Seoul Kitchen: Chapter 2 (Patreon)

A Meal to Remember

Firing up the fryer, He decided to go all out this time around as he pulled out the bigger and heavier patties for the occasion. A quarter pound of beef sizzled in the griddle while he fired up the deep fryer. While it cooked, he turned his attention to the fries.

Out came the sliced up prepared fries. Taking a page out of a certain defunct brand with their patent potatoes, his fries came in just as a restaurant would have them, blanched and lightly fried before frozen. Tossing a generous serving in a basket, he let them swim in hot beef tallow, letting them cook in the delicious fat.

Flipping the burger patties and tossing in some cheese atop them as well as a buns to brown, then came the task of preparing the cricket tempura. They came bagged in groceries, these shelled and prepared with a batter but he opted to make his own. With only the shelled insects, he whipped up a batter for them.

Cracking an egg in secret was a tedious task as eggs were no longer sold in markets. It was utterly dystopic but that was the point of it. There were no more eggs or even milk for that matter as agriculture came to a stand still for the lower latitudes. Too hot and dry along with the toxic clouds overhead did not do the few remaining farms any good.  

Whipping himself up a simple mixture of floor, panko, eggs and water, he then coated his crickets under the counter. Two coatings made sure that they were properly breaded. With his crickets prepared, he could toss them in the beef tallow as well but they do not mix well with animal fat. He prepared them in a different pan of oil, one that would require his jet stove. Letting the synthetic fueled fire burn bright, he fry his tempura in sesame oil.

It was a symphony of sizzling meats and spuds, his spatula flipping the burger over to the buns as he prepared the finishing touch. Lettuce and vegetables were placed over the melted and runny sliced cheese while a generous serving of mayo and ketchup topped them. Fishing out the fries, he salted them generously, tossing them before serving in a basket with the fresh golden brown tempura.

Finally, came the soda. While he could serve them NiCola, that would be a disservice to the food he prepared. Fishing out a tub of vanilla ice cream from the fridge, he let that one sit for a bit as he pumped a generous helping of sweet cola syrup into a tall glass. The thick viscous syrup quickly mixed with the fizzing seltzer before a large scoop was allowed to swim on the dark caramel drink.

And thus, he was finished, serving it to his gob-smoked audience as he wiped the sweat off his forehead. “One Quarter Pounder with cheese, a basket of chirp and chips, and one chocolate milkshake, for the lovely lady,” He told Rebecca as he flashed her a smile.

The Mox girl whistled as she stared at the steaming plate of fries and the large juicy burger atop it’s plate. “Color me impressed,” She told him, praising his food, “It looks good and smells good but how does it taste? Will it be just a pretty face or is the meat it’s packing actually worth a taste?”

Feeling a bit of pride bubble up his chest, he then replied, “Well, what are you waiting for? Dig in!”

Clutching his apron, he watched in bathed breath as Rebecca lifted up the burger and took a bite before it was followed by another. There would be silence between them as the smaller girl kept eating, chewing quietly before she set the large burger down and just staring at her meal. Swallowing thickly, he then asked, “So… How is it?”

“Bullshit!” The girl exclaimed, making his heart sink before she suddenly asked, “How the fuck does this taste so good?”

Taken by surprise, he couldn’t help but babble as she picked up her burger once more and ate it with gusto. “Oh god, it’s melting in my mouth,” She moaned out before glaring at him, “What the hell did you put on this cause whatever it is, I want that! Is it crack?”

That was when he started laughing, unable to hold himself together at her question. “It’s Just your simple spices really,” He replied jovially, wiping his the tears in his eyes and he told her, “That, whole sprinkling of love for cooking and the freshest ingredients this side of Night City.”

Hearing her words, the girl cringed as he swallowed thickly. Frowning, he asked, “Is something wrong?”

Grimacing, she then sighed as asked him, “... How much,” She then shook her head as she exclaimed, “Cause I swear this looks like it’ll cost me an arm and a leg, literally! That synth-lettuce tasted and felt so real, it’s freaky.”

Chuckling, he waved off her concerns as he told her, “Don’t worry about it,” Leaning over the counter, he then said, “Since you’re my first customer, consider it in the house. Plus, seeing someone smile from eating what I cooked is more than enough.” It was one of the reasons why this place was around.

“You’re serious,” Rebecca asked incredulously as she looked up to him in disbelief.

“Can I lie to a pretty girl like you?” He then fired back.

Rebecca blushed as she looked down on her meal before she told him "How about a different form of payment then…” frowning, his heart skipped a bit as she looked backed up with those doe eyes staring directly into her soul. He felt his mouth go dry as she placed her hands over her chest as he admitted, “No one has ever been this generous to me. It’s making me all warm and fuzzy inside.”

Swallowing, he wondered, is this really happening. “I assure you, this is entirely free. I-!” He babbled out before she cut him off.

“Please?” She pleaded with her pouty lips and he folded like a house of cards. Feeling his face burn, he nodded, unable to speak back as his heart hammered away inside his chest. Looking up to him, she asked him, “C-can you come a bit closer?"

He leaned closer, her lips just inches away now.

"A bit closer" Rebecca asked once more but as he closed his eyes and leaned past the counter, the girl would then grab him by the hair. Wincing and crying in pain, he was forced nearly over the counter as she shouted, "Ok big guy, where did they hit you? Let Momma Becca fix you!"

"Ow ow ow!" He struggled hard, trying to pull himself back but the girl was deceptively strong, able to keep him still as she ran his hands all over his head and neck.

"No chips, no stabs, no nothing!" She shouted as she finally let him go. With a glare of anger and confusion, the girl would then ask him. "What kind of defect do you have, choom? Do you know how expensive this is?”

Wilting under the glare, he lied, “Maybe?” Oh he knew that it was extremely expensive but he didn’t care or he couldn’t bring himself to care. “It's just beef, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes… I don’t see the big deal," he said. It wasn’t like he’d run out of food anytime soon and everyone deserves a taste of the real stuff. It’s just synthetic food over and over again, he couldn’t stand how starved and devoid this world was of rich and complex flavors.

Shaking her head in disbelief, she then  turned to her half eaten burger as before lifting it up and grabbing the fresh lettuce. Waving it around her face, she then asked accusingly, “Are these real vegetables?”

“Why the hell would it not... be?” he replied before he caught himself. Slowly, he reached up to cover his face out of shame while Rebecca pinched her nose as she hissed in annoyance.

"... This fucker, I swear” Rebecca gritted out, “The next thing you’ll say was that’s fresh farm raised beef I just ate…” She then trailed off as she noticed his eyes no longer on her. Sweating, he refused to make eye contact as felt the girl's heated gaze on him, refusing to answer to that but she was rather persuasive with her iron suddenly placed atop the counter.

Swallowing at the sight of the green and pink pistol, he admitted, “Yes…?” Raising his hands, he quickly added, reassuring her, “But seriously, don’t worry about it. I really didn’t open Seoul Kitchen to make eddies so it’s no big deal if you don’t pay.” Those words however might be poorly thought out as he suddenly found himself in the receiving end of a gun.

“You motherfucker,” Rebecca growled out as her face burnt in indignation and fury, “Do I look poor to you? Do you think I can’t pay for my meal? Do you think just cause I’m a pretty face, I get that for free? Fuck no! Everyone deserves to be paid so tell me how much I owe or I’ll blow your fucking head up! Now!” She shouted as she gave him the strangest of demands. He felt his mind stutter as he tried to process what she just said.

“Wait what?” He asked, wondering if he heard it right. He couldn’t quite concentrate as he felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed up against his temple.

“How much! Now!” Rebecca shouted at him, clearly running out of patience.

“Ok! Ok!” He cried out, his heart hammering away as he shouted the first big number that came to his mind, “Ten Thousand Eddies.”

The girl gave her one good glare as they stood there, his feet barely holding himself up before she pulled his hands away and the lipstick she was holding. Staring at the “gun” she held and the actaul gun on the table, he felt rather silly as Rebecca forced her money on him. Seeing forty thousand casually dropped on his lap, he was a few more eddies richer.

“See? Was it that hard choom?” Rebecca grinned as he twisted off the metal cap of her purple lipstick and retouched her makeup.

Gathering his wits, he tried to tell her about her payment, “You overpay-!” but she was not having any of it as he found her fingers against his lips, shushing him.

“You cooked me something delicious and I’m not going to hear a word out of you mister,” She told her before giving him a glare. “You accept my money or we'll have trouble, you hear me?” She then warned him, gesturing at the gun as he had.

Sighing, he felt his shoulder sag as he relented, “Crystal…” There was really now way he could argue himself out of this.

With a growl, the girl sat back to her seat as she continued chomping at her burger and slurping at her ice cream soda, “Stupid fucking gonk’s going to get himself robbed blind…” She growled out as things finally settled down. It wouldn’t have known it then but he earned himself a loyal customer that day and she’d be a common fixture of his restaurant. For now though, he just had to avoid angering her.