<Episode 40>
“Unni! Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Ari looked at me with a worried face. Seeing her reaction, I could tell. My dark circles must have sunk all the way to my chin.
‘I overdid it over the weekend trying to get the special effect.’
Since I had to match Lee Hyunwoo Hunter’s schedule, it was only possible late in the evening. Thanks to that, I ended up staying up all night yesterday.
Still, the effort had been worth it. I had gathered the mushrooms and slimes and successfully obtained the special effect.
“Now I just need to unlock the next new menu.”
Muttering quietly, I pulled up the system window. Thankfully, it looked like I’d be able to unlock a new menu once business ended today.
And just as I expected, as closing time approached, a welcome status window appeared.
—
Requirements fulfilled! Would you like to unlock a new menu?
> Menu List
- Red Bean Bungeoppang
- Custard Cream Bungeoppang
- Spicy Bungeoppang
- Chewy Fish Cake
- Locked (Unlock Available)
—
‘I can pretty much predict what the next menu is.’
The new menu unlocks seemed random, but there was always some kind of connection. If it were a menu released after fish cakes, then naturally it would be tteokbokki.
After closing the shop, I asked Ari, who was getting ready to leave work,
“Ari, do you happen to like tteokbokki?”
“Tteokbokki? Of course!”
Ari’s eyes sparkled as she asked, “Don’t tell me this is the new menu you’re preparing?”
I nodded and pressed both Unlock New Menu and Special Effect Synthesis at the same time.
Bang bang!
A fireworks effect exploded as a pop-up window appeared.
—
Nostalgic Tteokbokki: Addictive school-front tteokbokki with a sweet and spicy sauce.
Special Effect: This is a secret, though
(Honesty +85%)
—
As expected, the new menu was tteokbokki. Along with the menu unlock, I received “Soft Wheat Rice Cakes” and “Secret Sauce” as gifts.
“Wow, Hanyang! The shop has a second floor now!”
“The shop got way bigger, nya.”
With the new menu unlocked, the shop itself had upgraded too. It now had an entire second floor. We’d finally be able to accommodate more dine-in customers.
‘Still, an 85% increase in honesty… that’s an insane number.’
Looking at the status window, I marveled inwardly. Compared to the previous effects, this one’s value was ridiculously high.
I glanced sideways at Ari, who was hugging Hanyang while admiring everything.
‘To fully make use of this effect, the two of them first need a place where they can actually talk.’
After a moment of thought, I hurriedly grabbed Ari, who was putting on her padded jacket.
“Ari, I’ll make you tteokbokki. Wait a second!”
On the wide iron griddle newly added through the shop upgrade, I mixed water with fish cake broth in the right proportions and dissolved the secret sauce into it. Then I added the soft rice cakes and skewered fish cakes and let them boil.
“Whoa, this smell is seriously insane!”
“My mouth is watering, nya.”
A moist, school-front-style tteokbokki was complete. Looking at Ari swallowing hard beside me as if she wanted to eat it immediately, I smiled.
Now it was time to begin the operation.
“Ari, I have a favor to ask…”
“A favor?”
“Apparently, Suhyeon Hunter is nearby. Could you take this tteokbokki to her? And eat some together.”
While making the tteokbokki, I had casually contacted Ria Hunter, and thankfully, Suhyeon Hunter was apparently still at the office. I carefully arranged a secret plan to have the two meet just as the tteokbokki finished cooking.
“…Me?”
Ari puffed out her cheeks as if she didn’t like the idea. I patted her on the back and handed her the packaged tteokbokki.
“You said you wanted to apologize if you got the chance, right? Go talk to her today.”
“But she probably hates me…”
“It’s okay. If things don’t work out, just come back to the shop. You know Unni’s always on your side, right?”
After hesitating for a while, Ari finally accepted the packaged tteokbokki.
I clenched my fist tightly and silently cheered her on.
‘Please let the tteokbokki effect work!’
***
Suhyeon sat slouched sideways on a bench and let out a small sigh. In her hand was a rabbit-shaped keyring.
“…Was the gift I gave them really that bad?”
The keyrings had been something she painstakingly tracked down on overseas sites after hearing her friends say they wanted them. She had managed to get four because she wanted matching friendship items, but now she was the only person left with one.
“They could’ve at least told me if they were going to sell them…”
She felt foolish remembering how excited she’d been about taking photo booth pictures together while holding the keyrings.
Suhyeon had always been introverted and quiet. That was why it had taken until her first year of high school before she finally managed to form a group she could “hang out with.” Of course, even that group had grown awkwardly distant after her Awakening.
‘You awakened as an A-rank? You?’
‘Man, I wish I could awaken too. Isn’t that totally easy mode?’
‘So jealous. You don’t even have to study anymore.’
Even though her friends said they wanted to stay close after her Awakening, it wasn’t as easy as they made it sound.
As the days she spent going into Gates outnumbered the days she attended school, they lost the things they had in common to talk about.
She’d rushed to Hongdae straight from the Gate because her friends said they were hanging out there, but it wasn’t easy to join in on their conversations.
‘Ah! Wasn’t the math teacher hilarious last time?’
‘When his wig came off? That was seriously hilarious!’
‘Uh… no, not that. That happened months ago already.’
Several times, she’d shut her mouth awkwardly during those uncomfortable silences.
What finally caught Suhyeon’s interest was the small keyring her friends said they wanted.
‘Isn’t this seriously cute? The ribbon bunny version is limited edition.’
‘I really want one, but they’re all sold out. The resale prices are insane too.’
Suhyeon secretly searched for the keyring her friends called pretty. Then she swallowed hard after seeing the unexpectedly high price.
‘…They said they wanted it.’
Even for her, someone who still lived on allowance money from her parents, the price of the keyring was burdensome. But Suhyeon wanted even more to stay close with her friends.
So she worked hard to get the keyrings and gave them as gifts.
But a few days later, what came back was the absurd conclusion that they had “sold them on a resale market.”
To make matters worse, while browsing Byulstar stories, she discovered that they’d gotten different matching friendship items without including her.
“They’re awful.”
Suhyeon stomped harshly against the ground with her shoe. The grass dented ugly beneath the kicks of an A-rank Hunter, but the bitterness in her chest didn’t fade easily.
Right then, she sensed someone approaching in the wind. Looking up, she saw Ari awkwardly staring at her while holding a black plastic bag.
What’s with her now? Suhyeon reflexively frowned.
“…What are you doing here?”
“What, am I not allowed to come here?”
After glancing at Suhyeon, Ari sat down at the far edge of the bench. Judging by her reaction, it seemed she had come looking for her.
Suddenly, Suhyeon remembered how Ria Unni had abruptly pushed her outside, telling her to go take a walk.
Don’t tell me…
‘…They’re trying to make us reconcile?’
Ugh. The thought alone made Suhyeon squirm internally. She knew Ria Unni and Haneul Unni had been trying hard to mediate between them, but she hadn’t expected them to set up something this deliberate.
‘What’s with that look? I don’t like you either, you know?’
Ignoring Suhyeon’s wary gaze, Ari thrust the bag in her hands forward bluntly.
“This is something new from our shop. Unni told me to bring it.”
“…What is it?”
“You’ll know if you open it.”
‘Seriously, her personality is weird.’
Suhyeon wanted to coolly reject it and say she wasn’t curious, but the sweet and spicy smell of tteokbokki was already leaking out of the bag.
‘Haneul Unni made tteokbokki… I’m so curious….’
The bungeoppang and fish cakes had been unbelievably good already, so just how delicious would the tteokbokki be?
Her heart pounding, she unwrapped the packaging and revealed tteokbokki drenched in red sauce.
Unable to resist, Suhyeon stabbed a rice cake with the included skewer and popped it into her mouth.
“…!”
Her eyes widened into circles as she froze.
The instant it entered her mouth, she tasted the sweet and spicy sauce! The rice cake soaked in that sauce, compressed and chewy between her teeth, before slowly spreading through her mouth.
‘It’s delicious!’
The balance between sweetness and spiciness was incredible. It was a fantastic flavor, unlike anything she’d tasted from the bungeoppang or fish cakes.
‘This tastes exactly like the tteokbokki I used to buy after school!’
Suhyeon bounced her feet excitedly and reached for another rice cake…
Then she felt an intense stare from beside her.
Gulp.
“…What. Do you want some too?”
“I haven’t tried it yet either, you know? Unni literally just made this new menu.”
Suhyeon didn’t really want to share, but Ari’s stare was far too intense. Besides, there was plenty of tteokbokki anyway.
Reluctantly handing over the skewer, Suhyeon watched as Ari stabbed a soft rice cake and put it into her mouth.
“Mmm! This is really good. It’s not as spicy as I expected?”
“Right? The tteokbokki sauce is seriously good. It’s sweet but slightly spicy, and you can taste a bit of pepper too–”
Ahem.
Without realizing it, Suhyeon had enthusiastically agreed along with her. She quickly coughed awkwardly and looked away.
The two fell silent again and focused on eating the tteokbokki.
One bite, then another.
As they ate silently, Suhyeon was the first to speak.
“…The tteokbokki’s good. Thanks for bringing it.”
Her voice was tiny, but Ari, sitting right beside her, could still hear it clearly.
After hesitating, Ari nodded.
“A-Ahem. About before, when I said you were spoiled… sorry.”
“….”
“I wanted to awaken as a high-rank Hunter too, but I couldn’t. Maybe I was jealous of you.”
At Ari’s calm apology, Suhyeon shook her head.
Then, without meaning to, she muttered what had been in her heart.
“No, I said things thoughtlessly too. Honestly, I grew apart from my friends after Awakening. Thinking about it now, it probably would’ve happened even if I hadn’t awakened.”
…I was the only one who thought we were friends. Like an idiot.
Still, regardless of her situation, it had been careless to openly say she regretted Awakening in front of others.
“Anyway, I’m sorry too. And for telling you not to touch the keyring before. Thinking about it now, I overreacted.”
“It’s fine. I looked it up, and it was super expensive. I probably would’ve reacted the same way.”
“It was expensive, but… the ribbon falls off easily, so I was worried it might break.”
“That makes sense. Still, even A-rank Hunters think things are expensive too, huh. I thought it was only expensive to me.”
At Ari’s honest words, Suhyeon smiled faintly. Somehow, her straightforwardness made her feel at ease.
“Of course it’s expensive! Honestly, my family has a ton of debt, so most of my money goes toward paying it off. I barely get any allowance.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. It’s a secret. Only Kangmin Oppa and Ria Unni know at the Management Bureau.”
Suhyeon fidgeted with her hands. She had never wanted to reveal that most of the money she earned as a Hunter went toward paying off her father’s gambling debts.
But strangely enough, she felt like she could tell the girl sitting in front of her.
“Don’t worry! I’m seriously good at keeping secrets. Besides, I don’t have any friends anyway, so I can’t tell anyone.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s true, though? I dropped out, so I literally don’t have a single friend.”
Beating her chest proudly as she said that, Ari finally made Suhyeon burst into laughter.
“Huh? You smiled.”
“What? You’re smiling too.”
The small laughter that had started between them gradually spread and grew louder.
Their bright laughter melted into the chilly night air.
After that, everything moved quickly.
“What? Was it fake? I seriously had no idea!”
“I’m serious! I threw it away that same night because I didn’t want anyone finding out it was a knockoff!”
“What? It was cute, though. Wait, wanna get matching ones with me instead? I found some really cute keyrings.”
“Really? Sounds good! Let’s wear them and go take photo booth pictures together. I’ve always wanted to try those.”
Before they realized it, the two were happily chatting away with animated gestures, completely oblivious to the tteokbokki growing cold beside them.
“Looks like things worked out well, right?”
“Yeah. I was worried, but thankfully it all turned out okay.”
Watching from afar, Haneul and Ria smiled in relief. They’d secretly followed behind because they were worried about sending the two alone, but fortunately, things seemed to have gone well.
“Ahahaha!! Ria Unni really did that?”
“She really did! Even I was shocked. Can you believe it?”
It was the day two people who seemed like they could never become close gained a new friend in each other.
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