Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Raison d'Etre (2)
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As soon as the rent came up, the commercial building owner let out a hearty laugh and brushed it off.
"Even if it might be rude, could I ask you something?"
- Go ahead.
He seemed to have a hunch about what I was going to ask.
"The reason you lowered the rent for our shop... To be honest, it's been bothering me."
- I did it because Ho-yeon Hyung-nim asked me to.
A simple, straightforward answer.
But that alone wasn't enough to convince me.
For him, the building's rent was ultimately just a means to generate capital.
Just like rUnnieng a business for me.
It was hard to easily accept that a man who looked to be in his late thirties would cut the rent just because a relative asked.
Even as he gave the answer, something seemed to nag at him, and the owner averted his gaze for a moment.
Prying into a reason he clearly didn't want to share wouldn't be the right thing to do.
Just like last time, he probably had his own circumstances.
I figured letting it go like that would be the mature response.
"I see."
I tried to let it slide appropriately.
"Uncle, Uncle."
- Yeah?
"Are you on good terms with Ho-yeon-i Uncle?"
- Of course. We're close. We worked together for a long time.
"Really?"
- Yeah, Uncle and that uncle worked together. For quite a while.
That was news to me.
But if he'd worked with Ho-yeon Hyung-nim...
"I thought Ho-yeon Hyung-nim had been working in restaurants since his twenties."
- That's right. I worked at Hyung-nim's place too.
"Oh! I see."
- I thought I was gonna die from how busy it was. You know there wasn't even a break time back then? That concept didn't really exist. We didn't even have time to eat.
Then he glanced at the rice bowl in front of him.
It was smeared with pork stir-fry sauce and bits of rice.
- Looks like I picked up the habit of mixing it all together like dog food back then. Thinking about it now, it's kinda funny.
"Did you know I worked there too?"
- Yeah, I heard. Hyung-nim said you were the part-timer he treasured most out of all he'd hired.
"Ho-yeon Hyung-nim was really good to me."
- You were good at your job and eager to please, so that must be why. He's always favored hardworking folks like that.
The two of us had never met before Ho-yeon Hyung-nim introduced us.
So he must have worked at that shop, [Red Pig], long before I joined.
He fell silent, lost in memories for a moment.
Then he checked his watch.
It was 2:30.
- Oh shoot, break time. I'll pay quick and head out.
"No, no, you're all set."
- Huh?
"We made a deal last time. I'd treat you to a meal if you came by. You cut our rent, so treating you to food is still a steal for me."
- Now I see why Hyung-nim praises you so much.
He rummaged in his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and headed toward Yoon-seul.
Yoon-seul, who had been fiddling with the control panel on Boong-boong No.3.
Fiddling meaning just poking buttons or wiping it with her sleeve.
She jumped in surprise, not noticing someone approach, and blurted out.
"Ah! You didn't see the password, right?! Can't get caught!"
She desperately covered the control panel.
What kind of password could a 200,000-won kiddie electric car even have?
At this point, I wanted to dissect this gunslinger's mental world.
- Didn't see it, so relax. Here, take this.
Even from afar, it was green.
King Sejong's face peeked out.
He firmly placed it in Yoon-seul's hand.
- This isn't for the meal. It's a tip for the cider Yoon-seul brought earlier.
"Ooh...! Oppa, Yunseul-i made money!"
Now she didn't care about Boong-boong No.3's fate as she toddled over to me, do-do-do, waving the 10,000-won bill.
"Should I put that in Yoon-seul's pocket for safekeeping? You can buy chocolate with it."
- Yeah, do that!
Patting the bouncing Yoon-seul's head happily, I gave the building owner a small nod.
He waved his hand lightly and mouthed,
'Don't. Take. It. Away.'
No kidding—if I took that money from this gunslinger, I'd be in serious danger from her dual pistols.
"If you're not in a rush, why don't you sit and chat a bit since you're here?"
- Sure, why not?
Thanks to Yoon-seul, the mood had softened a lot.
I'd thought he was just gonna leave without saying much, but this was lucky. His mouth seemed more relaxed now than before.
"I'll do that thing, Yunseul-i!"
"Then I'll leave it to you, Yoon-seul-ssi."
"No worries."
Yoon-seul pointed at the empty bowl.
She wanted to take the building owner's empty bowl to the sink herself.
I handed it to her from the table, and she hummed "Hing~ hing~" as she headed to the kitchen.
No doubt thrilled about the pocket money.
- She helps out a lot, huh? And she's still so young.
"She jumps in to help whenever she can. Says she's worried it'll be too much for me alone."
He watched with a fond smile as she climbed on her stool and set the plate in the sink.
He didn't forget to turn on the water to soak it.
Otherwise, the rice bits and sauce dry to the bottom and make washing tough.
I'd told her that last time, and sure enough, she remembered—every post-meal bowl gets water now.
She was turning into a proper little 5-year-old helper.
The building owner took a sip of the leftover cider from his cup, covering his mouth.
His eyebrows furrowed slightly from the carbonation, then he spoke.
About his not-so-easy life.
As if reflecting on the past.
- Before I got discharged and came to Seoul, I was just a country bumpkin.
He'd started living in Seoul to get into college late. Aiming for a Seoul uni, he'd decided he had to be right there in the city.
- But did a bumpkin like me have any real money?
He'd nearly starved to death.
He said it laughing like a joke, but it must've been serious back then. Even now, young folks coming to Seoul for school struggle a ton.
With sky-high housing and prices in the capital.
Must've been the same a decade or so ago.
- That's when Hyung-nim reached out to me. It was about 5 pyeong, I think. He let me crash in the rooftop rental he was living in. Even hooked me up with a job.
"And the job he hooked you up with back then was..."
- Red Pig.
Even for a relative, sharing a tiny place wasn't easy.
And putting him on the payroll at his own shop? That had to be grateful.
- Body was wrecked, of course. Cram school for the SATs plus restaurant work. Wanted to quit so many times, but you know what Hyung-nim said whenever I looked down?
"Things work out if you keep at it. So don't give up... Something like that?"
- Sounds like he still says it a lot. That line.
It might sound cringy at first.
But chewing on the meaning, it felt like words from someone battle-hardened.
"I've been out of the shop a while now. Back when I was there, he'd half-jokingly say it to part-timers grumbling about the grind."
- Was it? Knowing that guy's personality, he probably thought it was a cool line.
"Could be."
I hadn't revealed the source of that cringy-yet-cool line to him yet.
Maybe because he's family.
- Anyway, looking back now, I owe a lot to Hyung-nim in all sorts of ways. And he said you're a dongsaeng he really cherishes, Joo-hyun-ssi. So that's why with the rent.
So that's how it was.
Not a simple reason, but I could understand where the owner was coming from.
"Ho-yeon-i Uncle good person?"
Yoon-seul, who had taken the bowl and climbed onto a chair, piped up.
She blinked up at me.
She seemed to grasp the gist of the conversation.
- Yeah. He's a good guy.
"Then next time too, gotta shoot with gun."
Bang- pa-bang- bang!
"Yoon-seul, you just said with your mouth he's a good person—why shoot him?"
"Yunseul-i suddenly gonna be villain."
She let out a contrived "Fu-hu-hu-" and made an evil face. Her tastes had shifted to villain now.
The building owner patted Yoon-seul's head.
Gathering his things, he stood.
- Don't feel bad about the rent cut. I see it as paying back what I owe. Plus, I get to eat delicious food like this?
"Of course. Come by when you're hungry. I'll whip up a bowl."
- I'll drop in once a month. That cool?
"No problem."
"Come again, Uncle!"
Yoon-seul raised both hands high and waved big, and he waved back gently in response.
[Onui Tycoon!]
[Customer is moved by the reception service.]
[Commercial Building Owner: Restaurant satisfaction +12%!]
[Total Satisfaction: 32%]
Bzzz-
That was when it happened.
The owner's smartphone vibrated loudly in his pocket. He pulled it out and checked the screen.
Then he smiled faintly.
- My ear was itching? Perfect timing—he's calling right now.
He showed us the caller ID.
[Jin Ho-yeon]
Just the plain name.
- Should I take it here?
"Yeah, go ahead."
He tapped the screen to answer.
- Yeah, Hyung-nim. I'm at Joo-hyun-ssi's shop right now.
Ho-yeon Hyung-nim's voice came faintly through the speaker.
Couldn't make out the words, but oddly, he kept talking.
Tension strung through his voice like a taut wire.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Ah, yeah.
Guess I gotta head there now.
No, I can go now.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I'll change and head out right away.
Alright then.
The owner's face after hanging up wasn't bright. He chewed his lip—clearly bad news.
- Sorry, something came up. Gotta run.
"Take care. Swing by next time you're free."
- Yeah, see you.
His face much stiffer than when he arrived, he stepped out and picked up pace.
Clack-clack-clack!
His shoe heels hit the floor hard and loud.
"Huh? What's up?"
Even Yoon-seul tilted her head, sensing the rush was off.
Seemed important, but it was his business.
"Yoon-seul-ah, wanna ride Boong-boong with Oppa?"
"Yeah! Walkies!"
"Before that, what does Yoon-seul have to do first?"
"Um... Help Oppa and knead-knead."
"Right answer. Let's knead-knead quick together then go play?"
"Yay!"
After wrapping up dinner prep like that, while strolling Seongbuk Stream with Yoon-seul, a text came in.
It was from Ho-yeon Hyung-nim.
"Ah, so that's it."
Now I got why the owner had bolted like that.
The next day around 8 PM.
Ho-yeon Hyung-nim came by the shop.
Dressed more formally than usual.
Normally jeans and a hoodie or short-sleeve, but today a crisp shirt.
"Ho-yeon-i Uncle."
"Yoon-seul remembered uncle's name?"
"Yeah! Yunseul-i remembered."
She raised both hands like drawing pistols, then paused in thought. Shifted to squat on the floor.
Then with her mouth,
Uda-uda-uda-uda-uda-
Her body shook with recoil, gripping something fiercely in midair like a handle.
"G-Gatling gun?"
The army-vet Ho-yeon Hyung-nim got it instantly and dove into the act, pretending to get hit.
Shoulders, waist, hips, knees shaking like aspen leaves in wind—rattling like dislocations.
"Brraaah, aaaargh!!"
It was realism incarnate.
Maybe she had acting talent. Felt like the heart of a battlefield.
Problem was, we weren't alone in the restaurant.
Nearby customers were desperately averting eyes.
On the verge of choking on their food.
"Ahem-"
I cleared my throat to signal, and finally Ho-yeon Hyung-nim glanced around and snapped to.
Slowing his free-spinning joints, he put a hand on his shoulder and flexed like loosening up.
"Getting old, body feels stiff. Joo-hyun-ah! When you age, stretch early to stay flexible."
"You looked plenty flexible just now. Hips spun 180 degrees."
"You calling me an octopus?"
"Not octopus, but stuntman."
'Let it slide just this once...'
Unable to bear the embarrassment, he scurried over and whispered. Since he'd been playing with Yoon-seul, I decided to let it go here.