Chapter 47 – Hanam Full Course
Min-hyuk stared at her for a moment and thought,
‘Wait… maybe she wasn’t deliberately starving herself… she just forgot to eat?’
If all that frantic water-guzzling earlier was simply because she was starving, that would explain a lot.
But… why, though?
Min-hyuk tilted his head, and one possibility naturally came to mind.
‘Rich family daughter syndrome? The kind where she’s never had to handle basic stuff herself?’
It was something he couldn’t personally fathom, but he’d seen it plenty of times online and in dramas.
The type of person who grew up spoiled at home, never once ordered delivery themselves, and couldn’t even buy food alone outside.
And Han Yu-ra…
‘Checks every single box.’
A rich daughter with a personal driver, where almost every chore and errand was handled by someone else.
There was no way someone like that would have much experience with ordinary, everyday things.
The 34-year-old career-man Kang Min-hyuk from his previous life’s intuition was screaming:
Han Yu-ra right now was on the verge of losing her mind from sheer hunger.
“Wait a second.”
“Min-hyuk-kun?”
Kang Min-hyuk raised his hand slightly and strode over toward Han Yu-ra.
“Han Yu-ra.”
“…W-What?”
She glanced around nervously, replying in a small voice.
The prickly attitude she’d shown when he first greeted her earlier had completely vanished—replaced by something oddly different.
It almost felt like she was waiting to hear exactly what she wanted to hear.
Min-hyuk gave a small chuckle and said,
“Wanna come eat with us?”
“Eat?”
“Yeah. The three of us were about to go. You haven’t eaten yet either, right?”
“But I still have work to…”
Han Yu-ra’s facial muscles twitched.
Even without saying it outright, it was painfully obvious.
She wanted to go. She was starving to death. But her pride wouldn’t let her admit it first.
“Whatever, just come on. You can’t get anything done on an empty stomach anyway. Sitting here starving won’t magically make progress.”
“Ughhh… W-Well, if you insist that much…”
When Min-hyuk casually kicked her chair lightly with his foot, Han Yu-ra reluctantly stood up.
And at that sight—
‘Han Yu-ra is coming to eat with us?’
‘What the hell is going on?’
Dong-gyo and Rok-hee, who had been watching the whole exchange, stared wide-eyed.
***
Hanam City, right in front of Korea Animation High.
“Ahem… this way.”
“Got it.”
The four of them walked along a quiet side street.
Rok-hee bounced along, humming some mysterious tune under her breath. Dong-gyo kept glancing around, clutching a printed map like his life depended on finding the place. Han Yu-ra walked with her head slightly lowered, stealing glances left and right.
And Min-hyuk… kept one hand behind his head, a faint smile on his face as he took in the scenery.
‘So this is what Hanam looked like in 2006.’
Low-rise buildings stretched out, giving an open, clear view. Few cars on the road. A peaceful, almost rural atmosphere.
Most of the people around were elderly or hikers coming down from Geomdansan Mountain.
Endless fields of rice paddies and flat land, dotted here and there with old town neighborhoods.
Completely different from the Hanam of 2024 he remembered—endless forests of high-rise apartments and buildings.
‘Well… more apartments don’t mean better comics. This isn’t bad at all.’
Clean air, good water, perfect for a walk.
When work got stuck, strolling through these old neighborhoods might actually help clear his head.
If he wanted to go a little overboard, he could even hike up Geomdansan.
Lost in their own thoughts, they walked for a while.
“Ahem! Here it is.”
At Dong-gyo’s call, everyone looked up at the sign on the building in front of them.
[Huang Je Seong]
—Authentic Chinese cuisine of all kinds. We proudly serve the best flavors in Hanam!—
Red background with golden dragons scattered across it—a design that must have once looked incredibly flashy and luxurious.
But now, after years of weathering, everything had faded and lost its shine.
And places like this usually…
‘Are absolute gems.’
After all, the surviving old Chinese restaurants were the ones reserved only for the truly strong.
“Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
Ding-ding!
The cheerful chime of the bell rang as they opened the door.
“Welcome! Four people?”
“Yes!”
“This way!”
The owner—a middle-aged woman—guided them inside with practiced ease.
Once they sat at the table, Min-hyuk naturally poured water while scanning the interior.
‘This place has serious hidden-gem energy.’
Yellowed wallpaper, tables and dishes that looked like they’d been in use for decades.
The sharp, pungent smell of food stung the nose in the best way possible.
And… at the other tables, there were students who clearly looked like AniGo seniors mixed with hikers, sitting in small groups and eating.
For someone who had worked hard all day, this kind of reward felt just about right…
“Passed.”
“Hm?”
“This place gives off a strong ‘this is going to be delicious’ vibe. Good job, Dong-gyo.”
Min-hyuk patted Dong-gyo’s shoulder encouragingly, making the corners of Dong-gyo’s mouth lift into a pleased grin.
“Hehe, hehehe. So cute.”
At that moment, a small laugh came from across the table.
When Min-hyuk turned his head, Kim Rok-hee was folding a napkin into a rabbit shape and tapping its ears with her finger.
And beside her, Han Yu-ra… was sitting stiff with tension, stealing glances left and right.
How should he put it… reading the atmosphere,
‘She’s probably not coming to a place like this for the first time, right?’
Min-hyuk scratched his forehead and asked,
“So, what’s everyone getting?”
“I’m going for jjajangmyeon, extra large. And this place… I heard their tangsuyuk is legendary, so how about we add one large tangsuyuk to share?”
Dong-gyo adjusted his glasses and spoke with serious, sparkling eyes.
“I want bokkeumbap!”
Rok-hee answered while tapping the rabbit ears on her napkin.
And then…
“Han Yu-ra, what about you?”
“Me? Uh, um, that…”
Han Yu-ra’s face was filled with visible panic.
Min-hyuk scratched his forehead again and asked,
“You… haven’t been to a Chinese place before, have you?”
“Huh? Why are you asking that?”
Han Yu-ra’s shoulders jumped.
In an instant, Rok-hee and Dong-gyo’s gazes locked onto her.
“Just a feeling… you don’t seem like the type who comes to places like this.”
“That’s not true at all. What do you even think of me?”
Han Yu-ra shot back in a cold voice.
‘Yeah, this isn’t some drama. There’s no way someone’s never been to a Chinese restaurant…’
“I’ve been once.”
“…Once?”
“Um… when I went to China on a trip. There was a place with a similar vibe.”
“…Ah, right.”
Damn it… drama-level accuracy.
Anyway, that wasn’t the important part.
“So, what are you going to order?”
“Uhhhhh…”
“Sweet stuff? Go for jjajangmyeon. Spicy? Jjampong. Rice-based? Bokkeumbap.”
“…Jjajangmyeon.”
“Got it.”
With that dramatic resolution, Min-hyuk raised his hand and called out,
“Auntie! One large tangsuyuk, one extra-large jjajangmyeon, one regular jjajangmyeon, and two bokkeumbap please!”
About ten minutes later—
“Here you go~ Food’s ready!”
“Ooooh!”
Steaming dishes were placed in front of the four of them.
“Oooooh!”
“Looks so good, so goooood.”
Dong-gyo adjusted his glasses again, and Rok-hee bounced her head side to side excitedly.
Even Min-hyuk’s mouth started watering involuntarily.
‘This is straight-up violence.’
All he’d eaten today was a triangle kimbap and a cream puff—naturally, he was starving.
And as for Han Yu-ra…
“…….”
She stared wide-eyed at the jjajangmyeon placed in front of her.
If someone didn’t know better, they’d think she was witnessing a divine revelation—completely blank-faced.
Well… she’d literally been starving, so it was probably even worse for her.
“Let’s eat!”
“Let’s dig in~!”
Everyone excitedly grabbed chopsticks and spoons.
‘The bokkeumbap is solid, and the tangsuyuk meat is alive and kicking.’
Work finished perfectly, food delicious.
Kuhhh… this is life.
Everyone savored the worldly flavors to their heart’s content after so long.
“Hey, Dong-gyo. This tangsuyuk is seriously good.”
“Heh heh, Min-hyuk-kun, don’t underestimate me. I may not look it, but I’m always serious about comics and food.”
“Mmm, the bokkeumbap is pretty good too.”
“Pretty good what?”
“Huh? Pretty good.”
“Why do you say it like that…?”
“Because it’s cute.”
While everyone chatted about silly things and enjoyed the moment,
Only one person—Han Yu-ra—remained completely silent.
Not because she was in a bad mood or the food didn’t suit her taste…
Slurp! Slurrrrrp!
She was practically inhaling the jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk.
‘Damn… she eats like a beast.’
Min-hyuk had seen that exact expression countless times on the internet—in reaction memes.
Like the “baby drinking cola for the first time.jpg” one?
Anyway… somehow…
Contrary to what he’d worried about, Han Yu-ra turned out to be perfectly capable of enjoying common, everyday food.
How much time passed like that?
“Haaa… I’m so full.”
“Well eaten~”
Everyone had cleaned their plates spotless and let out satisfied sighs.
All that remained were two or three pieces of tangsuyuk.
Min-hyuk pointed at them with his fingertip.
“There’s still some tangsuyuk left.”
“Oiii… I’m way too full. Can’t eat another bite.”
“Me toooo.”
“Then… should we just head out?”
Just as they were about to stand up, Min-hyuk noticed Han Yu-ra’s shoulders twitch slightly.
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing.”
She looked somehow flustered.
In that instant, he caught her eyes darting toward the remaining tangsuyuk pieces and quickly snapping back.
“…Do you want to eat those?”
“N-No, it’s not that I want them… it would just be a waste to leave them, right…?”
Ah… so she does want them.
Min-hyuk opened his palm toward her and said casually,
“Then just finish them off. We’re all stuffed and can’t eat any more anyway.”
“Ahem, right! We shouldn’t… waste food.”
She was blatantly emphasizing that she was eating them only because it would be a shame to throw them away—not because she wanted to.
Even so, the way she devoured them earlier had looked genuinely delicious…
But perhaps feeling embarrassed, she kept avoiding eye contact—quite noticeably.
After Han Yu-ra had brought the grand finale to Huang Je Seong—
“Thank you for the meal!”
“Come again next time!”
The four of them stepped out of the restaurant.
The sky, which had been orange just a short while ago, had now turned a perfect, deep black.
With so few lights around, the stars in the night sky stood out clearly.
Min-hyuk smiled contentedly and said to Dong-gyo,
“Kuhhh, thanks to you, I ate really well, Dong-gyo.”
“If you guys are satisfied, then my mission is complete.”
The four of them started walking back toward school.
At that moment, Rok-hee turned to stare straight at Han Yu-ra and asked,
“Yura, did you finish all your homework?”
“…Well, I finished the direction assignment. Right now I’m working on croquis.”
“Wow, really? You’re so fast. I haven’t even started the direction part yet. As expected of you—direction comes easy since you’re so good at it, right?”
“Not exactly… I just started early.”
“Being that diligent is a skill in itself. I can’t do that at all.”
Then Dong-gyo suddenly interjected,
“Ask me too, ask me.”
“You finished?”
“Nope! Not even close!”
“…Then why are you asking to be asked?”
“Solidarity among comrades. Building empathy.”
“Yeeeah, sure.”
Silly banter bounced between the two of them.
At that, the corner of Han Yu-ra’s mouth twitched.
She looked like she was desperately trying to hold back a smile.
Man… she really has it rough in her own way.
Then Dong-gyo whipped his head around toward Min-hyuk.
“Min-hyuk-kun, what about you?”
“Me? Haven’t even started. I’ll do a bit when I get back and then sleep.”
“Ooooooh! Comrade!!”
Dong-gyo’s energy shot through the roof at Min-hyuk’s answer.
For some reason, the mood felt oddly uplifting.
At that moment—
Whoooosh!
A cool night breeze blew through, tousling their hair and carrying the fresh scent of grass right to their noses.
How should he put it… after pushing his brain to the limit with storyboarding all day, the wind felt like it was rapidly cooling his overheated head.
‘Well… this kind of thing is nice once in a while.’
The storyboard was done for now.
For the moment, maybe it was time to fulfill his duties as a student.
With a faint smile tugging at his lips, Min-hyuk took a light step forward.