Chapter 34

* * *

Han Taepyeong, president of the Korean cuisine club.

He had returned to school immediately after being discharged from the military and was still adjusting to civilian life.

People say that after serving in the army, a disciplined routine sticks with you for a while.

But his naturally laid back and easygoing personality didn’t change so easily.

Even his family still wondered who he took after to end up this relaxed, but he had always been like this since he was young.

You wouldn’t find the typical Korean hurry hurry mindset in him.

He always ate leisurely, enjoyed quiet walks, and let his days pass slowly.

But as time went on, everything in Korea moved too fast.

Trends changed in the blink of an eye, people rushed around anxiously, and time was always tight.

Han Taepyeong was indifferent to those changes.

No, he simply didn’t care in the first place.

His classmates and friends all called him a sloth.

Yet while everyone else got frustrated and worked themselves up, Han Taepyeong himself felt nothing of the sort.

‘It’ll work out somehow.’

That was his life motto.

Being late today was nothing new.

But today, he was unlucky.

The first thing he heard upon entering the classroom was the word group assignment.

That was just like Professor Baek Seungjin.

Han Taepyeong decided to pair up with the freshman. He was confident in his skills, so it didn’t matter who his partner was.

Fortunately, Kang Chan looked diligent and passionate.

So he quietly stepped beside Kang Chan and decided to handle the pancakes.

“Alright. Give it a try.”

It might be a little difficult for a freshman, but he hadn’t expected much to begin with.

Gujeolpan was fairly high level, and it was a tough dish for someone new.

It would be better for him to finish his own part as quickly as possible and help Kang Chan if needed.

That was why he had readily handed over the ingredient prep.

Even basic prep would be less tricky than making the pancakes.

Han Taepyeong heated the pan and carefully stirred the batter he had prepared.

And just as he was about to start cooking the pancakes.

Thud, thud, thud.

Thudthudthudthudthud!

Takadadadadadak!

A dazzling series of knife sounds burst out right beside him.

Han Taepyeong stopped stirring.

When he turned his head, Kang Chan was gripping the knife and prepping ingredients on the cutting board.

Without realizing it, he swallowed.

The sound of the blade striking the board was chillingly consistent, and the rapid rhythm felt like music.

On top of that, the way Kang Chan handled the ingredients was far from ordinary.

His movements went far beyond the basic method Han Taepyeong had just shown him.

Each time the blade brushed the board, his hands moved as if the motion had been ingrained in him over many years.

Even the results of his cuts were eerily precise and perfect.

The ingredients were sliced into uniform sizes, astonishingly thin and neatly arranged.

Especially with cucumbers, maintaining perfectly even thickness wasn’t easy.

The angle of the blade, control of wrist pressure, and cutting speed all had to align.

Yet Kang Chan sliced the cucumbers cleanly into consistent thickness.

This wasn’t something you could do just because you liked cooking.

Kang Chan’s knife work reflected techniques emphasized in certain Western cuisines.

For example, in French cooking, when preparing mirepoix, uniform size and precise cuts are the absolute basics.

Kang Chan’s cutting brought that to mind.

Han Taepyeong found himself staring at him, thinking.

‘At this level, hasn’t he definitely trained in Western cuisine?’

Kang Chan’s hands clearly went beyond amateur level. He had far exceeded expectations.

In no time, Kang Chan finished prepping and smoothly transferred the ingredients into bowls, then looked up.

“Hyung. Is this good enough?”

At the question, Han Taepyeong blinked, still caught off guard.

Among all the students he had seen, Kang Chan handled ingredients the fastest and most uniquely.

‘At this level, couldn’t I recommend him there?’

Han Taepyeong struggled to organize his thoughts before answering.

“…Huh? Yeah. You did well.”

But he still hadn’t fully recovered from the shock.

Staring at the ingredients cut with not even the slightest deviation in thickness, Han Taepyeong drew in a breath.

‘What the hell is this guy?’

* * *

When cooking time ended, each team’s prep station displayed its own version of gujeolpan.

Baek Seungjin walked between the stations at a leisurely pace, scanning the dishes with sharp eyes.

Gujeolpan.

At first glance, it might seem like you just needed to slice and cook the ingredients neatly and plate them cleanly.

But in reality, it was quite delicate and difficult to balance.

Baek Seungjin examined each gujeolpan one by one.

Most teams had uneven ingredient thickness or inconsistent cooking.

Some teams hadn’t even managed to plate all the components due to lack of time.

He picked up his chopsticks and tasted each one carefully.

Unlike other professors who hid their judgments behind expressionless faces, Baek Seungjin was infamous for his blunt criticism.

He believed that if mistakes weren’t corrected immediately, they would only be repeated.

“The ingredients are too thick, so the inside isn’t fully cooked. This is a failure.”

“The batter wasn’t done properly. It’s too limp. You need to relearn the basics.”

“Gujeolpan is already visually rich. Why add delicate leaves on top. That’s unnecessary plating.”

As his sharp critiques continued, the kitchen grew colder.

The air settled like thin ice.

Then Baek Seungjin stopped in front of Kang Chan and Han Taepyeong’s station.

He narrowed his eyes slightly at the gujeolpan laid out before them.

The tidy plating, distinctly different from the others, caught his attention.

The arrangement of ingredients was simple yet refined, with harmonious color and composition.

He glanced briefly at Han Taepyeong and let a faint smile form.

‘As expected. Han Taepyeong.’

Even though he had only recently returned from the army, his skill remained intact.

No, it seemed even more refined.

Han Taepyeong was well known among the faculty.

Since his first year, he had stood out.

Though usually relaxed and seemingly lazy, once he stood at a prep station, he was more intuitive than anyone.

Every dish he touched carried depth, and he instinctively understood the flow of food.

Baek Seungjin assumed that Kang Chan, the freshman who had boldly entered a third year class, must have learned a great deal from him today.

He slowly lifted his chopsticks and picked up the vegetables first.

The thinly and uniformly sliced carrots and cucumbers maintained their vivid color and glossy sheen.

There was only one person capable of such uniform precision.

Han Taepyeong.

There was no way a newly admitted freshman could achieve this.

Most likely, Han Taepyeong had handled the prep today.

As the vegetables entered his mouth, a crisp texture spread along with their natural sweetness.

‘The doneness is precise. Crisp without being tough.’

The meat, when tasted, filled his mouth with savory richness and tender texture.

The shiitake mushrooms that followed released deep umami the more he chewed.

‘The mushrooms aren’t overcooked, and the seasoning is balanced. It maximizes the mushroom’s natural flavor.’

Lastly, even the pancakes drew admiration.

Impressive.

The pancakes had to be thin without tearing, evenly cooked, and serve as the foundation of gujeolpan.

The harmony between the soft pancakes and the crisp ingredients was nearly perfect.

As president of the Korean cuisine club, Han Taepyeong clearly had a strong understanding of traditional cooking.

Even for a third year, few students could produce this level of completion.

Baek Seungjin nodded quietly.

Han Taepyeong truly had the qualifications to carry on the study of Korean cuisine.

Shifting his gaze, Baek Seungjin looked at Kang Chan with satisfaction.

Of course, Han Taepyeong’s help must have been significant.

But Kang Chan must have kept up well to achieve this harmony.

He’s someone to look forward to.

In a calm voice, Baek Seungjin spoke.

“What matters in gujeolpan is harmony and precision between ingredients. This team has achieved both.”

“…”

“The balance of seasoning, texture, and plating are all accurate. This is textbook gujeolpan.”

Murmurs rippled around them.

Adding one final remark, he nodded.

“Well done. Han Taepyeong, you set a good example for the freshman as a senior. And Kang Chan, you showed a sincere attitude toward learning. Good work, both of you.”

Han Taepyeong scratched his head and glanced at Kang Chan.

The professor seemed to think it was mostly his contribution, but in truth, Kang Chan had helped a great deal.

Meanwhile, Baek Seungjin slowly looked over the murmuring students and pressed his lips together.

The gentle steadiness in his eyes sharpened.

“There’s a saying.”

At the weight of his presence, even breathing in the kitchen became careful.

“The noble person seeks harmony without blindly following, while the petty person blindly follows without achieving harmony.”

The unfamiliar phrase made the students tilt their heads.

Baek Seungjin continued.

“A noble person maintains clear convictions while achieving harmony. A petty person is swept along by others and never creates true harmony.”

“…”

“In today’s practice, what did you show? Did you seek cooperation and harmony, or did you act based on comfort and self interest?”

Several students who had been glancing at each other lowered their heads hesitantly.

“The essence of cooking is harmony. Communicating and cooperating with those you work with to create something better together.”

His gaze turned sharp.

“But some of you today seem to have forgotten that essence. Judging someone’s skill at a glance and excluding them. Do you think that’s the attitude of a chef?”

Each of his words pierced like needles.

“Ask yourselves why you started cooking.”

“…”

“A true chef isn’t just someone with skill. It’s someone who creates harmony, cares for others, and grows not alone, but together with those around them.”

With that, he left the practice room.

Even after he disappeared, a strange silence lingered.

* * *

After class, Han Taepyeong headed to the cafeteria for lunch.

Since it was lunchtime, the place was packed with students.

From afar, a few of his friends and juniors waved cheerfully.

“Why’re you so late?”

“He’s always late.”

“Sunbae, you finally made it.”

Han Taepyeong smiled lightly and sat down in an empty seat.

Leaning back against the chair, he caught his breath before speaking casually.

“Think I found someone interesting.”