Chapter 225
Chapter 225
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 225
Chapter Title: Unexpected Fusion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Gulp.
I took a sip of canned beer and stared at the TV. A scene had just flashed by, packed with all sorts of sound effects under the guise of exposing the shocking reality of "Taiwanese castella."
*Hmm. Impressive. How did they manage to cherry-pick only the worst stores for their coverage?*
Finding places that bad wasn't easy. They must have scouted around and selected only the most sensational ones to air.
Back then, TV still wielded massive influence. It was hard to believe one broadcast like this could stir up a nationwide uproar.
Bzzz-.
My phone buzzed right then. I glanced at the screen—Jo Yi-ruk's name was displayed.
"Hello."
-...Are you watching it?
He didn't specify what, but I easily read between the lines.
"The broadcast? Yeah, I'm watching."
-You knew?
"Haha. How would I know about a broadcast that hasn't even aired yet?"
Unless I came from the future.
-You have deep connections with the station. I thought maybe you got a heads-up from someone there.
Jo Yi-ruk's voice was trembling faintly.
There was a strange undercurrent of excitement. If that's what he suspected, he could've just accepted it inwardly. What was going through his mind to call and confirm with me?
Jo Yi-ruk fell silent for a moment before continuing.
-Otherwise, it just doesn't make sense.
When people witness something inexplicable, they can't help but seek out the reason.
In a way, Jo Yi-ruk—and a few others at The Song—had just glimpsed a peek at the future.
"I did get a little hint from the PD."
So I mixed in a convenient white lie.
I'm a businessman, not some cult leader. No need to pretend to be all-knowing.
"No need to be that surprised. It was just good timing. The PD happened to mention offhand that a colleague was investigating Taiwanese castella lately, so I figured there was no point taking unnecessary risks."
-...I see.
Jo Yi-ruk knew it too. This was the best excuse I could offer.
Anyone else would have nodded, turned away, and completely forgotten the incident.
But not Jo Yi-ruk.
*Did I show them too much?*
This wasn't the first time I'd done something that defied common sense.
He probably wouldn't guess I'd peeked into the future, but he might sense there was something hidden.
"Yeah, that's about it."
I didn't bother defending myself further.
The more you explain, the more suspicious it gets. And Jo Yi-ruk hadn't voiced that odd disconnect yet.
"Anyway, I was wondering how to convince Team Leader No. Looks like I won't have to."
-Yeah. Once this broadcast ends, the reaction won't be ordinary.
"We can talk about new ideas at the next meeting."
-...! You have one? A new idea?
"Yes. I held back last time to avoid any misunderstandings."
No reason to hold back now.
-What kind of idea?
Jo Yi-ruk couldn't contain his curiosity and pressed. I smiled and replied.
"I'll tell you at tomorrow's meeting. Spoiling it now would ruin the fun."
-...
"As a hint: when you combine totally unexpected foods... surprising strengths emerge. Something like that."
-I have no clue.
That's why the hint was so vague.
"See you tomorrow, then."
-...Yes. Understood.
Jo Yi-ruk's tone suggested he was swallowing back words, dying to probe what idea I had in mind.
Click.
I set down the phone and turned back to the TV. The broadcast was already building to its climax.
I was debating whether to change the channel when—
Ding.
"Huh?"
A text notification. Doesn't everyone use KakaoTalk these days? Puzzled, I picked up the phone. A long message from an unknown number.
「President, it seems you've blocked my number, so I'm texting from another one. This is Kim Jun-seo. Could I meet you just once? I want to apologize in person. If you'll just agree to a settlement, I'll truly become a new man, repent for my past mistakes, and live righte....」
No point reading further. I flung the phone over my shoulder.
*Wasn't he sidelined from business until the assault trial verdict?*
If the trial proceeded without a settlement, he'd pay a fine and get a criminal record. Returning to the food truck scene would be a pipe dream.
Now that things had come to this, he was desperate—but it was too late.
*Even if I agreed to settle, could he really go back to selling from that food truck?*
He'd already taken all the online flak he could, and other food truck owners were keeping their distance to avoid the fallout.
During the food truck shoot, the production team had been extra vigilant to keep Kim Jun-seo away. Truth be told, I hadn't even caught a glimpse of him lately.
I'd half-forgotten, but he kept reminding me like this.
I rubbed my still-aching wrist.
"Ah, right on time?"
I greeted them as I pulled food fresh from the oven and set it on the table.
"Just sit down one by one here."
"...P-President."
No Se-hee opened her mouth, looking dazed.
"I get that you have a new idea and called us here to try it ourselves since seeing is believing. But..."
No Se-hee's gaze dropped to the table. The dishes I'd prepared were laid out.
"Surely this is the new idea?"
*No, right? Please say no.* Her eyes pleaded. But I shattered her expectations with a beaming smile.
"Yes, exactly."
At my firm confirmation, No Se-hee stared down at the table with trembling eyes.
Long legs with sucker cups, topped with red sauce. A spicy aroma teased the nose, mingled with a faint smoky scent.
The glossy sheen screamed perfection—a masterfully made grilled short-arm octopus dish. One bite would be chewy on the outside, tender within.
Just looking at it made saliva pool, evoking that devilish allure that had you huffing and puffing yet craving another bite.
A bit predictable, perhaps, but hard to mess up. It had a solid fanbase too.
If not for the mismatched dish beside it, they'd have assumed the idea was grilled octopus.
A cheesy aroma wafted over. Glossy cheese blanketed the top, promising salty, rich flavor.
The thin crust looked like it'd shatter with a crisp crunch on first bite.
"P-President, this gorgonzola pizza..."
Park Sang-won couldn't hold back.
Right.
Next to the grilled octopus was gorgonzola pizza. I clapped my hands and said.
"It pairs amazingly with the grilled octopus~."
"Huh? Grilled octopus... and gorgonzola pizza?"
Park Sang-won hesitated, unable to picture it.
But it was true. I shrugged, and Yang Ji-ah peeked out from behind him.
"Th-then, what about this salad next to it? Is it an appetizer?"
"No. It's delicious piled on together too."
"Even the... salad?"
Yang Ji-ah shot a skeptical glance. *This mishmash can't really taste good, right?*
Seeing is believing. I decided to demonstrate.
"You can eat them separately, of course. But my recommended way is this: Take the gorgonzola pizza, top it with salad and grilled octopus."
As the white pizza got slathered in red octopus sauce, Yang Ji-ah drew a small gasp.
"Then roll it up like this."
"Oh?"
"Wow."
The pizza lost its original shape, becoming a long cylinder.
"Eat it like this. Give it a try."
At my words, they tentatively followed suit, piling octopus and salad on pizza slices, rolling them, and taking a bite.
Park Sang-won went wide-eyed after one bite.
"Oh...!"
He let out a short exclamation and quickly took two or three more bites.
"Tasty, right?"
He nodded vigorously at my question.
"I wondered if these would even go together, but it's seriously good! The spicy kick from the octopus balances the nutty cheese—they neutralize and complement each other?"
Spot on. That's exactly what I intended.
"The salad adds crunch too. Cuts through the richness."
No Se-hee chimed in. I glanced over—Yang Ji-ah was steadily munching away. Our eyes met, and she startled, then murmured.
"Th-the varied textures are great... It's tasty, but the octopus's chewiness, the pizza's creaminess, the crust's crispness, and the salad's freshness blend so perfectly."
Once she started, her review poured out smoothly. It carried that same excited spark from unveiling Bingwa's new menu overnight.
"Totally different foods, but no clash when mixed. The octopus isn't rubbery—well-cooked. The thin crust is genius. Thicker would've felt heavy. The salad's tangy dressing cleanly ties the other flavors...!"
"Whoa, whoa. Calm down."
I reined in Yang Ji-ah, who was barreling ahead like a runaway train.
She took a deep breath to compose herself, then spoke in a voice still buzzing with excitement.
"I can't fathom how you came up with this combination. It's... truly..."
Her words trailed off softly.
"The only word is 'revolutionary.'"