Chapter 46

At lunchtime, the first to arrive were Managers Lim Ho-jin and Jang Seong-tae with their wives. Kang Jin bowed as they entered.

“Welcome!”

“It smells divine.” Lim Ho-jin smiled at him.

Kang Jin returned his smile. “It was quite challenging to get this aroma just right.”

“I can feel your dedication through the scent alone.” With that, Lim Ho-jin gestured toward the middle-aged woman beside him. “This is my wife.”

“Thank you for coming,” Kang Jin said politely. The lady smiled back and greeted him warmly. Then Manager Jang Seong-tae’s wife took Kang Jin’s hand.

“You treated my husband’s illness… I should have thanked you sooner.”

“I was lucky to catch it early.”

“No, he told me if you hadn’t noticed, it could’ve become much worse.”

“Oh no, not at all. He said if Ming-sung hadn’t caught it earlier, my husband would have been severely ill by now. We’re very lucky.”

“Ming-sung?”

Seeing Kang Jin’s puzzled expression, Jang Seong-tae chuckled and explained:

“He’s a doctor friend of mine. I went to him for confirmation.”

“Ah! You have a good friend there.”

“I realized this time…it’s indeed beneficial to have a doctor as a friend.”

“Not just a doctor, but having connections with a skilled restaurateur is also helpful.”

“Haha! That’s true too. Anyway, I’m looking forward to your dish.”

Kang Jin responded, “I’ll make sure it tastes delicious before bringing it out.”

“You don’t need our orders?”

“No, today I must sell only Sunji hangover soup without exception. However, if you find it unsatisfactory after trying it, I’ll prepare something else for you.”

“That’s fine,” replied Kang Jin as he headed back to the kitchen.

Yoo Misun, Lim Ho-jin’s wife, sat down at an empty table and curiously asked:

“We haven’t eaten with Kyung-mi in a while, and you bring us here?”

She was puzzled because they had ventured out for dinner with Jang Seong-tae and his wife but ended up at this type of restaurant.

Gong-gmi, Jang Seong-tae’s wife, smiled and responded:

“Sis, I’ve been here before, and their food is truly delicious.”

“Still… What’s Sunji hangover soup? Considering it’s our first gathering together after a long time.”

Lim Ho-jin chuckled at Yoo Misun’s remark.

“Just give it a try. If you don’t like it, they’ll serve something else.”

“Sis, the food here is genuinely amazing. You’ll be pleasantly surprised once you taste it.”

As they engaged in lively conversation, Kang Jin smiled and poured Sunji hangover soup from a large pot into individual bowls, then heated them on the stove. Since it was already boiling vigorously in the pot, she quickly served it once warmed.

“Sunji hangover soup is ready.”

When Kang Jin placed the bowls down, Jang Seong-tae sniffed the aroma with a smile.

“It smells like traditional hangover soup.”

“I made this especially because Manager Lim seemed disappointed when we had it a few days ago,” explained Kang Jin.

Jang Seong-tae chuckled at her words.

“Oh really? Are you trying to impress Manager Lim with your cooking skills?”

“Well, that’s part of it… But please, give it a try first.”

With Kang Jin urging them to taste it, everyone picked up their spoons and sampled the broth.

“Ah! Delicious!” Jang Seong-tae smiled after tasting the broth, and Lim Ho-jin chuckled along with him.

“It tastes just like Sunji’s hangover soup.”

“The flavor is similar, or maybe even better?”

“I think it’s tastier than Sunji’s!”

Hearing their praise, Oh Soon-young raised her voice indignantly.

“You cheeky brats! Don’t eat that!”

Kang Jin stifled a laugh at Oh Soon-young’s outburst. Despite both soups being made by her, she seemed offended by their comparison. It hurt her pride to hear them say it tasted better than hers. Kang Jin turned away, trying not to grin too broadly.

Peering from the kitchen, Oh Soon-young wore a radiant smile, clearly pleased by the customers’ enjoyment of her dish.

Unlike Go Sung’s customers, these patrons were enjoying their meal, which seemed to please her.

She’s adorable.

As Kang Jin thought this, Lim Ho-jin smiled and dug into his offal dish.

“This is delicious.”

“Hey! Try some of this lettuce wrap. It’s amazing!” Jang Seong-tae exclaimed.

Lim Ho-jin picked up a piece of lettuce with rice wrapped inside and popped it into his mouth.

Crisp! Crisp!

“Ugh!” Feeling the unique tartness of the lettuce, he glanced at his wife discreetly.

Contrary to her initial reluctance, she was now rolling the rice tightly and relishing every bite. Seeing this, Lim Ho-jin softly asked,

“Good, isn’t it?”

“Hmm? Yeah…it does have quite a taste.”

“By any chance, could I…have a drink?”

Yoo Misun slightly squinted her eyes at Lim Ho-jin’s comment before nodding.

“Indeed, it would be a sin not to drink soju with this hangover soup. Cheers.”

“Okay! Manager Jang, you joining us?”

“I’ll have some too…”

“Honey.” Gong-gmi’s gaze made Jang Seong-tae sigh and shake his head.

“No, I can’t.”

“Well, those recovering from illness need to take care of themselves. Still, my apologies as I must indulge myself. Sorry about that.” With a smile, Lim Ho-jin glanced at Kang Jin, who promptly retrieved a bottle of soju and two shot glasses from the refrigerator. Kang Jin gently placed them on the table and poured out one glass for Lim Ho-jin.

“Ahh! That hits the spot.” Lim Ho-jin smiled after taking a sip of soju followed by a spoonful of hangover soup.

Kang Jin observed him and remarked, “I believe food should remain true to its origins.”

“You were talking about it earlier?”

Kang Jin nodded at Lim Ho-jin’s question.

“I heard… The grandmother lost her husband when she was young, and to provide for her children, she started making hangover soup.”

“Really?” Lim Ho-jin raised an eyebrow. Despite being a regular customer, he wasn’t aware of the backstory behind the establishment.

“You knew this?”

“I didn’t either,” Jang Seong-tae admitted with a shake of his head.

Kang Jin continued, “I stumbled upon that information recently. Anyway, through selling the soup, she managed to educate and marry off her children… To the late owner, hangover soup wasn’t just a dish; it was her savior. It allowed her to feed and support her family.”

Lim Ho-jin nodded thoughtfully as Kang Jin continued speaking while observing them both.

“The hangover soup that fed you and your family… Its taste changed after your grandmother passed away. That makes my heart ache.”

“With her passing, perhaps the method of making the dish also changed?”

“I don’t believe Grandma would withhold the recipe for Sunji hangover soup from the child inheriting her store. I think the current owner deviated from her cooking method, leading to the change in taste.”

Lim Ho-jin nodded and took a sip of soju, prompting Kang Jin to promptly refill his glass.

“That’s why I made Sunji hangover soup here. Growing up with this soup and getting married, now inheriting the Sunji hangover soup restaurant…I hate that we couldn’t maintain even one of my grandmother’s recipes. And I want people to know what true Sunji hangover soup tastes like.”

Some parts of Kang Jin’s story were true, while others were embellished. When there is a narrative behind an item, people tend to remember it easily and start spreading it around.

‘Old-style hangover soup…that’s why they’re serving authentic Sunji hangover soup at One Meal Restaurant.’

‘How much pride must they have in their Sunji hangover soup to make such a statement?’

This kind of talk would pique curiosity, leading people who heard about it to visit the restaurant once out of intrigue.

Curiosity piqued about this particular hangover soup, and moreover…

If rumors spread, that son of theirs might show up.

Lim Ho-jin chuckled to himself at the thought.

“It feels like I’m being targeted by the old hangover soup place.”

“I made it with some bitterness, but still put my heart into cooking it. Please enjoy,” Kang Jin replied.

Lim Ho-jin nodded and started eating the Sunji hangover soup.

Sip, sip!

As Lim Ho-jin alternated between sipping the soup and taking shots of soju, Kang Jin observed him from the kitchen before bringing out more portions.

“Anyone need a refill?”

At Kang Jin’s question, all four customers looked his way. Smiling, he poured additional servings into their bowls.

“The broth is rich yet remarkably light.”

“It’s light despite being rich and oily overnight. Also, there’s some mixed kimchi and side dishes over there if you’d like more.”

“Thank you.”

Kang Jin stepped back as disappointment faded away upon seeing Yoo Misun enjoying her meal enthusiastically.

Click!

At that moment, Oh Seong-sil entered with four other men.

“Sir.” Lim Ho-jin stood up when he spotted Director Oh, who waved his hand with a smile.

“No need to stand while eating. Oh dear! Your wives are here too.”

As Oh Seong-sil approached Jang Seong-tae and Lim Ho-jin’s wives with a grin, they hastily wiped their mouths and rose from their seats.

“It’s been a while, Director Oh,” greeted Yoo Misun warmly.

Smiling, Oh Seong-sil nodded. “It’s hard to see each other often since your department changed. How have you been?”

“Just fine, thank you for asking.”

“Good to see you.”

Smiling, Oh Seong-sil greeted Gong-gmi next and then asked about the food on display.

“How is it? Is it delicious?”

“It’s fantastic. Maybe because the president cooked it to impress Kang Jin, but it has such rich flavor.” Jang Seong-tae joked, causing Lim Ho-jin to glance at Kang Jin, who laughed.

“I’m only half-serious.”

“Then I guess the other half was serious.”

“If we stay in his good graces, our internship should go smoother. Please have a seat.”

Following Kang Jin’s invitation, Oh Seong-sil found a table with her colleagues nearby. After Oh Seong-sil arrived, more people started filling up the store. This happened as individuals contacted by Oh Seong-sil and Lim Ho-jin began arriving one by one. Additionally, after enjoying the Sunji hangover soup, Oh Seong-sil decided others needed to know about this dish and reached out to even more acquaintances.

“It’s really delicious! They only serve it on weekends, so if not today, you’ll have to wait until next week. Yes, hurry over here. Ah! Don’t come too late; they limit it to sixty bowls per day.”

As more people received these messages and visited, the restaurant filled up quickly.

“The taste reminds me of that old hangover soup place.”

“No, this is even better than theirs.”

“I was disappointed when the flavor changed at the old place, but now I can come here instead.”

In the bustling store, Kang Jin diligently served customers.

“Here’s your Sunji hangover soup.”

“Can I get some more mixed pancakes?”

“The side dishes are self-service.”

Upon hearing Kang Jin’s response, the person requesting mixed pancakes got up and helped themselves from the table set aside for side dishes.

On each table sat jars containing side dishes and seasoned cabbage leaves. While side dishes could be eaten immediately after preparation, seasoned cabbage needed to ferment for two to three days at room temperature before it tasted good. That’s why Oh Soon-young had made them several days earlier and let them mature accordingly.

“The seasoned cabbage is delicious.”

“Indeed! It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed proper hangover soup!”

“Please bring us a bottle of soju!”

Kang Jin quickly brought over a bottle and shot glasses as if prompted by the customer’s craving for alcohol upon tasting the soup.

Meanwhile, Gong-gmi, Jang Seong-tae’s wife, assisted Kang Jin with serving customers.

“My apologies for this inconvenience.”

“Oh, no need to apologize. You saved my husband’s life, so helping out here is the least we can do. Sis! Here you go.” In response, Yoo Mi-sun, who was in the kitchen, took the dishes from Gong-gmi and placed them in the sink.

“I don’t know why I’m doing this.” Yoo Misun grumbled as she started washing dishes quickly.

Kang Jin clicked her tongue at the sight. Gong-gmi was the first to step up and help. As more guests arrived, Kang Jin struggled to serve them while also preparing food. Seeing this, Gong-gmi got up to clear the dishes. Initially, Kang Jin declined, but feeling guilty about the growing crowd, she accepted Gong-gmi’s assistance.

As dirty dishes began piling up in the kitchen, Yoo Misun reluctantly entered, muttering under her breath. Her involvement was prompted by Gong-gmi, who, being close friends with Jang Seong-tae’s wife, had taken the initiative. With their help, managing the influx of customers became much smoother.