Yu Mirae stood frozen, staring at the suddenly-appearing Irim, when Im Jeongmyeong’s voice reached her ears.
“Is it that only Irim is visible to your eyes and I’m invisible?”
Im Jeongmyeong teased Yu Sunjae, who had only greeted Irim.
“Ah, were you here too?”
“Good heavens, am I becoming more and more transparent?”
“Haha. Thank you for coming, Jeongmyeong.”
Only then did Yu Sunjae notice Mirae and speak to her.
“Why is our Mirae standing there like a statue? Say hello. This gentleman is the friend I gained in my later years, the one I always talk about—Im Jeongmyeong.”
Only after hearing this did Yu Mirae properly look at Im Jeongmyeong.
Yet the moment their eyes met, both showed similar reactions.
“Huh? Um… Grandpa, haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”
“I also feel like I’ve seen the granddaughter that Sunjae praises to the heavens… Where was it again?”
The two tilted their heads with huge question marks floating above them.
Yu Sunjae neatly cleared up the situation.
“Well, Chuncheon is a small place; you must have run into each other somewhere along the way. Mirae-ya, and the person beside him is the splendid chef who awakened this old man’s appetite. His name is…”
“Irim oppa?”
Yu Mirae cut Yu Sunjae off and called Irim’s name.
Irim, who had been slightly nervous and busy greeting Yu Sunjae, finally noticed Yu Mirae and looked at her in surprise.
“Huh? M-Mirae-ssi.”
At that, Yu Mirae puffed up both cheeks.
“We haven’t seen each other for a few days, and suddenly I’m ‘Mirae-ssi’ again?”
“Ah, Mirae-ya. It’s been a while. What brings you here?”
Hearing their conversation, Yu Sunjae’s eyes widened.
“Oh? You two already know each other?”
“Grandpa, he’s the oppa who worked as a kitchen assistant at the restaurant where I part-time for a few days.”
“Really?”
While Yu Sunjae’s eyes were widening, Im Jeongmyeong clapped his palm with realization.
“Aha! Narae Snacks! The kind young lady who served in the hall was Sunjae’s granddaughter!”
At Im Jeongmyeong’s words, Yu Mirae finally remembered and jumped.
“Ah! You’re the grandpa who ate the bibimbap so deliciously! You even asked who made it!”
“Yes, yes. Now I remember. Hehe.”
“Wait, you two know each other too?”
Yu Sunjae found the situation amusing.
People he thought were meeting for the first time all turned out to be acquaintances.
“It seems fate tied its strings long ago, knowing it would connect us like this.”
Everyone agreed with Yu Sunjae’s words.
Yu Mirae’s eyes were full of joy as she looked at Irim.
“Oppa, what happened?”
“Well… I decided to work at Mr. Jeongmyeong’s restaurant.”
“In the kitchen?”
“Yeah.”
“As an assistant again?”
Im Jeongmyeong answered that question.
“I scouted him to be my head chef. Sorry about that.”
Yu Mirae waved her hands.
“No, no, there’s nothing to be sorry about. And Grandpa, please speak casually to me. I feel uncomfortable when you keep using honorifics.”
“Hehe, alright, alright. From now on I’ll speak comfortably. Hey, Sunjae, the young folks seem to have a lot to talk about, so why don’t you show me the kitchen first?”
“Let’s do that.”
Once the two old men left, only Irim and Yu Mirae remained in the spacious exhibition hall.
Unlike Irim, who didn’t know what to say because the situation felt awkward, Yu Mirae boldly started the conversation.
“Oppa, so you’re going to that restaurant every day now? What’s on the menu?”
“We’re planning to serve only bibim-guksu and perilla-oil makguksu. The restaurant opens tomorrow.”
“Wow. Getting scouted as head chef for a newly opening place. Though, with your skills, being an assistant was a waste anyway.”
“It’s not that impressive.”
“Yes it is. I’ve never tasted fried eggs that good. By the way, what was the dish Grandpa said was really delicious?”
“Perilla-oil makguksu.”
“That was it. You have no idea how much he praised it yesterday and today.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m dying to know what it tastes like.”
“I’ll make you a bowl when you have time.”
At those words, Yu Mirae grabbed Irim’s hand, forcibly straightened his pinky, hooked her own pinky with it, and declared solemnly.
“It’s a promise.”
“…Okay.”
It felt like something terrible would happen if he refused.
After catching up for a bit, the two entered the kitchen.
There, an unexpected face greeted Irim.
“Rim-ah! How long has it been?”
“Soonyoung nuna? What are you doing here?”
“Mirae sent an SOS. She said they needed kitchen assistants. But what about you? Are you here for a part-time gig too?”
When Kim Soonyoung got it wrong, Yu Mirae wagged her index finger side to side.
“No-no. The head chef we’re serving today is Irim oppa.”
“Oh my goodness. Our Rim has really made it big!”
Irim scratched his head.
“It just kind of happened.”
Meanwhile, Yu Sunjae, watching the situation unfold, was delighted.
“Everyone already knows each other, so I don’t have to worry about the kitchen running smoothly. Then I’ll leave it to you all. Head Chef Irim, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes. I’ll do my best.”
“I suppose I should help with serving outside. Good luck, Rim-ah.”
Im Jeongmyeong encouraged Irim and left the kitchen with Yu Sunjae.
The three men who had been unpacking and organizing ingredients all over the kitchen followed the two old men.
Now only Irim, Yu Mirae, and Kim Soonyoung remained in the kitchen.
“Head chef, so what’s today’s menu?”
Kim Soonyoung asked playfully.
Irim looked at the ingredients laid out on the counter and answered.
“Perilla-oil makguksu.”
“Perilla-oil makguksu? I’ve never even heard of it. Show us how it’s made. Once we see it, we can get the feel and coordinate better. And since you’re showing us anyway, making about three portions to eat first would be even better. A mom of two needs food in her stomach to have strength.”
At that, Irim remembered that Kim Soonyoung was a mother.
In truth, unless she said it herself, no one would ever guess she was married—she looked that young.
“Then I’ll make some.”
Irim immediately began preparing the perilla-oil makguksu.
***
“Hmm~ It looks pretty plain.”
Kim Soonyoung’s reaction upon seeing the finished perilla-oil makguksu was lukewarm.
Yu Mirae didn’t say anything, but she felt the same.
“Haha. It might be a bit bland for some people’s taste.”
“Let’s see.”
Kim Soonyoung was the first to pick up her chopsticks and taste the perilla-oil makguksu in front of her.
Up until that point, she had thought, How good can this pale noodle dish really be?
Gulp!
After chewing and swallowing, Kim Soonyoung stared at Irim speechless.
“…Is it not good?”
“Rim-ah. What is this. Why is it so delicious? I think I’ve gone crazy. The moment it enters the mouth, the perilla oil aroma explodes, and from then on it completely robs you of your senses.”
After the perilla oil hit, a gentle sweetness and saltiness spread, gradually growing stronger.
And when you swallow a big mouthful of noodles, the rich nutty flavor left in the mouth makes you unable to resist picking up the next chopstickful immediately.
Seeing Kim Soonyoung’s reaction, Yu Mirae hurriedly took a bite.
“Mmmmm.”
From the instant the noodles entered her mouth, she squeezed her eyes shut and let out a nasal moan.
As she chewed the chewy noodles with her teeth, the nutty aroma continuously tickled her nose.
“Hmmmm.”
A second moan escaped,
Gulp!
“Haaah.”
After swallowing, her cheeks flushed and she let out a small sigh.
“This is insane, oppa. With skills like this, why did you ever come in as an assistant?”
“I had my reasons.”
Kim Soonyoung chimed in.
“I’m seeing Rim in a new light. I had no idea you were hiding talent like this.”
“Do you think the guests at the exhibition will like it?”
“Honestly, just looking at the visuals, I thought it would be divisive, but most people will love it. It’s addictive.”
Kim Soonyoung guaranteed it, and Yu Mirae nodded vigorously.
“That’s a relief.”
Seeing Irim relax a little, Yu Mirae giggled.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Just because this whole situation is funny. Who would’ve thought we’d meet again like this?”
Hearing that, Irim smiled too.
“You’re right. I never dreamed Mirae was Mr. Sunjae’s granddaughter.”
“Oh, right, oppa. Before we part today, you have to give me your contact info. I was a little upset when you quit so suddenly last time.”
“Same here, Rim-ah. I was upset too. You’ll give us your number, right?”
“I will.”
Receiving Irim’s firm answer, the two women beamed.
***
A little past 11:30, artists acquainted with Yu Sunjae began entering the exhibition hall one or two at a time.
Seeing this, Im Jeongmyeong immediately went to the kitchen to inform them how many people had arrived, and Irim’s team began cooking perilla-oil makguksu.
While the dishes were being prepared, the guests chatted with Yu Sunjae and admired the artworks.
More people kept arriving, and orders poured into the kitchen without pause.
When orders pile up like this, inexperienced cooks usually panic.
And the moment the head chef panics, everything in the kitchen goes wrong.
So Kim Soonyoung, who had plenty of restaurant experience, was worried about Irim.
But she soon realized her worry was unnecessary.
Irim didn’t waver in the slightest and handled the cooking with remarkable skill.
Kim Soonyoung and Yu Mirae diligently assisted him.
While Irim timed the perfect moment to take out the boiled noodles, Kim Soonyoung sliced cucumbers and toasted seaweed.
Yu Mirae trimmed the heads and tails off the bean sprouts and blanched them lightly.
When Irim pulled out the perfectly cooked noodles, Kim Soonyoung rinsed them in ice water, drained them thoroughly, and placed them in a stainless-steel bowl.
Irim coated them with perilla oil, seasoned them, sprinkled the blanched bean sprouts and toasted seaweed that Yu Mirae and Kim Soonyoung had prepared, and tossed everything together.
Finally, they transferred the noodles into disposable paper bowls in an attractive shape and topped them with thinly sliced cucumber.
As they made perilla-oil makguksu, the kitchen filled with a nutty aroma, causing Kim Soonyoung and Yu Mirae to swallow saliva repeatedly.
In contrast, Irim looked purely happy.
Though very faint and possibly just his imagination, he felt the perilla oil scent gently brushing the tip of his nose.
***
“This is today’s dish?”
A middle-aged woman with waist-length red-dyed hair, wearing a red dress and red shoes, even carrying a red designer bag, looked at the bowl of perilla-oil makguksu and spoke.
Yu Sunjae, standing before her, urged her.
“Just try it once, Hyerim.”
The name of the red-loving woman was Myung Hyerim.
She was a fairly well-known painter in Chuncheon.
She had a stronger appetite than most and loved seeking out and eating delicious food.
Yet the current dish didn’t look particularly appetizing.
Still, out of respect for the host’s effort, she rolled up a bite with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.
And the moment she did,
“…What is this?”
A gasp escaped involuntarily.
Not just Myung Hyerim—everyone else showed similar reactions.
The exhibition hall was filled with the aroma of perilla oil and people’s exclamations.
Yet among them, one person still looked on with skeptical eyes.
‘They’re just flattering him because he’s close with Artist Yu.’
It was none other than Kim Daewon, head chef of Narae Snacks.
He was a quiet fan of Yu Sunjae.
He loved the paintings but never made a big show of it; whenever a new exhibition opened, he would drop by once to look around.
In the past, these exhibitions had featured expensive, extravagant dishes.
Yet today there was only this pale makguksu.
‘It doesn’t even look seasoned. How good can this be?’
Thinking he wouldn’t get any good food today and should just focus on the art, Kim Daewon absentmindedly scooped up a bite and put it in his mouth.
And the moment he began chewing,
“…!”
An ultimate storm of nuttiness and simplicity swept through his mouth.
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