<Episode 118>
“Unni! Did you see the TikTakTok challenge we all filmed together? It already has over 100,000 views!”
“The one you uploaded to the store account? It was cute.”
“Dasom unni is seriously hilarious! She’s secretly such a bad dancer, you know?”
Ari’s cheerful laughter rang pleasantly through the receiver.
I smiled as I recalled the video I had watched earlier that morning.
The highlight of the video wasn’t just Dasom’s awkward dancing.
More than anything, it was Manager Jukyung shyly copying the choreography in the background.
‘Looks like they’ve really become close.’
That subtle tension from the beginning had long since disappeared.
What a relief.
“By the way, your restaurant opens tomorrow, right? I want to come too!”
“Of course. Bring Grandma with you.”
Just as I was about to end the call with Ari on a happy note, I heard the beauty salon owner calling me from outside.
“Haneul, it’s time to bow now!”
“Yes! I’ll be right there!”
I quickly hung up and went outside.
From the freshly steamed sirutteok rice cakes to the pig’s head smiling kindly, a ceremonial table had been prepared in front of the restaurant.
“You have to perform a blessing ritual for the business to prosper~”
“Exactly! It may seem like superstition, but it really works.”
The beauty salon owner and the café owner nodded proudly at the ceremonial table.
Knowing how busy they had been, yet how they’d personally prepared everything, I bowed gratefully.
“Thank you so much, ma’am. Thank you, sir.”
“Enough with the thanks. Now it’s time to do the actual ritual. Haneul should offer the first drink.”
I poured a bowl full of milky makgeolli.
After respectfully placing it on the table, I took out a crisp fifty-thousand-won bill and gently tucked it into the smiling pig’s mouth.
Then I folded my hands neatly and bowed deeply.
‘Mom, Dad! We’re finally reopening our restaurant. Please make sure Jeongdameun Restaurant prospers.’
Amid the scent of incense tickling my nose, I repeatedly prayed with all my heart.
And the next day…
Jeongdameun Restaurant officially opened.
***
“Haha, here it is.”
Shin Younghyun smiled so hard his cheeks twitched as he politely gestured.
The sign above read:
Jeongdameun Restaurant
The American buyers following behind nodded as they looked around.
“Oh, so this is the place?”
“It feels rather cozy.”
Despite their polite words, subtle disappointment was written on their faces.
It wasn’t surprising.
What they had originally wanted was Haneul’s Shop, the item restaurant run by SS-rank Hunter Jung Haneul.
But Younghyun had failed miserably to get a reservation.
‘The Hunters have recovered from the side effects already, so why is getting a reservation still a bloodbath?!’
He’d set his alarm for dawn, but when he opened his eyes, it was already morning.
In the end, he had no choice but to switch targets to the gukbap restaurant that Jung Haneul had recently opened.
‘Surely the company won’t fire me just because I messed up this contract, right…?’
Depressed, he raised his head.
Jeongdameun Restaurant looked clean and newly renovated, but at the end of the day, it was just an ordinary neighborhood gukbap place.
‘If only the gukbap itself were an item.’
He had even called beforehand just in case.
No special effects.
Just ordinary pork soup.
He could only hope that the flood of glowing reviews after opening weren’t paid advertisements.
“Shall we go in?”
“Yes, let’s.”
As the automatic doors opened, the rich aroma of meat broth rushed out.
Contrary to expectations, the place was packed.
‘It’s this crowded even at this awkward hour?’
While blinking in surprise, a brown-haired male employee approached.
“Welcome! How many?”
“Uh… five.”
“One moment, please. I’ll check for an available table.”
Unfortunately, they were full.
But since the staff member assured them a table would free up soon, the group sat in the waiting area.
“This is the restaurant Hunter Jung Haneul used to run with her parents, right?”
“I heard from one of the employees that it recently reopened.”
“She could’ve opened something much grander. It’s nice seeing how much she values her family.”
Thanks to the lively atmosphere and the story behind the restaurant, the buyers’ expressions softened considerably.
Only then did Younghyun secretly sigh in relief and open the menu.
Pork gukbap.
Boiled pork slices.
Only two menu items.
‘With a menu this small, it’s either going to be a huge hit or a complete flop…’
He was thinking this skeptically when the buyers suddenly exclaimed.
“Oh, isn’t that Hunter Jung Haneul?”
“Ah! It really is! What a pleasant surprise!”
Turning around, he saw the face he’d seen countless times in the news.
Jung Haneul herself was bustling around the dining room, taking orders.
Not long after, Younghyun’s name was called.
As soon as they sat down, fortune smiled upon them.
Jung Haneul herself came to take their order.
“Hello. I’ll take your order.”
Unable to hide their excitement, the buyers greeted her enthusiastically.
Without showing the slightest annoyance, Haneul smiled brightly and chatted with them.
Thankfully, despite being an SS-rank Hunter, there wasn’t a trace of arrogance in her demeanor.
When they mentioned their failure to book Haneul’s Shop, she smiled warmly.
“Haneul’s Shop items are great, but our gukbap is amazing too. You definitely won’t regret it.”
“Oh, of course. We’re very much looking forward to it.”
“So that’s three regular portions, two special portions, and an extra order of boiled pork, correct?”
Younghyun quickly nodded.
After Haneul left for the kitchen, the buyers began sharing stories about previous experiences eating gukbap.
Soon, the food arrived.
Milky white broth.
Large chunks of meat.
Freshly chopped green onions.
The soup bubbled vigorously in the earthenware bowls.
“Hm, do we just eat it like this?”
“The soup is still boiling… that’s okay, right?”
The buyers hesitated, unfamiliar with the steaming hot bowls.
At that moment, the brown-haired employee who had greeted them earlier approached.
“May I explain the best way to enjoy it?”
“Oh, how kind. We’re all wearing translation headsets, so please speak freely.”
The employee pointed to the condiments on the table.
“First, season it to your preference with salt and salted shrimp. If you add plenty of chives while the broth is still hot, it’ll taste even better. Rice refills are free, so please don’t hesitate to ask.”
He thoughtfully added:
“If you’d like it spicy, add the red seasoning paste. If you prefer a nuttier flavor, try the perilla powder.”
“Enjoy your meal!”
After the explanation, everyone seasoned the soup to their liking.
Younghyun cautiously took his first spoonful.
‘Wow, it’s so rich and savory.’
Even though the broth was barely seasoned, there wasn’t the slightest pork smell.
The deep, concentrated meat stock coated his lips with smooth richness.
‘Add a little salted shrimp… Ah, and a dash of pepper too.’
Once seasoned, the broth became even more incredible than he had expected.
“Whew, this really warms you up.”
“How is the meat this tender?”
“Try the kimchi too. It’s not overly spicy and very delicious.”
The buyers started speaking faster.
At first, they had cautiously tasted the broth.
But before they knew it, they were happily mixing rice into the soup and digging in.
Even in the air-conditioned dining room, they wiped sweat from their foreheads with handkerchiefs.
“This is truly the perfect meal.”
“I agree completely. It even feels healthy. I like it very much.”
Listening to the endless praise through his headset, Younghyun couldn’t stop smiling.
As expected, a well-made meat broth was universally loved.
‘With everyone in this good a mood, the contract won’t fall through over a little disappointment.’
Silently thanking Hunter Jung Haneul, Younghyun looked back down at his bowl.
‘Mm… this is seriously delicious.’
And it wasn’t just the American buyers.
Younghyun, a Korean to the bone who ate gukbap three or four times a week, considered Jeongdameun Restaurant’s pork soup among the very best he’d ever tasted.
Regretting that he’d ordered a regular portion instead of a special one, he picked his spoon back up and resumed eating.
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