Chapter 36: Unexpected Assitance

Feeling somewhat flustered, Kang Jin searched through the cooking practice room again when Sung Yongsoo entered it.

“Why aren’t you starting?”

Sung Yongsoo had been sitting in the hall and noticed that Kang Jin hadn’t opened the refrigerator door.

“There’s no ‘Chili Paste’ dish here.”

“Is there not?”

“Nope.”

Upon hearing this, Sung Yongsoo glanced around the practice room before saying,

“Well, I guess they didn’t include it because it is too simple of a recipe. It isn’t difficult at all. Let me teach you how to make it.”

“You know how to prepare it?”

“What do you mean…?” Bae Yongsoo continued, “It’s just mixing chili peppers with soybean paste; quite straightforward.”

“Mixing chili peppers with soybean paste? Why bother making it separately then? Can’t we just eat them together?”

“It’s different from simply eating them together.”

Kang Jin nodded at Bae Yongsoo’s words. Kang Jin’s cooking ability was limited to dishes he could practice within the cooking simulator. However, mixing pepper flakes with soybean paste wasn’t exactly ‘cooking’.

“I understand.”

“Firstly, take out some Cheongyang peppers.”

Following Bae Yongsoo’s instructions, Kang Jin retrieved a bag of Cheongyang peppers from the refrigerator.

“Pick ten plump ones.”

As per Bae Yongsoo’s request, Kang Jin selected ten peppers from the bag.

“These peppers look great. Take out some ice and soak them in it.”

Following his guidance, Kang Jin placed the Cheongyang peppers in a container filled with ice.

“Mixing pepper flakes with soybean paste is quite simple. Besides, Mrs. Kim Bokrae’s soybean paste tastes amazing! Even just dipping food in it enhances the flavor.”

Kang Jin nodded at Bae Yongsoo’s instruction. He took out some soybean paste as directed by Bae Yongsoo.

“Now, cut the chili pepper into pieces about the size of your finger.”

Following Bae Yongsoo’s instructions, Kang Jin gripped his knife and started chopping the chili pepper.

Shunk! Shunk!

Although this wasn’t food from the cooking practice room, he managed to slice the chili pepper well enough. Cutting ingredients into finger-sized pieces is quite simple, even for someone not trained as a chef.

After slicing the chili pepper, Bae Yongsoo pointed towards a bowl.

“Put everything in the bowl: half a spoonful of garlic, two spoonfuls of soybean paste, oligodang…”

As Kang Jin added the ingredients to the bowl, Bae Yongsoo continued:

“Mix it thoroughly.”

Following Bae Yongsoo’s instructions, Kang Jin started mixing the pepper with the paste.

“No, not like that. You need to mix it gently yet firmly.”

“How can I do both?”

“You did well when making eggplant salad before.”

Kang Jin looked at Bae Yongsoo and then back at the pepper and paste.

Eggplant salad…

He briefly closed his eyes, recalling how he had made the dish previously.

Right, this is similar to eggplant salad.

With this thought, Kang Jin began moving his hands accordingly.

Sssk!

Ssk!

By imagining himself preparing eggplant salad instead of simply mixing peppers with soybean paste, his movements flowed naturally.

Bae Yongsoo observed Kang Jin’s hands and nodded approvingly.

“Good job.”

“Oh really?”

“People often think lightly of mixing ingredients… However, how you mix them determines if the seasoning evenly penetrates. Also, it prevents damaging the ingredients… Well, since these are peppers, they won’t be crushed easily, but their texture can still degrade.”

“Does rubbing peppers with your hands affect their texture?”

“Of course. With any ingredient, excessive handling degrades its texture.”

While they were talking, the spicy pepper and soybean paste mixture was completed.

“Lastly, add sesame oil and toss.”

“How much?”

“Just one turn around the bowl.”

Following Bae Yongsoo’s instructions, Kang Jin added a touch of sesame oil and mixed it well by hand.

He then placed some of this mixture into his mouth.

Crunch! Crunch!

The texture was even crispier due to being soaked in ice water beforehand. Moreover…

It’s spicy but delicious.

As expected from using Chungyang peppers, it had a spicy kick yet tasted good.

With relish, Kang Jin served the side dish containing the spicy pepper-soybean paste mix.

“Here is your food.”

“Thank you.”

Lim Ho-jin then put some of the spicy pepper-soybean paste mix into his mouth.

Crunch! Crunch!

Hearing the crispy sound, Kang Jin started salivating again as he remembered its spiciness.

“Do you like it?”

“It tastes better than I anticipated.”

“I was worried since it’s my first time making this dish, but I’m glad you like it.”

“It’s delicious.”

“Would you like some clam soybean-paste stew from lunch?”

“No, thank you.”

Lim Ho-jin scooped up more of the spicy pepper and soybean paste mixture to eat with his rice. As he watched Lim Ho-jin, Lee Kang-jin made to enter the kitchen when Lim Ho-jin called out to him.

“Lee Kang-jin, have you eaten yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Then let’s share.” Lim Ho-jin suggested, and Kang-jin nodded in agreement. After all, he needed to eat as well.

“Sure thing.”

Kang-jin grabbed a bowl of rice and joined Lim Ho-jin at the table.

“Have everyone else left already?”

“Assistant Manager Choi stayed back because she had work left unfinished; otherwise, everyone else has gone home.”

Seeing Lim Ho-jin focused on his food while talking, Kang Jin decided to eat quietly alongside him without further conversation.

Food definitely tastes better when it’s warm.

Of course, even if it wasn’t spicy pepper soybean paste stew, meals here were always enjoyable due to Kang Jin’s delicious homemade side dishes made from recipes she found online.

She wrapped rice with kimchi, picked at some seasoned shredded radish, and mixed anchovies stir-fried with rice. There was no main dish, but both Kang Jin and Lim Ho-jin enjoyed their meal heartily.

Lim Ho-jin smiled as he ate the spicy pepper soybean paste stew with cold water.

“It reminds me of what my wife used to make…but this is even tastier.”

“It tastes better than what my wife used to make.” Lim Ho-jin’s words made Kang Jin look at him with sympathy.

‘Did his spouse pass away?’

Lim Ho-jin smiled at her expression. “My family is currently living in China with our children.”

“Oh!”

“You thought she had passed away?” Kang Jin nodded, understanding why Lim Ho-jin felt nostalgic when mentioning his wife.

“I could sense your longing whenever you talked about Mrs. Kim Bokrae,” explained Kang Jin.

Lim Ho-jin agreed, nodding. “Yes, I do miss them dearly. But for their sake, we decided they should live there… Still, being apart from them isn’t easy.”

“It’s true that despite hardships, it’s best to be together as a family.”

“Absolutely,” Lim Ho-jin replied with a smile before suddenly turning to Kang Jin.

“Feeling homesick—does it relate to psychology?” Lim Ho-jin asked with a smile.

“It’s not exactly psychology, but more of reading between the lines.”

“Reading between the lines?”

“If professors heard me say this, they might get upset… But I believe psychology is essentially about understanding how people perceive and interpret cues from others.”

“So, Mr. Lee Kang-jin must be quite perceptive then.”

“I’ve done just about every part-time job since I was young. From dealing with difficult customers to kind-hearted ones, there isn’t much I haven’t experienced. As a result, I’ve become pretty good at picking up on social cues.”

Lim Ho-jin nodded thoughtfully while observing Kang Jin’s response.

“Then have you considered becoming a full-time employee?”

Caught off guard by this sudden question, Lee Kang-jin scratched his head while looking at Lim Ho-jin.

“Did I give that impression?”

“Typically, interns try to read their colleagues’ cues. With your keen perception and background in psychology, it must be obvious when our employees feel uncomfortable with someone leaving early. Yet, you still choose to leave.”

“Are you here to reprimand me for clocking out early?” asked Kang Jin.

Lim Ho-jin chuckled and shook his head. “Of course not. The reason I’m here today is because I wanted to try these snacks… It just came up during our conversation. Also, there was something I needed to confirm.”

“Confirm?”

“For those who aim to become full-time employees, they’re given appropriate work. Those unlikely to be hired as regulars get assigned different tasks suitable for them. And then there’s work tailored for interns with no intention of becoming full-timers.”

Kang Jin appeared puzzled by Lim Ho-jin’s explanation.

“Are there differences in their assignments?”

“Yes, indeed. Potential candidates receive more hands-on experience, while those less likely to make it are given various trade-related tasks that would ease their transition to another company. It ensures they learn something useful before moving on.”

“What about someone like me?”

“Do you have any plans to become a full-time employee?”

“I’m just here to complete my internship period.”

“Well, considering your culinary skills, I suppose there’s no need for you to aim for a full-time position.”

Lim Ho-jin had only eaten twice today for lunch and dinner, but he’d never dined at such a delicious restaurant like this before. He couldn’t understand why there were no other customers…but that’s how business works. If you offer quality goods, success is inevitable. No matter what tricks or tactics one employs, nothing beats providing excellent products.

Considering this, Kang Jin’s exceptional culinary skills could be his ticket to thriving in business. Additionally, numerous companies were located nearby.

It’s strange that there aren’t more customers with food this good.

As it approached 7 pm, Lim Ho-jin found it peculiar being the sole customer in the restaurant.

“But I’ll work hard during my internship period.”

Lim Ho-jin nodded at Kang Jin’s words and replied, “Just handle tasks suitable for an administrative assistant. Teaching is difficult and bothersome, but giving orders is easy.”

Kang Jin acknowledged Lim Ho-jin’s statement with a nod.

“What time do you close?”

“We close at one o’clock.”

“Is it okay to come to work tomorrow after staying open until dawn?”

“No problem.”

Lim Ho-jin didn’t say anything further upon hearing Kang Jin’s response.

If the intern interferes with my work, I can just fire them.

Firing an incompetent intern wouldn’t be an issue. In Kang Jin’s case, he had his own side business, so dismissing him wouldn’t cause any additional burden.

“Give me a bottle of soju, please. It’s chilly out there, so I need a drink.”

In response, Kang Jin retrieved a bottle of soju from the refrigerator and cleared away his eaten food while Lim Ho-jin poured himself a glass.

As Kang Jin glanced at his watch while watching Lim Ho-jin drinking soju alone,

<10:50>

How many hours has he been here, drinking by himself?

Lim Ho-jin had arrived slightly past six o’clock and was still consuming soju solo as it neared eleven now. However, he wasn’t guzzling it down. He occasionally took a sip while laughing and watching dramas on his laptop. It seemed like he enjoyed the drama more than the alcohol; the drink merely enhanced his experience.

The ghosts will be arriving soon…

As Kang Jin pondered this, Sung Yong spoke up:

“Isn’t it better to let him go now?”

“Yes, you’re right.”

“There aren’t any malicious spirits among those coming here, but… they might feel uncomfortable around each other.”

Kang Jin nodded at Sung Yong’s suggestion and left the kitchen.

“Manager Kang.”

Lim Ho-jin removed his earphones upon hearing Kang Jin’s voice.

“It’s getting late; shouldn’t you head home now?”

Lim Ho-jin checked the time on his laptop and chuckled at Kang Jin’s remark.

“I can’t believe watching one drama episode took this long.” With a smile, Lim Ho-jin poured himself another shot of soju and grabbed some appetizers to enjoy alongside it.

On Lim Ho-jin’s table were dishes like fish cake soup, stir-fried chicken feet, and fried eggs. Whether out of guilt for occupying the space alone or due to his hearty appetite, Lim Ho-jin had ordered multiple side dishes. He quickly devoured a piece of egg fry as if slurping up noodles before wiping his mouth.

“I really like this place.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Well, I feel bad for Lee Kang-jin…but with no other customers around, it’s perfect for watching dramas without any judgment. Plus, there’s no set menu, so I can order whatever I want to eat.”

Lim Ho-jin truly enjoyed this establishment. In fact, his only hobby was drinking alone while watching dramas. He never used to be fond of solitary drinking until his wife and child moved to China, leading him to develop this pastime.

However, even seasoned solo drinkers found it challenging to watch dramas on their laptops while drinking alone at bars or restaurants. But here, everything was just right - he could order what he wanted, and there were no other patrons around.

“See you tomorrow.”

Smiling, Lim Ho-jin packed up his laptop and paid for his drinks when suddenly he shivered.

“But…isn’t it getting cold?”

Lim Ho-jin’s comment prompted Lee Kang-jin to scan the restaurant.

“You feel chilly?”

“I have goosebumps on my back. Is the air conditioning too strong?”

As Lim Ho-jin looked around, Kang-jin hastily responded, “Well then, see you tomorrow.”

Kang-jin escorted Lim Ho-jin out with a smile, finally understanding why Lim Ho-jin mentioned feeling cold. There was a cluster of ghosts congregating near the entrance.

‘I guess their presence is lowering the temperature.’

The already cool atmosphere became even chillier due to the gathering of ghosts inside the restaurant.