How the Rank 0 Chef Survives 055
"...Huh? It's gone already!"
"It's all gone!"
"......"
The kid trio peered blankly into their now-empty tteokbokki cups, revealing only the stark white bottom. Inside lingered just faint traces of the red sauce where the tteokbokki had briefly resided.
They'd scarfed it down the moment they took a bite, forgetting all about their little bet in their frenzy to devour it.
I grinned triumphantly and asked, "How's it taste?"
"...Still delicious."
"...Feels like you packed it fuller, so even a little more quantity."
"...Uncle, you nailed it just like always."
The kids mumbled their impressions one by one, hesitantly.
But my eyebrow shot up.
"What? Uncle?"
The trio's leader jabbed his elbow into the side of the kid who'd called me that.
The poked kid hurriedly corrected himself. "Ah, bro. It's delicious, bro."
Satisfied with the answer, I nodded. "Yeah? Tastes good, right?"
"Yes. Delicious, bro. You guys too, right?"
"Yeah! Totally delicious, bro."
"Right, bro."
Even after polishing off the tteokbokki, though, they lingered in front of the stand like wistful ghosts, smacking their lips regretfully. They shook the cups over their tongues, desperate to scrape out every last drop of sauce.
Tsking my tongue, I opened my mouth. "What? Not enough?"
The leader jumped in. "Yes, bro. Want more."
"Got money?"
"...No."
The kid trio drooped their heads dejectedly.
"Tch. Fine, showing some generosity."
I held out my hand like it couldn't be helped. "Hand over your cups."
"Huh?"
"It's a secret from the boss lady?"
Playing the benevolent big brother, I tossed an extra tteok piece and a generous ladle of sauce into each paper cup.
"Whoa!"
Their faces lit up like sunshine.
"Got it? Secret between me and you kids? If others find out, bro's in trouble?"
"Yes!"
Hmph. Bratty kids. They sure answer quick when it suits them.
They scampered off with gleeful laughter and bouncy steps.
Watching them fondly, the boss lady who'd been secretly observing sidled up. "Oho~ Not bad at all?"
"Haha, what're you saying."
I scratched the back of my head sheepishly, feigning modesty.
Three tteok pieces weren't much, and the sauce would've been tossed anyway. For that, I'd locked in those three as regulars. Profitable business.
They'd come daily, trading their nose-picking pocket change for tteokbokki and faithfully paying up.
Heh heh heh.
"Your skills are no joke. First time doing business?"
"Haha, yeah."
In real life, anyway.
"Oh my~ We've got ourselves a lucky charm~"
The boss lady clapped delightedly, beaming.
"You're too kind."
I returned a polite smile and a gentlemanly nod.
She glanced at her watch, then patted my shoulder. "Whew~ Seeing you handle it so well puts my mind at ease. Guess you can manage solo from here on out?"
"Of course, boss lady."
I beamed proudly, but a certain word made my smile freeze.
That word carried a peculiar emphasis. "...Boss lady."
"Yes?"
"What's this 'from here on out'?"
Her words sounded like "the real deal starts now."
"Ah, the students are about to swarm any minute."
"...Students? Swarm?"
"Yeah. Oh, here they come."
Thud thud thud—
A faint tremor rumbled from the ground.
"Heavens~ Speak of the devil."
The boss lady gazed fondly toward the presumed source.
Screeech—
I whipped my head around to follow her gaze.
Thud thud thud—
The vibrations intensified, interspersed with faint voices.
-Eee hee hee! Tteokbokki! Tteokbokki!
-Ugh heh heh heh! Monday study stress! Wash it down with oden broth!
-Chooochi! Drink 'til we drop! Uh ha ha ha!
In the distance, a horde in school uniforms—no, a pack of starving zombies—charged toward us.
"Ho ho, full of energy too. Go get 'em~ Aja aja!"
"B-Boss, boss lady."
"Ho ho, with Hura here, I feel so secure~"
Muttering to herself, the boss lady left the cart.
She was prepping inside for dine-in customers.
...Gulp.
Left alone at the cart, I stared at the approaching zombie horde with trembling eyes.
It felt like being abandoned in a vast ocean.
-Kee heh heh heh! We're seniors now! Seniors!
-Tteokbokki! Need tteokbokki! Super delicious tteokbokki!
-Poo hee hee hee! Drown breakup blues in a sweet cup of tteokbokki!
...The elementary kids had been cute, at least.
They swarmed the stand like a plague of locusts.
"Two tteokbokki!"
"Three hot dogs! Freshly fried, right?"
"Oden for me! COD okay? Ladle extra broth too."
"...Eek."
* * *
Chirp chirp— Birds sang as clear sunlight filtered through the trees in Shin-dong Village.
"Dapam. Got everything?"
"Let me check... Nothing missing, right?"
"How many times you checking?"
"Better safe."
IssneunGeubgaBipkoDapam and BeliefWorthyMerchant were gearing up to leave Shin-dong Village.
After a final inventory and luggage check, Dapam grinned. "All set."
"Then let's go."
"Ah, wait. One last time."
"Hey! Enough! Just come on!"
"Okay, okay."
Dapam was dragged off by Belief's hand like a ragdoll as they took their first steps.
Thanks to Hura, they'd secured precious treasures safely in their inventories. In simple attire, they were finally departing Shin-dong Village.
They'd delayed a bit plotting routes to villages amid the shifting tides, where they could fetch top prices for their loot.
Just as they set off in high spirits, someone blocked their path.
"Hold up."
"......?"
The man crossed his left index and middle fingers with his right index like a cross in greeting.
"Hello. Mind cooperating briefly?"
"Pardon? What's this about?"
Belief asked puzzledly, but the man unfurled a paper with Hura's face.
Flutter—
"Seen this man?"
The merchants squinted closely.
Dapam unconsciously muttered, "...Lord Hura?"
The Tteokbokki Cultist's eyes flashed at the whisper.
"......!"
Belief swiftly clamped Dapam's mouth. "Ha, haha! Craving fried chicken again, huh? You glutton. Let's grab some quick. Haha!"
Belief shot Dapam a fierce glare.
Dapam widened his eyes and nodded frantically.
Releasing his hand, Dapam forced an awkward smile. "Y-Yeah! Haha, fried chicken! I love it so much, sometimes I even add 'nim' to it. You know?"
"Sure, sure. Off to fried chicken then."
"W-We should get going."
The two linked arms, chuckling awkwardly, trying to sidestep the cultist.
"......"
But the Tteokbokki Cultist extended an arm, blocking the steaming merchants.
"You'll need to come with us."
"Ah, no, wait! Must be a misunderstanding."
"We don't know any Hura! Who names their kid Hura? Not like fried egg."
The cultist beckoned behind him. Other Tteokbokki Cultists rushed over with spears.
"Won't take long."
"Eek, eee...!"
"Let go!"
The hapless merchants were dragged off by the spear-wielding cultists.
"Thank you for cooperating."
* * *
"Hello! I'm Sebastian, the fairy guide of Fantasy World!"
The fairy beamed and bowed cutely.
"Welcome to Fantasy World! Would you like a general overview?"
"No."
The customer shot back bluntly in casual speech.
But Dahyun was used to it. Undeterred, she widened her eyes pleadingly. "R-Really no?"
"Nope."
"For real? You sure?"
"Not listening."
"It's free, though?"
"......"
The customer ignored her completely, striding off.
Dahyun flitted after him. "I can explain super well. Really—"
"Said skip it. Buzz off."
"Kyaa!"
Dahyun tumbled to the ground from the customer's swatting hand, like swatting a fly. She rolled, dirtied head to toe.
"...Yes, customer-nim. Of course... You already know everything..."
She mumbled glumly.
After her rough time with Hura last time, she'd lowered her pain sensitivity, so it didn't hurt much—but her mood soured.
"Achoo!"
Dust clouds tickled a sneeze from her.
"...Sniff."
Incoming call.
"Huh?"
Dahyun wiped her nose and checked the caller.
"Ah!"
Dahyun's mood flipped instantly. She hastily logged out of Fantasy World.
Back in her Dream Gear home—a cozy pink space—she plopped on the fluffy sofa and pressed her ear to answer.
"Yes, hello?"
Linking Dream Gear to phone was basic; no need to remove the headset.
-Hey, Dahyun. It's me.
A casual voice, like chatting with phone wedged between shoulder and ear.
"Sera unnie!"
Overjoyed, Dahyun bounced in place calling her name.
Sera chuckled. -Yeah. Saw your text. What Hura likes?
"Ah, yes! Um... Customer-nim felt bad about last time, so he's treating me to food..."
-Ooo~
Sera's teasing tone flushed Dahyun's cheeks.
"Wh-What's ooo~? Just a meal date."
-Heh heh heh. Sure it is?
"Unniee~!"
Sera laughed at Dahyun's whiny protest. -That guy came covered in puke, you carried him home, cleaned him up nice, bathed him, changed his clothes. No feelings there?
"Y-Yes? Yes? Yes?"
Dahyun stammered "yes" in panic.
-Saw he even tidied up before leaving.
"...J-Just a bit. Only the obvious stuff."
-That's saint-level material right there.
"No, that's not—"
As Dahyun stomped in excuse-making, Sera probed slyly. -...Or.
She tested. -You that nice to everyone?
The follow-up chilled the air. Dahyun's tongue froze.
She swallowed. Then, deflated, she mumbled sheepishly. "...Didn't say no feelings..."
-Puhahaha!
The hearty laugh from the other end turned Dahyun beet red.
"Wh-Why laugh!"
-Ahahaha! You and Hura are too cute!
"...Eeeeng!"
Dahyun wailed oddly, galloping wildly through her pink Dream Gear home like an untethered colt. She pummeled the bear plush on the sofa.
As Sera's laughter subsided and Dahyun's embarrassed flailing calmed, she asked primly again. "S-So! What does customer-nim like!"
-Hee hee! Almost hung up, but you're dying to know, huh?
"Unnie!"
-Okay, okay. I'll tell. Recalling Hura's faves, Sera tilted her head belatedly. -But Dahyun. He's treating, right?
"...Yeah?"
-So why you stressing?
"Huh?"
-Just eat what you want.
"...But we're eating together. Better if we both like it."
-Hm, true? He eats anything fine.
"Still gotta have favorites."
-Fine, listing his likes.
"Ah, wait! Memo time!"
-Hee hee. Time ain't equal for all. Braised chicken, jokbal, pork cutlet—
"Unniee!"
Dahyun frantically summoned a notepad, scribbling Sera's list.
-Jajangmyeon, jjampong, spaghetti... Noodles, mostly all good. Hates beef. Not worth the price.
"Mm. And?"
Dahyun sat at her desk, tucking hair behind her ear, diligently noting like in class.
-Doesn't love grilled meats, prefers steamed or soups.
"Grilled meat X. Steamed... or soup..."
She echoed softly while jotting.
-Poultry top, then pork. Beef no again.
"Chicken... top pref... then pork... beef X."
-Likes cheese stuff, soy-based too...
The somewhat lengthy lecture on Hura's tastes continued; Dahyun filled pages.
-That enough?
"Yes, unnie!"
Dahyun grinned proudly at her packed notes. Knowing his likes felt like closing the distance. Priceless intel.
-But Dahyun.
"Yes?"
-You planning to settle for just dinner?
"...Huh?"
Question marks popped over Dahyun at the intel provider's query.
-Gonna waste the chance on food alone?
"...Then what?"
Sera dropped casually. -Cherry blossoms blooming pretty outside. No biggie, just toss it out there.