Skewers

“Let’s get some skewers!” said Ahyeon. There was a festival in town, and she could smell the different food stalls all the way from the other side of town. She remembered reading about the evening on the posters outside the college building: a simple street food fair with some other shops.

“You girls hungry?” asked one of her friends, turning to the other girls.

“Yeah,” “sure,” they said, and so to the town center they went.

The festival was already alive by the time they arrived. With the streets full of people, they could already hear the chatter of the crowd from far away. The golden light coming from the stands softened the chilly night air, and everything felt warm and cozy: autumn had arrived. 

There were all kinds of stalls: teokkbokki, skewers, noodles, and even a corner dedicated to desserts. However, that part was a bit further away from the others because they needed to keep a lower temperature for their food.

You worked at one of those stalls. Your skewer stand wasn’t the biggest nor the brightest, but it stood proud amongst the others. The smoke and the scent of the charcoal did all the work. You were one of the only few guys with an actual grill, and everyone could smell it.

Each time the fat from the chicken and the pork dripped into the charcoal, the fire crackled, and that sweet-salty perfume of soy and garlic would rise in the crowd. It was cheap and quick, a perfect treat for the people who were just coming by and didn’t want to get anything too heavy. You could just get a couple and eat them as you were walking around.

You had handed out tray after tray all day—students, couples, elders, kids tugging at their parents for “just one more.” You were having a great time: those satisfied smiles, the little pauses before a second bite, you loved seeing people enjoy your food. 

You lifted your gaze from the grill and saw another small group of girls near your stand. They were examining the menu glued to the edge of the iron pillars. One of the girls stood out as the others were laughing and teasing her for eyeing the menu too long. 

“Don’t eat the whole stall this time!” one of them joked.

“Better watch out, she’ll order for three!” another added, nudging her shoulder.

She laughed nervously, slouching her shoulders. You noticed the way her gaze flicked towards the grill, lingering at the glossy skewers before darting away. She was hungry, you could tell. But she was trying to resist it.

Just moments later, the girls came to sit on the stools you’d arranged around your big wooden counter. 

“Welcome, girls, what can I get you?” you asked brightly, brushing a glaze over the skewers as the grill crackled.

“What would you recommend?” one of them asked, leaning forward.

“Probably the pork skewers,” you said, turning one over and clicking your tongs. The scent of the marinade rose into the air. “We’ve also got squid and chicken, if you’re into that.”

“That sounds good,” the quiet girl replied. 

You moved to the grease-covered cash register, and the girls followed you. They all placed their orders, asking for one of everything so they could try the different flavors. But the last one hesitated and mumbled something under her breath: “Just… one skewer, please. Pork is fine.”

You nodded, but you were feeling a bit doubtful about her. It didn’t match the hunger in her eyes.

“Okay, something to drink, girls? Beer? It goes well together with the grease.”

“Yeah, why not?”

You closed the order and went to the grill, flipping a couple around just for show and getting the boxes out. Some pork, some squid, and some chicken. You just picked up a bunch and shoved it in the boxes; you weren’t the type to hold back. Some of them were thinner and some were thicker, so you couldn’t really decide on a specific number. They needed to get their money's worth.

You brought out the boxes and put them on the table. They immediately started eating, but the other girl stared at you with surprise.

“Excuse me, I ordered just one…” she started, but you quickly interrupted her.

“Don’t worry, it’s on the house,” you said and gave her a wink.

She blinked, glancing at the skewers. “Oh… thank you, then.” Her fingers fumbled around the tray, a little embarrassed, but she eventually picked one up and started eating as well.

Her friends leaned in, nudging her. “Hey, don’t eat too much now.”

She laughed nervously, trying to hide her blush. “I—I won’t…”

You shrugged casually. “There’s nothing wrong with eating a lot. Enjoying food is the whole point, isn’t it?”

Her friends rolled their eyes. “Sure, that’s what you say—because she’s buying everything you make!”

You shook your head. “She is eating as much as you girls, so shut it.”

The girls laughed in amusement and went back to their food. She peeked up at you, her cheeks still pink, and mumbled a soft “Thanks…”

You went back to the grill, glancing sideways at her as she chewed. Some other customers were waiting in line, and you served them all. Luckily for you, the fair was pretty packed, and you were in a good position.

After a while, you went back to their side. 

“So, you girls in college?” you asked.

“Yeah,” one of them said, brushing hair from her face. “The one near the station.”

“Oh, same as me,” you said, leaning an elbow against the counter. “I go there too.”

That got a few surprised looks. “Wait, seriously? You’re a student and you work here?”

“Yeah,” you said with a small shrug. “After classes, I help out at the family shop. We’ve got a place across the city, near the mall.” You pointed in its direction. “You can drop by if you’re ever hungry.”

“Is it the same as the stand?”

“No, we make a lot of different stuff. Skewers, noodles, rice—whatever keeps people coming back,” you said, and it got a few small laughs.

Her friends paid and thanked you, all smiles and chatter as they left. But she turned back for a moment before following, a soft “Thanks, it was really good” slipping out almost too quietly to hear.

Ahyeon, that was her name. You caught it from her friends. You saw a lot of pretty girls that day, but somehow you remembered her quite well.

-

It had been a few days since the festival ended. It was a success, and you earned a lot. The work did not end, though. You were back in your family restaurant. The lanterns were gone now, replaced by the cool hum of streetlights. The crowd had thinned to the usual evening flow. Sometimes it was scarce, sometimes it was really busy.

You were preparing for the evening service. The grill was already on and running, skewers on the side, and sauces in containers. On the other side, you had all the ingredients for the wok. You knew your typical customers. The workers always came at the same time, and they needed their food quickly. You agreed to a special discount. They were loyal after all.

The restaurant filled up with the men, and after a couple of beers, it became lively and fun.

You spotted a girl at the front door. You had young people coming in, too, but they usually weren’t alone. She paused at the entrance, checking her phone to pretend like she had something to do. After the hesitation, she stepped inside.

“Hey,” you said, keeping your tone light. “From the festival, right?”

She tilted her head, a little startled, then she smiled. “Yeah… you remember me?”