Chapter 269

Special Interest (2)>

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 

“… How… should I answer.”

“Sorry. That’s so cringy.”

“So that’s how you are going to be.”

As Jo Minjoon raised both hands in surrender, Kim Minsuk shook his head and smiled. Jo Minjoon looked at Kim Minsuk and asked in a calm voice.

“What are you going to do with your restaurant?”

“Well. We might have a lot of customers right now, but…”

Kim Minsuk said in an embarrassed tone. The decision to remain open or close down the shop wasn’t simple and couldn’t be decided in a day. So, Jo Minjoon intentionally kept it simple knowing that Kim Minsuk’s head was filled with complicated thoughts. Jo Minjoon didn’t want to burden Kim Minsuk with any complicated words.

“I wish you remained open.”

He couldn’t say that business would do well. All he could say was to just remain open. Since Jo Minjoon couldn’t look Kim Minsuk in the eye, he continued in an apologetic tone.

“I know it’s irresponsible for a third party to say something without an answer. To be honest this isn’t just for you. It is also for the customers who might miss the place. It is a shame for a noodle restaurant like yours to close down like that.”

“You sound like a regular.”

“If I kept living in Korea, I could have become a regular.”

Listening to Jo Minjoon’s virtuous words, Kim Minsuk who had a complex expression smiled widely at Jo Min Joon. He then sucked at the straw of the empty iced Americano cup. As he stared at his cup, the sound of melted ice water rising through the straw could be heard.

“My brother was crying.”

“…What, your brother?”

“What did I tell you? He dedicated himself to noodles all his life. If I’m someone who could imitate the noodles, then he is someone who really knows how to bring it to life, however, he had to hear all the criticism of being a fake and be ignored by people. But your words changed everything.”

Kim Minsuk said in a defeated voice. This was expected since he and his brother’s lifelong effort in noodle couldn’t earn them recognition but a word from a friend who succeeds in a distant land earned instant recognition. Even if the reality was painful, there was nothing strange. Kim Minsuk slightly crushed the plastic coffee cup in his hand.

“Isn’t it weird? If you count the years that my brother and I worked when we were kids, he dedicated nearly twenty years to noodles. My brother is also a master, a master noodle maker. A master who dedicated his whole life says the noodles are delicious… but a visiting customer says ‘It’s not as good as it used to be.’ How can we bear this? Also … How can our life long effort not even compare to the comments that you made…”

Kim Minsuk apologetically looked at Jo Minjoon and said.

“Sorry. I am not angry at you. I am angry at the reality that we live in.”

“I understand. If I was in your shoes, I would also be angry.”

“In Korea, if you work at a high-end restaurant for a year you become a cook. A chef. But for a business like ours… The noodles, gamjatang, chueotang, kimbap… We are not called cooks or chefs, but businessmen. Did you know that when I meet my friends, they don’t ask me how my cooking is going. They ask me how the business is or whether the business is doing well.”

Rather than an answer, Jo Minjoon put his hand on Kim Minsuk’s shoulder. Kim Minsuk continued in an angry tone.

“You know Minjoon. I never ran a business.”

“I know. You are a cook. And your brother is a cook.”

“I don’t like the word high-end. Just because our restaurant isn’t as expensive as theirs, our foods are not any worse than their foods.”

“…Yeah. You are right.”

Honestly, it was a topic that Jo Minjoon never considered much. It was because he was working in a high-end restaurant. He didn’t know what sort of worries chefs from other restaurants had. He didn’t have the time nor did he have a reason for it.

“I’m sorry. I am complaining to someone who just came back to Korea and helped me. But you are the only one who understands me. Because you are a cook. A good cook.”

“Thanks for looking at me in a good light. But all I can do for you is to listen. So what do you think will happen to the restaurant?”

“If we can I would like to keep it opened. I am sure my brother has the same intention. But… I don’t know if we can do it.”

“People’s minds have changed. If you and your brother keep making great noodles. I am sure people will recognize that. Because there are more people who understand good food than you think. If not…”

Jo Minjoon blurred his word. He glanced at Kim Minsuk’s hand. A chef’s hand, full of scars. He looked back at him.

“…Then this world is wrong.”

**********

“Minjoon is late.”

Bruce approached Jemma who was standing on the veranda. Jemma nodded as she looked at Bruce with an embarrassed expression.

“He must have a lot to talk about.”

“Minjoon is a good person. He is someone who always helps people who are in need.”

“I know.”

Jemma nodded. Although she didn’t spend a lot of time with Jo Minjoon, she could feel that Jo Minjoon was a good person. She also heard plenty of stories from Kaya.

Bruce carefully leaned his arm on Jemma’s side. The street view from the high-rise apartment was cozy.

“Although it may be a bit late, I also want to be a good person. For my family.”

“…I am cheering for you.”

“I want to be a good husband. A good parent. For Kaya, and for you.”

At Bruce’s words, Jemma looked at him blankly. Bruce proceeded to speak in a serious tone.

“I know you have a lot of complicated thoughts in your mind. But if you allow it… I am prepared to be your father.”

“…Why?”

“What?”

“Why do you want to be my father?”

At her words, Bruce looked at Jemma with a panic expression. Jemma gripped the railing with a gloomy expression.

“If it’s because of Kaya, then I don’t need it. I am not dumb. I don’t want to be loved because I am dumb.”

“Jemma. I know you are not dumb. I only met you because of Kaya. But I still think of you as my daughter. And I think of you as my responsibility.”

“Love doesn’t come from responsibility. Love comes from love.”

At Jemma’s words, Bruce couldn’t say anything. Jemma looked at Bruce with a complicated look and lowered her head.

“I am sorry. I don’t want to have false sense of happiness. Since I am not fake.”

This was the only pride that Jemma could show off. Shortly after, Jemma left the veranda, the window on the side of the veranda opened. Bruce turned his head and laughed embarrassingly.

“You must have heard everything.”

“I did.”

Kaya replied calmly. Since he couldn’t look at Kaya in the face, Bruce looked at the streets again.

“It’s difficult. I knew that the problems that I accumulated wouldn’t wash away all at once, but it is still difficult.”

“Don’t be complaining. I won’t accept it.”

“…You are cold-hearted like me.”

Bruce smiled bitterly and shook his head. Kaya leaned against the window and spoke.

“But thanks for having such feelings for Jemma.”

“I still feel like I have a lot to fix. Like she said, love out of responsibility can’t truly be love.”

“I can promise you one thing.”

“What is it?”

“If you can truly love Jemma… And Jemma calls you dad openly…”

Kaya paused for a moment since her next words weighed heavy on her heart.

“Then as your daughter, I will love you.”

At her words, Bruce, with a small tear in his eyes, looked blankly at Kaya. At the moment when he was about to say something with a trembling voice, Jo Ara entered the room that Kaya was in.

“Kaya. Kaya.”

“What? What do you want?”

“I have something to show you. Here look.”

Jo Ara showed her smartphone to Kaya. Kaya had a frown on her face. The words on the screen were Korean. Although she might not understand all of the conversations that were going on, she had a general idea since she took basic Korean lessons. Reading the expression on Kaya’s face, Jo Ara said.

“You know the noodle shop.”

“Yeah. What about it.”

“You know the food critic who gave a bad review. It seems like he got a handful. Something along the lines of how can he say something is bad when a person with an absolute taste says it’s good. And do you not know the true meaning of taste.”

“It seems like people are just getting at each other. Even though they don’t really know the taste.”

“But that’s not important. Do you know what that person said about my brother?”

“…What did he say?”

Kaya’s expression that was calm just a moment ago turned cold. It was strong enough to make Jo Ara scared. She heard stories about Kaya. How she beat up a stalker and sent him to a hospital. Jo Ara said in a nervous tone.

“He said something like, even though he might have absolute taste, he is young and doesn’t even know the true taste of Korea since he has been abroad. He also said we need to see his true skill rather than being deceived by the exaggerated bubble covered by the media, although he may be famous, we can’t truly listen to him.”

“What kind of bastard is this!?”

“Kaya. You are being a bit aggressive…”

“No, which country’s etiquettes is it to bark back at someone who corrects a false critique.”

“It doesn’t seem to be our country’s etiquette…”

“Isn’t he just an idiot? I need to say something.”

“Kaya. relax. Kaya, please. If you do this Oppa will be in bigger trouble.”

Kaya who looked like she was about to post something stared at her smartphone for a while before putting it down with a sigh. Although it was right to get emotional, she didn’t want to cause a problem for Jo Minjoon. Jo Ara patted Kaya’s back.

“Don’t worry. There are more people who disagree with that person than agree with him.

“Of course. Minjoon is amazing.”

“So just calm down. Look. I am his sister and I am staying calm.”

At Jo Ara’s words, Kaya took a deep breath to calm herself. Then a notification rang from Kaya’s cell phone. It was a message notification from Starbook. The message was from Jo Minjoon. Kaya’s mouth curled slowly as she looked at the message that he wrote.

“It seems like Minjoon got excited.”

“…What?”

“Look at this.”

Kaya pointed at the screen. Jo Ara’s face froze when she read the message. The only sound she could make was a groan. It says that lovers resemble each other. The calm and collected Jo Minjoon seem to have taken on some of the traits from Kaya. Jo Ara murmured.

“…This is troublesome.”

If you are reading from a pirate or aggregator site, please read from the translator’s site: yado-inn (dot) com I have to put the link like this or else the bots will remove it, sorry 

<Special Interest (2)> End.