“No, these people! Just when I thought the grill was heavy enough to crush me, they’re blocking the entrance…”
As the members of the Wolbok-dang pushed their way in, they also caught eyes with the Black Cat, who had frozen in place.
A sudden silence enveloped the cabin.
An awkward silence flowed between the frozen Black Cat and the Wolbok-dang members, who were equally stiff.
How long did this awkward silence last?
‘You ask them!’
‘What the heck are these people doing?!’
Without words, gestures, or even physical nudges, Jin-seo was unceremoniously bounced out of the group.
“Ahem. We have an appointment with the outcast Ho Cheon-an… that’s why we gathered here… The Lord…”
“…Me too.”
“Oh, is that so? Hehehe.”
While the cabin was fairly spacious, it felt cramped with around twenty Wolbok-dang members crammed inside.
The stove in the center was already occupied by the Black Cat. So here we were, with the Wolbok-dang members standing awkwardly by the entrance.
The eyes of the Black Cat and the Wolbok-dang members shook as if an earthquake had struck.
It was a situation where moving out felt awkward, and sitting next to the Black Cat seemed impossible, leaving everyone in a dilemma!
‘Should I sneak to a corner…?’
When the Black Cat rose, the Wolbok-dang members flinched. And upon seeing their flinch, the Black Cat flinched too.
Stuck somewhere between sitting and standing, the Black Cat froze while the Wolbok-dang members began moving their hands nervously!
As this back-and-forth uncertainty continued, the Black Cat mustered up some courage.
“…Um, for now… please sit.”
“Ah, understood! Let’s all take a seat!”
With a rustling sound.
On one side was the Black Cat, hugging her knees, while on the other, the twenty or so Wolbok-dang members took their seats. The moment they all settled, a new awkward silence began to flow.
The Black Cat fixed her gaze on the campfire, while the Wolbok-dang members began to glance around absentmindedly.
“Uh, doesn’t that beam seem a bit warped?”
“Now that you mention it, it does look slightly warped.”
“Hey, there’s a stain in a place like this…”
But soon, such distractions had their limits, and the noise faded away, allowing a quiet silence to reign in the cabin.
Tap, tap.
Even with over twenty people crammed into a small space, the only sound was that of the firewood crackling!
‘Senpai! When are you coming?!’
‘Ho Cheon-an! When will you show up?!’
Both the Wolbok-dang members and the Black Cat anxiously awaited Ho Cheon-an’s arrival.
However, Ho Cheon-an didn’t show up until a half hour had passed.
* *
This is I, Ho Cheon-an, hoping to become friends~
“Why are you so late?!”
“Senpai! Why did you only just arrive?!”
Seeing the Wolbok-dang members and the Black Cat, who greeted me with glaring eyes, it seemed like things were going quite well.
I folded my arms, glaring at the Wolbok-dang member complaining and the Black Cat.
“No, it’s not like I’m the one to complain about being late, but isn’t this a bit much?”
In a situation where the gassy culprit is the one throwing a fit, the Wolbok-dang members and the Black Cat momentarily lost their wits. Seizing this opening, I unleashed a barrage of words like a machine gun.
“Here you are, complaining, and yet nothing is prepared. Do you plan on grilling meat or not? And what, did you draw a line with chalk or something? Why is everyone crammed to one side? It stinks. Spread out a bit!”
“U-uh…!”
Under my pressure, the Wolbok-dang members shifted towards the Black Cat. They flinched, yet neither group could afford to spread out again!
“Put the grill down or something… try putting your legs over there!”
“L-like this?”
“No, don’t just stack stones randomly; someone’s really clueless around here! Someone go grab some stones!”
One by one, those who had been awkwardly staring at me began to move at my prodding.
The Wolbok-dang members, perhaps thinking this was more effective, proactively began to move. Before long, a meal setup was complete, mixing me, the Black Cat, and the Wolbok-dang members around the grill.
“The meat is coming up.”
Sizzle.
The mouth-watering sound of sizzling meat met the hot lid. It’s definitely not a party without grilled pork belly! It was just a pity there was no kimchi. Still, tofu, mushrooms, and chives were all prepared.
“The sound is incredible…”
“Where did you learn to cook like this?”
The Wolbok-dang members exchanged a few compliments, and I easily acknowledged their praise while grilling the meat and vegetables.
“Now, it’s time for our skilled tutor! The Lord’s demonstration!”
“Senpai?!”
Caught between the Wolbok-dang members on either side, the frozen Black Cat flinched and protested.
“Just eat normally like you always do.”
Noticing the commotion around the Black Cat, one of the Wolbok-dang members chimed in.
“Ahem. It might be good if the Lord showed us how to do it.”
“I- I don’t know how to eat this…”
Hearing the chatter around her, the Black Cat glared at me with teary eyes, but I feigned ignorance, mumbling as I grilled meat.
“Oi, if you don’t hurry and eat, it’s gonna burn!”
The Black Cat’s gaze turned fierce as she seemed cornered. I wondered if I would get hit in the ribs later when it’s just the two of us, but sensing the urgency of the moment, the Black Cat scooped some leafy vegetables into her palm.
Then she piled on some side dishes, added the nicely grilled chives and mushrooms, and wrapped it around a piece of meat.
“Hmph.”
And then, with a satisfying bite.
“Here was a demonstration by our skilled tutor~”
“Ooooh~”
“So that’s how you eat it!”
Applause erupted, as these people clapped for no reason. I hadn’t expected that at all, so I subtly glanced at the Black Cat, who had closed her eyes tightly, trembling in embarrassment. Her bright red ears were plain to see.
Hmm.
If I’m not careful, I might get murdered when it’s just the two of us.
Anyway, each Wolbok-dang member began to roll their own wraps with a mix of leaves, vegetables, and various combinations while chatting excitedly.
The initial awkwardness had significantly faded.
Who knows if the Wolbok-dang members and the Black Cat had ever experienced such closeness and laughter before? Probably not.
Everything is hard the first time around.
If the fear of the unknown is replaced with joy, good outcomes are surely bound to come.
“Lord, wrap the vegetables and eat. It’s really good.”
“…Thank you.”
The Black Cat and the Wolbok-dang members began exchanging small talk.
Watching them, I continued grilling the meat.
While grilling, a wrap suddenly appeared in front of me.
“When are you going to stop just grilling meat?”
It was the wrap offered by the Black Cat. My eyes instinctively darted sideways, as all the Wolbok-dang members were staring straight at me. Is it okay to accept this? As I pondered, the Black Cat forcibly shoved the wrap into my mouth.
“Huhm.”
Seeing her satisfied smile made me feel a bit smug. Dodging a fist in the ribs is always better than getting hit, I thought, as I chewed diligently. The crisp greens, fresh herbs, and rich meat all came together perfectly.
Nothing seemed to be missing in the clean taste.
The problem came after that.
“Lord!”
Jin-seo called the Black Cat with a serious expression.
“I will offer you my wrap!”
Jin-seo presented a wrap in front of the Black Cat.
“Uh…?”
The Black Cat seemed flustered. She hadn’t anticipated that the influence of having fed me could come back around like this.
She looked at me like she was seeking help, but I had already decided what to say.
“Ah~ this wrap someone made is delicious~”
“…Senpai.”
Having already accrued karma by feeding me, the Black Cat had no choice but to accept the wrap from Jin-seo. Cautiously, she pulled the edge of the wrap and took a bite.
Slurp. Slurp.
In front of dozens of Wolbok-dang members, the Black Cat chewed slowly and swallowed before saying.
“…It’s good.”
“Ooooh!!”
Jin-seo seemed to have achieved a life milestone as he clenched his fist in joy, while the Black Cat’s eyes trembled at this sight.
But this was just the beginning.
The hands of the Wolbok-dang members got busy.
“Lord! Mine too!”
“Lord!”
In an instant, over twenty wraps were laid out in front of the Black Cat.
“Ah.”
* *
“Lord, we will take our leave now.”
“…Okay.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of the Lord, so just go on in.”
“Alright, please take care of it.”
After enjoying a heavy feast, the smiling Wolbok-dang members departed. The Black Cat, desperately trying to maintain her dignity as the Lord, plopped down right there.
“Uugh… so full…”
I chuckled, leaning my back against the Black Cat. I bent down slightly to ensure she could comfortably lean.
“Haaa…”
Feeling the Black Cat lean against my back, I looked back. Despite being plump with winter clothes, I could still see the outline of her round belly.
Having devoured twenty fills of Wolbok-dang members’ thoughtful wraps…
It made sense that she couldn’t move.
I guess I’ll just have to wait until she can move again.
Tap. Tap.
We stared at the fire together for a while.
“Ugh.”
I heard a cute little sound behind me. If there’s a problem with overindulgence, it’s not unusual, but for a Peak Expert, isn’t the metabolism usually a bit different? Could she digest this much?
“Ahhhhh…”
“How about it, feeling any better?”
“Eugh… I’m still struggling to breathe.”
The Black Cat sighed while patting her stomach. Yet, even if she was just eating leafy veggies, perhaps it was worth it as it broke down the barriers with the Wolbok-dang members.
“…Thank you, Senpai.”
I heard the Black Cat mumbling behind me.
“It’s nothing. Just this much.”
“No, really… I had a hard time. After meeting you and the Great Hero Hyeok Gi-rin, I got a bit overconfident, thinking I could get along with the Wolbok-dang members easily. But that didn’t happen.”
The Black Cat began her story.
“If you hadn’t set this up for me, I probably would’ve just avoided the Wolbok-dang members and tried to bolt the moment I had the chance. And then, they would have been disappointed in me.”
“Isn’t that a bit extreme? It was clear that both you and the Wolbok-dang members wanted to get to know each other.”
“But I couldn’t muster the courage. I only realized now: was there even a reason to drag you out of that secluded place during a critical time? When Cheon-chil’s suggestion first came to me, I immediately thought of you, hoping you would help if such a situation arose.”
It was quite a convoluted narrative.
She was torn between wanting to show the Wolbok-dang members a new side of herself and her underlying insecurity. The fact that both confidence and anxiety coexisted, as she articulated, was contradictory yet relatable.
I suppose that’s just the nature of humanity.
“Thank you, Senpai.”
Her voice behind me was filled with determination.
“So from now on, I’ll approach the Wolbok-dang members with my own strength.”
“Is that so?”
“I’m sorry for imposing. But it’s my organization, and since there are people who look up to and support me… it feels wrong to rely on your help to get closer to them.”
“If that’s your decision, then go for it.”
Has the Black Cat shed another layer and grown further? It seems she has resolved to venture boldly on her own.
With this kind of determination, there is no doubt the relationship between the Wolbok-dang members and the Black Cat will inevitably grow closer.
Slipping into a discussion of how to group them in a manner that would necessitate cooperation felt premature now.
I began discarding strategies from my mind regarding confining the Wolbok-dang members and the Black Cat until they got acquainted, keeping them from leaving.
“What do you plan to do?”
“Hmmm…”
The Black Cat took a moment to contemplate before speaking.
“Maybe starting with greetings from tomorrow?”
“Sounds good.”
I felt the Black Cat fully lean into my back. That gentle weight on my shoulders must have been her head. Her unique scent tickled my nose.
“Ugh.”
A tiny burp escaped the Black Cat’s lips once more.
Tap, tap.
We leaned against each other until that burp faded away inside the cabin.
