Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Business Genius
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Bong Gangmin followed the direction of the finger and spotted a familiar face at the end of his gaze, which gave him a slight start. Why are you coming out here?
Here I was thinking that after going to the trouble of inviting you, I wouldn't be able to show you anything good... Of all things, Song Wooyeom had gotten caught up in this commotion. From what he could tell, this troublesome customer had latched onto some pretext with him. All eyes turned to Song Wooyeom. Perhaps because his name was starting to get around, people began chiming in with their own comments.
"Huh? Isn't that guy... that one from Cold Hair...?"
"Yeah, looks like it. There was that huge fuss not long ago. On Marche Day 2."
"With O Gaeul?"
The murmurs spread from mouth to mouth, growing louder. At first, those who didn't know who Song Wooyeom was started mentioning him one by one, and others began showing interest with remarks like, "Oh, really? He's famous?"
Then, another wave of public opinion joined in.
"What? So you're giving him special treatment because you're buddies?"
"That's ridiculous."
Grumbles like these started popping up here and there. This isn't good. Bong Gangmin didn't want to burden his junior chef—who had already been through the wringer multiple times with scandals and public backlash—with even more trouble. The media onslaught against Song Wooyeom after he got tangled up with O Gaeul had been brutal. They had gone so far as to track down the school he attended and demand his student records, throwing tantrums. They even hunted down his former homeroom teacher to ask about his impressions back then, and plastered massive interviews with neighborhood residents just because they lived in the same apartment complex. "He always had this tired look. Skinny as a rail, kinda pitiful. Hard to put into words. Not very childlike? It caught my eye a bit..."—that sort of nonsense from locals. The comments below those articles were still seared into his memory. Didn't get parental love growing up, so he matured early. Lived poor, so money possessed him... All without knowing the real Song Wooyeom. Just like blind men touching different parts of an elephant and declaring what animal it was. These people were piecing together fragments of Song Wooyeom and arbitrarily judging who he really was. No, they probably weren't even curious about the real him. They just needed a punching bag to beat on. Public opinion flipped hard once the exposé on O Gaeul came out. But until then, Bong Gangmin couldn't even begin to imagine the mental toll it had taken on Song Wooyeom. He himself had faced harsh words when he first entered the broadcasting world. Stuff like, "He's a chef who won't cook what he's supposed to and is obsessed with TV," or "Too loud and annoying," even outright, "I change the channel whenever he shows up," said right to his face. Bong Gangmin hoped Song Wooyeom wouldn't suffer the same wounds. To make that happen, they needed to handle this incident as smoothly as possible. He resolved to block the stares heading toward Song Wooyeom somehow—or at least keep him from getting dragged into this pathetic squabble. He was just about to step between Song Wooyeom and the customer, opening his mouth to speak.
"Sir, if there's anything unsatisfactory, please tell me, the owner, directly..."
"Oh, really?"
Whether he knew of Bong Gangmin's efforts or not, Song Wooyeom slipped in with a bright smile. You little punk! This isn't the place to butt in! Bong Gangmin widened his eyes and shot a glare loaded with meaning. Even in regular restaurants, dealing with a determined troublemaker was tough. Let alone in a place like this? No one with any sense would dream of causing a scene in such an expensive, upscale restaurant. It meant this guy had come with serious guts—and malice. Even Bong Gangmin, with his wealth of experience, would break out in cold sweats after handling someone who reeked of ill intent like this. This isn't someone you can handle. Sure, there were rumors about him running multiple franchises with killer business savvy. But researching food and crunching numbers to maximize profits... wasn't that the total opposite of customer service? Without a clear home turf of his own restaurant, he'd naturally fall short in this area. But even though he'd caught Bong Gangmin's warning, Song Wooyeom paid it no mind. He even flashed a grin and a wink at him.
"Seems like there's some misunderstanding..."
"Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding!"
"You seem to have the wrong idea about the order of arrival."
Song Wooyeom wore a smile as fresh as greenery. His voice was so clear that, even without shouting, it rang out distinctly.
"Wh-what?!"
"No. It seems like you've been unhappy that my course dishes kept coming out first during your meal. I did step away briefly in the middle, but I arrived before you did."
The customer clamped his mouth shut, momentarily speechless at the crisp, straightforward response.
"I'm not exactly a celebrity or anything, but anyway, I'd appreciate it if you didn't think you're getting special treatment."
"......"
The customer glowered in silence. Then, switching tactics, he started grumbling in a different way.
"Jeez. How was I supposed to know? You came in after me, so I figured you were the late one! A heads-up would've been nice, right? Man, no sense at all."
"True. You kept complaining loud enough for everyone to hear, so I really wanted to say something."
Song Wooyeom shot back without missing a beat.
"You didn't formally complain to me or the staff—just kept muttering to yourself the whole time. I had to hold back from speaking up myself. Haha."
His tone was like chatting with a close friend. The kind that made only the angry one look foolish. It felt like he'd sprinkled in about three spoonfuls of why get so worked up over something so trivial? "You came out for a nice meal, so it'd be a shame to ruin it like this. Let me apologize on their behalf, okay? Cool?"
At the perfectly playful tone, the people around let out small chuckles of "haha."
What gall, Bong Gangmin thought in disbelief. No—he hadn't even stepped in, and the situation was basically resolved. The other diners whose meals had been disrupted now sparkled with delight, like they'd found entertaining spectacle. With just a few words from Song Wooyeom, everyone knew this customer was being unreasonable. Clear explanation on the complaint, while gently coaxing and soothing without bruising egos. How does a kid like that know this technique? It was a genuine mystery. Plenty of grown adults couldn't respond calmly because they were busy protecting their pride. Especially hot-blooded young folks—no contest. And yet, at his age, this level of polished handling? Bong Gangmin felt like he'd been possessed by a ghost. As the atmosphere softened, the customer—who'd been sharp and explosive—lost his edge. He glanced around cautiously, sensing his plan had gone way off track, and dismay crept onto his face.
"Come on, sir, have a seat. They said they'd bring fresh wine and food, right? Isn't that so, Chef?"
With that, Song Wooyeom subtly nodded at Bong Gangmin. The quick-witted server headed straight to the kitchen for new dishes.
"Uh, uh?"
Before the customer could retort, Song Wooyeom clapped his hands sharply, drawing all eyes to himself.
"To everyone who visited the elegant Korean restaurant [Green Grass], thank you first and foremost."
He bowed deeply, and people reflexively clapped. Song Wooyeom naturally responded with, "Yes, thank you."
"Some of you might know me, others not. Let me introduce myself: I'm not quite at 'chef' level yet, but I guess you could call me a researcher who experiments with various dishes."
His beaming smile completely captivated the crowd. The rowdy customer was now thoroughly sidelined.
"Big thanks again to Chef Bong Gangmin for inviting me here."
"Uh, uh-huh."
"There was a bit of a commotion just now. My fault for stepping out to the restroom at the wrong time."
He flashed a cheeky grin, and a few people chuckled along.
"I'd like to apologize for any misunderstanding that caused."
Bow. A sincere, deep bow.
"You think I'd just stir up trouble and slink away with nothing to show?"
The diners caught the nuance and their eyes lit up.
"If Chef Bong gives the okay, then as a special service to all you fine people here! Dessert included, I'll prepare a light after-meal palate cleanser!"
"Woooah!"
"Free?!"
"Woooaaaah!"
As the cheers swelled, Song Wooyeom nodded in satisfaction.
"Chef Bong? That cool?"
His cheeky wink drew a hollow laugh from Bong Gangmin. Not only did he revive the frosty vibe in seconds, but he passed the credit to me, the owner? By publicly asking "permission" from Bong Gangmin, the restaurant owner, in front of everyone, the service shifted from Song Wooyeom's doing to Bong Gangmin's. If he'd unilaterally declared freebies and hogged the spotlight, it might've irked Bong Gangmin. But this clever move let him save face and play the gracious host. Is this even possible? He'd been sure Song Wooyeom would fall short in customer handling. Turns out, that was pro-level too. Of course, it helped that Song Wooyeom was young and a known TV face. If he were a "real" chef with credentials, Bong Gangmin might've felt a twinge. But hadn't Song Wooyeom always insisted he wasn't a "chef"? That perfect positioning let Bong Gangmin nod happily.
"Okay~!"
"Thanks, Chef Bong!"
Song Wooyeom gave one last bow to Bong Gangmin, said he'd be back later for the menu rundown, and headed to the kitchen. Watching his retreating figure, Bong Gangmin felt a shiver. Top-tier customer service, creative and delicious new menu development, savvy business instincts... quick on the uptake, great sense of humor. And good looks to boot. No matter how he sliced it, this was a fail-proof merchant. He'd never met anyone like him in his life. With his thoughts reaching that point, a word naturally surfaced in Bong Gangmin's mind. Genius. Yes, to Bong Gangmin, Song Wooyeom was... A business genius. The one and only business genius.