Chapter 22
“Why are you so surprised?”
“W-what do you mean?”
Sori frowned.
“You two seem to know each other personally. Is there some reason you shouldn’t say you know each other?”
Seeing Cha Yoon-min ask so innocently, Sori was momentarily at a loss for words.
“….”
She couldn’t tell if he was truly innocent or secretly thinking something else.
“Do we really have to get into personal stuff?”
Even for a blind date, this was too much questioning.
“Ah, sorry.”
Cha Yoon-min lowered the corners of his eyes and apologized with a look that said he hadn’t known any better.
But the mood had already cooled. Silence returned. Sori wondered if she even needed to continue this blind date. Thinking of Min-jung, it seemed better to at least end things politely, even if there wouldn’t be an “after.”
Sori had no intention of going on an after with Cha Yoon-min. This blind date had only happened by chance, and she wasn’t particularly drawn to him.
“What would you like to eat?”
Finally breaking the silence, Sori flipped through the menu and asked Cha Yoon-min, who had been keeping quiet as if competing in a “silent endurance contest.”
But his answer was unexpected.
“I’m fine.”
“Excuse me? You… don’t want to eat?”
“Yes. I’ll try the dishes next time I come as a customer. Is that okay?”
Cha Yoon-min smiled, his thoughts unreadable. Sori could only look at this cheerful man with disbelief.
In the end, the blind date ended awkwardly.
‘Did he come just because of Min-jung?’
No matter how much she thought about it, that was the only conclusion she reached.
He did leave some manners intact, though—he paid for the food he hadn’t even eaten.
So she hadn’t cooked it, hadn’t eaten it, and her balance increased by 300 gold.
It was good that her balance increased, but…
‘Was I rejected?’
Sori felt strange.
‘I was the one who frowned first.’
She had a weird feeling, as if she had missed her chance to take the lead.
Cha Yoon-min of the Blue Guild was a potion maker. At 26, two years ago, he had already earned the title of Master—a prodigy in the world of potions.
After becoming a Potion Master, he established a one-man guild, planning to gain fame and wealth by trading with all other guilds.
But life didn’t go smoothly. Many tried to threaten his life, insisting on exclusive deals.
Even though he asked the police for protection, he ended up in a suspicious traffic accident.
At that point, Cha Yoon-min realized he could no longer run a solo guild. The Blue Guild, currently at the top, had a solid reputation.
He decided to sign a contract to supply all his potions exclusively to Blue Guild hunters in exchange for their protection.
While enjoying a peaceful day under the Blue Guild’s protection, the guild suggested a competition against the Seohan Guild.
The Seohan Guild, backed by S-Rank Hunter Lee Ki-jun, had been eyeing the Blue Guild’s dominance.
Seohan agreed, seeing no downside, and the maximum-level tutorial dungeon was opened.
That’s when Cha Yoon-min and Lee Ki-jun’s relationship started off on the wrong foot.
[Ugh! What is this?!]
During the competition, Cha Yoon-min supplied the potions, but for some reason, the potion intended for Lee Ki-jun had been filled with wasabi.
He swore he hadn’t done it himself—it was clearly the work of someone who disliked Ki-jun.
Ki-jun unknowingly drank the wasabi-laced potion and nearly lost to a Blue Guild hunter, barely escaping danger to win.
After that incident, Cha Yoon-min began feeling as if Ki-jun was watching him closely.
Originally, he had no personal feelings toward Ki-jun. He had always been told he had a cheerful and kind personality.
Cheerfulness, gentleness, and a friendly smile were Cha Yoon-min’s trademarks.
But now, he couldn’t help but feel a slight resentment toward Ki-jun.
It all started when Ki-jun said to him at the dungeon entrance:
[Some of your potions don’t seem as effective as I expected. Perhaps you need to do more research?]
A blow to a Master’s pride. No one had ever said that to Cha Yoon-min before. His potions were known to be top-tier.
After saying that, Ki-jun smirked and left for the dungeon.
Cha Yoon-min’s cheerful demeanor was now challenged not only by S-Rank Hunter Ki-jun.
Recently, the newly opened “Happy Restaurant” began to irritate him. The humble restaurant, thought to be ordinary, was rumored to restore energy as if the food contained potions.
“The food is good, and it really lifts your spirits.”
Feeling good helped recovery, which was the basic principle of potions.
“I need to go try it soon.”
If it truly contained potions, he felt both nervous and excited. The idea that potions could enhance food without affecting its taste was revolutionary.
That was also when Kim Min-jung from the Dungeon Management Headquarters suggested a blind date. He agreed, intrigued.
At the Happy Restaurant, he ended up seeing an unexpected connection: Lee Ki-jun, and the owner of a restaurant that sold food that helped hunters recover. Could there be a special magical link between them?
On the way home, Cha Yoon-min’s imagination ran wild.
Ki-jun and his party returned to Happy Restaurant the next day at lunchtime.
“Welcome…!”
Sori greeted out of habit, and their eyes met.
He really came.
Sori still didn’t understand his intent.
“Why so surprised? Did you see a ghost or something?”
Ki-jun spoke to Sori as if it were natural.
“Today, we only have Bird Stew.”
A blunt voice echoed through the restaurant.
Ki-jun’s two fellow hunters glanced back and forth between Sori and Ki-jun.
“…Is that really okay?”
“Yes. Our Happy Restaurant is always happy, dear customer.”
“Oh, hey. Say something, bro.”
The two hunters poked Ki-jun’s side.
Ignoring Sori’s words, he flipped through the menu.
“Oh, here’s Bird Stew. I’ll have this. Want some too? It’s good here—delicious.”
He pretended to offer Bird Stew to the hunters with a bold act. Sori wanted to snatch the menu. Didn’t he hear that there was only Bird Stew today?
“Really, bro?”
The hunters chimed in.
“Then three Bird Stews, please.”
Ki-jun handed over the menu and stared at Sori.
She felt her cheeks tingle and quickly turned away.
Why did she not understand his reason? On the way to the kitchen, she thought:
It all started with that rumor skill. Why did it target Ki-jun of all people?
“John. Luckily, it’s just three Bird Stews. No need to buy extra ingredient packs.”
Sori said to John, who was drinking strawberry juice. Giving favorite foods helps management? Or maybe he just always wants to eat it.
“About Hunter Lee Ki-jun,”
Sori pulled out a slime roast and spoke to John.
“What’s wrong?” John replied.
“Maybe he ate something wrong?”
“What are you talking about? I’ve never heard of an S-Rank Hunter being unable to manage something like that.”
“Not that. He came last night too.”
“Did you ask why he came?”
“No. I don’t even know his number. Couldn’t ask earlier.”
“Hmm.”
John shrugged and drank more strawberry juice.
“And when he first came here, the moment he saw me, his mood meter was… honestly, minus 100.”
“Oh? Did a reunion with an ex make him that angry?”
John laughed, holding his stomach.
“Stop laughing! But this time, it’s plus 80 as soon as he came. Did something good happen today, or…”
“Or is it that seeing you makes his heart race again?”
John mimicked a heartbeat and laughed harder.
“You…! If you keep doing that, no more strawberries.”
“Using food as leverage is the worst thing! Awakened one!”
While they joked, the Bird Stew was ready. Sori thought of the golden oak leaves.
“Shall I add a garnish?”
The system said it would enhance the flavor, so she trusted it. She washed the golden oak leaves and placed them gently on the stew.
“Perfect.”
The presentation looked more elegant, almost like a chef’s work. Perhaps she was close to head chef level.
She placed the three plated Bird Stews in front of Ki-jun’s party.
“Oh, there’s decoration?”
One hunter asked curiously.
“Yes. I thought it would improve the aroma and look prettier, so I added it.”
“Hmm.”
Ki-jun picked up a spoon while listening.
“So… can I eat this?”
He seemed ready to openly declare they knew each other.
Sori furrowed her brow and replied:
“Yes, you can. The stew will taste even better.”
She spoke as the system instructed.
“Hmm, okay?”
Ki-jun gave a lifeless response.
‘He still doesn’t fully trust my cooking.’
“Then enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you! Bro, eating together makes it even better, right?”
“I don’t know. You’ll see if we eat together.”
Ki-jun took a spoon of stew with golden oak leaf.
The moment he tasted it, his expression changed.
From skeptical to… what is this?
Simultaneously, his mood meter shifted.
Mood Status: +90
“Hmph.”
See? The culinary newbie has finally disappeared.
“Maybe the decoration makes the Bird Stew taste even better today. Don’t you think?”
Ki-jun’s party spoke while eating.
“Yeah. I think it’s really tasty. No, just saying ‘tasty’ isn’t enough. The aroma lingers in your mouth. It’s already really good, but…”
“Right? How about you, bro?”
Ki-jun calmly replied:
“The aroma is deeper.”
“Must be because of the garnish.”
Ki-jun glanced toward Sori as he ate. She ignored his gaze and returned to the kitchen.
Today was strange for several reasons, but most notably: he didn’t come from the dungeon today—he came straight from reality.
Why come all the way here just to eat?
“Or did he come to say something?”
Was “I’ll come again tomorrow” meant like that?
Soon, Sori leaned toward believing he really had something to say.
“Where’s the bathroom?”
That’s when Ki-jun suddenly appeared and asked.
