T-Bone Ecstasy and Tipsy Live Streams
About five minutes after covering the T-bone steak with the Manhattan Grill lid, Im Nana asked in a trembling voice while wiping drool from her mouth.
"Areum... how much longer?"
Her eyes were glued to the covered grill.
"It's only been five minutes."
"N-No way... you're lying, right...?"
Her voice was pure despair. Anyone would think she'd lost her entire fortune.
"If you can't wait, why don't you go hammer in a few more tent pegs over there?"
"Wh-What? No! I can wait! As long as it takes!"
Im Nana waved her hands frantically in panic, then straightened up toward the grill again. It was like she was at a job interview.
'So, what ideal do you bring to devouring us?'
'Yes! I've been obsessed with steak since I was a kid, and every single second waiting for it to cook is torture! I must eat it!'
'You're hired!'
Pfft. Why was this random daydream so vivid?
"Huh? Areum, why are you laughing?"
"Nothing. Should we flip it now?"
From the side came an exaggerated gulp as she swallowed.
Ignoring the sound, I lifted the grill lid.
"Whoa..."
Steam rose in wisps, carrying an irresistible aroma from the massive T-bone steak. Damn... this was art.
I flipped the T-bone with tongs, and it hissed sizzle, the other side starting to sear.
"Alright, halfway there."
"Ah, still... halfway to go..."
A bit more time passed, and finally, the smartphone timer blared.
"Areum! It's done!"
"Looks like it. Shall we open it?"
With a solemn expression, I slipped on ranch gloves and flung open the lid.
Whoosh! A blast of hot air hit us, along with a dizzying smell that stabbed straight to the brain. Smoky char from the coals, the nutty savoriness of searing meat, the fresh herb notes from the seasoning—all condensed and exploding out at once.
"Wow..."
Im Nana's dazed voice came from beside me. Yeah... even I couldn't hold back.
The steak's surface was perfectly seared, a deep brown crust that looked crispy just from sight. Tiny beads of clear meat juices glistened like jewels under the glowing coals below.
I carefully transferred the massive hunk to the cutting board. Now for the most crucial part.
"Foil it up and let it rest for five minutes. The residual heat will cook the inside evenly and redistribute the juices throughout."
"Ah, more waiting?"
Tears seemed to well in Im Nana's eyes. I felt a twinge of guilt...
"Come on, come on. It's almost ready for real. Just five more minutes—exactly five."
I soothed her and set the smartphone timer. We watched in silence as the foil-blanketed beast napped on the board.
Finally, the alarm rang. I picked up the razor-sharp meat knife and slid it along the bone.
Schlick.
The knife glided in without resistance, accompanied by a satisfying sound, separating the tenderloin and sirloin smoothly.
The cross-section was perfect medium-rare. Pink flesh contrasted beautifully with the browned crust around the edges. And as I sliced, trapped juices burst out, soaking the board.
I cut a piece from the tenderest-looking tenderloin spot and fed it directly to Im Nana, whose face brimmed with anticipation.
"Here, say ahh."
"Uh, okay!"
She blushed as she accepted the morsel like a baby bird, then froze solid.
Her eyes went wide, and she said nothing. It was like time itself had stopped.
Ah, this again? Weird... or just YouTuber instincts?
The moment the meat hit her mouth, Im Nana's mind was sucked into another realm.
'Huh? Wh-where am I?'
Before her stretched not the campsite, but endless blue meadows under a vast, crystal-clear sky. A gentle breeze brushed her cheek, carrying the fresh scent of grass. In the distance, healthy cows grazed lazily.
Lost in the peaceful scene, she heard—
"Moooooo!"
A burly cow looked up, locked eyes with her, and charged full tilt.
"Eek!"
Terrified, she fell on her butt and squeezed her eyes shut, but the massive beast passed right through her like a ghost.
What remained was an explosion of umami and juicy bliss in her mouth. A storm of flavor flooded in: meadow grass turned to fragrant rosemary and thyme, the earth became the perfectly Maillard-browned steak, salt and pepper rained from the sky like stars. Every taste became a vivid landscape—a miracle.
Im Nana, eyes closed and motionless for a long moment, suddenly shuddered violently.
'...Choking?'
"Want some water...?"
As I reached for a glass, worried, her eyes snapped open, huge and ecstatic—like she'd just partied with those field cows.
"De... de-de-licious ()!!!!"
Whoa, scared me.
"Th-this...! Crispy outside, pudding-soft inside! The juices bursting with every chew wrap the whole world! So this is sous-vide!"
"Ahahaha, you running a food channel on the side? Ahahaha."
Her over-the-top reaction cracked me up. But it felt good—made me proud inside.
"Come on, no more dramatics. Eat before it cools. Want more slices?"
I played it cool, but my lips wouldn't stop grinning.
...Who knew someone enjoying my cooking would make me this happy.
The admiration ended, and the mukbang began in earnest. Im Nana's fork never stopped. Her mouth seemed full, yet meat kept vanishing inside.
Then her fork paused mid-air, her face turning serious as she looked at me.
"What's up?"
"Areum."
"Y-Yeah?"
"But... eating it, it's a bit rich."
"...Is that all? Why so grave?"
"Areum. This is serious. We can't waste this delicious steak just 'cause it's a little fatty."
Pfft. "Knew you'd say that. Got something prepared."
I went to the cooler and pulled out a bottle of bourbon whiskey, a small sweet vermouth bottle like a pill vial, and a thermos with round ice cubes.
"Whoa, what's all this?"
"Ingredients for a Manhattan cocktail. Even my hack version tastes surprisingly good."
Clink-clink. I dropped round ice into titanium cups, mixed whiskey and vermouth, and handed one to her.
"Try it. It'll cut right through the steak's richness."
"Whoa, first time for whiskey!"
Huh, really? Interesting.
I struck a pose handing her the cup. "Camping booze isn't just for getting wasted. You drink the vibe."
"Whoa... cool. Wait, huh?"
"Yeah? What's wrong?"
"In your last video, you chugged soju and went 'kyaa~' all sloppy..."
"Gah!! Gwah!! Ack!!!"
"You definitely did one shot and went 'kyaa~'..."
"A-Anyway! Drink before it warms up—the ice melts! Cheers!"
My desperate pivot must've been hilarious. Look at that smug face. Can't spit in a smiling face, but right now...
We clinked cups quietly. A clear ching rang out, ice rattling in the night air.
To shake off the embarrassment, I downed half in one go. Sweet aroma aside, it burned fiercer than expected going down. Hot rush hit hard.
"Whoa, stronger than it seems, right?"
"Kinda. It's booze mixed with booze."
We sipped, refilling as needed, spearing steak bites between. After a few, my vision blurred. ...Drank too fast? Alcohol spread faster than usual.
A few whiskeys in, my face burned; I was properly buzzed. Tongue starting to slur...
I glanced sideways. She'd matched me drink for drink—was Nana okay? Yeah, seemed fine. But... the booze? Her eyes... they looked... pretty. Sparkly, like stars.
"Nana's eyes... so pretty... twinkly... like stars..."
"Pfft—! Wh-What?! Areum, you drunk?"
Ehh... wasting good booze spitting it. Drunk? Me? No way!
"Drunk? This ain't enough to take down a real man! Ahh!"
"Areum? You're a girl now. Overdid it?"
"No! I can drink more. Camping's... the best... with someone this... great..."
Mmm... essence of camping... But her gaze felt intense... like when she saw that baby lamb earlier. Eyes full of adorable-animal love...
"Yeah, love camping with you too."
"Hehe, right?"
"Totally~ We switched to casual talk, got closer. And I get to see you all cute like this?"
"Heh, this body's pretty cute, huh?"
"Huh? Oh yeah. Super pretty and cute~"
Words I'd never say sober flowed easy on the booze. Back as a guy, even drunk I wouldn't say this—blame the gender swap?
Mid our back-and-forth, Im Nana grinned mischievously.
"Areum."
"Yees?"
"Wanna go live?"