Chapter Text
Yoo Joonghyuk considers the options laid out before him with great severity. His thick, luscious eyebrows are knit as tightly as Ariadne’s threads would around an opponent’s throat.
The clock on the wall continues its persistent ticking.
The phone in his coat pocket continues its persistent ringing.
What’s more…
A crowd soon begins to form.
This isn’t ideal. He thinks, tightening his grip.
“Is this all you have?”
“I’m afraid so.” The man before him speaks, apologetic.
Fool. Yoo Joonghyuk thinks, rather crossly. Apologies are worthless to me.
“Will you be deciding anything soon?” The man asks again, looking rather uneasy.
Perhaps Yoo Joonghyuk’s hostility has caused quite the commotion.
He scowls. This is not something he intended to happen.
If he doesn’t decide soon, then it’ll all be too late. If Yoo Joonghyuk walks out that door right now, perhaps he’ll regret it for the rest of the week – no, perhaps… for the rest of his life.
He has to think this over carefully.
The first option. A reliable, affordable ingredient with great potential and versatility. Yoo Joonghyuk is heavily familiar with it, and of all the ways to prepare it, which –as mentioned before– are aplenty. It’s convenient and the versatility allows room for variety in its accompaniments. It enjoys considerable acknowledgement and garners relatively moderate approval from the company members. What’s more, it’s got overall decent stats nutrition wise; it packs plenty of fats and protein they will need for the coming days. They still have four growing youngsters, after all.
However, said youngsters happen to be quite picky now that they live in relative peace. Yoo Joonghyuk clicks his tongue. Their overt pickiness will become their downfall one day. Though really, he can’t really fault them for that. They’ve been having this any other day and today is meant to be a special day. So clearly Yoo Joonghyuk can’t just settle for any regular old thing.
However, this does not limit its potential. These cuts are not the best, but they’re still quite decent. There should still be plenty of uses for them. He thinks back to his inventory and manually itemizes everything in his mind. As expected of himself, there should be enough of everything for his plans. He nods to himself. A considerable choice.
The second option. A rarer and more exclusive, quality ingredient… on a discount. This set is certainly the idealized dream of many. Its exquisite, rich flavor, its tender feel and beautiful marbled texture certainly earns it the title of the most coveted ingredient among Korean households. You can’t do much wrong with it. Should he fail to prepare it as it should be prepared –which he won’t. He would never– it will not result in anything below excellent. That is how good it is. And certainly, the children will enjoy it. They have been harping on him about it for months, but Yoo Joonghyuk is nothing if not strict with their budgeting. Any good regressor should be prepared for anything, any potential financial drawbacks included.
However… He is admittedly suspicious of the price. To think it would be discounted this much… Would that not be indicative of its questionable quality?
He curses internally. He does not want to waste anything on false chances. Certainly, these cuts aren’t ideal either. Poor, limited choices that ultimately limit its versatility.
He supposes that this is probably why the price has dropped this low. Still… This low? It must have been sitting there for a while, without anyone paying it any mind. Are the people of this ruined country this prejudiced?
He thinks back to Han Sooyoung’s jeers upon seeing the words “affordable alternatives” in the article he was reading on her notebook browser.
“Hey, Yoo Joonghyuk. Do we not give you enough money for this? We all work our asses off for you and this is the best you will get us?” was more or less what she said in that obnoxious tone of hers.
Yoo Joonghyuk’s migraine reemerges.
No. Han Sooyoung does not understand. She would never understand. All she knows to do is to throw money at things and expect the best to come out of them. Such is the ignorance of those golden spoon types.
Clearly, she knows not of the fine art of price negotiation and strategizing, nor the fact that high prices do not always return the best rewards. She is undermining the laborious efforts of working mothers everywhere. Yoo Joonghyuk, however, clearly knows best. Years of experience have led him to this point. He will not let her taunts get to him. No matter how annoying she may be. He will prove her wrong.
“Excuse me, sir. If you could just decide… There’s a line forming behind you…”
This man certainly knows how to grate on his nerves.
He has barely been here for thirty minutes. If anyone wants to steal his position, then they are free to challenge him at any time. However, it seems that none of them are willing, choosing instead to hover over him just like the butcher before him.
His hand hovers to reach for his sword, only to remember that he is not allowed to carry one anymore.
Right. Yoo Joonghyuk has promised to not cause more trouble. His terrorism days are far behind him. He has turned over a new leaf.
Instead, he chooses to slip a hand to silence the ringing in his pocket.
Now he has to do what this man asks him to.
He must decide: to be compliant and remain in what he deems to be a safe zone or to live dangerously? A fool would think there are only two such options. However, Yoo Joonghyuk is no such fool.
“I’ll take the boneless pork loins and both the hanwoo tenderloins and ribeyes.”
The boneless pork loins to the common folk is certainly a gamble. It’s not exactly the most popular option for grilling, which the children and Jung Heewon would certainly bemoan. However, they make for fine Tangsuyuk, something Yoo Joonghyuk knows to be one of his specialties. Therefore, it will make a fine meal regardless of their complaining and they will have no choice but to enjoy it.
Besides, this is the best option from the available cuts. The shoulder makes for better soup, while the Galmaeggi is a bigger gamble altogether.
Hanwoo is certainly a highly coveted set, but tenderloins and ribeyes aren’t as commonly preferred by the average Korean, who largely prefers tender meats like the tongue and short ribs. But Yoo Joonghyuk is confident in his skills, and knows the tricks of the trade. By merely eyeballing them, he can tell that the price cut is simply due to the lack of popularity and not of poor quality. So this is not a loss by a long shot. They’ll make fine steaks for tomorrow’s dinner.
“How much will you be taking?”
“All of them.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Everything you have, just put it in.” Yoo Joonghyuk wonders why it is so hard for people to understand what he means. Has he not made himself clear?
The company members all have big appetites, but especially the children and Jung Heewon, who each would devour anything he makes with gusto. It’s imperative to get enough of everything so he won’t have to make multiple trips.
Sheepishly, the butcher before him hurries to prepare the cuts he picked out. He must be the apprentice, Joonghyuk notes. His usual butcher is much more forthcoming.
While he waits, Yoo Joonghyuk fishes his phone out of his coat pocket. He winces at the bright light of his touch screen. It’s a relatively older model that Yoo Sangah got for him. The company members all seemed to think it was necessary to get him a phone of this model, deeming his old one to be much too dated for their liking. Mia had even picked out the casing for him, a hot pink jewel case with a large Japanese cartoon cat pattern stuck onto it.
10 new missed calls.
Unsurprisingly, they are all from Han Sooyoung.
Troublesome woman. She must be calling him to get her some obscure expensive snack that she can’t name in under 60 seconds.
With great trouble, he tries to tap the numbers on the screen to dial her back.
He grumbles. He misses his old flip phone. That one could even double as an emergency weapon should the situation calls for it.
The call eventually connects, and without giving her a chance to speak, he immediately relays his message with quick precision.
“I’ve got the meat. We’re having Tangsuyuk tonight. Tell Lee Seolhwa to prepare the side dishes I’ve set aside. The one on the top shelf, not the bottom. She’ll know exactly what to do. I’ll be home as soon as I get some other things. Make sure Kim Dokja is awake for dinner. That bastard sleeps too much these days.”
“Huh? Chinese? I thought we were having barbeque to-”
“I also will not buy you whatever expensive chips you’re trying to get. Please respect the budget.” He adds, as an afterthought.
“No, what the–”
“Please tell Yoo Sangah she doesn’t need to buy extra rice after all. There’s still some in the back cupboard. I’ve misplaced it.” Cutting off Han Sooyoung whenever she starts talking too much has become one of his favorite pastimes.
“Hey, you bastard! Listen when people are speaking–”
Yoo Joonghyuk finishes the call just in time for his meat to be readied.
The butcher wordlessly hands the meat over, looking positively stunned. This look seems to be shared by the rest of the crowd, who look as though they've witnessed something incredible.
What, is it not normal to call people in public these days?
He shakes off the discomfort of their gazes on him and thanks the butcher for the meat, placing the exact amount of bills he was charged with on the counter.
With the bags of meat in hand and his head held high, Yoo Joonghyuk parts the crowd of ogling housewives and house husbands and walks out of the butcher's shop.
Today’s mission has been completed successfully as always.