Chapter 16: A Day Out with An Old Woman and the World’s Friendliest Dinosaur

Lumi wasn't that happy in the front seat. She was worried about how she'll interact with people. Matthos and Barney always let her do anything, which was in itself a foreign feeling. However, she doesn't expect that others will do the same. She expects the worst.

"Lumi, it's going to be fine! We'll limit your exposure to people," Barney chewed on the licorice twists, which was growing on him. But he'd never tell Matthos that. He'd have to force it out of him through exorcism.

"Limit my exposure? With that kind of shirt? Do human zoos still exist?" She looked at the shirt warily. While Lumi was in a white maxi dress and doll shoes, Barney was wearing a Tiger button shirt. It was eye-catching, loud, almost that Lumi was sure they'd be captured because of her appearance and Barney's fashion.

"Human zoos don't exist anymore, don't worry," Matthos closed the door, laughing at Barney's scowl. When Lumi and Barney interacted, she acted young. That's a good thing, considering she only looked like she was between her late teens and early twenties. Lumi just looks like she altered her looks, kinda like the people you see in shows. But when you look closer, it looks inherent.

"That's good, or else Barney will get into one with that shirt alone," Lumi commented, earning a glare from Barney. Matthos ended up laughing out loud, and Lumi chuckled. She was a bit sharp with her comments and tried to whittle it down. But there were times where she couldn't hold herself, and this was one of them.

"Yes, fairy lady, I'll be the one captured," Barney chewed on the candy.

"Anyways, we're going to eat at a Korean restaurant, then chill at the cliffs. Don't worry, at this time, there aren't many people there. Also, the old man is grumpy. He doesn't really like tourists."

"Don't know why Mr. Jung even opens his restaurant," Barney confessed," He hates people."

"Because he has great food and locals know about it," Matthos replied.

"What is Korean food?" Lumi asked

Considering that Lumi was in the 1800s and they did not know which country she was from, it was possible she didn't know Korean culture or her country didn't make any trades with them.

"It's a country in Asia," said Matthos," it's quite near Physma. They have a diverse food culture. Hmm, I don't know how to explain this. This is a full history lesson, Lumi. I'll explain at home, and maybe get Old Man Jung to tell us some stories. I think that's preferable," he pondered.

"Why do you call him Old Man Jung?"

"Because he has a son, whom he calls Young Man Jung. It's an islander thing. Kinda like there's a Big Jim for a parent and a Little Jim for his son, or a Senior Pedro and Pedro Junior." Barney snickered at the thought. It was also a thing in his culture, which he hated. That doesn't mean he liked being called Barney. That was Matthos's fault.

"Can you play the song thing?" Lumi asked Matthos, who was driving steadily down the hill. With that, he played "La Vie En Rose." This time, Lumi did not sing along. Barney had the pleasure of hearing Lumi sing once, and his ears never functioned the same way again.

The stall near the cliff looked like a mashup of a glasshouse and a market stall. It was elegant, and at the same time, homely, familiar almost.

The glass roof enhanced the view of the cliff behind it—the tables, which had a grill that you can cook the samgyupsal, galbi, and innards. Samgyupsal referred to the pork belly, and galbi was beef ribs and animal innards. Then there were soups such as Kimchi Jjigae, Samgyetang, and Matthos ordered Barney's favorite Tteokbokki, which were spicy rice cakes, and Odeng, which was his favorite fish cake soup.

Lumi was familiar with grilling meat, but she wasn't that happy seeing the innards cut in front of her. Old Man Jung came, with his cane striking the worn-out marble floor.

"Well, if it isn't the world's friendliest dinosaur," he smiled at Barney, who hugged him.

"Old Man! You look young for your age. Last time I checked, you were 100, right?" he humored him.

Matthos only smiled, giving the man a bear hug, "We missed you, Old Man. How did you fare the storm?"

The old man sat beside Matthos, but before he could answer, he saw Lumi concentrating on the server, cutting the meat in front of her. With his booming voice, he said, "Hello, Little Lady!"

Lumi almost jumped out of her seat, thankfully caught by Barney, who laughed. "Told you, Old Man, you sound like a ghost."

Mr. Jung Ji Hyun was the son of an immigrant and a dear friend of Matthos's grandfather. He preferred being called Old Man, as it was the practice in the island if their son had the same name as theirs. And he had to admit that he was lazy in naming his son.

"Hello," Lumi squeaked and hid behind Matthos. Her ears reddened in shyness.

"Hahaha, a girl who likes Matthos? Well, that's new!" Old Man commented, "Most of the time, people navigate towards the friendly dinosaur. You're the first girl I've ever seen who hasn't slapped Matthos."

"Why would anyone slap Matthos?" that got Lumi out of her shyness, making her wonder why anyone would hit her friend.

"No offense, Lumi, but Matthos is oblivious when it comes to women and girls. He does not know how to treat them. A girl can say she likes him, and he'd say "thanks! I like myself too!" and leave her," Barney laughed at the memory of a girl who confessed to his friend in junior year, only to be turned down in such a way. Horrible.

"Yes, he doesn't know how to treat people. He's kind but oblivious," Old Man said, "Which is why I like him! He's good for business! Korean food is soul food, and the girls and boys he rejects tend to run here and eat their hearts out."