Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Seongbuk Stream Desperado (1)
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A heaping spoonful of rice piled onto the spoon.
Topped with a single piece of eggplant fritter thickly coated in sauce.
Ahhh—
Crunch crunch...
She repeated the process endlessly.
One customer sat alone at the bar table, eating in solitude.
The Big Eater had come again today.
Yoon-seul watched her mukbang in real time from the seat beside her.
You'd think it'd get boring watching someone eat by now, but the endless stream disappearing into her mouth must have been endlessly fascinating.
Whenever this customer came, my little sister always sat right next to her and stayed until she finished every bite.
"Unnie-ya, Unnie-ya."
— Hm?
"Why head red? Blood?"
— Hmm, I colored it.
"Colored? With crayons?"
— Yeah, crayons.
"Then rain comes, won't melt? All melt away. Yunseul-i knows that much."
— Right, that's why I wear this when I go out.
The Big Eater customer held up her bike helmet to show Yoon-seul, who gaped as if she'd seen something amazing, tilting her head this way and that to inspect it.
She just couldn't shake her otaku tendencies.
"So, you must've been coloring the roots yesterday and couldn't make it in?"
— Uh.
Perhaps self-conscious, the customer touched the crown of her head.
Unlike last time, her roots were dyed bright red all the way through.
If my memory was right, just the day before yesterday, her roots had still been black.
— How'd you know?
"I remember our regulars well. And Yoon-seul seems to like you so much."
— Ahem.
She cleared her throat awkwardly and poked Yoon-seul's cheek. It bounced back springily.
Boing—
Break time was only fifteen minutes away now. That was both this customer's strength and weakness.
She always stayed later than average.
Lunch usually slowed down around one, but she'd come in right then.
She said she came around eight for dinner too.
The total opposite of those two high schoolers.
"Would you like more, miss?"
— Hmm...
"Unnie-ya, eat more?"
— Three more bowls.
"Then eat more! More!"
Yoon-seul's eyes sparkled as she demanded more food.
It seemed less about selling more and more about pure curiosity over how much this customer could eat—wanting to see her limits.
The customer wanted more too but glanced at me pitifully, mindful of the time. She always respected break time, even arriving late.
She was one of a kind.
"I'll bring this out, then take my break, so order quick and you're good."
— But you're trying to rest, and I'd be eating here...
"I have to prep for dinner during break anyway, so I rest way later. Go ahead, eat."
A typical customer might've gotten an inner eye-roll as a nuisance. But this one was our top VIP, single-handedly boosting sales more than anyone.
In terms of revenue contribution, she outdid even Uncle Kang of 'family rank' status.
For a customer like this, I was prepared to sacrifice a bit of break time.
"Three more eggplant fritters, please."
"Got it."
"Unnie-ya knows how much she eats."
She spouted another expression she'd picked up somewhere.
The customer found it cute and gently caressed Yoon-seul's soft cheek.
I served the chili eggplant fritters and changed the shop sign to [Break Time – 14:30 ~ 17:30].
After flipping the sign, I headed straight back to the kitchen for dinner prep.
"Uuuuum!"
Yoon-seul wrinkled her nose, lost in a big dilemma. She wavered between me and the customer.
"Yoon-seul, it's fine—stay with the customer. She'd be lonely eating alone."
"But! Gotta kneeead pork with Oppa!"
"We can do that tomorrow too, right?"
"Hing, okayyy."
She usually crawled under me during break time. We'd knead pork together in the kitchen for prep.
If someone asked if she actually helped, I'd say barely—but it was about the heart.
Her presence warmed me like a blanket.
Such a good little sister. Spend time with the customer today.
— Thanks for the meal.
She polished off three servings in pretty quick time.
It wasn't even three yet, clock-wise.
She neatly stacked the bowls and utensils and pushed them all the way back into the kitchen.
"Oh, thank you."
— Bill, please.
"Yep!"
It was hard getting used to the kind of bill that four people packed at a table wouldn't even hit—and she paid it solo, over and over.
No idea what she did for a living, but her food budget must've been hefty.
"Hiiiing... Unnie-ya leaving."
"You gotta say 'Come again~', Yoon-seul."
She clung especially hard to my pant leg, reluctant to let go, eyes glued to the customer.
The customer glanced at me slyly.
— How about I stick around a bit longer?
Her voice was gentle, soothing.
Before I could respond, Yoon-seul's eyes lit up.
She looked ready to melt me with starry beams shooting from her eyes.
Lunch had left me a tad tired, but thinking about what day today was—this was actually a golden opportunity.
Since I'd suggested it first, she could relax and enjoy.
"You can stay a little longer."
— Really?
Her face lit up.
She must enjoy playing with Yoon-seul too.
"But just a sec over here."
I borrowed the customer's ear.
Whisper whisper.
Yoon-seul spun in circles on the spot, thrilled that 'Unnie-ya' was staying longer. She paid zero attention to our hushed talk.
— Oh, if that's it... sure, I'll help.
"Yep, just keep an eye on Yoon-seul from over there. I need to prep dinner."
— Got it.
I handled meat prep and such in the kitchen.
At the bar table, Yoon-seul and the customer sat side by side, peering into a smartphone.
Curious, I strained to listen—and yeah, I got it from the video's content.
[Desperado of the Wasteland!]
A B-movie inspired by American Westerns that buzzed for all sorts of reasons. Cowboys—y'know, those guys—having shootouts. But the twist? They rode bikes.
It nailed the bike's speed sense, with gunfighters firing predictive shots calculated to that velocity—action highlights for the ages.
Story and logic fell apart plenty, heavy on gags, hence B-grade.
Still, it crushed commercially, hitting number two at the box office.
"Ooooh...!"
Yoon-seul dug the visuals and action. She let out her usual subtle exclamations.
Probably dubbed it for the five-year-old.
FUnnieest part? The customer next to her was glued to it too. Like sisters.
It irked me.
Yoon-seul's big-sib role was mine...!
Time passed like that. I'd sorted dinner ingredients somewhat.
I stepped out to the dining area.
Our eyes met.
We nodded subtly to each other.
Good, she was quick on the uptake.
— Mic, I got the bike out. Time to take 'em down.
The poor protagonist, after trials, buys his bike and heads to crush the villains—just before that scene played. Yoon-seul licked her dry lips and swallowed hard.
Distracted by the Desperado of the Wasteland highlight, she sneaked out of the shop.
Destination: cake shop ten minutes away.
I eased the door open and slipped out successfully.
Glanced back inside.
"Phew, didn't notice."
**
When Song Joo-hyun arrived at Onui Restaurant with the custom order hall cake, familiar faces waited.
— Joo-hyun Oppa.
— We're here.
Kwon Su-young and Song Ji-ah.
I'd made a request-deal with them last time.
Help with Yoon-seul's birthday party, get a free meal.
Song Ji-ah blew up hearing that.
— What, Boss?! Yoon-seul's birthday? We'd help anyway—no need for conditions. Why make it awkward?
— Yeah, Joo-hyun Oppa, we'd help regardless. But free food? We'll take it.
— Duh, if you're offering.
They clicked as ever today.
Song Joo-hyun had never celebrated anyone's birthday, so he needed intel. Especially cake.
He'd planned to grab one during break anyway—cake was the way to show heart.
But even that felt meh if it was just franchise stuff.
— How 'bout a custom order one time?
Su-young and Ji-ah suggested it.
Song Joo-hyun was glad he'd consulted them first.
The three waited at the front, timing to burst in singing happy birthday on signal—when a truck pulled up right then.
A C-company parcel delivery van.
One driver hopped out, shuffling timidly toward them.
— This the restaurant?
"Yes, Onui Restaurant."
— Staff?
"Ah, I own the place."
— Gotcha. Big parcel to this address—yours?
"Yeah, should be. Been waiting."
Perfect timing.
Song Joo-hyun thought so.
Hand over the cake first, then the gift.
He could already picture Yoon-seul's jaw dropping in delight.
He checked the package was legit, then the driver headed off to the next stop.
The two high schoolers peeked curiously at the huge box.
— Joo-hyun Oppa, what's this giant thing? Not Yoon-seul's gift?
"Yeah, it is. How'd you know?"
— Timing's too perfect.
— Giant bear plush?
Song Ji-ah's safe guess missed wide.
Way wilder—and a dead-on hit for Jang Yoon-seul's tastes.
The three peered through the shop's clear wall. Yoon-seul chatted with the lingering Big Eater, oblivious outside.
"""One... two... three..!"""
They burst in, singing instantly.
Happy birthday to you—
Happy birthday to you—
Dear Yoon-seul!!
Happy birthday to you—
Clap clap clap clap clap.
Pretty sudden entrance, but the customer playing with Yoon-seul caught on and clapped along, singing too.
Jang Yoon-seul's eyes darted, processing, then realized it was for her—her smile stretched ear to ear.
"Waaah..."
First time.
Anyone singing happy birthday to her.
'Grandma' had made seaweed soup once—she remembered that. But this—surrounded, sung to, treated like the star?
Truly her first.
A kindergarten memory flashed up.
Not her birthday party—another kid's.
She'd gotten this.
From some teachers, a few friends.
— ...Happy birthday.
— Woo! Cake!
— Everyone, happy birthday to ...! Clap!
— Cake—we share, okay?
Clap clap clap clap clap—
Happy birthday—!
Tiny voices overlapping with faint gaps.
Didn't remember that kid's name.
Just chatted a bit—not close.
The scene felt so alien.
That's when Jang Yoon-seul first realized.
Birthdays could be days showered in blessings for someone.
Days you could be the protagonist.
'Birthday? They celebrate... Didn't know.'
No 'celebration' entry in Jang Yoon-seul's birthday concept. Irrelevant.
That's why even now, it felt a bit awkward.