A Mild Cold and Whipping Up Recovery Soup
"It doesn't seem too serious—just a light case of body aches from a cold."
"Body aches? Me?"
"Honestly, even as a doctor, I wouldn't have thought someone built like you, Daesung-ssi, would catch a cold..."
Aaah, me—the guy who'd been called a bear-like workhorse at the factory—now whining over a little cold. I've gotten old, real old.
"I'll prescribe you three days' worth of meds for now. If you're not better after that, come back in."
"Yes, thank you."
It's the same line I always heard at the doctor as a kid or young man. Take three days of meds and come back if you're not better. But I'd never actually had to go back. I was usually fine by day two.
But things are different now.
You can't compare those days when I was full of energy no matter what to my mid-thirties, when I'm slowly starting to age. Even a minor cold like this needs thorough management. Small illnesses can turn into big ones in an instant.
So I had to boost my immunity as much as possible and kick this cold out.
"Gotta save money till I find a job... but today blew some cash on feeling sick... haah."
This is why getting sick hurts both body and soul. Sigh.
After leaving the clinic, I stopped at the pharmacy for my meds and picked up a mask to wear. Even if it wasn't severe, I didn't want to risk spreading it to anyone.
On the way home, I swung by a big supermarket.
As soon as I stepped inside, the first things I noticed were the robots clearing shopping carts and the ones unloading stock from trucks.
"Heh, even part-time gigs are gonna be tough to snag now."
Memories from my brief stint working at a mart came flooding back. I'd thought it was just slapping labels on parcels, but nope—it was labeling, loading trucks, carrying stuff, the works.
"It wasn't bad... aside from how exhausting it was."
Still, I'd managed. Back then, I was basically a human weapon...
Nah, that's exaggerating too much.
I shook off the silly thoughts, pulled the volume-based trash bag I'd brought from home out of my pocket, and headed to the grocery aisle.
It was a weekday afternoon, so the place was pretty empty. Made sense—most folks were out working hard.
As I wandered the grocery section hunting for what I needed, my eyes locked onto one shelf.
Solid Beef Bone Broth. Found it.
The ultimate cheat key for solo cooking. Sure, tech progress like robots cost me my job, but I gotta give credit where it's due. Drop one in, and you've got broth. Super convenient, tastes about the same, solid form means compact storage for multiple uses.
Perfect timing too—mine at home had run out. I grabbed some anchovy and veggie broth cubes too. Skipped seafood; not a fan.
Then I headed for today's star ingredient.
In the frozen foods aisle, I scanned with my eyes and grabbed the ones that felt right on instinct, bagging them up.
Frozen king dumplings 1kg (500g meat, 500g kimchi), rice cake slabs for tteokguk 1kg.
That's right. Tonight's menu: tteokmanduguk.
The rice cake and dumpling soup my mom used to make when I caught a cold as a kid. It just popped into my head.
Of course, I couldn't replicate it perfectly. Mom always simmered it with bone broth from the butcher...
Eh, honestly, I wasn't even trying to. Tastes change as you age...
Not that Mom's food is bad or anything. I'll visit for the holidays.
I still had some eggs at home, and pre-chopped green onions frozen, so that'd do.
"Just looking at it fills my belly already."
Better get home quick. Regular meals and rest were key to recovering fast.
I took my bagged groceries to the self-checkout, paid, and left the mart.
*
Back home with the tteokguk ingredients... sure enough.
"Ah, Daesung-nim~! Out shopping?"
Bori, whom I'd seen at dawn and now again right outside. I was seriously impressed. How does she keep showing up like this? Incredible.
Considering when she'd gone in last night, she couldn't have slept much.
"...Aren't you tired? You look so energetic even after seeing you at dawn."
"Hehe, thinking about seeing you, Daesung-nim, gets me all pumped... Huh? What's with the mask...?"
Oh right, I've got a cold right now.
Running into Bori again was... nice, but I had to send her off today.
"Caught a light cold—body aches. Just came from the doctor and did some shopping on the way."
"...Pardon?"
"So you should head home today. Don't wanna spread it."
She froze, staring at me in shock, then... bolted off somewhere.
"Huh? Bori? Bori!?"
Despite my calls, she sprinted away full speed and soon vanished from sight.
"...Was telling her to go home that hurtful?"
...She'll come back, right? No, I didn't do anything wrong anyway.
Figuring it wasn't a big deal, I went inside.
Once in, I shrugged off my coat, set the meds somewhere visible, and pulled the rice cakes and frozen dumplings from the bag.
"Lemme see... the recipe... here it is."
I checked the tteokmanduguk recipe I'd memoed on my phone and prepped to cook.
Filled a deep mixing bowl with cold water and dumped in enough rice cakes for a meal.
"...That's a bit much. Eh, it'll be fine."
I'd meant for one serving but poured a tad more. Whatever, leftovers for dinner.
They say soaking rice cakes improves texture for tteokguk, but I'm not picky—I'll soak 'em decently and cook.
"Still, it says at least ten minutes... guess I'll kill time with NewTube."
I set a timer on my phone, flopped onto the comfy bed, propped it on the stand, and scrolled the algorithm for something to watch.
Ding-dong—ding-dong—
Hm. No delivery ordered, no one said they were coming over.
Obvious who it was.
I pulled up my mask and opened the door. Yep, Bori.
One difference: she was masked too.
"...What's with the mask?"
"I heard if I wear this, it's okay to be at your place, Daesung-nim..."
"It is, but..."
Ugh, so that's where she ran off to—probably to grab a mask.
Normally I'd firmly say no, but seeing how badly she wanted to stay...
"Wha—I mean... I'm your hired maid, right? What kind of maid lounges at home when her master's sick!?"
"Even you can't refuse this, Daesung-nim!"
"Wasn't planning to... Sigh, fine."
She had a point. I conceded.
"If you catch it, I'm not taking responsibility. Got it?"
"Hmph, if I was scared of that, I wouldn't have come!"
She came in, kicked off her shoes, and looked around.
"You cleaned before I left last time, so it's still spotless?"
"I know it doesn't sell it well, but I do keep things pretty tidy..."
Well, I'd started slacking bit by bit till it got that bad.
"No need to clean then... Eaten yet?"
"Just about to. Soaking rice cakes for tteokmanduguk."
I showed her the bowl.
"Tteokmanduguk... Mm! Warm, hearty portion—perfect for filling up."
She smiled with her eyes at the sight, like she approved.
Come to think of it, had she eaten? From dawn shift, sleep, then here... probably not.
"Right? And speaking of... have you eaten, Bori?"
"Me? Not yet..."
Yup. Good timing.
"Then eat with me."
"Huh? Oh, no... this is your meal... I can't just—"
"I kinda overdid the rice cakes by accident... too much for one person."
"Urk... even so, your food while you're sick..."
Grrrooowl—
"......"
"...I'm fine, so join me."
"W-Well, if you insist... okay..."
Her tummy clock embarrassed her bad—couldn't see her lower face under the mask, but her upper cheeks flushed bright red.
Getting shy over something so natural.
"B-But mooching feels wrong—maid's pride and all. I'll cook!"
"...Know the recipe?"
"...Nope."
...How do you cook without knowing it?
"I'll guide you on the recipe from the side, you handle the cooking. That work?"
"Mm... not thrilled, but... yes! If it helps you, Daesung-nim."
We reached a gentle agreement, and cooking proceeded smoothly.
First, pot of water on the induction, drop in two solid beef bone broth cubes.
"Prep other stuff before it boils."
Grabbed two eggs from the fridge and handed them over.
"Crack both in a bowl and whisk well."
"Yes!"
She cracked them neatly, whisked with chopsticks. Maid skills shone—her movements were pro-level.
While eggs mixed, broth boiled. I got minced garlic, frozen green onions, and four king dumplings from the fridge.
"Broth's simmering—half spoon minced garlic, then rice cakes and dumplings."
"Okaay~"
Stir gently to prevent sticking, salt to taste, simmer till done.
"Almost ready. Add egg mix and green onions."
"Got it!"
Basically done now. Simmer a bit more till eggs set and onions thaw, then off the heat.
"Final touch: sprinkle of pepper."
"The finishing blow!"
She tapped the shaker delicately over the soup.
"Ooh..."
"Smells great—must taste even better. Good job, Bori."
Kang Daesung's special cold-busting tteokmanduguk: complete.
Pull out Mom's sent cabbage kimchi, portion as side... three days? Might be over this in two.
"Alright, let's eat."