Descent of the Demon Master

“Oh my goodness...”

Jeong Su-Yeon needed a bit of time to regain her wits.

Of course, there were plenty of germophobia patients in the world. Just how many folks would freak out at the sight of a single hair strand on the floor, saying their house would soon turn into a virus-infested danger zone, and everyone inside would die as a result?

Unlike a residential house where its cleanliness could be maintained through regular cleaning and its residents not being that active, a restaurant was fated to be dirty almost all the time. Garbage was constantly produced, people continuously came in and out, and dirty, oily stains were an everlasting enemy to contend against. That was the reality of a restaurant.

Maintaining a residential house-like cleanliness in such a restaurant was definitely not a walk in the park. No, it would practically be impossible to pull off.

'So, how could this kitchen be cleaner than my own bedroom?!'

Jeong Su-Yeon was criticized for being a bit too hygiene-obsessed in her former workplace. Then again, wasn't she a strict believer in the mantra: a chef needs to pursue good hygiene first before pursuing good taste!

But today, she had to acknowledge that there was indeed a sky above the sky. A part of her underestimated this place since three young and inexperienced men were running it. After seeing the state of the pizzeria's kitchen, though, Jeong Su-Yeon thought that a person this obsessed with hygiene had to be a professional, regardless of how their cooking tasted.

Park Yu-Min whispered to Ju Yeong-Gi, "I think she's having a bit of a meltdown?"

Ju Yeong-Gi nodded sagely. "Makes sense. Even we get nasty chills every now and then at this place even though we see it every single day!"

“Yeah, you're right.”

Ju Yeong-Gi and Park Yu-Min nodded in perfect sync, and their expressions were filled with clear dissatisfaction.

"She asked Jin-Ho if he's sick in the head, right?" Ju Yeong-Gi rubbed his chin while asking that.

“Yeah...”

“Although she's asking the right question, her bravery is something else, man. To think she's ballsy enough to ask the boss on her first day if he's right in his head!”

“...I mean, she had to have been really shocked to say that.”

Their hearts said they should side with Jeong Su-Yeon here rather than with Kang Jin-Ho, and they had a good reason to do so as well. Even if Ju Yeong-Gi and Park Yu-Min sweated buckets trying to polish the damn floor, Kang Jin-Ho would always take it upon himself to re-polish it right away as if it were the most obvious thing to do! And he wouldn’t even bother asking them to do it for him! No wonder the duo didn't feel like they were contributing much to the store's upkeep, at least when it came to its hygiene. So much so that they even felt guilty about it!

Ju Yeong-Gi and Park Yu-Min even tried to dissuade Kang Jin-Ho by saying that fish couldn't possibly survive in water that was too clean, but the relief from that was only temporary. Kang Jin-Ho's 'fear' of germs was basically incurable, it seemed.

Park Yu-Min sighed in lamentation. "I guess our new unnie's gonna learn what 'hardship' really means."[1]

Ju Yeong-Gi tutted loudly. "Damn, dude. Jin-Ho also used this hygiene crap to torture the juniors back in the army, but it’s so uncool that he's still doing that, though!"

“Wait, he also did this back in the army?”

“Gee whiz. Don't even mention it. Senior officers didn't even wanna enter that dude's barrack back then. Said they might go blind if they do!”

"Just what did he do, then?" Park Yu-Min slowly turned his head and stared at Kang Jin-Ho. "Jin-Ho, listen. You gotta stop this and get a hold of yourself."

“Y-yeah.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded in stupefaction.

Honestly speaking, the one going through a bit of a mental meltdown wasn't Jeong Su-Yeon, but Kang Jin-Ho. The shock he received after being evaluated as a nutcase by a woman he met for the first time was too big even for him to handle.

"Do you think I'm too obsessed with cleaning?"

"No. Forget obsessed; you're totally insane, Jin-Ho."

“Yeah. Honestly, you're not right in your head, dude.”

The honest replies from his friends led Kang Jin-Ho to stare at the ceiling as a look of resignation floated up on his face.

'Since when is being hygienic a crime?'

Kang Jin-Ho did hear somewhere that being dirty was a sin, but the reverse of that? He had never heard that before in his entire life.

While he was trying his best to piece together his melted-down mind, Jeong Su-Yeon cautiously approached him. “I... I'm sorry about crossing the line earlier. I was too mean, wasn't I? I was just extremely shocked, you see...”

“No, it's... fine.” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head as if he didn't mind it. Then again, after getting some clues from his friends' honest opinions, he should be grateful that Jeong Su-Yeon had limited her diss to that level!

"You know, this is really incredible. Amazing, really. I can't figure out how you even managed to keep your kitchen this clean," said Jeong Su-Yeon with sparkling eyes.

In a way, Kang Jin-Ho should have felt gratified by what she said, but all he could feel was a hint of sorrow. Well, it was all because Jeong Su-Yeon was talking to him one step away from a spot one would usually occupy while trying to engage someone in a chat!

Jeong Su-Yeon muttered meaningfully, “The amount of effort it took must've been incredible...”

What she said sounded roughly like, “You could've used that time on something more productive, you insane fool!” to Kang Jin-Ho's ears, and he could only keep his fingers crossed that it was simply a product of his twisted mind.

“Yes, well...” Kang Jin-Ho sheepishly looked away.

A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.

“By the way, owner?”

“Yes?”

Jeong Su-Yeon narrowed her eyes. “This kitchen is just too empty, don't you think?”

“Mm? I don't follow?”

“Other than plates and pans to place pizzas inside the oven, I don't see anything else.”

Kang Jin-Ho belatedly nodded. “Ah, I see. Yes, that is true.”

"I was told that other than pizzas, you wanted me to handle all the other dishes. Is that still true?"

“Yes, it is.”

"Mm..." Jeong Su-Yeon looked troubled. "After hearing that condition, I thought you were a complete amateur. But now that I've seen your kitchen... Your oven is maintained so incredibly well. Same for the ingredients as well. And now that I've thought about it, your pizza must be incredibly delicious, too. Without that, a pizzeria wouldn't have survived for this long with just pizzas on its menu."

"...Huh? Is that the impression people get from this place?"

“Well, Jin-Ho's pizzas are delicious, sure, but that wasn't the reason, though.”

Ju Yeong-Gi and Park Yu-Min muttered to each other, but Kang Jin-Ho and Jeong Su-Yeon ignored those two and continued their chat.

Kang Jin-Ho tilted his head. "I see. However, what about it, Miss Jeong?"

“In that case, will it really be okay for me to take over everything?”

“Yes. There's no issue.”

“Really? You wouldn't have a problem with that?” Jeong Su-Yeon cautiously asked again.

Kang Jin-Ho detected nervousness in her expression and slowly sighed. “If I'm being honest, we don't know anything other than making pizzas.”

Park Yu-Min tried to lodge a protest. “I’m good at washing dishes!”

Ju Yeong-Gi snorted loudly. "Dude, that's not something to be proud of."

“Not true! And I’ll have you know, but I can cook regular meals, too!”

“Like what?”

“Like, curry. And, uh... Curry...?”

Kang Jin-Ho's expression softened as he turned to look at Jeong Su-Yeon. “You see?”

Jeong Su-Yeon slowly nodded. “Yes, I can see that...”

"Fundamentally speaking... We have no knowledge of matters related to food. Someone told us we need to add more items to our menu, and that's why we were looking to hire a new chef. Honestly, we don't even know what dishes have to be added to our menu."

“Ooh, I see. That's how it is,” said Jeong Su-Yeon, her voice sounding a little snarky for some reason.

“I'm being serious, Miss Jeong,” Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow after noticing her reaction.

“Eiii, stop joking with me, Mister Kang.”

“I'm sorry?”

"I mean, let's be real here. You opened a pizzeria in one of the busiest parts of town, didn't you?"

“Yes, I did.”

“But now, you're trying to say you haven't done even a cursory investigation on the market before anything else and just decided to sell nothing but pizzas?”

“...!”

“Surely, you've gone to another pizzeria with your girlfriend before?” Jeong Su-Yeon was taken aback by the look on Kang Jin-Ho's face. “No way...?”

Kang Jin-Ho turned his head and stared at his two friends. “We...”

“Don't have...”

“...Girlfriends.”

The mood in the pizzeria suddenly resembled a funeral parlor's.

***

Jeong Su-Yeon coughed to clear her throat. “Although it's hard to believe, I'll try my best to believe you.”

“Thank you very much,” said Kang Jin-Ho. Even though he wasn't sure what he should be thankful for, he still felt grateful anyway!

When Jeong Su-Yeon began questioning Kang Jin-Ho on why he didn't think about adding other dishes besides pizzas, he thought he had reverted back to being an elementary school kid sitting through a scolding from his school teacher.

Now that he had a moment to reflect, it seemed his gratefulness had stemmed from finally escaping that horrifying situation!

"In that case, I'll add the standard pasta types and drinks to our menu. I'll have to make various pasta dishes myself, but you three will need to help me with the drinks when I'm busy with something else. So you all need to familiarize yourselves with the recipes."

“But, uh, I have two left hands, so to speak, so...” Park Yu-Min tried to sneakily escape the responsibility.

However, that only earned him a swift kick to his backside from Ju Yeong-Gi. “Hey, you! Listen here—we all have to do it!”

“Fine, fine...”

Jeong Su-Yeon nodded in acceptance. “However, we don't have any ingredients or basic cooking utensils at the moment, so adding them to the menu right now won't be feasible. If you give me your permission, I can call a supplier I know and place an order for a batch of utensils and ingredients. Will that be okay, Mister Kang?”

“Yes, that'll be fine,” said Kang Jin-Ho.

“It's going to cost some money, though...?”

"It's fine. We make a ton of money, you see?" Ju Yeong-Gi butted in while standing tall and proud.

Jeong Su-Yeon covered her mouth while giggling away.

'Hah. How much can a store like this make anyway?'

Honestly, Jeong Su-Yeon was previously working in a high-class restaurant occupying an entire floor of a skyscraper. Of course, her specialty—and her limit—was cooking pasta, which meant she wasn't allowed anywhere near steaks. However, that still didn't change the fact that she used to work in an establishment so famous that most people were familiar with its name. That was the kind of person she was!

'A kitchen is a warzone.'

People always wielded knives and set fire while yelling and screaming their heads off in a restaurant kitchen. However, how many customers would come to a small pizzeria like this one? Jeong Su-Yeon scoffed inwardly.

“In that case, she can help Jin-Ho out with baking pizzas, then? Until the utensils arrive, that is.” Park Yu-Min rubbed his chin contemplatively.

Ju Yeong-Gi tilted his head. “Mm? But will she even have a chance to help out?”

“Doesn't mean she'll wait on the tables, though. I heard that it's a no-no to ask chefs to moonlight as waiters.”

“Really?” Ju Yeong-Gi nodded, looking convinced.

Jeong Su-Yeon listening to this exchange could only sigh under her breath.

'Does this place... even make enough for my wage?'

Depression threatened to derail her thoughts after she realized that she could get kicked out of here in less than a month if things were to go wrong somewhere. However, Jeong Su-Yeon's worries were thrown outside the window and all the way to Andromeda Galaxy less than ten minutes after the pizzeria opened its doors for business.

***

'What the heck? What’s going on here?!'

Jeong Su-Yeon's jaw dropped to the floor while staring at the jam-packed dining area.

Around thirty minutes before the opening time, the front of the pizzeria seemed to have gotten a bit rowdy for some reason. And when the doors opened, customers poured in like a biblical flood.

'E-even my previous workplace wasn't like this...!'

Of course, the majority of the customers frequenting Jeong Su-Yeon's former workplace made reservations ahead of time, allowing the restaurant staff to make adequate preparations. That was why she felt this way, but in truth, both establishments should boast a similar number of customers entering as soon as they opened their doors.

The difference here, though, was that her old workplace was a large restaurant with over twenty staff members, while this small pizzeria only had three men until recently. In other words, the two eateries shouldn't be having the same number of customers to serve!

What confused Jeong Su-Yeon even more was the attitudes of said three men. As soon as customers started pouring in, Kang Jin-Ho making a nonchalant expression suddenly started scrubbing his hands like a madman before trudging into the kitchen. As for Ju Yeong-Gi, he expertly received the customers’ orders, and he seemed pretty adept at doing it.

However, Park Yu-Min was...

"Over here, please. Stand over here. Yes, thank you. If you stand in a queue here, you'll be blocking the next door's entrance, and that's not cool, everyone. We got scolded by the owner yesterday, you see. Yes, please stand over here."

He was even more adept at controlling the customers waiting outside in a queue.

'Hang on, they all look so used to this situation! But how?!'

How could they be familiar with this craziness?!

‘No, you shouldn't be so laidback like that! Even with my work experience, I’m not used to this kind of situation, you know?!’

How should Jeong Su-Yeon describe this scene? Imagine a scene where a high-level MMORPG player, after a lengthy session of challenging raids, decided to stop by a starting zone just to blow off some steam. The player then noticed some low-level brats in starting armor-and-weapon sets fooling around in a corner. And then, a sudden field boss 'Dragon' popped out of nowhere... only for said low-level brats to utterly destroy it in the blink of an eye. Imagine what the high-level player had to be feeling while watching such a spectacle.

That was what Jeong Su-Yeon felt like right now…

'H-hang on, this place is really this popular? Why? Why is the business so good?'

Jeong Su-Yeon hurriedly took another look at the menu board that had given her a culture shock not too long ago, and it said:

Bulgogi Pizza

Combination Pizza

Pepperoni Pizza

Cola

Cider

With only that much printed on it, this thing had no right to call itself a menu board. No, it should have been called a menu memo instead! It was so simple and concise that if a difficult customer showed up one day, they would have yelled, "You think I'm an idiot who can't even memorize something so bloody simple? Is that why you brought me this hand-written memo?!”

Jeong Su-Yeon had never imagined in her entire life that she would get to see a pizzeria menu that was this simple. Despite that, there were so many customers that a long queue had formed outside. Why?

Jeong Su-Yeon's mind teetered on the edge of another meltdown once again.

'Wait, could it be that Mister Kang is a hidden master pizzaiolo?'[2]

But still... Wasn't he too young for that? He couldn't have been baking pizzas for—well—the past seventeen years of his life or something, could he? Besides, even if his pizzas were stupendously delicious, this menu didn't seem to scream anything special.

“I don't know anymore...” Jeong Su-Yeon could only chuckle hollowly at this point.

Trying to understand something beyond her comprehension only made her head pound with a migraine. For now, her priority should be on observing just how this pizzeria was run. That was it.

“Jin-Ho! Three bulgogi pizzas! And one pepperoni, too!”

"Mm!" Kang Jin-Ho nodded heavily. He pulled out a dough container firmly wrapped in plastic from the fridge, then extracted four lumps of dough larger than an adult's fist.

Jeong Su-Yeon tensed up.

'D-do not miss anything, Jeong Su-Yeon!'

If there was a secret to this place's success, it had to be here. And when she finally witnessed how Kang Jin-Ho baked his pizzas, Jeong Su-Yeon's eyes popped out of their sockets and nearly fell to the sparkling floor.

1. the raw said 'unnie', not noona ☜

2. “Pizzaiolo” is another word for a pizzamaker. ☜