How the Rank 0 Chef Survives 096: "Hello?"
"Hello?"
"Customer-nim!"
"Yes."
"Come down right now!"
"...Right now?"
"Yes!"
"Uh... okay. Just give me a minute."
I hurriedly threw on some clothes and rushed down the stairs. A sleek white car was waiting in front of the villa, shining brightly.
Whirr—
The front passenger window slid down.
"Customer-nim!"
Dahyun was grinning ear to ear, waving wildly. Like a puppy wagging its tail.
"Oh, hey."
"Get in! What are you doing standing there all dazed?"
"Ah, right."
Click—
I opened the passenger door and carefully slid inside. An unfamiliar floral scent filled the car, tickling my nose.
"Hehe, it's been a while, huh?"
"We saw each other yesterday."
Today's Dahyun was like an excited puppy on a long-awaited walk.
"Buckle your seatbelt first."
"Okay."
Click—
"Huh?"
Click-click—
"What the...?"
"Oh, that. It does that sometimes. Just stay still."
Dahyun leaned over toward me as she said it. A wave of fresh floral scent hit me. Her sudden invasion of my personal space left me frozen solid. Time seemed to stop for a moment.
Click—
Then the dizzying floral scent pulled away.
"There, all set."
"...Pardon?"
"Pardon?"
"Ah, uh, yeah. Seatbelt's... good now. Haha."
I fiddled with the seatbelt unnecessarily, rambling nonsense. Dahyun stared at me blankly.
"Whoa? Customer-nim, your face is red."
"No, it's not."
"Ahaha! Are you embarrassed, Customer-nim?"
"No, I'm not."
"Getting shy over something like this. You're such a baby."
"Ahem. So, where are we eating?"
"Hey? Changing the subject. You're embarrassed and changing the subject."
"Dahyun..."
"Ahaha, okay, okay."
Dahyun grinned like she was letting me off the hook.
"I made a reservation at a great Japanese place."
"Japanese?"
"Japanese cool with you?"
"Yeah, sounds good."
"I booked it, and I'll drive, so Customer-nim just needs to show up."
"...Wasn't I supposed to treat?"
"Customer-nim just bring yourself and your card."
"Yeees..."
This feels like I'm paying but still getting treated somehow.
"Alright, let's go!"
Vroom—
The car smoothly glided onto the road. I stole a glance at Dahyun driving leisurely. Gripping the wheel, she looked like a real grown-up.
Dahyun's an adult like my sister...
"Dahyun."
"Yes?"
"You have a car?"
"Ahaha, of course!"
"Ooh..."
She even has a car. A true adult.
"Kidding. It's not mine."
"Whose then?"
"Borrowed from my parents."
"Ah."
Even at a big company, buying a car at 22 is tough.
"You drive well."
"Ahaha, really?"
She beamed at the casual compliment.
"Truth is, it's a closet license. Haven't driven in ages."
"...Pardon?"
I subtly gripped the overhead handle.
"...Dahyun."
"Yes?"
"You have car insurance, right?"
"Car insurance?"
"Yeah, the kind you get for a period. It's not your car, so you need separate coverage."
"Hmm... yeah. Probably?"
"You sure?"
"Mom and Dad probably got it."
"Check it. Even a little bump could cost a fortune."
"Uh, well..."
"Make sure."
"Okay, okay."
At a stoplight, Dahyun tapped away on her phone searching for it.
"Phew... yep. Got today's insurance."
"Really?"
"Yeah, look. 1,180 won."
"...Good thing."
I finally let out a sigh of relief. Dahyun shot me a side-eye.
"You're so picky about this stuff."
"Safety first."
"Just like my dad."
"I am pretty thoughtful, yeah."
"Not what I meant."
We chatted away, and soon the car pulled up to our destination. Dahyun stopped at the barrier, grabbed the parking ticket from the machine, and as it lifted, we slid into the lot.
"Ooh! Plenty of spots! Good thing we came early."
"Does it usually fill up?"
"Totally. Weekend and all."
"Ah, got it."
"Plus cherry blossom season."
"Oh yeah."
Come to think of it, pink cherry blossoms dotted the streets on the way.
Dahyun picked an empty spot and started parallel parking.
"Ahem."
"...?"
Sudden fake cough from Dahyun. Then she bit down lightly on the parking ticket and began reversing, craning her neck to look back while glancing at me.
"...?"
Need help? I pulled the ticket from her mouth. Clear liquid immediately drooled out, like a dam bursting to fill the void.
"...."
"...."
Our eyes met. Dahyun's brown eyes shook like there was an earthquake.
"...."
I gently put the ticket back in her mouth.
* * *
"What! Why'd you pull it out?!"
Dahyun's face flushed beet red as she yelled.
"I-I was just trying to help..."
"Tch..."
She wiped her clothes with tissue, looking pitiful.
"Sorry..."
"...."
"B-but... Dahyun."
"What."
She glanced at me.
"Your saliva's super clear?"
"Hey!"
"It just dropped like rain from the eaves—"
"Shut up! Be quiet!"
We agreed not to mention it again.
"You saw nothing? Got it?"
"Huh? Saw what?"
"Pardon?"
"Nothing happened. No idea what you're talking about."
"Perfect."
Only then could we get out of the car.
"Ahem."
Dahyun cleared her throat and looked at me.
"First date in a while, so I put in some effort. How do I look?"
She spun around gracefully. Fresh dress fluttering like flowers in the breeze.
I chuckled and gave my honest take.
"Like vibrant spring."
"Ahaha, really? Thanks."
"And me?"
I spun too.
"Hmm... casual. Effortless vibe?"
"Haha, spot on. You've got an eye."
"Hehe, I do."
"But what's 'effortless'?"
"...You nailed it without knowing?"
"Not knowing's no issue. Attitude to learn matters."
"Sheesh. Just follow me."
We entered a building, heading to the Japanese restaurant on the second floor.
"Welcome~ Reservation?"
"Yes."
"Name?"
"Lee Dahyun."
"Right this way."
We got a window seat with cherry blossoms blooming wildly outside.
"Ooh! Amazing view."
"Right? Hehe..."
"...?"
Dahyun smirked like a scheming villain, but quickly opened the menu.
"Ahem. Let's order."
We got tonkatsu each, plus udon.
"Not too much?"
"Better full than short."
"True, but can we finish?"
Dahyun hesitated.
"Um... Customer-nim, worried about the bill? I can cover the udon—"
"No, no! I've got plenty! Order everything, no problem!"
I'd slipped up. This was atonement for my past mistakes with her. No matter the cost, zero regrets. Regretting would make me a total jerk.
"Really?"
"Yep! Made 6,000 gold in a dungeon once."
Dahyun's eyes went wide.
"...6,000 gold?"
"Yeah. So, what happened was—"
I spilled everything excitedly. From Shin-dong Village, storming the Demon King's Castle, Nimal Village stuff. Yudin Lake's water dragon, Garden Master Lilac, Baek Bal Baek Jung, Issneun Himkkeul Beda, Berry Merchant Group, Cheon-gong, Blood Axe Thrower, and more.
Dahyun was one of the few I fully trusted, so I held nothing back. Without her, I wouldn't have come this far. Who else but the Dahyun who'd been with me from the fantasy world's start?
She listened with sparkling eyes, gasping, covering her mouth, asking questions. Perfect audience.
"Whoa... You won over Baek Bal Baek Jung with food? No wonder..."
"Issneun Himkkeul Beda too? Insane connections..."
"Gasp! 6,000 gold from one dungeon?"
"Cheon-gong? Died to him? And Sera-unnie's stuff was from that?!"
"So he wasn't really strong, just bluffing? ...Customer-nim's got guts. What if caught?"
We ate and talked.
"Oh, and recently met someone else."
"Who? Another high-ranker?"
"Nickname might ring a bell."
"What's it?"
"Crying Priest."
"...."
Dahyun's mouth dropped open. (Not curious about the contents.)
"Rank 9 Crying Priest?"
"That's what they said."
She chewed tonkatsu, mumbling in disbelief.
"Unbelievable... You're playing a different game."
"...."
"Ranker meet-and-greet simulator?"
I'd skipped Molrangkau unconsciously. Their vibe at the snack bar wasn't friendly. Tense from first meet.
...No clue what they talked about.
"Oh right. Good news?"
She'd mentioned it yesterday.
"Oh yeah! Right?"
Dahyun beamed.
"Hehehe... Curious?"
She winked playfully.
"Drumroll?"
"What're you asking?"
"Dududu..."
I tapped the table to build hype.
"S-sir. Other customers might complain about table tapping..."
"Ah, sorry."
"Your fault."
"Who tapped so loud?"
"I'm dying here."
"Then mouth sounds only."
"Dududududu..."
"Ta-da!"
Dahyun pulled out a black business card.
[Fantasy Games]
Game Planning Department
Lee Dahyun
"Huh? Same as the one you gave before?"
"Read it carefully."
I scanned the card she handed over.
"Eh? Game Planning Department?"
I looked at her smiling brightly.
"Wasn't it Customer Service before?"
"Transferred departments!"
"Demotion? Oof..."
"No! It's basically a promotion for me."
Damn, fancy black card.
I fiddled with it.
"Job changes too, huh?"
"Yep. Starting as a game tester."
"Oho, game tester."
"I helped users in tutorials as a fairy, handled inquiries, reported diligently. Guess it paid off."
She popped tonkatsu in her mouth.
"Game Planning scouted me as a pro tester. Raise too. See? I'm capable."
"Impressive."
"Hehehe, paid to play games."
I munched tonkatsu, genuinely awed. Paid gaming—every gamer's dream. Elite job, not for just anyone.
"Dream job. Might game with you soon?"
"Sounds fun. In Genesis Village now?"
"Nah, no character yet. Tweaks pending. Won't take long."
"Cool. Didn't know pro testers existed."
"Simus the AI helps, but not perfect. Misses stuff."
"Oh yeah, that Simus jerk. Been mocking me via system messages."
"No way."
"For real! Sneering and all."
"AIs don't do that. Customer-nim..."
"...."
Unfair...
"Gonna hit the bathroom."
"Okay, go ahead."
While Dahyun was gone, I admired the cherry blossoms and crunched tonkatsu. Damn, this place is good. Melts in your mouth.
"Hehehe..."
Wanna check the breading and meat cross-section?
"Hehehehe!"
As I dissected the tonkatsu meticulously, a vibration buzzed from my pocket.
Bzzz—
Seo Ji-hyun.