Chapter 65 : The Perfect Snow Duck and a Heartfelt Surprise

“Big snowman!”

The next morning, I went outside with Siyeon for some exercise.

The bollard snowman army was still standing strong in the morning.

Children passing by, including Siyeon, would occasionally glance at them and point, as if to say that the snowmen we built the previous night weren’t in vain.

Moreover, judging by the screams from last night and the marks at the bottom of the snowman, it seemed like someone’s ankle had taken a hard hit.

Well done, bollard snowman army.

As soon as you step out of the apartment playground, thick piles of snow are visible.

Even though the snow ducks we made earlier had all collapsed, Siyeon was still happily making snow ducks with a scoop.

“Mari, make one too!”

“Huh?”

Siyeon, who was just carrying the scoop and following me around, suddenly made a suggestion.

Although I had long outgrown the age for making clay sculptures or rolling snowballs…

Since it was a rare opportunity, I decided to put down the scoop and join in.

In the freezing cold, with snot likely freezing too, the snow was half-frozen and starting to crunch.

Just adjusting the scoop to widen and narrow didn’t neatly fill it, so I pulled the mold towards me and started scooping snow directly into it.

Even after doing that, the snow still didn’t fill the edges of the mold, so the snow duck I made ended up looking sloppy.

This is harder than I thought.

“Yours is weird!”

“Heh…”

Immediately, Siyeon pointed out the half-finished snow duck.

Getting critiqued on my sculpture by an elementary school student…

Still, I thought I should at least make one proper snow duck, so I packed the snow tightly into the mold and pressed both handles of the scoop, trying to compact it well.

This time, it stuck perfectly to the mold and didn’t fall off, creating a solid snow duck.

‘No…’

At this point, a stubborn determination that had been hiding deep inside me started to surface.

I was going to make a perfect snow duck, just one, no matter what.

Before I knew it, making a snow duck had turned into a task to achieve perfection.

Number 6 snow duck—missing the wings.

Number 7 snow duck—missing part of the head.

Number 8 snow duck—tail and wing parts missing.

Number 9, 10, 11…

The snow duck making continued until the 23rd attempt, when I finally created a perfect one.

“Siyeon! This one…”

Just as I was about to proudly show Siyeon the well-made snow duck…

“Huh?”

I was left speechless when I saw that Siyeon had already set up a whole army of them on the stair railing.

Damn, why is she so good at this?

Unintentionally, Siyeon and I had gotten our daily exercise in by searching for snow while playing.

Feeling a strange sense of defeat, we had a great time and then went back inside the house.

After going out to check on the snowman, we ended up playing longer than expected, so now we were getting ready to have lunch.

It was a cold winter day, and I was craving something warm.

“Siyeon, how about galbitang (beef short rib soup)?”

“Yeah… I like it!”

After a brief groan, the response comes back.

It’s not quite the reaction of “I really want this,” but today, I decide to indulge and order what I’ve been craving.

Statistically, something like braised chicken might be a good option, but finding a non-spicy place for tteokbokki that suits Siyeon’s taste was quite a challenge.

Plus, the places that deliver braised chicken usually have a minimum order for two adult servings.

Even though we have mascots who help with leftovers, eating only braised chicken for two or three days in a row would be a bit much.

Once it goes into the fridge, I lose the appetite for it, and it usually ends up in the trash.

Anyway, that’s where my thoughts stop.

It’s already decided, so I quickly start typing: one serving of galbitang (beef short rib soup), with extra ribs, and two bowls of rice.

The total is about 9,000 won.

Since galbitang comes in a large portion, the broth is more than enough, and the only thing missing is more meat, so I add extra ribs to fill that gap.

The veranda is adjacent to the room, and the cold that the boiler can’t quite cover makes the air a little chilly.

I wait for the steaming, cloudy broth to warm me as I press my body against the warmth of the floor.

Before long, the doorbell rings, and I just have to bring in the delivery from the doorstep.

When I open the lid of the plastic container, just as expected, the cloudy broth and large ribs—about five of them—are inside.

“Galbitang is great, but this is kind of inconvenient,” I think, as I face the task of separating the meat from the bones.

I carry the container into the kitchen, grab tongs to hold the ribs, and use scissors to snip off the meat that’s stuck to the bones.

The trick is to use the tips of the scissors to scrape along the boundary between the meat and the bone, cutting away the chunks of meat.

Once the larger pieces fall off, the rest can be cut off easily by gently working the scissors into the gaps.

After battling with the ribs for several minutes, I finally have a bowl full of tender meat floating in the cloudy broth.

I keep cutting the meat into smaller pieces until they’re small enough to fit on a child’s spoon.

I divide the meat and broth into two bowls, and now I’m ready to eat.

I even dish out a bit for the mascots in two small bowls.

The two servings of rice, still warm in their plastic bags, are placed on a low table.

I take out the kimchi from the bag as a side dish to make it even better.

Siyeon doesn’t yet know how good this combination is, as she doesn’t usually go for kimchi.

“Mmm, wow,” I think to myself as I enjoy the warm, rich broth mixed with the soft white rice and a bite of kimchi.

I can almost hear Siyeon’s advice about how this makes me sound like an old man, but I can’t help but marvel inwardly.

It feels a little guilty enjoying it alone, but surely Siyeon would like it too.

“Wow, this is amazing!” the bear mascot says, unable to hold back its own exclamation.

What’s this? Has the local flavor finally taken hold without me realizing?

Since I made the broth myself, I can’t say anything, so I continue my meal.

With the help of the mascots, today’s delivery food is finished without a trace.

I wash the greasy, disposable containers with dish soap and toss them into the plastic recycling bin.

Food with soup and rice tends to provide a greater sense of fullness compared to other dishes.

“Phew, that was good.”

“I’m so full….”

I patted my stomach and let out a satisfied sigh as I leaned against the wall to help digestion.

Siyeon also seemed to have eaten enough, showing signs of being sluggish from overeating.

With the short winter vacation, there wasn’t much homework, so I just scribbled a few pages and left it at that.

Since no monsters had appeared, there was no need to worry about time management.

Thus, the day passed without any twists…

Or so I thought.

‘Hmm…?’

Lately, the upstairs had been quiet, so I hadn’t used my earplugs.

Then came a rustling noise that scratched at my sensitive ears.

But it wasn’t from the house upstairs or downstairs.

The source was definitely from our house.

But unless a thief had come in, who could it be?

As that thought crossed my mind, my eyes immediately snapped open.

At the same time, I heard the distinct sound of a door clicking shut.

‘What…?’

Since it didn’t sound like someone was entering, it must have been someone leaving.

Wondering what was going on, I looked down at the first-floor bed from the railing of the second-floor bunk bed. The blankets were disturbed, and Siyeon was nowhere to be found.

In an instant, a multitude of thoughts rushed through my head.

Why would Siyeon be going out at this hour? Obviously, there’s no reason.

Running away? No way, that can’t be it.

But why did she leave? What is going on?

As anxiety began to overwhelm me, I immediately thought of the two mascots.

“Hey, Teddy! Sea snake!”

My voice echoed loudly through the dark house, but no response came.

The confusion only grew deeper.

‘What? Did they both leave together?’

The next thought was a simple ‘why?’

Though I felt reassured by the idea that the mascots would be with her, the more pressing question remained.

Should I follow them or not?

While I was pondering that, I heard the sound of a doorknob turning, and I sank back into bed.

I glanced toward the first-floor scene over the railing.

The only people who could be entering this house were Siyeon and I.

Through the door came a sliver of light, and Siyeon and the two mascots entered the dark house.

Siyeon immediately opened the fridge and grabbed a cake box that seemed familiar.

Suddenly, a cake?

‘Siyeon’s birthday has already passed…’

Cake usually means a birthday, and Siyeon’s birthday had already passed, so that only left…

‘Ah.’

As I thought about Siyeon’s birthday, I suddenly remembered my own birthday, which I had forgotten.

January 1st, a day I wasn’t familiar with and had completely forgotten.

It seemed like the three of us had planned a surprise, and while they were sure I was asleep, they had gone out to the bakery.

‘…They didn’t have to do that.’

I felt thankful, and at the same time, proud of them.

Since Christmas, I had been continuously touched by their efforts.

After waking up once and then falling back asleep, Siyeon, who seemed to have been eagerly waiting for January 1st, couldn’t get up at such an early hour…

“Happy birthday!”

“What is all this?!”

Anyway, I woke up as early as I could and celebrated my birthday.

In return, I tried to surprise her as much as I could, swallowing my regret that I hadn’t woken up enough to hear it, and gave Siyeon a big hug.

I was happy with just the birthday cake, though it was technically my own money, since I had already received my birthday gift in advance, at Christmas.

“When did you prepare all this?”

“Last night! I went out while Mari was asleep.”

Siyeon proudly explained, answering a question I already knew the answer to.

Yeah, I think she deserves to be even prouder.