１１
I take a bath with the remaining bath water. Taking out the futon from the storage room, I hesitate.
No matter how I think about it, I’m sleeping in an obstructive location, aren’t I? He must go through me if he wants to go to the toilet, but with that said, I don’t want to be kicked every morning. I also don’t like my futon to be stepped on with his shoes.
I’m going to sleep in the kitchen tonight. Although I don’t want to wake up in the dark, it’s much better than being stepped on.
Tomorrow, let’s discuss with Saine so I can use the storage room. It’s full of miscellaneous things, but he might not need every single thing in there. I will clean it and once I can secure a space to lay my futon down, I’ll be content.
Besides, there’s a window in the storage room. Because it’s made the same way as Saine’s bedroom, it’s a normal window. From that window, I can see the tree in the garden. Instead of the hallway door’s window, that room’s is absolutely more preferable.
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Saine walking in the hallway. But it’s still dark even if I open my eyes.
I really hate things like this. It’s dark whether I open or close my eyes, it’s as if I’m about to be given birth.
That’s why I want to sleep in a room with a window.
I crawl out from the futon and go out to the hallway. Sunshine shines in from the small window and I feel relieved. When I go to the garden, Saine’s upper body is naked as he washes his face.
While waiting for my turn, I was staring at Saine’s back.
It’s big. Although his height is also tall, his body is massive. His neck is thick and his shoulders are wide. Every time Saine moves, the bulging muscles in his back smoothly moves. There were countless scars on that wide back. This is the back of someone who has survived as a Hero for 10 years.
Saine gives the space to me. I wash my face and with the usual flow, I pour the remaining water to the smelly rock on the side.
Upon seeing it, Saine asked me with a suspicious voice.
[What are you doing?]
[Nothing, it’s just that this rock stinks.]
When I told him so, Saine scratched his head.
[That’s a “perspiring rock”.]
[……..What’s that?]
[It’s what we call the rock of sweat that we perspire overnight. They dry into salt early in the morning.]
[……………..Ugehh]
I took a long hard look at the rock.
[Is this smell from sweat? So, it can’t be, that we use that sweat as salt?]
Uwaah, so what’s inside that small bottle in the kitchen was this thing’s sweat? Uwaah, so gross. I ate some sweat. It was sprinkled over the lamb meat. (TN: Someone…. help this poor guy.)
[That’s right. The very first chore in the morning is to take the salt from that rock.]
Do I have to use the salt from sweat on this stinky rock? Tht’s kind of disgusting. I look down at the rock by my feet.
When it comes to cooking, it’s the Grannies. I must not ask the Men’s Club even by mistake.
[You’re asking about cooking?]
[Sharing chores, huh. Your husband said something nice.]
[But in the end, you’re doing all the housework, right?]
[Because I don’t earn anything, isn’t it natural?]
When I said that, the ladies look at me with lukewarm eyes.
[Even though that’s what all men say, housework is hard, you know? It’s not enough to just be a homemaker. In order for your family to live enjoyably and soundly, you must think a lot of things while moving.]
[That’s right. It’s a big mistake to think you can just use a housewife for free. Do you know how much it would cost to hire someone to do what we do? And yet men act all self-important just because their work makes money. We’re not some kind of maid that work for free.]
[It’s like I always say: ‘Who’s to thank for the meal you’re eating?’ Those are my words to live by.]
Did I step on a landmine? The ladies just keep on talking.
At times like this, all I have to do is keep my mouth shut and wait for the agitation to cool down.
I listen to all their ramblings throughout the morning. The cooking lesson started from the afternoon.