Seoul Kitchen: Chapter 31

Small Acts of Kindness

With a cart full ingredients, Chef marched back to the alley to find the kid along with a dozen so with him. They were a motley bunch, mostly teens like the boy as well as one lone old man to with them. The fact that he wasn't getting shot was a good sign. He'd rather not have to get himself into a firefight because he thrusted the wrong kid.

"Yo kid!" He called out, waving at the boy who hesitantly raised their hands back at him as the rest turned towards him, "Sorry it took a bit, just had to pull out a spare stove out from storage," He apologized as he pointed at the small stove he had jammed inside the large sauce pot he brought over along with the table.

It was one of those canister fed stoves. Cheap, easy to use, reliable and most importantly of all, portable as heck. He wasn't sure why he bought one back then when he was furnishing his store but now, he realized why as he found himself standing before those in need.

"Wait, the Pizza Man?" He heard one of the them whisper before they elbowed the poor teen from earlier, "Why didn't you just tell us!" they hissed making the poor boy turn red.

"You wouldn't have believe me even if I told you!" The boy replied back with a hushed tone. Has his reputation really spread out that far through the city?

Shaking his head in bemusement, he intervened, "So! Mind helping me set up so I could cook?" before he gestured at the folded table he had in the cart, "I promised I was going to meet someone today and I'd rather not pissed them off."

He didn't have to ask twice as the teens practically fell over themselves to get things up and running. Before he knew it, the table was set, stove ready and the ingredients waiting to be prepared. He wasted no time as he washed his hands and got to work.

Now without the cover of his kitchen, he couldn't exactly cook anything fancy but that was just fine. What he needed was something filling, something that could filled the stomach just as it satisfied the pallet. What he needed to cook right now was a stew and he was craving a bit of beef today.

Grabbing a handful of mishappen carrots and potatoes, he cut them down to size before setting them aside. Next came the onions, garlic and celery to finish his aromatics. Just as he was setting them aside grabbing his cut of meat, the old man would asked out of curiosity, "Fresh Vegetable?"

He merely smiled back enigmatically as he answered easily, "I have a friend over at Biotechnica," It was a lie off course, he didn't know anyone remotely related to Biotechnica but it served him well enough. It was a clean and simple answer, one which didn't require further questioning and the man seemed to agree as he nodded along.

"Fair enough," The old man replied as they continued watching.

Turning his attention back to his dish, he chopped them up to small chunks before sprinkling a generous helping of pepper and dash of salt over the meat. He massaged it all over, making sure to spread it all while he had a pot heating up.

Into the pipping hot pot the meat would go along with a drizzle of olive oil, just enough that the meat wouldn't stick too much as he browned it. He let it sear nicely making sure that a nice brown crust develop before he pulled them out and set them aside. They would have to wait as he introduced the aromatics to the found that was left at the bottom.

He tossed and stirred the vegetables around, letting it cook in the rendered out fat and the wonderful fond from the meat. With his nose as his guide, he made sure that the fond wouldn't burn until the onions finally turned golden and translucent. Only then when it caramelized did he introduced the meat along with a slash of beer to free the fond as well as bit of flour to thicken creating this wonderful brown sauce; the roux.

Letting it cook a bit more, he then added the broth as the final leg of the journey was on hand. Mixing in some spices, paprika for color, chili for a bit of heat, thyme for that wonderful aroma as well as a splash of worcestershire sauce to top it out, He was left with a rich meaty soup.

"Now for some finishing touches," He then whispered as he tossed in the potatoes. Washing his hands, he smiled as he covered the pot with the lid as he declared, "Well, all that's left is to let it cook and simmer," Turning to the hungry eyed teens, he then asked, "So! Who wants to watch and stir it while we wait?"

-x-x-x-

After a few thrown punches and some scolding later, Chef finally got to sit down while the kids took turns stirring and making sure it doesn't burn. He could have done it himself, making sure that the stew came out the perfect thickness but he'd let the kids have their fun and with how bright their smiles we're, it was definitely the right choice.

He had to admit though, the place really wasn't the best place to cook especially with how near it was to the trash alley. For his purpose though, it was perfect. It was secluded enough that passerby wouldn't spare a glance and only those looking to throw in their trash would go out of their way to come to these parts.

With how "late" this was in the morning, he doubted he'd have anyone stumbling on him feeding the homeless despite the heavenly scent wafting off the pot. Now, he just needed to relax a bit before going off back to his shop. Kiwi was probably going to kill him if he stayed for too long.

"Here, something for your trouble," The old man called out, cutting him off from his musin before a payment was sent his way of a few hundred eddies. He was about to refund it back but the man simply smiled and shook his head.

"You know how it is," The man started as he sat down beside him, cracking a beer which he offered to him. As Chef reluctantly took the offered drink, the man then said, "The badges only like to shake down those of us without anything left if we so much break the law."

"Yeah…" Chef nodded as he gazed down the opened can, "They do have a habit of doing that."

Technically, he was breaking the law. There were ordinances against feeding the poor, a way to stop people from "poisoning them", which was partly why he opted for a shop first. Nothing was stopping him from giving out a hundred percent discount to "customers" after all. With the few eddies given to him, this little feast he made for them was more of a transaction now.

"Why then?" The man then asked as he opened up a can of his own, glancing at him questioningly, "Why go with all the trouble helping us?"

Taking a sip from his drink, grimacing at the lukewarm, skunky taste filling his mouth, he answered with a smile, "Because it's the right thing to do," He had the ability to feed so many people so why not use it for good? It might be all dreamy eyed about it but why should that stop him? "Even if it's only for a little while, wouldn't you want them to have something to smile about?" he then asked.

"The right thing to do huh?" the man asked before he chuckled, "It's been a long time since I heard someone say that as a reason for doing anything in this wretched city."

"It's a good thing that you met me then," He jested as both of them laughed. It really was a fucked up world out there but maybe, a few good deeds can atleast make it less shitty.

"Your a good man choom," The man told him as he looked off sadly in the distance, "Try to do some bad things from time to time so that fate doesn't take you too early."

"Well, I breaking the law ain't I?" He fired back making both of them laugh once more.

After that, Both of them would share drinks in silence, watching the teens and their shenanigans. It was admittedly a nice change of pace, just cooking for people in need rather than just giving food to as many people as possible. Still, he knew he was doing good as is. Perhaps he could find a way to reach out as well as have what he had now but that was for future him to worry about.

Glancing back at the kids, he then asked, "Your kids?" Despite being homeless himself once, he never really got in touch with the great community. He wondered what things were like among them.

"Does this mug look like the type to have kids?" The man jested, gesturing at his crooked smile and scarred face, before he answered, "But yeah, these one's mine. Somebody had to take care of them."

"It must be hard taking care of them all," He told the man. It seemed even in this far off future, there were still people that cared.
"From stopping them from doing something stupid and keeping them fed? Tell me about it! Not even my former squad was this bad," the man let out a full bellied laugh before he settled down and glance towards his charge fondly, "Still, for all the trouble they give, it's worth the pain."

He nodded as he hummed out, considering his options. Perhaps he was being a bit too much of a bleeding heart but he had another option to help so why not give it a shot? "Say… there's an opening in my restaurant and maybe you fill it in," He offered, catching the man by surprise, "It's not a high paying job but the food's free."

"I appreciate the offer, I really do but I'd be more trouble than it's worth," The man replied as he raised his shaky hands. It was almost imperceptible be only now did he saw the weakness in the man's grip and the way he move. The man before him had little to give even if he wanted too, "If you really need someone, take one of the young ones. They're good kids, believe me. They just need someone to believe in them and give them a chance."

He nodded sadly, "Alright," before he turned his gaze to the young teen cheering as the stew was finally ready, "I can do that," He told him as he talked in length on how they could get one or two to work in his restaurant. They were demanding rolls, dishwashing and cleaning but it was what he could offer.

Standing up, he rolled his shoulder before he told the man, "Welp, I really should go now. I told my friend I was going to meet her and it's already quite late," It was best not to add to the woman's annoyance. Opening his wallet, he returned all but one eddie of the man's payment,
"Oh yeah, you overpaid."

Walking off, he ignored the man's protest as he called out, "Just return my pot and stove once you're done! It's a pain trying to get quality crap these days!" Maybe the smiles he gave were temporary but isn't that how happiness? A small fleeting moment of joy that lightens one mood?