Come Back and Visit Sometime

Park Jaeyoung and Porri were wandering around the vegetable garden, plucking lettuce. They had harvested about half of it when a booming voice echoed from the distance.

"Oppa!"

Jaeyoung turned his head toward the sound. Ha Eunchae was walking toward him, carrying a giant axe dripping with fresh blood. She must have run into a pack of monsters on her way here.

Porri startled, his fur standing completely on end.

"It's okay, Porri," Jaeyoung said, scooping the squirrel into his arms and stroking his back.

By the time Porri had calmed down a bit, Eunchae had arrived right in front of them.

"Look at you. You're a mess. You're not hurt, are you?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine. This is all ogre blood. Three of them rushed me at once, so I didn't have much of a choice."

"You need to wash up first."

"Yeah, I'd feel a bit bad going inside looking like this."

Chuckling, Jaeyoung pointed to the side of the house. He had set up an outdoor sink there for various chores.

"Wash up over there."

"Perfect. I'll be right back."

"I'll start on lunch. Come on in when you're done."

Holding Porri, Jaeyoung headed inside. He went straight to the kitchen and began pulling out various ingredients.

He planned to make a light lunch of janchi-guksu—banquet noodles. Besides, making a batch of anchovy broth now would come in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠handy for all sorts of dishes later.

Jaeyoung placed kelp, dried anchovies, and green onions into a pot. If kelp was simmered for too long, it would release a slimy residue that ruined the clean taste, and anchovies would turn bitter and fishy. He planned to boil them for just fifteen minutes.

While the broth simmered, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he needed to prepare the garnishes, make the seasoning sauce, and boil the thin wheat noodles. Jaeyoung took eggs and a zucchini from the refrigerator. He planned to keep the garnishes simple: just julienned egg garnish and stir-fried zucchini.

He placed a frying pan on the induction cooktop and drizzled some oil. While the pan heated up, he separated the egg yolks from the whites. It required a bit of extra effort, but it made the final dish look beautiful. Taste was paramount, of course, but visual appeal was a crucial part of the dining experience. There was a reason restaurants obsessed over plating.

Once the pan was hot enough, he poured the egg whites, spreading them thinly across the surface.

The Cooking skill ensured the egg garnish didn't burn. After frying the yolks in the same manner and stir-frying the zucchini, he set a pot of water to boil for the noodles. Jaeyoung dumped an entire bag of thin wheat noodles into the pot. Considering Eunchae's monstrous appetite, this was the only logical portion size.

"What's for lunch?"

As if on cue, Eunchae walked into the kitchen.

"Banquet noodles."

"Oh, you know I'm absolutely crazy for noodles!"

"That's why I boiled a ton."

"I knew it! You're the best, Oppa."

Jaeyoung checked the broth pot. Seeing the deep, rich color, he knew it was time to strain out the kelp and anchovies. He grabbed a mesh strainer from the cupboard and scooped out the solid ingredients. Meanwhile, the noodles finished cooking perfectly.

"Rinse the noodles in cold water for me."

"Got it."

Now it was time to make the seasoning sauce. Jaeyoung retrieved Cheongyang chili peppers, green onions, and minced garlic from the fridge. He finely chopped the chilies and green onions, then mixed them with the minced garlic, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes to complete the savory, spicy sauce.

Clack!

Jaeyoung pulled bowls from the cupboard, portioned out the noodles, arranged the colorful garnishes on top, and ladled the steaming broth over them. When he carried the bowls to the dining table, Eunchae had already set out the utensils, kimchi, and seasoning sauce.

"Enjoy."

"Thanks for the food!"

Squeak, squeak!

Jaeyoung took a sip of the broth first. The savory, umami-rich soup extracted from the anchovies and kelp washed over his tongue, instantly warming him from the inside out. He hadn't even been drinking the night before, yet it felt like the ultimate hangover cure.

Eunchae seemed to feel the exact same way, letting out a series of satisfied, guttural sighs as she gulped down the broth. After enjoying another sip of the clean, unadorned soup, Jaeyoung stirred in a spoonful of the seasoning sauce. The pristine broth and the seasoned broth—both had their own distinct, irresistible charms.

Slurp!

Jaeyoung ate his noodles at a brisk pace. Glancing up mid-bite, he saw that Eunchae had already nearly polished off her massive bowl. It had been a portion easily equivalent to a double or triple serving.

"Want some more?"

"Yes, please! It's so good."

Rising from his seat, Jaeyoung gathered all the remaining noodles and brought them over to her. With Eunchae's legendary appetite, she would have no trouble finishing them.

"This is seriously amazing. I honestly want to come here every single day."

"I'm glad you like it."

Watching her eat with such gusto made him feel that buying the Cooking skill book had been entirely worth it. Eunchae drained her bowl down to the very last drop of broth before standing up.

"Well, I should get going. Thanks for the incredible meal."

"Leaving already?"

"I was clearing a gate near the No-Man's Land and just wanted to drop by to see your face. My teammates are waiting, so I need to head ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠back."

Jaeyoung walked her to the front door.

"Get back safely."

"Of course."

"And let me know once you're out of the No-Man's Land." After a brief hesitation, Jaeyoung added, "Come back and visit sometime."

Eunchae burst into a bright laugh.

"Look at you, getting all soft after retirement. Next time I come, I'll bring some premium Hanwoo beef."

After sending Eunchae off and tidying up the kitchen, Jaeyoung stepped outside. A hand axe hung ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from his waist, and he carried a long wooden stick in his hand.

Jaeyoung drew a line in the dirt stretching from his house to the valley stream. To the right of the line lay his vegetable garden, but the left side was completely empty. He planned to build a ranch on this vacant left side. He wanted to raise his own cows, sheep, and chickens.

"Porri, let's go gather some wood."

It would be a disaster if he went through the trouble of bringing animals here only for them to run away. The ranch needed a sturdy fence.

"Hop on."

With Porri perched on his shoulder, Jaeyoung marched into the forest.

Once they were deep enough in the woods, Jaeyoung gripped his hand axe and swung.

Thud! Thud!

He bound the fallen trees tightly with rope and dragged them back toward the house. A few orcs jumped out along the way, but Porri dispatched them effortlessly.

Back at the house, Jaeyoung used his woodworking skill to process the timber. Then, he activated his construction skill.

In an instant, a fully formed ranch materialized. Jaeyoung walked along the perimeter of the newly built structure. The fence ran seamlessly without a single gap. Satisfied with the result, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"Porri, isn't your dad amazing?"

Sitting on his left shoulder, Porri clapped his tiny paws.

"Let's do just a bit more work."

Jaeyoung went back to the forest to fell more trees. Even if he let the chickens free-range, they still needed a coop to shelter them from the harsh sun, wind, and rain.

With the chicken coop complete, Jaeyoung thought, I should head down to the market tomorrow.

Jaeyoung opened his eyes to the sound of mountain birds chirping outside his window. Turning his head, he saw Porri curled up right next to his pillow. Another day had begun.

Rustle, rustle.

At the sound of Jaeyoung sitting up, Porri woke up as well.

"Did you sleep well, Porri?"

He patted the squirrel's head and slid out of bed. He had a lot to do today, so he needed to move quickly.

Heading down to the first floor, Jaeyoung walked into the kitchen. This morning, he was craving a classic Korean breakfast. He decided to make beef brisket soybean paste stew—chadol-baki doenjang-jjigae—along with a few side dishes.

He stir-fried the thinly sliced beef brisket first, then added soybean paste, red chili paste, and minced garlic before pouring in the anchovy broth he had prepared yesterday. While the broth came to a boil, he quickly prepped the vegetables. Out of all the bite-sized vegetables, he tossed the potatoes in first, as they needed the most time to cook.

Once the potatoes were partially cooked, he added onions, zucchini, tofu, green onions, and Cheongyang chili peppers. He took a quick spoonful to taste it, but the depth of flavor was slightly lacking. In times like this, soup soy sauce was the answer. He stirred in a splash of soup soy sauce, let it boil for another minute, and tasted it again. This time, it was absolutely perfect.

Squeak, squeak!

Lured by the rich, savory aroma of the stew, Porri hopped onto the countertop and twitched his nose.

"Just a moment. Let me whip up some side dishes to go with it."

Jaeyoung took eggs, shishito peppers, and dried anchovies out of the refrigerator. He planned to make just two simple side dishes: rolled omelet—gyeran-mari—and stir-fried anchovies. He cracked the eggs into a bowl, beat them with chopsticks, and threw in some chopped green onions he had set aside while making the stew.

Gradually pouring the egg mixture into the heated pan, he rolled it up in layers, effortlessly shaping a thick, golden omelet about the width of a finger in no time.

He then stir-fried the anchovies and shishito peppers in the blink of an eye.

Jaeyoung set the stew and side dishes on the table. A large bowl of rice and stew sat in front of him, while a tiny saucer of food was placed before Porri.

"Dig in."

Taking a spoonful of the stew, he couldn't help but marvel at how delicious it was. The tofu, which had soaked up the spicy and salty broth, was exquisite, and the potatoes melted softly in his mouth. The zucchini and potatoes each brought their own unique textures and flavors to the dish.

But the true highlight was the brisket. The rich, savory beef was a match made in heaven with the deep broth. Jaeyoung devoured the stew and rice like a man possessed, occasionally reaching for a piece of the rolled omelet or a forkful of the stir-fried anchovies.

After polishing off two bowls of rice in the blink of an eye, he looked across the table to see Porri patting his round, bulging belly.

Chuckling softly, Jaeyoung said, "I'll keep making you lots of delicious food, buddy."