Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Excellent Troublemakers
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Ah, they were good troublemakers.
"Amy, take a good look. The essence of Korean food is this neatness."
Ji-hoon was explaining to Amy, the employee, with freshly prepared dishes laid out in front of them.
He began reconstructing various side dishes and the main dish on a single large plate.
"If you plate it like this... ta-da. What do you think? Doesn't it look prettier?"
Amy nodded as she looked at the finished plate.
"Wow, the color harmony is way better than before. But how did you suddenly come up with this idea?"
At Amy's question, Ji-hoon chuckled and shrugged.
"We get a lot of solo diners at our place. I wanted to make a simpler, prettier single set meal for them."
In front of the two was a round ceramic bowl with a subtle jade-green sheen.
It was something Ji-hoon had specially asked his father to procure from Korea.
About 30cm in both width and length, a bit larger than a standard plate.
The edges had a 2cm rim, giving it a stable feel.
Ji-hoon had packed a perfect single meal into this large plate.
He placed three very small bowls inside the dish and arranged the main side dishes neatly on top.
For the main dish like bulgogi, he used a slightly larger bowl to anchor the center.
And in the empty spaces, he piled up sweet and sour seasoned ssam vegetables generously.
Of course, rice and soup were served separately as before.
"See, this way it doesn't take up table space. When the other aunties finish cooking, you plate it like this right before serving to the customer. Got it?"
"Yes, boss. I understand."
Amy's eyes sparkled.
"This... it'd look so pretty in photos, right? You said this bowl is ceramic? It's such a unique item."
That's right.
These days, people always snap photos before eating.
The moment they post them on SNS, it becomes the best advertisement.
Ji-hoon had captured the neatness of Korean cuisine in one large plate, like a seafood platter.
However, since it was a single-person menu, the portions were a bit smaller than usual.
Still, he thought customers would be satisfied with this beautiful plating.
Ji-hoon's new idea was a smashing hit.
The neat single set in the jade ceramic bowl.
Americans were captivated by its Eastern beauty.
Since they had warned in advance that single-diner portions were a bit small, male customers stuck to the regular menu, while mostly female customers went for the new one.
"Kyaa!"
The college girls snapping photos nonstop looked no different from those across the ocean in Korea.
"Hoon~ Can't you just give me one of these bowls? Please? Pretty please?"
Emily, the cheerleader from the Berkeley football team, pleaded in a cutesy voice.
The typical blonde beauty had become a regular after visiting a few times with Michael.
"No, put it down."
"Boo~ You're so mean!"
Despite Emily's whining at Ji-hoon's firm refusal, there was nothing for it.
The bowls from his father weren't in abundant supply.
"I'll get one set aside for you next time we bring more from Korea. I really don't have any now."
"Really!? For real~?"
She must have really liked the bowl, as Emily's face lit up brightly.
'Hmm... Americans sure grow fast. Hm hm.'
Instinctively scanning first was unavoidable.
Ji-hoon was a man, after all.
"Emily, you posting this on SNS?"
"Duh! Look at this, how pretty it came out."
As expected, it was an iPhone.
Look at that pretty shot.
Watching the screen Emily showed him intently, it seemed she'd taken more than a couple shots.
"I took so many just to get this one good pic, look!"
As Emily swiped the screen, subtly different angles of the food flashed by.
Taking dozens to pick one must be the rule.
"Uh...! Whoa!"
Ji-hoon quickly averted his eyes.
"Huh? What's up?"
Emily looked at her phone and let out a "Kyaa~!"
That's right. While swiping through photos, there was a clear nude shot of Emily doing a post-shower body check.
Ji-hoon had flinched and looked away in surprise.
'Whoa mama. That's impressive.'
"Did you... see it?"
"Thank you... uh, no! I turned away right away, didn't see."
Ji-hoon, who had accidentally blurted out his inner thought, quickly corrected himself.
"Hehe~ You saw it~?"
Emily smirked teasingly, dragging out her words.
Then she leaned in close and whispered in his ear.
"I could just show it to you~"
At those words, Ji-hoon startled and bolted away, while Emily burst into laughter.
She was teasing him.
She knew he hadn't peeked on purpose—it was more like forced exposure—so it was lighthearted joking, but his fleeing reaction was so cute she couldn't help laughing.
"Whew, thought I was gonna get eaten."
Ji-hoon, who had rushed into the kitchen, patted his pounding chest.
In truth, American beauty standards differed a bit from Korea's.
Sexy, and everything had to be big.
Breasts or butt alike.
Emily, the typical popular American style, was undeniably beautiful.
But Ji-hoon's taste ran to petite and cute.
In his words, 'carnivores' weren't his type, so he'd bolted without thinking.
From the kitchen, he peeked out at the dining area.
Seeing Emily giggling with her friends, it seemed she was just messing with him.
"Phew, dodged a bullet."
Perhaps because he interacted a lot with customers, Ji-hoon was especially popular with young female patrons.
Lately, going table to table to check on them and greet was one of his key routines.
"Boss, if you got nothing to do, get out of the dining area. Don't take up space."
Turning around, he saw kitchen drill sergeant Amy glaring at him with furrowed brows.
"Uh... nothing I can help with?"
At Ji-hoon's sheepish question, Amy pointed at the dining area with her ladle.
"Leaving is helping."
"Yes, ma'am..."
Ji-hoon meekly got chased out of the kitchen.
With the kitchen so cramped, her reaction was natural.
Probably after the interior work started next month and they reopened, the kitchen would be much bigger.
This interior quote came out to nearly 200 million won.
Tearing down the wall to the next-door shop, completely rebuilding the kitchen space, and overhauling the entire 80-pyeong dining area—it added up.
But Ji-hoon wasn't worried.
The money he'd brought from the US was still barely touched.
'Money's just something you earn more.'
He saw this renovation as a bold investment for the distant future.
It was a day when the interior work schedule was drawing near.
"Hmm~ Looks like another quiet day with no issues."
It was just another ordinary day for Ji-hoon.
Up early to mix secret sauces for the aunties, survive the hectic lunch rush, and now this leisurely time.
"Kwaaah, time to rest a bit."
As Ji-hoon went to plop down on an empty table chair, the shop door opened with a customer.
"Welcome. How many?"
A friendly smile was essential for any shopkeeper.
The new customers were four men.
Ji-hoon guided them to a spacious table, explained the menu, and took their orders.
Seeing them order different items, they seemed eager to try a variety.
Shortly after passing the order slip to the kitchen, a tempting set meal was ready.
After serving, Ji-hoon returned to the counter and glanced at them.
'Hmm... first-time customers. Hope it suits their tastes.'
But the customers had a somehow rough look.
They didn't seem like regular working folks, but Ji-hoon thought, 'Maybe prejudice,' and spent the spare time clearing tables and refilling condiments.
About 10 minutes passed.
"Kuhhh."
As Ji-hoon straightened up from filling the condiment tray and stretched, a loud voice echoed through the shop.
"Hey!!!!!"
'Huh? What's going on? Sounds like the new group's table.'
Ji-hoon hurried to their table.
"Yes, sir. Something wrong?"
"You the owner of this place?"
The blunt informal demand soured Ji-hoon's mood a bit.
'Ah... the timeless tradition of the food industry, the complainer's routine. "Get the owner!"'
It was his first time dealing with this in the US.
"Look at this. There's hair in the food."
'Sigh, why is my gut feeling always spot on.'
The plate the man pointed to was nearly empty.
With permission, Ji-hoon picked up the so-called hair and wiped it on a napkin.
Long, distinct blonde hair.
'Oh... we're screwed.'
"Yes, I see it, sir."
"Makes me wanna puke! How do you run such an unsanitary joint?!"
As Ji-hoon confirmed it, the man's voice grew louder.
'Ah, complainers are everywhere. The immutable law of troublemakers is an inescapable curse.'
To the shouting customer, Ji-hoon smiled and said,
"Sir, sorry, but no blondes in our kitchen. This is blonde hair. So, where did it come from~?"
At Ji-hoon's calm words, the man's face twisted in fury.
"Wha... what?! You saying we put it there!?"
"Yes~ Correct~"
At Ji-hoon's reply, the burly man, enraged, roughly grabbed his collar.
"So you're saying we're pulling a stunt just to dodge the bill?"
"No, then what is it?"
The man's anger flared further at Ji-hoon's incredulous counter.
"Argh! Heard it was a hot spot, but this dump's a joke! We ain't paying, got it!"
"Let go. If you don't, you'll regret it. I've warned you."
Unfazed and still calm, Ji-hoon unnerved the man, who lost all reason.
"What? Warned? What kinda restaurant is this!!"
Right then.
— Click.
A chilling gun-cocking sound rang in the man's ear.
And at his temple, he felt the cold, hard press of a barrel.
His companions, who had been chuckling moments ago, went pale instantly.
In fact, Ji-hoon had spotted Lucas and his crew entering through the door the moment his collar was grabbed.
That's why he'd warned so calmly.
'No, sir. It's not a famous eatery—it's shaping up to be a notorious funeral parlor!'
The collar-grabber froze solid.
He slowly released the collar and raised his hands above his head.
Seeing this, Lucas said lowly,
"Hey, you punk scum. See that on the wall over there?"
At Lucas's words, the men finally noticed the large sign on the wall.
[......In this restaurant, regardless of race, gender, or age, please observe mutual courtesy. Violations will result in immediate ejection and ban without warning. (No fighting absolutely)]
Ji-hoon inwardly prayed for their souls.
Ah, they were good troublemakers.