The usually tranquil front garden quickly buzzed with excitement as the locals who attended the tasting event chatted animatedly.
Bibi, not shy around strangers, darted around with curious eyes, seemingly enjoying the lively atmosphere.
“Wow, all of this was made by Alexis? With this level of skill, the restaurant is sure to be a hit.”
Mrs. Marchelle, who was known for her unbeatable cooking, showered constant praise. It was a moment when I realized that Theo’s cooking skills were nothing out of the ordinary.
“Yes, it’s all my husband’s work. I’m strictly forbidden from entering the kitchen.”
The long table was filled with various mouth-watering dishes.
Chicken stew with pureed Subitsan mango, golden cream pie, chickpea meatballs with unique spices, desserts filled with our memories, giant macarons, and many other astonishing dishes that even I couldn’t identify were presented, each unique and unseen in any ordinary restaurant.
They say that food that looks good tastes good. Those who sampled the dishes couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration.
“Wow, it’s really delicious.”
“No, there’s ginger in this; how did I not realize…”
“I’ve never tasted anything like this in my life.”
Well, with this level of success, it seems unlikely the restaurant will close its doors anytime soon.
“Wow, he’s not only good-looking but also has a domestic side! Jin is so lucky.”
Feeling a bit awkward under Mrs. Marchelle’s admiring gaze, I shrugged it off. Meanwhile, one of the invited guests, Raon, entered the garden.
“Raon, come on in.”
Raon handed me a small package.
“I couldn’t come empty-handed.”
I was about to take the basket from him when someone snatched it away. It was Theo.
Though he had been in the kitchen preparing dishes, he appeared out of nowhere, standing right next to me.
Theo looked at Raon and gave him one of his trademarks that he shows to the people he is wary of.
“Thank you. I’ve prepared it with care, but I’m not sure if it will suit your taste.”
Raon smiled brightly, scanning the table.
“I’m truly thankful to be invited to such a wonderful tasting event.”
I glanced at Theo and guided Raon to the prepared seat. The atmosphere became even warmer as people enjoyed a rich meal accompanied by wine.
Everyone’s cheeks were flushed, and the laughter was infectious.
Observing Theo fixing the strands of my hair caught by the wind, Mrs. Roweben remarked with a playful smile, “Oh my, Alexis, even honey would fall from your eye.”
Theo, taking my hand as if to show off, playfully responded,
“When you have such a beautiful bride, it’s only natural.”
“My God, he’s such a sweet talker. I live with this log-like human being.”
Mrs. Roweben nudged her husband while shooting a pointed look. Her husband pretended not to hear our conversation, sipping wine with the other neighbors.
“Do you know that, thanks to you two, couples in Ios seem to argue every day nowadays?”
“No way.”
Mrs. Roweben came forward with a smile, glancing between Theo and me.
“Our Leyla should meet a good husband like Alexis someday.”
A profound light flickered in her eyes like a lake.
She has a daughter who hasn’t been married. Having unmarried children until a certain age was always a source of concern for parents.
I subtly glanced at Leyla, who was sitting rather upright next to Mrs. Roweben.
Leyla, who grew up hearing she was quite the beauty in the neighborhood, had her garage full of suitors. However, she always insisted she would never marry, causing constant friction with her parents.
“Why does she dislike those fine gentlemen? Ugh. She still doesn’t realize she’s the one at a loss if she misses the right time.”
Mrs. Roweben sighed, repeating the same complaint, but I knew why Leyla behaved that way.
Her gaze was consistently directed at Raon at relatively short intervals.
It wasn’t just Leyla who harbored a secret crush on him; there were likely others. I seriously contemplated what would happen if Raon worked as a server in our restaurant.
That would be a huge hit. Of course, Theo would be against it.
“By the way, you two get along so well; you’ll probably have many children in the future.”
Mrs. Roweben’s casually thrown comment plunged Theo and me into an unintended silence.
Although Theo had been given new life with the help of the nectar, we still didn’t know if it would give us a child as a gift.
We had discussed it somewhat, but with no news so far, it seemed better not to harbor too many expectations.
As I glimpsed a fleeting shadow on Theo’s face, I tightly grasped his hand.
“We’re so happy, just the two of us. Children aren’t important to us.”
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As the modest tasting event neared its end, Leyla, with a somewhat anxious expression, rose from her seat.
Her face was slightly flushed, perhaps from having had a few glasses of wine. However, I had a feeling the reason for her reddened face wasn’t solely due to the wine.
She hesitated near Raon, her shy steps coming to a stop.
After taking a few deep breaths, she initiated a conversation with Raon. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but it undoubtedly involved delicate matters.
Watching them with an intrigued gaze, Theo, who was beside me, asked,
“Why are you watching them so intently?”
“Well, others’ romances are usually the most entertaining.”
Upon hearing this, Theo’s gaze also lingered on them. I took a sip of the wine placed on the table.
I didn’t mind the fuzzy feeling of floating in a daze from the alcohol. Leaning my chin on my hand, I mumbled while observing the young couple.
“Ha, good times.”
“……What’s with that envious look?”
“Huh?”
“Your eyes seem to imply envy, but now might not be the best time.”
Theo seemed slightly shaken, as if he had received a mild shock. Seeing his face tinged with subtle disappointment, I felt an urge to pinch his cheeks.
“It’s good now too, of course, although it feels a bit different from before.”
“…….”
Theo’s face gradually contorted at my response. For some reason, his eyes looked even more shocked than they did a moment ago.
“I don’t suppose it’s the same for you.”
“Not at all.”
He responded with an extremely indifferent tone, without a hint of hesitation.
“Are you sulking?”
“…….”
Theo silently took a sip of his water. Even though his slightly wounded appearance was a bit amusing, the fact that he stubbornly held onto my hand was somewhat funny.
In the midst of our exchange, we heard a commotion at the entrance of the garden. Since the tasting event was about to end, it was unlikely that new guests would arrive.
Naturally, people’s gazes turned in that direction. Raon and Leyla’s gazes, which had been creating a meaningful atmosphere, were drawn there as well.
With a creaking sound, as the door opened, a person appeared and looked around while uttering these words, attracting everyone’s attention.
“Is this… the place where Alexis and Jin live?”
Seeing her, I barely suppressed a scream.
“Stella!”
I jumped up and rushed towards Stella. We embraced fiercely, expressing overwhelming joy.
“I can’t believe this is happening! Coming here without a word… Is everything okay? Were you hurt? The sea can be treacherous!”
We exchanged letters a few times over the year. The sturdy boat made by Delua technicians made this possible.
For reasons unknown, the sea of death that encompasses Ios has calmed down a bit in recent years, though it still takes a very long time to get a reply.
In a foreign land, correspondence with a distant friend would not be surprising; however, on this secluded island where outsiders rarely ventured, it was unimaginable until a few years ago.
Stella, with a slightly moist voice, hugged me even tighter.
“I’m fine. Your high… No, now I should call you Jin, right? Jin, have you been well?”
“As you can see, I’m doing very well.”
The unexpectedly emotional reunion brought tears to my eyes. I released Stella from my embrace and gave her a sidelong glance.
“Leaving that aside, why do you look like this?”
Stella wore a short black wig, dressed in monochrome pants and a shirt. To anyone’s eyes, it was the attire of a young boy.
It seemed a bit sloppy for a disguise, but from a distance, she could pass for a small boy.
Stella removed the awkward wig, revealing a lush cascade of red hair hidden beneath it.
With the sudden appearance of an unfamiliar stranger, the eyes of our neighbors immediately turned towards us.
Every single one of them seemed curious about the red-haired woman in unusual attire.
Raon was no exception. No, his gaze seemed a bit… different than usual.
At the same time, Leyla bit her lip as Raon’s gaze was stolen by the woman they saw for the first time.
was
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Notes:
⁽¹⁾”Honey would fall from your eyes.”- It’s a figurative way of emphasizing someone’s appealing and enchanting qualities.
