Magpie Tower: 1-4 The Key Seasoning

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After some effort, the key seasoning for making tofu oyster stew finally comes to light...

Info

Style: Recommended: Heartbeat Rhythm, Light Footsteps Rewards: 3,000 , 600 , 3 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Flower and Youth Guide

Flower and Youth Guide

Dialogue Choices

Note: Changing choices when replaying will cost 5

I glance at Ha-jun, who is frowning, and then at Mi-ok, who is silent, her head bowed.

• I'll try again
  • Story continues
• Sorry, I can't cook that for you
  • Obtain Ending: Temporary Interactions

You: The key seasoning that can enhance the ocean flavor of oyster hotpot is...

• Fish sauce
  • Obtain Ending: A Chef's Regret
• Shrimp paste
  • Story continues

Transcript

Expand for script.

• Wash the oysters, chop the white radish, celery, scallions, and red chili pepper.
• Boil carrot chunks in kelp soup, add soft tofu cut in halves, oysters, celery, scallion, red chilli...
• The tofu oyster pot isn't hard to prepare at all. Soon, it's ready to serve.

• I bring the steaming tofu oyster pot to Mi-ok's table. Ha-jun has already set the tableware for her.

• You: Here you go, Mi-ok~ It's the special dish you wanted to eat.

• An Mi-ok: Thank you... I'll, I'll begin.

• Mi-ok picks up a spoon and puts a spoonful of soup into her mouth.
• Then she picks up a piece of oyster with the chopsticks and slowly savors it, followed by a piece of tender tofu.
• Mi-ok elegantly chews and swallows. I watch with anticipation.

• You: Is the soup to your taste?

• An Mi-ok: It's... It's delicious.

• An Mi-ok: But... it's not... not the taste I remember.

• You: The taste you remember? What does it taste like in your memories?

• An Mi-ok: When, when I sip the soup... I feel... the ocean.

• You: The ocean? Is the soup not salty enough?

• Mi-ok gently shakes her head.

• Lee Ha-jun: I'm afraid this isn't appropriate, Mi-ok.

• Lee Ha-jun: This is a fried chicken restaurant. You said you wanted to eat oyster tofu pot, so Ha-yeon went to buy fresh oysters.

• Lee Ha-jun: But now you're being picky about this soup and how it differs from the taste in your memory.

• An Mi-ok: I'm really... thankful to Ha-yeon.

• An Mi-ok: I'm sorry... what I said earlier... was inappropriate.

• Mi-ok's eyes overflow with apologetic embarrassment.

• Lee Ha-jun: I think this incident should come to an end here, Ha-yeon.

• I glance at Ha-jun, who is frowning, and then at Mi-ok, who is silent, her head bowed.

I'll try again

• You: Maybe I can go home and look for the recipe my dad left behind, to see if I missed any key seasoning.

• Ha-jun and Mi-ok look at me.

• You: Alright. Mi-ok, could you leave me your phone number?

• You: When I manage to create an oyster tofu pot with a strong taste of the sea, I will call you.

• Mi-ok hesitates for a moment. But there is a faint smile on Ha-jun's lips.

• Lee Ha-jun: A stubborn person never listens to what others say.

• You: A third-rate chef makes dishes that fill people up. A second-rate chef makes dishes that taste good.

• You: And a top-notch chef can cook dishes that will soothe people's hearts.

• Lee Ha-jun: Was that a quote from your father?

• You: No, it's the advice my mother tells to my father.

• You: Will you please wait for my call, Mi-ok?

• An Mi-ok: I will... wait for you.

• When I get home, I search through all the boxes and cupboards for my father's recipe book.
• When you're in a hurry to find something, it's always somehow hard to find.

• You: Is it... in the box at the top of the bookcase?

• I drag a chair over to climb on top of it.

• You: Where is it?

• After a long search with no result, I'm so frustrated that I stomp my foot.
• *crack* The chair breaks and I fall to the ground.

• You: Ouch...

• I sit up, wincing in pain.

• You: (When I get upset, I unconsciously lose control of my strength.)

• You: (Uncontrolled strength can harm others as well as myself...)

• *thunk* A notebook falls from the bookshelf and hits me on the head before landing on the floor.

• You: Ow...

• I pick up the notebook and burst into laughter.

• You: This is Dad's recipe book!

Tofu oyster stew:

- 1 box of tender tofu

- 1 bag of oysters

- 1 radish about 4 inches long and about 1 inch thick

- 1 bunch of water celery

- 6 inches of scallions

- 1 red chili pepper

- 2 pieces of kelp 2 inches by 2 inches

- 1 quart of water

- 1 tablespoon of shrimp paste

• You: The key seasoning that can enhance the ocean flavor of oyster hotpot is...

Fish sauce

• You: Fish sauce is made by pickling small fish and shrimp, fermenting and refining them, and has the function of enhancing the flavor of dishes.

• You: Alright, I will go buy fish sauce tomorrow.

• I cook the tofu oyster pot again and add fish sauce.
• Unfortunately, Mi-ok still says the taste of the soup is not the same as the one in her memory.
• She apologizes to me repeatedly and gives me a handmade item as a gift to show her gratitude.
• After that, I don't see Mi-ok again. After a while, Ha-jun resigns as well...

If it's not this one, it has to be the other one.
Recipes are very important for chefs!
Ending [A Chef's Regret]

Shrimp paste

• You: Shrimp paste is made from fermented shrimps. It has a delicious taste and can work magic in enhancing the flavor of dishes.

• You: Alright, I will go buy shrimp paste tomorrow.

• The next day, I buy shrimp paste and cook the tofu oyster pot again.
• With the addition of shrimp paste for flavor enhancement, the oyster meat becomes more delicious, and the tender tofu that absorbs the broth also becomes more flavorful.

• You: Hmm, now there's a smell of the sea.

• Kim Seon-woo: Is Ha-yeon here?

• You: I'm—

• Seon-woo pushes open the door and walks in.

• You: Work hasn't started yet. Are you here to ask me for something?

• Kim Seon-woo: The senior members of the dance troupe brought back chocolate from Switzerland. I'd like you to have some.

• You: Perhaps I can coat deep fried potatoes in chocolate sauce. Want to experiment with me?

• Kim Seon-woo: Sounds delicious, but the calorie count would be too high for me.

• Seon-woo sniffs and looks at the tofu oyster pot on the table.

• Kim Seon-woo: Huh? Are you making oyster and tofu pot?

• You: There is a special guest who wants to try this soup. Would you like to taste it?

• I hand the spoon to Seon-woo. He takes a sip of the soup and smacks his lips, savoring the taste of the soup.

• Kim Seon-woo: It is delicious, and you even added shrimp paste to enhance the flavor. However...

• Kim Seon-woo: Oyster shrimp sauce from G County is the best seasoning for tofu oyster stew.

• You: You're surprisingly knowledgeable in this regard.

• Kim Seon-woo: My father is also a chef, and growing up by the seaside has made him very familiar with seafood recipes.

• Kim Seon-woo: I'm always by his side, so naturally I know some things.

• Kim Seon-woo: I have oyster shrimp sauce at home, and my father buys it from an manufacturer in G County.

• Kim Seon-woo: If you need some, I can give it to you.

• You: Then I won't stand on ceremony. Wait for me. I'll get changed and go with you.

• I walk together with Seon-woo. His home is not far away.
• While walking, I recall seeing Seon-woo entering the hospital two days ago.

• You: By the way, Seon-woo, I saw you heading to the hospital a couple of days ago. Are you feeling unwell?

• He's a bit startled and gives a vague answer.

• Kim Seon-woo: Oh, didn't I say... I pulled a muscle while dancing.

• You: Is the injury severe?

• You: (When Seon-woo accidentally spilled lemon tea on Ga-eun that day, he kept holding a hand to his chest, as if he was in pain.)

• Kim Seon-woo: It's not serious... accidentally pulled a muscle while doing an exercise. Not a big deal.

• You: What did the doctor say?

• Kim Seon-woo: The doctor said... apply some ointment and rest for two days.

• Seon-woo speaks hesitantly and avoids eye contact.

• Kim Seon-woo: Just two more intersections, and you will arrive at my house.

• Seon-woo changes the topic and we discuss whether to offer chocolate sauce as a new dipping sauce.
• Soon, we arrive at his doorstep.

• Kim Seon-woo: Wait for me, I'll go in to get the shrimp sauce.

• You: Thank you, Seon-woo.

• I wait outside, feeling relaxed.
• The cherry blossom tree by the roadside is blooming. The wind blows and scatters the petals, which fall like snow.
• A loud crash shatters the tranquility of the moment.

• ???: Will you even have a man's strength after the surgery?!

• More shattering noises can be heard.

• ???: Can you truly call yourself a man without all your muscles intact?

• Kim Seon-woo: There's no need to get so worked up about it. No matter how you feel, the decision has been made.

• You: (Who is Seon-woo arguing with? What's the surgery about?)

• ???: You're nothing like what my son is supposed to be!

• A door slams, and a middle-aged man appears.

• Kim Jae-min: Like father like son? Hmph!

• Kim Jae-min: That boy doesn't resemble me in the slightest!

• You: Huh? Isn't that Mister Explosive who runs a food stall near the market?

• Kim Jae-min's stern eyes sweep over me.

• Kim Jae-min: If you want to eat spicy stir-fried rice cakes, the food stall is open from 6pm to 2am.

• He puts his hands behind his back, hunches up and strides away.

• You: (He sells spicy fried rice cakes, spicy fried squid and other spicy snacks, and his temper is even hotter than chili sauce.)

• You: (That's why his customers call him Mister Explosive.)

• You: I would never have imagined him to be Seon-woo's father.

• Kim Seon-woo: Are you surprised?

• Seon-woo comes out and hands me the shrimp paste.

• You: Thank you.

• Kim Seon-woo: Even if we were to walk side by side, no one would think we're father and son.

• You: I don't understand what you were arguing about, but...

• You: What's the surgery that Mr. Kim mentioned?

• Kim Seon-woo: It's... I'm just feeling a little unwell and may need to undergo a minor surgery.

• You: On the way here, you clearly said that it's just a muscle strain...

• You: Seon-woo... Are you really okay?

• Seon-woo lifts the corners of his mouth and tries to smile at me.

• Kim Seon-woo: I am fine.

• I look at his forced smile, and my heart aches.

• You: (I am all too familiar with this sort of smile...)

• You: (I used to get mocked by my classmates. Mom would ask me, "Ha-yeon, are you really okay?")

• You: (And I always smiled back at her like this...)

• Kim Seon-woo: I will have to go back to the dance troupe for training later, so I won't be able to see you off.

• Kim Seon-woo: I hope you can make an oyster tofu pot that satisfies the customer.

• Seon-woo waves at me gently and turns around to walk back into his home.
• I look at the shrimp paste bottle in my hand, and my heart feels heavy.

• You: (Seon-woo has been visiting the restaurant regularly for two years.)

• You: (I thought I knew him well, but actually I don't know him at all.)

• You: (Just like me and my heavily bandaged heart. I don't reveal my past to others easily.)

• You: Do we all learn magic in the process of growing up?

• With a forced smile and phrases like "I'm fine," we cast a concealment spell on our secrets.
• What secret is Seon-woo hiding behind his pretense of nonchalance?

Sorry, I can't cook that for you

• You: I'm sorry, Mi-ok.

• You: Maybe my cooking skills are not quite there yet, and I can't make a soup that satisfies you.

• An Mi-ok: N-not at all... I've been troubling you.

• Mi-ok apologizes to me repeatedly and gives me a handmade item as a gift to show her gratitude.

• I don't see Mi-ok again.
• After a while, Ha-jun resigns... Even the magpie that used to visit the restaurant seems to have left for good.
• During our lives, we meet many people, but most of these encounters are destined to be fleeting.

When you encounter difficulties, do not lose heart. Be brave and try again.
If you don't have confidence in yourself, it's difficult for others to trust you.
Ending [Temporary Interactions]