Descent of the Demon Master

to keep the store going, so… ” Park Yu-Min faltered while explaining.

Ju Yeong-Gi took over from there.
“So, we took your feedback and acted on it right away, Miss Choi.”

”Ah. So, a new cook? ” Choi Yeon-Ha repeated the same thing, but her tone this time was a bit strange.

Her tone was a bit sharp and shrill, and it seemed to contain the hidden meaning of “Oh, so you were just a cook.
I got worried for nothing, then.
Remember that you ’re nothing more than a mere cook.
Don ’t you forget!”

’…And I managed to interpret all that. ’

Park Yu-Min sighed while sarcastically patting himself on the back.
Nice work there, Park Yu-Min.
Well done, lad!

After living an unforgiving life, it seemed that he had also somehow acquired the ability to interpret the mysterious language of the opposite sex.
People often said one would develop quick wits and discernment while growing up in an orphanage, but that didn ’t apply to Park Yu-Min.
However, hanging out with Kang Jin-Ho helped him acquire those two aspects in practically no time at all!

’Even though I ’m a virgin… ’

Kang Jin-Ho was the one stuck in a romantic triangle, so why was Park Yu-Min learning and growing in that regard? He couldn ’t be pleased about this situation, but sorrow was also not an option here.
No wonder he felt so confused right now.

Choi Yeon-Ha didn ’t notice Park Yu-Min ’s inner turmoil and continued to grill him instead.
”But why did you hire a female cook? ”

“Well, uh, I never really cared about a person ’s gender, so—”

”Mm… I ’ll be honest, I ’m not convinced that a woman can do a good job as a cook. ”

“Isn ’t that gender discrimination, though?”

Choi Yeon-Ha snorted back at Park Yu-Min.
”I ’m also a woman, so what gender discrimination are you even talking about? I played a chef in one of my previous shows, you know? And that ’s when I learned that wielding frying pans in front of a hot stove is back-breaking work.
There weren ’t that many cooking scenes, but I thought I ’d die while filming those scenes.
After that experience, I finally realized why all the famous chefs are men.
It ’s not because they have better tastes, but because most women will struggle to remain on their feet after spending one day in a professional kitchen! ”

“Ohhh…” Park Yu-Min slowly nodded his head in understanding.

”And you, ” said Choi Yeon-Ha as her arrows aimed at Jeong Su-Yeon.
She had started her assault.

“…Yes?” Jeong Su-Yeon reticently responded.

“Do you believe you can do it?”

“…I ’m not sure I understand you, Miss Choi.”

”This place has a fast turnaround time.
Things happen really, really fast in this pizzeria.
Surely, you saw what I’m talking about today?”

“Yes, of course.”

Choi Yeon-Ha narrowed her eyes.
”In that case, a prospective co-worker needs to have enough stamina to match that crazy pace.
But look how slender and delicate you are.
I can ’t even begin to picture you wielding pans with such frail arms, either…
Rather than stumbling around for a few days and getting in everyone ’s way before throwing the towel and quitting, just do it now, so we can start looking for someone else right away. ”

Jeong Su-Yeon stared at Choi Yeon-Ha in a daze before taking out her diary from her bag.

“Mm?” Choi Yeon-Ha tilted her eyes suspiciously.
The diary seemed to have seen some usage, and its pages were filled with various recipes.

’Is she going to use that to protest? ’

Choi Yeon-Ha got ready to sarcastically retort, “Who uses hand-written recipes in this day and age?” But then, Jeong Su-Yeon got to the last page of the diary, which was unused and clean.

“Can you give me your autograph?” Jeong Su-Yeon asked while presenting that clean page to Choi Yeon-Ha.

Choi Yeon-Ha was taken aback.
“O-oh?”

”I ’ve been a fan of yours since I was young, you see? To me, it feels like your roles give hope to people. ”

“Oh.
Uh…” Choi Yeon-Ha blushed slightly.
“R-really?”

”Yes, really. ” Jeong Su-Yeon nodded heavily.
”You see, I ’ve been working in this profession ever since I graduated from high school. ”

“O-okay…?”

”Maybe that was why…
I got my head chewed on lots of times and went through so many tearful moments until now.
Just like what you ’ve said, my former bosses or colleagues kept picking on me about my lack of stamina or how I couldn ’t even cook properly.
Some even said I was bothering them right in my face. ”

Choi Yeon-Ha ’s expression grew more and more sympathetic as she listened to Jeong Su-Yeon ’s tale.

’Eh? The mood has gotten a bit weird, hasn ’t it? ’

Park Yu-Min quietly observing the situation from the sideline thought he could see Choi Yeon-Ha ’s extended claws retracting slowly.

”But then, I noticed all the female characters you ’ve taken on were all in similar shoes as me, unnie.
Female leads in other TV shows try to change their lives by meeting a handsome and wealthy heir, but not you.
You always chose the roles about a woman who tries her utmost best to achieve success in life through dedication and hard work. ”

”Ah! So you noticed! ”

“Yes.
And I can ’t even tell you how much solace that gave me.”

”Ah, ah… ” Choi Yeon-Ha reached out and tightly held Jeong Su-Yeon ’s hand.
”Thank you very much.
Listening to you like this is so gratifying, and it feels like I ’ve made the right career choices.
Thank you! ”

“No need to thank me.
I ’m also so happy I could cry!”

The situation sported an atmosphere similar to the official reunion of families that had been separated thanks to the Korean War.

Choi Yeon-Ha smiled brightly.
“You asked for my autograph, yes? Do you want it over here?”

When you ’re just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

Jeong Su-Yeon animatedly nodded away.
“Yes, yes.
Thank you, unnie!”

“Your name is?”

“It ’s Jeong Su-Yeon.”

Choi Yeon-Ha diligently signed the diary ’s empty page.
Park Yu-Min wasn’t knowledgeable about celebrity autographs, but even he started thinking, ’Wow, Miss Choi is giving her all right now ’ from how diligent and careful she was when she was signing it!

Choi Yeon-Ha handed over the diary and beamed proudly.
”Here you go.
Please don ’t give up, no matter what! ”

“Thank you, unnie! Oh, and by the way…”

”Yes? Is there something else you ’re curious about? ”

”Well, it ’s actually about…
If you don ’t mind me asking, what is your involvement in this pizzeria? ”

”Oh, that…? ” Choi Yeon-Ha covered her mouth and gently chuckled.
”You can ’t even call it an involvement, you know.
I ’m Mister Jin-Ho ’s acquaintance, so I just offered him a bit of advice, that ’s all.
And I ’m here to see whether he has utterly wrecked the store yet or not. ”

“Oooh. That means you are not involved in any capacity?”

“Yes, that ’s correct.”

“Aaaah…” Jeong Su-Yeon smiled brightly, then turned her head to look at Kang Jin-Ho.
“In that case, shall we go inside to finish our discussion, Mister Owner?”

Kang Jin-Ho blinked his eyes.
“…I ’m sorry?”

“I mean, we need to discuss the menu ’s composition, but it can ’t be done in the presence of an outsider, you see?”

“…Huh?”

Choi Yeon-Ha ’s expression grew stupefied.
What…
was this woman talking about here?

”Oh, and… ” Jeong Su-Yeon turned her head back to Choi Yeon-Ha and made an apologetic face.
”I ’m really grateful for your advice.
However, I ’m the employee of this pizzeria who will be looking after its kitchen.
So, please leave such matters to me and Mister Kang, the owner.
We will take care of them ourselves.
You can stop worrying about matters that don ’t involve you, Miss Choi. ”

“You…!”

“Well, then.
Have a nice evening.
Be careful on your way home now.
Mister Owner and I will need lots of time to sort things out, after all.” Jeong Su-Yeon unhesitantly got up, grabbed Kang Jin-Ho ’s arm, and dragged him into the staff room at the back.

Choi Yeon-Ha watched everything unfold, and she started shuddering from the barely-contained fury.

’Holy cow, Choi Yeon-Ha lost? ’

Park Yu-Min gasped in shock.
It didn ’t seem possible for anyone to be sharper or craftier than her, yet the one-and-only Choi Yeon-Ha was one-sidedly defeated in a battle of feminine wits! And she didn’t even get to throw a proper counterattack, either!

’Huh.
I guess Miss Su-Yeon is no pushover, then? ’

While this was going on, Ju Yeong-Gi sitting some distance away and observing the situation suddenly got up.
He went outside the pizzeria and mouthed a cigarette.
After he lit it up and puffed on it a couple of times, a heavy sigh escaped his lips.

”Sheesh.
What a crap show that was… ”

‘A load of nonsense, the lot of them!’