Chapter 20: Yuri Gallery Cooking Competition (3)

Having decided to enter the competition, I needed to reread the rules carefully. While a thorough review was important, the rules seemed pointless, so I needed to reread them properly.

I put away my phone, returned to the community, and clicked on the popular posts, easily finding the competition announcement.

It had only been posted recently, yet it already had over 200 likes. This gallery is huge. I clicked on the post, remembering this was a major gallery.

I already knew the dates and format from the group chat, so I scrolled to the details.

I’d been worried because of the absurd posts, but the rules were normal aside from some strange wording.

Or…is judging “wife material” based on menu selection not normal? It was a fancy way of saying she’d choose what she wanted to eat.

The cooking process was standard, leaving plating and menu selection. Plating was secondary; menu selection was key.

“Hmm…”

I murmured, staring at the laptop. As a man, I’d had cooking experience; I’d thought winning would be easy, but this changed things.

Menu selection… that was always my biggest struggle. In school, my indecisiveness was a constant source of criticism.

And I know even less about women’s tastes. At home, Mom and my sister ate simple dishes like kimchi stew and meat, so there weren’t many examples to learn from.

A headache came on; I held my head in my hands. Should I just give up? My initial enthusiasm cooled instantly.

Even if I won, what would I do if I met the organizer? As an extreme introvert, could I even speak to her? Quitting was the logical option.

I stood up, ready to give up and sleep, when my phone buzzed. The group chat again? I should mute the notifications. It’s better for my mental health.

My eyes were glazed over as I reached for my phone, until a thought struck me. Wasn’t the group chat already muted? Besides the group chat, there weren’t many people who would contact me.

I’d muted the group chat and still received notifications, but that was because I’d been tagged, and Hwajuyeon’s notifications had come because I was in the group chat.

But neither of those applied. Was it Mom or my sister? I checked my phone.

[Yejin: Jia]

It was someone unexpected. Why would she contact me at this hour? I never expected Yejin to contact me.

I’d never had deep relationships. It was natural as a hikikomori, and even in school, my friendships were superficial.

So I’d assumed Yejin was like that. This unexpected message surprised me. My heart fluttered as I replied.

[Huh?]

[Yejin: Do you have any free time after school this week?]

[Yejin: Next week is fine too.]

This week? I thought about it, but I had no plans. No appointments with friends; Mom and my sister hadn’t said anything.

[I should be free this week.]

[Yejin: Then, want to eat mapo tofu with Eunji after school?]

[Yejin: You seemed to enjoy the mapo tofu at lunch; restaurant mapo tofu is much better.]

I remembered lunch. The cafeteria mapo tofu was good, but better? I wondered if it was true, regardless of the price.

[Yeah, let’s go.]

[Yejin: I’ll tell Eunji.]

[Okay]

Intrigued, I agreed, and she replied. This was my first time making personal plans with a friend; it was surreal.

But it felt good. I was looking forward to tomorrow for the first time. It felt similar to receiving Yejin’s message; I smiled.

I turned off my phone, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and returned to my room. The cool water cleared my head.

Had I really looked that happy eating mapo tofu? I thought Yejin and Eunji were teasing, but if they suggested this, it must’ve been obvious.

I looked at my laptop; the cooking competition post was still open. I’d given up because of the menu selection.

Right. I could make mapo tofu. Yejin’s message gave me an idea. Mapo tofu was popular with women.

Even if the organizer didn’t like mapo tofu, I could still enjoy it myself.

I hadn’t been in the Yuri Gallery long; I didn’t know Hyeseol’s tastes. Competition was a gamble; I might as well make what I liked.

Removing the unnecessary complications, I reached a simple conclusion. Why did I overthink it? It was definitely those people in the group chat.

I opened a new window and searched “mapo tofu.”

Even with my cooking experience, I couldn’t make something I’d never tried before. Research was essential.

[Mapo Tofu][Food]

[Mapo tofu originated in Sichuan and Leshan, China; it’s a delicious soup. Like Sichuan food, it’s known for its strong aroma and spiciness. Mapo is…]

The window showed pictures and origins. But I didn’t need that.

Scrolling further, I found nothing but maps of mapo tofu restaurants and internet arguments. Then, I found what I wanted.

[Mapo Tofu: Homemade Tips!]

[JosukBlog]

[Follow][2023.06.18]

Hello~ I’m Josuk!

(Happy bear emoticon waving)

Mapo tofu is trendy. It’s incredibly popular with students!? I love it so much that I go to restaurants frequently, spending a fortune!

(Shocked bear emoticon)

So, today, I’ll show you how to make it cheaply and easily at home!

Let’s begin!

(Bear emoticon jumping and saying “Let’s go!”)

Why you should eat mapo tofu at a restaurant!

(Restaurant photo)(Mapo tofu photo)

It’s best to eat mapo tofu at a restaurant!

No fuss, no washing up!

Plus, there’s a self-service bar with sauces!…(whispering)

This post introduced homemade mapo tofu tips. Did you find it helpful!? If so, please like it~

See you next time.

(Bald character winking and giving a thumbs-up)

Bye~

[Comments][2]

Secret Comment. [2023.06.23]

Secret Comment. [2023.07.03]

Sh*t. I couldn’t help cursing. The emoticons were annoying, and the post didn’t contain any tips.

I closed the blog and returned to Google. What the hell was that?

I was drained after reading the blog; I closed the laptop, got up, and flopped onto my bed. But there were positives.

I’d chosen a menu, and I’d contacted a friend outside of school. It wasn’t bad… Lost in thought, I picked up my phone.

[Whatcha doin?]

Sending the message was impulsive.