Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Food Court (3)
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We got up early in the morning and got ready. Today, we were heading to the sculpture festival where Park Su-han was participating. We planned to check on how he was doing, enjoy the festival, and make it a date.
I hadn't originally planned to go, but after searching online, I saw that the sculpture festival had surprisingly high quality.
"No one will recognize us like this, right?"
"Let me see."
I pulled my hat down tight and put on a mask. Since Park Su-han's subscribers knew who I was, I bundled up just in case.
Sister tilted her head for a moment before grabbing a scarf and wrapping it around my neck.
"Now no one will know it's you."
"Come here, Sister. Let me wrap one around you."
Sister bundled up the same way. At first, she complained it was uncomfortable, but after doing it every time we went out, she'd gotten used to it and just accepted it without a word.
We were ready.
We double-checked our schedule one more time.
"Check on Su-han in the morning, quickly look around the sculptures, hang out at the nearby comic cafe, grab lunch, and finish with the play?"
"Yeah. If the play is sold out and we can't get tickets on-site, we'll just head home."
We didn't plan to stay at the sculpture festival long. No matter how bundled up we were, there was still a chance someone might recognize me. It was great if fans spotted me and came over, but it would be awkward with Sister there.
"Oh, it's decorated nicely."
"Yeah. The quality's better than I thought."
At the entrance to the festival grounds, event staff dressed as mascots were handing out keychains and flyers with tips for enjoying the exhibits.
We took one and headed into the plaza.
The sculpture festival used the entire grand park, with food trucks gathered in the front and back plazas. Park Su-han had been assigned to the back plaza.
"Is that it over there?"
"Su-han's drug toast?"
It was a sign with a composite photo of Park Su-han looking dazed like he was high on drugs, merged with toast. I'd tossed out the idea casually while he was practicing cooking and designing the sign, but I hadn't expected him to actually use it.
In addition to Park Su-han, Jin Jun-hyeok, Kim Su-il, and a food truck run by some regular person were setting up.
I approached Park Su-han's booth and knocked on the door.
Knock knock.
"Business starts at 9, so please wait a moment."
"It's me."
"Ah. Haneul?"
Park Su-han, who had been busy prepping ingredients, looked up. Relief washed over his focused face.
"How's it going?"
"No idea. Ingredients are prepped smoothly, but I won't know until we actually start selling."
Park Su-han was maniacally chopping cabbage with his manager. He was faithfully following the advice that cabbage and eggs had to be done fresh that day to maintain quality, even if other ingredients could be prepped ahead.
"Ah, have you had breakfast? If not, could you taste-test the toast for me?"
"Sure. Just one."
I only ordered one since I wanted to check out the other trucks too. Park Su-han said it'd be quick and got to work.
He cracked eggs, grilled bacon and bread, and assembled the toast. The whole process was much smoother than before.
"Here you go."
"Four minutes. You've gotten a lot faster."
"Like you said, adjusting the griddle heat made it even quicker."
"That's good, but once it gets busy, drop it another five degrees. High heat can burn things fast."
I took a bite. Gave Sister two.
"What do you think?"
"It's good. Definitely better than before."
"I think it's amazing? Best toast for 4,000 won!"
"Haha. Thanks."
Park Su-han beamed at Sister's praise. It bugged me a little, but I let it slide. He'd worked hard, and it really did taste decent.
After wishing him luck for the day, we headed to Jin Jun-hyeok's food truck next door.
Jin Jun-hyeok's truck was doing burgers.
"Jun-hyeok. How's it going?"
"Haneul hyung! I've missed you."
"Me?"
Jin Jun-hyeok glanced around a few times before speaking cautiously.
"The problem I asked you about before still isn't fixed."
"What problem... Oh. Didn't Su-il solve that one for you?"
Jin Jun-hyeok shook his head.
The first time we met, Jin Jun-hyeok had asked me a question, but Kim Su-il had snatched it away. Jin Jun-hyeok had no choice but to get the answer from Kim Su-il, but it still wasn't resolved.
From what I'd overheard, it was something about the sauce.
"Let me see."
"Here."
Jin Jun-hyeok handed over a tub of mayo-based sauce. It was a large batch stored in the vat inside.
"The taste is fine? Way better than last time."
"Taste improved, but the mayo ratio's too high now. I experimented, and if it sits cold too long, it solidifies or separates."
"Yeah, high mayo can do that."
It's not a common issue, but since he'd experimented at home, I gave him a solution.
"Usually, you soak it in hot water, but no bowl big enough for the vat, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then from tomorrow, keep the sauce tub in warm water or near the griddle. And..."
Too late to transfer it now. It was a huge batch, and Jin Jun-hyeok and his manager were still prepping like mad.
I found an on-site fix.
"Got any hot packs?"
"Yeah, one."
"Stack one under the vat. Stir occasionally, and you're good."
I put a hot pack in an empty vat, then placed the sauce vat on top. That'd warm the air inside and keep the sauce from getting too cold.
Of course, it was temporary—he'd still need to stir regularly.
After a few more tips, we entered the park.
It was early morning, so not many people yet.
"Sister. Stand over there."
We took pictures of each other in front of the sculptures. There were a lot of fun ones. We wrapped up our date as the crowds started building and left the park.
We warmed up at a comic cafe and had lunch there. Modern comic cafes are so fancy, the food was restaurant-level.
Next, we tried for the play, but they weren't taking walk-ins anymore, so we gave up.
"What now?"
"Not much around here."
"Let's search first. Feels wasteful to head back after coming this far."
Heading home if no tickets was the plan, but we hated wasting the trip, so we looked for something from a nearby cafe.
But nothing turned up. In the end, we decided to go home.
"Sister, wait a sec. I'm gonna check on Su-han."
"Why?"
"The morning prep ingredients are probably gone by now."
Even veterans panic when crowds hit and stock runs out. Park Su-han barely had any sales experience.
Plus, his knife skills sucked—he could end up slicing his hand bad or worse.
He'd probably manage, but I was still worried.
"Want me to come?"
"Nah... I'll go alone."
If I helped out visibly, people would notice. Then Sister might get attention too, so I went solo.
Maybe because of the YouTubers, the crowds were still thick even after lunch.
The back plaza was busier than the front, as expected.
"Just a moment! Just a moment! We're out of ingredients and chopping more. I'll make it quick."
The manager was slicing cabbage with a cleaver next to him while Park Su-han grilled toast. Sauce and egg mix were running low too.
They'd planned to stop orders at lunch and take a break, but something must've gone wrong.
"When's it coming out?"
"Yeah. Hyped for the YouTuber, but wasted my time."
"Let's go to the burger one next door."
The reactions weren't great. Fans found the chaos entertaining and filmed it giggling, but plenty of regulars were there too.
Staying like this would tank Park Su-han's rep more, so I pushed through the line.
"Excuse me. Coming through."
I got to the truck, opened the door.
"You can't come in here!"
"What do you mean? Bacon's ready. Flip it."
"Huh? Haneul!"
I hung my scarf and outer coat on the rack. Park Su-han welcomed me like a savior.
"How'd it get this bad?"
"Our app glitched—couldn't pause orders. By the time we fixed it, orders flooded in."
Park Su-han, Jin Jun-hyeok, and Kim Su-il all took orders via an app. No kiosks, low foot traffic, so they used it to manage numbers.
Problem was, order cutoff should've kicked in as stock ran low, but it didn't, and boom—overloaded.
I went to an empty spot, pulled out several trays of eggs, and cracked them one-handed into a bowl.
Crack. Crack. Crack. One tray done in seconds, handed to the manager.
"Give me the cleaver. Stir the eggs."
"Got it!"
Shred shred.
I grabbed the cleaver and shredded cabbage furiously. Flair's nice with a chef's knife, but even for me, cleaver's faster.
Once we had a buffer stock, we switched.
"Su-han, you chop. I'll make 'em. No orders now, right?"
"Yeah! Here."
I cranked the griddle to max, coated with butter. With sauce, egg, and cabbage stocked, no shortages for a bit.
I grilled bread, eggs, and bacon efficiently, no waste. Doing it nonstop like mad reminded me of old times.
Back studying in Europe, the kitchen bullying meant I prepped everything solo—peeling potatoes, chopping onions, herbs, all of it.
Did that for two whole months. This was nothing.
Filling the griddle edge-to-edge and grilling like crazy, I churned out 60 toasts in no time.
"Here you go."
"Thanks. You're handsome!"
The customer shyly smiled and bowed as I handed it over. After clearing the orders, I wiped sweat from my forehead and took a break.
"Thanks, Haneul."
"Whew. Buy me a meal later if you're grateful. Korean beef."
"Full-course Hanwoo on me."
Park Su-han nodded, knowing how dire it was. As we caught our breath, the manager approached.
"Thanks to you, our line's blowing up."
"Yeah. Gonna take time before next orders."
My soul-infused performance must've worked—people crowded the truck, peeking and asking when orders reopened.
"Su-il's line is short."
"They're having issues too."
"Why?"
"Menbosha's soggy and greasy. Rep took a hit. Fine at first, but worsening over time."
I pressed a leftover menbosha the two had snacked on. Grease—not juices—oozed out. Crust soggy, not crisp.
"Too many menboshain the fryer messed the oil temp. Low heat soaked 'em in oil."
It was cold outside. Early February, temps dipping below freezing. Room-temp ingredients dropped the oil temp on fry.
I rolled down my sleeves and grabbed my coat.
"Huh? Helping Su-il hyung?"
"Heading home. He'll manage."
On the way out, I locked eyes with Kim Su-il shaking the wok. Pleading look, but I shrugged and ignored him.
I'd warned him. This weather, that food—disaster waiting.
Kim Su-il flushed tomato-red, unprepared for rejection, but all he could do was take the customer heat.
Videos from prep through opening day went public on each channel.