Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Today's Taste (1)
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Watching Jang Yoon-seul beam with happiness, Dal-nim smiles contentedly.
"Sun-nim, it looks like we took proper care of Yoon-seul's birthday present!"
"Indeed, Oppa came up with a great idea. Though I'm not sure how it'll do on NewTube."
"It'll 100% help draw in customers, trust me."
"Then Joo-hyun Oppa probably won't have any complaints either."
Dal-nim keeps smiling as he fiddles with the keyboard. The screen connected to it displays the final scene from the [Seongbuk Stream Desperado] video.
It's a photo capturing the three customers and the siblings in one shot.
The three customers are sprawled out on the side of the road, while Song Joo-hyun is crouched down, following along with Jang Yoon-seul's electric bike. So only the siblings' backs are visible.
"Oppa, what are you doing?"
"Planning to leave this on his phone."
Dal-nim intends to send a clip from the video to Song Joo-hyun's smartphone—as a birthday memento to keep.
But he's planning to add one thing.
"This?"
It's a full-body photo of Dal-nim and Sun-nim.
Two young children in white mourning clothes strike modern V-signs.
Since they're siblings with long braided hair, it's hard to tell them apart at a glance.
"Oppa, why are you compositing that into the final scene of the video?"
"It'd feel unfair if we were the only ones left out. Everyone else is in it."
He awkwardly places Sun-nim and Dal-nim on the left and right sides of the photo. The result is a bizarre shot crammed with seven people in one frame.
"If I sneak this into his album, he'll be in for a shock, right?"
"It does seem like it'd shock him in all sorts of ways."
The grotesque photo ends up saved in Song Joo-hyun's smartphone album. Confirming it's properly stored, Dal-nim chuckles to himself, imagining Song Joo-hyun's face when he sees it.
Sun-nim eyes her brother dubiously, wondering if he's really from the same bloodline. But then she recalls how she's been practicing that so-called "tsundere" concept from her recent "Why-je" comics.
"Blood truly can't lie."
Sun-nim sighs, forcing a wry smile.
Just then, something she needed to discuss with Dal-nim comes to mind.
"There's something I need to mention."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Joo-hyun Oppa's talent is almost at the next level, right?"
"Yeah. Could go up in as little as two weeks."
"Right. That's good news, but the issue is that once his level goes up, it seems like he plans to use [Chef's Intuition]. Isn't that a bit dangerous?"
Dal-nim falls silent.
He fully trusts Song Joo-hyun as a business partner, but he doesn't particularly recommend that.
"Should we try to talk him out of it?"
"No, I don't think we need to go that far. He'll handle it just fine on his own—he's Joo-hyun Oppa, after all."
"True enough."
The siblings agree to watch and wait for now.
**
Scritch-scritch—
Rub-rub—
Scour-scour—
"Oppa..."
"Ugh, yeah..."
"Yoon-seul will fix it!"
"Hngh! Thanks, little sis."
Scritch-scritch-scritch...
Yoon-seul cups her small hands together, slips them under his clothes, and scratches desperately.
"Phew, feels like I'm alive again."
It's the biggest crisis in recent months.
His back itches like crazy, right smack in the middle where his hands can't reach.
If Yoon-seul weren't here, he'd probably be rubbing against the doorframe or faucet in some pathetic pose.
Scritch-scritch-scritch...
"Yeah, Yoon-seul, that's good. Thanks. You saved my life."
"Yoon-seul did great?"
"Yep, you're amazing."
She flashes double peace signs.
Her sister returns the gesture, chin held high. That's her usual pose when she's proud of herself.
It's already mid-to-late May.
The past few weeks have been pretty busy.
After uploading the [Seongbuk Stream Desperado] video, customer traffic has noticeably increased—whether from the video or something else.
Even wait times for one or two groups have popped up. It might not just be the upload; the siblings could have used some kind of ability too.
"But it's just a temporary surge."
That's the nature of buzz—the influx doesn't stick around long-term.
Locals nearby might return occasionally, but those coming from afar out of curiosity find the distance too burdensome to become regulars.
Which makes loyal local business even more crucial.
His former boss at the part-time gig, Ho-yeon Hyung, always said the same.
Still, the temporary sales boost brought gains.
[Path of Cooking (LV. 4) - Proficiency 2%]
[LV.4 – Intermediate Cook]
"That's the real win. Though..."
The trouble started after leveling up.
When he tried to activate the core ability he'd been eyeing, [Chef's Intuition], a message came from the siblings.
[Sun-nim: Joo-hyun Oppa, think it over one more time. Is that really the right move? It's not too late!]
[Me: I'm not committing any crime here—what's with the sudden fuss?]
[Sun-nim: That's why we don't recommend using that ability.]
[Me: Why?]
Never happened before.
They made the ability for him to use, and now they're against it.
It was almost ridiculous.
[Sun-nim: It comes with penalties.]
[Me: Penalties?]
[Sun-nim: Yes.]
[Me: Why add something so pointless?]
[Sun-nim: We didn't want to either. But it's such a powerful ability, we had no choice.]
[Me: Powerful? I'm not sure it's worth that hype. If anything, abilities that straight-up make you better at cooking are way more valuable.]
[Sun-nim: It's not judged by those standards. 'Chef's Intuition' interferes with the time axis, in a way—since it predicts the future to some extent. It's a much higher-level technique than the others.]
Fair point. Annoying as the penalties were, it didn't seem like they were messing with him.
At least not about the restaurant.
Plus, he planned to use the future prediction for business, so he acknowledged its utility.
[Chef's Intuition: Predicts the day's customer food demands!]
[Use it wisely~! Represented by Onui]
Predicting food demands has perks. You can stock ingredients precisely based on projected sales.
It even gives a preview of daily revenue—satisfying in its own way. Knowing sales in advance fires up your motivation.
[Me: So what's the penalty?]
The benefits are clear; he doesn't want to drop it easily.
[Sun-nim: Pick one of three.]
[Me: List them?]
[Sun-nim: 1. Sensory deprivation]
[Me: ???]
[Sun-nim: Your vision would degrade severely in that case. Like Shim Cheong's dad from next door.]
[Me: Next one?]
[Sun-nim: 2. Memory loss]
[Me: ???]
[Sun-nim: From mild forgetfulness to total amnesia.]
[Me: Last one?]
He almost didn't want to ask.
[Sun-nim: The third is a bit unique. The penalty doesn't hit all at once—it's minor and triggers each time you use the ability.]
[Me: What triggers?]
[Sun-nim: Ticklishness.]
No contest.
[Me: Should've led with that—scared me.]
[Sun-nim: Just listing in order. So we'll go with 3.]
In the end, it was the right choice.
Obviously.
Giving up memory or vision?
Those are core human elements.
Compared to that, ticklishness only when using the ability? No brainer.
Or so he thought.
The ticklishness was extreme.
Like holding in a massive bowel movement after an enema, sphincter spasming at its limit.
That sensation transplanted directly to random skin spots.
'Insanely ticklish.'
No better way to put it.
At least the location is random. Palms or thighs? Done in 5 seconds.
But today, dead center of the back? Needs help.
"Yoon-seul, living with you really saved me today."
"Hm? Say it like that, and Yoon-seul won't owe Oppa anymore. I'll give you chocolate."
"Nah, it's fine—eat it yourself. Have five."
"Ooh...! Five."
He heads to work, raises the shop shutter, and preps to head out.
Off to the nearby traditional market.
He orders staples like chicken or pork from vetted suppliers. But for daily menu changes, he hits the local market.
Just a 10-minute walk, no hassle.
[Seongrae Market]
The entrance sign evokes 20th-century vibes.
Frying oil and grain flour scents tease the nose.
- Oh my, Yoon-seul's back?
- Come here! Granny steamed these nice and tasty.
Just inside, a hotteok stall run by old-timers beckons his sister. Kind grannies smile from behind the steaming pan.
They've visited enough this past month that the elders remember them.
"You should respond, Yoon-seul."
"I'm coming!"
- Good, come back after shopping. Have one on your way.
They've chatted enough to know he runs a restaurant nearby and comes at this hour for ingredients.
And that's not all.
- Aigoo, Yoon-seul tagging along with Oppa for shopping again?
- Joo-hyun, spinach looks good today—take some!
"Thanks. I'll be back."
Familiar vendors call out like that.
Young folks at this hour? Just him. To them, he and Yoon-seul are like grandkids, so they greet warmly.
He often gets free snacks "just eat it," feeling the market's warmth.
[Chef's Intuition]
[Today's Orders]
[Pork Stir-fry: 25 / Eggplant: 19]
[Today's Taste: Spicy]
That's what Chef's Intuition revealed today.
Simple info, but plenty of ways to use it.
Today's taste is key.
Cooking around the suggested flavor boosts "Today's Menu" orders.
Fixed orders are set, so to max sales, focus there.
And today's pick?
"Spicy calls for gochujang samgyeopsal."
He heads to the butcher.
The market's crossroad layout.
The corner butcher is run by an elderly couple.
He arrives, and the granny lady hits him with a line like it's scripted.
- Hey! Joo-hyun, when are you marrying my daughter? If you're coming to this shop, lock in that wedding date!
Yoon-seul's jaw drops.
Her eyebrows shoot up sharply.
Her pupils quake.