Chapter 18: Pancakes, Promises, and Phantoms

Since I moved back to my family home, I haven’t had a single night of restless sleep.

But today was a little different.

“Where am I?”

It was a clearing in the mountains.

It certainly wasn’t the mountain behind our house.

A well-maintained walking trail like this was something rarely seen in this area.

“A car?”

In that unfamiliar clearing at the mountain’s entrance.

In a place where not even an ant could be seen passing by, a single vehicle sat parked all alone.

Step, step, step.

As if possessed, I walked toward the vehicle.

“Hmm…”

All the windows were closed.

The dark tinting was an added touch.

However, upon closer inspection, I saw that the gaps in the windows were tightly sealed with tape.

Every single one of the four windows was the same, without exception.

“This…?”

Without a second thought, I hurriedly pulled on the handle.

Clack!

Fortunately, the door wasn’t locked.

“!”

Inside, a single man sat alone.

He was in the driver’s seat, his eyes closed in silence.

His lips and fingertips were as red as those of a living person.

But.

“…He’s already dead.”

This was not the mark of the living.

In cases of death by carbon monoxide poisoning—in other words, a suicide committed by burning coal briquettes—the skin often appears cherry-red, just like this.

It was the result of carbon monoxide binding with the hemoglobin in the blood to form carboxyhemoglobin.

“Damn it.”

I tried to report it immediately.

However, no matter how much I searched my pockets, I couldn’t find my phone.

What was even more flustering was,

Flash!

“…!”

At 그 moment, the man I was certain was dead opened his eyes.

In the dark mountains, the man in the driver’s seat, where only the heavy scent of death remained, spoke.

“…Prosecutor.”

He called out to me.

Grief, anger, despair, sorrow, resentment, frustration, and a sense of loss.

His face was filled with all those various emotions.

And…

“You…?”

I already knew who this person was.

“Mr. Lee Ji-hoon!”

A person involved in my case.

An actor who had tragically become a victim of a police leak.

A person who had already passed away.

“I feel so wronged… I’m so filled with resentment that I cannot leave this world.”

The actor Lee Ji-hoon slowly approached me.

Thud!

Then, he climbed on top of my chest as I fell backward.

“It hurts so much. Here, it hurts so…”

He repeatedly poked his own heart with his finger.

…Like that, he looked down at me for a long time.

***

“Huff!”

My eyes snapped open.

My entire body was drenched in a cold sweat.

It was a nightmare I hadn’t had in a very long time.

I used to have them often when I was working, but I hadn’t experienced one even once since coming back home.

“…Eh…?”

However.

I could clearly see the familiar ceiling in my field of vision.

But strangely enough, the heavy feeling on my chest remained.

‘Could it be…?’

Gulp. I swallowed hard and slowly, very slowly, lowered my gaze.

“!”

In that moment, I made eye contact with the little devil sitting on top of my body.

“Unkie!”

…This was a disaster in a different sense.

It might be one of the greatest crises of my entire life.

“Hmph!”

This was because Seol was puffing out both of her cheeks.

They were so full that a frog would have been jealous.

‘Ah, crisis or not, I just want to poke them with my finger.’

But I had to endure.

I didn’t want to experience the catastrophe of her saying, ‘Unkie, I hate you!’

Our Seol was currently extremely angry.

“My princess, why are you so angry so early in the morning?”

“The otter!!!!”

Seol held up her pinky finger with her tiny hand.

It was a protest asking what happened to the promise I had made.

“…Wait, time out.”

I quickly covered my mouth with my hand and whispered quietly.

Immediately, a swarm of snowflakes, who had been watching the fire from across the river, came rushing over.

‘These guys are laughing.’

Look at them.

The one wearing a Santa hat, who had been giggling, covered his mouth with both hands as soon as he made eye contact with me.

“…Soldiers.”

At my cold voice, the snowflakes all stood at attention simultaneously.

For the record, these guys love playing with me.

They especially went crazy for this kind of soldier play.

“You performed my orders properly, didn’t you?”

I had already given them one instruction.

Codename: Operation Find the Otter.

― We need bait, Commander!

― Something very delicious!

― Bait!

― We need specific food for the weasel!

Hmm.

It seemed they needed a special meal to lure the otter out.

‘What would be good?’

…Now that I thought about it, I was hungry too.

I should head to the market right away.

I needed to get bait for the otter, and I also needed ingredients for my family to eat.

‘They said otters generally like seafood.’

Getting the food wasn’t that difficult.

Since this was the southern coast, seafood was everywhere.

Shrimp jumping with life, glossy squid, fresh shellfish, and even fresh oysters from the neighboring town of Tongyeong.

“…Pancakes?”

Suddenly, an idea flashed through my mind.

Right, today I would make savory seafood pancakes filled with plenty of seafood.

“What is Jijim?”

Just then, Min Ha-ru, who was busy brushing Seol’s hair while her cheeks were still puffed out, asked.

“Ah, was that dialect too?”

“What is it?”

“Do you know what Jeong-gu-ji is?”

“I am a Gucci ambassador!”

“…Jijim means pancake. Jeong-gu-ji refers to chives.”

“Ah!”

Only then did an exclamation mark appear over Min Ha-ru’s head.

“Suddenly, I’m reminded of a friend I used to play with when I was young. He was a classmate who transferred from Changwon.”

An excited Min Ha-ru began to chatter away.

“One day, the two of us went to a convenience store. He picked out an oden and suddenly said to the counter, ‘Please daepa this!’”

It seemed the microwave was at the counter.

He meant he wanted it heated up.

“But the confused convenience store employee suddenly came out from behind the counter, actually found a green onion, and brought it to him! Pffft. It’s so funny whenever I think about that time.”

[Note: ‘Daepa’ is a pun between ‘Daewo-juseyo’ (please heat it up) and ‘Daepa’ (green onion).]

“…That is an amusing episode. Anyway, I’m going to the market. Please look after Seol.”

“Go ahead as much as you like!”

Min Ha-ru happily went back to work with her hands.

However.

“….”

Our Seol.

Even though I said I was leaving, she didn’t even look this way.

She kept her back completely turned to me.

Meanwhile, those two protruding rice-cake-like cheeks visible from this angle were something I really wanted to touch…

‘…Ah. Let’s get back quickly.’

I rushed out of the room.

If I was any later, a true disaster would occur.

“Before that, I’ll pull some chives in advance.”

***

“What are you doing?”

As I was diligently pulling chives from the field, someone approached me.

It was my father.

“I was thinking of making seafood pancakes with chives today.”

“Jijim?”

“Yes.”

For the record, I planted these chives myself.

When I decided to increase the crops, they were the first thing I planted.

“Why chives of all things?”

Even back then, my father had asked me the same thing.

“The bugs go crazy for them, the roots are so weak they rot easily, and you have to water them often. They’re just a nuisance.”

“Don’t you remember? When I was little and you took me fishing, you’d even bring a burner, set up a spot, and fry pancakes for me every time. You said I ate them well.”

Chive pancakes, in particular, were easy to carry to places like camping trips.

You just had to mix all the ingredients and the batter from the start and put it in a single airtight container.

“Did I do that…?”

“Yes. To me, those pancakes were the most delicious thing in the world.”

There is a very special flavor in cooking.

It is the taste of ‘memories.’

Nothing in the world lasts forever.

Even if I hate the thought, the moment will eventually come when I have to part with my father.

‘If that day comes… I think I’ll miss these pancakes the most.’

For no reason, my heart felt a bit sharp.

Even though that day hadn’t come yet.

“Should I make them for you?”

Just then, my father’s voice broke through my thoughts.

Looking at his face, it seemed he had been thinking of similar memories.

“…No.”

A smile naturally spread across my lips.

“Today, I will make them for you, Father.”

***

The ingredient preparation was all finished.

“Seo-jun! I told you to take one more squid!”

“Oh, it’s alright, sir! I’ll come again!”

“Good grief. You’re the only customer who refuses something given for free. Give my regards to your father!”

“Yes! I’ll be sure to tell him you picked out only the best ones!”

Though there was this minor happening during the process.

Sizzle!

Back in the kitchen, I rolled up my sleeves.

Then, I poured a ladle of batter onto the oil-slicked griddle.

Sizzle, sizzle.

Soon, the batter spread wide, and the edges began to crisp up.

The thinly sliced chives peeked out from above the flour.

The green color was vividly alive.

“The smell is good.”

The deep scent of nature, freshly pulled from the sun-kissed earth.

The harmony with the seafood was also excellent.

A bit of plump shrimp.

A little bit of long-sliced squid.

Finely chopped clam meat and well-washed fresh oysters were mixed in as well.

The batter sagged slightly under the weight, but that was actually better.

As the seafood was pressed, the rich juices would seep into the chive pancake.

Soon, the seafood juices from the batter mixed with the oil, and a savory aroma spread throughout the kitchen.

Flip—

In that moment, I quickly flipped the pancake.

A perfectly crispy edge.

The inside of the batter was moistly cooked.

I pressed down gently once more with the spatula, and the juices spread across the griddle.

‘The point of a pancake is the edge.’

And when the edges were cooked as crispy as a cracker.

“It’s done!”

I immediately placed the chive pancake on a plate.

“Here. It’s Baek Seo-jun’s special seafood pancake.”

“Woooooah!”

The family members, who had already gathered, burst into exclamations.

It seemed their mouths had been watering since the smell started to spread.

Just then, my father rummaged around and pulled something out.

Looking closely, it was makgeolli.

“Young man Jin-su. Care for a drink?”

“I’d love to!”

Kim Jin-su, who had been gauging the atmosphere, quickly held out his bowl with both hands.

Seeing that, a desire for a drink surged within me as well, but.

‘Right now, there’s something else I need to prioritize.’

Our Seol.

She still wasn’t even looking at her uncle.

But!

― Commander! The weasel is here!

“!”

Immediately, my eyes flashed.

Trap card, activated.

Scurry.

I set the plate down and quickly ran down to the kitchen.

“Squeaaaak!”

“!”

When I returned, as expected, it was there.

An otter was busily munching on a clam I had laid out in advance.

“What’s that sound?”

Since they had already felt my behavior was strange.

At the sharp cry of the animal that followed, the family members gathered in the kitchen.

“Otter!!!!!!!”

Seol’s surprised shout was a bonus.

I had been waiting for this very moment!

“Do you eat squid too?”

I slowly held out a piece of boiled squid.

“Squeak…!”

The otter immediately showed curiosity and approached.

Its wariness toward me had already vanished significantly.

However, the family members only watched from a distance.

In case it might run away.

Patter, patter!

The otter scurried right up to me.

Then,

“Squeaaaak!”

After taking the boiled squid from me, it started to munch on it again quite skillfully.

A slight fishy smell wafted over, but I could endure that much.

That was because.

“…Seol?”

I turned around with a saintly smile.

My vision was filled with her wide, sparkling eyes.

Seol was just fidgeting with her hands with an expression that desperately longed for something.

‘Heh… hehehehe.’

Inside, I laughed villainously like a bad guy.

“Seol, who do you like the most?”

“!”

The family members looked at Seol with expressions that said ‘no way.’

And.

“I like Unkie the best!!!!!!!!!”

Thud.

Min Ha-ru was frustrated, and Manager Kim Jin-su was in despair.

My mother shook her head, and Shin Hye-seo only gave a bitter smile.

The highlight of the show, my father…

“You petty brat.”

He even pointed his finger at me while making a huge grimace.

“Hehehe.”

I picked Seol up and approached the otter.

Whether it was distracted by the food or just being well-behaved, the little fellow stayed still.

“Wooooooow….”

While being held by me, Seol looked down at the otter with her mouth hanging open.

“Seol. A kiss for Uncle.”

Mwah!

Seol, who had kissed my cheek just like that, began to focus on the otter again.

This is what happiness is.

***

After the meal was over, I brought only the entertainment industry family members into the room.

“I’ve decided to meet Representative Bang Ki-cheol next week.”

“T-that soon?”

“It’s better to strike while the iron is hot.”

For the record, Seok-gu said he would take a vacation next week too.

Thankfully, the busy guy said he would set everything aside and handle this first.

It’s truly hard to find a friend like that in life.

“Ignore any calls from that side from now on. I will be the sole channel of communication.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Prosecutor.”

Shin Hye-seo smiled brightly.

Vrrr, vrrr!

Right then.

“The timing is incredible.”

Min Ha-ru, who had muttered reflexively, widened her eyes.

[ (Company) Revive Jae-jun ]

She had muttered those words just by seeing the ‘Company’ part.

But the name following it was hard to ignore.

“Why is he suddenly…?”

After clearing her throat for a moment, Min Ha-ru immediately pressed the call button.

“Hello?”

― …Ha-ru.

“Jae-jun? What’s wrong with your voice?”

― Save me… please.

“!”

Min Ha-ru’s eyes slowly grew wide.

Then, unable to contain herself, she jumped up from her seat.

“J-Jae-jun? What? Is something wrong?”