Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Warm Jangjorim and a School Violence Bombshell
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"Oh, Woo-yeon!"
Han Mi-ae spotted me and came rushing over with her eyes wide open. Damn. I'd planned to just quietly check things out and leave.
"Haha. Hello. I just came to check on the supplies and see how the opening prep was going."
"Aigoo, it's so thoughtful of you to care like this~. How've you been eating lately? Getting enough good meals?"
Han Mi-ae grabbed my hand, her eyes glistening with tears.
Huh. As I blinked in bewilderment, she pulled me into a tight hug and patted my back.
"Sigh, what did this poor kid ever do wrong for everyone to...?"
"Ma'am?"
"Don't take to heart what other people are saying~ Got it?!"
Ah.
That's when I finally got what she was on about. The internet buzz must be heating up, and she was worried I'd be stressing over it.
'I'm fine, though.' No expectations, no disappointments. At least [The Song] wasn't publicly traded yet, so no stock fluctuations to worry about. Lucky break. Having been through all sorts of hell before my regression, this didn't shake me one bit. But to outsiders, it probably looked like one brutal incident after another piling up.
"You look even skinnier. Your cheeks are all sunken in!"
"It's just baby fat going away."
"You barely have any fat to lose!"
"Well, even without fat, baby fat still sheds..."
Everyone's cheeks are chubby around twenty anyway. Han Mi-ae scanned me up and down like she was inspecting a long-lost granddaughter, her eyes fierce.
"Look at how cold your hands are! Wear gloves! It's freezing out—how're you walking around without a scarf? What if you catch a cold!"
I was chuckling awkwardly at her loving nagging when Jeong Da-on came dashing out from inside, where he'd been moving supplies.
"Ah, Mom! What're you doing holding onto Woo-yeon like that!"
"This kid. Am I gonna eat him or something? He looks skinnier, so I was thinking of sending some side dishes home with him."
"Mom... Woo-yeon runs the restaurant business..."
"But is that the same as home cooking?"
Watching them bicker brought a involuntary pfft of laughter bubbling up.
"Everything's sorted, so you go inside and finish prepping for opening, Mom. We're gonna be late."
"Oh, right you are. Oh, Woo-yeon. I made some braised beef at home—want to take some? It turned out extra tasty this time!"
"Huh?"
Out of nowhere?
"Da-on! Go pack some in a container! You hear me?!"
"No, ma'am. I..."
Han Mi-ae breezed right back inside.
"...It's fine."
My refusal scattered uselessly into the air. No, ma'am. I can make tasty braised beef too... I knew it came from a place of wanting to send me off with something, so the pushiness wasn't annoying. As I smiled wryly, Jeong Da-on ruffled his hair and strode over.
"Whew. Come on. I'll pack the braised beef."
"You really want me to take it?"
"If you don't, I'm dead meat. Take it."
"No helping it, then. Aren't I just getting in the way while you're busy with opening prep?"
"Nah, nah. I finished finals anyway."
The winter wind had turned biting enough to chill the bones. Jeong Da-on's nose was turning red. We walked side by side to Han Mi-ae and Jeong Da-on's place. He spoke up first.
"Saw that broadcast."
"The Cold-Shoulder one?"
"Nah. Something else."
Must be talking about Master Chef Showdown 2. I tried steering to another topic, but he nailed it down—not that one.
"You got the three years of misfortune hitting this year or something? Why're you in scandals nonstop?"
"Even I look like a rising star. Jealous rivals come with the territory for star chefs."
"You've got a way with words."
I said it like a joke on purpose, and Jeong Da-on gave a helpless little smile.
"What, you're totally fine. My mom was all fidgety, worried you were suffering."
"This much? Piece of cake."
"You're like you're living your second life."
"Busted?"
"Totally."
Gotta be more careful.
"You're acting all nonchalant on the outside but hurting inside in secret, right?"
"You think?"
"Nah. You seem genuinely unfazed."
"You know me well."
"How can a person be like this? Talking to you, then going to school and chatting with friends—it feels completely different." Of course. My mental age is worlds ahead of yours. I muttered that inwardly and chuckled softly. Jeong Da-on flailed his arms like, See? "My mom gets all teary-eyed whenever she sees you. Wonders how much you've been through to be so detached at your age. To me, you just seem like an old soul."
"Who's an old soul?"
Our light banter carried us right to their doorstep. Jeong Da-on unlocked the door and paused, suddenly turning to look at me.
"Wanna come in?"
"Huh?"
"It's cold. Have some warm tea before you go!"
"No, that's..."
"Come on!"
He grabbed my sleeve and tugged, and I followed like I was mesmerized. Standing in the entryway amid a pile of assorted shoes, I froze up like an explorer at the mouth of an unknown cave. The house reeked of lived-in coziness the moment I stepped in. Belongings from multiple people cluttered everywhere. I'd never had a place like this, so my eyes went wide.
"Sit on the sofa. I'll get the tea. Mom must've left some around here... Where is it..."
Jeong Da-on padded naturally inside. I slipped off my shoes and stepped cautiously forward. It was like stepping into a TV portrayal of a family home. When was it? Vaguely remembered seeing something like this hopping between relatives' houses as a kid. After bolting from that unbearable life, living alone felt way more natural. And with my obsession on business, it was par for the course. Clink. As I craned my neck, peering around curiously, Jeong Da-on set a teacup in front of me.
"What're you doing?"
"Oh, nothing."
I felt like a kid caught red-handed doing something naughty. I knew from experience not to say "just looking 'cause it's novel."
"The place is kinda messy. Didn't know you'd be coming..."
Jeong Da-on scratched the back of his head sheepishly and plunked a small container on the table too.
"Here. Braised beef."
"Okay."
"Wanna try one? If it doesn't suit your taste, no pressure to take it! Lemme grab a spoon. One sec!"
He dashed off and came back with a spoon, scooping one piece onto it.
"Here."
I hesitated, then popped it in my mouth. A perfectly salty-savory flavor spread across my tongue.
"How is it? Good?"
"...It's delicious."
It had a different vibe from store-bought. Less processed, more rustic. The taste people call "home-cooked."
"Delicious."
Nothing else would come out. Afraid any other words might betray my twisted inner thoughts.
"..."
Jeong Da-on watched me for a moment, then plopped down on the sofa in front of me. He grinned and said, "If you want more, come anytime."
Like he'd peered straight into my unspoken heart.
"Our house has a great vibe these days. Mom and Dad used to fight a ton over her running the snack bar."
"..."
"Dad was always on her to quit that pointless stuff. Now business is booming, so he's talking about quitting his job to help out. Mom's still busy, but she says it's way better than before."
"..."
"All thanks to you."
"I didn't do much."
Just keeping at it steadily is a win for me. Jeong Da-on beamed and continued.
"So, there's always a spot for you at this table. If you're too lazy to cook, swing by. House is close anyway."
"..."
"Come on, let's go! I gotta head back too. Stay longer and Mom'll chew me out for slacking. You're busy too."
"Ah, yeah. Right."
I stood up. Despite his protests, he insisted on walking me all the way to the office. Gazing at his retreating back as we walked, my heart fluttered lightly for some reason. I glanced at the braised beef in my hand and smiled softly.
"At least this time around, I haven't wasted my life."
And that very evening, the reversal I'd been waiting for dropped.
[Master Chef Showdown 2 Participant: Exposing School Violence]
The recent controversies around Master Chef Showdown 2 participants keep dragging up old memories I'd buried, and it's causing me immense pain.
I heard through alumni that he was on Master Chef Showdown 2, but I pretended not to know—I didn't want to stir up bad memories.
But with the scandal blowing up, I ended up watching the episode in question. It was shockingly identical to my childhood ordeal. No change at all. My hands shook, and tears came unbidden.
I've seen all sorts of opinions flying around about that guy, so I'm writing this to share my own experience.
It'll be long, so please read slowly.
Proof: High school graduation photo.
(Oh Ga-eul's high school graduation photo)
The first time I met that friend was...
The late-night post spread like wildfire in every direction, and the already scorching controversy erupted like oil poured on flames.
To sum it up:
'Back in high school, he sowed discord in our group to isolate me from friends and bully me out.' The comments erupted first.
.. But the way he played friends against each other in high school? That victim cosplay with preemptive strikes is the creepiest;; Way too similar to the broadcast
And then the knockout punch.
[Master Chef Showdown 2] Song Woo-yeon vs Oh Ga-eul: Intense Debate Full Version Released... Including Chef Song's Edit Request
The Master Chef Showdown 2 production team had uploaded the unedited footage.