Chapter 78: An Insignificant Bond (1)

For about twenty years as a chef specializing in sashimi, I managed to save many restaurants.

From small establishments run by elderly owners who could no longer hold a sashimi knife due to their advanced age, to owners who had been unjustly labeled as ingredient manipulators by dishonest bloggers.

I even helped a female diver who owned a seaside stall in Jeju compete against major sushi franchises.

I always rejected material offers from large corporations and instead sought out places that seemed on the verge of collapse.

My colleagues used to say I was crazy, but I continued on my path, achieving great results.

I didn’t do it out of a charitable spirit, but for personal satisfaction.

‘Reviving a restaurant with a single sashimi knife.’

How romantic!

I admit, I suffered from late teenage syndrome. It was probably due to the influence of my first mentor, who taught me how to wield a knife.

‘I was something, but that guy was a lost cause.’

He was constantly absent from the restaurant, wandering around looking for some hidden master, and as I mentioned before, every time he found a shiny new sashimi knife, he’d give it a strange name and sleep hugging it.

Anyway.

Setting up a food stall and selling dishes with the atmosphere of a night market is something I’m very familiar with.

Perhaps that’s why I was so excited before the festival, as memories from my previous life came flooding back.

‘Those days…’

Every restaurant I touched with my knife was revived, became a well-known establishment in the community, and customers would line up with numbered tickets.

…But now.

“How is it possible that there’s not a single customer?”

I stared at a fly floating in the air before turning my gaze to the inside of the stall.

Chloe, for some reason, was slicing green onions on an empty cutting board. Senior Ha-na was quietly reading in a corner, while Ryozo typed on her computer with a bored expression.

The scene was desolate. The only one missing was Speedweapon, who had gone out to hand out flyers.

“This doesn’t make sense…”

It wasn’t a perfect preparation, but it was the best we could do with the resources we had. With twenty years of experience and the organizational skills of the club members, it was incomprehensible that the stall was empty. This was something I had never experienced before.

Was the problem the menu? After much deliberation, I had chosen a dish that didn’t require too much knife work and had general appeal: kimchi stew. Who doesn’t like kimchi stew?

Although we were assigned a corner spot due to the small size of our club, Speedweapon had gone to the heart of the festival to distribute flyers. And yet, there were no signs of human life.

“Hey… Kang Geom-Ma…”

Chloe, who had been slicing green onions, timidly approached me.

She hesitated upon seeing my dark expression, and I responded with a slightly awkward smile.

“What is it?”

“I’ve finished preparing the ingredients… Is there anything else I can do?”

Her comment hit me right in the heart.

However, Chloe’s eyes shone with enthusiasm. I forced a smile and replied.

“…Hmm, could you bring a few more plates from your room? Maybe a lot of customers will suddenly show up.”

Chloe nodded with a slight bow and left. I watched her walk away for a moment before shaking my head.

‘This is the first time my hands have been this free since starting a business.’

Everything was going wrong from the start. With all the confidence in the world, I had said, lSince we’re doing this, let’s enjoy the moment!”, but there was no way to achieve that in these conditions. We needed a new plan.

‘But where the hell is Speedweapon?’

He had volunteered to endure the scorching sun and hand out flyers.

If someone had to do it, he insisted on being the one.

But the heat was unbearable, and it had been more than two hours since he left.

While I was pondering, Ryozo suddenly stood up, frowned deeply, and spoke in a cold, sharp voice.

“…I’m going to find that idiot Speedweapon.”

She said those words firmly and left the stall, leaving a chill in her wake.

Her expression seemed to carry a significant amount of repressed frustration.

“What’s going on now?”

I tilted my head in curiosity, and Senior Ha-na let out a small laugh.

“That’s probably the reason.”

She gestured with her chin toward Ryozo’s computer screen.

I looked in that direction and saw several low-resolution images filling the screen.

‘CCTV cameras?’

Judging by what I saw, it seemed like Ryozo had hacked into the Joaquin Academy’s security system, famous for its strict security measures…

‘But what does this have to do with Ryozo leaving?’

I gave Senior Ha-na an inquisitive look, but she simply smiled faintly and returned to her reading.

I turned back to the computer screen.

In the corner of the image, I saw Speedweapon, excitedly waving his arms in the middle of a crowd. Under his arm, the flyers Ryozo had designed were crumpled and in complete disarray.

“……”

At that moment, I had a bad feeling.

If I didn’t intervene, today, Speedweapon might end up dead at Ryozo’s hands.

***

A short while later.

Ryozo, who had gone out to find Speedweapon, finally returned.

In one hand, he was dragging Speedweapon as if he were a corpse. His nose was completely covered in blood.

Without showing any emotion, Ryozo tossed him onto the ground like a discarded piece of chewing gum. Speedweapon lay there like a soaked rag.

“……”

“Ughhhhh… Hhrkghhh…”

Speedweapon let out a distorted groan, possibly because his mouth was injured. Ryozo clapped his hands loudly, shaking them clean.

‘How much did he hit him?’

Although it was a bit pitiful, Speedweapon had brought it upon himself.

I didn’t feel particularly sorry for him.

I crouched down in front of the battered Speedweapon, who barely raised a hand and murmured.

“Ahhgh… Presi… Help me…”

The pleading lament of Speedweapon. I let out a faint sigh as I checked his physical condition.

His nasal septum seemed slightly crooked, but there didn’t appear to be any major damage.

I smiled with satisfaction.

“At least your arms and legs aren’t broken, so you shouldn’t have any trouble working.”

“Pre… si… dent…?”

Speedweapon’s trembling eyes looked at me. I stood up and pointed to a spot nearby.

“There are some gauze pads over there. Go clean off the blood.”

We had prepared a first aid kit in case Chloe cut herself while cooking. Then, I looked at Senior Ha-na and spoke.

“Could you take over handing out flyers in his place, Senior Ha-na?”

“Sure, I was getting bored anyway. I’ll take care of it.”

Senior Ha-na stretched with a smile and gave me a thumbs-up.

“Oh, and Ryozo, could you print more flyers? These are too bloody to be used. Once you’re done, hand them over to Senior Ha-na.”

“And after that?”

“Since we’re promoting, don’t just stop at flyers. Post something on social media and use a lot of hashtags. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Ryozo nodded. I chuckled softly and glanced down. Speedweapon was looking at me with a lost expression.

“You’ll be in charge of table service.”

Speedweapon opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but then he closed it and nodded.

Clap!

I clapped my hands, and every club member sprang into action, heading to their tasks. I tied a bandana around my forehead and tightened the strings of my apron.

“Now, the customers will start coming.”

When a problem is identified, it must be addressed and improved.

That’s the foundation of any business.

***

In the afternoon, people began to arrive.

The flyers distributed by Speedweapon had finally taken effect, and the previously empty stall started filling with people.

Senior Ha-na’s efforts and Ryozo’s keyboard skills were paying off.

‘This feels right.’

Bang bang bang bang bang!

Chloe was chopping ingredients with impressive precision.

My idea of using a machete to assist had been immediately rejected by the others’ horrified looks.

‘What a shame.’

Resigned, I focused on preparing the broth pots and adjusting the seasonings. Everything was working with an almost synchronized rhythm.

‘…She’s good.’

Chloe always described herself as a clumsy cook, but perhaps because her weapon was a katana, her knife skills were excellent. Her face showed enjoyment.

“Wow! What is this? Why does it taste so good?”

“What did you say this dish was called? I want to make it when I return to France!”

“It’s called kimchi stew. It doesn’t require complicated ingredients, but the flavor is perfectly balanced.”

Customers from various nationalities had nothing but praise.

The best advertisement is always word of mouth.

When a dish is delicious, people feel compelled to share it.

“Speedweapon, this one is for table nine.”

“Yes, yes.”

Speedweapon responded in a nasal voice due to the gauze plugging his nose.

It was an awkward sight—a tall, muscular guy speaking with such a high-pitched voice. However, he worked diligently.

Honestly, I felt a bit bad about how I had treated him earlier, but Speedweapon had approached me first to apologize.

Apparently, he had been a passionate fan of the American hero *All Mute* for a long time, which caused him to lose his composure.

I replied with a smile and spoke humbly. Only then did his dark expression lighten. Essentially, men communicate more through actions than words.

‘Well, the important thing is that he understood my point.’

‘…Speaking of which.’

All Mute, whose real name was Khan Elizabeth, was the hero closest to inheriting the title of “Star” after the retirement of the Sword Master.

Just as the United States remained the number one superpower in this world, they had their own hero system.

Their tight, colorful suits were exactly what one would expect from an American superhero.

For someone like me, who wasn’t born there, it was a bit embarrassing, but here, it was taken for granted.

Today was the first time I had seen her in person, and my thoughts were…

Thank goodness I’m not American.

‘How can they wear clothes like that?’

Although the outfit seemed ridiculous to me, it was undeniable that Khan Elizabeth was a powerful figure.

It was highly likely that our paths would cross someday since she would be the Sword Master’s successor, and I didn’t want that to happen.

‘Let’s avoid meeting her as much as possible.’

Anyway, I didn’t plan to leave the stall during the three days of the festival. Besides, it was unlikely that someone like her would come to eat kimchi stew.

“Whew, it’s busier than I expected.”

The sun was starting to set, and the flow of customers was increasing even more. Senior Ha-na truly had a talent for business.

The summer heat mixed with the steam from the pots, but I didn’t feel the slightest discomfort. Instead, I felt energized.

But the peace didn’t last long.

Flap!

The canvas of the stall fluttered. A group of men dressed in traditional uniforms abruptly entered.

“Welcome⎯!”

Speedweapon, who was serving tables, froze.

Everyone’s attention turned in the same direction.

Click, click.

The sound of heels echoed on the ground. The men stepped aside to make way.

A female figure appeared in the center, her traditional dress fluttering and revealing her legs with every step.

“Uh, uh, uh, that person…!”

One of the customers seemed shocked and spilled his kimchi stew. The reactions of others were not much different.

As if on cue, they began taking pictures.

“Oh my God! It’s her!”

“Please, look at me! I’m your fan!”

The customers began taking photos and applauding.

The men whistled in admiration.

I, on the other hand, gritted my teeth and clicked my tongue slightly.

‘Just what I needed.’

A moment later, the woman at the center of the group continued walking and stopped directly in front of me. Too many eyes were on us.

A brief silence fell. The air felt cold.

“Is it you?”

Her expressionless face leaned toward me. She looked very much like certain familiar people.

‘The Calamity Twins.’

She lifted her sharp gaze.

“Are you the one who left my brothers in that state?”

Relentless Iron, Mao Lang.

An unpleasant connection from the past was standing right in front of me.