In September 2007, the Girls' Generation dormitory in Seoul, still carrying the scent of stage makeup and perfume after the encore stage of "Inkigayo," became lively with the bags of ingredients Taeyeon had brought back. "Let's have a celebration feast tonight!" Taeyeon exclaimed, waving the rice cakes in her hand. "My brother wants to show everyone his skills. His stir-fried rice cakes are even better than the old brand in Myeongdong!" As soon as she spoke, the doorbell rang, and Kim Yeon's milky voice called from outside, "Unnie! The soul seasoning for stir-fried rice cakes has arrived!"
Seven-year-old Kim Yeon, carrying a giant bag of seasonings, was hugged into the room by Jessica Jung. His cotton jacket was still faintly scented with the bustling atmosphere of the market. He skillfully changed into a pre-prepared apron—printed with cartoon characters of Girls' Generation, specially customized by Taeyeon—and headed straight for the cramped kitchen. Standing on a step stool in front of the stove, he instantly entered "Chef Mode." "Seohyun unnie, help me wash the rice cakes! Yoona unnie, peel five cloves of garlic!" Kim Yeon commanded like a seasoned pro, already pulling out his own hand-drawn "Stir-fried Rice Cake Secret Recipe." It was marked with colorful ratios of ingredients, with a drawing of a little person holding a spoon beside it.
The members squeezed into the kitchen doorway to watch, their jaws dropping at Kim Yeon's technique. He first mixed the chili paste and honey in a 3:1 ratio, stirring it evenly and smoothly with a flick of his wrist. "Teacher Choi says sweetness and spiciness should be balanced, just like unnies' singing voices – a blend of strength and gentleness!" Then, he added chopped onions and garlic to stir-fry until fragrant, controlling the heat perfectly. Even Taeyeon, who often cooked herself, couldn't help but nod, "It looks more professional than mine!" Kim Yeon suddenly took out a strawberry candy and threw it into the pot. "This is my secret ingredient to enhance the flavor and cut through the richness!"
After the rice cakes were added to the pot, Kim Yeon continuously stirred with a small spatula to prevent them from sticking. The steam from the kitchen reddened his small face, his bangs sticking to his forehead, but he remained focused on the changes in the pot. "Cook for three minutes, no more, no less!" he announced the time precisely, like a little chef with a built-in timer. Im Yoona held up her phone to record, muttering, "This has to go in the group chat so everyone can see our exclusive chef!"
As the aroma of stir-fried rice cakes wafted out of the kitchen, the members, who were still tidying up their stage outfits, immediately gathered around. Kim Yeon turned off the heat and plated the dish, sprinkling it with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. The red, white, and green stir-fried rice cakes steamed invitingly, their appearance as appealing as their fragrance. Taeyeon took the first bite, her eyes instantly lighting up. "This is even tastier than the one I ate in Myeongdong last time! The sweet and spicy balance is perfect, and the rice cakes are so chewy!" Jessica Jung picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, her icy expression melting instantly. "This flavor… you could open a restaurant with this."
The members sat around the small coffee table, each taking bites with great enthusiasm. Kim Yeon stood by, handing everyone napkins and reminding them, "Eat slowly, be careful of the heat!" He suddenly noticed Choi Sooyoung secretly taking two empty bowls and scooping stir-fried rice cakes into them when no one was looking, while also stuffing a bag of seaweed into her embrace. Kim Yeon stifled a laugh and walked over, whispering, "Sooyoung unnie, if you hide it, I'll make you another bowl later!"
Caught red-handed, Sooyoung's face turned red, and she hastily hid the bowls behind her. "I… I was planning to save it for a late-night snack!" Her words made everyone burst into laughter. Taeyeon smiled and patted her shoulder. "If you want more, just say so. My brother wouldn't refuse you, would he?" Kim Yeon immediately nodded. "No problem! I brought enough ingredients. I'll make more if it's not enough!" Sooyoung sheepishly scratched her head and brought out the hidden stir-fried rice cakes. "Then I'll eat this bowl first, and I'll trouble the Little Chef for a late-night snack later!"
After a satisfying meal of stir-fried rice cakes, Kim Yeon served strawberry pudding he had made as dessert. Each pudding was topped with a small fountain pen-shaped decoration. "This is a post-meal treat for unnies. I wish you all success on your stages!" Seohyun held her pudding, carefully reluctant to eat it. "It's too cute! I have to take a picture as a memento!"
During a break in the feast, Kim Yeon took out nine handwritten manuscripts from his backpack and distributed them to each member. "These are exclusive lyric snippets I wrote for unnies, customized for your vocal colors!" The one for Taeyeon read, "Rice cake fragrance wrapped in starlight, sweetness on the throat," secretly referencing today's gathering. The one for Sooyoung said, "Smiling eyes curve like crescent moons, stealing food is also cute," accurately capturing her sneaky act of hiding the stir-fried rice cakes. The members looked at the manuscripts, deeply moved. Jessica Jung stroked his head. "In future group variety shows, you must be invited as a special guest!"
After eating their fill, the members gathered to chat. Kim Yeon sat on Taeyeon's lap, listening to their stories about their time after debut. He suddenly said, "I've written a new song for our group called 'The Fireworks Atmosphere of the Dormitory.' It's about today's gathering!" He sang a few lines a cappella. The melody was bright and warm, perfectly suiting Girls' Generation's style. Taeyeon's eyes lit up. "This song is perfect as a B-side for the follow-up album! I'll bring it to the Producer tomorrow!"
When leaving, Kim Yeon packed some of his homemade dried strawberries for each member. "Eat these if you get tired from dancing. They'll replenish your energy!" Sooyoung hugged the dried strawberries and shyly said, "Little Chef, can you come to our next gathering? I want to eat your Budae Jjigae!" Kim Yeon nodded vigorously. "No problem! I'll bring the hot pot base next time!"
As Taeyeon walked Kim Yeon downstairs, the night breeze rustled their clothes. "Little brother, thank you for today." Taeyeon stroked his head, her eyes full of warmth. "The members all love you. They said you're our exclusive chef and creator from now on." Kim Yeon took out a strawberry candy and popped it into her mouth. "As long as unnie is happy! When you record the new album, I'll definitely write the best title track!"
[Ding! Team Bond Mission Complete: Heartwarming Dormitory Gathering Interaction! Reward: Unlocked "Culinary Creation (Intermediate)" skill, Members' Favorability Maxed Out! Trigger Main Mission: Create the follow-up album B-side track "The Fireworks Atmosphere of the Dormitory" for Girls' Generation. Completion Reward: Unlocked "Team Style Customization" skill, Invitation to perform on SBS "Inkigayo"!]
When the System Notification Sound chimed, Kim Yeon had already reached the entrance of the residential area. He turned back and waved to Taeyeon. "Goodnight, unnie! Remember to give me feedback on the lyrics!" Taeyeon stood in place, watching her brother's small figure disappear into the night, clutching the manuscript of "The Fireworks Atmosphere of the Dormitory." Her heart was filled with warmth – she knew that with a brother like him, Girls' Generation's path to stardom would be filled with even more fireworks and warmth.