Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Chicken Feet Launch Frenzy
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The man's steps came to a halt.
His gaze remained fixed on the chicken feet in the sidewalk sign. Amid the passersby, it was as if time had frozen just for him.
'But this place kinda looks similar to that gukbap joint~'
He turned his head to glance at the gukbap place he'd originally planned to visit, and sure enough, it did. The warm, nostalgic vibe created with wood made it approachable without feeling overwhelming.
'Is this run by the same folks? A couple maybe?'
The question didn't linger long. He spotted the small engraving of [The Song] beneath both signs.
'Ah~. Same company. Some kinda chain empire?'
The man nodded to himself inwardly. That explained the matching designs.
'First time hearing the company name.... Oh yeah, the gukbap place said something Branch. It's a chain. Gotta be a decent-sized outfit then.'
He might not know for sure, but whipping up two spots like this? Impressive.
'Franchise ain't bad. Should be solid everyday crowd-pleaser taste at least.'
That thought eased his wariness about independent eateries a bit. Mom-and-pops were great and all, but when they flopped, the food was straight-up nasty.
'Perfect timing after a stressful day. Chicken feet with a shot of soju...? Ooh yeah~.'
Killer combo. The man strode forward.
Swish.
"Welcome~!"
The shop was already buzzing with customers. Word of the new opening must've drawn curious folks from all over.
"How many in your party?"
"Ah, just me.... Huh?"
The man doubted his own eyes.
No wonder—the server he'd seen at the gukbap place often was standing right there.
'What the...? My eyes messing with me?'
He blinked a few times, but the server didn't vanish. Though, could faces really look *this* alike?
The man's gaze naturally drifted to the name tag.
Song Woo-yeon.
Unfortunately, he hadn't checked names at the gukbap spot, so he couldn't tell if it was the same guy or some uncanny doppelgänger.
As the man hesitated and hemmed, Song Woo-yeon flashed a bright smile and spoke first.
"You're right, I part-timed at the gukbap place next door."
"Ah~! Knew it? Thought you looked familiar."
"More customers remember me than I expected."
"Aw, that's 'cause you're so sharp and attentive."
As the man recalled, yeah. Side dishes refilled without a word, sense for it, and bam—at the counter the second you stood to pay.
He'd thought the guy hustled sharp back then.
"They're like sister spots—the gukbap place and here. Same company. Opened today, so they threw me in here."
"Yeah? Tough gig."
"Haha, no biggie."
Song Woo-yeon handled small talk with the customer while deftly setting out side dishes and small plates.
"Take a peek at the menu and call me when you're ready."
"Uh, about the chicken feet here. How's the portion? Worried it might be too much for one."
"Chicken feet portion.... Oh, it's coming out at the next table now."
At Song Woo-yeon's words, the man's eyes flicked over. Sure enough, another server was plating it up.
'Nice size. Solid value for the price.'
Same as the gukbap spot. The man nodded, a satisfied smile forming.
"Alright then. One chicken feet, and what kinds of soju do you ha—"
Just as he started ordering, an odd line cut in from the next table.
"Gonna take a video?"
Video? What video talk?
The man whipped his gaze around. Three or four college-aged women at the table held up their phones.
"Yeah!"
"Then we'll top it with cheese~."
And wouldn't you know—the server hoisted a massive slab of cheese and dragged it across the top.
"!"
Cheese waterfall!
The stretching gooey strands were enough to draw gasps on their own.
"Wooow~!"
"Whoa, insane!"
The next table agreed, spamming exclamations while hustling their phones.
The chicken feet blanketed in a cozy cheese quilt stirred a strange sense of sinful indulgence in anyone watching.
Calories were battle power, after all.
That menu, drenched in cheese? No good for health or waistline, obviously. But....
The man looked at Song Woo-yeon.
"Same as that, please."
"Yes, one Cheese Waterfall Chicken Feet order~."
Song Woo-yeon grinned.
"What's that called?"
"Should we get one too?"
Murmurs rippled from other tables. The man had a gut feeling.
*Oh yeah, this place is gonna pack out from here on.*
'This might be the last walk-in without a wait.'
Gotta savor the day fully then. Alone, he filled his glass and toasted the air. "Cheers~."
"Come again~."
He bowed to the departing customer's back. Straightening up, true silence finally settled.
The soft background music cut off abruptly.
Han Mi-ae peeked out from the kitchen.
"All done?"
"Yeah, really done now."
"Haa. I don't even know how I cooked half that food. Total chaos."
"You did great."
"Woo-yeon, we nearly had a disaster without you. Almost botched a bunch of orders? Whew."
He comforted Han Mi-ae with her deep sigh, then tossed a word to the others who'd busted their asses today.
"Good work today."
Jeong Da-on wiped the exhaustion from his face and beamed.
"Nah! Wow, but the gukbap spot was single-menu, so easy. Multiple items? Total confusion."
*Exhausted and still chatty as ever.* Spotting Jeong Da-on gearing up for more, he cut in quick.
"Caught me off guard. Who'd guess you were the owner's son."
Yup. Learned it today.
'Said his son was off, so he'd help serve. Told him no relatives pitching in, but....'
Still, Han Mi-ae swore her son doing restaurant server work meant he'd nail it, so he'd greenlit it last week.
Showed up today, and boom—Jeong Da-on.
"First thought it was Lee In-cheol Owner sending you."
"Haha, my line. Mom shutting the snack bar for a fresh start? Shocked me. Then that amazing 'Song Owner' funding the remodel turns out to be...."
Jeong Da-on trailed off, eyeing him.
"All that whispering with Owner every day~. Totally fooled!"
"Not trying to fool anyone—just didn't wanna stir awkward vibes. You get it?"
"Course. If I'd known you outrank Lee In-cheol Owner, would I have chilled like that?"
"Not exactly outrank. More like partners."
Complementary setup.
Wild coincidence, sure. But they all lived nearby, so plausible.
"Having a vet on hand made it smoother at least."
"Heh, right?"
Jeong Da-on grinned like a fool. Yeah. Tall, sharp server? Sales tactic gold.
Cafes pulled it often, but whatever.
"Anyway, Owner Han."
"Hm?"
He flashed a big grin at Han Mi-ae, who looked ready to collapse.
"Congrats. Huge hit."
"Wh-what?"
"Today's sales. First-day hype or not, this blows past expectations."
Tapping the POS, her face bloomed with delighted shock.
"Really?!"
"Yeah. Gotta final tally later, but my rough last calc? Eight times your usual take."
"Waa...!"
Han Mi-ae let out a short gasp, then choked back her voice.
Hands clamped over her mouth, the bottled-up emotion spilled from her eyes.
Plip, plop. Tears stained the floor.
"Oh, gosh. Why am I like this? So embarrassing."
Even her self-scolding voice trembled.
"Geez, Mom's at it again~. Why cry? On a day like this."
Jeong Da-on smiled warmly, handing over tissues. Arm around her shoulder, patting her back—well-practiced moves.
'A son this doting, like a daughter.... Real thing, huh.'
Fair. He'd had a stoic daughter like a son. Reverse existed too.
"You've worked so hard all this time, Mom. No more chicken feet at home. Every meal was practice chicken feet—my butt's on fire~."
"You rascal, is *that* the issue now?"
"What could be bigger?"
Jeong Da-on kept up the teasing till Han Mi-ae smiled through tears.
"Wait here. I'll grab water. Can't have you crying nonstop."
He headed to the kitchen.
"Hoo...."
"Feeling calmer?"
At his question, Han Mi-ae met his eyes squarely, her own red-rimmed.
"Woo-yeon."
"Yeah."
"I'll work hard."
"......"
Seeing that tearful vow, he recalled a distant past.
"Gonna bust my ass! Pay back the remodel loan, save wedding funds for my boy, all that."
He'd started with fire like that too, probably. Too long ago to remember clear.
"Pad my pockets too while you're at it."
"Obviously!"
Joking, but she took it dead serious.
"Mom~! Here!"
"Thanks, sweetie."
Jeong Da-on returned with the glass; Han Mi-ae took it smiling.
"Woo-yeon, head out! We got cleanup."
"...Yeah. Don't overdo it. Lunch rush is tteokbokki-focused, right?"
"You bet~!"
"I'll head first."
No point crashing their mother-son time. He bowed and turned.
Ding.
Then his phone pinged with a messenger alert.
[Moon Yoo-han President: Machine is complete.]