After lazing around for a while, Hyo goes to prepare the five grain rice, while I head off to fetch kimchi and begin cleaning and seasoning the vegetables as Raesung and Yoo-ah return.
Not long thereafter the old man trio returns, as Hyo obviously annoyed at their disappearance begins questioning them, "Where did you guys go?"
Gu-ro snidely remarks "You will be really sorry, once you know what we did"
Nongshin and Taesuk then shout giddily, "Yoo-ah, we come bearing gifts!" as they hold a plastic bag towards the sky proudly.
Hyo asks, "What is it?"
"Meat! the headman of the neighboring village gave us some," The respond confidently.
Well, thankfully one of the perks of growing up by yourself is that you become really good at feeding yourself. I'm pretty decent behind the kitchen counter.
As such I begin taking over the kitchen dutie, as I seriously doubt this group could ever make anything decent if I leave it in their hands.
After marinating the pork in a mixture of pepper paste, soy sauce and sugar for about 10 minutes.
I start grilling the fresh green onions and kimchi, thereafter I add the pork and stir fry the ingredients together topping it with sesame oil and sprinkle in some toasted sesame seeds.
Letting the mixture rest, I make my way over to Yoo-ah, who is busying herself cutting the ingredients for the Doenjang Jjigae. Assisting her with making sure the tofu and zucchini are cut into 1-inch cubes.
I then instruct her to do the same with the radish into thin small squares. While I thinly slice the onion, peppers and meat.
Raesung wants to start the soybean stew but by the way he is going about it, there will be no flavour. Luckily I manage to stop him in time and have him go work on the molasses pastries, that is basically a fried rice cake made with molasses. No way someone can screw that up right?
After preheating a small pot with a little bit of oil.
I Sauté the meat, soybean paste, and chili pepper flakes. Then I add the water and stir well to dissolve the soy bean paste.
Thereafter I add the diced up vegetables and throw in roughly broken scallion and a little vinegar with only a minute or two remaining,
As Hyo finishes the five grain rice. The rest begin setting up the table for dinner.
Clearly impressed with my cooking, Nonshin is the first to state his praise,
"Dylan! This is seriously good (referring to the stir fry), you can even sell it and people won't hesitate to spend their money"
Raesung responds, "Hyung, try the soybean stew! It's even better"
Various reactions of "Waah" , "Oooh" , "Wow" and "Delicious" begin around the dinner table.
Their reactions are made for TV.
After eating his fill, a fully satisfied Taesuk speaks up, "Dylan, whoever marries you will really have a happy life"
I laugh and motion to the PD, "Please keep that in!"
"Don't worry Dylan, you'll get a lot of airtime" He says, as he looks towards me
Washing up, we begin making our way back to the open field under the cover of nightfall, where we are off to burn the moon shrine we had set up earlier.
On New Year's full moon, burning the moon shrine and saying wishes to avoid misfortune, is a traditional event.
It is a tradition where you burn the grass from the fields to kill pests and make fertilizer from the ash.
All under the guidance and expertise of professionals obviously.
Amazed at the sight of the tall flames, which are illumined by the full moon. Our jaws can't help but drop and we can't help but exclaim in astonishment.
As we all gaze at the moon, we each silently make a prayer.
'As the moon shrine burns higher. Hopefully this year's harvest will be bountiful and our wishes will come true....'
The bamboo begins to release crackling sounds under the torture of the flames, which leads Taesuk to explain, "The sound of the pops are supposed to be driving bad luck away."
"Oh really?" I can't help but unconsciously blurt out.
Standing next to me, Hyo's face is illuminated by the glow of the flame, as her voice is filled with awe saying, "Its really pretty right?"
Looking into her dark eyes, that has parts filled with a golden reflection. I can't stop myself staring as I slowly whisper breathless, "Yeah, really really, pretty"
She nods her head, growing uncomfortable under my stare.
Not missing a beat, Taesuk spots this, ruining the mood
"Hey Hyolan! Stop flirting over there!"
" Hyolan?" I question
Raesung answers, "Hyo and Dylan. Hyolan? What you think? I came up with it. Pretty smart right?"
"Annoyingly so"
'If only you used your brain for good.'
It takes a moment, before I realise something. Something extremely horrible.
The NETIZENS!
"Nooo, don't couple me with noona. I'm going to be murdered by noona's fans" I protest
Hyo then slaps my shoulders at my overreaction, "As if! I can already see the comments. 'What's that ahjumma doing flirting with someone half her age'"
Taesuk laughs and teases both of us, pretending to put on a bib "Both of you! Sit down and prepare to eat criticism!"
As the flame begins dying down and settling, Yoo-ah and the crew begin setting up.
Apparently she has prepared a 'special stage' a.k.a promotion.
Music soon starts playing and I recognize the beat almost instantly.
"It's so bright, my eyes are blinded.... No No No No No"
It's GEE!! OMG It's Gee!!!
'You can take the Otaku out of his world. But you can't take the Otaku out of him!'
Yoo-ah begins dancing along, who would have thought I'd get to see such a performance live in person. Tickets were always sold out instantly and also, ridiculously expensive!
In a field next a flame. I can't help but sing and dance along.
"I'm so surprised Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh"
"I'm shocked, my body's trembling
"Gee Gee Gee Gee Gee"
Just as I'm really getting into it, the music cuts and Yoo-ah goes over to fetch a baseball cap.
This begins Yoo-ah's sexy cover of Hyo song '10 minutes.'
Which causes the not only the male case' to lose their collective minds but the male staff as well.
Her body moves seductively but I can't help but think it's a little out of place.
Not to say she isn't good, it's really good! really really good!
She's got the attitude, timing, looks and everything,
It's just not.... Hyo
Nonetheless as she finishes she shyly bows as the field erupts in celebration.
Taesuk, then brings up the next segment quite smoothly.
"Before we begin the ranking battle, deciding who has the better bedroom. Dylan is there anything you prepared to appeal yourself?"
'He asks as if, he has no idea about what the crew had prepared.
"Actually..."