Seoul Kitchen: Chapter 15 (Patreon)

Making Connections

He didn’t quite expect meeting the girl from the bar again but it was a pleasant surprise none the less; more so that she actually remembered him. “Peach Boy?” he asked, amused at the nickname given to him. That was certainly a new one.

“Hey, it’s not everyday that someone gives you a damn peach while you’re bar hopping,” She replied as she grabbed her meal.

“Oh yeah, that thing,” He replied, chuckling ruefully at the memory. Of all the things his drunken self could have said or given her, he had to give her a peach. He could have blown his cover there and then but from the looks of it, he instead made quite the impression. Still, he caused her problems and it wasn’t her that has to pay her back. “But I can’t take this payment. It should be the opposite really! I should be the one paying you!“ he insisted.

The girl gave her an amused looked as she asked, “Really? You really want to play this game?” She then lean on the table, smirking up at him, “I don’t know how you city folks do it here That fruit gave me some breathing room in this city mister so you better take that eddie or I’ll be shoving it up where the sun don’t shine.”

Crossing his arms, he remained firm as he fired back. “Well someone has to owe someone else it ain’t right,” to which she nodded back. Staring back at her, it seems that they have come to an impasse. She won’t back down while he can’t let that debt go unpaid. He had to come up with something and he might have just an idea. “Now tell you what, how about we talk this out over a proper meal and see where it goes.”

Pointing at the clock, he then said, “It’s already a quarter past one anyways and I haven’t eaten lunch,” Leaning forward, he then added as he extended a hand for her, “And this seems like a good time for that.”

The girls eyes widened for a bit before she chuckled as he grabbed the offered hand and shook it. “You city boys sure are weird but that sounds like a good idea,” She replied.

-x-x-x-

Despite the protest from some of his customers, he closed the shop temporarily. Hey, he was looking to sell food at a cheap price but that doesn’t mean he was going to sacrifice his own health for it. He needed a break and it was just a coincidence he needed that time to talk to someone.

“Want some fries with that?” He asked her as he offered her as he sat down beside her. He just remembered that he still had some fries left on the fridge. A quick fry in the carnita’s fat and he got himself some tasty sides. Unhealthy, yes. Delicious? Definitely.

The cowgirl took one look at it before shrugging as she offered her plate, “Hey, why the hell not?” He made sure to give him enough, about half to what he made. Dishes like this were meant to be shared. It was a shame she’s eating burgers as it doesn’t pair well with the fried rice he made.

Fried garlic, onions, some carnitas bits and a bit of turmeric powder to make it more appetizing, it ain’t much but it paired well with the juicy meat. While Carnita’s could be eaten on their own, he just wanted a bit of his home mixed in with the filling dish. There’s just something about pork and rice that makes them work together so well.

“Now I see why you offered fries,” The girl replied, shaking her head as a wry smile stretched across her face.

He snorted, amused as he sat down and made himself comfortable. The metal bench wasn’t as good as the cushions of a proper stool but it had to do. Together, they sat there, watching the people of this city pass by the shop. Some of customers still lingered, waiting for him to finish his break but he ignored them as he focused on what’s happening now.

“About that night,” He started, rubbing back of his head as he laid down his plate on his lap, “I’m really sorry about Rebecca. She got a bit too much drink and, well… you know what happened next,” He then said, letting out a pained chuckle at the memory. Rebecca almost drew her gun at the girl and things could have gotten ugly but she didn’t need to know that…

Still, the girl just laughed it off she replied, “Nah, it’s cool. It wasn’t really that bad! Just some girls having fun in the bar, that’s all,” Shaking her head, she then said, “Besides, It ain’t my first rodeo having to deal with a girl protecting what’s hers.”

He blushed at her words. “Yeah, she’s not afraid to let speak her mind,” He added, smiling softly at that. Rebecca could just sweep him off his feet and he could nothing about it but that’s ok.

“I do suggest holding her back on the drinks,” She then said as she brought the lip of the bottle against her mouth, “I swear, people really should lay off on the martini or whatever fancy shots they want.”

“More like she should have taken it easy and not finish that bottle of gin before I got her to stop,” He corrected, making his companion cough and pound her chest.

“I’m sorry but a bottle?” She asked, looking at him in disbelief as she wiped her mouth.

“And several more,” He nodded, “I kinda forgot. Got a whole lot of other things in my mind right now like the shop and what’ll be serving today and tomorrow.”

Giving the shop and the line outside a glance, the girl replied, “I can only imagine.” Leaning back, she took another sip before commenting, “Man, now I know why my old man love these. He used to wax poetics about the nectar of the gods or something and cursing how the green plague took all the good ingredients.”

“They never got back on their feet after all the corporate wars,” he commented. Who knew that it wasn’t going to be Pepsi Co that would deal the killing blow but rather NiCola, the young up and comer that would dethrone the street. “Lucky that I got the formula so I can make them whenever I want!” he lied. He didn’t really have it but what’s a few white lies to make someone smile.

“Say, what’ll it take for you to supply my tribe this… Coke,” She replied as she gazed down on the now empty bottle. “I still hate the name,” She noted, earning a laugh out of him.

“It’s how it’s called,” He replied before asking, “And you’re a nomad? Huh, knew you were out of town but not that far out of town. Part of the Aldecaldo’s?” It wasn’t that hard to find an Aldecaldo in the big city. They follow wherever they’re needed and the big city never runs out of jobs.

“Nah, more of a Jode but my mother was an Aldecaldo, part of the Branwen’s or so I heard so you can say that I’m technically also Aldecado,” She answered with a grin. Looking her up and down, only now did he realized that her gear wasn’t just for show. She really was girl from the lone star state.

“Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a while,” he commented as he stroked his chin. The Jodes really weren’t all that famous around these parts. It was the Aldecaldo’s and the Wraith’s that hog all the attention but he had to remember that those two were just a small part of the Seven Nations. The Jodes, the Jodes were from the southern part of the states.”As for the coke… it’ll be a pain to have it shipped all the way down south but I’ll supply you on a few condition.”

“Shoot,” She replied as she set her bottle aside.

“Help me in the shop for a day and I’ll make sure to stock up a bending machine with my drink, how’s that sound?” He offered though omitting the fact that he’ll be setting the prices on the bending machine to rock bottom… or that he still had to find a bending machine.

“No shit?” She replied, eyes wide as she looked back at him.

He stared right back at her and replied, “I want you give a good long look at that line and tell me that they’re not going to rip me apart if I don’t come back this instant.” The people in the line were getting a bit antsy and he spied a few people with spider like eyes. He really should have invested a bit on security but eh, he’ll deal with that when that comes up in the future.

“And it’s just a day anyways, I’ll have to find a proper cashier moving on forward but for now, I see a nomad in need of work. You can even keep the tip in the tip jar” He added. The girl looked like she was a bit strapped for cash from what she said. If a fruit was a god send then a small job was quite an offer and from the looks in her eyes, he got a good bead on her.

Offering her his hands once more, he then asked, “So, is that a deal?”

The girl took a deep breath before letting out a sigh as she smiled back at him. Grabbing his hands, she shook it hard as she replied, “My pa used to say that you’re never going to find someone with a good heart in the city but you do prove him wrong,” Grinning, she then said, “I’d be a fool to say no to that mister.”

“Hey, it ain’t gonna cost me to help a friend in need,” He replied as he got up and motioned for her to follow. “Well, what are you waiting for? The line ain’t gonna get shorter!”

They didn’t need to be told twice as they followed him closely. That day, Coke and Carnita’s flowed freely in the streets of Night City though he did note that the Cola was a bit more popular.

Thinking about it, the Coke branding was up for grabs as Nicola hasn’t really used any of it on their branding… he could just grab the trademark if he could find the right person.

So there he was, cooking while Yang manned the register. He made the food while Yang made sure to keep the rowdy crowd from getting any ideas. Things would have been great if it wasn’t for a certain group coming to crash the party.

“Uh, Chef, you might want to take look outside,” She called out, making him turn just in time to see some of his customer flee at the sight of the gaudiest, flashiest car he ever had the pleasure of seeing roll just down the road.  

He felt his heart hammer against his chest as the door opens and out comes a well dress man with slick back graying beard and cold hard eyes. Accompanying him was man much like him but younger, and flashier with his bespoke red shirt and leather best and an equally well kept mustache.

“Oh fuck,” he whispered, cursing this day. He knew who these two were, “Yang, it might be best you take your break a bit early cause it seems like Don Orto came to visit my humble shop.”