Chapter 82: Fanservice (2)
Sang-Hyeon lived in a poor neighborhood that some would call the slums. The neighborhood had narrow staircases, low ceilings, old bricks, and flickering street lamps. All this felt foreign to Ju-Hyeok, who had lived in rich neighborhoods his entire life.
"Sigh, these stairs are always a pain in the ass," Ju-Hyeok said with a frown. He was okay with everything except these stairs.
What would happen when it snowed in the winter? Ju-Hyeok could only fathom climbing these stairs with some sort of equipment.
"Hey, even my grandma went up and down these stairs during winter."
Ju-Hyeok didn't have much to say after that.
"Sigh, then it's my fault I'm weak."
"Yep, that's right," Sang-Hyeon nodded in satisfaction and went ahead.
"Let's hurry. I'm hungry,” Ju-Hyeok smirked and picked up his pace too.
Creak…?
A door suddenly opened and Ju-Hyeok’s forehead slammed into it.
Thud!
"Ow! This damn neighborhood!"
The fact that a door could hit someone on their way down proved how undesirable this neighborhood was.
"Huh?"
However, the Hoogye neighborhood’s one upside was their good neighbors like Seo Ji-Ah.
"Does it hurt a lot?" Ji-Ah walked out with a red scarf around her neck. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Ju-Hyeok frowning.
"Ah, Ji-Ah! It's you. Haha." Ju-Hyeok tried his best to turn his frown upside down, but it only looked worse from Sang-Hyeon's perspective. "It's alright... what can you do?"
"This neighborhood has a weird layout."
"Right? Haha. The person who mapped this place out should try living here."
Sang-Hyeon joined their conversation, "We run into each other quite often."
"Ah, Mr. Almond. Hello."
‘Mr. Almond?’?Sang-Hyeon scratched his head.
"You guys must be headed somewhere."
"Sorry?"
"Aren't the two of you going out?"
"Ah, well..."
Ju-Hyeok interrupted Sang-Hyeon, "We're going to eat. Do you want to join?"
***
"It's here," Ju-Hyeok pointed at a giant neon sign that read:?[Oh Gang-Woo Kimchi Stew].
"This place is quite popular these days."
"Oh, really? Haha. It's a secret, but this place offered an ad..."
"Hey, let's go." Sang-Hyeon led the way before Ju-Hyeok could spew more nonsense at Seo Ji-Ah.
That wasn't the only reason he went first. 'What's this feeling? Feels like I'm being watched...'?He felt wary for some reason.
“Is that?”
“I think…”
Mumble mumble.
He could hear faint whispers and felt eyes on him ever since they reached the urban areas.
'Let's just quickly go in.'
He thought it'd be better if they entered the restaurant, but he was wrong.
"Welcome to our ten thousand year..."
***
Creak…?
The staff shouted when the door opened, "Welcome to our ten thousand year old tradition! Taste of hell! Oh Gang-Woo Kimchi Stew!!!"
Ten thousand year old tradition? The staff felt ridiculous having to repeat this bizarre motto. They always thought the owner, Oh Gang-Woo, should've just called it a thousand year old. Everyone thought it sounded a little extreme, but they had no choice since the owner enforced such a philosophy.
‘Make sure they say it properly! Not a thousand years or a hundred years. Ten thousand years! Taste of hell! Alright?’
Who could defy the owner if he acted so insistent?
‘I got someone super popular to be our model this time! I think business will be good, so don't worry! Just trust me, alright?!’
Most of the staff didn’t even recognize the model in the photo despite his popularity. They had to admit he looked handsome though.
'Phew... Fine, let's just keep our mouth shut and do as he says since business is going well.'
Creak…?
The door opened again.
‘See? Business is booming.’
"Welcome to our..."
‘Huh?’?The store manager, Oh Dong-San, scratched his head while bowing.
"Taste of hell! Oh Gang-Woo Kimchi Stew!!!"
The other staff filled the silence, but the question remained in his head. 'I've seen him somewhere?'
The taller man out of the three looked familiar… a little too familiar.
"Kya!"
Oh Dong-San turned towards the scream before he could figure it out. Did someone spill their kimchi stew?
"Al-Almond!"
Almond? Why would there be an almond at a kimchi stew restaurant?
"What's wrong?!" Oh Dong-San asked the female worker who screamed, but she only stared at the three customers.
Tap. Tap.
He walked to the female worker and tapped her on the shoulder, "What is it?"
"That's Almond..."
"That's a person?"
"The streamer Almond! Don't you know him?"
‘Streamer? I'm turning forty next year.’
"How would I know a streamer…?"
‘Ah.’?He finally realized why the staff expected him to know Almond. He should've known.?‘You idiot! You should've recognized him!’?
"Ah! The model..."
The CEO of this franchise had just bragged about signing Almond as a model ten minutes before they opened. He went on about how hard they worked to get him!
"But what's the big deal with Almond? Why was the CEO bragging so much?" Oh Dong-San asked his staff in a whisper.
"He's pretty popular among gamers! And he's a better option than those failing TV networks these days."
"Oh, is that so? Things have changed..."
"Right? Also..."
"?"
"He's so handsome! Kya!"
Oh Dong-San cringed as she loudly giggled in his ear.
"S-Sorry..."
"It's fine. You take care of him if you know him so well. I'll take care of the other guests."
"Okay! But... can I ask him for an autograph?"
"Do whatever you want…"
"Yay! Thank you! Thank you!"
***
Someone screamed and pointed at Sang-Hyeon as soon as he entered. They shouted Almond’s name.
Sang-Hyeon wasn't stupid. 'They can tell I'm Almond?'
He always thought the gaming community and real life were separate. Now that he thought about it, he also knew Bubblegum despite having never played video games.
Seo Ji-Ah recognized Sang-Hyeon in their neighborhood and followed him too. It made sense that other people would recognize him in the city.
"Must be a fan," Seo Ji-Ah quietly muttered and scanned the staff with a cold gaze.
"I don’t think so. She probably just recognized me," Sang-Hyeon made an odd excuse for some reason.
Ju-Hyeok couldn’t help but laugh, "Kya, you're so popular!"
The female worker approached Sang-Hyeon before he could say anything to Ju-Hyeok. She passed the menu to them and acted like a cute puppy even though she looked like a cat.
"I can take your order!"
He liked the menu for its simplicity.
"Can we have three orders of hell's nine thousand kimchi stew?"
"Of course! Nine thousand won! Hell's taste! Kimchi stew! This one is a little pricey because it has octopus in it. Are you okay with seafood?"
Seo Ji-Ah added, "A bottle of soju as well please."
"Soju! Alright!" The waitress shouted the order to the kitchen.
Then...
"Umm..." she handed something to Sang-Hyeon while blushing. "You're Almond, right? Could I have your autograph?"
Sang-Hyeon nodded without being surprised. It was the first time a fan, other than Seo Ji-Ah, had asked for an autograph.
"Ah, yes. Of course."
"Hurray!" She jumped with joy and no embarrassment whatsoever.
Sang-Hyeon worried if she was allowed to behave like that while working, but the manager seemed to be smiling at them.
Shshk.
Sang-Hyeon signed it casually as if it was a receipt. Unfortunately, he only knew one way of doing his signature.
"Can you write my name too? Lee Ju-Hyeon!"
"Ah, sure."
"Please write: ‘I love you, Lee Ju-Hyeon!’ Please!"
"Ah..."
Sang-Hyeon was surprised to see what he was writing.
"Sorry…"
‘Love?’
"Is that okay?" she asked him again.
Sang-Hyeon felt slightly uncomfortable. He still had the mentality of a normal person and not a celebrity yet. The word love felt too strong.
"Ah, if you can't..." The waitress continued smiling, but small tears formed in her eyes. "J-Just the name is fine..."
"Okay."
In the end, Sang-Hyeon didn't write love.
Regardless, the waitress preciously hugged his autograph and carried it away.
"Phew!" Sang-Hyeon took a deep breath after she left. "W-What just happened?"
"What do you mean? It's the pain of being a celebrity," Ju-Hyeok giggled. He had a lot to laugh about these days.
"Thank goodness," Seo Ji-Ah muttered as she looked at the waitress.
"What is?"
"Because nothing much happened."
A different shadow covered Sang-Hyeon as soon as Seo Ji-Ah finished speaking.
"U-Umm..."
It wasn't an employee this time.
"Can I... take a picture with you?"
It was one of the girls who had been glancing at Sang-Hyeon since he was outside and she followed him into the restaurant.
"Uh... Weren't you outside earlier?"
"Ah..." The girl's face turned red from the cold weather. "Yes... but I'm eating here too. I won't be an inconvenience."
Indeed, she had followed him inside. She looked like she lived a calm and precious life. Sang-Hyeon couldn't believe someone like her was determined enough to follow him inside.
"Sure, let's take one."
Sang-Hyeon got up from his seat and posed. Seo Ji-Ah took the photo.
"Kya!?Thank you!"
The girl went back to her seat after checking the photo.
Sang-Hyeon turned to the store manager and apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't know it would turn out like this."
"Ah... No! Don't be! Actually, I'm thankful!"
"...?"
Thankful? Why was he thankful?
Sang-Hyeon felt confused, but soon found out as he followed the manager's gaze. More customers poured in and they all stared at Almond.
'There's no way I'm this famous.'
Almond was famous, but not to the point where everyone on the streets would recognize him.
It was his good looks. Sang-Hyeon stood out more and people recognized him even in a crowd because of that.
Usually, even celebrities blended into crowds and went unrecognized. The same couldn’t be said for Sang-Hyeon. He became popular and recognizable.
"A-Almond? Is that really him? Mister, we'll have two servings of the 666 kimchi stew."
"What should I do…?"
"Is that him?"
"Can we ask for a picture?"
"Who's that beside him?"
"I don't know. His sibling?"
Sang-Hyeon could hear them once he noticed all the attention. Everyone was talking about Almond. His heart began pounding.
Some fans read the room and approached him.
"Almond, can we take a picture too?"
"Can I get an autograph!"
Sang-Hyeon had no reason to decline since the manager already thanked him.
"Of course."
He got up from his seat with a smile.
***
Meanwhile, an account on a long hiatus went LIVE again as the amateur streamer experienced his newfound popularity.
[JeonJaPa is now streaming!]
JeonJaPa finally returned after taking a break for three years.
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