November is the peak month for oyster consumption.
It’s also the season for preparing kimchi, and when the cold wind blows, oysters become plump and delicious.
Maesangyi or seaweed oyster, is also a seasonal ingredient from November to February of the following year.
For this reason, tonight’s dinner menu at Dok’s house was Maesangyi oyster rice cake soup.
Since it’s not a dish that requires much effort, Jong-pal started cooking leisurely. The cooking method is very simple:
1. Put rice cake slices into boiling water.
2. Wash the oysters with coarse salt.
3. Submerge the washed oysters in boiling water.
4. After briefly boiling the rice cakes and oysters together, add the Maesangyi.
5. Season with soup soy sauce or anchovy sauce.
That’s it.
There was no need to bother making broth or preparing seasoning sauce. The natural flavors of the ingredients were sufficient.
The restaurant was filled with the refreshing scent of the sea.
Jong-pal transferred the well-cooked Maesangyi oyster rice cake soup into a bowl.
In the dining hall were Haeli, Yeona, Trigo, and President Kwon Hyuk-bong. Here’s how the President ended up in the restaurant:
Just a moment ago.
Jong-pal, who had stopped cooking and stepped out alone because of the noisy sounds coming from the hall, witnessed a bewildering scene.
Wasn’t Trigo and Haeli, of all people, intimidating the President at the entrance!
Despite the President repeatedly coughing and insisting that they recognize him, the two were resolute in their response.
Especially Trigo, who was very strict about time.
“What! Where does this person come from, acting so arrogantly? Who do you think you are! What right do you have to come in late and demand to be let in! What? You’ve seen me before? Ha! How dare you even mention Jong-sik’s name?”
It was only after witnessing that scene that Jong-pal hurriedly ushered the President into the restaurant.
Jong-pal looked at the people sitting side by side and reminisced about what happened a while ago. Then, he chuckled.
At that moment, Trigo wrinkled his nose and asked, “Hm, this is a new smell. Jong-pal, what’s for dinner tonight? What kind of food are you going to surprise us with this time?”
Due to sleeping in the mountains, Trigo was unfamiliar with seafood. Both the taste and the smell were new to him. The same goes for Haeli.
“Ah, it’s a delicious smell!”
The one who answered the two’s banter was Yeona. Lowering the pot brought by her father, she replied, “Tonight’s dinner is Maesangyi oyster rice cake soup, made with ingredients from the sea. Seafood is my favorite food, and I’m sure uncle Trigo and Haeli will like it too.”
As befits the etiquette of Confucianism, the guest is served first. Yeona placed the pot in front of the President. Inside the pot, the Maesangyi oyster rice cake soup was bubbling.
Seeing it, Trigo and Haeli swallowed their saliva and eagerly awaited the pot to be passed to them.
“Oh, me too!”
“Huh, Haeli. How many times do I have to tell you that you’re last in line? Next is Uncle Trigo’s turn.”
“Pee.”
On the other hand, the expression on President Kwon Hyuk-bong’s face, who was the first to receive the rice, was dark and gloomy.
Upon seeing the contents of the pot, he lowered his head deeply. His expression seemed as if he would cry if someone touched him.
***
Today’s neighborhood patrol duty was assigned to Dok Jong-sik and Hunter Kang Chang-soo. Hunter Kang Chang-soo scanned the streets. There was not a single sign of fallen leaves or garbage anywhere.
“Is this what you call cleaning?”
“I cleaned and wiped it thoroughly, sir!”
Perhaps that’s why. Poison Toad leader, Kim Dae-chun, responded with a bold attitude. However, the response he received was cold.
“Sir? Who’s your sir?”
“Oh, haha. Let me correct that. Hunter Kang Chang-soo!”
“Laughing, aren’t you? You’ve cut down all the trees in the neighborhood. Isn’t that all your doing?”
The IQ of a toad is between 2 and 3. The leader of the Toad Gang, Kim Dae-chun, wasn’t exactly on the bright side either. Although he looked like a human on the outside, what was inside him was no different from a toad.
“Yes, that’s exactly what I ordered! Cutting them like that prevents leaves from falling and avoids stepping on smelly gingko nuts, doesn’t it?”
For this reason, Kim Dae-chun expected praise upon his return. He still considered cutting down gingko trees as a divine act.
In response to his answer, Hunter Kang Chang-soo looked at Kim Dae-chun with a face that seemed to say, “Is this guy really sane?” and Jong-sik smirked.
Finally, Jong-sik directly pointed out the guy’s mistake.
“Of course it’s something that should be done? I ordered street cleaning, not logging.”
Only then did Kim Dae-chun sense that something was wrong. The members of the Toad Gang also trembled, observing the two’s reactions.
“…Did I do something wrong?”
“Have you ever thought why gingko trees were planted as street trees?”
Instead of an answer, a question was thrown.
Kim Dae-chun stuttered in response.
“N-no, I haven’t.”
“Now think about it. What could be the reason?”
“W-well, because you can harvest the fruits? Although the smell is awful, when roasted, the taste is amazing.”
“….”
Jong-sik silently stared into Kim Dae-chun’s eyes. Startled, Kim Dae-chun spoke again.
“Or maybe because the gingko leaves are dark green and look good for landscaping? Is that the reason?”
“….”
“Give me one more chance. I’ll definitely get it right this time!”
“You catch on quickly in situations like this. Go ahead, try again.”
“The answer is because they’re the cheapest trees, right? There are a lot of thieves in the country, aren’t there? Surely they bought the cheapest trees with taxes and disguised them at a higher price…”
A fitting answer, hoping for praise after cutting down all the trees. Jong-sik sighed briefly.
“Enough. All wrong. The stench from the gingko trees repels insects, and trees have excellent abilities to absorb heavy metals and smoke. Not only that, but they also have the ability to filter out fine dust.”
Jong-sik nodded, and the faces of the Toad Gang turned as white as sheets.
“We cut down such a remarkable tree, so are we next in line to be cut down?”
There was only one option.
“What are you doing? Get down on your knees, you lot! Especially you, Oh Kang-yeol. Bang your head on the ground—!”
Kim Dae-chun shouted, and his brothers promptly banged their heads on the ground. Then Kim Dae-chun also lowered himself. He spoke.
“We have committed a grave sin. I never dreamed that gingko trees possessed such remarkable abilities. I am truly sorry.”
And as Hunter Kang Chang-soo looked at those scoundrels, he trembled and said to Jong-sik,
“Chief Dok, do you really intend to keep using these guys as volunteers? I’d rather contact my acquaintances who know better….”
“I don’t think their actions were intentional, so for now, I plan to spare them. And they did receive payment from the local residents. They need to make restitution. They are only volunteers in name.”
“Ugh—!”
Upon hearing Jong-sik’s response, the members of the Toad Gang swallowed their disappointment. They were spared for now. It was a feeling of relief akin to escaping death.
Meanwhile, Kang Chang-soo and Dok Jong-sik continued their conversation.
“Hmm. So there is a reason. But can we really let such guys roam freely in the neighborhood? They seem to lack even basic common sense, and I’m worried they might cause another incident like today’s.”
“If they don’t know, we have to teach them. They say humans are creatures of learning, right? We plan to make them reflect on today’s events starting right away.”
Learning usually comes with punishment. Everyone gathered here knows that, without needing to be said.
Jong-sik knows it as he speaks, the trembling Toad Gang knows it, and Kang Chang-soo, who responds, knows it too.
“Hmm. Chief Dok had a plan all along. In that case, I’ll do my best to teach them. I’ll speak sincerely.”
“Thank you for saying that. Then may I ask for one favor right away?”
“Of course. Just tell me what you need.”
“After what happened, I think I should go inside to check on the guest. So, would you mind taking care of these guys’ lesson for me today?”
“If that’s the case, it’s my specialty. Dok Jong-sik, don’t worry and go inside!”
“Then I’ll leave it to you.”
After Jong-sik left,
The sound of catching toads echoed through the alleys of Sangwon-dong.
***
“Brother, you’re here?”
“It’s been a while, Hunter Dok Jong-sik .”
Jong-pal and President Kwon Hyuk-bong welcomed Jong-sik as he entered the shop. Jong-sik already knew about the presence of the guest. But why did he come in making such a fuss?
“Yes, it’s been a while. Mr. President.”
So Jong-sik’s face facing the president was anything but calm. He sat down beside him.
Trigo and the children had already finished their meal and gone upstairs.
Jong-sik swallowed his saliva as he looked at the bowl placed in front of President Kwon Hyuk-bong. Indeed, a steaming bowl of food was the best when the cold wind blew.
“Jong-pal, bring me some food too. I’m hungry after the patrol.”
“Huh? Now?”
“Yeah. Might as well eat together. Weren’t you also having a meal, Mr. President?”
For a moment, both of them smiled awkwardly at Jong-sik’s words.
“Why do you look like that? Weren’t you having a meal? It seems like you haven’t even taken a bite yet. Hmm.”
Now that he noticed, the bowl that should have been steaming with steam was chillingly cold. In that moment, Jong-sik’s eyes narrowed.
“You were having a meal, right? Let’s eat together and talk.”
The president nodded, and Jong-pal approached, asking, “Shall I reheat it?”
“No, I’ll do it myself.”
The president replied with a slight nod. Soon, the cold soup started to boil again. The president was also an early riser.
Seeing that, Jong-pal went back to the kitchen comfortably to prepare dinner for his brother, Jong-sik.
The hall was now left with only Jong-sik and President Kwon Hyuk-bong. The president was staring blankly at the boiling clam soup. At this moment, he was missing someone.
“Would you like a glass of soju with the hot clam soup?”
“…Sure. But Your soup isn’t ready yet.”
“It’s fine with just kimchi.”
Their soju glasses were filled to the brim. Without any hesitation, they both drank the soju at the same time.
Then, Jong-sik picked up some kimchi, and the president took a sip of the hot soup. Moisture appeared in the corners of the president’s eyes.
“Clam soup. Still delicious as ever.”
“It must be so delicious that it brings tears to your eyes.”
“Yes. It’s delicious. It tastes just like it did ten years ago.”
Without saying anything, Jong-sik refilled his glass with soju. The president, reminiscing about the past, finally let out the words he had kept in his heart.
“Ten years ago, I was nothing but a nobody, not even a president. But it was still a good time. Back then, I had comrades by my side whom I wouldn’t hesitate to sacrifice my life for. One of them really loved this clam soup.”
