Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Reopening
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9 a.m.
All the employees had clocked in.
The kitchen staff arrived at 7, and I got there a little after 6 to handle preparations.
The 30-pyeong shop had transformed into an 80-pyeong powerhouse.
It was the fruit of one year's labor.
Ah, the road of hardship stretches out before me!
The kitchen and hall staff finally wrapped up preparations at 10.
The shop opened at 11, so we had an hour to spare.
I gathered all the employees and gave them a quick word.
"Alright, everyone, today we're finally reopening after a whole month. Just like always, be kind to the customers and work with gratitude in your hearts! Now, let's eat!"
Our staff meals, prepared once prep was done, came courtesy of Amy and the aunties.
Restaurant work was infamous for being grueling.
That's why we needed to fuel up properly to perform, and I always stressed not to skimp on staff meal budgets.
But using ingredients meant for customer orders was strictly forbidden.
We had to make them solely with materials bought separately for staff meals.
Meat...! Gimme meat!
A total of eight employees.
Three for the hall, five for the kitchen. Including me, that made nine.
Dishes for the staff started streaming out of the kitchen.
Wait, what's this? Soy sauce noodles?
"Noodles for breakfast, Amy? Let's do something hearty with meat."
Amy looked apologetic as she replied.
"Boss, we had no choice testing boiling times for the new soy sauce noodle menu starting today. And it was so hectic on the first day. I'll make proper meat side dishes after lunch service. It'd be a shame to toss these."
Ah.
She'd been tinkering in the kitchen since morning, practicing with different boiling times.
King move.
I turned to the other employees with a sorry expression.
"Alright, breakfast will be light today. After we grind through lunch, I'll whip up something delicious. Bear with me, everyone. Let's eat~ Dig in."
I even scooped some kimchi side dish onto the tables.
Slurrrp.
Man, delicious.
Perfectly cooked noodles tossed in my special soy sauce seasoning.
Topped generously with seaweed powder and sesame oil, finely chopped green onions, spicy peppers, and a whole egg yolk plopped on.
The new soy sauce noodles were out of this world.
The staff, trying the dish for the first time, showered it with praise.
"Whoa~ Boss! This is insanely good. Salty-sweet, with a spicy finish and nutty depth... How does something so simple pack so many flavors? Never had anything like it!"
Their rave reviews had my shoulders puffing up with pride.
It was a recipe I'd tweaked multiple times to perfection, after all.
Amy, who'd made the noodles, was grinning from the sidelines.
For a chef, nothing beat someone devouring your food and loving it.
"Welcome! Babsang!"
At long last, after a month, the doors of Babsang swung open again.
I stood at the entrance, personally greeting the influx of customers.
Whenever I welcomed them warmly, the hall staff bustled about seating them.
The moment opening time hit at 11, familiar faces poured in like they'd coordinated it.
"Hey, Hoon! Congrats! This place turned into a full-on playground!"
My very first regular, the American football player Michael.
"Haha, come on in, Michael! Now you can bring the whole team after games."
"Oh, that's a great idea? They've all been dying to come!"
"Hoon! Finally open! Congrats!"
This time, it was the butcher shop owner, Uncle Karl.
"Oh, boss! You made it. Thank you."
"Whoa... the place looks mighty grand now. Must've cost a fortune."
"Haha, you hooked me up with cheap meat, so I saved a ton."
The regulars gasped in awe at the interior, now more than double the size, as they entered.
I responded to each of their congratulations with a smile.
Once seated, they pored over the new menu, pondering.
The additions were the new soy sauce noodles and Andong braised chicken.
"Hmm... the new stuff looks tempting..."
But their choices were, ultimately, the same as always.
"I'll go with spicy pork stir-fry!"
"Whole chicken for me!"
"Bulgogi!"
After a month apart, they craved that classic Babsang taste.
Familiar comfort trumped new adventures for now.
I grinned and passed their orders to the kitchen.
The busy routine kicked back into gear.
"Oh, landlord! You've graced us!"
The landlord showed up on opening day too.
I dropped everything to greet him.
He slowly took in the completely revamped interior.
The doubled hall space, sleek new tables and chairs, spacious kitchen.
He nodded repeatedly, finally breaking into a satisfied smile.
"Well now, what a total transformation. Money well spent."
"All thanks to your generosity, sir. Truly grateful."
Letting a tenant knock down walls wasn't easy, after all.
He was practically my benefactor.
I escorted him to the prime window seat with the best view.
"Today, I'll treat you to something off-menu, special."
I headed to the kitchen and hand-formed tteokgalbi patties from the beef Uncle Karl delivered that morning.
Served with steamed rice and our best-aged kimchi.
"Oh ho... reminds me of what I had in Korea once."
The landlord seemed utterly pleased with my effort, smiling throughout the meal.
Seeing him satisfied filled me with pride too.
After finishing, he downed the sikhye I'd brought cool and refreshing.
Then, he dropped an unexpected request.
"Hoon. If I asked, could you rent out the whole place for a day?"
"Pardon? What's the occasion?"
"Nothing major—just a gathering of business friends, and it's my turn to host. We usually rotate by region across the US, hosting locals. My go this time. Mind if I ask?"
Hmm...
Taking a full day off meant letting down customers...
Tsk.
But he was the one who'd done me a huge favor.
A day wouldn't hurt.
I could post notice ahead.
"Sure... just let me know the exact date, and I'll announce it so no one comes in vain."
"Haha, really? Thanks, Hoon!"
His hearty laugh showed he was thrilled.
"But... aren't there fancier restaurants? Our place might fall short for such esteemed guests..."
I said it hesitantly.
The landlord chuckled kindly.
"Hoon, think how much fine dining my friends and I have enjoyed? Most have personal chefs. But nowhere as special as your place. Probably the most unique flavors in America—they'll love it. Have confidence. I guarantee it."
His words genuinely thrilled me.
Customer approval was like a report card.
Proof I was acing it.
"...Yes. Hearing that makes me so happy. Tell me the date as soon as it's set."
"Haha, will do. Great meal today."
"Take care going back, sir."
I saw him all the way to the door.
Heading back inside, I let out a small sigh.
VIP management was the toughest part.
They sure could talk.
But a smile lingered on my lips.
It was peak lunch hour.
Consul Choi Ik-hyun dropped by after ages.
"Hey, boss! Congrats on the reopening, haha!"
"Ah! Consul, good to see you. It's been a while."
"Haha. I actually swung by once mid-construction and left empty-handed. Glad it's open today. Wow, the place got huge! Must be a hit, boss."
"Haha, nah. All thanks to the customers. Huh? You're not alone today."
Indeed.
Two new faces, a man and woman, stood behind him.
"Haha, colleagues of mine. Introduce yourselves. This is the owner."
"Hello, boss."
They looked mid-30s.
"Nice to meet you. Welcome to Babsang. Right this way, I'll seat you."
I guided Consul Choi's group to an empty table.
"Mmm~ smells amazing."
The new guy sniffed appreciatively.
Huh? Sniffles addict?
"Haha, really? What'll it be?"
Choi and the guy went for spicy pork stir-fry; the woman ordered the hansang plate, main of bulgogi.
"Got it."
But the woman called me tentatively.
"Um... boss. Could we get extra tteokbokki on the sides? It's been forever since I had it in the States..."
She added sheepishly.
"Ah! Sure, plenty. Eat up, and if you want more, just say—refills anytime."
"Really? Thank you~!"
Women and their tteokbokki love ran deep.
I passed the order to the kitchen and set the banchan first.
Tteokbokki in a big soup bowl, piled high.
'Fellow Koreans—no way I'm letting it go to waste.'
As I finished setting and turned to leave.
"Ah! Boss!"
Consul Choi called me.
"Yes? Need something?"
"No, it's... this..."
He handed me a familiar envelope from his pocket.
Ah... here we go again. Probably lawsuit papers from Korea.
"The usual?"
"Yeah. Looks like it from the court markings."
"Hmm... got it. Thanks, Consul."
"No problem. Hope it sorts out, haha."
I tucked the papers straight into the counter drawer.
Contents were predictable anyway. I'd read them slow over a beer after close.
I cracked open a cool canned beer and pulled out the papers I'd gotten earlier.
Republic of Korea Court.
I tore open the envelope and checked inside.
As expected, stiff, impersonal legal jargon filled it.
[Order to Submit Written Defense]
I let out a hollow chuckle at the scrap of paper.
"Reason? I don't wanna give it, that's why. What more reason do you need?"
I nearly crumpled it for the trash, but one line caught my eye.
'If the defendant fails to submit an answer within 30 days of service, it shall be deemed a confession to the plaintiff's alleged facts, and judgment may be rendered without oral argument.'
Fuck.
This wasn't something to blow off.
No response meant losing my chance to defend in court.
The court would rule solely on Ji-su's claims, the plaintiff.
Outcome was obvious.
Nothing immediate would hit me here in the US, sure.
But a default loss judgment could bite me later—who knew?
Might make filing against me in US courts easier?
'Ah... this sucks.'
Not for my uncle the Korean lawyer—this was for a US one.
What force could a Korean civil judgment have on me stateside?
What else to watch out for?
I no longer felt like tossing it.