Seoul Kitchen: Chapter 23 (Patreon)

Overnight Preparations

It was quite strange to see the normally vibrant Cherry Blossom Market so quite and empty. Aside from a few stragglers bar hopping and the occasional burst of music from advertisement, the market was devoid of activity. After all, it was the wee hours after midnight; just a few hours before the new day rolls around. It’ll be a few hours before any customers would come around, perfect for today’s preparation.

With a large cleaver in hand, he butchered the large fatty pork meat for today’s dish. His blade sliced through ham and hock alike, breaking through the bone and revealing the marrow within. It was tiring work but essential for what he needed, he needed stock; lots of it.

Letting out a yawn, he set the chunks aside before checking the oven if it was ready. Feeling the heat wash over his face, he nodded satisfied. Things were going smoothly and soon enough, he could finally rest.

It was a lot of work but the flight of fancy he had was too much to resist. He wanted Tonkatsu Ramen, thus he went to work preparing the broth and soup alike. Thankfully, he wasn’t alone with the preparation as Rebecca stayed with him. With the two of them working together, the ingredients for the broth was shaping up.

“I’m done with the vegetables, anything else I can do?” Rebecca asked from across the counter. Glancing over, he then let out a tired smile as he saw the roughly cut aromatics for the broth. A bit on the chunkier side but it didn’t really matter given how it’ll just be tossed in with the meat.

“Just set those aside beside the Konbu and I’ll handle the rest,” He told her as he walked over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Ruffling her hair with his forearms, he then told her, “You go prepare the sleeping bag and I’ll join you shortly ok?”

His input let out a soft growly as she weakly pushed his arms aside before firing back, “I’m not tired yet,” Her protest was punctuated by the cutest of yawns. He chuckled as he slung his arms around her for a hug. It was endearing having her cook with him but with how she rubbed her eyes and how tired she looked, the late night preparation was taking its toll.

“I just need to bake the pork a bit then it’s done,” He then said. With the large pot just simmering over in the stove, the preparations was almost done. His answer however did not satisfy her one bit as she let out her ultimate weapon, her pout.

Feeling her heart string tugged by the adorable sight, he gave in, “Tell you what, why don’t you go to the pantry and grab me some Salt. I think I ran out?” He lied to her. He always had salt stocked up before each and every day but she needed something to do.

Perking up, she grinned as she slipped off his hug and ran off to the pantry. “One tub of salt, comight right up!” She declared before disappearing into the back.

He shook his head in amusement before he turned his back to the task at hands. Placing the pork chunks in a tray, along with a few extra ingredients in the form of chicken feet and wings, he then slipped them inside the oven so that they can cook.

Grabbing an egg timer, he wind it up for twenty minutes before setting it aside. That should be long enough inside for the meat to brown. He could just toss it in directly to the water but a few extra steps wouldn’t hurt to give his broth a little a bit more punch.

While he waited, he checked on the eggs he had marinating. Poking them around with some chopsticks, they still haven’t soaked in much of the sauce. It’ll take time, much like the broth. There was really no other way to make flavor dishes. Everything takes time, from the pork belly that would make the chasu to the meat chunks that would make the broth, time was needed.

Dragging a chair over to the oven, he sat down as he pulled a cold NiCola from thin air. Cracking the fizzy alcoholic drink open, he took a sip as he savored the moment. It had been quite some time since he got here. Not only had he finally got his shop up and running, he got himself a wonderful partner as well.

It might have just been a month or since he started but it almost felt like forever. He had made big leaps forward but he needed to keep up. He still had a long way to go before his dishes can reach everyone… but there was no rush.

As he finished his drink, he blinked as the egg timer rang loudly. “Huh, that didn’t take long,” he muttered as he got up and stretched. Slipping in some mitts, he pulled the slightly sizzling meat chunks out before tossing them into the boiling pot.

In goes the aromatics along with a generous helping of garlic and ginger and it was good to go. All that’s left was the salt, of which Rebecca had yet to return. Frowning, he turned towards the pantry and called out, “Hey Rebecca, you ok there?”

As he was about to walk over to check the girl out, he would then hear her answer back, “I-I’m fine! Just found an empty can here. Thought I’d give it a clean.”

He snorted as he replied, “Just a bit worried there, you got all silent for quite a while. Need help with finding the salt?”

“N-no!” She fired back rather hastily, “Just give me a sec-! Ow!” She then screeched out as her voice distorted. “The hell did you just bite me for!?” The now much higher pitched voice screamed out as a loud crash echoed from the pantry.

“You bitch!” Rebecca’s voice shouted in anger as he heard more screams, “Nobody steals my face and gets away with it!”

Taken a back by the sudden shouts, he bolted for the pantry. With his pistol in hand, he kicked the door open to find a chaotic scene. Ingredients were strewn about, shelves pulled down to the floor, blood covering the floor and most confusing of all, Two Rebecca’s down on the floor, tugging at each others hair as they battled for dominance.

“What the fuck is going on in here!” He asked, bewildered by the wild turn of events.

“Fucking doppleganger!” Both of them screamed out, “Stop copying me!” Both demanded as punches were thrown.

Not only did they look the same, but they were clothed the same as well. Both Rebecca’s were lacking their signature jacket as it laid strewn across the floor. The only difference was that one had a bite mark on their shoulder while the other had a bite mark on their forearm. This however would give him little to distinguish which one was the real one.

“Shoot her Chef! She’s the bitch!” The one with bite mark on the shoulder shouted, butting heads with the other girl.

“Don’t listen to her!” The other shouted as she reeled back before throwing a headbutt of her own. Dazed from the headbutt, she then slurred out, “This bloodsucking bitch copied my face! She doesn’t even sound like me!”

“Liar!” The first one shouted, eyes a bit unfocused from the strike. What little dialogue they had quickly devolved into a shouting match as their fighting renewed.

Unable to figure out who was the real one, he then shouted, “Stop it! Both of you or I’ll shoot myself!” Before pointing the gun at his chest, “Stop this this right now or I’ll die!”

The two immediately paused as they stared at him. There was silence before the one with the bite on the arm pointed out, “You know… you’ll miss your heart with that.”

“As much as I hate to agree with her, that’ll only give you a bad flesh wound,” The other agreed with her.

“That’s not the point,” He muttered out as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “Now that I got your attention, let’s talk this out shall we?” He paused as he licked his lips, adjust his grip to avoid shooting himself accidentally, “Give me something, anything to show me you’re the real one Rebecca,” he then told them as the two started shouted, each trying to be heard over the other.

The two quickly fought once more, ignoring him as they struggled against each other. This was getting him no where. Wracking his mind, he wondered if there’s a way to tell which one was the real one? Something, Anything! Then, it hit him.

Quickly pointing the gun away from him, he pulled out the magazine and unloaded bullet from the chamber. Catching the girls attention, he then pulled the slider back and slowly inserted the same bullet back into the chamber directly. This almost immediately made the Rebecca with the bite mark on the shoulder screeched out in anger, “God damn it Chef!”

“What the hell are you doing?” The other one whispered in confusion.

Finally, he got a tell as he aimed for the other with the bite in the arm and shot her in the stomach. The girl collapsed as a slimy goo like sloughed off her. “Fucking knew it,” He muttered as he rushed for Rebecca, “Are you ok?”

“That’s not what’s important right now,” Rebecca gritted out as she pulled the gun out of his grasp, “Damn it, you could have ruin the chamber!” She hissed out, making him chuckle. He definitely found the right Rebecca.

“Sorry about that, had to do it,” He apologized as he started checking for her injuries. He would find the bite mark to be shallow and more cosmetic than anything serious. Pulling her into a hug, he held her tightly, refusing to let go.

“How the hell did you figure out anyways?” She muttered out tiredly as she leaned into his hold.

Giving her a pat, he then told her, “Let’s talk about that late ok?” He then turned to the downed girl whose true forms as now revealed. WIth her pale blond hair, cat like eyes of gold, and a fanged smile, she looked more supernatural than anything.

Still, he had lived in this world long enough to know that things can more than what they appear. “We still have a doppleganger to secure,” He then said. Hopefully, he could get the bottom of this mystery and figure out what she is and who the hell sent her to his shop.

A/N:

Ok, this might be a bit weird but trust me. I have something planned. To those wondering, she's an expy and if you can figure out who she is, I might just give you a reward :V