Side Story 15: The Next Day - Kwon Seong-Il
“Hey, that guy. Isn’t he the Caliber?”
“No way, dude. Go check your eyes.”
“No, I am right. That is Caliber. Talk to him.”
“You do it. Hurry up.”
“No, you do it!”
Seong-Il heard the young boys whispering amongst themselves. Ki-Cheol had postponed attending school due to safety issues, but the rest of the students seemed to have returned to their usual routines.
“Hey, kiddos. You guys must be around Ki-Cheol’s age. Did you just call me ‘Caliber?’ How rude. I am not your friend, right?”
The boys’ eyes widened as Seong-Il said that with a smile.
One of them stammered, “Umm… Could…could you take…a selfie with me?”
“Please.”
Another boy suddenly began clinging to Seong-Il as if he gained courage from somewhere. Seong-Il gladly accepted their request by wrapping his arms around their shoulders. As other pedestrians appeared from around the corner and were surprised at Seong-Il, Seong-Il greeted them with a hearty laugh
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However, he couldn’t delay it any longer. The appetizing scent of the spicy blend of broth and soondae[1] expanded his nostrils. Moreover, the boiling sound from the clay pot, and the ‘crunch’ from someone biting into a green chili pepper after dipping it in thick soybean paste, added to his excitement. Many things were stimulating Seong-Il’s Sense.
Yes, this is it! Their taste has not changed!
Ki-Cheol and Tae-Han did not tag along with him, and it was their loss.
Tsk, tsk. They will regret it so much. There is no need for me to care.
He could not visit this restaurant immediately after returning from the Stage of Advent as he couldn’t afford the time.
Indeed, this place made the best soondae soup. The restaurants with a slow turnover tended to lack flavor. Their intestines became too tough, and the gamey taste of the soondae was not appetizing as they were just plain gamey.
Seong-Il opened the door and entered the restaurant. The customers were so engrossed in their conversations that they did not notice him.
“Are you alone?”
The busy expression of the owner’s daughter-in-law, who was serving the hall, remained the same. The elderly owner chatting with the regulars at the counter was also the same.
“One soup, and a plate of half intestines and half soondae, please. Oh, a bottle of soju too.”
Even then, Seong-Il went unnoticed. However, when the two middle schoolers and the pedestrians on the street started peeking into the restaurant, customers’ attention started s.h.i.+fting to Seong-Il. This was especially true for a young couple sitting next to him seemed to recognize him.
“Are you…”
Seong-Il replied instantly, “Yes, it’s me.”
“Oh my gos.h.!.+”
An exclamation burst out from the woman. Seong-Il winked at her and her boyfriend, who appeared unsure of how to react in excitement. Whether the wink worked or not, the young couple looked as if they were struck by a high-cla.s.s mental skill. Their eyelids fluttered uncontrollably.
Soon, all the customers were fixated on Seong-Il. No one was eating anymore.
“Stop looking at me, and enjoy your meals. I came here to enjoy a bowl of soup. I can’t eat in peace if you all keep staring. Okay? Now, let’s eat.”
Seong-Il waved to people. Then, a shrill sound came out from one corner of the restaurant. Surprisingly, it was from a man.
“Aaaaah~”
When Seong-Il took out the sauce plate and set up the spoons, similar exclamations arose one after another.
The old owner and his daughter-in-law cautiously approached Seong-Il’s table.
“Long time no see, ma’am. It’s me, Kwon from Ki-Cheol Construction. Do you remember me? And how is your daughter-in-law doing?”
Seong-Il turned to the owner’s daughter-in-law.
“Are you in good health?”
His deep voice was enough to cut through the commotion. Unlike the daughter-in-law, who was just nodding as if bewitched, the old owner had the sparkle in her eyes like a young girl.
“...You have changed so much. I don’t know how to address you now.”
“Why do you speak so formally? By the way, I apologize for causing such a scene. I could not forget the taste of your soup. It took me a long time to come here.”
“Oh, dear… Oh, dear… Even if you don’t say that…. I know… I know it so well…”
“Please treat me comfortably like before. I will visit more frequently.”
He added, “I only have the paste here, but do you have red pepper sauce in the kitchen? Can I ask for some? Us Jeolla[2] folks dip it in chojang[3].”
***
Seong-Il had his own unique way of enjoying his soondae soup. He poured four spoonfuls of sesame seeds into the sauce plate, then mixed it with chojang to create his savory chojang seasoning.
The boiled intestines were perfectly placed on the dish. Not only did they glisten with a beautiful sheen, but their texture was also exceedingly satisfying. He picked up a piece of the boiled intestine with chopsticks and lightly dipped it in the seasoning. After two bites, he had to swallow his saliva, which had instantly filled his mouth.
Yes! This is it! This is the one! I can die with no regrets now.
Seong-Il no longer cared about others staring at him. The main dish, soup, had not even been served yet. He was captivated by just the intestines.
Next up was soondae. The rich brown color and the savory aroma that emanated from the soondae stimulated his stomach again. Seong-Il was engulfed in a delightful dilemma.
Should I top it with chives and dip it in my special seasoning? Or should I go with the house specialty kimchi? Or should I pair it with bean paste and green peppers? Or should I eat it with garlic? Or radish kimchi? Or just simply top it with shrimp sauce?
This is driving me crazy.
Then, he realized that it had been decades since he last ate soondae. While he had seen plenty of monsters’ organs, it had been a really long time since he had soondae made from pig intestines.
So, let’s have a humble bite. I should always have a humble heart.
Seong-Il ate the soondae without any toppings. The chewy texture and the savory yet deliciously pungent aroma spread between his tongue and teeth. On top of that, subtly mixed juices softly wrapped around his tongue.
Seong-Il’s eyelids trembled just like the girl’s at the next table. Then, he narrowly opened his eyes, s.h.i.+fting his gaze to the next target.
He saw the boiled liver. Unlike other places where it was just a crumbly texture, this place was different. The liver here had a chewy texture, just like a premium meat.
Seong-Il could not wait any longer. Although there was a small gla.s.s meant for soju, continuously pouring it could hinder enjoying these delicious foods! He poured a gla.s.s full of soju. He was not aiming to get drunk, but just to moisten his throat.
“Ah…!”
Seong-Il nodded unconsciously. After a few happy bites, the owner’s daughter-in-law placed a hot pot on the table. The broth, made by intensively boiling pig bones, was colored red with seasoning and was still boiling. This reminded him of the old days when he was running around the construction sites nearby just to grab a quick bite.
The main dish soup was ready.
Odin once mentioned soft tofu stew.
But isn’t soondae soup the best when it comes to hot and spicy broth?
While soft tofu stew and spicy seafood noodle soup were excellent. When he considered them as a challenger section, this soondae soup was undoubtedly the ender level.
I can eat only this 365 days, three meals per day.
Perhaps the kitchen staff was conscious of his presence, the hot pot was filled with more innards than he remembered. The plate of chives that came with it was also overflowing.
Seong-Il added a handful of chives to the pot and grabbed the radish kimchi from the bowl. He instinctively tried to pour in the radish kimchi juice in his pot. It had been decades since he last visited this restaurant, but his body remembered the old times.
Adding kimchi juice was indeed wonderful, but he needed to savor the basic taste of the soup first. If it were the old times, he would have added all the rice and enjoyed the spicy broth with the rice grains, but it was different now.
He finally took a big spoonful of intestines and broth and put it in his mouth. His eyes became moist.
d.a.m.n…this is amazing… The taste makes me cry…
***
The sweet radish kimchi was also the best. The fresh green chili peppers dipped in homemade soybean paste and the soondaes eaten with just a bit of shrimp sauce on top were also exquisite.
However, the best thing that truly filled his stomach was the spicy, hot soup! Seong-Il sc.r.a.ped every last grain of rice and emptied the bowl cleanly. Only then did he notice his surroundings. It seemed like a steady stream of people had been coming into the shop. Before he knew it, there was a crowd around him. They were all reacting to his every move.
Whenever he filled his gla.s.s with water, they exclaimed, “ah-!” Whenever he wiped his mouth with a wet towel, “ah-!” And as he contemplated ordering another plate of soondae and a bottle of soju, “ah-!”
“I told you. If you keep doing that, it will disturb the owner’s business. If you are going to stare at me, at least order something. Sit down. If there is no seat, just sit on the floor. Ma’am! Do you have a mat? We need to organize these people!”
When Seong-Il smiled and made eye contact with the crowd, laughter erupted from them.
“That is enough for joking. If you are here just to watch, you should leave now.”
Seong-Il’s voice resonated throughout the place. Half the people looked startled, and the other half started to find seats without realizing. Then, those who were initially taken aback began to follow Seong-Il’s guidance. The restaurant was packed with people.
Seong-Il ordered another plate of soondae and a bottle of soju. Following his order, people shouted their orders from everywhere, creating a chaotic scene. But soon, the commotion subsided.
Seong-Il stood up, “Since we are all here together, we must make a toast. Is it okay to do so?”
“YESSSS!!!”
The same answer echoed from the crowd, including the restaurant’s owner and her family. Although they were strangers to each other, the customers began to help each other. Those who had nothing in the gla.s.ses, raised their cup of water. Everyone held their gla.s.ses, looking up at Seong-Il.
“Eh-hem.”
Seong-Il cleared his throat and raised his gla.s.s.
“Although we live simple and ignorant lives, let’s live incredibly happy~”
“Yay!”
People chanted whatever Seong-Il shouted.
“Let’s stay disgustingly close with our beloved families and friends for a long time~”
“Let’s stay disgustingly close with our beloved families and friends for a long time~”
“What did Odin give to us? Time and life! So, we should love each other in this beautiful moment we are given by the heavens~”
“Cheers for Odin~”
Lastly, he looked at the elderly owner amidst the crowd.
“Then, let’s drink, pay, and leave~”
“Leave~”
Seong-Il chugged a bottle of soju and shook the empty bottle above his head. His face was filled with a genuine smile of happiness.
1. Korean blood sausage ?
2. A province in Korea, famous for good traditional food. ?
3. Red pepper sauce. ?