Chapter 108 – Result – Part 16

Chapter 108 – Result – Part 16

-I didn’t mishear that, did I?

“Yes, it’s a Snack Bar that gives you a Hormone Quartet as a gift when you eat there.”

-Hormones?

“Endorphin, Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin.”

These four hormones are sometimes secreted differently, but if induced with a positive mindset, they can bring good effects.

Endorphin makes you feel happy and boosts immunity, while Serotonin makes you feel fun, joy, and the peacefulness that Woojin likes.

Serotonin also transforms into Melatonin, helping you get enough sleep.

Third, Dopamine is deeply related to the pleasure center, but if it is induced in another direction, it can lead to good concentration and immersion.

Oxytocin is the most important hormone for childbirth, but it is also a hormone that comes from human interaction.

Intimacy or trust.

When a mother holds her baby or gently caresses it, both the mother and the baby secrete Oxytocin.

Seeing this, one can understand the intimacy and trust that Oxytocin brings.

The party of these four hormones could be fully felt at the restaurant.

Of course, it would depend on who the other person was.

-……Hahahaha! I don’t quite understand what you mean, but if Woojin is special, there must be something to it. Then I’ll see you there tomorrow. Please send me the address.

“Yes. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Woojin, who had hung up the phone, opened his mouth as if to mumble.

“I won’t leave it alone.”

He would not let anything he loved disappear.

Never.

Woojin, who had lightly organized his thoughts, opened his cellphone and accessed YouTube to check something.

[We apologize. We are taking down this video as it may have caused harm to some viewers. We will return with better videos.]

The video about the Synesthete Unknown (Actor) was taken down.

This showed that Lee Hyerim’s response was very fast.

That was just like Hyerim.

And it had to be that way.

Woojin lay on the bed, placing his hands folded over his stomach.

He closed his eyes and thought about the Unconscious for a moment.

The Unconscious that reacted absolutely to hormones, the moment Woojin realized the Unconscious was chasing hormones, he began to take control of it.

He called it out and used it, and also observed it.

But he still couldn’t draw any clear conclusions.

He couldn’t answer whether moving in reaction to hormones was ordinary, or if controlling hormones and living with awareness of the brain was ordinary.

Because of that, he needed to experience more and look into his brain and body.

He needed to observe himself like a third party.

Therefore, he had to keep experiencing new things.

Woojin’s lips subtly curved upwards, erasing these thoughts.

The bed was soft, and the pillow supported his neck perfectly.

He felt his body relax and the muscles in his cheekbones loosen.

A peaceful state, free from worries and idle thoughts.

Melatonin, as if caressing Woojin’s body, was guiding him into a comfortable sleep.

***

The next day.

Prosecutor Kim Cheolung stood before the Deputy Manager Prosecutor.

The Deputy Manager Prosecutor, who had been sitting and flipping through documents, tossed the case files onto the table.

“Conclude this case with Choi Gibaek Mirae Industry.”

“Oh, why are you doing this, sir?”

“If I tell you to conclude it, then conclude it. Handle your own cases well. Why are you stirring things up so much? Let’s not live so tiresomely.”

“That bastard Lee Yohwan is a drug addict. A drug addict.”

“Do you have proof? Proof?”

I’ll find the evidence.

Hey, if you mess with this, you’ll get nowhere. Do you want to be stuck in a loop your whole life? Drop it? Understood?

When Kim Cheolung didn’t answer, the Deputy Manager Prosecutor glared at him and spoke again.

Answer me.

Public opinion…

Public opinion dies down when a celebrity scandal breaks. Aren’t you going to answer?

Well…

Kim Cheolung grinned and said,

Understood.

The Deputy Manager Prosecutor waved his hand as if he had a headache.

You can go.

Kim Cheolung bowed to the Deputy Manager Prosecutor and immediately left the office.

And looking at the door he’d just exited, he stuck out his tongue.

First, he would just do it.

Kim Cheolung turned around and went straight to his office.

And he told the Investigator,

Choi Gibaek will definitely get a prison sentence. Lee Yohwan will put an actor in his place. Let’s go after that guy first.

The Investigator stretched and replied,

Oh dear… I hope my head doesn’t get cut off too.

Don’t worry. I have enough money to open a shop. The Investigator can serve, and I’ll light the charcoal.

As the Investigator chuckled, Kim Cheolung clapped his hands.

Alright, let’s get started.

***

Woojin was in Noryangjin.

And he looked up at the sign in front of him.

[Brain Food]

It was the start of a full-fledged franchise, with a second branch opening.

Woojin entered and looked around.

There were many people, and English was playing on the TVs mounted around the ceiling, with subtitles simultaneously displayed.

They were videos related to the brain.

Stories about brain-desired foods, brain-beneficial foods, and brain cells flowed out like motivational speeches.

Woojin ignored the gazes that shot at him like arrows from all directions and ordered a Ciabatta, which was the CEO of Brain Food.

He received his food, sat down, and took a big bite.

Chewing on the Ciabatta, Woojin nodded his head.

It was a taste where the recipe was strictly followed.

After finishing with a Cola, Woojin left the store. No, as if CEOing the gazes that were on Woojin, someone’s voice was heard.

“Excuse me… aren’t you Synesthete Unknown (Actor)?

“No, I’m not. Oh, I feel smarter already after eating Brain Food.”

Woojin said that and left the store.

And from a little distance, he watched the store for a moment.

The people who sought Brain Food were diverse.

People entering with sparkling eyes out of curiosity, people looking for the store with tired faces. Parents entering with their child’s hand.

Their Room styles of living were different, but their thought was one.

They wanted healthy food and food that helped the brain.

Therefore, the Noryangjin second branch had an extremely low chance of failing.

Of course, it was also delicious, and if the food actually helped the brain with Ira, and the Placebo Effect also worked, it would be the icing on the cake.

Woojin, who had been leisurely watching the store, soon turned around and disappeared among the crowd.

As lunchtime passed and evening approached, Woojin, wearing a hat, found Ujeong Bunsik.

Woojin had a plastic bag in his hand.

The Ajumma smiled broadly and welcomed Woojin.

“Handsome student Woojin is here again? You seem to get handsomer every day.”

“Hello. I’ll have some fish cakes.”

“To go?”

“No. I’ll eat here.”

Woojin stood outside, grabbed a fish cake, and dipped it in soy sauce.

Then he brought it to his mouth and chewed.

But he couldn’t really taste it.

Because Woojin’s attention was focused on the madam.

Estimated age: 47.

Dryness and blemishes on her face, and small cracks on her lips.

She has a deficit of vitamins A, B2, B6, and zinc.

She mostly gets her energy from carbohydrates, but she lacks nutrition because she doesn’t eat a variety of side dishes.

She opened a snack bar four years ago and is raising two sons alone.

Her hands are chapped and rough, and her spine is curved.

Her pelvis is also misaligned, so her gait is not good.

However.

The madam offered Woojin the fish cake broth in a paper cup.

“Here, it’s cold, so drink this while you eat.”

She never loses her smile.

But in Woojin’s eyes, the worries hidden behind the madam’s smile were clearly visible.

“One serving of spicy rice cakes, please.”

“Are you eating alone today? It’s cold, come inside and eat.”

Because Woojin always took his food to go.

“It’s okay. Someone else is coming too.”

“A friend?”

“An actor.”

The auntie’s eyes widened as she handed Woojin the tteokbokki.

But she quickly smiled again.

“Oh… So your friend’s name is Actor.”

“No, the person who acts. Actor Park Inhyeok.”

The auntie’s pupils shifted slightly upwards.

She couldn’t remember who that was.

“Wow… Student Woojin has wide connections. He even knows actors.”

“I guess it just happened as I went about my daily life. Could I get a spoon?”

“Of course, of course.”

Woojin, having received a spoon, took something out of the plastic bag he had brought.

They were two kinds of seasoning.

Woojin slightly tore open a bag, took a pinch with a spoon, and mixed it into the tteokbokki.

He then put the tteokbokki into his mouth and nodded.

The auntie, who had been quietly watching the scene, opened her mouth with a wry smile.

“Are you making your own recipe?”

“Would you like to try some?”

Woojin poked a piece of tteokbokki with a toothpick and offered it to her.

The auntie took the tteokbokki Woojin offered and ate it with a curious expression.

But then.

The auntie’s eyes widened dramatically.

“Oh my! Why is this so delicious!?”

The tteokbokki tasted sweeter, and though it seemed salty, it wasn’t.

The savory flavor felt amplified as if a volcano of umami had erupted.

Woojin nodded and spoke.

I added a little chicken stock and, most importantly, a little more of something else.

White powder?

Woojin nodded meaningfully and opened his mouth.

Miwon. Miwon is the most important.

Woojin poked at the tteokbokki and continued speaking.

There’s no scientific basis to the claim that MSG is harmful to the human body. As times change, people simply create prejudices to tempt others. In fact, the lethal dose due to toxicity is higher for salt than for MSG. MSG is also 40 times safer.

The aunt blinked.

I’m not sure what you mean, but…

You mean MSG isn’t bad?

Yes.

Just then, Woojin put on the mask he had prepared and looked back.

A sports car was parking.

Soon, Actor Park Inhyeok emerged from it.

Over here.

Park Inhyeok, with his hat pulled low, looked around and approached Woojin.

He’d thought, ‘No way, he wouldn’t really suggest eating something at a snack bar,’ but Woojin was actually eating.

Long time no see, Woojin. Is this place really that good?

Try it.

Wow… I used to eat a lot of tteokbokki as a side dish with drinks.

Park Inhyeok picked up a piece of tteokbokki with the toothpick Woojin handed him and put it in his mouth.

What is this? Why is it so good?

He had thought it would just taste like the tteokbokki sold in any neighborhood, but he was wrong.

It was an explosion of umami.

This time, he also brought an fish cake to his mouth.

Park Inhyeok’s eyes widened as he asked the aunt,

“Auntie, I think you could franchise this? It’s really delicious!”

The auntie could only gape, unable to answer.

Having an actor often seen in commercials standing before her made it feel unreal.

“This is really good. Auntie, please give me one more serving. Mr. Woojin, let’s go inside and eat instead of standing here, shall we?”

Park Inhyeok even shook his head in admiration.

At that, Woojin looked at the auntie and spoke again.

“Chicken stock, and most importantly, Miwon.”

Just then, as two women walked by, Woojin began calculating in candle units.

And as they were about to pass him.

“Mr. Park Inhyeok, congratulations on Synesthete probably hitting ten million viewers.”

“That’s all thanks to Mr. Woojin…”

“Mr. Park Inhyeok?”

“Kyaah! Oppa, I’m such a big fan! You’re so handsome!”

“I really enjoyed Synesthete!”

Woojin looked around.

The gazes of passersby began to turn towards them, one by one.

‘Not enough, gather more. More.’