Chapter 106
Translator: MJK
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Pink Apron and Hell Gym Statues
Seoul's outskirts, a quiet residential neighborhood.
Kim Se-jin and Kim Yu-na were looking around their new home, unpacking finally done.
"Wow! Oppa, my room is so pretty!"
Kim Yu-na spun around in delight in the room papered with pink wallpaper.
Sunlight poured in through the window, filling the space with a fresh scent instead of the musty mold smell.
But what really caught the eye was the pile of gifts crammed into one corner of the room.
"This is from Kang-hyun hyungnim."
Where Kim Se-jin pointed stood a sturdy solid-wood bookshelf and desk.
The shelves were packed tight with the fairy tales, biographies, and picture books Yu-na had always wanted to read.
Item: Reading Lamp Infused with the Fairy of Concentration
Rank: Common
Description: Emits a soft light that protects eyesight and boosts the concentration of any child sitting at the desk.
"Hyungnim even got this for you to study with."
Kim Se-jin gently touched the lamp on the desk.
The thoughtful care came through crystal clear.
"Yeah, I'll study super hard and become a great person."
Kim Se-jin watched her with a warm smile, then spotted some unfamiliar books on the top shelf.
'Huh? Those aren't Yu-na's books.'
They looked way too thick and serious for what Yu-na read.
Puzzled, he pulled one out.
High School Equivalency Exam Core Summary
CSAT Basic English
Math Essentials
"...!"
His hand froze.
A small Post-it note fluttered down from between the books.
[Se-jin-ah, you've worked hard taking care of your little sister. Now it's time to get your own life on track. Hit me up anytime if you don't get something.]
"Ah..."
He bit his lip hard.
The days after losing his parents—dropping out to raise Yu-na, diving into the black market.
Studying had felt like a luxury.
His future? Already trashed in the gutter, or so he'd given up.
Drip.
A tear splashed onto the book.
He wiped his eyes roughly with his sleeve.
'Can I... really study?'
Black market gigs paid, but they were brutal and risky.
Worse, no job you could brag about.
Couldn't exactly say you slung smuggled goods and hot merch in the shadows.
Now Yu-na's medical bills were covered, house sorted.
Did he really need to keep hustling in that hellhole?
'The world's definitely different, alright.'
He gazed at the sunlight streaming through the window.
Staying home these past few days instead of the market had driven it home.
How overwhelming and cold that dark, damp underworld had been for him.
Now that he'd tasted this peaceful life in the light, no way he wanted back in the shadows.
"Come to think of it... I wonder how Yaksu hyungnim's doing."
The one guy in the black market who'd looked out for him.
Stoic on the outside, heart of gold—probably worrying if something happened.
'But no way to reach him.'
Kim Se-jin gave a wry smile.
Years together, but not even a phone number.
Black market rules. No deep ties in a place where anyone could vanish anytime.
'Once I'm settled, I should at least check in.'
As he carefully shelved the books, Kim Se-jin thought.
Kang-hyun hyungnim, Yaksu hyungnim.
Precious people he had to repay someday by becoming someone great.
Late night, cafe closed for the day.
Yaksu sat alone in the dark shop, blankly staring at the gleaming espresso machine he'd polished.
His reflection in the glass window: hulking frame, scar slashing across his face... and a pink apron.
"...Hah."
A dry laugh escaped.
Just a few years ago, this would've been unimaginable.
[La Bestia (The Beast)].
The moniker the European underworld had given him.
Cosa Nostra—the massive mafia that started in Sicily and terrorized Europe.
He'd been their sharpest blade.
In a world of betrayal and schemes, survival meant one thing: be more ruthless, stronger than anyone.
'Back then, I thought that was life.'
At the top after crushing the organization, all that came was crushing emptiness.
No peace for hands stained in blood.
So he walked away.
Smashed the hit squads chasing him, then wandered aimlessly.
That's when an old man found the blood-soaked Beast.
'No place to go? Come to me.'
The living legend who'd founded Asia's black markets and set the underworld's rules: the Elder.
Didn't flinch at the gasping, gore-covered killer.
Treated him with respect instead.
'My bowl might be too small for a big fish like you, but I can at least offer a nest to rest.'
The Elder gave Yaksu a hideout.
Let him settle in Korea's black market as a quiet junk shop owner.
He thought that was enough.
A dry, boring life without blood—way better than dodging assassin's blades every night.
Closer to happy, even.
But black markets had their shadows too.
The air constantly reminded him of the blood stench he couldn't shake.
Sometimes it felt like he was still on hell's treadmill, suffocating.
Then one day, a clear-eyed young man showed up out of nowhere.
Handed him a pink apron.
And that's how he ended up here.
"...Maybe one more coffee."
Familiar hands ground the beans.
Easy compared to the old gigs.
The rich aroma overpowered the lingering blood smell on his skin.
"Hm."
Sipping the fresh brew, he reflected.
'Honestly... not bad.'
Yaksu didn't bother taking off the pink apron.
This ridiculous getup felt lighter than any duty ever had.
'Is life supposed to be this simple?'
Just clock out after a day's work, catch the sunset on the way home.
He'd never known the fulfillment in those little things.
If only he'd realized sooner, he could've enjoyed it more.
Especially the guy who showed him.
'Thanks, boss.'
Gratitude for Kang-hyun swelled inside him.
Putting Yaksu in the cafe was a stroke of genius.
Despite his fierce look, he was surprisingly meticulous and detail-oriented.
Perfect for dealing with the pushy PTA moms from Naru-dong.
"Hey! Mister! What's with this latte art? The heart's all squished!"
A customer slammed the counter, complaining.
Normally it'd be a headache, but not now.
Yaksu silently approached, his massive shadow engulfing her.
"...Shall I make it again?"
Low rumble of a voice.
Eyes glinting over the scar.
The customer flinched, clutching her cup with both hands.
"N-No, it's fine! Up close... it's abstract, artistic. I'll enjoy it."
She slunk back to her seat and sipped quietly.
This wasn't the first time.
"Oh my, new guy? Such a strong presence. Excuse me, where are you from? Near the kids' school..."
A nosy housewife pried, but Yaksu was an iron wall.
"Coffee's ready. Careful, it's hot."
"Ahem."
His polite baritone as he set it down tamed even the pickiest ones.
He soaked up recipes like a sponge, soon pulling perfect shots.
'Let's check the vibe.'
Kang-hyun snuck a peek at his phone's local community app.
Worried the scary face might scare off customers.
But the reactions were the opposite.
The cafe in front of the school is now a total no-karen zone lol
New manager dude? Aura's no joke
Some pushy ajumma tried cutting line today, but one glare from him and she went full meek mode
Thanks to him, the cafe's so quiet and comfy now... Used to be too noisy, so I'd just grab takeout. Now I sit and sip.
Coffee still tastes insane, but now the vibe's classy too. Better than a hotel lounge.
Guy looks scary AF but his latte art's got girl-next-door vibes... Total reverse charm.
'Oh ho.'
Yaksu's presence was a hit with the polite customers tired of rude ones.
'Perfect. I can leave it to him.'
Kang-hyun grinned, picking up So-ye from school and quietly heading upstairs.
"...Looks good."
Customers gone.
Yaksu finished cleaning spotless.
Hung up the pink apron, hit the button for the 4th floor elevator.
'Gotta double-check.'
Last visit, those statues' auras felt off.
Malfunction or rampage? Whole building at risk, cafe included.
'Mind if I inspect as a security expert?'
Kang-hyun had said sure.
'No one's getting in without clearance anyway. Peeking from outside's fine.'
Ding.
Elevator doors opened.
Two statues stood in the dark.
"...?"
Something was wrong.
Yaksu rubbed his eyes, looked again.
Clack, clack.
Hallucination?
Rhythmic stone clacking.
"Huh?"
Up close: the two Gorani statues facing each other, doing squats.
Stone thighs bulging and contracting like they might burst.
The Loyal Guard Gorani Statue is bulking up.
Conducting voluntary night training to catch up to the main body.
"Hah..."
Yaksu couldn't close his jaw.
What in the world was this absurdity?
Sentient artifacts? Sure.
But stone chunks fretting muscle loss and squatting? Unheard of.
Magic? Or gym bro souls possessing them? Indistinguishable.
One even spotted him, flexed an arm into a side chest pose.
Kiiing!
Red glow from its eyes, like asking "How do I look?" That intense stare.
Yaksu shook his head, hit the elevator button.
"Unbelievable."
He'd rolled through battlefields his whole life, seen demons in human skin, grotesque beasts galore.
Thought nothing could shock him anymore.
'World's still wide, full of crazies.'
Even to an ex-mafia vet, gym stones were beyond comprehension.
This building—from owner to statues.
"Not a sane one in the bunch."
But Yaksu's lips curved in the most relaxed smile he'd worn in ages.