Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: A Job Offer to an Old Friend
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh man, my back!"
Lee In-cheol clutched his back, which felt like it was about to snap, and barely managed to plop his butt down on the chair.
The storage room for ingredients was barely a spot shielded from the customers' eyes where he could take a short break. Or more precisely, not from the customers' gazes...
"Boss, two to go!"
"Got it, comin' right up!"
...but from that part-timer's eyes, maybe. Of course, it wasn't long before he got dragged right back to the kitchen!
A new bill printed out with a whir.
*Ding!*
He stuck it on the board in the kitchen corner and hurriedly got moving. He'd just finished plating two bowls of gukbap when—
"One more to go!"
"Another one to go~!"
As calls flew back and forth between the dining area and kitchen, he caught a glimpse of Song Woo-yeon grinning.
"Could you wait here just a moment? We'll prep yours right after the earlier orders are out."
The way he smoothly guided the customers made him look like a veteran server with decades on the job.
'That sly old fox, hundreds of years cunning!'
That's how Lee In-cheol sized up Song Woo-yeon.
It had started when regulars advised him to hire a part-timer for front-of-house serving. No matter how slow business was, it didn't look good for the owner to handle both cooking and serving.
He checked the resume and saw the kid had worked all sorts of jobs since a young age, so he figured there wouldn't be any funny business and hired him.
The first week, he was quiet as a mouse, just doing as told. But exactly one week in, his attitude flipped completely.
'No more awkwardness around adults. Talking margins and business like it's nothing. How's a kid like that know all that?'
Suspicious on every level.
He'd even wondered briefly if the resume faked his age. But he'd seen the real ID and bank book copy, so no way.
'Weird kid, that's what. Damn.'
Even the owner himself got frazzled during the lunch rush when crowds poured in.
Misreading a bill from a cleared table and recooking, or flat-out forgetting a table's order—mistakes like that happened now and then.
Lee In-cheol's heart would sink each time, but Song Woo-yeon always acted like he'd foreseen it all.
Explaining to customers, melting their annoyance with a little extra on the house, untangling messed-up orders with pro finesse.
'Is that just from part-time experience?'
But with living proof right there, he couldn't call it impossible.
"Table 57, two to go. Table 58, one to go!"
Even lost in thought, Lee In-cheol's hands automatically packed the gukbap. It was like a trance state.
"Got it, table 57 two to go, table 58 one to go~."
Song Woo-yeon took them, delivered to customers, handled payments—all seamless as water.
No mistaking it: that was no ordinary skill.
'One new hire, and the whole place transforms.'
A strange emotion welled up in his chest.
Song Woo-yeon's call to start offering takeout had been a smashing success, in the end.
They put up a sign promising discounts for takeout, and not only did orders skyrocket, but dine-in traffic surged too.
Bewildered, he asked what was up, and Song Woo-yeon replied like it was obvious.
-We let 'em know we're open evenings too. Plus, we dropped margins a bit for price edge. Put the dine-in prices on the sign with the takeout promo. Folks see that and come in.
How'd a green kid like that know all this? Unbelievable.
"Boss, you worked hard today too. Counter's closed out, so just tidy up and head home."
"Alright."
Finally, quitting time!
When business tanked, it hurt his heart. Now that it boomed, his body ached instead.
Lee In-cheol started cleaning the kitchen with a happy heart.
Humming a little tune, he spotted Song Woo-yeon checking today's sales over there.
The way he counted the cash—smooth, like thirty years pro. No way, but still.
"Hey, Song Woo-yeon! What's today's take?"
"Today... about 1.44 million won."
"What?!"
Daily sales had blown past a million, nearing 1.5 million! Only possible if the place buzzed nonstop with customers.
"Early this month was slow, had me worried. But at this rate, we'll hit 30 million for the month easy."
That smug grin wasn't even annoying.
Aw, what a lucky charm!
"Heh heh heh... Feelin' good! Head home early today!"
"Huh? Me first?"
"Yeah! I'll handle closing solo."
"...You're gonna toss bills in the air and play around alone?"
Caught off guard. H-how'd he know? It was a fantasy he'd always wanted to try—stay late alone and do it on the sly!
'Sometimes feels like he reads my mind. Or more like... knows me forever.'
Ahem. Lee In-cheol cleared his throat and played it cool.
"You think I'd do that? You already come in at dawn to watch me make broth and all. Worried you'll collapse is all!"
"Really? Hmm... Well, I knew someone like you once before. When stress built up, he'd always pull stunts like that."
"No way people like that exist!"
"Right?"
That gentle smile should've been charming, but it sent chills down his spine for some reason.
Lee In-cheol slyly avoided eye contact to the end.
"...Got it. I'll leave it to you then, boss. You won't half-ass the close without me, right?"
"No way!"
Song Woo-yeon nodded like he totally would, making Lee In-cheol freak out.
*Ding-a-ling.*
"See you tomorrow~."
With a smooth wave, Song Woo-yeon left, leaving Lee In-cheol truly alone. He finished the kitchen and headed out to clean the dining area.
*Ahem, ahem.*
No one watching, but it pricked his conscience like he was up to no good.
He sidled up to the counter like a crab. Opened the POS...
"Gasp!"
The stack of ten-thousand-won bills was thick!
Sure, most paid card these days, but cash was nothing to sneeze at—especially today, loaded with it.
"Heh heh heh..."
A sleazy grin spread across his face. Stuff he couldn't do for dignity's sake? Now he could!
He grabbed a wad of bills, about to sniff that money scent, when—
*Ding-a-ling~!*
A clear, cheerful bell rang.
"!"
Lee In-cheol snapped his head up.
"Customer, we're closed for the day... Huh?"
It wasn't a customer who'd come in. His face, mid-warning about closing, turned subtle.
"Lee, look at that glow on your face."
"No way!"
Seeing the welcome face after so long, joy lit up Lee In-cheol's mug.
"Kim Jong-chun!"
"Yeah, it's me, man."
"How long's it been! How'd you know I'm running a place here?"
"Long story. Hey... I got fired from the company."
Lee In-cheol froze at that. Kim Jong-chun gave a hollow smile and pulled up a chair.
"But I haven't told the family yet."
"..."
"So today I was just wandering aimlessly... You said when you quit, you'd open a gukbap joint around here. Your mom used to run one."
"..."
"That popped into my head outta nowhere. Checked every gukbap spot nearby."
Kim Jong-chun spun his bitter tale as flatly as he could. While Lee In-cheol pondered words of comfort, Kim spoke first.
"Buy me a drink or something."
Even at the nearby bar, the two stayed quiet for a while.
Kim Jong-chun stared down at the table, lost in thought, then silently poured and downed a shot when the glasses arrived.
"Man, take it easy on your stomach. Eat when the snacks come."
"Hey, In-cheol... Getting canned, yeah, I've mulled it over so much it doesn't even hurt anymore."
Kim Jong-chun knocked back another.
"But... what now? How do I keep going? Everyone I know's just salarymen like me. Got a severance lump sum... Damn, maybe I should just open a chicken joint."
"..."
"So I came straight here. Sorry to drop in outta the blue. You're the only business owner I know."
Lee In-cheol just stared silently.
"Looks like business is boomin'? ...Wasn't spying, but I walked in and there you were, holding a wad of cash."
Kim Jong-chun grinned sheepishly.
"Shoulda quit with you back then. You asked if I'd join the gukbap gig..."
"Nah, forget it. Wasn't easy for me either."
"Yeah. Business ain't easy."
Not like that—he'd been dying the last few years. Lee In-cheol held back from saying it.
Didn't want to shatter an old coworker's illusions.
"Not trying to burden you. At my age, rehire's a pipe dream. Gotta start something... but I don't know jack, so it's daunting. Came to you, and catch up too."
Seeing Kim Jong-chun's weary smile, something surged in Lee In-cheol's chest.
They'd met as new hires, shared shining youth.
No one knew better than him how diligent and responsible his friend was. Why'd misfortune hit this guy...?
Lee In-cheol gulped his drink and said gravely.
"Hey, wanna come learn the ropes at my gukbap house?"