You Promised Me, Mr. Lee San-ha - Chapter 72
Only Noblemtl
Episode 72: Even a rice thief can be a thief (2)
Two weeks have passed since my meeting with Bae Eun-ji.
Meanwhile, KBC visited ‘Sanhane Snack Bar’, finished filming, and left.
Friday is back.
My family was gathered in the living room, waiting for the ‘Backstreet Food’ broadcast to start.
Soon, a logo appears on the screen.
Father shouted in an excited voice.
“Oh, here we go!”
On the TV screen, the face of Baek Jong-woon, a famous chef and businessman, appears.
Baek Jong-woon and MC Kim Sang-jun were exchanging introductory comments.
[Hello, it’s Baek Jong-woon. By the way, Mr. Kim Sang-jun, why are the staff so excited today?]
[We have a new assistant MC coming to our Alley Restaurant. Let me introduce you to her! The leader of the group Once, Bae Eun-ji!]
The camera pans to the side and Bae Eun-ji walks into the angle.
All kinds of subtitles praising the beauty of Odubangjeong are displayed along with flashy effects.
[Hello~! Once Upon a Time! I’m Bae Eun-ji, the leader of Once. Nice to meet you~.]
Bae Eun-ji waved at the camera.
Even though it was her first time appearing on a variety show, she didn’t seem nervous at all.
As expected, it was just like his usual ingratitude.
Mom said, clapping her hands.
“Oh my~ Eunji, she looks so pretty on TV!”
Even without makeup and the lighting for a music show, her face is brightly revealed.
‘As expected, he is a natural born entertainer.’
I feel like there’s an aura from Bae Eun-ji that pierces through the camera.
I continued watching TV.
After the cast members exchanged greetings and a few words of conversation, the introduction of the restaurant began in earnest.
Kim Sang-jun made a fortune.
[Is the store you’re visiting today Eunji’s regular store?]
[Yes! To celebrate my becoming an assistant MC, I recommended my favorite restaurant to Mr. Baek Jong-woon. It’s such a delicious restaurant that I visit almost every week!]
Bae Eun-ji answered in a high tone, full of enthusiasm.
Kim Sang-jun and Baek Jong-un’s comments follow.
[Ms. Bae Eun-ji, you’ve been very motivated from the start. I heard you like good restaurants, and I guess that’s true.]
[If this continues, won’t the main MC and assistant MC be swapped?]
After a burst of laughter, the screen changes.
Soon after, the exterior of Sanhane Bunshik fades in.
Baek Jong-woon greeted his mother and entered the store.
[Hello~ I almost couldn’t come in because I thought I was in a hotel lobby~.]
Mom stood up straight and greeted me like a robot.
[Oh, hello. I am Yoon Seok-eun, the owner of Sanhaene Snack Bar.]
We couldn’t help but burst out laughing when we saw that sight.
Even in the midst of all this, Mom’s stiff lines continued.
[Welcome to our store.]
Our living room was filled with laughter at his private-like reaction.
Meanwhile, Baek Jong-woon’s small talk continues.
[It’s so dazzling~ Have you invested all the money you’ve made in business into interior design?]
[No. I ended up doing it for an absurdly cheap price.]
[But this must have broken hundreds of millions… …? Oh my! What is this?!]
Baek Jong-woon’s gaze fills with shock as he checks the menu.
[Bring me a camera. It’s cheap… Is there any margin left at this price?]
[We are trying to keep the prices as low as possible so that even young students can eat without feeling burdened.]
[Wow~ Our boss has a kind heart.]
The cut changes to Kim Sang-jun and Bae Eun-ji, who are in the studio.
Kim Sang-jun spoke first.
[The atmosphere is good and the price is reasonable. If only the taste was perfect, I wouldn’t have anything more to wish for, right?]
[I can guarantee that.]
[I guess Eun-ji doesn’t know how scary a guarantee is because she’s young. You shouldn’t be a guarantee just because you want to.]
After the recorded laughter is played, the screen switches back to Baek Jong-woon inside the snack bar.
After receiving the tteokbokki set, he started eating in earnest.
[Hmm, uhm! Hey~ uhm?]
Baek Jong-woon inhaling tteokbokki while adding some savory flavor.
MC Kim Sang-jun’s face appears at the bottom right of the screen.
[A record-breaking record is being set right now?]
[What record?]
[You know how when Mr. Baek eats something really delicious, he doesn’t say anything and just inhales it? The audio is empty right now, so we have to keep filling it up. Eunji? Say something.]
Bae Eun-ji said with a mischievous smile on her face.
[I understand that I have secured the deposit.]
The witty banter brought laughter to our living room once again.
First of all, I was so happy that my mom’s cooking was recognized by a top chef.
Besides, Bae Eun-ji is so good at talking that I am proud to see her adapting well to variety shows.
Back on the TV screen.
Chef Baek Jong-woon began to ponder, deep in thought.
[Hey, I don’t know this… … I don’t know this.]
A serious expression like never before.
The mother on the screen, faced with his worries, asked with concern.
[Yes? What do you mean you don’t know… …?]
[I don’t know whether to order soju or beer to drink together. Just give me both!]
Baek Jong-woon kept giving a thumbs up.
[I’ve eaten about 1,000 servings of tteokbokki in my life, but this is a first. This ‘ddeok-tteok’ is something special~ Did you develop this, sir?]
[My daughter likes cheese, so I tried putting in a variety of things.]
Baek Jong-woon picked up a piece of tteokbokki and waved it as a greeting.
[Thank you, daughter~ Thanks to you, I can eat delicious food!]
Ida In, who was sitting in the living room, just smiled.
I tilted my head in puzzlement.
‘Why is he acting like this? Normally, he would be very upset and ask for a raise in his allowance.’
… … Well, anyway.
Baek Jong-woon on the screen heads to the kitchen after finishing his meal.
Eventually, when he entered the kitchen, his expression hardened.
[What the heck?! Boss! Does this make sense?!]
The screen switches to the studio.
Kim Sang-jun and Bae Eun-ji talk with embarrassed expressions.
[Uh… …Why is CEO Baek acting like that all of a sudden? Is there a problem with hygiene?]
[That, that can’t be true! My mom… … Oh, no, my boss is really clean. It’s an open kitchen, so you can see the whole kitchen… … .]
The screen switched back to where Baek Jong-woon was.
Baek Jong-woon shouted with an angry expression.
[Hey, this won’t work! Let’s stop filming today!]
The mother standing behind her said nothing with her eyes wide open.
In that atmosphere, Baek Jong-woon continued speaking.
[If even the kitchen is perfectly clean, I won’t have anything to consult on! This is the first time I’ve seen such a clean kitchen while filming Alley Restaurant!]
The father, who had been watching quietly, could no longer bear it anymore and said a word.
“Those, those bad broadcasting station guys! Are you making people nervous for no reason!?”
“You’ve only seen the kitchen for a day or two, so why are you so surprised?”
The broadcast continued even as the parents had a friendly conversation.
Especially, the latter half of the broadcast was filled with praise for our restaurant.
[This is really not the place for me to come for consulting. I should come here on my knees to learn.]
The most mentioned one was, of course, Mom’s original menu, Deoptteok.
[How could I not have thought of this? The flavors blend so well when you add different kinds of cheese… … This won’t do. Mr. Kim Sang-jun, Ms. Bae Eun-ji, come down! We have to have a company dinner here today.]
An uncontrollable smile spread across Mom’s lips.
On screen, in the living room.
* * *
The aftermath of the broadcast continued to bring in more and more people.
It’s been almost two weeks since the broadcast.
Waiting for 1-2 hours was out of the question, and even the ‘dawn opening run’ began.
My father, I, and even my younger sister, who were resting at home, all had to help out.
No matter how many customers there were, my mother continued to do business as usual.
… … A consistent recipe.
… … A precise amount that does not contain even a little bit.
… … From quality to cleanliness, with honesty that does not miss anything.
‘Perhaps my honesty comes from my father and mother.’
My parents, who have always been my role models, have been my constant companions.
It was a milestone, a compass, and my pride.
‘But apart from that, I’m incredibly busy.’
Since it became famous, even big YouTubers started visiting the store.
I never thought I would even meet the YouTuber I was subscribed to, ‘Gangbuk Gourmet.’
“Brother! I’m a YouTuber. Can I film you?”
“As long as you don’t bother other guests, there’s no problem at all.”
“Really? Thank you! Then, I’m really sorry, but could you say hello to our viewers? Just once~.”
“Oh, yes, hello. I’m Lee San-ha, the son of the owner of Sanha’s snack bar. Uh… … Thank you for your interest in our restaurant.”
I said hello without realizing it, swept up in the atmosphere.
[Kerororoche: A genius broadcaster who starts an interview as soon as he sees his son’s face ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Jikkeochicken: No, show me the rice cake!]
[r__Chittii: Is that person solo? Is that person solo? Is that person solo? Is that person solo?]
[Kim Su-ding: Everyone suddenly has no interest in snacks and is drinking kimchi stew in drovesㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
The Gangbuk gourmet, who was in the mood, continued the interview with a few more words.
“It seems like you have good serving skills. Do you usually help your mother with work?”
“I have a separate job, so I only help out on weekends.”
“Wow, you’re such a filial son. Your mother will be so happy.”
“Even so, I think the weight of life our mother carried… is nothing compared to the weight of these plates.”
The chat window goes crazy again.
[aka47: ?????]
[Mushrooms are upside down: Isn’t that the opposite?]
[Jungle Timo Craftsman: Unfilial meta ㄷㄷㄷㄷ]
[Hurry up sister: You look so nervous ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Just wait a minute and Nunaga will take the marriage registration form.]
Gangbuk Gourmet repeatedly expressed his gratitude for the cooperation in filming and said his final goodbyes.
“Thank you for the interview. The tteokbokki is also very delicious! I will help you with your promotion in the future!”
Even in the meantime, customers continue to pour in.
Serving, serving, interviewing. Serving, serving, interviewing again… … .
At the end of a hectic day, I felt like all the energy had been drained from my body.
Our family, exhausted, staggered home.
While Dad and Mom were discussing what to do with the kitchen chores.
Break it!
A notification popped up on my phone.
[TLT Times Team Leader Yoon Yeo-gam: I went to your store today and ate that rice cake? It was delicious.]
[Lee San-ha: When did you come? I guess you didn’t see me because there were too many customers… … Call me and ask for me. I must have provided you with a lot of service.]
[TLT Times Team Leader Yoon Yeo-gam: I looked for you anyway, but I couldn’t find you. Didn’t you say you were going to help your mother this weekend?]
[Lee San-ha: Hmm? I was there all day.]
[TLT Times Team Leader Yoon Yeo-gam: When I told the CEO that I came here on his son’s recommendation, he said that he didn’t have a son like you?]
‘What? Did I get removed from the family register without me knowing?’
… … But that couldn’t be the case.
Basic posture of eggplant.
It was time to fact check.
[Lee San-ha: Where exactly did you go?]
[TLT Times Team Leader Yoon Yeo-gam: Isn’t that 32 Jangseungbaegi-ro 9na-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul?]
[Lee San-ha: Where is that?;; I’ve never been to a place like that?]
[TLT Times Team Leader Yoon Yeo-gam: GD]
[TLT Times Team Leader Yoon Yeo-gam: (Photo)]
A photo was sent simultaneously with Team Leader Yoon’s reply.
I couldn’t help but be amazed when I saw that picture.
“No, have you ever seen such thieving bastards!?”