Chapter 2: Capsules and Kimchi Smoke
1.
“That’s why I try not to hire young kids. No sense of responsibility. None.”
He’d hired her because she was attending a Korean university, but she mentioned she was on a leave of absence. If he’d known that beforehand, he wouldn’t have taken her on.
‘Or maybe not.’
On second thought, she was so pretty that he probably would’ve hired her anyway, even offering a higher wage like he did.
The middle-aged man clicked his tongue and slipped his phone into his pocket.
He took off his shoes and walked down the hallway.
A vast space divided into sections.
Instead of desks, white capsules were neatly arranged in rows and columns.
The lighting was dim, and the floor was covered with mats.
Capsule rooms were all the rage these days, so he’d invested his spare money into this space.
Thanks to pouring in funds, the facilities were top-notch in the area.
“Hmm…”
The only issue was that the number of customers didn’t match the quality of the setup.
Still, thanks to the new employee, foot traffic had been gradually increasing.
‘Her cooking skills aren’t great, but it’s mostly simple stuff anyway.’
Her face was so stunning that middle and high schoolers came just to see her.
That alone made her high wage worth it.
If customer numbers kept rising, he might even need to increase her pay.
‘She said it takes about ten minutes to get here.’
He headed to the storage room to start cleaning.
After walking down the hallway and returning to the entrance, the automatic door slid open, and a woman stepped inside.
Neatly cropped short hair and a strikingly fair face.
Her eyes were calm, yet there was an unapproachable air about her.
She wore a loose shirt and jogger pants, but they suited her perfectly.
They say the face completes the fashion, and it wasn’t just a saying.
“Hayul, you’re here already?”
“Yes. I ran because I thought I’d be late.”
He cleared his throat and scratched his head.
If he’d known she’d arrive so quickly, he wouldn’t have nagged her over the phone.
More than anything, seeing her face instantly melted his complaints.
No wonder there were never any issues during her shifts.
“Well then, I’m counting on you today.”
“Yes.”
She bowed her head slightly and headed to the kitchen.
2.
Contrary to the boss’s urgency, the shop was quiet.
Thanks to that, I had a moment to sit at the counter and catch my breath.
‘The most suitable and exceptional body, they said.’
There was no lie in that. Moving in this body didn’t feel awkward at all.
Of course, the gender change was a bit much, but surprisingly, it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Probably because of the chest size.
‘Isn’t it supposed to be absurdly large or something?’
In the novels I’d read, people who switched genders always had exaggeratedly large body parts.
Mine wasn’t like that.
It was perfectly balanced—curves where they should be, slim where it needed to be.
A well-proportioned body.
That made adapting easier. Still, I wasn’t sure how life as a woman would go.
Honestly, I never imagined I’d be working right after returning.
‘What are those things?’
I stared at the strange egg-shaped machines in the distance.
They looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.
A rounded shell with blinking blue LEDs and enough space inside for a person to lie down.
‘So those are the capsules.’
A piece of knowledge surfaced.
So that’s what a capsule room was.
They called those machines “capsules.”
Now that I recognized them, they did look the part.
I slowly stood and walked toward one. A logo reading “Imagine Diver” was visible.
Nearby was a small terminal, a touchpad for ordering food, and a small table.
It seemed like a system where you could enjoy virtual reality, then step out to eat.
‘Like a PC café.’
Only the machines were different, the overall setup felt familiar.
What puzzled me was that such advanced virtual reality devices had appeared in just one year.
PCs and virtual reality capsules.
The gap between the two technologies was massive, making me wonder if this was even the same world I’d known.
“Haa.”
The fact that the world had become so unfamiliar scared me more than becoming a woman.
I’d be fine as long as I could see my family, but what if even they had changed?
What if my sister was now a brother or something? No, surely not…
“…No way.”
I shook my head, pushing away the creeping anxiety.
“Hayul.”
The boss’s voice came from behind, and I turned around. He flinched when our eyes met, then continued.
“We’ve got an order.”
“Got it.”
My job here was simple: make and serve the food.
He’d even mentioned hiring someone just for cooking soon, so I’d only have to serve and clean.
‘Is it okay to have it this easy?’
Since mornings were slow, I could take it easy and learn about this world in the meantime.
In the kitchen, a notification popped up on the wall-mounted monitor.
【Seat 32】
[1x Spam Kimchi Fried Rice]
[1x Zero Cola]
Kimchi fried rice, huh.
I used to eat it a lot when I lived alone before going to the other world.
Spam was expensive, so I often used cheaper canned tuna or ham.
I grabbed a frying pan and turned on the stove.
The sight of the gas flame felt oddly moving.
‘I really am back.’
I took out green onions and chopped them finely.
Next, I cut the ham into small, bite-sized cubes.
“Kimchi…”
I grabbed store-bought kimchi and cut it into small pieces, like diced radish.
The key was to make it easy to eat without being intrusive.
After prepping the ingredients, I poured oil into the pan and added the green onions.
Sizzle—
I fried the ham with the green onions to make scallion oil.
Once the Spam was cooked, I added the chopped kimchi and turned up the heat to evaporate the moisture.
The smell from the kimchi was intense. It had a depth, almost as if the food was infused with magic.
‘This is gonna be good…’
Watching the ingredients brown, my mouth watered. With superhuman restraint, I held back and searched for seasonings.
“Oyster sauce…”
Soy sauce, oyster sauce, and some red pepper powder for color.
A bit of sugar for sweetness. A touch of mayonnaise, then I mixed it all with a spatula.
Finally, I added sesame oil, tossed in instant rice, and stir-fried it evenly. Done.
“Oh, the fried egg.”
Kimchi fried rice isn’t complete without a fried egg on top.
Crack—
I grabbed a new pan, poured in plenty of oil, and cracked an egg into it.
Frying it lightly made the white crispy while keeping the yolk vibrant, like at a Chinese restaurant.
“Phew.”
I transferred the finished kimchi fried rice to a plate, topped it with the fried egg, and filled a cup with ice and Zero Cola.
Click—
I marked the order as complete on the monitor and headed to seat 32.
Through the translucent lid, I saw a man lying inside. Another capsule nearby—probably a couple’s seat.
‘So that’s how they’re used.’
I placed the tray on the table in front and left.
Back in the hallway, the smell of kimchi fried rice lingered. As I returned to the kitchen and was about to sit, a bell rang.
Ding—
A new order came in. Another “Spam Kimchi Fried Rice.” I stood to start cooking again, but then—
Ding—Ding—Ding—
“What the…”
One, two, three… four, five. The screen filled up in the blink of an eye.
【Seat 32】
[1x Spicy Ramen]
[1x Zero Cola]
【Seat 24】
[1x Spam Kimchi Fried Rice]
[1x Zero Cola]
【Seat 13】
[1x Spam Kimchi Fried Rice]
“…What’s going on?”
I stared at the screen, then headed to the industrial fridge.
Having done it once, my prep and movements were smooth.
Kimchi fried rice was easy to make in bulk, which was a plus.
But why were so many identical orders coming in? Was it the smell?
‘It’s not like this is jajang ramen or something. Is that even possible?’
My mind wandered, but my hands kept prepping steadily.
“Hayul, you okay? Looks like a lot of orders came in…”
I turned at the sound of the boss’s voice. He was looking at me with a worried expression.
“Don’t look at me, focus. You’ll get hurt.”
He hurriedly spoke as our eyes met.
“This is nothing… I’m used to it.”
In the other world, I had to cook far more dishes at once.
Their superhuman physical abilities came with equally massive appetites.
Oddly, they never needed the bathroom despite eating so much.
‘They said magic took care of all bodily functions.’
If that weren’t the case… I stopped thinking there. I didn’t want to imagine it.
“…Used to it?”
“Yes.”
He looked at me skeptically. Apparently, this many orders wasn’t normal.
“Alright, I’ll trust you for now. Let me know if you need help.”
“Yes.”
I quietly stared at the kimchi fried rice in front of me.
No ham, just kimchi and rice. I topped it with a fried egg and took a bite.
It was a dish I often ate with my sister in our cramped studio.
We couldn’t even afford tuna, so we made do like this. As long as it filled our stomachs, it was fine.
I’d been too overwhelmed to process it since returning, but now I truly felt I was back in my original world.
‘Where is my sister now, and what is she doing…’
How had she been since I disappeared? Did she hold a funeral for me?
She’s strong, so she’s probably doing fine. That was my hope, at least.
‘I’ll head to our old house as soon as my shift is over.’
But would she even be there? If not, where would I go?
Ding—Ding—
The notification sound snapped me out of my thoughts. I sighed deeply and started moving busily.
For now, I just wanted to focus on cooking.