Dogun’s POV
What on earth are they planning to take me to, that they’re so sure I’ll like it once I see it?
I guessed and guessed, but nothing specific came to mind.
Thus, I was likely just generating question marks in my head.
“Well, speaking of which, should we eat breakfast before we go?”
“Um? Isn’t this a hurry-up situation?”
Isn’t that why we rushed out of the house?
I thought so… but apparently.
“Well, that’s true… But Dogun, you said last time that if you don’t eat breakfast, you feel empty all day and don’t have energy.”
Did I? I couldn’t remember the details, but it seemed like something I might have said.
It had been so long since I had breakfast that skipping it now left me feeling hollow all day.
So I was in agreement with the Senior that we should eat breakfast before going, but… the problem is, today is not a weekday; it’s the weekend.
Especially a weekend morning.
“Well, for me, anything’s fine if it’s on you, but I’m not sure if there’s anywhere open at this hour.”
“Um… I think that place should be okay.”
That place? Where could that be?
“So, um… how about toast?”
“Toast? Sounds good.”
It’s a funny thing to say now, but there was a time when toast was my staple food.
This was from a past life, but back when I worked, I was obsessed with the toast sold at the food stall in front of my office, so I would grab breakfast and lunch from there.
Taking a big bite would yield the perfect combination of the fluffy fried egg packed with vegetables and the crispy cabbage underneath… Why is it that I can never replicate that taste when I make it at home?
“Is that so? That’s a relief.”
Anyhow, for that reason, I nodded enthusiastically, and then the Senior took me somewhere.
After some quick walking, we arrived at… a small food stall parked in front of a building.
“Uh… if you don’t like places like this…”
She seemed worried that I might not be thrilled even though she had brought me here.
“What are you talking about? Can’t you see my mouth is watering? Let’s not dawdle and go inside!”
“Ah, ah…!”
Having come all the way to the stall, I gently pulled her hand, which showed a bit of hesitation, and we stepped into the quaint-looking place.
Inside the stall was exceptionally neat, quite contrary to its slightly shabby exterior.
You could clearly see that they paid a lot of attention to cleanliness.
And most importantly…
“Oh my, you… aren’t you Baeksulhwa?!”
It seemed like the owner, who looked like an auntie, knew the Senior well.
Could it be that the Senior is a regular at this place?
“How have you been? Auntie?”
“I’m always the same, you know… By the way, I heard you passed the qualification exam? Congratulations, dear.”
“Thank you.”
“I was overjoyed when I heard that news… So, who else but someone as hard-working as you, Baeksulhwa, could become a hero?”
Seeing them converse so easily, it looked like they knew each other well.
“Speaking of which, is the friend next to you… your boyfriend?”
“Ah, no! It’s not like that…”
“Really? Ah…! ‘Not yet’?”
“Auntie…!”
Their playful banter felt quite heartwarming.
It was like watching a close mother-daughter duo.
And seeing this side of the Senior was new to me.
So, I watched with more delight, and then the conversation flowed toward Auntie’s offer to treat us in celebration of the exam pass.
“You really don’t have to…”
“You’re going to have to work hard protecting people from now on, so I just want to treat you to one last meal.”
“Last meal? I’m going to come here often from now on, you know?”
“Sure, sure! So, what should I get? The usual?”
“…Yes.”
“What about your friend?”
“I’ll have the same, please.”
As a result, we received steaming hot toast, with white smoke rising from it.
It really was a visual feast that made my mouth water just by looking at it.
The image of a fluffy fried egg bursting with veggies, and thinly sliced ham that had just been lightly cooked to avoid getting cold mixed in with the crispy cabbage, and crispy, golden-brown bread that looked like it would crack with the slightest bite… every detail was inviting.
‘Wow, that smell is driving me crazy…’
I could almost just stick my nose into the toast and inhale deeply.
Then, unwrapping the foil around the toast carefully, taking a big bite?
That would be pure bliss.
Could it be that imagining it was too much?
Saliva was pooling in my mouth like a malfunctioning fountain, and holding it back was quite the ordeal.
“I’ll come again next time!”
“Sure, and when you do, I’ll charge you extra for what you ate today, so keep that in mind!”
“Roger that!”
The moment we stepped out of the food stall, I dove right into the toast.
And as expected, the toast, which had nostalgia added into the mix, completely fulfilled my expectations.
It was the taste that made all the waiting worthwhile.
“Hey, how is it? Good, right?”
Was my eating enjoyable to watch?
The Senior, who had also finished a big bite, wore an utterly satisfied smile.
“No, to be honest, I’m a little disappointed.”
“R-really…?”
“If I’d known, I would’ve ordered one more, even if I had to pay myself…”
“What on earth…! You startled me!”
Hearing my somewhat shocked reaction seemed to irk her, and the Senior started playfully thumping my shoulder with her other hand.
“So, when you were in school, you ate toast from here every morning?”
“Yup, that’s right. It was originally part of my running route every morning…”
After passing by the food stall every day, the auntie had showed interest in the Senior first.
Wondering if she was going to eat breakfast after running, or something like that.
Then, thanks to the auntie’s suggestion, the Senior got to try the toast…
“So you completely fell for it and started eating it every morning.”
“Hey, I couldn’t help it. It’s just that good…”
“But why didn’t you tell me about this gem of a place?”
“That’s…!”
“Well, since you told me now, I’ll forgive you for this time.”
Listening to the Senior’s story was quite enjoyable.
Hearing things I didn’t know before made me feel like I was getting closer to her.
Thanks to this, I began chattily discussing more, and somehow I noticed the familiar streets coming into focus.
“This place…?”
As my eyes narrowed slightly, what appeared before me was—
“Ta-da—!”
None other than Yeonggang High School, where I had attended just months ago.
“I’m not saying the training ground is…”
“Yup, that’s right. Here it is. So, what do you think?”
I mean, they told me I’d like it if I came, and they were definitely right about that.
Of course, it felt overwhelmingly surreal.
“How did you manage this?”
“I asked if I could borrow the place for a day over the weekend, and they said I could use it however I want.”
“Ah…”
Well, that makes sense.
From Yeonggang’s perspective, they would want to maintain their connection with the Senior.
They’d want to milk the title of ‘top candidate from Yeonggang High’ for as long as they could.
And sure enough, as we arrived in front of the main gate, the first thing that caught my eye was… a huge banner featuring the Senior’s name.
—Congratulations to Baeksulhwa, the pride of Yeonggang High for topping the qualification exam!
The size of the banner was so massive that just seeing it made me feel their determination to make the most of this opportunity was palpable.
“Wow…”
As I remained glued to it, lost in admiration, I started to feel a bit embarrassed.
The Senior beside me had turned slightly red.
“L-let’s not linger here; let’s get inside.”
Then she grabbed my clothes and began to pull me in.
As I was coaxed into the school, it seemed like people were waiting for our arrival.
“Please just leave everything inside as is when you’re done, no need to return them separately, okay?”
“Is that alright?”
“Yes, as you may know, the door locks automatically once closed, and we’ll collect the cards tomorrow.”
Finishing that sentence, what appeared to be a school staff handed the Senior a security card and then disappeared.
And so, after such a long time, I stepped into the special gym with the Senior.
How long had it been since she went to change clothes?
She returned… in yoga pants and a white T-shirt.