Chapter 46: One Last Taste

1.

“Here?”

I checked the café’s sign and stepped inside.

They’d said they’d be by the window, and there was only one table there.

“I came because Jung In-seon PD wanted to meet, but honestly, it feels like a waste of time. They’re just a YouTuber.”

I overheard a conversation as I approached.

With no one else around, she must be on a call.

“If they’re confident in their looks, why hide? What’s the point, right?”

“Excuse me.”

I tapped her shoulder.

She turned slowly, and our eyes met—her face blank for a moment.

“H-Hold on, I’ll call you back.”

Swallowing hard, she ended the call, hands folding neatly on her lap.

“Are you… Carrier-nim, who we’re meeting today…?”

“That’s me.”

“Oh, please sit…!”

She gestured to a seat, and I nodded, sitting across from her.

“L-Let me get you a drink. What would you like?”

“I’ll go.”

“No, no! We invited you, so I should do it!”

“…Then a strawberry yogurt smoothie, please.”

“S-Strawberry smoothie! Got it!”

Her expression stiff, she stood and headed to the counter.

She’d clearly realized I overheard her call.

‘Well, this is awkward.’

I wasn’t upset. I’m not insecure about my looks, and I’ve had similar thoughts before.

“Here you go…”

She set the drink down carefully and sat, glancing nervously.

“Thanks.”

“Th-The earlier comment… it was just my opinion. No malice, I swear…”

“It’s fine. People think that way. It’s a common perception.”

I spoke calmly.

“N-No, it’s not!”

She shook her head, waving her hands, but then clamped her mouth shut, realizing denying her own words looked foolish.

“Didn’t expect our first meeting to be like this.”

“…Me neither.”

A brief silence.

I sipped my smoothie through a straw. Cool, sweet flavor spread.

“Where’s Jung In-seon PD?”

“Uh, I’m not sure… She suddenly jumped up and ran out.”

I used Truth’s Eye, incredulous. She was telling the truth.

“…She’s an odd one.”

“She gets that a lot.”

Silence settled again.

The woman across from me fidgeted with her straw.

She was as awkward as I was.

“Um, I’m Seo Na-hyun, a broadcast writer working with Jung In-seon PD.”

She handed me a business card, bowing politely.

It built a bit of trust.

“I’m Carrier, streaming on ZiziZik. My real name’s Kang Haryul.”

“Oh, yes, Haryul-ssi. It’s… an honor to meet you…”

Seo Na-hyun’s face flushed, her voice trembling.

She was clearly embarrassed.

“Nice to meet you too.”

The conversation stalled.

I wasn’t great at small talk either—my social skills were lacking.

“Y-Your face is really beautiful…!”

“…For a YouTuber?”

“No, no! Beyond that! You’re just stunning! I’ve been in this industry a while, and I’ve never seen someone with such a strong presence!”

She blurted out, flustered.

“…Thanks. But why did you contact me?”

“I’m not sure. Jung PD just told me to come along. She didn’t explain anything…”

A PD moving forward without telling the writer? That made sense?

‘It does.’

Truth’s Eye confirmed it.

Their dynamic felt odd—like one was dragging the other along.

“Oh! There’s Jung PD!”

Seo Na-hyun’s face lit up. Following her gaze, I saw a woman’s back outside.

The writer stood, tapping the window.

Tap tap—

The woman turned, her face bored, cigarette in mouth. Her gaze shifted from the writer to me.

“…Hm?”

Her eyes widened like she’d seen a ghost.

Shocked, her cigarette crumpled, tobacco scattering in the wind.

“What’s with her?”

“…No idea.”

I raised an eyebrow as she rushed inside.

The writer looked equally baffled.

“G-Greetings! Are you Carrier-nim?”

Panting, the woman reached me.

“Yes. Jung In-seon PD?”

“Yes, that’s me! So thrilled to meet you in person!”

“Likewise.”

She extended her hand, and I shook it. Her shoulder twitched—unsettling.

“PD-nim, calm down! You’re freaking Haryul-nim out…!”

“Ahem…”

At the writer’s whisper, Jung cleared her throat, glancing at me. She sipped her espresso.

“Phew. Sorry for the embarrassing display.”

“It’s fine. It happens.”

I was curious why she freaked out but didn’t ask.

“Shall we get to the point?”

“Sounds good.”

I wasn’t keen on pointless chatter.

“The person we want to introduce is Chef Kang Tae-yeon.”

“I see.”

I nodded calmly. A subtle shift crossed Jung PD and Seo Na-hyun’s faces.

“Do you know Chef Kang Tae-yeon?”

“…No. Should I?”

“No, not necessarily. It’s just surprising, given you’re in the culinary world.”

I wasn’t, but I didn’t bother correcting her.

“It happens.”

Jung PD nodded lightly, continuing.

“To put it simply, Chef Kang Tae-yeon is the first in Korea to earn three Michelin stars.”

“And you want to introduce them to me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

‘No way it’s just kindness.’

I’d been suspicious since before coming, and it seemed they wanted something.

What, exactly, I didn’t know.

“To win your favor… You wouldn’t believe that, would you?”

“No.”

Truth’s Eye said she wasn’t lying. It shook me briefly, but I pressed on.

“We’re preparing a cooking competition show, Grand Chef. We want Chef Kang Tae-yeon as a judge.”

Of course. Authority, credibility, publicity, sponsorships, quality—Kang Tae-yeon could deliver it all.

“Unfortunately, Chef Kang declined. Fresh off their three-star win, they want to focus on their restaurant.”

“Understandable. But why tell me this?”

“You’ll see if you keep listening.”

I took a short breath and nodded.

“Go on.”

“We couldn’t let it go. We tweaked the offer—schedule, pay, creative control.”

Jung PD sighed, tapping her cup.

“They still refused.”

“That’s a shame.”

I chimed in, feeling awkward just sitting there. She smirked, continuing.

“We were too persistent. Finally, they agreed, but with a condition.”

“Which is?”

“They have a dish they want to taste just once more in their life. Recreate it exactly, and they’ll join.”

I chuckled.

“So you want me to do it. That’s why you reached out?”

“Nothing to hide.”

Jung PD leaned on the table, arms crossed.

“Yes. We need your help to get Chef Kang. And this isn’t a bad deal for you, is it?”

I lifted my smoothie, sipping the last of it, chewing the strawberries as I thought.

‘They’re the ones in a rush, not me.’

The question was how to use this.

They were a PD and writer. Playing this right could yield benefits.

‘But dragging it out means more heat on Yura.’

I didn’t want that. And honestly, I wasn’t sure how to leverage them.

I had no interest in broadcasting or opening a restaurant.

A three-star dish piqued my curiosity, but only slightly.

In the end, I had nothing to gain from them.

Since returning from the other world, I’d planned to live quietly.

I had no desire for fame or achievement.

If this could reduce the flak Yura was getting… that was enough.

“Fine.”

I was done with tiresome fights—noble battles in the other world were enough.

“R-Really?”

Their faces lit up simultaneously.

“Yes. But you handle convincing them. I just want to cook for Chef Kang.”

“Of course, that’s on us! Thank you so much!”

They clasped hands, beaming. Their joy rubbed off on me.

‘This isn’t so bad…’

Maybe doing a favor without expecting a return wasn’t the worst.

Hero Arvel would’ve done the same.

And who knows? This kindness might come back someday, somehow.