Chapter 14: A Matter of Time

They say once you taste meat, you can't go back. Animals that have tasted meat are hopeless.

"This is a disaster..."

It wasn't meat but vegetables. Since Choryeon discovered the taste of vegetables, she completely ignored meat and continuously indulged in lettuce.

"Hiss! Hiss!"

"Ch-Choryeon, eat some meat. Or should I wrap it for you?"

"Hiss!"

Choryeon firmly rejected meat, exclaiming "No!" She used to eat meat well before tasting vegetables, but now she had no interest in it at all. It seemed her body could no longer be satisfied with ordinary meat.

"You're eating like you've been missing out on half your dragon life."

"Hiss~"

"You're saying that's true?"

"Hiss!"

A fact-check confirmed it. Choryeon's dragon life was now divided into before and after tasting vegetables. I sighed, thinking of the old Choryeon who would never return.

"Haa... If you had the same parents, shouldn't your tastes be the same? Why are you all so different?"

Suryeon replied.

"It's because we're different species. On TV, humans are divided into white, black, and Asian. It's the same thing."

"So it's not race but dragon-race? Something like that?"

"You could say that."

Suryeon ate meat using chopsticks like a fork. Unlike Choryeon, she occasionally wrapped meat in lettuce and enjoyed it.

"So one's carnivorous, one's omnivorous, and one's vegetarian? This isn't easy."

"Homeowner, don't say omnivorous. Say I eat a balanced diet. It's offensive."

"You're sensitive. Alright."

Suryeon glared at me with her blue eyes as if shooting lasers. I wondered when her language skills had improved so much. They say children grow quickly, and it seemed true. Perhaps a bit too quickly.

"Choryeon."

"Hiss?"

Choryeon blinked her green eyes, wondering why I called her. She was busy munching on lettuce, holding it with her front paws.

"Are you really never going to eat meat again?"

"Hiss!"

She answered with a bright cry. Choryeon's resolve seemed firm.

'I feel a bit sorry.'

But for practical reasons, I had to break Choryeon's resolve.

"To be honest, we can't eat just lettuce every day."

"Hiss..."

"Don't be disappointed yet. There's a way you can eat lots of vegetables like lettuce occasionally."

"Hiss?"

"Want to know what it is?"

"Hiss!"

Choryeon's eyes sparkled, and she snorted, seemingly urging me to tell her quickly. I grinned and whispered in her ear.

"Look forward to tomorrow."

"Hiss?"

"I'll bring that method."

It might not work, but we have to try.

'If it succeeds, we can reduce food expenses a lot. If it fails...'

If it fails, well, that's just too bad. There's no reason not to try. So I promised Choryeon I'd bring results tomorrow.

Then Hwaryeon, who was eating with her nose in the plate, spoke up.

"Homeowner!"

"Yes?"

"Give Choryeon more green grass!"

"Why suddenly?"

"So I can eat more!"

"..."

Hwaryeon is quite greedy. Is this another dragon trait? I'm not sure yet.

***

The villa where I live is called "Happy Villa." It seems misnamed since many unhappy people live here.

Anyway, the villa has five floors, excluding the basement. Floors 1 to 4 have two households each. The people living above ground have much better conditions than me, with no sunlight.

'They're a bit better off than me. Though to others, it might all look the same.'

The owner of this building lives on the fourth floor, having knocked down the wall between two units. Despite likely earning a decent income, she continues to live in the unsafe Seoul-09 area. Perhaps it's due to her eccentric personality, like self-imposed isolation.

"I hope I can communicate well with that eccentric old lady."

I checked the heavy black bag in my hand. The fate of its contents depends on the old lady's answer. Refunds are possible within three days of purchase.

"Haa, let's go."

Knock knock.

"Old lady, are you in there?"

No answer? I knocked again and put my ear to the door. I could hear someone moving inside. She's probably just slow due to age. After about 30 seconds, I heard a sharp elderly voice from behind the door.

"Who is it at this hour?"

"It's me, Lee Ha-jun from the basement."

"You bastard. Finally here?"

The door opened with a creak, accompanied by a curse. But it wasn't the old lady who came out.

"You rascal!"

I easily dodged the wooden cane that shot out from the door.

"Oh my."

The sturdy wooden cane hit the floor hard. She's still strong despite her age.

"Granny, you're strong. You'll live a long time."

"You rotten boy. You've shortened my life by a year. Why are you coming at this hour?"

The old lady slowly came out, leaning on her cane. White hair and a wrinkled face showed her age, but her expression was still full of life, as if death was far off.

"It's been a while, but your personality hasn't changed."

"Shut up. Get to the point. Why are you here? To pay your overdue rent?"

"No, not that."

"Then get lost. I have nothing to say to you."

The old lady tried to go back inside without hesitation.

"Wait!"

I gently grabbed her shoulder as she turned to leave. It felt like a shoulder that would break if I wasn't careful.

"Granny, just listen to me first."

"Pay your overdue rent first."

"How can I pay six months' worth at once?"

"You should have paid regularly instead of falling behind, you rotten boy."

It's hard to beat experience. The dragons must have felt this way when dealing with me. It makes my heart feel grand for no reason.

"I'll start paying slowly from now on. But before that, I have a favor to ask."

"...Go on."

"Can I share the rooftop with you?"

To access the 5th floor rooftop, I needed the old lady's permission. She was the only one with the key.

"I want to make a garden. I brought this too."

I showed her the contents of the black bag.

"Look, I bought soil and lettuce seeds."

"...Why did you buy seeds if I might refuse?"

"To make it harder for you to refuse?"

"Sigh, you rotten boy. Wait here a moment."

The old lady went inside. Just when I thought she had forgotten about me, she slowly came back out and handed me something.

"Here's the key. There should be some empty planters up there. Use those."

"What's this? Why are you being so nice? Did something happen?"

"I'm the same as always. You're the one who's changed."

"Me?"

"Tsk-"

The old lady clicked her tongue and said.

"Gu Bong-gu. That guy was looking for you. If you want fewer beatings, save up some money."

"..."

Has the collection day already come? Time flies.

I gripped the key tightly and waved to the old lady.

"Thanks. I'll make good use of the key."

"...Come by more often."

"Yeah, I'll come when I have time."

Bang-

The old lady closed the door after watching me leave. Maybe because we've known each other for a long time, she seemed to have worried about me in her own way. We've known each other since before I got into debt.

"Well then, shall we go up to the rooftop?"

It was my first time on the rooftop. I inserted the key into the lock, about to step onto the highest point of the villa. But I only opened the door without going up.

"...I should bring the kids too."

It seemed a shame to see it alone.

***

My one-room apartment is underground, not even a half-basement. There's no light, and it's full of mold and moisture. That's why I wanted the dragons to see the outside within the villa's boundaries. They must be bored staying in the room all the time.

"How do you like being outside, kids?"

Hwaryeon, staring intently at the moon in the sky, said.

"I love it! I want to come out often!"

Her red eyes, reflecting the moonlight, looked even more intense. She seemed happy to be out of the cramped room.

"Suryeon, how about you?"

Suryeon answered with her characteristic expressionless face.

"Not bad. It would have been better if I were alone."

"...Dad's feelings are hurt?"

"You're not Dad, you're the homeowner."

"..."

That stings. But I wonder if her words about preferring to be alone were true. Suryeon was standing apart, eyes closed, quietly enjoying the breeze and her solitude.

"That's so emo."

"Hiss?"

"Choryeon, you shouldn't become like that, okay?"

I picked up Choryeon and looked around the rooftop. There were traces of the old lady drying red peppers, and the planters had various unnamed trees and flowers.

"Hiss..."

Choryeon stared at the plants with her mouth wide open. They seemed to have made quite an impression on her.

"Choryeon, which one do you like best?"

"Hiss!"

Choryeon immediately stretched out her front paw. There were small green cherry tomatoes that hadn't fully ripened yet.

"You've got a good eye for tasty things."

"Hiss!"

It seems obvious to a dragon's eyes.

After finishing our rooftop tour, we started the most important task: planting.

"I got some basic instructions when I bought the lettuce seeds. We should do it like this."

"Hiss~"

"Spread some compost on the soil, then scatter the seeds at intervals..."

And that's it. They said lettuce was easy to grow, and it really did feel easy.

"It feels like it shouldn't be this simple."

"Hiss!"

Choryeon trampled the soil to flatten it. Then she closed her eyes and breathed towards the planter as if wishing for the plants to grow well.

'Is she praying?'

I'm not sure what it was, but anyway, we finished the planting perfectly.

"Well done, Choryeon! Put your hand up!"

"Hiss?"

"High five!"

Clap-

Like soulmates, Choryeon and I successfully completed a perfect high five. It was a flawless collaboration between father and daughter.

"Ugh, what's that? Hey Choryeon, I told you not to play with the homeowner. You'll become weird."

"That's childish."

Such jealousy. Ignoring the jealous dragons, I put Choryeon on my shoulder.

"Let's head back now. We might get caught if we stay longer."

"I'm going in first! Out of my way!"

"I enjoyed it quite a bit."

"Hiss!"

The dragons turned towards home with satisfied smiles, seemingly happy with the change of scenery. As for how the lettuce we planted will grow...

"Choryeon, let's eat it deliciously later, okay?"

"Hiss! Hiss!"

Time will tell.

As for Choryeon's current form, unlike the other dragons, she's more laid-back. So that too, time will resolve.