Brisket Craze (2)
Brisket Craze (2)
I felt bad for the two of them, but I sent a text saying there was no brisket left.
A call came in suddenly. When I picked up, Lee Min-ho was wailing into the phone, so I hung up without a word.
This guy—he's a man, but his behavior is like a woman's, I tell you.
That's why he still doesn't have a girlfriend.
I hope he learns to become a modest and reserved man, like me.
Well, I understood to some degree.
They must have gotten their hopes up so high, and I was the one who personally smashed those dreams and hopes.
In the end, after searching everywhere and with no decent solution coming to mind, I pushed it onto the two of them at school the next day, telling them to figure something out themselves.
During class, they didn't listen to the lesson and just stared at their phones.
Now they were asking me about it, having apparently discovered 'pulled pork'.
"Pulled pork is made with pork butt..."
"Is it okay?"
Faced with Lee Min-ho's incomparably desperate eyes and Jeong Hwan-yi's earnest, longing gaze, I had no choice but to give in.
Compared to brisket, it wasn't difficult or hard, and pork butt could be obtained in any quantity, so I had no choice but to nod my head.
I, a man, really am an easy man...
What was the most important thing for pulled pork again?
First, I knew the breed of the pig was important.
"I've heard it's best to use Duroc or Iberico."
The two of them tilted their heads as if they were hearing these breeds for the first time.
Duroc is a red breed raised in the eastern United States, fed on grass and acorns.
Iberico is a breed improved in Spain specifically for making 'Jamón' ham, raised on acorns.
Duroc, Iberico, and a breed called Mangalitsa
were known as the three great pig breeds, but I excluded Mangalitsa because it's a breed that tastes best grilled.
But why do they feed pigs acorns, anyway?
It seemed a little pitiful.
"What's the difference? Can't we just use regular Handon?"
"Because Handon is mostly sold sliced."
Handon was also ruled out because it tastes best grilled.
And Duroc or Iberico pork is much more tender.
Pulled pork is a dish that, whether cooked long in the oven or prepared via sous-vide, delivers a melt-in-your-mouth flavor.
Since Handon has an excellent texture, it doesn't really suit pulled pork.
Today was Monday,
so if I ordered now, it would probably arrive by tomorrow afternoon.
Sous-vide took quite a long time, and...
"You can't be late on Wednesday, okay?"
"We won't be late. If something comes up, it'll be on your end."
"That's true."
As I parted ways with the two at the main gate, I emphasized it once more. Since it was a time-sensitive dish, those guys really couldn't afford to be late.
***
"What is this? Is it a hidden camera prank or something?"
I'd come home after picking up the package that had arrived at the unmanned parcel locker on the first floor.
Because the second brisket video had also gotten a very good response, I was brimming with motivation to film more.
But when I opened the pork butt that had been delivered,
it was so discolored it looked almost blackish,
and decay had already set in.
A rotting smell wafted from it,
and it was in such a horrible state that anyone would wonder
if something like this could really be sold for money.
For a moment, I wondered if it had been sent by mistake,
but honestly, what kind of meat vendor accidentally sends out rotten pork butt?
I didn't know what the deal was, but with this happening,
my head started to ache thinking about how I was supposed to film the video the next day.
"Haa... I bought it because the reviews were really good, too..."
I needed to season it and start the sous-vide immediately,
but what was this mess...
With my plans starting to go awry right from the first step,
my motivation plummeted all at once.
"Seong-hwan-ah? Is something wrong?"
A-ra, seeing my face twisted into a grimace and me sighing,
approached me with a worried expression.
I didn't want to show A-ra an unpleasant face,
so I mustered my strength and gave a wry smile,
but instead, with an even more worried face, she stroked my cheek.
Had I not been able to fool A-ra's eyes?
Then she bent down a little and took both my hands.
"Seong-hwan-ah, didn't we agree you'd consult with Noona about anything that happens?"
"...Yes."
"Did something get posted on a community site?"
"No. It's not that..."
I looked at the delivery box that had traces of being opened with a knife.
Following my gaze, A-ra's eyes also went to it.
A-ra quietly stood up, checked the contents of the box,
and sighed.
That was a sigh of relief.
"You startled me. It was just because of the ingredients?"
"...Yes. It arrived in that state, whether it was sent wrong or something."
"Can't you buy it at the mart?"
"I'm not sure... They'd have Handon, but..."
I wouldn't be able to get pork butt like Duroc or Iberico.
I'd probably have to go to a specialty restaurant.
Even putting aside whether they'd sell it to me, the pork butt at restaurants
would already be aged, so it wouldn't be in a good state to use for pulled pork.
Just then, A-ra brought a chair from the other side,
placed it beside me, and sat down.
Then she gently wrapped her arm around my shoulder and stroked my head.
A-ra's soft chest
and the now so familiar scent of Dolce & Gabbana perfume
soothed my heart, which had been swallowed by dark emotions.
"Then, wouldn't it be okay to just do it with Handon?"
"It's not like I can't, but..."
It wouldn't be enough.
The words nearly burst out of my mouth, but I held them back.
She seemed to have noticed that I flinched,
and she tenderly stroked my head.
"I know. You want to show the best performance, right, Seong-hwan-ah?"
"That's right..."
Since I was doing it anyway, I wanted to show the best performance.
In that sense, pulled pork would show the best visual quality.
There was nothing stopping me from doing it with Handon.
The pigs of our proud Republic of Korea had outstanding flavor, after all.
But still, it was an unavoidable fact that Duroc or Iberico was a cut above.
When it comes to food, even if the quality rises just a little,
the difference becomes clear.
The Handon I was used to enjoying regularly had become too familiar,
so I couldn't achieve that next level of flavor.
"Or if not that, how about doing a completely different dish this week?
Actually, wouldn't people get sick of it if you did barbecue back-to-back?"
"Huh?"
Come to think of it, brisket was barbecue,
and pulled pork was also barbecue.
Why hadn't I thought of that?
The viewers might want to see something unique.
If they watched two similar types of food in a row,
anyone's interest would start to cool off little by little.
"If I do something else, what would be good?"
"How about hamburgers? The ingredients are easy to find."
A hamburger.
That was a very good choice.
The chipotle sauce and Sriracha sauce I'd gotten to dip the pulled pork in
would be perfect as hamburger sauces,
and things like burger buns or cheese could be bought right away if I went to Costco.
Plus, ground meat, which could be considered the main ingredient,
could be found easily in good quality.
And I could also put on a performance
of making burger patties from expensive cuts instead of just buying ground meat.
A-ra was truly amazing.
She hadn't built her career appearing on all those programs for nothing.
"A-ra Noona. Did you watch hamburger videos before suggesting this?"
"Hehe... d..did I get caught...? Kyaa!"
I hugged A-ra tightly as she was laughing 'hehe' in embarrassment.
She let out a startled cry at the sudden hug,
but she calmed down quickly, and now she was stroking my head.
"If it weren't for you, Noona, I wouldn't have even thought of it."
"Was I helpful?"
"So much that saying it twice would only make my mouth sore."
"Hehe... I'm glad. I'm so happy I could help."
I gave A-ra a kiss on the lips.
I didn't know why, but I could taste the chipotle sauce that was sitting on the table
on A-ra's lips.
Had she dipped a finger in and tasted it?
That stuff would be a little spicy if it wasn't mixed with mayonnaise.
Right.
Rather, let's be thankful to the pork butt seller who, by sending such a shitty product,
saved my Qtube channel that was on the verge of becoming stale.
First, I contacted the two to tell them that pulled pork would be difficult.
When I explained the situation first and said it seemed like it'd be hard,
the two shouted "OK" in an incredibly cool way.
I felt pathetic, having wasted all that motivation on foolish worries for nothing.
"While we're going to the mart, shall I take Noona on a date?"
"I'd love that."
A-ra and I linked arms and headed outside.
We were just heading to the mart in the basement,
but for us, it was a more comfortable and enjoyable time than ever.
In the end, once again today, I'd only received help from A-ra.
***
It was Saturday, two days after the hamburger video had been uploaded in place of the pulled pork.
I came to the company with A-ra at the Director's summons,
and the lawyer was there with us.
"First, the handling of the molester and the people arrested as flagrante delicto at the convenience store has been decided."
"Though there's still a long way to go."
At first, the lawyer asked if I had any intention of settling,
but when I shook my head to show I had no such thought,
she nodded with a satisfied smile.
I had no great interest in things like money, you see.
After my refusal to settle, the conversation moved on to what was being discussed now.
It had barely been two weeks, yet the handling seemed to have already been decided.
I knew these things usually took more time.
"The molester will likely be sentenced to 6 months in prison and completion of a sexual violence treatment program."
"Prison time?!"
"It's a heinous crime of touching a man's chest. In a way, it's only natural."
The Director and A-ra nodded with sharp glints in their eyes.
Especially A-ra, since she harbored great displeasure over a woman she didn't even know the face of
touching something only she was allowed to touch.
She went so far as to put on a performance of dragging me into the bathroom every night and meticulously washing every corner of my body.
Surprisingly, she had quite a strong possessive streak, I tell you.
Anyway, they said they'd make an example of her,
but getting prison time just for touching a chest once.
Could it be that this wasn't her first offense?
Thinking back to how, in the other world, sexual offenders targeting women
often got off with suspended sentences,
this could only be seen as extraordinary.
"She wasn't a first-time offender. Her record seems quite bad."
She was someone whose prior offenses—sexual assault, sexual harassment, and online sexual harassment—had stacked up to three convictions.
Even though they were minor, the continued sex crimes meant she would receive a harsher sentence.
She was a really fearless person, that one.
Even though the convenience store might have been crowded, there were CCTVs clearly installed.
"And the people arrested for trespassing on private property will likely be sentenced to fines of 1 million won each."
"If it's a fine, that leaves a criminal record, right?"
"Though it will be expunged two years after full payment."
It seemed the lawyer had worked really hard.
The fact that the sentence had been decided to some degree
meant the case had already been sent to the prosecution with a recommendation for indictment, and discussions with the judge had already progressed somewhat.
They said a typical case took about a month to be sent to the prosecution,
so for it to have advanced this far in barely two weeks
was nearly double the normal speed.
Was it because the lawyer was a well-known named attorney who was formerly a presiding judge at the high court?
It seemed she had many friends here and there.
"Once the first trial concludes, I'll post a detailed notice on SNS and the agency homepage."
"We're counting on you."
"Not at all. Rather, it's also an opportunity for us to boast about how we take care of our family members this well."
Watching the Director grin,
I gave a wry smile.
Even though she joked like that,
I knew well that she was truly a great person.
We talked a bit more about matters related to the complaint,
and then the lawyers left the room.
They seemed very busy.
Once our business seemed finished, we made to get up and head back,
but the Director suddenly exclaimed that she'd just remembered something, tapping the round table with her hand.
"That's right! Seong-hwan-ssi, are you coming to the party?"
"Party?"
"Didn't you get the email? Our company holds parties every May and November, you know?"
I checked my email on my phone,
and an invitation to the party had indeed arrived.
It said I could bring one guest...
"Look at this, look."
The Director held out her phone, saying it was a photo taken at the party during the second half of last year.
In it, even A-ra was wearing a strange conical hat
and doing a V-pose with her hand.
'She's cute.'
I should ask her to send it to me later.
"The party's fun, you know? There are lots of other men, so you won't be bored."
"Is it okay for me to go when I've only just signed the contract?"
"Of course! In fact, if Seong-hwan-ssi doesn't come, there are people who won't... mmpf..."
The Director's words were cut off mid-sentence,
and she was mumbling with her mouth covered.
Seeing that reaction, A-ra's eyes sharpened a little.
"Using someone else's husband as bait?!"
"No matter if he's your husband, he belongs to the company now, you know?
If he's a company member, he has to show an active attitude toward the company's profits, you know??"
It was almost like wordplay.
It seemed just my coming to the party would benefit the company.
Just what kind of existence was I...?
"What profits! How can a person like you split the revenue 10:0?! Anyone can see he's bait! Unnie, are you stupid?"
It seemed A-ra shared my thoughts.
It wasn't something the Director, who had set the revenue split at 10:0, was in any position to say.
If she considered the company's profits, she should have set it at least 8:2.
But who was the Director?
She immediately fired back a signature retort at A-ra.
"Who are you calling stupid, to your Unnie! The party is for boosting morale, don't you know it's linked to the company's future profits?!"
"Then why do it with my husband! Hold a raffle or something with a car!"
And with that, just like the first day they wrote the contract, they were pinching each other's cheeks and fighting.
I couldn't tell anymore if that was fighting, or just their way of expressing their opinions to each other.
They looked so close that anyone could see it, so I didn't even feel like stopping them.
"Haaaa...."
The problem was, they were doing it in front of other people watching.
I let out a big sigh.
Not just me—the other people present here also let out sighs
at the sight of them.
It seemed this was, unexpectedly, a common sight.