SSH Episode 16

The head chef’s roar jolted Hongwoo into action. With a fierce expression, she tossed him a work apron. Hongwoo hesitated, unsure how to put it on, until one of the women—who had been working seamlessly with the others—stepped forward and helped him tie it.

“No one lasts more than three days here.” She whispered ominously as she fastened the strings behind his back. “I’ve been the youngest for seven years now.”

A chill ran down Hongwoo’s spine. It felt like locking eyes with a tiger—cold sweat formed on his brow, and the future suddenly seemed grim.

‘They say that even in a tiger’s den, if you keep your wits about you, you can make it out alive.’

Steeling himself, Hongwoo straightened his trembling body and widened his eyes with determination.

***

Tears immediately streamed down his face.

Though his vision blurred, his hands never stopped peeling onions. The pungent scent had long since numbed his senses.

Originally, he had been assigned to peel potatoes. But having never done it before, he had sliced away too much flesh, wasting nearly half of each one. The furious head chef had nearly stuffed the discarded peels into Hongwoo’s mouth, and the sisters had to hold her back. The youngest sister quickly intervened, offering to handle the potatoes while assigning Hongwoo to onions instead.

Peeling onions was easier—just removing the outer skin—but it came with one merciless drawback: the burning sting in his eyes.

“Rough, isn’t it?”

With tears streaming uncontrollably down his face, Hongwoo nodded.

His expression was pitiful, but his hands never stopped moving.

No matter how much it hurt, there was no time for tears in the kitchen. Work had to be done.

“You staying here means I can finally stop being the youngest, so I won’t tell you to quit. But if you stick around, I’ll help you out a lot. Just please, don’t run away.”

Hongwoo couldn’t bring himself to nod. His face darkened, streaked with tears and snot.

“Besides, you’ll be delivering food too, so it won’t be as bad as just working in the kitchen like the rest of us.”

“Ahem.  When do I start delivering food?”

His voice was hoarse from peeling onions in silence.

“I think there’s about three days of training first.”

Three days.

Hongwoo wasn’t sure he could last even that long. Hours of crouching and peeling had left his back, knees, shoulders, and neck aching. ‘Can I really endure this?’

And it wasn’t just for three days—he needed to keep working every single day to earn money. The thought alone made him want to collapse.

For the first time in his life, he truly understood how difficult it was to make money. If only he had saved up the allowance he used to beg from his older brother before getting kicked out. But regrets always came too late. As he mentally kicked himself, a sudden curiosity struck him.

“Sis, why have you only worked in the kitchen for seven years? I thought delivering food was easier.”

“Because I love cooking. The head chef may have a nasty temper while working, but her skills are incredible. There’s a lot to learn from her.”

The head chef’s personality reminded him of someone—someone with a flawless exterior but a rotten personality underneath.

So, what would be worse? Enduring the chef’s wrath or begging his older brother for money and dealing with his impossible attitude?

It was a life-or-death decision.

‘Maybe dealing with family would be bettef?’

But just thinking about his brother’s nagging gave him a headache. It hadn’t been long since he’d paid off his debt to the pawnshop, and if he went back asking for more money, Jang Seungwoo, the Nagging Demon, would surely make an appearance.

Hongwoo didn’t want to choose either option. He just wanted to pass out right then and there.

The youngest sister, who had already finished peeling the potatoes, swiftly moved on to another task.

“You’re still here to peel onions?!”

As Hongwoo continued peeling onions, the head chef’s sharp voice cut through the air. Startled, he scrambled to strip the remaining onions bare. No sooner had he finished than the youngest sister handed him another task.

Time blurred as he rushed between duties, one after another. Before he knew it, the final orders had been served, and it was time to clean up the kitchen.

‘Is it finally over?’

As Hongwoo tidied up, his exhaustion hit him all at once. His body felt heavy, and just then—growl—his stomach let out a loud complaint.

“Hungry?”

At the head chef’s question, Hongwoo shook his head frantically. But without another word, she stepped out of the kitchen. When she returned, she carried a clear broth, acorn jelly, and kimchi. With swift, practiced movements, she put together a steaming bowl of cold acorn jelly soup.

“It’s your first day. You must’ve had a rough time. At least eat properly,” she said.

At her words, the kitchen staff grabbed their spoons and gathered around. The youngest sister, noticing Hongwoo hesitating, placed a spoon in his hand and guided him to the table.

“You worked hard today. Oh, and just so you know—rank and status don’t matter in this kitchen. Experience comes first, and my word is law. If you don’t like it, you can leave. If you’re going to quit, tell me now.”

Hongwoo shrank under the weight of her words, hesitating before setting his spoon down.

But the youngest sister pushed it back into his hand and patted his back reassuringly. “It’s fine. Eat.”

Still unsure, Hongwoo gingerly scooped up a bite of jelly and kimchi and brought it to his lips.

“Mmhh…”

The moment he tasted it, a soft sound of surprise escaped.

The clean yet rich chicken broth smoothed out the slight bitterness of the acorn jelly, while the tangy aged kimchi tied the flavors together. The jelly itself had been slightly sun-dried, giving it a satisfyingly chewy texture. It was perfect.

‘How is this even possible?’

The only place that had ever served food to his taste was Habukgwan, a tavern he frequented. But this? This was even better.

His thick brows shot up, his round eyes widening in disbelief. His reaction sent a ripple of laughter through the kitchen.

“Good, huh?” the eldest sister teased with a grin.

Hongwoo, still chewing, nodded eagerly and took another spoonful.

“This is why I’ve been stuck as the youngest for seven years,” the youngest sister sighed dramatically.

With his spoon still in his mouth, Hongwoo met her gaze.

The moment he got home, Hongwoo collapsed into bed and fell into a deep sleep. Yet despite the rest, he still felt completely drained when he arrived at Eunsu Merchant Guild the next morning.

‘This isn’t sustainable. No matter how good the food is, this job is inhumane.’

Suppressing a yawn, he made up his mind. Today, he would go to the Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion and tell them—’I can’t do this anymore’.

For the first time, he truly understood why his eldest sister had insisted he build his strength. Working at night was one thing, but the physical toll of kitchen work was on an entirely different level. On top of that, he still had to work at Eunsu Merchant Guild during the day. At this rate, he was bound to turn into a walking corpse.

‘I’ll just take the scolding from my brother.’

Sure, his brother’s temper was terrifying—enough to make his legs shake and his bladder feel dangerously full—but it was still better than suffering through another day at Moonlit Fragrance Pavilion. One harsh lecture, and that would be the end of it.

“What are you staring at?”

But when Hongwoo finally stood in front of his brother, the words caught in his throat.

Noticing his furtive glances, Jang Seungwoo shot him a sharp look. Feeling guilty, Hongwoo forced an awkward grin, flashing his perfectly healthy teeth—the one good thing he had left from the ‘Five Blessings’.

[Note: The ‘Five Blessings’  originate from Confucian traditions and represent five fundamental aspects of a good and prosperous life. These blessings are highly valued in Korean society and often appear in art, calligraphy, and traditional customs.]

Seungwoo’s brow twitched in irritation.

Hongwoo hesitated. ‘There’s no need to bring it up today. I can always do it tomorrow.’

“If you’ve got nothing to do, go find Juseon.”

“Yes, sir.”

As soon as he stepped out of the office, Hongwoo let out a deep breath.

Sitting in that room with his brother had felt like walking on a bed of nails—every second unbearable. The old saying was true: a guilty conscience knows no peace.

Finally free from the suffocating tension, he set out to find Juseon.

He chatted with him as they made their way back to the office, only to be greeted with—

“Leave.”

What?

Hongwoo had just been sent to find him, and now he was being dismissed the moment they arrived?

Was Jang Seungwoo acting all high and mighty again?

Juseon masked his irritation with a sweet smile, his gaze fixed on Seungwoo. However, his eyes were slightly averted, not quite meeting him.

“Go find Head Merchant Wi and ask him to assign some work.”

“Ah! Yes, yes!”

At Seungwoo’s curt dismissal, Hongwoo practically kicked the door open as he rushed out. Juseon watched his sudden burst of energy with amusement, his eyes curving into crescent-moons.