Chapter 255
Chapter 255
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 255
Chapter Title: Healing Well
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"It's healing nicely."
The doctor glanced at the surgical site and tossed out the comment casually. He then dragged a chair over with a screech, wheeled it back to his desk, and continued tapping away at the keyboard.
"You can probably ditch the crutches soon. That doesn't mean you should start running around like crazy, though. Your muscles aren't fully recovered yet, so hold off on long walks or jogging."
"Yes."
"Daily activities are fine, but be extra careful with stairs or standing for long periods. You're doing your stretches every day, right?"
"...Yes."
I averted my gaze as I answered, and the doctor added dryly—as if he already knew without me saying.
"You need to keep up with rehab consistently. It'll take some time for your strength to come back fully."
"Got it."
"Come back in two weeks. They'll schedule it for you at the desk."
"Yep."
I bowed politely and stood up. I almost reached for the crutches out of habit, caught myself, and ended up standing awkwardly for a moment.
Testing a careful step forward, it wasn't perfect yet, but I could manage without limping too badly.
Hey, that was progress enough. I'd nearly died of exhaustion hobbling around on those things.
My body felt worlds lighter. Grinning, I stepped out of the exam room, and Baek Jaeha—who'd been waiting—immediately fell in step behind me.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. No more crutches."
Freedom at last.
"You're that happy about it? You can't stop smiling."
"You bet. It was suffocating."
Even getting in the car had been a daily battle. No driving for me, so I'd been relying on Baek Jaeha or Joey Rook every time.
I'd never realized how frustrating it was to not move on my own terms.
"And today's the Zuupi flagship store opening. I couldn't even go check it out."
Of all days, my outpatient appointment overlapped. It wouldn't change much if I went in person, but I needed to see it with my own eyes to feel satisfied.
Half worried, half excited about how the events I'd planned were going, I pulled out my phone first thing.
Logging into Instagram, the top post that caught my eye was a striking shot of bright red baby octopus paired with gooey cheese—so vivid it was almost violent.
Just looking at it made my mouth water.
"Hoo."
Swiping down, I saw a flood of similar posts. Looked like the official Zuupi account had reposted them.
Each one featured mouthwatering photos paired with thoughtful captions.
'The #OneBiteChallenge with Zuupi is killing it.'
It was a marketing stunt: snap a pic of your first bite, tag it with the hashtag, and get entered to win prizes.
I'd sent free tasting invites to big-name food Instagrammers, and they were all pulling their weight.
But that wasn't all.
'How's Facebook doing? Oh, live stream's on.'
Facebook Live had just launched around then. Instagram Live would eventually become the go-to for interaction, but right now, Facebook was at its peak.
Tuning into the official Zuupi account's live, there was 'Chaechae'—Shim Chaeyoon—devouring her food with gusto.
*-Oomph, check out this color! There's no way this isn't delicious. It's like chicken stir-fry with cheese on top—total game-changer! Same vibe, I swear~!*
Shim Chaeyoon was chatting live with viewers while eating. She'd already demolished several pizzas, with empty pans stacked beside her.
*-For anyone who just joined, let me say it again~! Right here! See it?*
She pointed at a promo poster hanging behind her.
*-'Zuupi at Home!' It's our collab event with delivery apps. You know, ones like Baedal Minjok or Yogiyo—everyone's using them these days, right?*
Ah, yeah. The marketing felt a bit flat, so I'd reached out and booked them myself.
They'd been super cooperative—grateful for that.
'Time to stake our claim in delivery before it's too late.'
Apps that'd be clutch down the line.
If we built up reviews and ratings steadily now, we'd dominate the top spots in menu searches.
'The ripple effect is huge. When they sort by most orders, top rankings mean better visibility.'
In-store sales matter, but delivery would explode later. Too many reasons not to miss this market.
'Plus, in the future, delivery orders will tide us over during rough patches.'
A pandemic called COVID would hit, dragging everyone through tough times. I couldn't stop a global disaster, but I could prep a lifeline.
That judgment led to this event: ramp up promo on delivery apps to carve out our slice.
*-Order through the app for event menu specials! First-timers get discounts too. Don't miss out—Zuupi nearby? Enjoy it from home!*
The chat exploded.
*-Ah, no Zuupi near you? I'd love one right by my place too. Song CEO, you watching? Put one here, please~.*
It seemed like a playful aside to the screen. But since I was tuned in...
I chuckled and dropped a message in chat.
*-Whoa, mixing it like this? Insanely good, honey-sweet perfection....... Huh? Why's everyone freaking? Wait, really? Song CEO just chatted? CEO, you seeing this?*
Shim Chaeyoon frantically scrolled up, stretching her hand toward the camera to hunt for it. No chance amid the flood of messages.
*-Ugh, can't find it! What'd he say? I missed it. Oh... 'Hold tight, I'll make one for you'? For real?*
She burst out laughing and kept going.
*-Loyalty! I'll trust Song CEO and wait~!*
I could already tell: they'd clip this for a YouTube highlight.
We handled the live streams, but contracts allowed them to grab footage, edit, and post to YouTube.
'Works for us. Natural promo for Zuupi.'
Everything seemed to be going smoothly—relief washed over me.
"See? The company's running fine without you."
Baek Jaeha watched from the side and grumbled discontentedly.
"That's the problem. This 'can't function without CEO' syndrome. Team Leader Jo and Team Leader Noh handle everything meticulously. You should rest on days like this."
He clearly hated that I was working even at the hospital.
"Fine, fine."
I pocketed my phone haphazardly.
"I'll keep up with rehab too."
"You're such a nag now."
"CEO."
"I got it. Don't worry. I was planning to anyway—no need for the death glare."
Of course. With others suffering more, how could I complain?
'President Yi Hyungbae must be enduring way worse rehab.'
Thinking of him tightened my chest.
'But he pulled it off. Gripping sushi with his right hand.'
Over a month past our deal, he still sent practice pics.
All that left-hand work wasn't wasted. His right hand was catching on fast.
A bit more polish, and a budget sushi joint would be ready to open.
'Mackerel sushi might be pushing it.'
Still, a full sushi set should be doable.
His iron will made that growth possible in record time.
'PD Kim Heeseong's probably scheming how to spin this heartwarming tale.'
Even I thought it was killer TV material. Sounded psychopathic, but that's his job.
He'd agonize over editing it tasty for viewers—bound to nail it soon.
"Heading home now, right?"
Baek Jaeha said as he got in the car. Settling into the passenger seat out of habit, I shot back.
"Nope. To the office."
"..."
"Can't. Got documents needing approval by tomorrow. Plus, check SNS reactions to the Zuupi launch."
"..."
"Seriously, no!"
I doubled down firmly, and only then did Baek Jaeha concede, buckling up without protest.
Ever since the knife attack, he'd turned ultra-protective.
Leaning my forehead against the window cooled my head a bit. Staring blankly outside, I muttered.
"You talk to Yeowon?"
"...Yes."
"It's wild seeing you two so close. You looked like you'd never get along at first."
Their first meeting screamed bad vibes—I'd worried. Never dreamed they'd bond like this without me.
"She doing okay?"
"Yeah. Busy learning the ropes at work."
Hyun Yeowon had answered Hyun Jeonghu's call, tossing her resignation at The Song.
"Even with Hyun Taeseong out of the picture, some must resent her sudden return. Hope she's alright."
"She mentioned annoying folks picking fights sometimes."
"Figures."
"But she's giving as good as she gets—crushing them. No worries."
"Haha."
Classic Hyun Yeowon.
"When did she grow up so much...?"
The Hyun Yeowon I'd feared would get corrupted by Hyunmu ways was gone.
In her place: one who'd march into Hyunmu, take the throne, and remake it.
'Well, it's good for us.'
I mused inwardly.
'When "that incident" blows up, she'll be our joker card.'