Chapter 3 – Sounds of the World – Part 3

Chapter 3 – Sounds of the World – Part 3

Dad’s gaze, which had been on his cellphone, returned to Woojin.

How hormones work, how they affect the brain…

How could he know such things?

Dad, who had been surprised, calmly composed himself and spoke.

It was for Woojin.

“Our Woojin is really smart.”

“Sob! Sob!”

Dad patted Bomi.

But the girl’s crying didn’t stop easily.

She kept imagining her brother, trapped in a dark warehouse, reading only books under the moonlight.

‘He must have had a hard time? He must have been cold? He must have been scared?’

All sorts of thoughts crossed her mind.

Her brother, who had gone through such an experience, showed no expression.

Woojin neither showed nor said anything more, simply watching his sister.

It’s good to cry when sad.

Tears are a defense mechanism.

This was because when tears flow, endorphins are produced, allowing one to somewhat escape the feeling of sadness.

Humans live with 10% self-consciousness, and 90% are governed by the unconscious.

Bomi’s reflexive act of crying was an unconscious action, a function of the brain to protect herself.

***

The Prosecutor, sitting across from the criminal who had kidnapped Woojin, asked.

The criminal appeared to be in his late 60s.

“Starting five years ago, three members of your family died one by one, one each year? Three people. Your wife and elderly mother from heart attacks. Your sister-in-law died from something like a poisoned candle? She couldn’t eat it properly and died. Don’t you think this is strange? Two neighbors who were close to you also died. Also from heart attacks.”

“I know nothing about it… I can guess what the Prosecutor suspects, but it wasn’t me.”

“Why do I feel like you’re the one who killed them?”

“No, sir. The police were also dispatched, and that’s an old story. If there was a criminal, maybe that guy did it.”

A strange light flickered in the Prosecutor’s eyes.

“That guy?”

“That son of a bitch… no, I mean the child I kidnapped.”

“What?”

The Prosecutor, who had been wearing a bewildered expression, burst out laughing.

“Hahahahaha! I thought you were crazy, but I was wrong, wasn’t I? Oh? I was wrong! Hahaha! You really are completely insane. Sir! You should be begging for forgiveness from that child, and you’re saying what?”

“It wasn’t me.”

“Is this man playing games with me right now? Fine, let’s say that child killed your family, as you claim. Would you, who suspect that child, have left them alone? Huh!? You need to say something sensible!”

“It wasn’t me.”

“Are you teasing me? This won’t do. You’ve messed with the wrong person. It means you’re incredibly unlucky. I’m a complete lunatic who has to investigate thoroughly once I get fixated on something. Let’s dig deep into this investigation, shall we?”

At that moment.

Woojin’s Mom was busy preparing food.

She thought it might still be too much to eat out.

Woojin was listening to his younger sister explain more about the cellphone’s functions.

“Oppa, this is called YouTube. If you search for what you want to watch…”

“Mukbang.”

When Woojin spoke the first words he saw, Bomi nodded.

“Yes. It’s called Mukbang. It’s a broadcast where people eat food. Short for ‘Mukbang’.”

Bomi touched the video to play it.

The YouTuber appeared, explained the food they had prepared, and then began to eat.

-Wow… everyone, this is really delicious. So Delicious…

Woojin alternately stared at the food, whose taste he couldn’t know, and the YouTuber.

-Her eyes frequently move to the upper left when she speaks while eating. (Imagining)

-He frequently swallows and raises his eyebrows to emphasize his words. (Superficial self-assertion)

-One corner of his mouth subtly curls up a few times. (Sneer, contempt)

-He frequently wipes the bridge of his nose with the back of his hand. (Action due to catecholamine secretion)

All of her expressions were lying.

And she unconsciously fiddles with her earrings and necklace frequently.

“He’s someone with a lot of subscribers.”

At that moment, Woojin’s eyes widened as if he was surprised by something.

There was an incredible smell.

‘Perfume?’

Perfume was said to smell good.

The smell was unbelievably good, in a Righteous Path that he couldn’t find the words to describe. Woojin was that flustered.

Woojin’s head quickly turned to the Kitchen.

Woojin, with a meaningful look in his eyes, changed his mind.

It’s the smell of food.

The food he ate at the Hospital was really delicious, but this was a smell on a different level.

“Woojin, Bomi. Let’s eat.”

“Brother, let’s eat.”

Bomi, who approached the Dining Table first, pulled out a chair for Woojin to sit in.

“Brother, you can sit here.”

Woojin sat down and stared intently at the food served in a shallow, wide dish.

Woojin, having processed what he saw in his mind, looked at Dad as if asking for permission.

“Woojin, why? Try it. Mom makes really delicious Bulgogi.”

Mom picked up some lettuce and started making a Ssam.

And.

“Woojin, say ‘ah’. Ah…”

When Woojin didn’t open his mouth easily, Mom smiled gently.

“You can eat. Woojin, you can pick whatever you want and eat it. But let’s eat this Ssam that Mom made first. Ah, open your mouth, ah…”

Even at the Hospital, he would only eat if he was told to.

Woojin opened his mouth and took the Ssam Mom gave him.

“Chew it slowly. Okay? Slowly?”

Woojin’s mouth began to move slowly.

Just then!

Woojin’s eyes snapped open.

He had never imagined such a taste existed in the world.

He had only thought Hospital food was the best.

With each chew, the crispness of the lettuce and a sweet, savory taste spread throughout his mouth.

His jaw moved automatically, as if it wasn’t under his brain’s control, even without him consciously thinking about it.

Woojin moved his mouth, unaware that three pairs of eyes were fixed on him.

“Why? Does it not taste good?”

“Maybe Woojin doesn’t like beef…”

“Brother, should I make you some ramen? I have some delicious ramen…”

Woojin’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he quickly searched his mind, as if flipping through a book, trying to figure out how to express such a taste.

Soon, Woojin, who was receiving the family’s anxious (?) gaze, opened his mouth slightly.

“Tan…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“So delicious…”

“So delicious? What does that mean? Woojin?”

While Mom and Dad were trying to seriously interpret Woojin’s words, Bomi smiled brightly.

“Brother, the Bulgogi is so delicious!?”

He had chosen the word a famous YouTuber had said a little while ago.

“Yes… So delicious.”

Woojin’s eyes, looking at the bulgogi, seemed to be burning brightly.

“So delicious, you say…”

When Bomi, delighted, explained to her bewildered parents’ question, they also laughed heartily.

“Hahaha! That’s right! So delicious! Eat a lot, my son. A lot!”

“Mom needs to wrap up another one for you!”

What had always been an ordinary meal was becoming a place full of laughter.

And then, night fell.