at that moved expression. Ari’s father is even covering his mouth!

Hmm.

That was being moved, right?

I did the greeting properly, right?

###

Just what kind of person is he?

I’ve sworn never to judge people by their appearance in my life, but…

Considering Ari’s recently changed personality and the shocking behavior she showed today, and thinking about when these two met.

It was clear that this friend had some influence on my daughter.

While I tend to be more of a son-focused parent, it’s not that I don’t love my daughter.

It’s natural to be worried and shocked when Ari suddenly appears showing such behavior.

I was still suspicious. This isn’t like my usual personality, but there was something about the atmosphere that wouldn’t let me shake off my doubts.

Honestly, I couldn’t understand why her father was showing such behavior either.

“So you made all this by yourself, Yuhan? It turned out so delicious!”

“Ahaha! This jeyuk would only get about 4,000 won at a restaurant! Well, the doenjang-jjigae might be worth about 7,000 won. But honestly, what you made is even more delicious, sir? What vegetables did you use?”

“Haha! Aren’t you exaggerating too much?”

“Oh… I could eat just these vegetables three times a day. Hehe!”

What is this harmonious conversation?

Exchanging recipes, complimenting the food.

He’s even passing delicious side dishes to Ari and Jihun while continuing the conversation.

“Ari, try this. It’s really delicious. Jihun, don’t pick out the vegetables, eat them together.”

It’s a scene I find hard to understand. Objectively speaking, isn’t his appearance rather delinquent-like? Is his personality really that good? Then why does he look like that?

No, have I become an inevitable old fogey now?

With a confused heart, one spoonful of doenjang-jjigae brings back childhood memories. It’s been so long since I’ve had this kind of home cooking.

While there’s no doubt about our housekeeper’s cooking skills, this has quite a different feel to it.

“Ma’am, how’s the taste?”

“Huh? Oh… it’s delicious.”

“Hehehe… I put in some real effort. It should be tasty!”

My mind becomes complicated. My body and head are showing different reactions.

Perhaps because of this psychology, or because of some inexplicable anxiety. An unintended question slipped out.

“Ari, how are things with Junhyuk these days? Are you getting along well?”

It doesn’t match the context.

It’s a subtle question about whether she’s maintaining proper boundaries with the man beside her. It implies suspicion.

Not only was this question out of nowhere, but Ari’s response was also perfectly suited to ruining the dinner atmosphere.

“We fought about two weeks ago.”

“PFFFFFT!!!”

Yuhan, Ari’s friend, spat out the water he was drinking.

“Why, why?! What happened?! Ah, no. If it’s uncomfortable, you don’t have to tell…”

I pride myself on being able to read people’s expressions after my life in politics.

That face contains nothing but pure surprise and concern, without any other desires.

Moreover, he then subtly tries to change the topic of conversation in case Ari feels uncomfortable.

…What am I doing?

Somehow, I felt completely disconnected from the other four people.

Am I the only one having strange thoughts while staying outside that harmonious conversation?

Self-loathing gradually rose.

Is it right for someone with a boyfriend to be so close to another man? Is it okay for someone who fought with their boyfriend to be like this?

I wanted to stop thinking like that now.

Honestly, both my body and mind are very tired, and despite everything, Ari has shown certain behaviors all this time.

I just. I wanted to join that group that looked so happy.

###

Hmm.

Ari’s mother…

No, until halfway through the meal, she barely spoke, so I thought she was a very stern person, but…

“Hey Yuhan. It’s getting late, why don’t you just stay over? And have some of this fruit.”

Now she’s become this sweet. I’m incredibly moved.

That’s when she started asking me various questions.

‘Huh? Haven’t you seen me on TV or something? I thought I was quite well-known among members of the National Assembly.’

‘What?! National Assembly member?! Ah…! I-I usually avoided political talk when I was doing construction work…!’

‘Huh? Construction work…?’

I didn’t expect to form a connection this way. Though probably not construction work, it seems mother also had quite difficult jobs in her younger days.

And… perhaps because she found it admirable that I was living life earnestly despite not having parents, she started paying more attention to me than even her own children.

I never imagined a situation where I’d be eating fruit cut by a Korea University professor while sitting with a National Assembly member. What kind of situation is this?

Oh my. I’m about to tear up from emotion. Every time I revealed that I’m an orphan to people, I received different reactions, but this has been the most mature response I’ve ever received.

I should make my chatter even more dazzling. To make them even happier!

Anyway.

The conversation, which lasted longer than expected, was mainly about me.

My life story, what I do, my hobbies, and so on.

The reaction was… well… needless to say, it was good.

It doesn’t seem like I left an impression of being a ‘blonde tanned thug’. Rather, it seems I left an impression of being an extremely dependable man.

“Ari, why don’t you sleep on the floor today?”

“Yuhan, I’ll cook for you tomorrow, so rest well before you go.”

“What? Hyung, you’re really staying over? You can use my bed if you need to.”

Hmm.

Maybe I left an even better impression than that.

At this point, aren’t I practically a family member? Somehow, I seem to have good chemistry with Ari’s family.

Well, not a bad feeling. This is my first time experiencing this kind of situation.

… But why is everyone focusing on me when Ari fought with her boyfriend?

If it were me, I would have felt quite hurt that no one seemed to care.

I’ll probably be sleeping in the same room as Ari, maybe I should bring it up…

(End of Chapter)