Cain’s expression changed. He might have felt uncomfortable with the suggestion to become an attraction, but Satin had no other choice. With the business on the verge of failure, there was little else he could do.
Satin tried to persuade Cain, saying, “My face alone won’t attract customers. But you, you’re really handsome. If you stand in front, people will flock to us.”
“Do you really think so?” Cain asked.
“Of course! I’ve never seen anyone as good-looking as you. If I woke up with amnesia and you were the first person I saw, I’d think I was in heaven.”
Though exaggerated, the words seemed to please Cain, as his expression softened.
Satin continued to encourage him, “Everyone will wonder what you’re eating and come over. They’ll even strike up conversations. Don’t girls talk to you when you’re alone?”
“No, they don’t,” Cain replied.
“I can’t believe it. You must be putting up a wall. If you smiled more…”
Before Satin could finish, Cain’s lips curled into a slight smile. Though it was a familiar face, the gentle smile made him seem unfamiliar. Satin felt a flush and fanned himself with a spatula.
“Ahem, yes. Like that. Everyone would be dying to talk to you.”
“So, I just need to stand there?” Cain asked.
“Yes, I’ll make the pancakes, and you eat them. Slowly, so people get curious. You know what I mean?”
Cain nodded and stood up, positioning himself in front of the stall like a customer. Satin poured batter onto the griddle and carefully arranged green onions.
“What would you like on it?” Satin asked.
“Meat,” Cain replied.
“Shrimp?”
“Sure.”
“Peppers?”
Cain looked away without answering. Satin smiled and added meat and dried shrimp powder to the green onions.
The aroma of the food attracted passersby, or perhaps it was Cain’s face, as part of Satin’s strategy.
“What are you selling?” two young women asked.
“Pancakes. Made with green onions and batter, and you can add meat,” Satin explained calmly, determined not to lose these customers. Meanwhile, Cain’s pancake was ready.
Satin cut the pancake into manageable pieces and shaped a thick paper into a cone to use as a dish. He stuck a thin skewer in it instead of a fork, and the watching customers whispered, “That looks convenient to eat on the go.”
“It does, doesn’t it?”
Cain ate the pancake slowly, as instructed. Satin stared at him until Cain remembered to say, “It’s delicious.”
This seemed to be the cue for the customers to order pancakes. It was their first sale.
***
Satin was worried, “What if word spreads and we get a line of customers? I can’t make them that fast.”
But his hopes were dashed again.
“I can’t believe the handsome guy strategy didn’t work…”
To be fair, it wasn’t a complete failure. Many people showed interest in Cain, but they only glanced and circled around before leaving. Only three out of those who approached the stall and asked about the menu actually placed an order.
Out of twenty servings, they sold three, and Cain ate one. Eighty percent of the ingredients remained.
“This is a disaster,” Satin muttered.
“…Maybe I’m not handsome enough,” Cain said, unusually dejected. Satin hurriedly tried to reassure him.
“No, you can’t get any more handsome than you already are. You’re plenty handsome. Really.”
“But I’m not attracting any customers,” Cain replied.
“Well, your impression can’t be fixed overnight, so it can’t be helped.”
“…….”
“Yes, it’s just your expression that’s the problem. Your face is fine!”
The compliment didn’t seem to cheer Cain up, and he sulkily returned to sit inside the stall. Satin wondered if having a grumpy handsome man was better than nothing, when a customer approached.
“Welcome!” Satin greeted.
“What do you sell here? Is business good?” the man asked.
Satin brightened, but the man wasn’t a customer. He wore an apron, indicating he was a nearby food vendor. Whatever he was selling, he seemed to be doing very well.
Satin, hiding his envy, replied, “We sell pancakes. They’re made with flour batter and green onions.”
“Give me one,” the vendor said.
Any customer was welcome, so Satin quickly made a pancake.
The bearded vendor took a bite and made an indecipherable sound, “Mmm.” Satin couldn’t tell if it was a good or bad reaction.
The vendor suddenly handed the cone back to Satin. “Wait here. I have an idea.”
“What?” Satin asked, confused.
The vendor rushed off, leaving Satin bewildered. He belatedly realized he might have been tricked.
‘Was that a dine-and-dash?’ Satin wondered. But the vendor had only taken one bite. Maybe the pancake was that bad.
Satin felt deeply hurt. Maybe it was time to give up. He had barely made any sales, despite Cole’s parents securing them a spot.
Had Cain been forcing himself to eat something he didn’t like? Maybe his sister had too.
‘No, my sister genuinely liked it. She’s Korean, after all,’ Satin thought.
As Satin sulked, he felt a comforting presence in his right pocket. It was the Sacred Relic, offering support.
—Don’t give up hope, hero. I have a good idea.
“You brought that thing here?” Cain exclaimed before Satin could ask what the idea was.
Satin sheepishly explained, “I thought it needed some fresh air…”
—Thank you, but there’s no breeze in your pocket, hero.
Satin sighed and threatened, “Want to go into the fire?”
—Ah, no thank you. Your body heat is enough.
Before Satin could scold the Sacred Relic further, the vendor returned, carrying cheese and a grater. He must have been a cheese seller.
Without explanation, the vendor said, “Give that back to me. It’s still hot, right?”
“Uh, yes…” Satin handed over the pancake cone.
The vendor grated a generous amount of cheese onto the pancake. The cheese melted beautifully over the hot pancake. He took a bite and looked immensely satisfied.
“Yes, this is the taste! It’s perfect!” he exclaimed.
He offered a piece to Satin, who was skeptical of fusion cuisine. But one bite changed his mind.
‘This is delicious!’ Satin thought. The cheese enhanced the pancake’s flavor without making it too greasy.
The vendor, seeing Satin’s reaction, grinned and paid for the pancake. “Wait here,” he said, disappearing again.
Suddenly, Cain stood up and started to follow the vendor.
“Hey, where are you going?” Satin called out.
Satin, still chewing the cheese pancake, asked Cain where he was going, but Cain didn’t answer. He narrowed his eyes, staring at Satin’s cheek, and asked, “How can you accept food from another man?”
“What are you talking about?” Satin asked, confused.
“I’m going to set the market on fire,” Cain declared.
“Are you crazy?” Satin exclaimed, quickly swallowing the pancake.
“I’m joking,” Cain muttered.
“Really?” Satin asked, skeptical.
Cain didn’t respond, but Satin knew he had never been good at jokes. Satin’s doubtful gaze made Cain look away briefly before sitting back down.
‘I have two kids to deal with. Two kids,’ Satin thought, exasperated.
Just then, the vendor from earlier reappeared, pulling a small cart. He parked it next to Satin and Cain’s stall.
“What’s all this?” Satin asked, bewildered.
The vendor grinned. “We’re going into business together. You sell, I sell. We both make money.”
“Is your business not doing well either?” Satin asked, assuming the vendor was in the same boat.
The vendor laughed heartily. “No, I sold out. This stuff is from my shop.”
“Oh, I see…” Satin felt a momentary kinship disappear.
Still, the offer of a partnership was appealing. After a brief consideration, Satin nodded, and the vendor beamed.
“Trust me, I’ll sell it all. Hey, handsome, come out here. Don’t just hide back there,” the vendor called out to Cain.
“Handsome?” Cain frowned, but the vendor paid no mind.
“Come on, get out here! Don’t you want to sell?” the vendor urged.
Cain hesitantly stepped out, and to his surprise, the vendor suddenly started dancing enthusiastically. Satin rarely saw Cain look so flustered.
The vendor slapped Cain on the back. “Come on, dance!” he encouraged.
Cain stood there, bewildered, unsure of how to react.
