They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 70

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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70. Fuki Greens Group Bento Box (4)

It had been quite some time since I’d heard such a weighty greeting. So I found myself brushing the back of my hand across the table before speaking.

“I haven’t done much, really.”
“…But still. You listened to Ae-rim’s story. That’s not easy, you know.”

Song Ae-hyuk’s shoulders, which had always been held so rigidly upright, sagged ever so slightly.

“That’s enough.”

I said nothing more. Instead, I placed my hand on the bowed head of Ae-hyuk.

“You too—don’t strain yourself so much. Just live.”
“…Yes.”
“Life grows richer when you try different things.”

Song Ae-hyuk nodded slowly, bit by bit.

Just then, the door burst open and Song Ae-rim came rushing back in. A bag from Myeong-ja’s Bakery dangled from her hand.

“Grandmother said you absolutely have to take this with you!”
“What is it?”
“It’s sandwich bread!”
“Sandwich bread?”
“It’s the layered sandwich bread Grandmother made recently.”

Layered sandwich bread?

“That sounds delicious.”

I accepted the bag and pulled out the bread. At first glance, it looked like ordinary sandwich bread. But if you tore it gently along the grain with your fingers, you could tell—there were layers.

“Her skill really is impressive.”

I broke off a piece and popped it straight into my mouth. The exterior was light and springy, while the interior melted across my tongue with an almost unbelievable delicacy. With each chew, the buttery aroma bloomed, lingering at the tip of my tongue.

“Grandmother spent hours just folding the dough!”

I nodded and set the bread down, my gaze suddenly catching on the fuki greens stir-fry still sitting on the counter.

“Wait a moment. Let me try something.”
“What are you doing?”

I retrieved a pan again. Slicing a piece of the bread into a convenient size, I placed it on the pan generously coated with oil.

Sizzle—

The layered bread absorbed the oil between its layers the instant it touched the heat, transforming into a rich golden hue. Once the surface turned a beautiful brown, I flipped it over.

“Why are you frying it?”
“I have a feeling it’ll taste better this way?”

Whenever I see bread, I can’t help myself—I always want to fry it. I placed a delicate layer of the fuki greens stir-fry atop the golden-brown bread.

“What happens when you combine the crispy texture with the soft one?”
“What happens?”

I bit into the bread right in front of the Twins. The crispy texture shattered first, and the fuki aroma surged upward.

“This actually works?”

The fuki’s characteristic bitter-astringent flavor didn’t clash—it paired surprisingly well. The bread’s structure subdued the bitterness, making it comfortable even for a child to eat.

‘This is a crowd-pleaser.’

The layered bread was perfectly complementing the fuki.

“How does it taste?”
“Want to try?”
“Yes! I’ve never seen bread fried in oil like that before!”
“Really? What about you, Song Ae-hyuk?”

Song Ae-hyuk quietly nodded, indicating he wanted one too.

“Then, while I fry the bread, you two eat your lunch. You must be hungry.”
“Yes! Ae-hyuk! Let’s eat!”
“…Okay.”

The Twins opened the lid of their bento box.

“Gulp.”
“…Why are you saying ‘gulp’ out loud?”
“My mouth is nervous!”

Song Ae-rim scooped a spoonful of rice, shaped it into a mound, and topped it with the fuki leaf side dish before eating.

“I adjusted the seasoning a bit for the bento box. How is it?”
“It tastes even better when you eat it with rice!”

‘As long as the seasoning is right, that’s all that matters.’

I felt a quiet satisfaction bloom within me.

“What about Ae-hyuk?”

Song Ae-hyuk ate silently, taking a spoonful of rice first. His chewing pace was neither fast nor slow. But seeing his chopsticks never pause….

“Does it suit your taste?”
“…It’s decent.”
“Decent?”
“…No, it’s more than decent. I don’t know how to….”

Ae-hyuk lifted his head.

“…It feels like the entire bento box was made just to complement the rice.”
“Right! But it has a flavor that adults would love!”

I gestured with my oil-stained chopsticks.

“You understood the intention perfectly.”

I placed the golden-fried bread slices onto a plate and set it on the table.

“Try one piece at a time while you’re eating. Bread gets too rich when it absorbs oil.”
“Really?”
“Bread soaks up oil quickly—that’s why they serve it at pork belly restaurants.”
“Oh! I’ve never been to a pork belly restaurant!”
“Let’s go together sometime.”
“Yes!”

At the same moment, the Twins placed a small portion of the sautéed fuki greens atop the bread. The glossy sheen of the sauté spread across the crispy surface.

“Like this?”
“Yes, eat it that way.”

Ae-rim picked up the bread with a skeptical expression. The moment she took a bite—

Crunch—

A light, crisp sound echoed.

“Wow! What a texture!”

Song Ae-rim’s eyes widened as she spoke.

“The side dish flavor comes through so much better!”
“…I also find the side dish flavor stands out more, and I really like that.”

I handed her another slice of bread and explained.

“Bread brings out the texture of the food.”

As the oil-soaked bread crumbles, it clings to the sautéed greens and enhances their texture. This creates an effect that reduces the excess oil while allowing the true flavor to shine through.

‘The bread itself tastes good too, though.’

I set aside a slice for Hae-tae and popped one into my mouth.

“Can you come in early tomorrow, Ae-rim?”
“What time?”
“The delivery needs to go out at lunch, so… nine o’clock should work.”
“Nine is no problem at all!”

Song Ae-rim’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Finding her adorable, I gently touched her cheek and turned my gaze toward Ae-hyuk.

“Do you want to come too, Ae-hyuk?”

Song Ae-hyuk quietly lifted his head, his eyes shifting between me and Song Ae-rim.

“…No.”

I rested my chin on the table.

“It would be nice if you came along.”
“…I should learn to live without you.”

Song Ae-rim flared up in anger.

“Hey! You’ll live just fine without me!”
“…I hope so.”
“That’s funny! You’ll do great!”
“…Yes. Live well as you wish.”
“Your speech is slow, yet you say that!”
“You’re the one who’s slow to adapt.”
“Hey!”

So they really are siblings after all. I watched their bickering while eating my bread.

‘Hmm, should I ask Grandmother Myeong-ja for more?’

***

“Grandmother, I’m heading out!”

I greeted our grandmother in the photograph and opened the door leading to the Kitchen. The early morning air still held its chill.

“Sigh… My breath is visible even now.”

The moment I opened the Side Dish Shop door, the cold emanating from the ground traveled up through my shoes to the soles of my feet.

‘Winter has truly arrived.’

I flipped on the lights at the Side Dish Shop and tied my apron snugly around my waist. The fluorescent panels hummed to life, gradually brightening the space. I drew a single, measured breath. The familiar surroundings exhaled their familiar scent.

“Time to prepare the bento boxes.”

I set a pot of water to boil, rinsed the rice, and began extracting the side dish containers one by one, arranging them in neat rows across the table. The motions were routine, yet my fingertips trembled with a subtle tension—nothing like the calm morning rhythm of my usual cooking.

“Wow, I’m actually nervous.”

The words tumbled out as barely a whisper.

Thump.

Something solid settled atop my head.

“Hae-tae.”

I didn’t need to look up to know.

“Making bento boxes?”

Without warning, Hae-tae had perched directly on my head, settling in with the grip of front paws tangled firmly in my hair, curling into a comfortable position.

“You’re not a bird building a nest up there.”
“Higher ground gives better sight lines.”
“You just find it comfortable.”
“Wrong. This is support mode.”

‘This gluttonous cat.’

I rinsed the rice in the large cooker, feeling the grains slip coolly between my palms.

“Aren’t your hands getting numb?”
“Hands are just hands. You think cold water can stop me?”
“That’s nonsense.”

I shook out the final grains and distributed the rice evenly in the cooker. I paused briefly while adjusting the water level.

“Oh.”

‘Inari sushi, then.’

I’d use less water than usual. With inari sushi, the flavor of each grain of rice mattered.

I marked the water level with my finger, drained the excess, closed the rice cooker lid, and pressed the button. When it switched to red, I grinned.

“Nervous?”
“A little.”

I opened the Refrigerator door. The side dishes I’d prepared yesterday were arranged neatly inside.

‘Best to tackle the most tedious part first.’

“Let’s start with the boiled pork.”

I retrieved the pork from the Refrigerator and placed it on the cutting board. A chill rose into my hands first.

“This would taste delicious even as-is.”
“Of course it would.”

Anyone could see that.

[Delicious 1++ Pork Premium Belly Cuts (S)]
[Delicious 1++ Pork Premium Foreleg Cuts (S)]

I’d selected only the finest cuts.

I poured a generous amount of water into the pot and tore whole garlic cloves and large sections of scallion by hand, dropping them in. When I dissolved a spoonful of miso, a savory aroma rose up.

Then.

“The soju…”

I pulled out the soju from the Refrigerator and poured it all in at once.

“Medium heat.”
“Got it.”

Following Hae-tae’s guidance, I lowered the heat dial one notch. It would take time for the steam to rise.

“Maybe I should work on something else for a bit.”

Time…

‘It’s flying by.’

Despite starting at a reasonable hour, time moves swiftly through my fingers.

“Napa cabbage, napa cabbage.”

I pulled fresh napa cabbage from the Refrigerator and dumped it onto the counter. After rinsing the leaves under running water, I twisted my wrists to shake off the excess moisture.

‘Even so, sixty portions isn’t much.’

It’ll be quick.

The quick-pickled cabbage in the bento box isn’t the star. It’s the supporting character. The role that upholds the protagonist without overshadowing it. Not too bold, yet never fading into invisibility.

I sliced the cabbage to a uniform thickness and placed it in a large bowl.

‘Generous with the salt.’

Until it wilts completely.

“This finishes in no time, meow!”
“You just want to eat it.”
“How did you know, meow?”

While the cabbage wilted, I prepared the seasoning sauce. Red chili flakes, minced garlic, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil.

“Try one.”

I pulled out a single cabbage leaf, coated it in the seasoning sauce, and let Hae-tae taste it.

“How’s the seasoning?”
“Perfect, meow!”
“Then we’ll go with this.”

I gradually added the seasoning sauce to the large bowl of cabbage, mixing gently without applying too much pressure.

“Done.”

I pushed the quick-pickled vegetables aside and turned my attention to the pot. The broth for the boiled pork had begun to bubble vigorously.

I poured water into a large steamer from the drawer and turned up the heat. Once the water came to a boil, I arranged the cabbage leaves carefully, leaving space for the steam to circulate so they would wilt properly.

“I’m putting the lid on now.”
“Right. High heat will wilt them down.”

The moment I covered the steamer, the sound of boiling water erupted from within. The interior quickly fogged over with steam.

I glanced at the clock.

“Already?”

I’d only been preparing the side dishes.

“It’s time to open the shop.”

Before I could finish speaking, a familiar voice called from outside.

“Boss!”

I washed my hands and opened the shop door.

“You’re here?”
“I came an hour early!”
“Really? There’s not much to do yet.”
“I know! I wanted to help!”

I lowered the steamer heat slightly and turned around. Song Ae-rim, as if it were second nature, pulled an apron from the counter drawer and tied it around her waist.

“What should I do?”
“Can you open one more lid for each bento box?”
“Yes!”

Song Ae-rim opened each lid one by one, arranging them in neat rows. Her small hands moved with practiced efficiency.

“Like this?”
“Yeah. Just leave it like that—I’ll take it from here.”

At that moment, steam billowed up dramatically from both the rice cooker and steamer. The aroma of braising cabbage mingled with the fragrance of cooked rice, filling the Kitchen with warmth and promise.

“Wow…!”

I lifted the lid slightly to release some steam, then replaced it carefully.

‘Perfect.’

We’d make it within the timeframe.

“And Ae-rim, grab those fried tofu pockets from the Refrigerator—squeeze out all the liquid and arrange them on a plate!”

“Yes…!”

I retrieved the fuki leaves, dividing them into portions for seasoning and stir-frying, arranging each on a bamboo strainer. The moment I gripped the wok, I issued a warning to Song Ae-rim.

“Ae-rim, it’s dangerous—don’t come near the stove.”
“Huh? Oh, yes!”

Song Ae-rim’s eyes sparkled with understanding. She pressed her lips together and obediently stepped back as instructed.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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