Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Little Sister Rolls In (5)
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I don't remember much of the conversation with Grandma after that. Something about bringing Yoon-seul up to see her whenever I had time.
I just said okay and hung up.
I didn't feel like blaming or hating anyone.
More than that, it hurt knowing what kind of emotions my little sister must have been going through.
I'd been there in middle school myself. I'd graduated elementary school under that monster of a biological mom, but Grandma had saved me when middle school started.
There was just one parent observation day back then.
Grandma came, and the classmates I'd been getting along with fine asked me,
"Why'd your grandma come instead of your mom?"
I couldn't come up with any answer.
Everyone else had a mom or dad show up, but only I had my grandma.
I could've made some excuse if I wanted.
Even if I'd told the truth, I wasn't sure if they'd tease me or not. They didn't seem like bad kids.
Still, I couldn't bring myself to say anything. It felt like I'd done something wrong. Like I wasn't supposed to be different from everyone else.
A jumble of emotions had sewn my lips shut with invisible thread.
I think I didn't even eat the lunch Grandma had packed that day. It was the worst choice, but puberty had me that messed up.
"Yoon-seul."
"Munch munch~ Yeah?"
One hand with chocolate, the other with a puppy toy.
She was savoring a happy moment.
Seeing her innocent, bright face made my emotions melt away like snow.
Still, I had to say what needed saying.
"Come here for a sec?"
"Munch~ Okay."
Pat pat pat—
She scampered over on those adorable little feet.
"You don't like going to kindergarten, do you, Yoon-seul?"
"Mm... Yeah."
Her face clouded over right away. At least with chocolate in her mouth, she looked a bit better than before.
"Then you don't have to go."
"Huh? Don't hafta go?"
"Yeah, you don't. But you have to make a promise with Oppa first."
"A pwomise with Oppa?"
"Yeah. You gotta read a lot of books. If you don't wanna go to kindergarten."
"Yoon-seul likes books. So it's good."
Even with chocolate in her mouth, Yoon-seul said what she wanted to say.
There was real determination in her eyes.
She must really hate going to kindergarten.
I could kind of understand how she felt. I'd had that one parent observation day, felt those weird looks from my classmates,
And I really hadn't wanted to go to school.
Those kinds of feelings are hard to handle, whether you're five or fifteen.
Kindergarten isn't even mandatory education anyway.
No need to send her for sure.
The real issue is where Yoon-seul will be while I'm working.
I did have a plan in mind. Just needed a bit more courage, but I figured I'd talk to the boss at the grill house today.
**
The grill house was empty.
The warzone of a lunch rush was finally over.
I'd left Yoon-seul at the used bookstore, so my mind had been a little more frantic than usual.
And since I might have to bring up quitting today, the day had been extra nerve-wracking.
Customers cleared out an hour before closing time for once, so we shut down early.
Lucky break.
The other part-timers and kitchen Auntieies had all gone home.
Just then, the boss emerged from the back of the kitchen, finishing up prepping tomorrow's pork cuts.
"Hey, Joo-hyun. Good work."
"You too, Boss."
"Nah, it ended early today, so not too bad. Gonna head home early and rest up."
"Um... Boss, before you go, could we talk for a minute?"
"What, you stuck around 'cause you had something to say? Of course I'll hear you out. Can't ignore Song Joo-hyun when he wants to talk."
"Heh, thanks."
I accepted his kindness with a silly grin.
The place does great business, so the boss is always carrying that physical fatigue around.
He probably wants to clock out, but he's willing to chat because we've worked together for seven years.
We pulled up chairs at table one, closest to the kitchen and exit, and sat facing each other.
Even though I'd known him forever, sitting across from the boss like this still made me tense.
Especially since what I had to say wasn't exactly positive.
"What's up? Love advice? Wrong guy if that's it. You know your bro here ain't married yet."
"Nah, sadly nothing like that in my stars."
"Huh? Dude, you gonna let that pretty face rot away? Planning to ferment kimchi with it or what? Bet it'd sell like hotcakes.
Start a business with that. Kimchi business."
"Kimchi made with my face would fly off the shelves, huh."
The boss commenting on my looks never bothered me, weirdly enough.
Probably 'cause we're close enough for dumb jokes like that.
"I'm kidding, man. Just noticed your face looked off earlier. Figured something was up.
What's going on? Family stuff?"
"Something like that... yeah."
The boss is the one who let me start working here at eighteen.
He knows I dropped out of middle school, knows my family situation ain't pretty.
So it wasn't hard to bring up living with Yoon-seul now.
"Ah, got it. So a five-year-old sis suddenly popped up, huh? Must be cute."
"You bet. Thought she was an angel when I first saw her."
"Hmm, I get the gist. So now you've got someone to support, you figure it's time to look for other work?"
"Yeah, pretty much. Pay here's decent enough, but taking care of a kid while doing grill house shifts... it's tough all around."
I'm full-time. Tied here from noon to 10 p.m.
If Yoon-seul skips kindergarten, no one's watching her. Even if she goes, what kindergarten runs till 10?
Pfft—
The boss laughed brightly, no hint of annoyance.
"I get it. You're free to go. Honestly, after all this time, who'd hold you back? I'm grateful for you.
You've been diligent from day one. Never late, always hustling. Great with customers. Especially when families with kids came—you always took those tables.
You'll do fine anywhere. Don't feel bad about quitting on me."
"Ah... Hearing that eases my mind a bit."
It did feel abrupt from his side, so I'd felt guilty.
Staff's a tad overstaffed here, so no labor shortage, but losing a long-timer's still a loss for the shop.
"Nah, we're good. Don't worry about the shop. I'm worried about you.
What're you planning to do next? Got a plan?"
"You bet. Well, not exactly a plan... more like money I've been saving for something I've wanted to do forever."
"Oh? Going into business?"
"Yeah, food industry. Watching you inspired the dream, Boss.
I know the tough parts, but the rewards too."
The boss's face lit up.
Proud to hear praise about himself, I guess.
But then he pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes.
"Still worried, though. You know starting in food's rough—picking the right items, all that.
Since you're gonna run it yourself, you'll cook too, right?"
"Yeah. Pretty confident."
"Oh?"
The boss propped his chin, thinking.
What's this about all of a sudden?
"Okay, my man Joo-hyun's breaking out after working under me—how can I just sit back?
Lemme help a bit. Special for you."
"You're gonna help?! No need to go that far. I've done my homework too."
"Dude, I've been at this twenty years almost. You think you know better?
Even shops as solid as ours are rare."
True enough. Boss keeps steady sales as a food business vet.
He's got know-how, plus bits on leases, interiors, all that.
If he helps...
I'd have a rock-solid ally for sure.
"Hey, but nothing's free in this world."
"Ah... Renting a spot with my savings is gonna be tight already."
"Nah, you think I'm taking your money? Lemme check you out first."
"Check me out?"
"Yeah. Got a kitchen in the back. Plenty of family meal ingredients left.
Show me your cooking chops. Gotta make sure you're legit for business, right?
Song Joo-hyun ain't all talk, is he?"
"...Of course not."
The boss came around behind me, patted my back a couple times.
That physical warmth turned into something else.
Solid. Cozy.
This must be what they call bond.
"Joo-hyun, I'll be over at that table. Whip up whatever menu you think works.
Not saying start with that one."
"Right away~ Hold tight, sir."
I headed into the kitchen, already spotless from closing.
First, checked my phone clock.
9:35 or so.
Plenty of time to make one dish and pick up Yoon-seul before the bookstore closed.
"Oppa'll make one dish for Boss and be right there, Yoon-seul. Hang on a sec."
That's when it happened.
My smartphone buzzed like crazy in my pocket. Like emergency alerts piling up.
"What the?"
Hardly anyone texts me, so maybe a dust storm warning.
Still March, spring—yellow dust season hits sudden.
I ignored it, focused on cooking.
But if I'd checked my phone right then, I might've caught on quicker, tested things out.
'Cause my phone was flooding with really important info, like rain.
[Talent 'Path of Cooking' activates for the first time.]
[Adjusting trait level based on user's inherent skill. Please wait.]
......
[Assessment result: LV.3 – Expert]
[Skill 'Knife Work' proficiency surges.]
[Skill 'Wok Work' proficiency surges.]
[Skill 'Salting' proficiency surges.]
[...]