Dopamine Addiction - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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28.
“I didn’t have sesame oil, so I added some chili oil instead, a little chicken stock for umami, and a spoonful of lemon juice since sour food helps when you’ve lost your appetite.”
“That…”
Liam pushed her aside before he could finish speaking. Rather than lament that she hadn’t inherited her mother’s cooking skill, he ought to have regretted his own excessive creativity.
“Move over.”
Liam shoved Hee-ju out of the way and set to work with a clatter of utensils.
Soon a savory aroma began to waft through the air. Hee-ju, pouting her lips and prowling about the kitchen, returned with a spoon from the pot.
If it tastes worse than what I made, I’ll kick him in the backside.
Gulp. Hee-ju swallowed the egg porridge. Then she looked at Liam with the sharp, critical eyes of a cooking show judge.
“Where on earth did you learn to make egg porridge, of all people—someone wearing a 200 Million Won Watch?”
Liam broke into a light laugh at her oddly cutting tone.
“You don’t need to be taught everything, do you? There’s an instinct to it—what should probably go in, what definitely shouldn’t.”
“Are you poking fun at me right now?”
“Hardly. Sounds like you’re being hard on yourself.”
Liam ladled the egg porridge into a bowl and handed it to Hee-ju.
“You take it to her.”
“…All right.”
Hee-ju accepted the tray obediently and knocked on Noel’s door. When she eased it open, she found Noel lying there, drowsy and unfocused, staring up at the ceiling.
“Eat this before you sleep. And apply the medicine while you’re up.”
“Thanks, Sahara.”
Noel greeted her with an embarrassed expression. Each time, the deep bruises winced on her skin. Hee-ju watched for a moment, then spoke.
“Does it hurt much?”
“No, I’m fine. This isn’t my first time. Ooh, that soup smells good.”
“It’s porridge, not soup. Eat up.”
Noel took the tray and spooned some of the porridge into her mouth. Her eyes went wide.
“This is delicious!”
“Is it?”
“I haven’t had warm food like this since the day before Grandfather went to the Care Facility. After that, it was nothing but sandwiches and cereal.”
“You should learn a few recipes.”
“From me?”
“…From Liam.”
Hee-ju’s voice carried a note of resignation.
Noel glanced between the porridge and Hee-ju. Catching Noel’s unspoken question, Hee-ju nodded.
“I think I need to learn too.”
Pfft. Noel suddenly burst out laughing. Hee-ju pouted her lower lip in protest.
“You’re making fun of me?”
“No. I just… it’s nice to know you can’t do everything.”
“Of course I can’t. There’s plenty I can’t do.”
“I guess. I thought I was the only one who was strange.”
“You’re not strange, Noel. You’re just different. And everyone is different—the way I’m different from Liam.”
“But I was born wrong to begin with, wasn’t I?”
Noel added this with the flat expression of someone stating an obvious fact.
“I’m hopeless. Irredeemable.”
“Who said that?”
Hee-ju asked, her jaw clenched.
“Natalie? Megan? Marsha?”
Noel gave a light shrug. Hee-ju’s voice hardened.
“Don’t listen to them. They’re the hopeless ones, the irredeemable ones.”
Noel ate her porridge in silence. Then she asked something abruptly.
“We’re friends, right?”
“I’ve been thinking about it, and honestly, I don’t think we are.”
At Hee-ju’s words, Noel’s eyes widened. She tried to hide her shock with a laugh, but her lips trembled at the corners.
Noel, holding the spoon awkwardly, looked down.
“I’m sorry. I thought we were real friends…”
“No matter how much of a U.S. citizen you are, by Korean culture, you should call me unni—not friend.”
“!”
Noel’s head snapped up. Her eyes, hidden behind her glasses, were a bright green. Innocent, like something you could lose yourself in.
“…Unni?”
Hee-ju crossed her arms like a scolding elder and nodded.
“That’s the respect you show your senior. When you were born, I was already riding a bicycle and reciting multiplication tables.”
“Isn’t unni a term just between sisters?”
“Not just blood sisters—close friends use it too. So anytime something happens, you call me, understand? If Natalie or Megan or Marsha come looking for trouble.”
“…”
“If it’s your call, I’ll wake up from sleep to answer it. I’m your unni.”
“…Okay.”
Noel ate the last of her porridge, scraping the bowl clean. Something that had slid down her throat easily before now seemed to stick.
After her grandfather went to the Care Facility, she thought she was alone. But really, she’d always been alone.
From the very beginning, she was different from the other children, and they wouldn’t let her into their circle. So she orbited around them.
Like a satellite spinning around the earth. Never able to escape the orbit, never able to draw close.
She’d thought she was used to it. Convinced herself it didn’t matter.
But then Hee-ju said to call anytime. Said she wasn’t alone anymore. And something hot and thick welled up in her chest.
Noel quickly swallowed that feeling and opened her mouth as if nothing had happened.
“About Liam.”
“What?”
“His full name is Liam Clop, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Since you’re my friend now, I looked into Liam’s background a little.”
Hee-ju’s brow furrowed at this. Her voice took on a stern edge.
“Noel, friends don’t do background checks on each other. What matters isn’t someone’s family or status—it’s who they are as a person.”
“But Liam isn’t my friend anyway.”
Noel countered with a matter-of-fact expression. Left without an argument, Hee-ju murmured, “Well, I suppose…”
“He might become one soon.”
“Hmm.”
Noel, who’d been staring at the ceiling, tilted her head.
“I don’t really want to be his friend, but if I do become one, I promise not to dig into his background.”
“Those two might get along quite well, actually. Liam has some talent for background checks himself.”
Hee-ju recalled Liam, who had investigated her and appeared at her father’s home, and pouted slightly.
“That’s… convenient.”
Noel murmured in a tone that didn’t sound convinced at all, then got to her point.
“About Liam—it seems he’s Clop’s grandson. There isn’t much public information about him, but I found an old article.”
She held out her phone.
“Did you know?”
“…No.”
Hee-ju shook her head slowly. The old newspaper article described how Clop’s son had married a Korean woman.
The journalist had treated it as an exceptional and progressive development, noting it was the first such case in the traditionally conservative Clop family.
The next article, separated by a few years, announced the birth of their grandson. The first grandson was Philip Clop, the second was Liam Clop.
Liam Clop.
Hee-ju couldn’t tear her eyes from that name. Now, certain things made sense: his unhurried manner, his impeccable table manners, the 200 Million Won Watch.
By then, Noel had eaten the last spoonful of porridge and set down the tray. She was full.
The radiator was working hard, and the room was warm. Her eyelids grew heavy.
Noel burrowed into the bed and spoke.
“I want to sleep a little longer.”
Hee-ju placed Noel’s phone on the nightstand, drew the covers up around her, and prepared to leave.
“I’ll turn off the light as I go. Rest well. Liam and I will be home today. Call if you need anything.”
“Okay.”
“Sleep well.”
Hee-ju turned off the light. As she turned the doorknob.
“Sahara.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“I said call me unni. Hee-ju unni.”
Hee-ju’s voice carried warmth now.
“Okay. Thank you, Hee-ju unni.”
Noel spoke the name in awkward English, calling her by her true name now instead of her code name.
After closing the door, Hee-ju let out the breath she’d been holding. A conversation with Liam suddenly came to mind.
‘It’s like watching a child ride a bicycle so unsteady you think they’ll fall. How could anyone not feel concern?’
‘You’re not projecting yourself onto her, are you?’
Was that it? Am I seeing my own reflection in Noel?
She couldn’t be sure. But one thing was certain: she wanted Noel to be happy.
Hee-ju walked quietly. As she entered the living room, her brow furrowed. Liam was eating the egg porridge she’d made.
“Why are you…?”
She hurried to take the bowl away, but only two or three spoonfuls remained. Recalling the dreadful taste, Hee-ju glared at him.
“Why would you eat that? There’s pizza we bought earlier.”
“I’m not a patient, so it’s fine. And I couldn’t just throw away what you went to the trouble of making, could I?”
“You could have.”
“If you’re going to throw it away, give it here.”
Liam took the bowl back and finished off the remaining porridge in an instant.
Hee-ju pouted and glared at him. There was much she wanted to say, but nothing came out.
Liam stood up and took the tray from her hands. As he headed to the kitchen, he asked, “Would you like some pizza?”
Hee-ju nodded, and Liam, smiling faintly, returned with the pizza and cola from the table.
He broke off a slice for her and brought a piece to his own mouth.
Hee-ju stared at the pizza he’d given her. Liam seemed to understand and nodded.
“I found a Korean restaurant Downtown. Tomorrow let’s eat kimchi stew.”
“Are you always this considerate?”
At her sudden question, Liam wore an unusually dazed expression, as if he’d heard a foreign language he didn’t understand.
After a long moment, he opened his mouth.
“Who? Me?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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