Chapter 6
Sizzle- Sizzle-
The meat on the frying pan sizzled, turning a nice golden brown.
It's a shame I don't have a grill, but a frying pan is enough to cook meat.
Actually, the biggest problem is the lack of ventilation in this basement.
'As long as it tastes good, that's all that matters.'
It's not like you'll die from briefly smelling the smoke and odor, right?
You might if you inhale it for too long, though.
Just eat the nicely browned meat and enjoy it.
I picked up the cooked meat with chopsticks and placed it on a plate.
Then, I put the plate on the floor so they could eat comfortably.
"Eat this first. I'll grill more for you. I worked at a barbecue restaurant for about a year, so it should be tasty."
It's pork shoulder, not belly, but I seasoned it with salt, so it should be edible.
The dragons were wary of the plate at first.
But soon, they brought their noses close to the meat, deeply savoring the smell.
From the looks of it, they seemed to like it quite a bit.
'If I leave them alone, they'll probably figure out how to eat on their own.'
It's a stereotype, but dragons shouldn't dislike meat, right?
I returned to the frying pan, focusing on grilling more meat.
However.
Not long after, the red lizard started tugging at the hem of my pants.
"Did you finish already?"
"Hiss-"
"You eat fast."
Glance-
I checked the plate from the corner of my eye.
It looked exactly the same as when I first gave it to them, not a single bite taken.
'I thought they'd eat quickly since they smelled it so well. Why haven't they eaten?'
What could be the problem?
I stopped working and lowered myself to meet the dragon's eyes.
I wanted to know the reason.
"What's wrong, lizard? Is there a problem? Don't you want to eat what I grilled?"
"Hiss-!"
"That's not it? Then, is it too little that you don't even want to touch it?"
"Hiss-!"
The red lizard shook its head.
"Then what is it?"
"Hiss-"
It looked back and forth between the table and the plate.
"Ah."
I think I understand what it's trying to say.
A silent appeal to put the plate on the table right away?
I'm not so oblivious that I can't pick up on such a simple hint.
"You want to eat at the table, right?"
"Hiss."
Only then did the red lizard nod.
Seems like it doesn't want to eat on the floor.
Dragons will be dragons, I guess?
"Well, eating on the floor is for beasts, I suppose. Red lizard, did you know this instinctively? Or did you learn it from TV?"
"Hiss-!"
It answered with a cry, without moving.
"I can't understand you when you answer like that, you know."
Anyway, it doesn't want to eat on the floor.
Seems like it wants to maintain its dignity as a dragon.
Reflecting that opinion, I picked up the plate and put it on the table.
As if they'd been waiting for this, the dragons leapt onto the chairs.
"Hiss-!"
"..."
"Hiss-!"
But a problem arose.
Since they walk on four legs, their heads didn't reach above the table.
Their mouths couldn't reach the plate.
It was more like they were standing on the chairs rather than sitting.
I kindly asked the dragon:
"Your mouth still can't reach the table like that. Should I put it back on the floor?"
"Hiss-!"
The red lizard threatened me, telling me to leave it be.
It seems it absolutely doesn't want to eat on the floor.
After thinking for a moment, it raised its upper body, standing on its short legs on the chair.
"Hiss-!!"
The red dragon straightened its back on its short two legs.
But perhaps those legs couldn't support its heavy upper body?
It kept wobbling precariously, about to fall over.
"Hiss-!"
But it didn't give up, keeping its back straight to the end.
It leaned its very short arms on the table to stabilize its wobbling body.
Only then did it stop shaking and regain stability.
It cleverly succeeded in what seemed impossible.
"Wow- You're amazing? You really are a dragon!"
"Hiss-! Hiss-!"
It got angry at me, as if telling me not to underestimate it.
The other dragons followed the red dragon's actions from earlier, safely putting their heads on the table.
From four-legged to two-legged walking.
All that was left for these evolved dragons was to dig into the meat.
"Hiss-!!"
"..."
"Hiss-!!"
Chomp chomp-
Munch munch-
They slowly chewed the meat with their teeth.
It seemed to suit their taste quite well.
'I'm watching dragons eat meat at a table.'
I haven't lived long in this world, but I've seen enough now.
"Oh, right. I was grilling meat."
I almost burned it.
I quickly turned back to flip the meat.
To grill meat well, you need to get this flipping timing just right.
Timing is important, but.
While it's easier to flip the meat just once on each side, flipping it twice tastes better.
I've been grilling meat this way since I was young.
I don't know why, but it tastes best like this.
'Actually, the tastiest meat is the one someone else grills for you.'
Anyway.
While grilling the meat, I occasionally put some in my mouth to check if it was cooked and to fill my empty stomach.
Of course, there was no disposable rice or anything.
Where would I get the money for that?
It was already a miracle to be grilling meat like this.
'Even though the gas bill was overdue… I'm glad the gas wasn't cut off.'
In my experience, when you're about six months behind on payments, they threaten to cut off the gas soon.
If that happens, you can't use fire in the house anymore.
'It's been six months since I left the house...'
They'll contact me soon, and the gas will be cut off.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that this fire grilling the meat was burning fiercely, as if asserting its existence before disappearing.
"Thank you for the last time, fire."
I offered words of mourning to the fire that would be our last meeting.
While I was playing around, muttering to myself as usual, the red lizard had already finished its meat and was making noises like a baby bird with its mouth open.
"Hiss-! Hiss-!"
"Hiss-"
So impatient.
Seems like it's delicious even for dragons.
"Who grilled it? Of course it's delicious."
Eat more and grow big.
I poured the cooked meat onto their plates.
They buried their heads in the plates and ate the meat deliciously.
Watching them, a fond smile unknowingly spread across my face.
'...When was the last time this table was so full?'
I'm not their real dad, but for this moment, I felt like a father.
"Eat slowly. You'll get indigestion."
"Hiss-!"
"..."
***
Actually, there's a big downside to grilling meat at home.
It's the smell.
It clings to every corner of the house, leaving that distinct, stuffy meat odor.
That's why people usually avoid grilling meat at home.
But.
"Why don't I smell anything today?"
It's strange.
This isn't even a half-basement. It's a full basement with no ventilation.
Come to think of it, I didn't even open the door, but there was no smoke either.
And.
Why can't I feel the dampness of mold?
Even though the structure makes ventilation impossible, the air feels crisp as if it's been ventilated.
"It feels like an air purifier is running at full power, not that I've ever used one."
I didn't notice when I first came in, but now that I've eaten and am trying to sit down and rest, these odd things keep catching my eye.
There's only one possibility I can think of.
"Is it the dragons' ability?"
I looked at the dragon family in the distance.
Unlike yesterday, the distance had shortened a bit.
Among them, my daughter seemed to sense my presence and turned her head, making a bright cry towards me.
"Hiss-!"
"Hmm."
I can't ask since we can't communicate.
I'm not sure exactly who brought about this change, but I'd like to think it was my daughter who did this good deed.
So, I decided to assume it was her.
I called out to my daughter in the distance.
"Well done, my daughter!"
"Hiss-!"
"You'll grow up to be a great air purifier."
"Hiss-!"
My daughter, not knowing what was going on, received my praise enthusiastically.
She didn't eat much meat during dinner, but she seemed to be in a good mood.
It seemed she had the ability to purify the surrounding air just by existing.
Anyway.
It's about time.
"Shall this dad give you names?"
I think it's time to give them names.
We can't keep calling them red lizard, blue dragon, and green dragon forever.
I got up and approached the clustered dragons.
The red lizard backed away, less wary than before.
"Hiss-!"
"Ahem. Everyone, focus."
I cleared my throat to get their attention, then spoke with a weighty voice.
"I can't keep classifying you by color forever. This dad will give you names. None of you have any objections, right?"
"Hiss-! Hiss-!"
The red lizard looked full of complaints.
It doesn't matter whether they have complaints or not.
I've been thinking hard about names while working.
And it's inconvenient for everyone if they don't have names.
"First, the eldest. Red lizard."
"Hiss-!!"
"Your name is Hwaryeon (Fire Lotus). Lee Hwaryeon, taking my surname."
"Hissa-!!"
Is she that happy?
Hwaryeon seemed pleased to have a name, expressing her emotions very honestly.
She didn't have to go that far.
Oh well.
I skipped over Hwaryeon, who was strongly protesting to me, and spoke to the blue dragon standing quietly beside her.
"Second. Blue dragon."
"..."
"Your name is Suryeon (Water Lotus). Lee Suryeon."
"..."
Suryeon kept her mouth shut as usual.
She's probably happy to have a name on the inside.
I'm sure of it.
Thinking that, I turned to my youngest daughter.
"The youngest. Green dragon!"
"Hiss-!"
"Your name is Choryeon (Grass Lotus)! Lee Choryeon!"
"Hiss-!!"
Choryeon jumped up and down in place, seemingly happy to have a name.
Next to her, Hwaryeon was also jumping, though I couldn't tell if she was happy or angry.
We couldn't be anything but a harmonious family.
"I'm so glad you've accepted your names."
"Hiss-!"
"I thought long and hard about these names while working. You can be proud of them."
This is really true.
Ive put meaning into their names.
In Hwaryeon's case, she's red, and her personality is fiery...
For Suryeon, she's blue, and her personality is cold...
For Choryeon, she's green, and her personality is bright...
The 'yeon' (lotus) that's common to all their names carries my hope that they'll bloom in their own way someday.
Whether it's fire, water, or grass.
They just need to grow well into adults as promised.
'I should help them grow as much as I can.'
Until they become adults.
Until they leave for their own nests.
I said I'd just keep them safe, but I don't really intend to do just that.
Maybe it's because I grew up without much help from others, but I want to raise them to the best of my ability.
I think that way I'll have no regrets, and I can keep my promise.
Thinking this to myself, I took in the sight of the dragons looking at me.
"Hwaryeon, Suryeon, Choryeon."
You guys.
"Let's get along well from now on."
I called them by their names, not as dragons of a different species.
We now know each other's names.
Only then did I feel the thick wall between us thin slightly.
Relationships start by sharing names, after all.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that my relationship with the dragons starts now.