Chapter 47
Chapter 47
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Innate Business Sense
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“...”
Jeong Da-on hesitated for a moment before tying his apron back on.
“Yeah. I’ll do that.”
Watching his back as he carried the bowl of chicken feet and sauntered out, Han Mi-ae threw in an unnecessary excuse from the side.
“Sorry, Woo-yeon. The kid doesn’t know the ways of the world yet. Stuff like this is common when you’re running a business, but she’s making a big deal out of nothing.”
“It’s fine.”
“I’ll give her a good scolding after we close tonight. I’ve told her a million times, but she still pulls this. No matter how young she is, Woo-yeon, you’re basically the head office president to us.”
Han Mi-ae kept stealing glances at my face.
“This whole proper setup we have going is all thanks to your investment. We couldn’t have done squat with just three million won, but because of you, we redid the interior, revamped the menu...”
“You don’t need to see it that way.”
I grinned at Han Mi-ae.
“I’m no charity case. I’m a businessman. I just put money into a spot that looked promising.”
How could it only be for Han Mi-ae’s benefit? It was for The Song—and ultimately, for me.
“So keep the courtesy between us, but stay confident.”
A weak heart won’t last long in this game.
“We’re business partners, after all. I invested because I saw President Han’s potential, so why do you keep putting yourself down?”
“...!”
My words made Han Mi-ae’s eyes go wide.
We weren’t in some boss-underling dynamic. No more than headquarters and a franchise location.
We’d teamed up purely for mutual gain. Franchises had their duty to run things diligently from their spot, and headquarters had to nurture them carefully, pointing out any blind spots.
Different jobs, that’s all. But now and then, I’d see franchise owners like Han Mi-ae going way too low-key.
No need for that at all.
Truth be told, a franchise could keep chugging along without headquarters, but headquarters was dead in the water without its stores.
I watched through the kitchen pass as Jeong Da-on served the chicken feet to that rude customer from before, then said,
“Drunks like that? Now that you’re slinging booze, they’ll never stop coming.”
“Yeah. I knew what I was signing up for.”
“But President, from my experience? People aren’t made of steel. They wear out quick.”
People grind down for all sorts of reasons. Rude customers, backbreaking labor, stalled growth, judgmental stares...
“So don’t just grit your teeth and take it. You’ll burn out. We’re in this to make a living—no need to bend over backward for types like that.”
Sure, starting fights on purpose would be trouble too, but Han Mi-ae didn’t strike me as the type. If anything, she’d end up quitting early from letting customers walk all over her.
Jeong Da-on came back into the kitchen just then, so I added for his benefit,
“Da-on, you help her out good from the sidelines.”
“...Yeah.”
“I’ll head out now.”
Things seemed settled enough. Sticking around would just make it awkward for everyone.
“It’s late. Da-on, walk him home.”
“Huh? Nah, it’s fine. Not far from here.”
“Then you definitely walk him. If it’s not far. Tables are packed, orders are all out—so it’s good for a bit. Da-on, go on!”
“Got it~. Was gonna anyway.”
Really, it was fine. I wasn’t a kid; no way I’d get lost going next door.
Sure, I got the worry with all the drunks out this late...
I hesitated a second, and there was Jeong Da-on, apron off, coat on, cocking his head.
“Not going?”
“Of course I am.”
Well, like Han Mi-ae said, it wasn’t far. No harm in a quick drop-off.
“Ugh. Nights are still chilly, huh?”
“Yeah.”
Jeong Da-on shivered dramatically for effect.
“About earlier. Sorry.”
“For what?”
“Just... I got pissed off jumping to conclusions on my own.”
Ah, that? Water under the bridge.
“Forget it. You’re young—that’s why.”
“Hey. We’re the same age?”
Right. Physically. Mentally? You couldn’t even guess, kiddo.
“But you’re... just so different.”
Gotta be. Same would be the real issue.
Jeong Da-on couldn’t know the full story, so he just looked envious—me, his age, already out in the working world.
“I’m swamped with homework and crap, but you’re running a business already.”
“Student days are the best.”
“You sound exactly like my mom.”
She might be around that age...
“But hey. You fronted all the cash for Mom’s shop remodel, right?”
“Loaned it. Investment-style.”
“Tomato, tomahto! Must’ve run tens of millions. Cash like that at our age?”
Ah, right—why Jeong Da-on rubbed me wrong. Guy was loud. No Yoo Sol today to play referee.
“Be straight with me.”
He narrowed his eyes, giving me that suspicious side-eye.
“You’re not, like... chaebol heiress or something?”
“Huh?”
“Business lessons since you were a kid? Hold up. Then this is some succession test—seed money to the grandkids, biggest return inherits the empire?!”
Might as well write a novel.
Jeong Da-on was all in on his fanfic. I let out a disbelieving chuckle, and he zeroed in like a hawk.
“What? Not true? No, otherwise it makes zero sense!”
“What doesn’t? It’s just how I’m wired.”
He recoiled like I’d said something gross. It’s the truth?
“You played marbles as a kid, right?”
“Huh? Yeah.”
“How’d you do it?”
“How? Smack their marble with yours, take it if you hit. Like that.”
He said it like duh, what else? Yeah, that’s the average player’s mindset.
“I went for the baby birds on the side.”
“Huh?”
“When kids ran out of marbles, I’d lend ten. They pay back fifteen.”
“What?!”
Jeong Da-on gawked at me. Over this?
“Plenty more. Snagged rare ones on order, flipped ’em for double. Set loan limits by the kids’ credit scores...”
“...”
“Been like that since little. My brain just spun that way. Kinda fun, too.”
Ancient history. But dredging up kid stories after ages? Kinda nostalgic, actually fun.
Memories faded now, though.
“Know why it stuck? Early elementary, probably. School clueless at first—then total uproar when they pieced it together. Homeroom teacher was mortified...”
Kid me didn’t grasp usury or interest rates. To grown-ups? Blatant illegal loan sharking. Had to be hilarious.
“In elementary school?”
Jeong Da-on blinked, still not buying it.
“Here.”
We’d reached my place.
“Head back. Thanks for the escort.”
“Huh? Already?”
“Yep.”
I pointed at my one-room villa.
“This is me.”
“...Solo?”
“Solo.”
He got that ‘oh snap’ look. Just clicked what it meant—me, barely twenty, no college, solo in a one-room.
‘Not really a big deal.’
Could upgrade anytime. This was just my bolt-hole from that hellish semi-basement during my first gig at Owner Lee In-cheol’s. No time to move since turning back the clock.
Barely home anyway.
‘Not exactly a misunderstanding.’
Orphaned young, bounced between relatives, kicked out broke at eighteen—scraped by on part-time gigs.
‘Miles from chaebol princess, exec training.’
But I’d long outgrown any scars from my roots or broke-ass family. I already knew how far I could climb.
“Go on in. Owner got a scare today—you look after her.”
“Huh? Uh, yeah.”
He looked sheepish, so I switched gears.
Yeah, time for some pep talk.
“Hit those books hard~.”
“...You’re not actually twenty, are you.”
His deadpan stare hit me funny—made me wince.
Crap. That obvious?
“Hey hey hey! Let’s go!”
“Huh? Where?”
Shim Chae-yoon blinked in confusion. Her friend shot her an are-you-serious look, then yanked her hand and bolted.
“Wha—huh?!”
“We’ll be late! Hustle!”
“Where are we even going?!”
Shim Chae-yoon yelled as she stumbled into a run.
“You’ll see!”
What kind of half-assed answer was that? She grimaced inwardly but pumped her legs.
Right as they rounded the corner—
“...Huh?”
First thing that caught her eye: a sleek cafe exterior with a big, bold sign reading [Bingwa].
Looked like they’d been doing work on it lately. New place, apparently.
Crowds swarmed below. Even through the glass windows, it was clear the joint was jammed.
“Wow~. What’s the deal? Why’s it so packed?”
“Dude, you really clueless?”
Her friend planted them at the end of the line and said,
“Today’s the official opening for snowflake bingsu!”
“...Oh!”
Right, that was a thing. Shim Chae-yoon gaped at the massive queue snaking ahead.
“All these people... just for snowflake bingsu?!”
The grand opening of Bingwa, snowflake bingsu specialty shop’s first branch.