Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Custom Shaved Ice and Prime Location
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"Owner. Is this all the bingsu machines you have?"
The shop owner poked his head out at my question and waved his hand dismissively.
"These are all commercial-grade~. Household ones are over that way."
"I came to check out the commercial ones."
"Huh?"
The owner eyed me with surprise.
"Oh, really? My apologies. Planning to open a cafe? Business isn't as easy as it seems."
He must have pegged me for a clueless newbie diving into entrepreneurship. At this rate, he'd just ramble on with unnecessary chit-chat.
"I already run a gukbap joint and a snack bar."
"Oh my. You've got more business savvy than you look."
His attitude shifted the moment I mentioned I was already in the industry.
"But why a bingsu machine? Oh, for dessert after gukbap? Bingsu can be surprisingly labor-intensive~."
"I'm planning to open a bingsu shop too."
"Bingsu? Out of nowhere?"
He echoed my words, clearly thrown by the odd combo. Jo Yi-ruk seemed to think the same.
But that's exactly why it was necessary.
"Wouldn't it be great if they complemented each other? Make it harder to shake things up."
Brand diversification was essential for stable operations.
Gukbap and snacks made a solid pairing, but adding a cafe or dessert brand would provide even sturdier backing.
Cafes had been quite profitable even before my regression. I'd need to get that rolling soon too.
"Hahaha. You talk like a veteran with decades under your belt. How'd you even find this place? Only regulars know about it."
Of course. I'd been one of those regulars.
"These two here are all we have for bingsu machines. Great performance~. I even make it at home with one sometimes."
I took a look at the machine he pointed to. It was your standard bingsu machine. Shave some ice just right, pile on red beans, rice cakes, and syrup, and you'd have the patbingsu you could find anywhere.
"Nothing that shaves the ice finer?"
"Finer?"
The owner tilted his head quizzically.
"If it's too fine, you lose that crunchy ice bite, and the bingsu just doesn't taste right~."
That was the common wisdom back then.
Everyone thought the fun of bingsu was in crunching through the ice. But that obvious common sense wouldn't be long for this world—it'd get turned on its head completely.
'Figures it'd be hard to find off the shelf.'
That left only one option.
"I'll custom order one."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. I want the ice shaved much finer than this."
That was the reason I'd come all the way to this out-of-the-way spot.
The machines were high-quality and reasonably priced, sure. But the real draw was the owner of this no-sign shop, Mun Yu-han—a master craftsman who could nail even the trickiest custom jobs.
'In the past, he'd whip up amazing prototypes whenever I requested them.'
He looked much younger than the Mun Yu-han I remembered, but his eyes still sparkled at the intriguing order.
"Adjusting for that isn't too tough.... How fine we talking?"
"Fine enough that it melts the instant you put it on your hand."
"What? How do you even eat bingsu like that? It'd melt away the second it hits your mouth."
That was exactly the point.
But explaining it to Mun Yu-han wouldn't get through to him.
'Even before the regression, he threw a fit about why anyone would eat snowflake bingsu.'
I'd told him young folks loved that stuff, but he wouldn't hear it. Even when we were on casual terms. Coming from someone who looked like a total greenhorn now, he'd probably just say, 'Perfect recipe for failure,' and try to talk me out of it.
"It's not about the 'why.' Can you do it?"
"Man, you sure know how to shut down an argument."
Mun Yu-han scratched the back of his head, then tilted it thoughtfully.
"Hmm. Not sure if it'll work. There's a limit to how thin you can shave...."
"What if we don't shave it at all?"
"Hm?"
I grinned at his puzzled expression and continued.
"No need to shave it, right? Making giant ice blocks is a hassle anyway. Yeah... how about this instead?"
I described in detail the machine I'd seen before my regression. The longer I talked, the more his eyes glittered.
"Oho. That sounds fun. What the hell—let's give it a shot!"
Mun Yu-han had always loved tinkering with new ideas.
He'd often mutter that he never got bored hanging around me. Sure, when I threw weird orders his way, he'd grit his teeth and swallow a stream of curses.
Nostalgia kicking in, I casually dropped a line.
"Just my two cents, Owner."
I flashed a smile.
"You should replace these machines soon with the kind I just described."
"Huh? What're you on about?"
I didn't bother spelling it out for the puzzled Mun Yu-han. I just shrugged and gave a quick bow.
"Let me know when it's ready."
He took the business card I offered, eyes widening slightly at the CEO title before looking back at me.
"I'll be waiting for your call."
You'll be working with me again this time.
Hiding my ambitions, I beamed like a polite young man.
Rustle, rustle.
With every page flip, Jo Yi-ruk's face drained of color. When I hummed thoughtfully like I was pondering, he fidgeted restlessly and gnawed at his nails.
Maybe I'd teased him enough.
Thud.
"So, what do you think?"
The moment I set the papers down, Jo Yi-ruk pounced.
"You did great."
"See, there are so many shortcomings.... Pardon?"
"I said you did great. You and Owner Yi In-cheol personally scouted the sites to pick this one, right?"
Jo Yi-ruk stared blankly at my question for a moment before snapping to and answering hurriedly.
"Yes! Yes! A few days ago, the owner made time, and we checked out the whole area."
"How was it?"
"How was it...."
"You've read plenty on location theory, but this was your first time seeing it firsthand. What'd it feel like?"
I scrutinized Jo Yi-ruk's face closely.
He seemed too busy agonizing over my intentions to guess why I was asking.
"Uh.... At first, it was fascinating. Like you said, I'd never seen it for real before. Touring all those shops, each with their pros and cons—it gave me a lot to think about."
But his hesitant start soon flowed into a steady rhythm.
The tension eased from his demeanor as he calmly laid out his own thoughts.
"I'd always holed up in the study room. Even venturing out during the day, there were tons of people. Everyone seemed so busy in their own ways. It'd been ages since I'd been in a crowded spot, so I was a bit nervous. But Owner Yi In-cheol was so kind and made me feel at ease—I'm grateful for that."
Oho. Owner Yi In-cheol?
No wonder he hadn't grumbled for once and put in some real heart. He might not look it, but the guy's a softie—slick with types like me, gentle with stiff ones like Jo Yi-ruk.
"The vitality of people on the move, shop positioning, interiors, nearby conveniences and residential areas.... It all came into view at once."
Exactly.
"It was a strange feeling. Hard to put into words, but like my mind cleared right up? Studying for the bar exam, I'd never felt that. Always groping through a foggy haze.... But this time was different."
Jo Yi-ruk pushed up his half-rim glasses. Behind them, his eyes shimmered with emotion.
"Like a light bulb flicking on in my head. I could feel it right away."
He pointed to the top site on the first page of the report.
"'This one'll work. This feels right.' Like that."
His face shone with conviction as he spoke.
'Jackpot.'
Jo Yi-ruk's 'intuition'!
That gut punch of a hunch always nailed it. He had razor-sharp instincts.
'Team Leader Jo's picks were eerily spot-on. Had been from the start. Like he'd been blessed by the gods or something.'
Of course, you couldn't base decisions purely on vague hunches. Still, the hit rate was too impressive to ignore.
'It was the same back then. Right before the Hyunmu contract.'
A bitter fragment from the past flashed through my mind.
—Hey, Team Leader Jo. What brings you here? Isn't today your Jeonju business trip?
—...I know it's rude to say this before a big contract, but... my gut just isn't sitting right.
He'd grabbed me right before I left the office. His ashen face had startled me.
—What? If even you say that, you're scaring me. Your instincts are always dead-on.
—......
—But no need to worry. You vetted everything yourself. No issues—it's actually a golden opportunity for us. Not every day we partner with a giant like that.
—...I know. I sat in on the board meeting and checked it all. I get there are no red flags. But... no, never mind.
Jo Yi-ruk shook his head firmly and clamped his mouth shut.
The board had already approved it. Neither he nor I could overturn it now.
Seeing such a rare side of him stirred my own unease, but I hid it behind a bold grin.
—Don't sweat it. I'll be the one exception to your famous hunch. You trust me, right?
—...Haha. Of course, President. Especially you, President Song Woo-yeon.
—I'll be off.
—Yes. Safe travels.
I'd left his bow behind and headed to the meeting room. Even right after signing, I'd stupidly thought everything was smooth sailing.
I'd even toasted myself for being his one and only miss.
What an idiot.
'Water under the bridge.'
I calmed my churning gut and eyed the first site Jo Yi-ruk had selected.
A golden nugget of a spot, one I'd worn out my shoes finding before the regression.
Damn, the guy's skill was unreal. Our Team Leader Jo.
"This one it is."
I pointed without hesitation.
"The Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap 0212 main branch—we'll expand and relocate here."