GIJS

Chapter 176 Brothers

['Dynasty'] As a result of participating in the show, the scholar grew once again. The Guardians members were genuinely cheerful and honest people. Of course, their appearances were a bit different, but human character isn't determined by appearance.

Though he had always been an impartial scholar, the world the scholar had seen and heard about had been limited to Joseon.

Through ['Dynasty'], the scholar met friends from various countries and was able to broaden his horizons and understanding.

Yes, appearance isn't important. What truly matters is what kind of character is inside.

Even when he set foot on American soil, the scholar didn't let go of that thought. His conviction remained steadfast until he met 'those men' at the beer festival.

However, facing the fearsome figures in leather jackets over 190 cm tall, sweat began to bead on his forehead.

The scholar, who stood at around 180 cm with a muscular build, was rarely outmatched physically. Yet, the men in full leather outfits had physiques that were about a palm's width larger than his.

With skull-patterned hoods, bushy beards, and tattoos covering their massive arms, it was impossible for the scholar to remain composed.

He had seen similar figures on TV dramas, riding enormous motorcycles and wielding spiked clubs.

To erase that terrifying image, the scholar shook his head vigorously.

Stay calm. Stay calm. Appearance isn't important. Just smile for now.

Though he tried to maintain an awkward smile and leave a good impression, the situation was deteriorating. At present, they had their shoulders grabbed.

"Did you come looking for us?"

"Yeeees—!?"

"It would be a shame if you just left like this. Stay with us for a bit..."

Are they going to fight? At a foreign festival!?

At that moment, as the scholar swallowed hard and clenched his fists, In-hyuk, who had appeared from somewhere, confronted the imposing figures. Seeing In-hyuk's equally impressive physique, the scholar and the members felt a strange sense of relief.

"Phew—."

However, there was something a bit odd in the exchange between In-hyuk and the men.

The burly man, who had been staring at In-hyuk with his sunglasses still on, stepped closer with a look of shock.

"No... wait a moment."

"..."

"Are you, by any chance, Hyuk?"

Instead of answering, In-hyuk took out the necklace he always wore. The pendant on it resembled the ring on the burly man's finger.

"It's been a while, Boss."

"No way, how did this..."

"You look well."

"In-hyuk, my brother!"

The two massive men hugged each other warmly. Soon, the leather-clad men in the booth emerged in a scrum, embracing each other.

"What on earth is going on!"

"After the drug incident, you disappeared."

"We thought you were dead!"

"What happened to Dos Santos? Did he go to prison?"

A fierce conversation passed between the leather-clad men and In-hyuk. The members, hearing the exchange through Si-woo's translation, couldn't help but tremble.

"Goodness..."

"So, was that rumor true?"

"Hyuk-hyung was really in a gang?"

"...Could it be..."

"So what was that conversation about? Drugs and prison!"

"Hahaha~ Hyuk-hyung isn't planning to return to the gang, right~"

"Crazy, absolutely not!"

"What do we do? Do we have to fight a gang?"

As the members were gripped by fear with such absurd thoughts.

Tyrese Jackson, the boss of the leather-clad men, was now shedding tears like chicken droppings from his eyes.

"In-hyuk, my brother. Meeting you here is like destiny."

"..."

"To meet a brother in such dire times, like fate."

"Tyrese, what's going on?"

"I'll be direct. We need your help, In-hyuk."

"Is it war?"

"It's even harder than war. We need to save something urgently."

Tyrese Jackson was requesting help from In-hyuk. It seemed they were trying to involve him in some sort of rescue operation.

Could it be that In-hyuk is going back to the gang?

At that extremely tense moment for all 7IN members.

The giant boss, Tyrese Jackson, uttered a request they had never imagined.

"Cooking..."

"?"

"Please save our cooking..."

"???"

* * *

The next hour was spent clarifying misunderstandings.

First, it was confirmed that Tyrese Jackson and his leather jacket crew were indeed a rider clan named 'The Bulls.'

However, contrary to their intimidating appearance, 'The Bulls' were far from criminal. They were, in fact, a warm-hearted group of men who gathered strong individuals for community patrols and animal-related volunteer work across the American West.

In-hyuk had also participated in various activities with 'The Bulls' as an honorary member.

"So, what was all that talk about drugs?"

"The last job we did with the Bulls in the US was chasing drug offenders."

"Wow... I guess they really are undercover cops."

"We're not undercover cops, just happened to witness a drug transaction and chased them down."

"Usually, when you see a drug deal, you either run or report it!"

"But someone has to catch those people. Reporting could be too late."

With the misunderstanding cleared, the members apologized to 'The Bulls.' The leather jacket men laughed heartily, saying it was no big deal.

Seeing their eyes sparkle when they spoke of animals, they looked like precious jewels. The scholar thought he needed to reconsider his views on Western physiognomy.

"But what did you mean by saving the cooking..."

"Oh, that."

Tyrese Jackson led the members inside the booth, where charred pieces of beef were rolling on a grill.

"Uh... Were you trying to make charcoal?"

"It's not charcoal, it's beef steak. A style of grilling from military camps."

"Haha, I guess you weren't a cook in the army~"

"Right... Actually, we're not skilled in cooking..."

"So how did you end up running a booth at the beer festival?"

"We recently started participating in charity work. We're setting up a booth at the festival to donate all proceeds to animal protection organizations. It's an opportunity to help endangered species on the California coast with our own hands. Isn't that great?"

When talking about animals, the leather jacket men's eyes sparkled. It was admirable and wonderful to see people so dedicated to their passions.

"But... I don't think we can generate sales at this festival with our cooking skills..."

"In-hyuk, please help us. You've always been our guide with your brilliant ideas since you were young."

In-hyuk, receiving the help request, glanced at the members. But it seemed he didn't need to ask them to help. It was clear they were already united in their decision.

"I'm in! I really want to help the Bulls!"

"This sounds fun. Running a festival booth is a rare experience."

"Hahaha, we already have great ingredients~ We could make amazing dishes with this beef~"

"I'm in too. I like that we can help animals. Loving and cherishing animals and plants is the scholar's duty."

"I'm in too! The scholar in the third person is against!"

With the enthusiastic agreement of the 7IN members, the leather jacket men from the Bulls raised their massive arms and cheered.

"Cheers! That's the spirit, In-hyuk!"

"Meeting you again here feels like a dream, and getting help too... I'm really grateful."

"Of course we should help, Tyrese. You'll always be my boss."

"In-hyuk...!"

The huge Tyrese hugged In-hyuk again, shedding tears. As he embraced him, In-hyuk also touched his slightly reddened nose.

"I think I'm starting to understand why Hyuk-hyung is so emotional."

"I do too. It seems like everyone here is quite tearful."

"They look scary, but don't they seem kind of cute?"

"...I want to get closer..."

"Alright, shall we get started in earnest?"

With the skilled cook, the scholar, and Si-woo leading the way, the members quickly held a brainstorming session.

"First, we have a lot of tender beef. How should we save it?"

"I saw a small market nearby. Tyrese said he could give us a ride on his motorcycle."

"Hmmm, something slightly greasy would go well with beer, right? Foods with a bit of oil seem to pair well with beer."

"Hey, Hyun-jae, how do you know that?"

"Uh, I just heard that."

"Hmm, strange. But anyway, it's probably true."

"Greasy food, pairing with beer, while utilizing the ingredients... Hmm..."

After a moment of thought, the scholar came up with an idea.

"How about making beef pancakes?"

"Oh, beef pancakes?"

"If greasy food goes well with beer, we could slice the beef thinly and fry it into pancakes."

"Oh, that sounds good."

"How about adding a spicy side dish to the beef pancakes? I saw many people from Texas earlier. And there are a lot of Mexicans in LA."

"Hahaha, I can make pickled red chili peppers~"

"Beef pancakes with pickled red chili peppers, and a sip of beer? Just thinking about it is amazing!"

"Great, this is definitely going to be a hit."

"Hyung, Woong-i and I will go buy the ingredients~"

"Okay, then Gun-ja, who's good with knives, and Yuchan, slice the meat thinly. Hyuk-hyung, you and I will clean the grill and set up the station again."

"Got it."

"Wow, is this the teamwork honed through Dynasty?"

With their tasks assigned, the boys moved swiftly and efficiently. Manager Lee Yong-jung, who had been watching with satisfaction, suddenly seemed to have an idea and called the members over.

"Hey, guys!"

"Yes, Director?"

"Hmm, is it okay if we do this?"

"Oh, of course. We're here to have fun. There's nothing we can't do, except for meeting women."

As he spoke, Manager Lee Yong-jung took out a small mirrorless camera from his bag.

"How about we film this as a video for YouTube?"

"Oh, we can show it to the fans?"

"If the Bulls' guys are okay with it, we're all in favor!"

"Okay, I'll get permission."

The booth, once on the verge of collapse, now started to gain vitality. The boys' sparkling energy attracted tourists, who began to gather one by one.