1.
"This is why I try not to hire kids if possible. No sense of responsibility. None at all."
He'd hired her anyway since she attended a Korean university, but she was on a leave of absence, wasn't she? If he'd known that beforehand, he wouldn't have.
'Well, maybe not.'
Come to think of it, her face was so pretty that he probably would have hired her regardless, even paying extra per hour like he did now.
The middle-aged man clicked his tongue and pocketed his phone. He slipped off his shoes and walked down the hallway.
A vast space divided into sections. Instead of desks, white capsules were neatly arranged in rows. The lighting was dim, and the floor was covered in mats.
With capsule rooms trending these days, he'd invested his spare cash to create this place. Thanks to pouring in funds, the facilities were top-notch compared to nearby spots.
"Hmm..."
However, the facilities didn't translate to crowds of customers. Still, the recent hire was slowly drawing more people.
'Her cooking skills are iffy, but it's mostly simple stuff anyway.'
Her face was so stunning that middle and high schoolers from nearby came just to see her.
That alone made her high hourly wage worthwhile. If customers kept increasing, he might need to raise it soon.
'She said it takes about ten minutes to get here.'
He headed to the storage room to start cleaning. As he walked down the hallway and looped back to the entrance, the automatic door slid open, and a woman stepped inside.
A neat bob cut framing a strikingly pale face. Her eyes were calm, yet she exuded an aura that made her hard to approach.
She wore a loose shirt and jogger pants, and even that looked perfect on her. Beauty was the finishing touch to fashion, after all.
"Hayul, you're already here?"
"Yes. I ran because I thought I might be late."
He cleared his throat and scratched his head. If he'd known she'd arrive this fast, he wouldn't have called to nag.
More than anything, seeing that face melted away his irritation. No wonder there were never complaints during her shifts.
"Well then, please take care today."
"Yes."
She bowed politely and headed to the kitchen.
2.
Unlike the boss's urging, the place was dead quiet. It gave her a moment to catch her breath at the counter.
'The most suitable and exceptional body, they said.'
There was no lie in that. Moving felt completely natural now.
Of course, the gender swap was a bit much, but surprisingly, it wasn't inconvenient. Probably because of the chest size.
'Shouldn't these be ridiculously huge or something?'
In the novels she'd read, gender-swapped characters always had exaggerated proportions everywhere. Not her—everything was perfectly balanced, filling out just right where it should.
Adaptation came easily. Living as a woman from here on? That remained to be seen.
Truth be told, she hadn't expected to jump straight into work right after returning.
'What the heck is that?'
She stared at the bizarre egg-shaped machine in the distance.
Something straight out of sci-fi. A massive, rounded shell with blinking blue LEDs, and inside, space for one person to lie down.
'That's the capsule, huh.'
Knowledge surfaced in her mind.
So this was a capsule room. They called those machines 'capsules.' Now that she recognized it, it did look like one.
She stood slowly and approached. A logo reading 'Imagine Diver' came into view.
Nearby sat a small terminal, a touchpad for ordering food, and a tiny table. A system for eating after emerging from VR, it seemed.
'Like a PC bang.'
Only the machines differed; the setup felt familiar overall.
What puzzled her was how VR tech had advanced this far in just a year.
PCs versus VR capsules.
The gap was huge, sparking a sudden thought. Maybe this wasn't the world she knew.
"Hoo."
The world's unfamiliarity scared her more than becoming a woman.
As long as she could see her family, she'd be fine for now—but what if even that had changed? Her sister turning into a brother? Nah, probably not. Worst case...
"...No."
She shook her head, banishing the rising anxiety.
"Hayul."
The boss's voice from behind made her turn. He flinched at her gaze before continuing.
"Order came in."
"Got it."
Her job here was simple: cook incoming orders and serve. That was it.
He'd even mentioned hiring a dedicated cook soon, leaving her to just deliver food and clean.
'Can I really coast like this?'
Mornings were slow anyway, so she could relax and learn about this world on the side.
Entering the kitchen, an alert popped on the wall monitor.
[Seat 32] [1x Spam Kimchi Fried Rice] [1x Zero Cola]
Kimchi fried rice, huh.
A staple from her solo living days before the otherworld. She'd used cheap tuna or canned ham instead of pricey Spam, though.
She grabbed a frying pan and lit the burner. The gas flame below brought unexpected relief.
'Yep, I'm back on Earth.'
She chopped green onions fine, then cubed the ham into bite-sized pieces.
"Kimchi..."
She pulled out store-bought kimchi and diced it into chunks. Texture in the mouth mattered most.
After prepping, she oiled the pan and tossed in the green onions.
Sizzle—
As the scallion oil formed, she added the ham and stir-fried. Once the Spam browned, in went the diced kimchi, flame cranked high to evaporate moisture.
The kimchi aroma hit hard—deep, almost magical.
'Gonna be delicious...'
Seeing it all golden made her mouth water. With superhuman restraint, she held back and reached for seasonings.
"Oyster sauce..."
Soy sauce, oyster sauce. Chili powder for color. Sugar for a hint of sweet. A squeeze of mayo, then mixed with the spatula.
Finally, sesame oil, instant rice dumped in, and a good stir-fry to finish.
"Ah, fried egg."
No fried egg on fried rice? Criminal.
Crack crack—
New pan, generous oil, crack eggs in. Fry like tempura for crispy whites and vibrant yolk—Chinese restaurant style.
"Phew."
She plated the perfect kimchi fried rice, topped with the egg. Ice in a cup, filled with Zero Cola.
Press—
Completed the order on the monitor and headed to Seat 32.
A man lay inside the translucent cover. Another capsule beside—couple seat, maybe.
'So that's how they use 'em.'
Set the tray on the front table and exited. The fried rice scent filled the hallway. As she returned to the kitchen and sat—
Ding—
Alarm with a new order. Same 'Spam Kimchi Fried Rice.' She rose to cook again when—
Ding— Ding— Ding—
"Ah."
Orders piled up: one, two, three... four, five... screen filled in a blink.
[Seat 32] [1x Spicy Ramen] [1x Zero Cola] [Seat 24] [1x Spam Kimchi Fried Rice] [1x Zero Cola] [Seat 13] [1x Spam Kimchi Fried Rice]
"...What is this?"
She stared blankly, then bolted to the commercial fridge.
Having done it once, prep and workflow were seamless. Kimchi fried rice scaled well for batches—perfect.
Just weird how identical orders kept pouring in. The smell, maybe?
'But jjajang ramen? That spread by scent?'
Thoughts raced, but hands moved steadily on prep.
"Hayul, you okay? Looks like a ton of orders..."
The boss's anxious voice from the side. She turned.
"Eyes off me—focus or it'll burn."
Their eyes met; he blurted urgently.
"This much? Pfft... I'm used to it."
In the otherworld, she'd cooked far larger batches at once.
Monstrous physiques demanded monstrous meals. Oddly, no bathroom trips despite it all.
'Magic handles all bodily functions, right?'
If not... She stopped there. The rest was too grim to imagine.
"...Used to it?"
"Yes."
He eyed her dubiously. Probably not normal volume.
"Got it. I'll trust you for now. Call if you need help."
"Yes."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
She quietly gazed at the kimchi fried rice before her.
No ham—just kimchi and rice, topped with egg. She took a bite.
A dish she'd shared often with her sister in their cramped studio. Tuna to save cash. Filled the belly, so fine.
Too hectic since returning to Earth to feel it, but now it sank in: she was back in her original world.
'Wonder what sister's up to...'
How had she coped after I vanished? A funeral? Sis was tough—she'd manage. A mere hope, but.
'Head to our old place after shift.'
Would sis even be there? If not, where to go?
Ding— Ding—
Alerts shattered her thoughts. She sighed deeply and dove back into the frenzy. For now, just focus on cooking.
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