Flowers Are Bait

Chapter 187:

Kwon Chae-woo silently stared at his older brother while repeatedly plunging the knife deeply into the same spot. Though it was just a fish, his hand movements were cold and cruel, aiming precisely for the finishing blow.

When the flapping tail of the carp on the wooden cutting board finally stopped, a dry smile briefly flickered and disappeared from Kwon Ki-seok’s lips.

“Am I making both of you uncomfortable by any chance?” Even though he seemed to be asking with great concern, his eyes contained an undeniable pleasure. It was malicious to ask, knowing well that they had broken up.

“Not at all.”

Lee-yeon shrugged and unfolded the napkin. The fish in front of her, leaping and wriggling, was more perplexing than Kwon Ki-seok’s demanding questions, so she covered it with the napkin.

“Well… Do you always eat like this?” she asked, hiding her trembling hand under the table. “Or did the trends in wealthy households change without me knowing?” she added.

Just as Kwon Chae-woo casually stroked his chin, his gaze slowly descended from Yeon’s bundled hair to her earlobe, neck, and the fabric of her clothes.

Under the persistent gaze, Lee-yeon clenched her palm tightly beneath the table. Kwon Chae-woo continued to fiddle with the fish’s head, unable to take his eyes off her attire.

Inside the suitcase the driver had brought back with a weary face were mainly work clothes. Among the clothes a thoughtful person had prepared, Lee-yeon reluctantly picked one.

She wore an elegant black dress, combing her long hair and tying it halfway. She adorned her earlobe with a small pearl earring that snugly hugged her ear. It felt like she had suddenly transformed, and she hesitantly paced in front of the mirror.

Amid such awkwardness, Lee-yeon was simply fidgeting with the fabric of her clothes. As Kwon Chae-woo, who had been vigorously poking the fish, slowed down his touch, his hand suddenly stopped. His reddened eyes kept wandering somewhere on Yeon.

“It’s not so much about trends, but rather a meal infused with traditional tastes,” Kwon Ki-seok said as he leisurely unbuttoned and rolled up his sleeves, then took hold of the sashimi knife.

He displayed remarkable skill as he skillfully filleted the fish, slicing through the belly, extracting the internal organs, and carefully applying the transparent flesh.

His attire, impeccably dressed in a suit with a vest, seemed too perfect as he personally prepared the sashimi.

The juxtaposition of the blade, his bare hands, and the translucent flesh felt precarious as if they were on the verge of falling apart. Lee-yeon couldn’t help but anxiously watch as if it was a scene that could be shattered at any moment.

“Don’t look,” a low voice interjected abruptly. Startled, she turned her gaze only to find Kwon Chae-woo glaring at her. His face, devoid of expression, felt dry, but his sharp gaze carried an unsettling threat.

What? Am I interrupting the preparation of the fish?

Even amid this staring contest, Kwon Ki-seok’s monotonous voice continued.

“Sometimes, I purposely consume raw food. The second brother didn’t even touch it, and the third brother only sucked the blood and spat it out. As a member of the Kwon family, one must know how to embrace and derive pleasure from the primal. That’s why I occasionally test my brothers in this way.”

Blood had seeped onto the wooden cutting board.

“In that sense, Chae-woo has the strongest affinity for the primitive. While I prefer to clean and prepare the flesh before consuming it, Chae-woo has always enjoyed tearing it apart raw since childhood,” Kwon Ki-seok explained.

In that moment, Lee-yeon felt a pang of unease and nervously bit her lower lip.

“But it seems like you’re still not accustomed to it, are you?” Kwon Chae-woo’s words were directed not at Lee-yeon, but at Kwon Ki-seok.

“…!” Lee-yeon was taken aback, but the question was aimed at Kwon Ki-seok, not her.

“Don’t say that because it’s a flaw,” he said, his eyebrows twitching as he pointed to the fish before him.

“Try this, have it cooked.”

With a natural gesture towards the maid, who had been waiting, a staff member quickly approached as they took away the fish, which had become an unbearable sight for anyone, a sense of calm finally settled in the room.

The sashimi knife, slicing through the flesh with a soft sound, grazed the cutting board from time to time. Lee-yeon tightly clenched her fist, unable to bear the life hidden beneath the napkin. She absolutely didn’t want to raise a child in such an environment.

“…What would happen if they found out I’m pregnant?”

Even though it was a family matter, her face seemed to grow paler. She longed to return to Hwai-do as soon as the month was over. And then, she would diligently provide the unborn child with nothing but care and nourishment.

“Lee-yeon, what are your plans once you return to Hwai-do?”

Kwon Ki-seok stopped stirring his drink and briefly glanced at her. In response to his sudden question, Lee-yeon almost let slip the secret she had planned to keep. She opened her mouth, then awkwardly closed it, forcing a smile.

“Well… I should just live an ordinary life like I am now.”

Kwon Ki-seok slowly moved his jaw, swallowing something down.

“Dating, marriage, having children… Is that what you mean by an ordinary life?”

Her hand, which was about to grasp the crystal glass, flinched.

“Yes… Well… I hope I can meet a good person and live happily.”