Chapter 5: Honey Water

I dropped the dishes I was washing and hurriedly tried to pick up No-Rani, but stopped midway.

That’s because I remembered hearing about this kind of situation during corporate safety training.

They said not to try to lift someone up carelessly or touch their head.

So what should I do…

“No-Rani, No-Rani?”

I tapped No-Rani’s shoulder to check consciousness.

First, I should call 119…

“Ajusshi.”

“Yeah, No-Rani. Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“My stomach.”

“Your stomach? Does your stomach hurt? Where does it hurt!”

“I’m hungry.”

“Huh?”

Growl.

…The sound from the belly was really something.

All my worries from just now completely vanished, and laughter bubbled out instead.

This adorable little kid.

I ruffled No-Rani’s hair and picked her up.

She was still young and light enough for me to lift. I wonder if she’s eating properly at night.

“Alright, sit up straight.”

“Ajusshi~”

“Just wait a moment. Ajusshi will make you something to eat.”

While I was out getting the things I needed yesterday, I also did some grocery shopping.

Since I’d be at the Yangjibareun Tea House for a while, I got enough to whip up a simple lunch and dinner here.

Didn’t expect it would come in handy like this.

“No-Rani, do you like sausage?”

“Sausage?”

“You haven’t tried it before? Well. Actually, No-Rani, you can’t eat this. If you do, one of us will die.”

“Eek! I’ll die if I eat it?”

“That’s right. That’s how good it is.”

No-Rani shrank back, startled, but couldn’t hide her curiosity.

I mean, who wouldn’t be curious about a food that could ‘kill’ you?

Maybe it was that curiosity, but she forgot about her hunger and poked her head into the kitchen to watch.

I watched her fondly as I turned on the stove.

I tossed in the sausage I’d bought, added some onions, and then threw in a chunky cut of bell pepper, doused it all with ketchup.

Anyone would get up in the middle of the night to eat this.

“Here, this is called Soya—the dish so good two people eat and one dies.”

If I add some freshly steamed chestnut rice and kimchi, this would be a meal with nothing to envy in the world.

But chestnut rice takes time to cook, so I hurriedly just made the Soya.

I placed a small fork in front of No-Rani, and she carefully stabbed a piece of sausage.

And took a bite.

“Mmm!”

For a split second, I thought I saw the word ‘Happiness’ (30-point font) flash across No-Rani’s eyes.

A feeling of happiness instantly spread across her face, and even a halo seemed to shine.

It really felt… like…

“Wait, that’s not just a feeling?”

A bright yellow halo was shimmering behind No-Rani’s head.

Not only that, the yellow light scattered like tiny grains of powder, almost like flower pollen.

I gently reached out to touch it, and felt a warm energy.

It was the kind of sensation that makes you sink into nostalgia.

“No-Rani, this.”

“Hm?”

No-Rani didn’t care one bit about the Yellow Light Powder.

She just kept eating Soya with ketchup smeared all around her mouth, her pure eyes focused only on the Soya.

The dying No-Rani from earlier was gone.

Now, only the incarnation of Soya remained.

“Ha.”

“Why?”

“It’s nothing.”

I stared at the bits of light left on my hand, then brushed them off.

What’s the big deal, anyway? I’ve returned, and now I even have a home I didn’t before.

It’s not threatening, if anything, this light seems to fill me with energy.

Maybe it really is filling me with Life Energy.

“Eat slowly, No-Rani.”

“It’s delicious!”

“I’ll give you as much as you want. Don’t eat too fast or you’ll get a stomachache.”

I wiped the ketchup off No-Rani’s mouth, then smoothed her hair.

As her hair fluttered, more Yellow Light Powder poured out naturally.

The yellow light scattered through the air, drifting here and there.

Some settled onto the table and disappeared, some was absorbed by the plant sitting in the corner.

And then—

“My goodness.”

Life Energy was overflowing from the nameless grass in the flowerpot.

The plant in the shop’s corner that had just been collecting dust was now bursting with lush vitality—a miracle.

“Amazing.”

After touching the grass a few times, a brilliant idea came to mind.

But I couldn’t do this alone—I’d need No-Rani’s help…

“No-Rani.”

“Yeah?”

“Can you help Ajusshi? If you do, I’ll give you something delicious.”

“The dish so good two people eat and one dies?”

“That’s right.”

No-Rani’s childlike tastes had been proven.

If that’s the case, Cookie should hit the spot perfectly.

No-Rani raised her hand without a second’s hesitation.

Because of that, the sausage on her fork flew off into the air and ketchup splattered everywhere.

“I’ll do it!”

Hearing No-Rani’s cheerful declaration, that was enough for me.

***

The morning was fairly relaxed.

The Yangjibareun Tea House was still in soft opening mode, and news about the renovations hadn’t spread yet.

Once the dessert menu is settled to satisfaction, that’s when we’ll officially open.

Until then, I decided to take it easy, brewing tea or making this and that while focusing on dessert development.

“Ajusshi, I’m bored.”

Since I’d been holed up in the kitchen researching desserts, No-Rani had taken to rolling on the floor.

Not as a figure of speech—she was literally rolling on the floor.

“No-Rani, it’s dirty down there. Sit up properly.”

“Yooja is clean!”

“It’s dirty. Tsk, tsk. Come sit over here.”

No-Rani immediately sprang up and sat at the bar table, but quickly grew bored again.

In moments like these, she was just a typical little kid.

But wandering around at dawn, the Yellow Light Powder… There’s a lot I still don’t understand.

Maybe Hyeon Nammae would know something?

No-Rani seemed to have spent quite a while here.

“Ajusshi~”

“Alright, alright. I’m done preparing.”

I packed some freshly made Cookie and Rusk into a small bag.

I’d loaded them up with sugar on purpose, so they should be perfect for a quick dopamine boost.

I wondered if Hyeonseo would cry tears of joy after one bite.

After gathering the bag, I walked over to No-Rani.

Despite all the rolling around on the floor, not a single speck of dust clung to No-Rani’s clothes—they were spotless.

Is the shop that clean, or are her clothes special?

“Hold my hand.”

With No-Rani’s personality, she’d definitely wander off if something interesting caught her eye.

It was better to hold her hand than risk losing her.

Thankfully, No-Rani obediently grabbed my hand.

“Ajusshi, where are we going?”

“We’re going to the Watermelon Field to play.”

“Watermelon Field! Are we going to eat watermelon?”

Maybe you’ll get to have some later?”

“Yay!”

Yellow Light Powder once again puffed from No-Rani’s head.

Not as much as before, but she was clearly excited.

“Ts-hng, hmm hmm hmm! Watermelon, watermelon. Let’s clap and make a watermelon!”

Hearing her make up her own song made me smile.

Come to think of it, in my previous life, I hadn’t traveled much with my kids.

I was always busy working, and left that role to Yooja.

And Yooja, in turn, pushed that role onto someone else.

So it was only natural that a deep bond never formed between me and the children.

You reap what you sow.

“They were still kids I loved, though.”

Even if I was annoyed with them, they were my children, the ones I always wanted to keep in my sight.

Now, I can’t see them anymore.

There’s not much else I regret, but that—just that—is pretty sad.

“Ajossi.”

“Yeah?”

“Are you crying?”

“No.”

“Don’t cry.”

No-Rani stretched her hand and patted the back of my hand. It was a gesture much like patting someone’s head.

She did it a few times, then grinned.

“If you cry, you’ll grow horns on your butt.”

“Who said that?”

“Grandfather did.”

“Grandfather was wrong.”

“Really?”

“It’s not your butt—horns grow from your chest.”

“Pfft.”

Chatting with No-Rani like this eased some of my regret, longing, and guilt.

If I can’t see those children in this life, I’ll pour even more affection into other children.

I silently repeated it to myself, almost in penance.

“We’re here.”

While talking to No-Rani, we’d already arrived at Hyeon Nammae’s Watermelon Field.

Day laborers, including foreign workers, were busily working.

Everyone was cutting the watermelon stems, moving and packing them.

It felt like watching a perfectly synchronized smart factory.

Among the people moving like machines were Hyeon Nammae too.

“We’re here.”

“Oh, you came. Wait just a minute, we’re almost done.”

“We just need to finish the load here. Take a rest over there.”

They spoke in unison, then got back to work.

Watching that, I felt a little bad to just stand by.

No-Rani, standing next to me, scampered over to the pile of watermelons, tapping them with her tiny hands and giggling.

“Watermelon!”

“No-Rani, do you like watermelon?”

“Mmm! I love it.”

“Really?”

The harvested watermelons looked as green as ever, but for some reason, they gave off a dark feeling.

Even the stems seemed limp.

It was just a hunch, but maybe this is the drop in quality Hyeon Nammae mentioned?

While watching No-Rani pat the watermelons, I looked around.

Everyone was busy with their own work—no one paid us any attention.

“Should I try it now?”

“No-Rani.”

“Yeah?”

“Here, this is that delicious thing I mentioned.”

I took out the Cookie I’d brought and handed it to No-Rani.

A choco-chip Cookie packed with a sweet flavor.

No-Rani eyed the dark Cookie with suspicion, but after sniffing it, her wariness melted away.

“Smells sweet.”

“It’s good. Here, try a little at a time.”

As soon as No-Rani broke off a piece and ate it, her eyes grew wide.

I didn’t know how No-Rani had lived.

But I could tell she’d grown up somewhere far from modern civilization.

In other words, this was probably her first time eating a choco Cookie.

“Wow! Wow! Waaaah!”

A sweetness so intense, it could be lethal!

No-Rani’s dopamine exploded, and bright yellow light burst from her head.

Just like watching fireworks, the yellow light shot up, and the resulting powder drifted onto the watermelons.

That much I’d expected.

But then—

The watermelons, which moments ago looked dull, now pulsed with a vivid green color.

Just seeing them, I could tell they looked fresh and full.

Also, a white powder began to coat their surface.

I had no idea what was causing this, but it had to be a good sign.

By the time the watermelons piled nearby began to change, No-Rani had already devoured the entire Cookie.

She must’ve found it delicious, gobbling it up with her tiny mouth.

“Ajossi!”

“Here, take another.”

When I handed her one more Cookie, the yellow light burst from No-Rani’s head again.

Watching the powder sprinkle over an entire field of watermelons, I couldn’t help but be moved.

“You’re such a good kid.”

“Hm? I’m good?”

“That’s right.”

No-Rani grinned and reached out her hand.

For such a good kid, I pulled out one more Cookie to give her, just as she’d hoped.

Watching No-Rani nibble on the Cookie, Hyeon Nammae—having finished their work—walked over.

“Ugh, I’m exhausted.”

“My back’s killing me from all the bending.”

“I swear, once I make enough money, I’m quitting watermelons next year.”

“Didn’t you say that last year too?”

“I say it every year.”

They bantered back and forth, shaking off the fatigue of the day.

I couldn’t truly understand just how hard it was for them.

Even if I tried, it’d just be superficial.

So all I could do was quietly cheer them on.

“Here, I brought some Rusk for you guys. Leftovers from making Soya.”

“Wow, thanks, Changseong. We’ll eat well.”

“Oh right, you said you’d give us some watermelons earlier. We picked out a few special ones for you.”

“Hey, can I take a few from this pile here?”

“Those? No way.”

When I tapped the watermelons stacked to the side, Hyeon-ung shook his head firmly.

“Those are the rejects. Below standard. We usually just give those as animal feed to the next village.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, they’re not tasty so nobody—…”

Wait, why did he suddenly stop mid-sentence?

Both of their eyes locked, unmoving, on a single spot like broken machines.

Right behind me, where the watermelons were stacked.

“Are you kidding me…”

“What the heck is this!”