Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Episode 28. Seniors' Wedding (2)
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Kang Han-do's sudden proposal took Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su greatly by surprise.
Kim Chef's Kitchen, which had been a huge hit since Episode 2.
The idea of appearing on that show felt like a dream.
But before giving his answer, Kim Sang-heon voiced his curiosity first.
"Isn't that place only for regular folks as guests?"
"PD Na said that for Episode 6 and Episode 10, he wanted to bring in celebrity guests. Seems like for Episode 10, there's someone PD Na really wants. Episode 6 is the issue, though, so he asked me for recommendations, and I thought of recommending you two seniors. The timing works out well, too."
Assuming they decided to appear on Episode 6, by the time the episode aired, Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su would be holding their wedding the following weekend.
They could reveal the dating story they'd kept hidden until their wedding, drawing public interest. The show would boost its ratings from it. A win-win.
Kim Sang-heon exchanged glances with Lee Yo-su.
No words were needed; their opinions aligned.
"Got it. We'll do it."
"Thank you, sunbae-nim."
"I'm the one who's grateful. Thanks to having a successful junior like you, I get to appear on PD Na's show. I... no, we really are blessed seniors."
It was said from the heart.
Right now, Kim Sang-heon felt a small happiness thanks to Kang Han-do.
Kang Han-do wanted to add one more surprise here.
"Who's singing the congratulatory song?"
This time, Lee Yo-su answered.
"We're looking around here and there."
"Would it be okay if I made a recommendation? I haven't talked to them yet, but if I ask, those friends will definitely come."
"Oh? Who?"
"VSLine."
The girls who had walked a flower path straight from their first album to their second mini-album.
Who would refuse a girl group on a hot streak coming to sing at their wedding?
"Of course! But will they really come?"
"Yes. You can trust me."
VSLine would grant pretty much any request from Kang Han-do.
What had nearly become a modest wedding for Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su began to grow grander, just as Jang Seok-du had hoped.
* * *
Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su's first visit to Kim Chef's Kitchen.
Before filming started, the two looked around the place in wonder.
"The interior is way nicer than it looks on TV."
Lately, Lee Yo-su had been very interested in interiors. It was that time in life. She was in the midst of preparing her newlywed home, after all.
Seeing her like that, Kim Sang-heon broke out in a cold sweat.
He was anxious she might say they should buy this or that.
Before filming began, they greeted Kim Un-sik Chef, who was busy prepping in the kitchen.
They also exchanged greetings with Jo Min-ha.
Filming prep was complete.
Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su stepped out of the shop. They planned to film from the moment they arrived.
"Filming starts! 3, 2, 1!"
With Na Won-cheol PD's cue, the cameras rolled.
The opening was mostly fixed: Kang Han-do, Kim Un-sik Chef, and Jo Min-ha going shopping and opening the restaurant.
Cleaning the shop was mainly Kang Han-do and Jo Min-ha's job. Kitchen tidying was Kim Un-sik Chef's.
After checking the reservation list, Jo Min-ha spoke to Kang Han-do.
"The guests today are close to you, Han-do oppa."
"Who?"
Kang Han-do pretended not to know, even though he did.
Before Jo Min-ha could answer, the shop door opened right on cue.
It was Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su arriving.
"Oh, sunbae-nim!"
Kang Han-do bowed politely to Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su. This was all pre-arranged.
"We heard you were running this place, so we got curious and made a reservation. Where should we sit?"
"If you want a good spot... the table by the window is nice."
Since it operated by reservation-only one group at a time, there weren't many guest tables.
Kang Han-do guided his seniors to the spot with the best view.
He approached them again with a pad and pen.
"What would you like to order?"
"No menu here?"
"Yes. Tell us what you want, and we serve a dish to match. That's the signature of this place."
"Oh, not bad."
Kim Sang-heon knew the rule but acted like it was new, just like Kang Han-do.
To keep the reality vibe.
"What should we get?"
"Hmm."
Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su fell into thought.
It wasn't acting. They were genuinely pondering.
Even on the way to the shoot, they'd debated what to eat and order.
The deliberation dragged on longer than expected.
In the meantime, Jo Min-ha brought them two iced Americanos—her specialty—as a complimentary service.
"Have these while you think."
"Thanks, Min-ha ssi."
"I'm really sorry. We're both so indecisive... We lack decision-making. Even on dates, we waste so much time on 'What should we eat?' and 'What movie?'"
Lee Yo-su unexpectedly vented about dating woes.
If either Kim Sang-heon or Lee Yo-su took the lead, it'd be easier, but neither did.
There was plenty of time anyway.
Kang Han-do reassured them.
"No need to rush. Take your time."
In the end, Kim Sang-heon held a meeting with Lee Yo-su.
They'd never been this serious even in idea brainstorming sessions.
After a 10-minute conference.
They finally decided on the menu.
"Boss! Order here!"
True to comedian form, Kim Sang-heon launched into an impromptu skit.
Kang Han-do played along.
"Yes, customers! Coming right up!"
"One kimchi fried rice. And one doenjang jjigae. The doenjang jjigae comes with a bowl of rice, right?"
"Yes, of course! And as service, one pork stir-fry too!"
"As expected of the boss! This place has great hospitality. I'll promote it big time."
"Hahaha! Thank you. Come often."
While taking the order, Kang Han-do wondered why they chose kimchi fried rice and doenjang jjigae.
'Well, I'll hear the story later.'
The backstory reveal comes during talk time, not now.
Kim Un-sik Chef's hands moved busily after receiving the order.
The sweet aroma of Korean dishes wafted over. Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su already started smacking their lips.
It was their first time trying food from a top chef. Even before it arrived, anticipation swelled.
A moment later.
"Your kimchi fried rice and doenjang jjigae! Oh, almost forgot—the pork stir-fry service too!"
Kim Un-sik Chef and Jo Min-ha quickly set the table.
Plating was perfect too. Kim Un-sik Chef's Korean set captured the eyes completely. And of course, the taste.
"Wow...!"
"It tastes amazing?!"
Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su, tasting the kimchi fried rice and doenjang jjigae, gave genuine reactions.
Kim Un-sik Chef was one of Korea's top chefs. Though Western cuisine was his specialty, he excelled in Korean, Chinese, Japanese—pretty much everything.
With food served, it was time for talk segment.
Now it was Kang Han-do's stage.
"Is there a reason you chose kimchi fried rice and doenjang jjigae?"
Kim Sang-heon answered the question.
"Yo-su made kimchi fried rice for me first. And doenjang jjigae was the first thing I made for her, vice versa."
"So, each other's first home-cooked meals."
"Yeah. Honestly back then... it all tasted bad."
But Lee Yo-su had a different take.
"You said the kimchi fried rice was super tasty. That was a lie?"
"That was just to make you happy."
Lee Yo-su lightly smacked Kim Sang-heon's arm.
Every dish ordered on Kim Chef's Kitchen carried a story.
These were no exception.
Kang Han-do tossed a question about their early dating days.
"How did you two start going out?"
Their dating story had never been properly revealed before.
Today was the broadcast premiere.
"We first met at the public recruitment exam. Han-do, you know—we're the same batch."
"Yes, that's right."
"During the exam, Yo-su was right in front of me in line. She was shaking so bad, I gave her a calming pill to comfort her. That sparked a few meetings, feelings grew, and we ended up married."
"Who confessed first?"
Kang Han-do assumed it was Kim Sang-heon.
But it was the opposite.
"Yo-su did."
"Really?"
The Lee Yo-su Kang Han-do knew wasn't the type to confess first to someone she liked.
Lee Yo-su blushed slightly.
"I liked Sang-heon oppa that much. Plus, he was popular back then, so I got anxious another girl would snag him if I didn't confess. So I just went 'Screw it!' and did it."
"Didn't know there was that story."
Hearing this hidden tale from seniors he saw weekly felt fresh.
Kim Sang-heon reminisced for a moment.
"Early dating was tough. No steady income. No date money, so we'd split one budae jjigae."
Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su weren't stars from the start.
They'd endured long nameless days. But they stuck with comedy, and meeting the Game World corner led to their current peak.
Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su picked up their spoons and chopsticks again.
"Still delicious anytime."
"Yeah. Good choice."
Kimchi fried rice and doenjang jjigae. They might seem ordinary, but to them, they held the meaning of初心—precious beginner's heart.
With stories of初心 and their future ahead as sides, their meal continued.
* * *
The day Kim Sang-heon and Lee Yo-su held their wedding.
With VSLine's dazzling congratulatory song, they had a grand ceremony.
Senior, peer, and junior comedians gathered to bless their path.
Even senior Oh Sin-hoon attended.
"Sang-heon’s off the market too, huh."
Oh Sin-hoon suddenly asked Kang Han-do beside him.
"Han-do-ya. When are you getting married?"
"Suddenly?"
"Doesn't watching others wed make you wanna?"
"For me... who knows."
It was still far off.
Finding his own happiness mattered too.
But Kang Han-do also had the task of raising Korea's average happiness index.
Marriage could wait until after that big hurdle.
That's how Kang Han-do thought.
'Of course, marriage requires a partner.'
Kang Han-do swallowed a wry smile without Oh Sin-hoon noticing.