CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 34: CHILDHOOD AND LOLLIPOPS

After Jin and Joseph caught their breath and exchanged a few words, the intensity of the fight began to fade.

The two of them leaned on each other with heavy steps until they reached the door of a small shop. Jin reached into his pocket and bought two lollipops for seven hundred won: one cola-flavored and the other strawberry. Strawberry was Jin’s favorite, while Joseph didn’t really like lollipops, but he didn’t mind having the cola one.

Joseph grumbled,

“You’re wasting our money, Jin.”

Jin smirked slyly, then shoved the cola lollipop into Joseph’s mouth and said coldly,

“Shut up.”

Joseph almost choked, coughing hard.

“Cough, cough! What are you doing, you bastard?!”

“Shut your filthy mouth.”

Then Jin pulled out his own lollipop, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth, sliding his right hand into his pocket.

“Come on, let’s go see Noona.”

They walked together along the seaside, the salty breeze brushing against their faces. Jin began nudging Joseph mischievously, forcing him to walk near the edge. Suddenly, he pointed ahead and said,

“Look, Joseph! A gorgeous blonde woman with blue eyes... in a bikini!”

Jin seized the chance and gave Joseph a shove, sending him straight into the sea.

“Hahahahaha! Look at you! Weren’t you just going on about your love for Noona, saying you wanted to marry her? Where did your morals go?”

“I was only checking if she needed a coat because the weather’s cold.”

“Do you expect me to believe that? It’s summer!”

Joseph’s angry voice rose as he swam toward the shore.

“Damn you, Jin! If I catch you, I’ll break your back!”

The moment he reached land, he charged at him.

“Come on, Mr. Romantic! Touch me and I’ll be the one to kick your ass today!”

“If you’re going to kick my ass, then why are you running away from me, Jin? Let’s settle this like adults. You know I’m not narrow-minded!”

The two darted through the alleys faster than professional athletes. Their bodies had always been different—extraordinary, physically and mentally—but no one knew why.

Jin skipped away lightly, laughing as he shouted, for he knew Joseph’s strength. If Joseph got hold of him, he’d be crushed.

The orphanage lady who raised them never dared reveal the truth, fearing for their lives.

Jin had been found as a baby at the orphanage door with no explanation, while Joseph arrived at four years old after it was said his parents died in a plane crash. With no relatives to claim him, the kind-hearted orphanage owner took him in without question.

Joseph shouted while chasing Jin wildly,

“If I don’t teach you a lesson today, I’m not a man!”

Jin sprinted as if his life depended on it, leaping over the three steps in front of a restaurant in one bound. He rushed inside, gasping, gripping the glass door as though it were the finish line.

The bell above the door rang, and Noona appeared from behind the counter.

She brushed her long black hair away from her face, revealing deep, dark eyes lined with sharp kohl, gleaming with a deadly chill.

She wore a white shirt beneath a sleek dark jacket that gave her a formal yet rebellious presence.

On her hand, a black rose tattoo stretched slightly as she moved her fingers, raising a cigarette to her lips while smoke swirled around her like a fog heralding her arrival.

A metallic earring glinted on her ear, and a dark gem hung from her necklace, deepening her mysterious aura.

Her delicate features and pale lips showed no smile, only that cold gaze weighed down by life’s burdens, as though she carried too much on her shoulders.

She put out her cigarette, then raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“What’s wrong, Jin? You look like a monster’s chasing you!”

Before a second passed, Joseph stormed in, his clothes still dripping from the sea, hair plastered to his forehead, face scowling.

“Where are you, you bastard!”

Noona sighed, placing her hands on her hips.

“Again? What is it this time—did you decide to drown each other?”

Jin tried to stifle his laugh, resting his hands behind his head.

“Heh... Noona... he was hugging a woman on the beach, claiming he was warming her because he couldn’t find her a coat.”

Joseph’s face turned red instantly. He yelled in anger, charging at Jin.

“Stop talking nonsense!”

But Noona raised the long wooden spoon she was holding and smacked them both.

“Two idiots...!”

They cried out in unison,

“Ahhh!”

Without a care, Noona plucked the lollipop from Joseph’s mouth and popped it into hers.

Joseph froze, his face flushing pink. He didn’t say a word or protest, turning his gaze away as if it didn’t matter, though he quickly sneaked a glance back at her, watching her lips move slowly around the lollipop, his heart pounding so hard it could burst.

Noona sucked on it softly, tilting her head with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

“Hmmm... cola flavor... my favorite.”

Joseph swallowed hard, heat rising in his cheeks until his silence nearly betrayed him.

Meanwhile, Jin watched the scene with a sly grin, whispering to himself, recalling someone’s words.

“Didn’t you say I wasted our money, Jin...?”

Joseph gave no reply, so Jin mocked,

“Cat got your tongue, Joseph?”

But Noona only gave a cold side-smile and pointed firmly toward the kitchen.

“Instead of drowning each other, help me with the restaurant.”

She raised her hand toward Jin.

“You’ll make the burgers.”

Then pointed at the other.

“And Joseph... you’ll help me clean the place.”

The three went inside. The kitchen brimmed with the heat of the stove and the scent of spices. Jin stood before the wooden counter as if it were a battlefield, a confident smile on his face.

“Get ready to taste a burger like no other.”

He pulled out a large bowl and dropped in fresh minced meat, sprinkling salt and a spoon of black pepper. He added a handful of finely chopped onions, a pinch of garlic powder, and a light dusting of red paprika for a smoky kick. Grabbing fresh parsley from the table, he chopped it quickly and mixed it in.

With practiced hands, he shaped the patties, pressing them just enough to hold together. He lit the iron skillet, drizzled in a little oil, and the moment the patties hit the hot surface, the sound of sizzling filled the room, fragrant steam rising.

He placed a slice of cheese on each patty before they were fully cooked, letting it melt slowly into a golden layer. At the same time, he sliced tomatoes and lettuce swiftly, then toasted the burger buns until their faces turned golden and crisp.

Finally, he layered everything with care: lettuce first to shield the bread, then the tomato slice, followed by the juicy patty topped with melted cheese, finishing with a spoonful of his special sauce of ketchup, a touch of mayo, and a dash of mustard.

Jin stepped back, holding up the burger like a masterpiece.

“Behold... the legendary Jin Burger.”

Joseph, busy cleaning beside Noona, couldn’t help swallowing as he watched. Noona gave a faint smirk.

“Let’s see if it tastes as good as all that show.”

Jin smirked back. “This burger is merely the vessel of my talent.”

After tasting it, Noona set her spoon aside with a smile.

“You’ve outdone yourself since last time, Jin... I didn’t expect the flavor to be this perfect.”

Then she laughed softly and added,

“Looks like the woman who marries you will be truly lucky.”

Jin leaned close to Joseph with a mischievous grin and whispered so only he could hear,

“Told you... if I’d taught you cooking earlier, you’d have gotten a kiss already.”

“Alright, alright, you’re right, Mr. Dreamboat, multi-talented as always.”

“It really does look like me,” whispered Jin’s adult soul, the one that had fused with Lin and now lived as him, as it gazed upon his memories.

Yet behind all those cheerful scenes, his soul throbbed with pain from the blurred memories seeping through like shards, while his mind slowly opened to images bursting inside him without mercy. Each moment seemed to return something precious he had lost... scattered fragments uniting to reveal a single truth: his lost identity.