Clank-
The door of Sunflower opened with a clear chime, and Eun-jeong and Min-ju, who were in the middle of preparing for the opening, naturally turned their gazes toward the door.
“We’re not open yet.”
“We’re not here to eat. We’d like to meet the owner.”
Jang Il-su said politely, handing over his business card.
Min-ju checked the business card and ran to the kitchen to call Ha-jun, thinking, ‘He’s finally here.’
That’s how Jang Il-su and Cha Hae-jun came face to face.
‘Hmm··· Not bad. He’s got a good build and a nice face. He’ll fit in well with the program.’
Il-su scanned Cha Hae-jun for a brief moment and gave him a passing grade.
Not only was the boss handsome, but the atmosphere of the store was also quite nice.
Due to the nature of the program, if filming were to take place, this place, Sunflower, would have to be the location. So the atmosphere of the restaurant was also quite an important factor, and this place was a decent location that exuded a retro vibe.
“Boss. Do you remember me?”
Oh Ji-eun, who had met him once before, was the first to break the ice.
“Huh? Ah! From that park that day.”
“Hehehe. Yes. I’m the youngest writer for Animal Kingdom.”
“Did you come here in person to cast me? I told you that day. I have no intention of appearing on TV.”
“Well, you see··· I’ve been transferred to a different team this time. I’m not here to ask you to appear as the owner of Mongchi and Mongchi.”
“I came here to ask you to appear on our program as the main chef. It’s a program proposal that I’m planning.”
Jang Il-su, who had taken a liking to Cha Hae-jun, spoke straightforwardly and handed him the proposal.
<Late-Night Restaurant>
“The position of main chef is currently vacant. We were looking for a fresh face who has never shown their face on TV.”
Hae-jun read the proposal in detail.
The program proposal was good, and the purpose was also good.
However,
‘Are they going to film here? That would be a bit difficult.’
Even though it was located in a residential area and there were many waiting customers, he thought it would be a nuisance to the residents.
He had built up a rapport with them by regularly giving them apples and pork belly from the Dimensional Farm, so there were no complaints, but the grandfather next door was quite uncomfortable.
‘Didn’t he grumble this morning, saying it was noisy?’
He couldn’t keep pretending any longer.
And more importantly, there was the existence of the Dimensional Farm.
If he went out to film and the Dimensional Farm was discovered, it would be quite troublesome.
The National Intelligence Service or a secret scientific organization might come forward and even detain Hae-jun and perform strange experiments on him.
‘I have enough as it is. I’ve earned more than enough money, and I’m satisfied with my life.’
Jang Il-su, who had been observing Hae-jun’s expression, spoke in a subtly persuasive manner.
“Actually, there were quite a few chefs who wanted to do this. It’s embarrassing for me to say it myself, but the programs I’ve planned have had quite high viewership ratings. `I Eat Alone`. You know that one, right? The healing program for single-person households who eat alone. And I also directed `That Restaurant`.”
All of them were popular programs.
Min-ju and Eun-jeong, who were standing behind Hae-jun and listening to the conversation, exclaimed, “Oh!” in surprise.
However, the answer was already decided.
“I’m sorry. I think it would be better if you looked for another chef.”
“You’re rejecting me? It’s a good opportunity.”
“I’m already overwhelmed just running my business.”
“Think about it again···.”
Clank-
“Uncle. I’m here!”
“Hello. Uncle Hae-jun.”
The So-hye siblings came in and the conversation was cut off.
“Did you come to eat?”
Hae-jun greeted the siblings and asked.
Unlike before, the siblings had become much more active.
Seeing So-hye and Dong-gu, who were not intimidated by the difficult environment and had become brighter, he felt a sense of satisfaction for some reason.
At first, the siblings awkwardly mixed the terms "uncle," "older brother," and "older sister" when addressing each other, but before they knew it, they were calling Ha-jun "uncle" and following him around like chicks.
"Uncle. I got a perfect score on my dictation today."
"Oh~ Our Dong-gu is amazing?"
"Hehe. This is basic stuff."
"Since you got a perfect score, I should give you a present. I'm in a good mood. Today, I'll give you deep-fried flounder and tomato pasta for free."
"Wow. Thank you. Uncle Ha-jun."
He sold food at an 80% discount, but whenever So-hye and her brother came, he would find some excuse to feed them until they were full.
Ha-jun wanted to help the children who were having a hard time in any way he could.
"PD-nim. Have you finished what you wanted to say? As you can see, I have to cook. So, I'll be going now."
Hae-jun, who had greeted Jang Il-su politely, returned to the kitchen.
When he was rejected, he felt even more like recruiting him.
'I will definitely recruit him.'
"What should we do, PD-nim?"
"What do you mean, what should we do."
There is no easy recruitment that happens all at once.
Even if it doesn't work, it's the nature of this business to keep trying until it does.
Leaving the position of main chef for the program empty, they unconditionally focused on Cha Hae-jun. That was Jang Il-su's conclusion.
"Let's withdraw for today."
"Huh? Are you just going to leave?"
"I'll come again tomorrow."
"Then let's eat something before we go."
"What are you talking about. Okay. Follow me quickly."
"Oh, really. Jang PD-nim never eats. He says he's going to live after eating everything. Tsk!"
Ji-eun pouted her lips.
Sunflower was a famous restaurant even on Instagram. Since they were already here, it would have been nice to have some cutlet, but Jang Il-su, who didn't enjoy eating that much, just turned around.
As they were leaving the store, they heard people making a commotion.
A celebrity van parked in the parking lot as if it had slid in. The door opened, and a handsome man got out.
"Huh? It's Lee Seo-jun."
"Lee Seo-jun? Where. Where?"
"Over there. Isn't that Lee Seo-jun?"
"That's right. He's much more handsome in person. Look at him getting into that sports car."
He smiled faintly at the fans who recognized him and waved his hand lightly.
At Seo-jun's smile, the female fans who had been chattering screamed, "Kyaaa~!"
After a brief fan service, Kyung-su escorted Lee Seo-jun into Sunflower.
"PD-nim?"
"Seo-jun-ssi. We meet again here."
Kang Il-su and Lee Seo-jun faced each other.
"Hello, PD-nim."
"It's been a while, Manager-nim."
"PD Jang, are you eating here?"
"No. Not eating, but casting."
"Casting? A chef for our program?"
Seo-jun looked around and asked in a secretive voice, and Il-soo nodded his head lightly.
Judging by his expression, he seemed to be interested.
“You’re not doing it?”
“He said he doesn’t want to do it.”
“The filming has to start as soon as the chef is decided, doesn’t it?”
“We have to persuade him.”
“Please contact me if he’s cast.”
"Yes. I'll call you."
"Then I'll go first because I'm hungry."
Seo-jun, who hadn't eaten anything for two days, was not interested in the PD's crisis.
As he hurriedly entered the restaurant, a small sign caught his eye.
<Today's Recommended Menu - Bacon Tomato Pasta>
Seo-jun glanced at the sign and sat down, while Manager Kyung-sik followed him and waved at Min-ju.
"Two mixed grills here, please."
"And one tomato pasta, please."
"Huh? But hyung, you don't like tomatoes."
"W-well, it's the recommended menu, so I'm just trying it out. They say this place is good."
Seo-jun, who usually didn't eat tomatoes, made excuses.
The reason he ordered the pasta.
It was because he had found out through a frantic search in the car that tomatoes were good for the prostate.
They said it was rich in lycopene, which made the prostate stronger? And they also said that it was better to eat it cooked than raw, so tomato pasta seemed like the perfect choice.
Since it was also on the recommended menu, he decided to try it.
'It's not like I'll suddenly start liking it after one bite, but since they say it's good, let's try it.'
Some webtoon writer who didn't like tomatoes said that he ate tomatoes consistently for several years and started to like them, and he kept praising tomatoes on the air.
So Seo-jun, who hated tomatoes, decided to eat them even if he had to force himself.
"Your order is here."
A mixed grill and tomato pasta, both generously served on plates.
He decided to eat the pasta later and started with the pork cutlet, which he had wanted to eat the most, cutting a large piece and putting it in his mouth.
Crunch-
"!!??"
"Wow. It's delicious. Hyung, it's so good?"
"Y-yeah, it's delicious."
After tasting the food, he realized why Jang Il-su had come to recruit him in person.
'The owner of this place is a good cook.'
Normally, he would have eaten sweetly, conscious of the people around him and his image, but for Lee Seo-jun, who had been starving for two days, the delicious pork cutlet was enough to make him lose his mind.
Crunch, crunch-
Slurp, slurp, slurp-
His hands moved quickly as he ate the food.
Pork cutlet, fish cutlet, cheese cutlet, and even the shrimp tempura that decorated the long-awaited finale.
Every single one of them was delicious without exception.
"Hyung, why aren't you even touching the pasta?"
"Uh··· I should eat it."
He had filled his stomach.
Now it was time to fill his prostate with nutrients.
He hated tomatoes, but for his health, he would eat··· Huh?!
Slurp-
The moment he took a bite, the refreshing flavor of tomatoes filled his mouth.
'Why is this delicious?'
Should he call it the unique grassy smell?
Whenever he ate tomatoes, he always felt a sense of rejection because of that smell.
But this was different. The more he chewed, the more he felt the savory and sweet and sour flavor.
He had planned to share it with Kyung-sik, but before he knew it, he had emptied the plate.
"Hyung, you must have been really hungry."
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
"Should we go now?"
"Let's do that."
Seo-jun returned home and stood in front of the toilet in the bathroom.
He wanted to relieve himself comfortably, but he thought it would feel like a drizzle this time too. However,
Whoosh-
“It’s refreshing!!”
Clank-
The door of Sunflower opened with a clear chime, and Eun-jeong and Min-ju, who were in the middle of preparing for the opening, naturally turned their gazes toward the door.
“We’re not open yet.”
“We’re not here to eat. We’d like to meet the owner.”
Jang Il-su said politely, handing over his business card.
Min-ju checked the business card and ran to the kitchen to call Ha-jun, thinking, ‘He’s finally here.’
That’s how Jang Il-su and Cha Hae-jun came face to face.
‘Hmm··· Not bad. He’s got a good build and a nice face. He’ll fit in well with the program.’
Il-su scanned Cha Hae-jun for a brief moment and gave him a passing grade.
Not only was the boss handsome, but the atmosphere of the store was also quite nice.
Due to the nature of the program, if filming were to take place, this place, Sunflower, would have to be the location. So the atmosphere of the restaurant was also quite an important factor, and this place was a decent location that exuded a retro vibe.
“Boss. Do you remember me?”
Oh Ji-eun, who had met him once before, was the first to break the ice.
“Huh? Ah! From that park that day.”
“Hehehe. Yes. I’m the youngest writer for Animal Kingdom.”
“Did you come here in person to cast me? I told you that day. I have no intention of appearing on TV.”
“Well, you see··· I’ve been transferred to a different team this time. I’m not here to ask you to appear as the owner of Mongchi and Mongchi.”
“I came here to ask you to appear on our program as the main chef. It’s a program proposal that I’m planning.”
Jang Il-su, who had taken a liking to Cha Hae-jun, spoke straightforwardly and handed him the proposal.
<Late-Night Restaurant>
“The position of main chef is currently vacant. We were looking for a fresh face who has never shown their face on TV.”
Hae-jun read the proposal in detail.
The program proposal was good, and the purpose was also good.
However,
‘Are they going to film here? That would be a bit difficult.’
Even though it was located in a residential area and there were many waiting customers, he thought it would be a nuisance to the residents.
He had built up a rapport with them by regularly giving them apples and pork belly from the Dimensional Farm, so there were no complaints, but the grandfather next door was quite uncomfortable.
‘Didn’t he grumble this morning, saying it was noisy?’
He couldn’t keep pretending any longer.
And more importantly, there was the existence of the Dimensional Farm.
If he went out to film and the Dimensional Farm was discovered, it would be quite troublesome.
The National Intelligence Service or a secret scientific organization might come forward and even detain Hae-jun and perform strange experiments on him.
‘I have enough as it is. I’ve earned more than enough money, and I’m satisfied with my life.’
Jang Il-su, who had been observing Hae-jun’s expression, spoke in a subtly persuasive manner.
“Actually, there were quite a few chefs who wanted to do this. It’s embarrassing for me to say it myself, but the programs I’ve planned have had quite high viewership ratings. `I Eat Alone`. You know that one, right? The healing program for single-person households who eat alone. And I also directed `That Restaurant`.”
All of them were popular programs.
Min-ju and Eun-jeong, who were standing behind Hae-jun and listening to the conversation, exclaimed, “Oh!” in surprise.
However, the answer was already decided.
“I’m sorry. I think it would be better if you looked for another chef.”
“You’re rejecting me? It’s a good opportunity.”
“I’m already overwhelmed just running my business.”
“Think about it again···.”
Clank-
“Uncle. I’m here!”
“Hello. Uncle Hae-jun.”
The So-hye siblings came in and the conversation was cut off.
“Did you come to eat?”
Hae-jun greeted the siblings and asked.
Unlike before, the siblings had become much more active.
Seeing So-hye and Dong-gu, who were not intimidated by the difficult environment and had become brighter, he felt a sense of satisfaction for some reason.
At first, the siblings awkwardly mixed the terms "uncle," "older brother," and "older sister" when addressing each other, but before they knew it, they were calling Ha-jun "uncle" and following him around like chicks.
"Uncle. I got a perfect score on my dictation today."
"Oh~ Our Dong-gu is amazing?"
"Hehe. This is basic stuff."
"Since you got a perfect score, I should give you a present. I'm in a good mood. Today, I'll give you deep-fried flounder and tomato pasta for free."
"Wow. Thank you. Uncle Ha-jun."
He sold food at an 80% discount, but whenever So-hye and her brother came, he would find some excuse to feed them until they were full.
Ha-jun wanted to help the children who were having a hard time in any way he could.
"PD-nim. Have you finished what you wanted to say? As you can see, I have to cook. So, I'll be going now."
Hae-jun, who had greeted Jang Il-su politely, returned to the kitchen.
When he was rejected, he felt even more like recruiting him.
'I will definitely recruit him.'
"What should we do, PD-nim?"
"What do you mean, what should we do."
There is no easy recruitment that happens all at once.
Even if it doesn't work, it's the nature of this business to keep trying until it does.
Leaving the position of main chef for the program empty, they unconditionally focused on Cha Hae-jun. That was Jang Il-su's conclusion.
"Let's withdraw for today."
"Huh? Are you just going to leave?"
"I'll come again tomorrow."
"Then let's eat something before we go."
"What are you talking about. Okay. Follow me quickly."
"Oh, really. Jang PD-nim never eats. He says he's going to live after eating everything. Tsk!"
Ji-eun pouted her lips.
Sunflower was a famous restaurant even on Instagram. Since they were already here, it would have been nice to have some cutlet, but Jang Il-su, who didn't enjoy eating that much, just turned around.
As they were leaving the store, they heard people making a commotion.
A celebrity van parked in the parking lot as if it had slid in. The door opened, and a handsome man got out.
"Huh? It's Lee Seo-jun."
"Lee Seo-jun? Where. Where?"
"Over there. Isn't that Lee Seo-jun?"
"That's right. He's much more handsome in person. Look at him getting into that sports car."
He smiled faintly at the fans who recognized him and waved his hand lightly.
At Seo-jun's smile, the female fans who had been chattering screamed, "Kyaaa~!"
After a brief fan service, Kyung-su escorted Lee Seo-jun into Sunflower.
"PD-nim?"
"Seo-jun-ssi. We meet again here."
Kang Il-su and Lee Seo-jun faced each other.
"Hello, PD-nim."
"It's been a while, Manager-nim."
"PD Jang, are you eating here?"
"No. Not eating, but casting."
"Casting? A chef for our program?"
Seo-jun looked around and asked in a secretive voice, and Il-soo nodded his head lightly.
Judging by his expression, he seemed to be interested.
“You’re not doing it?”
“He said he doesn’t want to do it.”
“The filming has to start as soon as the chef is decided, doesn’t it?”
“We have to persuade him.”
“Please contact me if he’s cast.”
"Yes. I'll call you."
"Then I'll go first because I'm hungry."
Seo-jun, who hadn't eaten anything for two days, was not interested in the PD's crisis.
As he hurriedly entered the restaurant, a small sign caught his eye.
<Today's Recommended Menu - Bacon Tomato Pasta>
Seo-jun glanced at the sign and sat down, while Manager Kyung-sik followed him and waved at Min-ju.
"Two mixed grills here, please."
"And one tomato pasta, please."
"Huh? But hyung, you don't like tomatoes."
"W-well, it's the recommended menu, so I'm just trying it out. They say this place is good."
Seo-jun, who usually didn't eat tomatoes, made excuses.
The reason he ordered the pasta.
It was because he had found out through a frantic search in the car that tomatoes were good for the prostate.
They said it was rich in lycopene, which made the prostate stronger? And they also said that it was better to eat it cooked than raw, so tomato pasta seemed like the perfect choice.
Since it was also on the recommended menu, he decided to try it.
'It's not like I'll suddenly start liking it after one bite, but since they say it's good, let's try it.'
Some webtoon writer who didn't like tomatoes said that he ate tomatoes consistently for several years and started to like them, and he kept praising tomatoes on the air.
So Seo-jun, who hated tomatoes, decided to eat them even if he had to force himself.
"Your order is here."
A mixed grill and tomato pasta, both generously served on plates.
He decided to eat the pasta later and started with the pork cutlet, which he had wanted to eat the most, cutting a large piece and putting it in his mouth.
Crunch-
"!!??"
"Wow. It's delicious. Hyung, it's so good?"
"Y-yeah, it's delicious."
After tasting the food, he realized why Jang Il-su had come to recruit him in person.
'The owner of this place is a good cook.'
Normally, he would have eaten sweetly, conscious of the people around him and his image, but for Lee Seo-jun, who had been starving for two days, the delicious pork cutlet was enough to make him lose his mind.
Crunch, crunch-
Slurp, slurp, slurp-
His hands moved quickly as he ate the food.
Pork cutlet, fish cutlet, cheese cutlet, and even the shrimp tempura that decorated the long-awaited finale.
Every single one of them was delicious without exception.
"Hyung, why aren't you even touching the pasta?"
"Uh··· I should eat it."
He had filled his stomach.
Now it was time to fill his prostate with nutrients.
He hated tomatoes, but for his health, he would eat··· Huh?!
Slurp-
The moment he took a bite, the refreshing flavor of tomatoes filled his mouth.
'Why is this delicious?'
Should he call it the unique grassy smell?
Whenever he ate tomatoes, he always felt a sense of rejection because of that smell.
But this was different. The more he chewed, the more he felt the savory and sweet and sour flavor.
He had planned to share it with Kyung-sik, but before he knew it, he had emptied the plate.
"Hyung, you must have been really hungry."
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
"Should we go now?"
"Let's do that."
Seo-jun returned home and stood in front of the toilet in the bathroom.
He wanted to relieve himself comfortably, but he thought it would feel like a drizzle this time too. However,
Whoosh-
“It’s refreshing!!”
