Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Mutual Aid?

“Mister Namgung. Your pointing out was accurate.”

“There, chef! What...!”

Seo Tae-jin tried to intervene.

But Antoine ignored him and continued speaking while looking at Namgung Wi.

“If it were the previous me I wouldn’t have accepted such evaluation or whatever. But··· after tasting that I had no choice but to accept your words.”

That.

In an instant Namgung Wi’s two eyes widened.

Namgung Wi who had been sensitizing nerves more than anyone to the recent trends of Jin Myeong Gak.

“You went to··· Jin Myeong Gak.”

“Yes.”

Antoine nodded with deep admiration.

“That noodle cooking mixed with that black and rough sauce···”

Sophie lightly intervened and said.

“It’s jajangmyeon.”

“Yeah, jajangmyeon... outwardly it was the worst. But the taste was really... drawing out the ingredients in such surprising harmony, it was wondrous cooking.”

Antoine was making a ecstatic expression discussing jajangmyeon.

But Namgung Wi could understand that feeling more than anyone.

“I fully empathize with what shock chef received.”

“Indeed... you too.”

“Yes.”

A strange bond began to flow between Antoine and Namgung Wi.

Namgung Wi deeply lowered his head toward Antoine and gave a polite greeting.

“Then, I’ll go now.”

“Someday I want to have a deep conversation about cooking. Go well.”

When Namgung Wi exited the corridor leisurely accompanied by Chief Choi and Cameron, Seo Tae-jin’s face reddened and blued with humiliation and anger.

The sight of the main card he brought spending a large sum raising the enemy’s hand and finishing warmly!

“Antoine chef! What on earth is this act?! Have you forgotten the reason I brought chef all the way to this Korea?!”

When Seo Tae-jin frowned and questioned, Antoine looked back at him with cold eyes.

“Director Seo. I will leave this broadcast.”

“······Yes?!”

What words are these?

Leaving...

“I’ll pay all the penalty for contract violation. For that matter my secretary Sophie will handle it.”

“...”

“I realized the limit of my cooking at Jin Myeong Gak. For a while I won’t return to the homeland, and it seems I have to devote to training in Korea.”

Antoine who finished what he had to say turned his back without lingering and walked away.

Sophie also left only a bow and quickly followed behind Antoine.

“Th, this! Antoine!”

“...”

“Hey!! Sto, stop I say!!”

Seo Tae-jin shouted like crazy, but there was no returning answer.

An unprecedented situation of the main host unilaterally notifying leaving after the first recording and leaving.

“Damn...!”

Just when Seo Tae-jin was trembling his whole body with anger.

The main PD who finished organizing the recording site ran into the corridor with a bright face.

“Director!! Today’s recording is really a jackpot! The picture of Namgung Wi chef forcing and becoming isolated, this viewership will unconditionally burst! Jackpot signs are visible!”

At the sense-lacking main PD’s fuss Seo Tae-jin’s reason finally snapped.

“Jackpot is shit···!! The main chef just said he’ll leave, what jackpot you crazy bastard!!”

“······Yes?!!! Le, leaving?!”

“Yeah, he says he’ll stop!!”

“...!”

“Not grasping the atmosphere at all... tsk!”

Leaving the PD who turned pale behind, Seo Tae-jin ground his teeth with a badeuk.

***

Late time after Jin Myeong Gak’s business ended.

The atmosphere of the four people sitting at the hall table eating a late dinner was warmer than any time.

“Honey, Jin-myeong. Mom and dad went to the bank today and paid off all the remaining loan! Now no debt at all!”

The mother showed the old bankbook with tears of joy welling.

“This is all thanks to our Jin-myeong. Really worked hard, our son.”

The mother soon also smiled brightly toward Bong-gu who was eating.

“Bong-gu young man also thank you so much for helping like your own work every day like this.”

“What did I do? It’s because our hyung’s cooking is amazing that customers line up!”

At Bong-gu’s naseure warm laughter flowers bloomed inside the restaurant.

The mother let out a happy sigh and looked at the air.

“Someday we also don’t want to live renting someone else’s building like this, and want to buy one proper our building and do business at ease.”

“Of course it will be like that! Isn’t hyung’s cooking to the extent can’t sell because none now?”

Just when Bong-gu was agreeing heartily and about to lift the spoon.

Ding!

The firmly closed restaurant door opened with a seureuk, and Seo Tae-jin and the secretary in neat suits entered inside with greasy expressions.

“Sorry a lot during the harmonious family meal.”

At the appearance of the uninvited guest Bong-gu put down the spoon with a tak and stood up blocking the front.

“Business is over. Come tomorrow.”

“No, no. Not coming to eat but came because there’s talk. And you step aside a bit.”

Seo Tae-jin passed as if lightly pushing Bong-gu and approached the parents.

“Very sorry at a late time.”

He who showed a polite fake smile soon approached Jin Myeong who was silently eating and brought out the main point.

“I came to make one proposal. Won’t you come out on my broadcast?”

Seo Tae-jin continued speaking with an arrogant smile.

“I already know you kicked away the K broadcasting station guys’ small money proposal in one cut. I’m different in scale from those guys. If you just appear, I’ll plug 100 million per episode. How is it?”

100 million per episode.

An amount that blocks breath.

But Jin Myeong without giving even one glance said with an indifferent expression.

“Not doing.”

At the firm refusal Seo Tae-jin’s greasy smile stiffened hard for a moment.

“No, this young friend has strong stubbornness. This is a shop doing business renting anyway. Anyway doing it all to earn money and raising only pride too much isn’t it?”

“Bong-gu.”

“Yes, hyung!”

“Business is over.”

At Jin Myeong’s words, Bong-gu’s eyes changed fiercely.

“You heard? Since business is over get out right now while speaking nicely.”

“The underling step aside a bit... eh? eh?!”

Bong-gu roughly grabbed the napes of Seo Tae-jin and the secretary.

“Eueok!”

“Heok!”

There was no room to resist.

Bong-gu pushed the two struggling people outside the restaurant as is.

“Eoeot! Th, this bastard...!”

Seo Tae-jin who was chased outside ugly sharply distorted his face.

Having never experienced such treatment even once since birth his whole body trembled with anger.

At that time the secretary hurriedly approached.

“Di, director! Are you okay?”

The secretary tried to organize Seo Tae-jin’s wrinkled clothes with a pale face.

“Let go, this bastard!!”

“...!”

“What are you standing blankly! Go bring the car right now!!”

“Ah, understood!”

The secretary flusteredly ran to the alley entrance where it was parked.

“Arrogant things··· watch!”

Seo Tae-jin panted, then soon disappeared into the darkness with a swish.

*

A few days later.

Jin Myeong Gak was crowded with customers with no room to step as usual.

Among many customers.

“Hururururuk! Keuha···!”

Antoine was continuously drinking the meat jjamppong broth wiping the sweat formed on his forehead.

In front of secretary Sophie sitting opposite him jajangmyeon was placed.

After declaring leaving the broadcast, Antoine completely booked lodging near Jin Myeong Gak.

Then he was solving lunch by stamping the attendance coming here every day.

After finishing the meal and returning to the lodging, researching new cooking based on the inspiration of the tip of the tongue gained from Jin Myeong’s cooking that day had become Antoine’s daily routine.

“Keueu, this meat jjamppong is really··· shock every time I eat. How he catches such crazy balance.”

At his words Sophie also nodded.

“I still like this jajangmyeon the most.”

Sophie carefully lifted the noodles and continued speaking.

“After eating here the first day, I went around all the famous Chinese restaurants and hotel dinings in Seoul··· in the end couldn’t even reach near this taste.”

“Of course.”

Antoine nodded continuously drinking the remaining broth.

“What would be the reason we left that comfortable Seoul suite and came all the way to this neighborhood?”

“Thanks to that every morning chef’s guest room kitchen becomes a mess. Please understand a bit my hardship of calling cleaning personnel separately every morning to clean that mess.”

Antoine let out a light laugh as if shy.

“Hehe, think of it as an old man’s eccentricity and understand. Every time I see that young chef inspiration surges and I can’t endure.”

Antoine’s pupils were sparkling like a boy who discovered a new toy.

“I don’t know how long it’s been since this kind of feeling. Forgetting stars or evaluations, just staying up the night because cooking is fun···”

Sophie lightly clicked her tongue, but made a warm smile at Antoine’s appearance overflowing with vitality and sincerely happy more than any time.

“Still don’t overdo too much. You have to take care of health to eat this delicious thing longer and research too.”

“Okay, okay.”

“Hahaha! Grandfather chef! Today’s meat jjamppong taste is also amazing right?!”

Bong-gu who was clearing empty bowls in the hall approached friendly and spoke good-naturedly.

“Oh! Bong-gu! Good! Very good!”

Antoine raised his thumb toward Bong-gu with a chak and smiled brightly.

Now it was a familiar and comfortable face like a neighborhood Chinese restaurant regular grandfather.

Even amid that Antoine’s gaze was toward the kitchen.

Hwaaaaaaaaak!

Surging flame.

And Jin Myeong freely handling that flame.

He was deeply engraving that appearance in both eyes.

Amid that, the situation outside the restaurant was gradually becoming noisy.

People standing in the waiting line pointed to a place not far from Jin Myeong Gak and murmured.

“Eh? What are they doing in that empty lot there? Is there some event in this neighborhood?”

“Right. Seeing tables being laid it seems a place to eat something?”

It was a wide empty lot usually used as a parking lot by neighborhood people.

From morning unusual movements were captured there, and at some point a large tent was erected and outdoor tables and temporary dining tables were set in a row.

Not only that.

On one side of the empty lot a fairly large simple kitchen had even properly taken form.

Just by looking preparation to cook directly on site and eat at outdoor tables.

At first they lightly regarded it as maybe a small night market festival hosted by the district office or merchants’ association since the alley commercial district revived thanks to Jin Myeong Gak.

But late afternoon, around the time business ended.

Broadcast lighting equipment and trucks pushed in front of the empty lot, and they began hanging a huge banner on one side of the simple kitchen.

Bong-gu and the parents who came outside saw that scene and just opened their mouths wide.

It was a noisy banner with flashy gold foil letters engraved on a red background to the extent eyes hurt.

[Chef’s War special plan - Emperor Palace authentic Chinese cooking specialty store]

Bong-gu who saw that made a dumbfounded expression.

“Wha··· what? Chinese restaurant?! Broadcast filming?!”

An empty lot at a distance of falling over and nose touching from Jin Myeong Gak.

And that Chinese food.

A feeling as if blatantly aimed.

“Blatantly Chinese food for such a broadcast...”

“Right...”

The parents looked there with stiff expressions.

“Because business is going well, isn’t it the intention of blatantly putting a spoon on?!”

Just when Bong-gu was speaking excitedly.

One highest-grade sedan slid in and stopped right in front of the Emperor Palace outdoor set.

Deolkeok.

The back seat door opened, and sparkling luxury shoes stepped on the floor.

Then a man dressed in a neat suit leisurely got out.

“······!”

“Eh?”

The three people’s eyes who confirmed the face of the person who got out of the car widened simultaneously.

Exactly Seo Tae-jin.

“Heuum... not bad?”

Seo Tae-jin looked around the newly hung huge banner and outdoor kitchen and nodded as if satisfied, then soon discovered Bong-gu and the parents standing with stiff faces.

A greasy smile slowly spread on the corner of his mouth.

“Ah, Jin Myeong Gak bosses hello. And the large friend too.”

Seo Tae-jin walked leisurely.

“This...!”

Bong-gu’s shoulders heaved as if he would jump out right away, but the father hurriedly grabbed Bong-gu’s arm and stopped him.

“...What on earth scheme is this?”

When the father asked in a voice full of wariness, Seo Tae-jin let out a sneer and pointed at the Emperor Palace banner.

“Scheme, saying regrettable words. Let’s all mutually aid.”

“...?”

At Seo Tae-jin’s shameless answer the parents and Bong-gu’s brows narrowed.

“The jajangmyeon and jjamppong Jin Myeong Gak boasts. We’ll also have a head-on match with the same menu at that Emperor Palace. Goodwill competition occurring with the street in between! Through the broadcast we’ll get synergy with each other and this alley will become much more famous nationwide, so if this isn’t mutual aid what is it?”

“...”

“...”

At Seo Tae-jin’s nonsense, the parents and Bong-gu couldn’t shut their mouths from anger and dumbfoundedness.

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