Overgeared

[Chewing gently, one can tell the meat and savory fat has been aged exquisitely. The sweet and salty seasoning blends with the subtle taste of the meat, so one won’t get tired of eating it. The nutty flavour lingering in the mouth adds interest.]

This was from the Michelin Guide.

The 60-year-old dish called ‘Blue Ceramic Tile Seasoned Pork Ribs [1]’ had long been praised by gourmets. Even before it received three stars in the Michelin Guide, it was considered as a must-visit place for overseas political figures visiting South Korea.

“H-Hyesu.”

Kim Wuseok was over 70 years old this year, and he was a living historian of the Blue Ceramic Tile Seasoned Pork Ribs. During the time when the Blue Ceramic Tile Seasoned Pork Ribs was still small and unknown, Kim Wuseok worked as a chef and developed the ribs’ secret seasoning with his former president. He also found the ideal conditions for cooking meat and made a great contribution to the development of the seasoned ribs.

Then once the former president passed away and his son became the new president, Kim Wuseok was reduced to being a cloth bag. It was because the new president was uncomfortable with Kim Wuseok in many ways and planned to kick him out.

Originally, the secret seasoning recipe and aging conditions should only be shared between Kim Wuseok, the president, and his successor. Yet the new president taught his wife and children and drove Kim Wuseok out of the kitchen, having him manage the charcoal fire and iron plates instead. Carrying hot charcoal to the guest tables and wiping heavy iron plates hundreds of times a day was hard even for young people in their 20s, so the new president thought Kim Wuseok would quit soon.

However, unlike the new president’s expectations, Kim Wuseok persevered. He was grateful for a role in the workplace where he dedicated his youth and worked silently without complaining. Of course, it was an untold secret to his children. Once his children knew about it, their eyes would roll, and they would come to the restaurant to make a point.

Kim Wuseok—who wanted to retire quietly—stayed silent, and this was the problem.

“Grandfather, why are you doing that?”

Kim Wuseok was sitting at the back of the restaurant and wiping an iron plate when he encountered his granddaughter Hyesu, who was hurt by the sight.

“Grandfather, why are you wiping the iron plate instead of cooking?”

Hyesu had entered high school not long ago and wanted to show off her grandfather to her new friends. Her grandfather was the one who made the present the Blue Ceramic Tile Seasoned Pork Ribs. She would walk through the hallway where he had taken photos with past presidents and then meet her grandfather cooking in the kitchen of the restaurant.

Hyesu had bragged to her friends and secretly visited the restaurant to please her grandfather. Then she witnessed the present situation. It was the worst incident for Kim Wuseok and Hyesu.

“Didn’t you say he was a chef?”

“I heard he was invited to the Blue House...”

Kim Wuseok had a face blackened with charcoal and was dressed in shabby clothes. Hyesu’s friends looked at Kim Wuseok who was sweating profusely while wiping the iron plates. Young children who had just entered high school didn’t have the ability to glimpse the behind-the-scenes of the situation, so they treated Hyesu as a liar.

Then it happened when Hyesu’s eyes were turning red.

“Elder, I’m sorry to visit without telling you. I would like you to start the charcoal fire yourself.” A strong-looking man appeared and greeted Kim Wuseok with a 90-degree bow. His face couldn’t be seen, but his voice was strangely familiar. The eyes of the confused teenagers soon widened.

“Mister Youngwoo,” Kim Wuseok welcomed the man with a name that the teenagers knew well.

“You often wash the dishes because of your physical fitness, but it isn’t good for your health.” The man who was still bowing shook hands with Kim Wuseok. Kim Wuseok smiled awkwardly as he shook hands with the man. He was grateful for the man’s care.

“Wow!”

“It really is Grid!”

excited when the man standing next to Kim Wuseok was illuminated. The disbelief that was in their

think that your

“I’m envious~”

S.AGroup’s Lim Cheolho or the

to go to Gangnam every time I want to eat your ribs. Can’t you open your own restaurant in my

to raise his children and help pay for their weddings, so I

a store, how can I accept money from you? I will pay for all

Kim Wuseok’s face was

as pity. It was honestly very unpleasant when a young man the same age as his eldest grandson spoke

sincere. “It is my

“......”

in elementary school. Youngwoo’s parents, who grew and sold cabbages, had experienced a big crisis. Existing customers had slashed the transaction price of the cabbages by using the excuse of a good harvest. Youngwoo’s parents then became unable to avoid going into the red. Yet when there

a great grace to our family once? Think of it

main point. He wanted to distribute the profits fairly, rather than

it later. I have to

beautiful friend is your

isn’t really that

“Ah... I’m sor...”

***

“You meddled.”

he paid for the meat that Kim Wuseok’s granddaughter ate while the president stood uncomfortably by the checkout counter.

was paying off a small

be very happy to have a store like this in

since she moved to South Korea, so it was possible for

course, there are many idiots like

shook his head before opening the passenger side

I someone who

“Hrmm...”

a roaring exhaust sound. He looked at the side mirror and saw Kim Wuseok’s

with controlling his clones and the God Hands

the gold medal rewards

gold medal rewards she would obtain from the National Competition would be given to Youngwoo. There was

have no reason

brightened.

watching, Yura? This

smiling when Youngwoo’s words entered her ears. “I’m not even participating in the National Competition yet I will

“Two?”

she would give

off increased her appeal. “Yura said she would give you a reward? That... Why? For what