On a cold winter day with a biting wind, handsome office worker Kim Seok-jin was just leaving work. He'd left later than usual, catching up on pending work, and the temperature had dropped accordingly. Even with his padded jacket, the chill was palpable, and his feet, which had been walking at a pace that could have easily taught him the art of shrinking, came to a halt.
Even when I asked for his number, he wouldn't stop. But what stopped him was a takoyaki truck. It was a cute, red truck, and with its delicious smell, who could ignore it? Seokjin was no exception. His whole being screamed for takoyaki.Hey, Kim Seokjin. Don't you want to eat takoyaki? If you don't eat it now, you'll be thinking about takoyaki until next week, right?He finally turned around, despite the cold that made him feel like he would turn into a frozen human if he stopped even a little.
Let me explain a little about the takoyaki truck. The takoyaki that comes to Seokjin's neighborhood isn't something you can eat every day. It only comes once a week, on Mondays. And the taste is so delicious that people say it'll blow away the Monday blues.
"hello~"
“Oh my, handsome young man. Here you are again.”
“This one should be a little tasty. Two today...”
“Ma’am! Oh my, you haven’t finished your business yet? Takoyaki, heh, two to-go. I almost missed it.”
“Hey, why are you here now? I was worried because I didn’t see the girl who was stamping the attendance.”
“I’m sorry. I’m late. Please send me lots of katsuobushi.”
“Okay, since you’re a regular customer, I should at least do that much for you.”
Seokjin didn't like the woman who interrupted him. Even though he was a regular at the takoyaki truck, this stranger seemed more familiar with the lady. How jealous! Whenever I laughed and asked who would be jealous of something like that, Seokjin would always harden his face and answer seriously. Friendship with the lady was a crucial factor in determining the amount of sauce and katsuobushi.
“Young lady, two for the regular taste, and young man?”
“I’ll take two for the mild flavor.”
“Oh my, what’s going on? I sold a lot today, but two of the bachelor’s items didn’t even come out.”
“Yes? Then, since it’s not full, can you make two with the remaining ingredients?”
"Then, there's a little bit of katsuobushi. You and I both like katsuobushi. Is that okay?"
“I can take three and share them. How about you? Is that okay?”
Seokjin was lost in thought, considering the number of takoyaki he'd order and the ratio of katsuobushi per takoyaki. Then, the woman next to him made a suggestion. They should eat takoyaki together! Come to think of it, it wasn't a bad idea. He could eat more than one, and the amount of katsuobushi was fine. In the end, Seokjin accepted. The jealousy he'd felt earlier had vanished with the smoke billowing from the truck.
"great."
“You said earlier that you liked the mild flavor, right?”
"yes."
"Actually, there's almost no difference between the mild and regular flavors. Just try seven regular flavors. Ma'am, please give me two medium flavors and one mild flavor."
“Okay, okay. I’ll sprinkle some maca on the remaining ingredients, so you two, the handsome man and the pretty woman, enjoy.”
“Thank you. As expected, you are the best!”
After receiving three takoyaki, they went to the convenience store to break the ice. Four cans of World Beer, worth ten thousand won, were a bonus. It was their first time opening a drink, but what did it matter? The process of pouring the cans seemed natural and smooth, as if they'd done it before.
“Shall we get married?”
“Cheers?”
“Now, for the delicious Bangtan-dong Takoyaki Truck!”
“Hahahaha. For the sake of it!”
“Wow, this is the taste. Have you tried this beer? It’s my favorite.”
True to her reputation as the heroine who suggested sharing takoyaki on their first meeting, she led the conversation naturally with Seokjin despite their first meeting. Even Seokjin, who was always in the dark, smiled at her friendliness and downed a beer. The winter wind soon vanished amidst the intoxication and warmth of the takoyaki.
“Thanks to you, I had a great meal!”
“I ate better because Yeoju bought it.”
“Still, thank you for eating with me. As they say, food is best when shared.”
“Next time we meet, I’ll buy it for you.”
“Next time?”
“You paid for my share today. I’ll have to pay next time.”
“Hahaha. Okay. See you next time. Bye~”
“Please go in carefully.”
As the takoyaki boxes dwindled and the beer cans emptied, they grew closer and soon even shared names. Having become neighborhood friends, they quickly discarded the empty takoyaki boxes and beer cans and went home, promising to meet again next time.
This was the first meeting between Kim Seok-jin and Choi Yeo-ju, regular customers of the Bangtan-dong Takoyaki Truck.
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This article was actually written spontaneously after falling in love with the taste of the local takoyaki.