Chapter 196
Chapter 196
Our first day selling hotteok in San Diego.
Even before opening, the PD gave us a briefing with a smirk on his face.
"Everyone, don't forget! You're going on your trip tomorrow~"
Our remaining debt was $1,000.
Because we had lost miserably in the final desperate draw between debt and revenue last season, we had ended things as debtors. Therefore, if we didn't earn about $1,500 today, the moment we went to play tomorrow, our status as debtors would be set in stone.
It would make for a better story if we paid it all off at this point.
While it’s a problem if the tension drops because money keeps piling up, being a constant debtor wasn't great either. Isn't it better to have ups and downs?
However, the PD seemed a bit too immersed in his role and wasn't giving us any slack.
"We have to show our Korean conscience, right? You can't double the price just because you added a piece of dalgona~"
"Tch."
"Uh-oh? Who was that? Who just went 'tch'?"
It couldn't be helped.
The only things I could trust right now were our ability to attract customers and... Cha Yu-jin's existing network.
Right on cue, Cha Yu-jin raised both arms and shouted.
"My high school friends are all coming! Let's make them order three items each!"
"No, that's fine."
That's basically forced sales. Rather than dealing with a controversy post, let's just work hard on regular busking.
It was about time to reshuffle the roles to squeeze out some new entertainment value, but since we needed experienced hands today, we decided to postpone it after some discussion.
So, today's lineup was similar to last time.
Cha Yu-jin and Seon A-hyun, who were fluent in foreign languages, took orders, while Ryu Cheong-woo and Keun Se-jin handled the final plating and serving.
However, there was one change.
"I'll work hard."
Bae Se-jin had been deployed to the cooking department.
The official reason was that the workload had increased with the addition of dalgona... but the real reason was different.
Last season, when Bae Se-jin fell into a pit of self-deprecation over a single mistake, I had pulled him out as a "wildcard" under the guise of an all-rounder position, and the reaction was quite good.
The fans went wild, calling him cute.
The production team had edited his character to be someone who works incredibly hard, so he became the "one who doesn't show it but actually does the work of one and a half people."
And this time, based on that image, we assigned him a position to give the viewers the satisfaction of seeing him "promoted."
It would be more interesting if he had more interaction with the foreigners.
But I decided against it because Bae Se-jin looked like his stomach was about to turn from nerves.
"I will also work hard! Let's make and sell the perfect hotteok today!"
"...Okay!"
"Yes. Shall we do a quick 'fighting' before we start?"
"Sure!"
I could already see the caption "They were full of energy at this point" appearing in the next cut, but I did it anyway for the sake of the shot.
Next... the toppings that needed to be prepared right before opening.
"Moon-dae, what are you doing right now~?"
"Pre-making the dalgona."
Keun Se-jin started pointing a handycam at the frying pan. It would probably be used for a separate recipe clip.
Though, to be honest, it was embarrassing to even call this a recipe.
"After melting the sugar sufficiently, I plan to add baking soda and create plenty of air layers."
"Oh~ and why is that good?"
"It makes the texture softer."
I made enormous pieces of dalgona using three giant frying pans. Then, I handed them one by one to Bae Se-jin, who was standing by.
"Me! I want some!"
"...Here."
Bae Se-jin, who was busy crushing the dalgona, awkwardly handed a large piece to Cha Yu-jin.
It looked like someone feeding a wild beast, but in the actual broadcast, I'm sure it would be framed as a heartwarming moment.
And then, Kim Rae-bin, who was carefully portioning the crushed dalgona pieces, suddenly let out a cry.
"Uh, uh-oh!"
"What's wrong?"
"Are—are you hurt?!"
Even Seon A-hyun, who had been tidying the tables outside, came running in.
"No! I just want you to pay attention to this for a moment!"
Then, an excited Kim Rae-bin started putting the dalgona he had separated... onto the scale.
30g.
It was exactly the right amount, without a single error.
Was he really bragging about this?
"Yeah, it's a perfect match."
"And this one too!"
Kim Rae-bin hurriedly put another one on the scale.
Again, 30g.
"Oh."
"And this...!"
Kim Rae-bin kept putting different dalgona packs on the scale.
30, 30, 30, 31, 30...
"...??"
"Whoa."
Even the production crew started buzzing.
The PD asked hurriedly, "Rae-bin, did you put all of these in just by feel, without using the scale??"
Kim Rae-bin clenched his fists.
"Yes!!"
Good grief.
"Whoaaaaa!!"
"What's up with Kim Rae-bin's hands!"
The members surrounded Kim Rae-bin and started making a fuss.
It seemed that even if Kim Rae-bin hadn't gone into the arts, he would have made a great lab slave... I mean, graduate student.
"Amazing! Amazing!"
Before I knew it, even the staff had joined in, creating an atmosphere like someone had just scored a goal in the World Cup.
[The broken hotteok machine]
[Suddenly began operating normally]
Well, an edit like that would probably follow immediately.
The question was whether the next part would be "As luck would have it, his fortune was strangely good" or "The Dream Team sets out."
That'll be decided by today's sales performance.
I changed my apron at the request of the art team.
It was almost time to open the shop.
*
Near La Jolla Beach on a beautiful day.
A woman walking back from a nearby comic book store after buying some manga caught a pleasant scent.
Cinnamon?
She turned her head toward the savory and sweet aroma and saw a small shop around the corner.
I think that used to be a taco shop.
She wasn't sure since she had never been there, but her legs moved instinctively toward the delicious smell.
Tinkle!
"Welcome~"
"Um, hello."
Even at this awkward hour, the shop already seemed to have quite a few customers.
The people who looked like employees were weaving through the tables serving food before greeting her.
One of them approached her first.
"Would you like to try a sample?"
"Oh, um, sure."
A tall man with a cheerful voice held out a tasting plate. His bright smile was refreshing to look at.
She reflexively picked up a piece from the plate.
"It's a sweet snack with a bit of cinnamon. The texture is great. With ice cream or..."
"Table 3, two dalgonas!"
"Got it! Um, miss, if you like it, please call me!"
The man smiled broadly and was about to say more, but at the sound of a voice calling from the kitchen, he left only a smile behind and ran off.
The person who had called the man from the kitchen was also a man of a similar age, with clear skin and neat features.
They're all so handsome...
There was a vibe that transcended race. She stood dazed near the entrance and chewed on a piece of hotteok.
Hot, sweet cinnamon syrup exploded inside the crispy dough.
"......!"
This is delicious!
She had already been drawn in by the smell, but now her mind was made up.
I think I've decided on my snack for today.
She immediately headed to the counter where the menu was hanging.
The man leaning against the counter straightened up and acknowledged her.
"You're going to order, right?"
Wait, what?
Her jaw dropped at the familiar features beneath the unfamiliar hair color.
"Oh! You! Yu-jin!"
"Huh?"
The other person looked puzzled. As he lifted his head, his handsome features and canines became more prominent.
Her memory was right. It was Yu-jin!
"Um... have we met before? Middle school? Elementary school?"
Of course, she should have expected this reaction.
He had been such a popular kid, while her only point of contact with him as a nerd had been showing him her homework and getting some snacks in return.
"Ah... I'm Hannah Hamilton. I was in your class in middle school."
"Ah~ Hannah! Good to see you. How have you been?"
Wow, it was encouraging that he at least pretended to recognize her!
Hannah replied with a small laugh.
"I've been doing great. How about you?"
"Awesome. Oh, are you going to order?"
"Huh? Oh... um."
While she hesitated, new people entered the shop.
"You brat, did you come back to San Diego??"
"Oh~ welcome back!"
Ugh.
They were middle school classmates she didn't know.
Feeling uncomfortable, she stepped back.
Then, she bumped into someone behind her.
"...! I'm sorry!"
"It's quite alright."
It was another employee. A French accent was embedded in his speech.
And surprisingly, this one was also handsome.
...What is going on?
What on earth was happening in this tiny shop?
When their eyes met, the elegant-looking employee smiled and asked.
"...Would you like to order?"
"...Yes! Um, do you have any vegetarian options?"
"Of course. We have... vegetarian options. Would you like to take a look here?"
She received a recommendation for a vegan hotteok topped with cashew vanilla ice cream from the kind and sophisticated employee.
And by the time her order was ready, Yu-jin had returned.
"Hannah~ Oh? You already ordered!"
A short conversation followed while she ate.
Among the details was something shocking.
"You—you're a K-pop singer?"
"Yeah!"
It was a statement she never could have imagined.
It might sound mean, but it felt strange to hear a popular jock who used to play football mention K-pop!
While it was true that some K-pop singers were famous, overall, it still felt more like a subculture.
But Yu-jin was nonchalant.
"You didn't know? We're filming right now! These are all my teammates."
"...!!"
At those words, she looked around and definitely saw camera lenses here and there. There were also notices posted in various places.
[Filming in progress for a Korean broadcasting station. We ask for your understanding.]
She hadn't noticed because she was too busy looking at the food and the staff.
I met an old classmate who was a quarterback for the first time in ages, and he's a K-pop star selling snacks...
In a situation that felt completely surreal, she just silently chewed her food.
Even so, the hotteok she ordered was incredibly delicious.
They could just keep selling this here and it would do well.
Furthermore, at the end of her meal, she even received a drink.
"Um, it's a drink called 'Dalgona Soy Latte'! That hyung over there said it's a service for my friend."
"Hyung?"
She followed Yu-jin's gesture.
In the kitchen, the man with the indifferent expression she had seen earlier nodded.
And he gave a slight smile.
...He's cute!
She almost nodded back with a silly grin, but she managed to catch herself.
"Really? Thank you. He's very kind."
"Yeah, he's a good hyung!"
Hannah unconsciously took a sip of the new drink while talking to Yu-jin.
"......!"
This was also quite good.
When she reflexively looked back at the kitchen, she saw the man who had given her the free drink controlling the entire kitchen.
He's a singer, but he cooks so professionally?
Maybe this was his original job, and he was just filling a spot as a member of a band that wasn't that big...
...Should I ask for his number?
No, never mind. There's no way he'd give it to me.
She stopped her idle thoughts and picked up her smartphone instead.
Click.
She took a photo of the shop's menu and uploaded it to her social media account for comics enthusiasts.
[Found this shop by chance. They say a K-pop boy band is running it, but the taste was professional (chin-resting emoji)]
It didn't mean much. It was just a record.
But it's true the food is delicious. ...And the staff is cute.
In the end, she took home three sets of hotteok to go.
The man in the kitchen watched that sequence of events with satisfaction.
Good, sales are going smoothly.
Park Moon-dae was inwardly pleased, thinking that they were on the verge of breaking their record for highest sales.
And that night, Hannah saw an enormous reaction to the post she had made on social media.
TeSTAR fans were flocking in, crying and asking for the shop's location.
My god.
Eventually, through several of TeSTAR's music videos and their appearances on American talk shows, she realized that her former classmate had succeeded beyond her imagination.
And a few days later, while stumbling through WeTube, she found herself wishing she could turn back time, thinking, "I should have gotten an autograph."
*
"Whew."
I sat on the edge of my assigned bed.
It was the night after a successful first day of business.
Encouraging sales by throwing in low-cost drinks for customers who came through personal connections worked even better than expected.
Cha Yu-jin's friends were quite generous.
A total sell-out.
And after a noisy dinner with Cha Yu-jin's family, we were finally given some rest.
Except I ended up sharing a room with Cha Yu-jin again. Dammit.
I guess being quiet is out of the question today too.
Even now, Cha Yu-jin was chattering away.
"Hyung! Think of a cool unit stage for us!"
Still, that was the first time I'd heard that in a while, since the unit stages were decided for the encore concert.
Well, it was about time we talked about it.
"What is it?"
Cha Yu-jin tapped my bed.
"I've thought about it many times, and a circus is definitely the best choice!"
Is that so?
I replied while looking at my smartphone.
"Okay."
"Oh?"
"Let's do it, the circus."
"Whoa!"
Cha Yu-jin threw both hands in the air.
And a moment later.
"Actually, wouldn't diving be more shocking??"
I knew he'd say that.
I'll have to manage the preparation process well.
I could say for certain that a unit stage with Cha Yu-jin would either be a massive hit or a total flop.