READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 250
At the same time, on Earth.
A summer where the unusually loud cicada sounds pierce through the windows and echo inside the house.
Someone lying in bed gets up and opens the tightly shut window, flicking off the cicada clinging to the insect screen.
The cicada, letting out its unique scream, flies off into the distant sky.
She quickly closes the window she had just opened, trying to preserve the cool air from the air conditioner.
Kim Mari, a high school student feeling the inevitable emptiness as the vacation comes to an end.
“Sticking to the screen and making a fuss, huh…”
After muttering a complaint to the bug, she blinks her eyes twice, yawns, and heads to the kitchen.
Since lying back down wouldn’t help her sleep, this seemed like the wise decision.
In this house, I’m the only one with a light sleeper.
Siyeon, of course, wouldn’t have woken up, and Junie comes out of the master bedroom reacting to the footsteps.
“Meow~”
“Junie, you’re up?”
The only one to greet me this early morning is the house cat.
Patting the orange furball, I raise my voice as if soothing a baby.
Filling the food bowl with a clattering sound, I also replace the half-empty water with fresh water.
Even four-legged creatures have their meal times; humans can’t go hungry.
Not really feeling like eating anything, nor craving noodles this morning.
A bag of bread tucked away in the corner of the freezer.
Reaching deep into the freezer to pull it out, I casually place it on the dining table.
Only two end pieces of the sandwich bread are left.
Instead of microwaving them separately, I place them on a wide plate and carefully draw a circle of mayonnaise around the edges.
Then, cracking an egg inside the mayonnaise ring so the yolk breaks, I sprinkle a pinch of salt and sugar.
After that, without preheating, I quickly toss it in the air fryer until the egg cooks.
A simple breakfast snack is complete.
‘Summer vacation is almost over.’
Crunching on the bread, I inwardly chew over the regret of the ending summer vacation.
Usually, parents are happy around the start of school because they can send their kids off, but…
Being a student myself, I’m not happy at all.
The routine doesn’t change; it’s just the school schedule added on top.
Naturally, there’s no reason to be happy.
It’s the season when vacation is ending, so school memes are floating around.
In the comments, uncles with thick leg hair are chuckling, saying, ‘It’s school time.’
[Long time no see school memes lol]
[Are students starting school now? Why aren’t they doing summer vacation events?]
ㄴ[Why would kids be playing outdated games during summer vacation lol]
ㄴ[There might be some]
ㄴ[Stop talking nonsense]
ㄴ[Why would kids these days play RPGs lol]
ㄴ[Even my cousins don’t play RPGs anymore]
[Since it’s a daughter’s game, we can’t even see school memes in the community lol]
In the midst of those uncles’ conversations, they mockingly ask where the students who are starting school are among their game players.
Right, they’re already at an age where vacations don’t matter, huh?
Don’t laugh, there’s still an active student here.
Though, I don’t play RPG games much these days either.
‘Ah, I really don’t want to go to school.’
Anyway, that’s the complaint that automatically comes out when I see those school memes.
It really hits me that the end of vacation is right around the corner.
How should I spend the remaining vacation to make it seem like I had a great time?
Going out somewhere isn’t really our style; Siyeon and I only occasionally exercise or go out.
Especially with the capricious summer where it rains every other day.
There’s no need to take the risk of going outside.
So today’s goal is also decided as ‘eat well and have fun at home.’
‘The rain is quite heavy…’
Time passes, and around lunchtime.
The tapping sound of rain on the window grows heavier and more frequent, soon turning into a pouring rain that covers the world.
The rain sound completely replaces the chaotic cicada noise.
Peeking out the window, the cool outside air covers the skin.
This is cool enough, so I give the overworked air conditioner a break.
With the sound of the air conditioner turning off, Siyeon’s door opens with a creak.
“Huahm, you were already up?”
Siyeon walks out, her clothes disheveled, scratching her chest and stomach area.
Covering her yawning mouth with the other hand, Siyeon comes out.
Even though it’s around lunchtime, her eyelids are almost closed.
Her sluggish, wobbly appearance, as if floating with special effects, makes me poke her belly playfully with my index finger.
“What time did you sleep last night?”
“Kuh, around 2 AM…”
Poked by the finger, she laughs ticklishly and confesses the time she slept.
Even after the confession, I keep poking her belly and sides, teasing her.
“If it wasn’t for the monster, you would’ve gone to bed early, right? Right?”
“Euk, I know! I know, okay!”
Amused by her squirming like a bug every time my finger touches her flesh, I poke her a few more times before stopping the nagging.
Siyeon, who just woke up, gets a scolding and a tickle.
Perhaps due to the lingering yawn and tickle, a tiny droplet forms at the corner of her eye.
As soon as the nagging ends, Siyeon heads to the bathroom, and I head to the kitchen for lunch.
Today’s lunch is pancakes, which I always think of on rainy days.
They say the sound of pouring rain is similar to the sound of frying pancakes, but really…
‘How is this similar?’
Pouring the batter from the mixing bowl into the oil-covered frying pan, a loud sizzling sound fills the air.
The rain sound is one thing, but the sound of frying pancakes is another.
The ‘swish’ of rain and the ‘sizzle’ of pancakes—how are they the same?
Personally, I think it’s just an excuse to eat pancakes.
“What are you doing?”
Hearing the sizzling oil sound from the kitchen, Siyeon peeks her head in.
“Pancakes.”
It’s obvious what I’m doing, but I casually hold a plastic spatula and answer indifferently.
Since one side needs to cook for a while, I take a moment to fiddle with my smartphone.
Having just woken up and probably hungry, Siyeon lingers around the kitchen induction stove.
“What’s in it?”
She asks about the ingredients, showing her obsession with pancakes.
“Squid, shrimp, some green onions, and carrots?”
Counting off the ingredients on my fingers.
Honestly, there aren’t that many ingredients.
The seafood, shrimp, and squid are all frozen.
The only fresh ingredients are the green onions and carrots.
Actually, even these could be replaced with frozen shredded carrots and green onions.
If you have money, you can buy anything.
Anyway, while frying a whole pan of pancakes…
“Wow, it smells amazing!”
“Ah, right, the window.”
Gomteng, the bear cub, rushes out of the room, smelling the aroma.
Hearing him, I quickly open the small kitchen window wide.
The pancake smell has already filled the house.
Even with the exhaust fan on, I open the balcony door on the opposite side of the kitchen for the grand flipping attempt.
Shaking the well-cooked bottom gently, I slide the spatula deep and flip it in one swift motion.
Just before it turns black, the perfect golden brown color.
After frying the other side to a golden brown, I ask Siyeon to bring out the largest plate.
A wide plate, the kind used in Western-style tonkatsu restaurants.
It rarely comes out of the cupboard, but today it has its use.
Tilting the pan, I gently place the pancake on the plate and return the pan to the induction stove.
After swirling the remaining oil a few more times, I pour the sticky batter back into the pan and say,
“Hey, mix some soy sauce, chili powder, sugar, and pepper to make a dipping sauce.”
Following the instructions, Siyeon skillfully mixes the ingredients in a sauce dish.
After spreading the batter wide, I wash my oil-covered hands once, pick up chopsticks, and sit at the dining table.
One chopstick, two chopsticks, dipping into the sauce, and before I know it, more than half of the pancake is gone.
By now, the bottom of the pancake should be cooked, right?
Getting up mid-meal, I head back to the frying pan.
“Ah, Siyeon… don’t just eat the edges, seriously.”
“But the edges are crispy and the best part.”
“Ugh, who doesn’t know that?”
Checking the pancake’s condition at the frying pan, I hear a small commotion from the dining table.
Apparently, Siyeon, who only picks the crispy edges, is annoying.
It’s like seeing someone who only eats chicken legs and wings when ordering chicken.
Well, there’s a way to handle that.
Using the edge of the spatula, I tear the well-cooked pancake into pieces in the pan.
Then, pouring oil over them like a waterfall…
The torn edges of the pancakes become as crispy as the original edges.
Instead of burning the middle trying to make it crispy, just turn every part into an edge.
Flipping each piece is a bit of a hassle, but whatever.
Seeing the gluttonous bear cub and Siyeon happily eating, I don’t mind the labor.
And so, our summer vacation seemed to end warmly and uneventfully.
…Until the relentless downpour flooded the lower areas of our apartment.