My Adopted Daughter’s Mukbang Chapter 1 part 1

(MADM 1. 1)



When Lee Bada's mother passed away from cancer while he was young, she left him with her final words:


"I'm sorry, my dear. But Bada and Sani, make sure you never end up alone. Support and encourage each other to live strongly."


At the time, Bada was only in his second year of middle school, while his older brother, Lee Sani, was in his second year of high school.

With their father absent from the start and their mother now gone, Bada's only remaining family in the world was his brother.

Naturally, as a second-year middle schooler, Bada interpreted his mother's will as simply living well with his brother.

Thrown into the world with only each other, he believed they should support one another and live well.

However, after their mother's funeral, his brother—his only remaining family—Lee Sani, began to change.


While never particularly affectionate, Sani could still somewhat be considered family.

They lived in the same semi-basement single room, ate from the same pot, and shared the same blanket to sleep.

Sani sternly scolded his younger brother whenever he acted spoiled or whined. He reminded him that the harsh world was even scarier for them and that they had to stay alert, strong, and alive.

While Bada studied, Sani worked.

After dropping out of high school, he left home early in the morning and returned late at night, insisting that Bada should at least continue his studies.


As Bada entered high school, Sani began staying away from home for longer periods.

At first, it was just a day or two. Then, as time passed, he would disappear for a week at a time, without any contact.

By the time Bada was in his second year of high school, Sani left a cash envelope with about two million won beside his sleeping brother’s head—and left home for good.

"I'm sorry, Bada."

Rumors among the adults spread unfavorably.

They said his brother Sani had gambled, taken on massive debts, and run away, abandoning his younger brother. These whispers painfully seeped into Bada’s ears.

At first, he instinctively denied them.

Though not affectionate, his brother had worked tirelessly from dawn, urging him to study.

He couldn't believe that his brother, who had once pushed him to study, had fallen into gambling and so easily abandoned his only remaining family.

But within a month of his brother's departure, when a phone bill of over five million won arrived for a phone he had never activated, the brother who had once been Bada's sole sanctuary became the enemy who had dealt the final blow to his life.

"Damn you."

Bada had countless things he wanted to say to his brother and even more questions swirling in his mind.

However, all he could do was resent him.

Yet, he was a strong person.

He worked part-time jobs while studying, often sacrificing sleep, and eventually managed to pay off his massive installment payments. After enduring many sleepless nights, he graduated from a fairly decent university in Seoul.

Though he was still struggling with student loans and unable to properly prepare for a job, Bada gritted his teeth and fought against poverty.

He even had a clear dream—to become a chef.

Driven by chronic poverty, he often ate instant noodles or convenience store triangle kimbap while watching delicious food on TV and YouTube, imagining ramen noodles were beef. Over time, he developed a deep passion for food.

With a single-minded desire to eat delicious food to his heart's content, he scraped together whatever money he could to self-study cooking, eventually earning certifications in Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Western cuisines.


Along the way, he won numerous awards related to cooking. After graduating with a degree in Food and Nutrition, he joined a renowned restaurant as a junior chef.

Although the salary for a junior chef wasn't high, he was happy enough doing what he loved.

After staying late to clean the restaurant and organize the refrigerator, he returned home like a zombie at 3 a.m., clutching his dizzy head and trying to grab a quick nap—until he received that call.

"Is this Lee Bada? The younger brother of Lee Sani?"

"...Yes, that's correct. Who is this?"

Hearing his brother's name for the first time in years, Bada answered, hiding his surprise. The voice on the other end spoke calmly.

"Lee Sani has passed away. You are the only contact in his phone. We need to arrange the funeral. Can you come now?"

My enemy, my brother, is dead.

The last remaining family member in the world has died.

That's what they said. 

~~~~






Comments

Popular Posts