Chapter 64
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Scrambled Eggs
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1.
A faint alarm sound reached my ears, and I slowly opened my eyes. My mind was foggy.
"Ugh..."
I staggered to my feet and stretched. Getting out of bed, I headed to the kitchen. I drank some cool water and peered into the fridge.
'What should I make for breakfast today...'
Cooking was a hassle, but deciding what to make was an even bigger headache.
If I were alone, I'd just boil some ramen and call it a day, but since I had to eat with Sis, it made me overthink it.
'Sis always says to keep it simple...'
But if I actually made something too basic, she'd be disappointed.
"Alright."
I decided on the menu. Scrambled eggs with some toasted bread and grilled bacon.
I pulled six eggs, butter, and bacon from the fridge. For bread, I grabbed the sourdough from the bakery last time.
I sliced the sourdough thick and popped it into the toaster. That took care of the bread.
'Grill the bacon last. Start with the scrambled eggs.'
First, I cracked the eggs into a pan and added thin slices of butter.
The key here was not adding salt to the eggs beforehand. Salt from the start breaks them down and makes them watery, ruining the texture.
Starting with butter was to create that smooth texture.
"Let's get to it."
I set the pan on the gas stove and cranked the heat to max. In this state, I slowly stirred the eggs with a spatula to scramble them.
The reason I didn't pre-scramble them? Simple—to prevent overcooking. That would make the texture rough and tasteless.
Swish swish—
I moved the spatula like I was wiping the pan bottom. This kept the eggs from sticking. A small but crucial detail.
After about 30 seconds, I took the pan off the heat and kept stirring to cool it. Slowing the cooking prevented overcooking.
Once the heat subsided, I put it back on the flame and stirred slowly again.
"This is such a pain..."
All this effort for some scrambled eggs. Should've just done it sloppily from the start.
'No helping it.'
Delicious food requires effort. Of course, Sis would eat it without lifting a finger.
I repeated putting the pan on and off the heat. It needed focus to fine-tune the heat and doneness.
At some point, I stopped stirring and checked the texture.
"Hmm."
It was fluffy and creamy, like soft clouds.
Perfect. I took the pan completely off the heat. Now, one spoonful of heavy cream. It would lower the temp while making it even softer.
I mixed in the cream, sprinkled salt and pepper, then finely chopped green onions and added them. The fresh green mingled with the yellow.
'This'll be tasty.'
The scrambled eggs were done—the star of the show. Only bacon left.
'Not enough veggies?'
I rummaged in the fridge veggie drawer. Mushrooms and cherry tomatoes—Sis's diet buys.
'All still there.'
I put two pans on the burners. Bacon in one, olive oil with mushrooms and tomatoes in the other.
Sizzle—
I splashed a bit of water on the bacon pan. This let the heat rise gradually, crisping it like frying.
After that, no more steps. Just grill and plate.
'Time to wake her.'
I turned toward Sis's room. Opening the door, I saw her sleeping on the bed.
"Sis. Get up."
"Ugh... five more minutes..."
I shook her awake, and she frowned, rolling away. I snatched the big bear doll she was hugging.
"What five minutes? Sun's been up for ages. Come out quick, or I'll eat it all."
"What's the breakfast?"
She asked with eyes closed. Excitement in her voice.
"Scrambled eggs, bread, bacon. Plus grilled your diet cherry tomatoes and mushrooms."
"Scrambled eggs? I could skip... just failed fried eggs..."
"What? Know how good proper scrambled eggs are? You've never had ones done right."
"Still just eggs..."
Her words bruised my pride a bit.
"Wanna bet?"
"What bet?"
"If it's tasty, you clean the toilet and do dishes for a week. Deal?"
She scrunched her face. Clearly reluctant.
"Dishes fine, but toilet too? You used magic before."
"Gotta be punishment-worthy."
She sat up in bed and met my eyes.
"Fine. But if it's bad? What then?"
"I'll grant you one wish. Deal?"
"Too good for me?"
She said dubiously.
"That's my confidence. So, accept or decline?"
"Only a fool would say no. Bet!"
"Good. Come now. Gets bad when cold."
"Yeah."
Sis and I headed straight to the kitchen.
"Sit and wait. Just plating left."
"Got it."
I put bread on the plate. Gently scooped on scrambled eggs, then neatly arranged bacon, mushrooms, and cherry tomatoes.
"Here."
I set the plated dish in front of her. Her eyes widened slightly.
"Whoa. This looks like something from a comic. Nothing like what I know."
"Told you. Proper scrambled eggs are on another level."
"Looks good, sure. But taste? Still eggs."
"Eat first, then talk."
I said smugly, arms crossed. That confident.
"Alright. Let's see if it lives up to that."
Sis grabbed the bread by hand. Took a big bite with the eggs.
Chew chew—
I watched tensely. She tried a poker face, but her lip twitched.
"Well?"
"...Tasty. For eggs, anyway. Not amazingly so!"
"Yeah yeah. I win, right?"
"...Yeah."
She said that and popped more bread in. Scooping eggs with a spoon—must be good.
'My turn.'
I bit into the bread. Soft, buttery scrambled eggs. The creamy bliss was heavenly.
Plus crispy, nutty bread. The more I chewed, the sweeter, perfect harmony.
Crunch—
Bacon shattered like a cookie in my mouth. Surprisingly light and savory, easy to eat.
"Hmm."
Cherry tomatoes were great too. A tangy refresh. Mushrooms were perfectly mushroomy.
"But Sis, if the eggs sucked, what wish were you gonna use?"
"Wish?"
She pondered, then spoke.
"Shopping with you."
"...Shopping?"
"Yeah. We were poor when you were little—no real shopping. Been wanting to go together."
"Sis..."
"Don't give me that look. It's my lingering regret."
She smiled awkwardly and kept eating.
"Liar. You wanted me as your mannequin, right?"
"...Busted. Hate sharp little bros. But seriously, no shopping?"
"Nah. Why go? Got enough clothes."
"You wear tracksuits and gym clothes only!"
"These suffice. No one to impress. And it creeps me out."
"Fine..."
Sis pouted. I kinda wanted to go too, but shopping? I'd rather die.
'Fight the demon army again first...!'
Department stores terrified me. Still hated wearing women's clothes.
After that, we ate quietly. I tore into bread; Sis scraped up every bit of eggs.
"Dishes time?"
Breakfast done, Sis tried sneaking to her room. I grabbed her and pointed at the sink.
"...Fine."
She trudged over, slipped on rubber gloves. Water and clattering started.
"Streaming today?"
I was sipping coffee on the sofa when Sis, dishes done, plopped beside me and asked.
"Nah. Streamed too much lately. And pondering content."
"Do arena streams? Challenge climbs?"
"That... after yesterday's mess, got an aversion. Gonna hold back."
Never fun anyway. Just started to snipe Sis. Now met her—time to quit?
'Last round was fun though.'
Heart-pounding battle after ages. But opponent's sword style felt familiar. Why?
"Hey, Hayul, check this!"
Her voice snapped me out. Looked up—Chef Kang Taeyeon's face on TV.
"Huh?"
[Flavor knows no borders.]
His words brought up 'Damyun Seoul' on screen. Michelin 3-star plaques followed.
[Anyone can do it. No right answer in cooking.]
[Challenge. Chance to change your life.]
As Chef Kang finished, 'Grand Chef Korea' appeared with 'Now Recruiting'.
"Hayul. Why not try?"
Sis teased from beside me. Communities flashed in my mind.
'Said my cooking sucked, right?'
Didn't care much. But curious—how good was I?
"Maybe?"
"Really!?"
She jolted in shock. Totally unexpected.
"You asked first—why surprised?"
"Thought you'd chill, no survival shows."
"Sis. Competition only works at same level. Lion doesn't go all-out on rabbit?"
I slowly smirked.
"That confident? Bet again?"
"What bet?"
"Win Grand Chef Korea."
"If I win, what do you do?"
She tilted her chin up.
"Win, do anything you say! Lose, you do all I say. Deal?"
I hesitated. Offhand remark, didn't expect this turn.
"Chicken?"
Just one word.
"Chicken, oh well~"
That pushed me forward.
"Fine. Let's do this."