Chapter 93
Chapter 93
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: One More Chance
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Scraaape, pop.
The two sat facing each other at the convenience store's outdoor table. Each cracked open a can of beer and took a sip or two.
"Hey, what kind of side dish is this? It's all just dry snacks."
"These are delicious, you know. If you don't like them, don't eat. I'll have them all to myself."
"Who said I don't like them? Ahem."
They bickered playfully to lighten the heavy mood. Lee In-cheol gulped down his beer, then asked bluntly.
"So. What'd you call me out here for at this hour? You've got work tomorrow too, same as me."
"Haha..."
Kim Jong-chun stared into space with a lost look in his eyes for a moment before chuckling dryly.
"I'm not going in tomorrow."
"...What?"
"Woo-yeon said to take some time to sort my thoughts. He said he'd watch the shop until then."
Lee In-cheol silently stared at Kim Jong-chun. They weren't close enough to talk often since both shops kept them busy, but Lee In-cheol had noticed something off about Kim Jong-chun lately.
'The dam finally burst.'
He clicked his tongue sympathetically.
"Why make things complicated for the kid? He's already swamped."
"Tell me about it. I'm a real lunatic."
Kim Jong-chun muttered to himself with a weak, breathy laugh.
"It's because my belly's full. My belly's too full..."
"Then get your act together, man."
"I want to. I really do... but it doesn't work out no matter how much I try."
Kim Jong-chun murmured softly.
"In-cheol. How can you just go on like nothing's wrong? This daily grind at the shop—I'm sick to death of it."
"......"
"Back in the day, seeing customers leave happy made me glad, fulfilled. Now? Nothing. And if some weirdo customer shows up, it ruins my whole damn day—leaves me depressed and mopey."
Lee In-cheol listened quietly, tilting his beer can.
"Now I can't even remember why I started this in the first place..."
Kim Jong-chun dropped his head with a sigh. He reeked of booze—must've had some elsewhere before coming.
"Should I just quit the business?"
Lee In-cheol gazed down at Kim Jong-chun's bowed head. The gray hairs sprouting through couldn't hide his age anymore.
"Woo-yeon told me to pick one: take my shares and bail, hand the whole shop over to HQ, or man up and run it properly..."
Lee In-cheol thought to himself that it was generous of the kid—uncharacteristically so.
Of course, he didn't say it out loud; it wouldn't reach the dejected man in front of him anyway.
"Maybe it's his polite way of telling me to get lost? Yeah. He probably couldn't just say 'pack up and go' straight to my face. I'm not the man I used to be, body or mind. Maybe I should just retire like this and look for something else?"
"......"
"Hey! I'm talking here—why no answer?"
Unable to hold back, Kim Jong-chun yelled. Lee In-cheol plucked the squid leg he'd been chewing from his mouth with his fingers.
"Why? You've been spouting nonsense, so I've got nothing to say."
"I'm serious!"
"That's why it's so ridiculous, you idiot."
Lee In-cheol grabbed a fresh squid leg and smacked Kim Jong-chun hard on the forehead with it.
The sharp pain, like a knuckle rap, made Kim Jong-chun yelp "Ow!" and reel back. Lee In-cheol tsked.
"You're talking pure bullshit from one to ten. Want me to break it down step by step? You sick of this job? Hell yes!"
Bam!
He slammed the table, making Kim Jong-chun's eyes go wide.
"Every morning I wake up cursing up a storm inside! 'Great, this goddamn morning's here again.' At night, thinking about tomorrow's grind makes everything go dark!"
"......"
"Who wouldn't? Even office drones hate their jobs and complain! You think self-employed folks skip in whistling?"
"N-No, but..."
Kim Jong-chun stammered, and Lee In-cheol laid into him again.
"So feeling like you don't wanna work is normal—what're you whining about? Even fun jobs are still jobs!"
"......"
"And why do we do it? Money, obviously! Cash!"
Lee In-cheol curled his fingers into a circle—the universal money sign.
"We're all just slaving for a paycheck. You think we do it to smile at customers? Go volunteer if that's your thing!"
"Hey, why do you have to say it like..."
"Did I lie? Spot on. Your belly's so full it's bursting."
Lee In-cheol demonstratively crunched on some nuts. The sound was vicious; Kim Jong-chun shrank back.
"I told you about before I met Song Woo-yeon—when my shop was dead as a doornail?"
"Yeah."
"Compared to that, you started in a blessed setup, crazy lucky."
"Right."
"You don't get how huge your success is. Tons of folks pour savings into businesses and go bust!"
Kim Jong-chun felt like a kid getting scolded.
"You should be kissing Song Woo-yeon's feet. You know that?"
"Urgh."
"And him beating around the bush to kick you out? Kid's young, but he's the boss. Built a business like that—you think he's ordinary?"
Lee In-cheol jabbed a squid leg at him.
"If he wanted you gone, he'd have done it dirty—cooked the books, sued for breach, kicked you out penniless. Got it?"
"......"
"Not saying he'd actually do it. Just saying, you know?"
Lee In-cheol had scooted his chair over, throwing an arm around Kim Jong-chun's shoulders and glaring intently as he intoned.
"Kim Jong-chun. You think everything good now is all you? Bull. I know best. You think I was some loser 'til Woo-yeon showed up?"
Kim Jong-chun bit his lower lip.
"You're about to gut the golden goose. Get it?"
"......"
With no reply, Lee In-cheol tsked and pulled back.
"Make a choice you won't regret. You're messing up big time, if you ask me."
He patted Kim Jong-chun's shoulder and stood abruptly. His beer can was empty.
Kim Jong-chun shot up too.
"H-Hey, where you going?!"
"Home!"
"Already?"
"Maybe not you, but I've got work tomorrow, punk. Gotta sleep!"
Lee In-cheol waved him off and trudged away alone.
"Think it over good!"
Staring at his back, Kim Jong-chun let out a disbelieving chuckle. Come on. Even if, that's just leaving like that?
Kim Jong-chun watched blankly, then slumped back into his chair.
Half-eaten dry snacks and a half-full beer can on the table.
Seeing what was left sobered him up. Rubbing his throbbing brow, he replayed Lee In-cheol's words.
"Haa..."
A deep sigh brought a surge from deep inside.
"I'm the crazy one, really..."
Thick regret and self-loathing.
He trudged through the pre-dawn chill.
To open Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap in Kim Jong-chun's place. It was just 1-2 weeks, and he'd only told him last night to take time off, so no sub yet.
'I'm valuable manpower now, though.'
Whatever. It'd be fine occasionally. Help open, then head to the office.
'Did this almost daily when part-timing at Owner Lee In-cheol's.'
Felt nostalgic doing it again.
The shop was small and straightforward anyway—no big deal.
But revamping the head chef's methods would mean a fight, broth was low so text Lee In-cheol for extras, etc. Plenty to do.
'Start with cleanup... Huh?'
Something off.
He'd come way before opening, yet Hapjae Neighborhood Gukbap's kitchen light was on.
'Who?'
Thief? Nah, they'd hit the register, not the kitchen.
Other part-timer? Early for that—what would they do?
Puzzled, he gripped his phone tight and headed in. He slipped through the back door to the kitchen and...
Milky steam and a savory aroma hit his nose.
'Whoa. Smells amazing.'
Saliva flooded his mouth. And so familiar—the scariest kind.
Steam cleared a bit, revealing a hazy figure.
A man briskly stirring a huge pot.
Dressed properly in chef whites, gripping a ladle thick as an arm in both hands, stirring hard.
Didn't need telling who.
Rustle.
He whipped around at the sound.
"Ah!"
Kim Jong-chun stared, startled.
"You're here."
He grinned awkwardly, turning fully to face him.
"...Uncle, what's this about?"
Kim Jong-chun smiled faintly, as if pondering. Then, resolved, he set the ladle aside.
"Woo-yeon."
Looking him straight in the eye, he said.
"Can you give me one more chance?"