Chapter 27.1 ?

The restaurant Yoo Sung-woon led him to have all the employees wearing hanbok.

“We have a reservation for two under Yoo Sung-woon.”

“Customer Yoo Sung-woon, confirmed. Please take off your shoes, and we will guide you inside.”

Gio, standing a step back, looked at the restaurant as Yoo Sung-woon received the employee’s service without hesitation.

The restaurant he led him to was a hanok¹ with a strong, antique atmosphere, as if drawn in ink. The pillars had curves that highlighted the natural beauty of the woods, the subtle, bitter scent of cypress, and the high ceiling provided a comfortable atmosphere.

What he saw was not a noisy crowd of customers, but a quiet and neatly arranged wooden corridor. Each room visible between the corridors stood out for its particularly strong sense of individualism.

“……”

Is this… a set-meal restaurant?

‘The definition of a set meal restaurant I know must have changed in 31 years.’

Where did my noisy yet cosy set meal restaurant, where I used to sit on the wooden bench cross-legged and tear apart and eat yellow corvina, go?

“Gio, let’s go in.”

“Are we eating here?”

“Ah.”

Yoo Sung-woon spoke as if making an excuse, as if unsure exactly what he was concerned about.

“Just ignore the presence of people. Even so, the presence and noise are pretty well blocked at this level.”

“……”

“If it’s too inconvenient, should we move to another restaurant? There’s even a place where we can have an entire building to ourselves.”

Is this man serious?

‘Does he really think of me as a walking nuclear power plant?’

He wondered just how sensitive he perceives himself to be.

“It’s not inconvenient.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“Is it divided into rooms?”

“Yeah, but the rooms aren’t that small, so you should be able to eat comfortably.”

“I see.”

Gio wasn’t the type of person to refuse a free meal unless it was really bad.

‘Anyway, it looks delicious, so it’s fine.’

Though feeling somewhat complicated about how much the world seemed to have changed in the last 31 years, Gio cast aside his worries and followed behind Yoo Sung-woon, led by his hungry stomach.

“If you’ve finished selecting the menu, please press the bell.”

“Yes.”

“Have a pleasant time.”

The employee, dressed in a hanbok with soft tones like petals, quietly left the room. As the sound of footsteps faded, Gio, who had been waiting for a moment, asked.

“Is this a set meal restaurant?”

“…Ah, yes.”

Although not very noticeable, Yoo Sung-woon’s response carried a hint of realization.

Gio’s question was merely intended to ask, ‘Is this flashy place really a set meal restaurant?’ But it seemed Yoo Sung-woon had interpreted it as, ‘So what exactly is a set meal restaurant?’

“A set meal is a meal where you eat rice with soup and side dishes.”

“…….”

Due to his pride as a teacher, Gio felt a sudden urge to argue, but he decided it wasn’t a misunderstanding that would clear up by arguing, so he kept silent and listened to the explanation. He prided himself on this mature decision.

“Rice is always the same, but the soup changes daily. Today …. I think it’s seaweed soup.”

After saying that much, Yoo Sung-woon asked with a questioning look.

“Do you eat seaweed?”

“There is no food I can’t eat or dislike.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Yoo Sung-woon opened the menu that had been placed at the edge of the table.

“The basic side dishes are all the same. What we need to choose is the main dish. It’s usually divided between meat and fish, but what do you feel like?”

“I feel like eating meat right now.”

Gio, who had a soft heart, couldn’t hunt animals in the forest. Not only did he not know how to hunt in the first place, but even if he did hunt those round, cute little creatures, the yield would definitely be low anyway.

While Gio wasn’t picky and was happy no matter what he ate, since he was already out, he wanted to eat meat.

‘I should eat it while I can.’

Yoo Sung-woon nodded.

“Then let’s go with Gwangyang Bulgogi.”

He pressed the number buttons on the edge of the table. It seemed to be a system where you enter the menu number, and the kitchen directly prepares it after receiving the order.

After pressing the red bell button one last time, Yoo Sung-woon looked back at Gio.

“Of all the set meal restaurants I’ve been to, I think this one is the best. They don’t even use monster meat.”

“Do they usually use monster meat?”

“It’s fairly common, right? But coming to a restaurant to eat monster meat seems a bit much.”

“…….”

Somehow, it seemed like ‘restaurant’ was being placed on a higher pedestal than Gio was familiar with. As an ancestor who’d been in hibernation for 31 years, Gio pondered how to ask without sounding odd.

“Why, do you have something you want to ask?”

“… Are restaurants a different place compared to other facilities?”

“Hmm? For the most part, yes, I think so?”

Yoo Sung-woon scratched the back of his neck as if it was an unexpected question.

“It’s not just about eating outside, you’re paying for someone else to prepare your meal. For me, it’s not a big deal, but for second-class citizens and below, it can be a bit burdensome.”

“Are all restaurants like that?”

“Generally, yes. In the first place, restaurants are places to eat, but more importantly, they’re places to receive service. There are people who just go to restaurants to eat like me, but there are more who come specifically to be served.”

Gio felt that this definition of a restaurant was a bit different from what he knew.

‘Compared to what I used to know, it feels more like fine dining or omakase. Does this mean all restaurants have become more upscale….?’

Wait a minute, then what about deliveries?

“Don’t people use delivery services?”

Yoo Sung-woon’s expression looked like he never expected to hear the word ‘delivery’ from Gio. Gio briefly wondered just how much he was being regarded as some ancient ancestor, but he didn’t feel like explaining, so he kept quiet.

“Delivery is… still a commonly used service. It’s even more expensive, though.”

“Is that so?”

“If you run into a monster on the way, it could cause a major accident. Avoiding them is a hassle too.”

What kind of monsters were being treated like stray cats? Considering the damage that was definitely not on the level of stray cats, he felt it was even more absurd.

“So, unless it’s for a party, most people don’t usually order deliveries. I’m like that too.”

“…….”

If it was a delivery large enough for a party, he wondered if it might be closer to catering.

“…So, does that mean most people cook their own meals at home?”

“Usually, yes. Buying ingredients already costs money, and not everyone can afford to pay for service on top of that. Going to a restaurant itself isn’t all that common.”

Did the world end and get rebuilt or something?

“But we’re at a restaurant now, aren’t we?”

“Well, I told you I’d take you around on a tour….”

“Aha.”

It must have meant that he intended to treat him to a grand experience. Gio seriously contemplated why even simple communication seemed to be malfunctioning.

‘…Should I go through social skills training again? It would be difficult to go through mandatory education at my age. Should I even consider re-enrolling in college?’

The world has changed too much in just 31 years. At this rate, Gio would be treated like an alien from Sirius whenever he spoke to someone.

‘Or treated as a shut-in nuisance who was isolated from society.’

Damn gods of heaven and earth, the latter seemed to be true, making him even more terrified.

‘Is this how the elderly who can’t keep up with a changing society feel ….?’

Grandma, I finally understand how you feel. Keeping up with a rapidly developing era is truly difficult.

Gio deeply sympathized as he looked at the meal the waiter was preparing.

“It’s hot, so please step back a little.”

Saying that, the waiter dropped a single ember in the middle of the table.

Then the fire flared up, forming something like a gas stove, and the waiter placed a grill over the circular flame. After putting a few slices of bulgogi on it, he then left the room.

“……”

There’s nothing there, but the fire is lit.

‘The table’s made of wood, but it’s not burning.’

Correction. What Gio needed was not college, but to re-enroll in kindergarten.

¹: Hanok (Korean traditional house):