Seo-woo rubbed his cheek against Yeoksam’s

“Yeoksam, you're so cute!”

Bark! Bark!

Please, stop!

“Yeoksam, now you’re it! Count to ten and then come find me, okay?”

Bark-!

How annoying!

“You got it?”

Bark!

Got it……

“You have to count to ten!”

Bark! Bark!

Ten!

Seo-woo glanced around, wondering where to hide.

Under table number four?

“Nope.”

That was where Yeoksam often hid. He’d find him right away.

Then… the bathroom?

Now that he thought about it, Yeoksam hid there often too.

Looking for a new hiding spot, Seo-woo eventually went outside. As he was deciding where to hide, something perfect caught his eye.

Seo-woo hid inside a discarded box in front of the shop. It was just the right size, and he could open and close it himself.

Inside the box, he held his breath. The thrill made him giggle.

‘He’ll never find me here, right?’

He felt excited. Every time they played hide-and-seek, Yeoksam always found him so quickly.

It was amazing how he managed to do that. When he asked his big uncle about it, he said it was because Yeoksam loved him so much.

‘Then… I should be able to find Mom right away too…’

Thinking of his mother, Seo-woo's mood dampened. But when he heard Yeoksam’s footsteps (?) outside, he quickly covered her mouth.

Rustle—

Yeoksam nudged the box.

Already?

Just how much does Yeoksam love me?

Thinking that, she couldn’t stop the giggle from escaping.

Just then, the box opened.

Yeoksam, looking indifferent, was nudging the box with his paw.

Bark! Bark!

“Wow! Yeoksam, you're amazing! So cool!”

He picked up Yeoksam and rubbed his cheek against him again.

“That dog is cute.”

Seo-woo turned his head. A child about his age was looking at him shyly.

“Yeoksam?”

“Is his name Yeoksam?”

“Yeah. Isn’t he cute?”

“He is. Is he really yours?”

“No. He’s my big uncle’s dog, but Yeoksam likes me more.”

Bark! Bark!

Master!

“Really?”

“Yeah! See? Yeoksam says he likes me more.”

Bark! Bark! Bark!

Save me!

“Wow, really… That’s so cool.”

“Watch this. Yeoksam, paw.”

Looking annoyed, Yeoksam lazily lifted his front paw. The unknown girl gasped in amazement.

“Wow!”

“See? I didn’t even train him, and he does this! Isn't he awesome?”

“Yeoksam is amazing! Can he do anything else?”

“Of course! Yeoksam, bang!”

Sigh…

Yeoksam let out a deep sigh and rolled over.

“Wow!”

“Yeoksam understands everything I say.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Yeoksam, you understand me, right?”

Bark! Bark!

More than enough!

“Wow, he’s so smart. That’s incredible.”

“Do you have a dog?”

“No. We don’t have one.”

“Why?”

“I want one, but they said no. The food costs too much, and our house is too small…”

“Do you live around here?”

“Yeah. We used to live in District 13, but we moved a few days ago. To the house up on the hill.”

“Then let's play together often.”

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Lee Seo-woo. You?”

“I’m Go Arin. I’m six.”

“I’m six too!”

“How old is Yeoksam?”

“I don’t know, but my big uncle said he’s older than me.”

“Then Yeoksam is our big brother?”

“I guess? Hehe.”

Seo-woo liked Arin. She looked a little scruffy, but she was kind and, most importantly, she adored Yeoksam.

From then on, the two often played together. Playing with three was more fun than just playing with Yeoksam.

—

“…Nine, ten! Here I come!”

Playing hide-and-seek was more fun with three—

“Wow, Yeoksam is so fast!”

And running around was more fun with three.

Seo-woo and Arin quickly became close friends.

—

As Seo-jun placed Arutus eggs in his cart, he suddenly spotted rice cakes in the processed food section and hesitated.

‘Should I make tteokbokki for lunch?’

Some women had asked for tteokbokki the other day. It wouldn’t hurt to try.

Flour rice cakes or rice rice cakes…?

Seo-jun didn’t even need to think—he picked the flour rice cakes.

Tteokbokki was surprisingly polarizing.

Flour rice cakes vs. rice rice cakes.

Like the never-ending battle between pouring or dipping sauce, the debate between flour and rice cakes had been going on for ages.

Seo-jun was a flour rice cake fan.

Rice cakes didn’t shrink even after long cooking, but their texture wasn’t great.

He preferred the chewy, bouncy texture of flour rice cakes. They also soaked up the sauce better.

‘Cheaper than I thought.’

Considering how prices had skyrocketed, flour rice cakes were still relatively cheap—7,900 won per bag.

Fish cakes for tteokbokki were also affordable, so if he developed a good new dish, it might work well as a pub snack.

“Big uncle.”

“Yeah?”

“Can I have this?”

In Seo-woo’s hand was a melon-flavored popsicle.

“An ice cream?”

“…Yeah.”

“Of course.”

“Can I get two?”

“Two? You’re eating that much?”

“One is for me, but the other is for Arin. She’s never had ice cream before.”

Oh, right. That was the kid from the house on the hill.

Seo-jun found Seo-woo’s thoughtfulness sweet and nodded.

“Alright, put it in the cart.”

“Wow! Big uncle, you’re the best!”

As soon as they got back to the shop, Seo-woo grabbed the ice cream and ran outside.

Park Yeon slumped and mumbled.

“Abandoned again today…”

“Anyone would think you lost a country.”

“It’s worse. At least before Arin, Seo-woo would sometimes play with me…”

“Then why not ask to join them?”

“Playing with kids? No thanks.”

“Then if you're bored, why not make some friends?”

“Friends?”

“Yeah.”

“How do you make friends?”

Seo-jun was speechless.

How to make friends…? Answering how to eat was probably easier.

“Could it be that you had no friends on the continent?”

“I did.”

“Right?”

“I fought alongside them to defeat the Evil Dragon Deikarantu, and I also fought alongside them to take you down.”

That sounded more like comrades than friends… As Seo-jun muttered, Park Yeon shouted in embarrassment.

“Comrades are friends too!”

“Got it. Anyway, if you're bored, go out and make some friends.”

“Friends, my foot… A hero has no need for friends.”

“Kang-kang!”

“Then why do you keep bothering Yeoksam?”

“...Ahem. This is bitter. I’ll go get some fresh air.”

Seo-jun smirked and stepped into the kitchen. Had he truly become a chef now?

Entering the kitchen made him feel at ease.

Tteokbokki can be broadly categorized into two types:

Soup Tteokbokki vs. Braised Tteokbokki

Seo-jun liked both, but today, he wanted to make braised tteokbokki.

He placed the wheat rice cakes into a bowl of water and scrubbed them clean. Watching the rice cakes sway in the water inexplicably lifted his mood.

‘Next is the broth.’

Many people overlook this, but the taste of tteokbokki sauce differs drastically depending on how the broth is made.

Broth made from anchovies or kelp is good, but a beef bone broth is even better. However, most people don’t go through the trouble of making broth for tteokbokki.

“Why make broth for simple street food?”

That was the general sentiment.

But for dishes where the sauce is the main element, the broth is all the more crucial.

Beef bones would be the ideal choice, but since he didn’t have any… As Seo-jun pondered, a thought suddenly struck him—he still had some Krekseg bone marrow.

Krekseg bone marrow wasn’t toxic. In fact, it was often used to make bone broth even in the Demon Realm.

He retrieved the marrow bones he had set aside in his subspace and placed them in a pot to simmer. As the rich scent of bone broth filled the air, Seo-jun smacked his lips.

‘If only I had Centaur bones instead.’

If Krekseg was a pig-type monster, Centaurs were cow-type monsters. Their bone broth was far superior to Krekseg’s.

But since he only had Krekseg bones, he had no choice.

The advantage of Krekseg or Centaur bones over regular cow or pig bones was that they didn’t require long hours of boiling.

Just 20 minutes was enough to make a proper broth.

Bubble, bubble—

Look at that, the broth had already turned milky white.

He set aside some of the broth in a frying pan.

As the broth started boiling, he added three spoonfuls of gochujang, three spoonfuls of sugar, and two spoonfuls of corn syrup.

He could also add black pepper or red pepper powder to taste, but when making braised tteokbokki, he preferred not to use additional seasonings.

When the sauce began boiling vigorously, he tossed in the wheat rice cakes.

The fish cakes would go in before the sauce reduced completely.

‘Done.’

It was just rice cakes and fish cakes in a red sauce, but it looked quite appetizing.

He stabbed a piece of rice cake with a fork and took a bite. The chewy texture of the wheat rice cake brought a smile to his face.

Next, the fish cake.

He skewered a piece with his fork and popped it into his mouth, the firm, bouncy texture making him smile again.

But it might be too spicy for Seo-woo and Arin.

No need to worry. He transferred some tteokbokki to another pan for the kids. Then, he added an appropriate amount of milk and water before reheating it.

That way, it would be mild enough for them to eat.

And just then, as if summoned by the thought of them, Seo-woo and Arin burst into the store.

“Wow, tteokbokki!”

“Tteokbokki?”

“Arin, you don’t know what tteokbokki is?”

“I do. I saw it in cartoons. But I’ve never seen it in real life.”

“I haven’t eaten tteokbokki much either. Uncle, can Arin and I eat some right away?”

“Wash your hands first.”

“Okay!”

While the kids ran to the bathroom, Seo-jun cooled down the milder tteokbokki for them.

If it was too hot, their mouths might burn.

He had reduced the spiciness as much as possible, but just in case, he also poured some milk into cups.

By the time he was done setting the table, the two came running out of the bathroom, giggling and playing.

He handed them forks as they took their seats.

Seo-woo bounced in excitement, ready to eat, while Arin hesitated, watching carefully.

“Can I eat too?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

Then, the two children started eating.

“Wow, this is really good!”

“Right? My uncle’s cooking is the best!”

Arin, her cheeks puffed out with tteokbokki, nodded enthusiastically.

“Mhm!”

“Is it too spicy?”

“No! It’s not spicy!”

“Arin?”

“It’s a little spicy, but there’s milk, so it’s okay. Hehe.”

Watching them eat so happily filled Seo-jun with warmth. But he couldn’t just sit and watch.

Just as he was about to finally taste his own tteokbokki, the door to the store opened.

“Arin.”

A boy stepped inside. It was Arin’s older brother, whom Seo-jun had seen in passing a few times.

“Oppa!”

“So, you were here?”

“Mhm!”

“Come out now.”

“But I haven’t finished eating yet…”

“I said, come out.”

His tone was irritable.

“You’re Arin’s older brother, right?”

“Yeah, so?”

“Do you like tteokbokki?”

“Tteokbokki?”

Arin’s brother glanced at the table, swallowing hard, then quickly shook his head.

“I’ve never had it, so I don’t know.”

“Then do you want to try? I made it really well.”

“Why would I?”

“Huh?”

“I’m not falling for that. Go Arin, get out here!”

At his repeated scolding, Arin hesitated before setting down her fork and sheepishly following her brother out.