“Okay. Bring the person who made this soup to me right now.”
"Uh...what???"
Cheolpuduk-
Seoyeon fell forward, caught on camera muting the conversation outside.
She thought to herself...
‘It’s over now…’
Seoyeon fell to the ground, her hands on the floor. Her face flushed, and her mind went blank.
'I'm screwed... I'm really screwed...'
The VIP guests' eyes silently turn to her.
Yongbok approaches Seoyeon with a thoughtful face.
“I’m sorry. My staff is still inexperienced…”
At that moment, the VIP opened his mouth.
“This soup…”
Everyone held their breath.
Seoyeon closed her eyes tightly.
'If I run away now... will I be able to get on a boat and head to Busan?'
“It’s pretty good.”
"……yes?"
Yongbok raised his head.
The VIP said, taking another spoonful.
“It’s a flavor I used to enjoy. The addition of green onions is also impressive.”
He put down his spoon and slowly turned his head.
“Who by any chance made this?”
For a moment, Seoyeon paused. Yongbok muttered softly.
“…This is Jin Seo-yeon.”
The VIP looked at her slowly and said.
“Do you have any cooking experience?”
“Ah… no. It’s just that, Dad did it often… and I thought about it…”
"hmm."
The VIP raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
"That feels good. Why don't you start learning it now? It's a very interesting taste, hehe."
"Thank you...!!!!"
"Haha, Chef, are you planning to raise this child here?"
"ah...."
Yongbok was taken aback by the VIP question, but soon continued answering.
"Yes, first I plan to develop them to see if they have real talent."
'Wh...what?? Are you raising me here?'
Seoyeon became more thoughtful after hearing Yongbok's words.
"Haha!! Yes, I hope you raise them well so I can eat more delicious shrimp soup. It was delicious."
"Thank you. We'll prepare it for you next time you visit."
"This place has really good service, yes. You can go there now."
That night,
Seoyeon, who was cleaning the kitchen, kept sighing.
“Haa… I broke the dishes, and I changed the soup without permission… What on earth have I done…”
“The soup was pretty good.”
Seoyeon turned her head in surprise at the voice heard from behind her.
Yongbok said quietly, taking off his detergent-soaked rubber gloves.
"Don't ever act like this again. Today is a truly special case."
"…sorry."
“But the taste… was better than I expected.”
Seoyeon asked with a blank expression.
“Really…?”
Yongbok said with a smirk.
“Really, wouldn’t it have been better if I hadn’t broken the bowl?”
"Ugh...aha...sorry ㅜㅜ"
"It's okay... Just go in."
He turned around quietly and muttered to himself.
“… It was surprisingly delicious.”
The next morning.
As soon as Seoyeon arrives at work, Yongbok speaks faster than usual.
“Can you stay for a bit after closing today?”
“Huh? Why…?”
“That soup from yesterday. Show me how you made it again.”
“I just… copied what my dad did when I was little…”
“If that ‘just’ is talent, then from now on I should learn it ‘properly’.”
After finishing work, Seoyeon stayed in the kitchen as promised.
Yongbok finished up the rest and came to the kitchen.
"...My first cooking class with a chef...? I'm so nervous..."
Seoyeon's heart pounded with an unknown sense of anticipation.
"Are you ready to make it?"
"yes!!"
"Are you confident you won't break any dishes today?"
“.....Yes!!! I really won’t break it today!”
“Haha, okay, let’s try making it quickly.”
"yes...!!"
The re-creation of the shrimp soup that was supposed to be made with feeling began.
.
.
.
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To be continued in the next episode -