Chapter 19
The Stolen Bowl Case (3)
“Even gods have picky tastes.”
…I looked at the God of Feng Shui suspiciously.
“They didn’t seem very picky.”
“Ahem…!“
As soon as I blurted that out, the God of Feng Shui let out an exaggerated cough. He must have remembered the transparent hands squabbling over a single side dish earlier.
“Well… gods have changed a lot over the ages.”
“That’s just an excuse, nya.”
“Divine Beast!”
“Hmph, nya.”
That felt incredibly satisfying.
I should give our Haetae lots of delicious food.
The last transparent hand waved at us from side to side, as if saying goodbye, before slowly disappearing into thin air.
Then Lee Jutaek’s calm voice echoed through the shop.
“This concludes the grand opening ritual.”
I quickly stood up and hugged Haetae tightly.
Lee Jutaek placed both hands over the scroll on the floor and slowly closed his eyes.
At that moment, the mugunghwa pattern drawn on the paper began glowing once again.
The stillness filling the shop rippled.
Then the sounds from outsideāthe passing cars, people’s laughter, and footstepsāreturned to my ears.
Like a blocked river finally finding its course, the frozen hands of time began moving again.
The orange evening sky had somehow changed into a night sky filled with stars.
“…Everything’s back to normal.”
Lee Jutaek carefully rolled up the scroll, tucked it inside his jacket, and stretched.
“Whew… I used up too much energy, so I’m getting sleepy.”
“I should get going now. If I’m late, Team Leader Lee Yeo-ui will start looking for me!”
“Ah, thank you so much for everything today.”
“Not at all! I was only doing my job.”
“If anything unusual happens again, please give me a call.”
“And…”
Lee Jutaek, who had been hurrying toward the refrigerator, suddenly stopped.
“By any chance… have you received any strange side dish order forms?”
“Strange side dish order forms?”
When I looked puzzled, he let out a sigh of relief.
“That’s good. It seems you haven’t.”
“But if you ever receive a strange side dish order form, please contact me.”
“Uh… alright.”
Is something going on?
I bowed politely to Lee Jutaek as he turned to leave.
He returned the greeting with a slight nod, opened the lower door of the refrigerator…
…and casually stepped inside, as though he were simply returning home.
Only the refrigerator door…
…and the empty shop remained.
“So… it’s finally over…”
The words escaped my lips.
It was hard to believe that only moments ago this place had been filled with gods.
Yet the God of Feng Shui was still standing there, watching me.
“Aren’t you leaving?”
He smiled slightly.
“I should eat something before I go.”
He really intended to stay for a meal.
“…You’re actually going to eat?”
“Oh, come on. Don’t make that face.”
I laughed awkwardly.
He had been sneaking glances at the side dishes this whole time. In the end, he couldn’t resist.
“Haetae, what do you want to eat?”
Haetae gently swished his tail.
“I want soy-braised beef bibimbap, nya.”
“The smell of the soy-braised beef has been amazing since earlier.”
“I’ll have the same.”
The God of Feng Shui confidently sat at the end of the table.
He casually tapped the ceremonial mugunghwa bowl with his fingertips while secretly glancing at me.
“So you’re having the same soy-braised beef bibimbap as Haetae?”
“That’s right.”
I walked into the kitchen and lifted the lid off the pot.
A rich soy sauce aroma immediately spread through the room.
“Oh?”
“Is this the soy-braised beef you made earlier?”
“Yes.”
“I made it earlier and left it to cool.”
Tender chunks of beef floated in the glossy soy sauce.
I’d added a little corn syrup for sweetness, giving the sauce a beautiful shine.
“This smells incredible, nya!”
I scooped plenty of rice into Haetae’s bowl and poured the soy-braised beef sauce over it.
Then I added several pieces of beef and a few quail eggs.
Just like that, a delicious-looking soy-braised beef bibimbap was ready.
Normally I’d top it with shredded egg…
“You don’t mind if I skip the egg strips?”
“I don’t want to wait, nya.”
“Then I’ll serve it like this.”
After preparing Haetae’s meal, I looked toward the God of Feng Shui.
He was already holding a spoon.
“It’s been a long time since a human prepared a meal for me…”
“I can’t help but feel a little excited.”
“Aren’t gods really not that special?”
“Why do you think that?”
The God of Feng Shui narrowed his eyes with curiosity.
“Because if humans didn’t exist…”
“…gods wouldn’t exist either.”
Hearing that, he burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha!”
“That’s right!”
“Gods really aren’t that special!”
I placed the mugunghwa bowl filled with soy-braised beef bibimbap in front of him.
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you.”
As soon as he touched the bowl, the mugunghwa pattern glowed softly.
He scooped up a large spoonful and swallowed it without chewing much.
After closing his eyes and savoring the taste, he smiled.
“…This isn’t Hyangsuk’s cooking.”
“Huh?”
I blinked in confusion.
“I expected it to taste the same because you’re Hyangsuk’s grandson.”
“But it’s completely different.”
“And it’s delicious.”
The God of Feng Shui wore a mysterious smile as he took another bite.
“The other gods will realize it too.”
“They’ll see that while you resemble Hyangsuk…”
“…your cooking has a completely different flavor.”
“Is that really important?”
“Didn’t I tell you earlier?”
“Gods have picky tastes.”
“And because they’re picky…”
“…they’re always searching for new flavors.”
Just like the tasting booth I had set up…
“So the reason the gods kept bothering me…”
“…was because…”
“They wanted to try your cooking at least once.”
What?!
I screamed inwardly.
Then I grabbed my hair with both hands.
“So it really was a tasting booth?!”
“Of course.”
“Did you think it wasn’t?”
“…Yes.”
The God of Feng Shui nodded calmly.
“My, my.”
“Gods have mouths too.”
“They also want to taste good food.”
“So the grand opening ritual…”
“…was essentially a tasting event for the gods.”
I thought it was a ritual honoring the dead…
I let out a helpless laugh.
“Our country’s gods really take food seriously.”
“What could be more serious than food?”
“And the more a god enjoys relaxing and eating…”
“…the more important good food becomes.”
The God of Feng Shui casually continued eating.
I had thought the grand opening ritual carried some profound and majestic meaning worthy of the gods.
But in the end… it was just food lovers searching for the next great restaurant?
“You should just publish a Michelin Guide for the gods.”
Just then, Haetae looked up with soy sauce all over his mouth.
“GS Company has probably already made one, nya.”
“…I was only joking.”
They really were serious about food.
The God of Feng Shui set down his spoon.
“You should have a bite too.”
“This bowl has finally found its new owner.”
“Oh… then…”
“It’s being passed down.”
“From Hyangsuk…”
“…to you.”
Still dazed, I picked up the spoon and took a bite from the mugunghwa bowl.
The salty soy sauce and fragrant sesame oil filled my mouth.
The flavor itself was simple…
Yet it felt strangely warm.
Comforting.
Like being wrapped in a thick blanket.
“That’s enough.”
As soon as he spoke, the mugunghwa pattern glowed softly.
The light wrapped around my fingertips before moving onto the back of my hand.
The pink flower-shaped mark shimmered briefly before settling into place.
“What is this?”
“You saw it, didn’t you?”
The God of Feng Shui smiled.
“This bowl belongs to you now.”
“It isn’t just an ordinary bowl.”
“Then what is it?”
“It possesses the power to grant one wish.”
“On a moonlit night…”
“…fill it with water and make your wish.”
Wait… like those wishes people make in historical dramas?
I stared at the mugunghwa mark on the back of my hand.
“That was an excellent meal.”
The God of Feng Shui finished every last grain of rice before placing the spoon down.
“Now that both the bowl…”
“…and its owner…”
“…have returned to where they belong…”
“…it’s time for me to leave.”
He stood up and walked toward the kitchen where he had first appeared.
“Leaving already, nya?”
“I should go now.”
“You’ve worked hard, nya.”
“I hope the Divine Beast overcomes its pain and continues onward.”
“What nonsense, nya.”
The God of Feng Shui smiled.
“It’s time for me to return to where I belong.”
As his feet lightly brushed through the air…
A clear sound, like tiny bells ringing in the wind, echoed around us.
“When more guests come in the future…”
“…don’t be too surprised.”
“I don’t think I can be surprised anymore.”
He smiled.
“That’s true.”
He had returned to the same appearance he had when we first met.
His long hair was tied in a traditional topknot.
He wore an old scholar’s hanbok beneath a silk overcoat.
His broad shoulders and sharp eyes carried a timeless dignity.
“We’ll meet again someday.”
With those words…
The God of Feng Shui dissolved into the wind.
Only a lingering breeze remained where he had stood.
“…He’s gone.”
“That’s simply the nature of gods, nya.”
Haetae calmly licked the remaining soy-braised beef from his bowl.
“But can I eat the leftover rice too, nya?”
“…Can you at least match the mood?!”
“Stop acting spoiled and go wash the dishes, nya.”
At the mention of washing dishes, I turned toward the sink.
The containers that had held the offerings…
The stack of dirty plates…
The sight before me naturally drew out a long sigh.
“Haa…”
Haetae lazily flicked his tail.
“The cleanup is always the hardest part, nya.”
“I’m going to sleep now, nya.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“What’s wrong now, nya?!”
I quickly grabbed one of Haetae’s hind legs.
“I have to wash all these dishes by myself…”
“…and you’re just going to sleep comfortably?”
“Then hire a part-time worker already, nya!”
Still holding onto his leg, I pleaded.
“Come on…”
“I just don’t want to be alone today.”
“Stay with me.”
I gave Haetae the saddest look I could manage.
After letting out a long sigh, he finally gave in.
“I’ll stay until you’re done washing the dishes, nya.”
“But once you’re finished, I’m leaving, nya!”
“So you’ll keep me company?”
“Fine, nya.”
Haetae jumped onto the table and curled into a ball.
Watching him, I carefully placed the mugunghwa bowl the God of Feng Shui had given me deep inside the top kitchen drawer.
…I wonder if the day will ever come when I make a wish.
Thinking that…
I began washing the dishes.
The next morning.
I opened the front door wide and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air.
Today’s going to be another good day!
It somehow felt like today would be even brighter than yesterday.
After putting the sidewalk sign back in its usual place, I turned around.
An elderly man was standing there.
He wore a neat suit and a fedora.
His tightly pressed lips and deeply furrowed brows clearly showed that he was furious.
“Good… morning?”
“Are you here to buy some side dishes?”
Instead of answering…
The old man suddenly thrust a paper bag right in front of my face.
