Chapter 30

Chapter 30

How Is It This Time?

Early morning, K broadcasting station <​Sura’s Kitchen> recording set.

“The intention wasn’t bad, but the acidity of the sauce is suppressing the sweet taste of the main ingredient sea bream too strongly. If you reduced the vinegar a bit, and raised the temperature of grilling the surface a bit more it would have been perfect. Regrettable.”

Namgung Wi gave the evaluation in a calm voice.

If it were usual it was a situation he would have spoken quite stimulatingly and venomously.

But now his attitude was extremely restrained yet stained with a strange persuasiveness.

Moreover it was even much sharper than before.

“······!”

The challenger chef who had prepared for venom made a blank expression, then soon accepted and lowered his head.

“Thank you, chef!”

[Cut! Okay! Everyone good work!!]

In that way the studio recording that had continued for a long time completely ended.

Dozens of staff began moving busily to organize equipment.

At the same time the main PD and assistant directors, writers, camera staff approached Namgung Wi’s side in a crowd and greeted.

“Good work, chef!”

“Today’s judging comments were really good, chef!”

At the staff’s affectionate greetings, Namgung Wi lightly bowed and returned the greeting then exited the set with leisurely steps.

When his back completely receded, murmuring burst among the writers and staff gathered behind the camera.

“Wow··· Namgung chef, the atmosphere has completely changed?”

“Right. Before he coldly stripped the mental. But today something feels like a different dimension of class? Moreover because the evaluation is too sharp the chef accepts completely rather than refuting.”

At that time, the main PD’s expression who was staring at the empty monitor with arms crossed strangely sank.

“Probably... after that jajangmyeon incident.”

At his words the staff nodded with expressions of agreement.

In fact Namgung Wi who had left the seat saying he’d rest the broadcast for a while suddenly changed his mind and returned in just one week was also right after that incident.

Moreover according to what the main PD heard here and there, Namgung Wi after that day was cooped up in his office for a while and didn’t go out.

At that time the main PD who recalled something clicked his tongue.

“...Tsk!”

Thinking of the video of the staff who went for casting a few days ago being turned away at the door and chased out at Jin Myeong Gak even now the nape was stiff from resentment.

But ironically as that video rode viral, the viewership of <​Sura’s Kitchen> that had been in a slump for a while was breaking its own highest record every day.

From the broadcasting station’s position that incident rather led to a completely unexpected result of explosively driving the program’s popularity.

The main PD furrowed his brow.

“...”

Though not right now, he was resolving that someday he would definitely bring the chef of Jin Myeong Gak to the studio.

“Good work, chef.”

“Good work.”

Namgung Wi who returned to the waiting room receiving the staff’s greetings sat on the sofa and tightly bit the tip of his own tongue.

‘······.’

He himself was also surprised.

His taste had become sensitive to a degree incomparable to before.

The texture of ingredients entering the mouth, the ratio of hidden spices, even the momentary time the fire touched was drawn clearly in his mind to that extent.

Because of the feeling circling on the tongue recently he wondered if by any chance...

After that day, it had evolved one step further.

“Cheeeeef!”

At that time, Cameron wearing a flashy luxury shirt noisily jumped into the waiting room.

A tablet PC was held in his hand.

“Chef! Did you see this?! Chaos on the internet again now!”

“...?!”

Namgung Wi furrowed his brow as if tired, but Cameron paid no mind and shoved the tablet screen at Namgung Wi.

“A new menu finally came out at Jin Myeong Gak!”

“······!”

In an instant, Namgung Wi’s two closed eyes opened wide.

In the screen a photo of jjamppong with meat garnish on top was displayed.

[Jin Myeong Gak new menu, shocking taste meat jjamppong start! Myeondosa loses reason and wails ㅋㅋㅋ]

“Meat jjamppong···?”

Namgung Wi’s heart began beating like crazy.

Not someone else, meat jjamppong made by the chef of Jin Myeong Gak.

“Too curious about the taste, right?”

“Chief Choi!”

“Yes, yes! Chef!”

“Going to Jin Myeong Gak now.”

At those words Cameron cheered and stamped his feet in place.

“Assa!”

But the expression of Chief Choi standing beside stiffened seriously.

“Chef, it’s a situation still being talked about in the public’s mouths because of the last matter. There’s no need to get involved in gossip by going again...”

“I have to go directly and taste.”

“...”

Looking at the face it didn’t seem like he could persuade.

Chief Choi let out a deep sigh as if unavoidable.

If he couldn’t break the stubbornness of going directly anyway, he had to prevent at least the worst situation.

“If you must go directly, please wait in the car like last time. I’ll take the thermal container and takeout. So please just chef not lining up among people directly···”

“No.”

Namgung Wi cut Chief Choi’s words.

“With packaged food I can’t evaluate the complete taste. Moreover hiding inside the car twice is something I can’t tolerate myself. This time I’ll eat directly inside the restaurant.”

“······Yes?!”

Chief Choi was shocked.

“Che, chef! That’s absolutely words that cannot be! How such...”

“Chief Choi! Why are you so blocked!”

Just when Chief Choi was freaking out and about to firmly oppose, Cameron intervened and gave a pinzan.

“As chef said with delivery or takeout you can’t know the real taste! And honestly you also want to go and eat right now! Right?!”

“Wha, what words! I’m not particularly...!”

“Lying again.”

“No so...”

“My decision is over.”

Namgung Wi put on the jacket and drove a wedge.

“Just have the car wait.”

“...Understood.”

Chief Choi in the end had no choice but to nod while letting out a deep sigh.

*

A few hours later.

Jin Myeong Gak.

Still the front of the restaurant was forming a long line with dozens of people.

And the very back seat of that waiting line.

Namgung Wi was standing in an upright posture.

Beside him Cameron wearing large sunglasses and the restless Chief Choi were stuck close.

“Che, chef··· must you do this?”

“Cooking can know the real taste only by eating the moment it’s made.”

“Well that’s true but...”

Chief Choi made a difficult expression.

Who wouldn’t know that.

The problem was the surrounding situation enveloping them.

He glanced around with uneasy eyes.

Not only the waiters standing in line but also passersby who happened to pass the alley, even people eating inside the restaurant hall were sticking their heads out and glancing at Namgung Wi.

“Heol, crazy! Isn’t that person Namgung Wi?!”

“Why is Namgung chef here again?”

“Did he come for revenge today?”

Noisy murmuring.

Some people were even openly taking out smartphones and filming Namgung Wi.

“...”

As a public figure it was unavoidable, but from Chief Choi’s position it was a feeling of blood drying.

But the person in question Namgung Wi was staring piercingly only at Jin Myeong Gak’s entrance without moving even at the surrounding gazes.

At that time.

One young female customer who had been glancing from the side of the waiting line approached hesitantly.

She carefully opened her mouth with a highly excited face.

“Th, there··· I’m a fan who watches the broadcast well usually··· by any chance can I take a photo together?”

But Chief Choi stepped forward blocking in front of Namgung Wi.

“Sorry. Today is chef’s personal schedule. We’ll politely decline filming.”

“Ah··· can’t I take just one? It ends quickly.”

“Really sorry.”

“...”

At Chief Choi’s refusal, the customer had no choice but to turn around regretting.

At that time, the parents inside the restaurant hall continuously glanced at Namgung Wi outside the glass door.

“Ho, honey. Really that person is continuously lining up outside?”

“Right···”

Worry was not small whether today he came determined to cause a ruckus at the restaurant.

At that time, a loud voice rang from the entrance side.

“Next waiting number 15 customer! Please come in!”

Bong-gu who opened the door and came out began calling in the next order people one by one while organizing the front of the restaurant.

Then Bong-gu’s gaze fixed on Namgung Wi’s group standing around the middle of the waiting line.

“······.”

Bong-gu’s two eyes narrowed, and he looked at them with a strange gaze.

At his blatant and burdensome gaze Chief Choi flinched his shoulders.

But there was also a person not swayed by such atmosphere at all.

“Oh my! Large oppa! Hello~ we came again!”

Cameron wearing flashy sunglasses waved hands brightly toward Bong-gu and recognized him.

.

“······.”

Bong-gu without answering only caught deep wrinkles on his brow.

And a moment later.

“Come in.”

Receiving Bong-gu’s blunt guidance the three entered the restaurant.

The place Bong-gu pointed with his chin was a seat facing the kitchen serving window head-on.

As soon as they sat, Namgung Wi’s gaze headed straight inside the kitchen.

Hwaaaaaaaaak!!

With a roar a pillar of fire surged up.

Still a blank and languid expression.

The young-looking chef cooking with a face as if everything is bothersome.

When he came before he didn’t know because of the circumstances, but seeing now it was considerable skill.

“······!”

The appearance of the flame softly wrapping the edge of the wok like a living creature then bouncing off repeating.

The snap of the wrist and the rhythm of ingredients cutting the air.

A bizarre movement as if led by some invisible energy.

The chef was freely playing with the flame.

‘Amazing...’

Namgung Wi overwhelmed by that wondrous scene stared inside the kitchen lost in a daze.

“Will you order?”

At that time, a blunt voice hit Namgung Wi’s ear.

Bong-gu with face fully furrowed had already approached and stood in front of the table at some point.

“······Three meat jjamppong.”

A moment later.

Three heavy bowls with red chili oil floating were placed on Namgung Wi’s table.

“Wow, the smell is crazy! Ah heart is trembling!”

Cameron cheered and lifted chopsticks, and Chief Choi was also naturally being entranced by the smell.

But Namgung Wi tightly closed both eyes and concentrated on the heat and aroma rising from the bowl.

Seuk.

Namgung Wi who opened his eyes wide lifted the spoon and scooped a little red broth and pushed it into his mouth.

“······!!”

At that moment, Namgung Wi’s eyes widened.

‘Th, this······!!’

It was a completely different kind of shock from jajangmyeon.

Filling the space where the refreshing of seafood was missing, only the savoriness of pork and the sweet taste of vegetables, and the fire taste.

The most shocking was the balance.

Even though such strong ingredients collide, the harmony of taste was at a surprising level.

To the extent even the very fine sense of alienation or crack felt in the jajangmyeon before wasn’t felt.

Considering the taste has become more sensitive it’s a level to be shocked.

“Hururururuk! Eueoeoeo, Chief Choi! I really feel like I’ll go crazy! Too delicious!!”

“Hururuk! Ujeok ujeok! Haa, haa···!”

Even the sound of Cameron and Chief Choi in front losing reason and slurping jjamppong like beasts didn’t enter Namgung Wi’s ears.

The shock continuing even while tasting.

At that time.

Dalgeurak.

The wok work sound that had been echoing without rest from the kitchen stopped dead.

Namgung Wi raised his head as if entranced.

“······?”

He was looking at Namgung Wi with one arm slanted on the serving window shelf.

A young-looking face with sweat droplets formed on the forehead.

But a strange momentum was felt in those languid and deeply sunk pupils.

‘How is it this time?’

An expression as if asking that.

“······.”

In that way the two people’s gazes met again after a long time.

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