How the Rank 0 Chef Survives 075: The Tteokbokki Cult Spy
I pressed my throbbing temples and greeted the customers. I couldn't just shut down the stall because of some unexpected problem.
Customers kept pouring in, and the line only grew longer.
"What can I get you?"
"Two tteokbokki, please!"
"Sure thing. That's 2,000 won."
"Here you go."
"Got your 2,000 won~"
I forced a smile, acting like everything was fine as I served them, but I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from twitching every now and then.
"But mister, are you really Hura?"
"Nope."
"...You look just like him."
"Neither of us is."
"Huh?"
"You're not him, and neither is Hura."
The kid next to him tapped the questioner's shoulder.
"See? I told you. Who even plays without customizing these days?"
"Yeah, true."
"......"
"Not like we're idiots who don't know how to customize."
"Right? What gives him the confidence?"
"......"
...Ugh.
I'm not an idiot. I could customize if I wanted. I just didn't because it's a hassle, you little brats.
"...Your two tteokbokki~"
I handed them over, my lips trembling. These pint-sized punks... putting me through this humiliation.
And whose fault was all this?
I glanced sideways. The culprit behind this mess was grinning ear to ear, staring right through me. Then, out of nowhere, the Tteokbokki Association Chairwoman started sniffing the air.
"Sniff sniff. Ahh... Hura-nim's sweat mixed with the fragrant tteokbokki aroma. So good..."
"...!"
Goosebumps erupted all over my body. I instinctively stepped back from her.
...How the hell do I deal with this?
Right hand stirring tteokbokki, left hand frying hot dogs, I whispered to her.
"Um, Student Chaera."
"Eek! Calling me again!"
"......"
"How did you know my name?"
...You just told me. With your own mouth. And it's right there in front of me on your name tag.
"Well..."
Not in the mood for a long explanation, I glanced at the name tag pinned to her chest.
Following my gaze, she checked her own tag and looked up at me with awe.
"Amazing! Your observation skills are incredible! A great chef has eyes like no one else!"
"......"
At this rate, she'll praise me for breathing.
I eyed her sparkling gaze with mixed feelings.
"You remembered my name! What an honor, Hura-nim."
"......"
"Eeee! Hura-nim remembered my name! Eeee!"
...Did I spike the MSG with hallucinogens?
Part of me wanted to kick this druggie out, but I took a deep breath to steady myself. Then I called her again.
"Student Chaera."
"Yes, Hura-nim."
"What are you talking about? Why call me Hura?"
I tried playing dumb—I'm not Hura—but she just smiled knowingly, like she had it all figured out.
"Aw, come on~ Not this again."
She twisted her body and poked my shoulder with her finger. A wave of chills shot from the spot, spreading everywhere. I flinched back another step.
"H-Hey! What're you doing? Don't touch me!"
"Hehe, so cute."
"S-Sit over there! Don't come any closer!"
I quickly dragged a chair over and set it a bit farther away. That should keep her at bay. And no one outside the stall would see.
"Y'know, my tongue's pretty sensitive. Once I taste something, I never forget it."
Chaera obediently sat and explained.
"It had that exact same taste as Hura-nim's tteokbokki from the game."
"...?"
I gave her a puzzled look. The seasoning was totally different. What was she on about?
"Like the tteokbokki from the game?"
Seeing my skeptical face, she elaborated.
"Oh, the overall flavor's completely different, sure. But it had that unique Hura-nim taste."
"What unique taste?"
"Hmm... How to put it? Like a taste that brings back memories?"
"...!"
Flash.
Lightning struck my mind.
No way... that hypothesis was right?
The NPC Lilac had once fallen under Cooking Charm. It made me rethink how players could succumb to it too. That sparked a theory.
I'd dismissed it as nonsense at first.
But now, right in front of me, was living proof that the taste was real.
"...For real? You tasted that?"
"Yes. Faint, but exactly like in the game. Hard to describe."
Grandpa's words echoed in my head.
'Your power is memories.'
Beda had fallen to Cooking Charm without the white powder. Watching him, I'd thought: What if the mysterious power in my food stimulates memories, and the powder just amplifies it?
If Cooking Charm worked in real life too?
Did the 'power of memories' carry over?
I'd heard that even with the same ingredients and recipe, every chef's food tastes different. That's their personality, their skill.
So, was my budding chef talent manifesting as a system skill in-game?
Even if Dream Gear used brainwaves, could it go that far?
"Um... no tteokbokki?"
"Ah, sorry."
A waiting customer's voice snapped me back. I scooped tteokbokki into a cup.
"Here's your tteokbokki."
"Thanks."
I glanced at Chaera, beaming beside me. She'd been icy earlier, grilling me about recipe changes. Now she seemed like a different person.
"What is it, Hura-nim?"
I bowed to her.
"Thank you. Tteokbokki Association Chairwoman."
"Uh... yeah?"
"Not just anyone can be Chairwoman."
"Wh-Why are you like this?"
Chaera flailed her hands in panic, but you had to properly thank benefactors like her. It was only right.
"Please accept my gratitude, Chairwoman."
"D-Don't do this, Hura-nim. Stop."
"I won't budge until you do."
"Fine! L-Look, customers are waiting!"
"No buts. Accept it."
"...Eek!"
In the end, Chaera endured Hura's burdensome gratitude. Fanning her flushed face, she watched him work.
"......"
The thanks made no sense, but it felt genuine. Pouting for a bit, she called out.
"Hura-nim."
"Yes."
"Don't you recognize me at all?"
"...Pardon?"
Hura glanced at her while filling a cup.
"Back when you sold tteokbokki in Genesis Village. No joke, I bought it dozens of times."
At her sassy remark, Hura narrowed his eyes and stared.
"I didn't customize much either, like you. Just came to try tteokbokki and leave. You should've... recognized me...?"
Chaera trailed off, peeking at his reaction, eyes sparkling with hope.
"Uh... um... sorry. Too many customers."
"Oh... yeah, makes sense..."
She drooped her head.
Hura quickly followed up.
"What's your character name? Might ring a bell."
"Gwisinigo Kalroli."
"Hm?"
The familiar name made Hura tilt his head.
"Sounds familiar."
"Really?"
Her face lit up.
"Hehe, of course. I bought so much of your tteokbokki."
"Haha, yeah."
"No wonder I became an executive in the Tteokbokki Cult. Hehehe."
"Hahaha."
"Hehehe."
Suddenly, the laughter cut off. Hura whipped his head toward her with a screech, and Chaera clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.
"Eep."
"...Tteokbokki Cult?"
"......"
"Tteokbokki Cult? I heard that clear as day. Tteokbokki Cult?"
"He... hehe... Did I say that?"
She averted her eyes, adjusting her glasses. But words once spoken couldn't be unsaid.
Hura narrowed his eyes at her.
"Oh ho... The Tteokbokki Cult?"
Chaera gulped.
"The ones who chased me down like they wanted to kill me?"
"......"
"The ones who took over the square in Genesis Village, shouting my name everywhere?"
"......"
Chaera fidgeted, legs shaking. Hura's icy words dripped down on her.
"Tteokbokki Cult... Heh heh..."
Cold sweat trickled down her temple.
"Student Chaera."
"Y-Yes?"
She jumped. Hura's eyes, like a yaksha's, loomed closer.
"You didn't side with them, did you?"
Her pupils shook like in an earthquake, sweat pooling on her back. As a frontline action leader hunting Hura, she couldn't utter a word.
She just stared at the ground, hands trembling.
His words fell like cold drizzle into her ear.
"Right... Of course you did. An executive would."
"Th-That's..."
As Chaera stammered excuses, an unexpected line came.
"Student Chaera."
"Y-Yes?"
"Be my prakchi."
"P-Prakchi?"
Chaera's puzzled face snapped up.
"Sure!"
She grabbed the lifeline.
The word didn't sound bad.
"...But what's that?"
"...You said yes without knowing?"
"Uh... pretty much?"
Hura shook his head.
"Jeez. It's like a secret informant only we know about. A spy, basically."
"S-Spy?"
"Yep. Report all Tteokbokki Cult activities to me in detail from now on. Got it?"
"Spy...? Me... betraying the Tteokbokki Cult...?"
Chaera murmured blankly. Hura had played it smart. Better to plant a spy deep inside than vent on a kid.
"We'll talk like this occasionally. Safest outside the game."
"...!"
Her round glasses flashed. 'Talk like this'? Not the last time chatting close with Hura-nim? Regular meetings?
Sure, it looked like betraying the cult, but she'd have to meet like this to pass info. With the real-life Hura-nim!
Oh my god!
Chaera clamped her mouth to stifle a scream.
To her, Hura was more than a celebrity crush. More chances to talk up close? A miracle.
"What, you hate it?"
"N-No! I love it!"
She chose her heart over cult loyalty without hesitation.
"This'll be fun. My spy."
"Yes. Deal."
Hura offered his hand; she grabbed it eagerly.
"Pleased to work with you, Student Chaera."
"Likewise, Hura-nim."
Thus began their risky alliance, mutually beneficial. Though faces suggested one side got the better deal.
"Hehehe."
Hura stared at their clasped hands.
"......"
He'd let go, but the handshake lingered. Probably her not releasing.
Now there were two extra hands.
...Weird. I didn't add any.
Hura called to Chaera, gripping his hand with both of hers.
"Hey, Student Chaera."
"Yes?"
"Lunchtime's ending. No school?"
"It's fine. Our lunch break's long."
"......"
"Anyway, Hura-nim, what's your real name? No customizing at all? Oh, did you see the latest video? Oh, you don't know. It's on NewTube..."
Chatter chatter.
Chatter chatter.
"......"
Hura felt his mind fading.
Current time: 3:55 p.m. Son Da-eun checked the clock and glanced at the stall.
"Hura-ssi~ Time to wrap up~"
But Hura didn't respond or turn, slumped dead in the chair.
Sensing something off, Son Da-eun wiped her apron and approached cautiously.
"Um... Hura-ssi?"
He sat there, more drained than ever, occasionally twitching with weird laughs.
"Heh heh... Hee hee he he."
"...Hura-ssi. You okay?"
"Huh? Oh, Boss. Of course. Hi hi."
"Time's up. Get ready to go."
"Yes..."
Son Da-eun watched his shambling back to the bathroom with worry.
"He looks extra beat today. That girl?"
She recalled Chaera chattering all afternoon beside him. The girl had held out till 3, then got dragged off by her homeroom teacher.
"Boss. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah. Take care."
"Yes. Hi hi..."
"......"
Son Da-eun watched his staggering figure with concern.
"Ah... She drained my soul."
I thought establishing order would make today easiest. Nope—hardest yet.
Nonstop chatter from Chaera beside me had rapidly depleted my stamina.
"At least she says no more of this..."
I pulled out the business card from my pocket. Her homeroom teacher had given it while hauling her away, promising no repeats—and to call if it happened again.
"Sigh... Who knows what tomorrow brings."
Sighing, I opened the convenience store door.
Ding-a-ling—
"Welcome~"
No energy for jokes. I silently grabbed two canned coffees and set them on the counter.
Mansu rang me up without a word and took his share.
Sipping in unison, we sighed together.
"...Hey."
"What."
"No crap today?"
"...Just."
"Something up?"
"Sigh... Life... ain't easy. You?"
"Sigh... Life... sucks. Goddess didn't show today."
We sighed again, gulping coffee.
Then—
Ding-a-ling—
"Welcome~"
Mansu auto-greeted. I glanced over mid-sip, casually.
Then my eyes widened.
"...Huh?"
Under the baseball cap, raptor-like eyes.
The bold assassin from the big mart.
Panting, she glared at me.