Chapter 43
Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Before Cafe Opening: A Short Holiday (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Phew, finally done.”
After checking all the resumes and sending interview invites to the ones I liked, I stretched to ease my stiff body.
“Starting tomorrow, huh?”
Since these were the employees I’d be working with going forward, I wanted to conduct the interviews in top shape, so I turned in early.
As I lay in bed waiting for sleep to come, the resumes I’d stared at all day danced before my eyes.
‘Is the job market that tough these days? Why do they all have such great schools?’
Even I, who had zero interest in college, recognized the names.
For some reason, most of the applicants were from top universities.
‘Hmm, I don’t think I’ve ever heard about a bad job market on the news.’
Maybe I was just oblivious to social issues at my age, or maybe even top grads struggled to land jobs right away and took part-time gigs like this to cover living expenses while job hunting. Nothing too weird about that.
‘And it’s Seoul, right? Pretty much every university in the capital is prestigious, so it makes sense tons of local students applied.’
Smart kids coming aboard? Count me grateful. I’d learned a ton from the previous cafe owner, but as a rookie myself, I desperately needed good staff.
The sharper they were, the smoother the cafe would run. Better to celebrate than nitpick.
“Haa...”
Still, sighs kept escaping me. Running a cafe was my dream, but the nerves were real.
‘The moment I hire staff, there’s no turning back.’
I’d never planned to bail anyway, but now I was truly at the starting line.
Alone, I could quit anytime. But with employees? They’d be my passengers, and as captain, their livelihoods would be on me.
“It’ll work out.”
Thinking about it, things had snowballed. I’d wanted a chill spot to make ends meet.
Somehow, I’d ended up with a prime two-story cafe smack in central Seoul—and now hiring a bunch of staff to run it.
“Handsome face means good business.”
If my looks didn’t draw crowds...
Or if sales tanked...
‘I’ve got a backup plan ready.’
Use the hypnosis skill for good deeds *and* profit!
“Yawn.”
No more worrying—time to sleep. Interviews aside...
‘Gotta wake up early and pack a lunchbox.’
＊＊＊
‘Ugh... this sucks...’
Millennium Guild’s lunch hour. Lee Seo-yeon sat alone in the company cafeteria, poking at her tray.
As befitted the top guild, the free buffet-style meals were top-notch, but today she had no appetite.
‘Did I rush things?’
No, it started right after that date with Jun-hyuk.
They’d kept messaging and calling like normal since, but she couldn’t shake his expression from the end of that date.
‘That look... he definitely saw me as a degenerate otaku.’
She’d known he wasn’t into ushimusuko—those ripped muscle daddies.
So why had she been so dead certain he’d love it?
“Urgh...”
Sure, she could hide her hobby like always and play it cool. But the problem? The new character looked *exactly* like Yoo Jun-hyuk.
[Hey! How dare you look down on me, you insolent fool!]
Total opposite of sweet, kind Jun-hyuk—a total asshole.
But otaku tastes ran wide and deep. If anything, it hooked her harder.
‘Like a Yoo Jun-hyuk alter ego.’
Maybe that’s why. Her rational side screamed to drop the sales pitch, but her creepy instincts yelled to drag him into muscle daddy territory.
‘Jun-hyuk with bleached white hair and colored contacts...’
She wanted him in cosplay. But for a normie like him, that meant pulling him deep into her world.
“Don’t rush. Take it slow.”
Not straight to the heavy muscle stuff.
Start with light anime he could handle.
‘Like boiling a frog in lukewarm water...’
Little by little, crank up the otaku fever.
Until he was too deep to even think of escaping!
‘By then, he’ll cosplay on his own, right?’
The new Yoo Jun-hyuk lookalike, Wagiu Cube, had shot to mega-star status post-movie.
Great skills, killer looks, perfect personality—otaku blew savings and salaries pulling for him.
Imagine hitting an event with your boyfriend cosplaying *that*?
Lee Seo-yeon shivered with goosebumps.
‘Then straight to the hotel after.’
Still in full cosplay.
By then, Jun-hyuk would get the character, dive into method acting.
[C-Chill! It’s not like I love you or anything? I just can’t focus in matches with all this pent-up lust, so I had no choice! Th-That’s why...]
Probably like that...
[...Be gentle with me.]
“...”
A sudden commotion snapped Lee Seo-yeon from her drooling fantasy.
‘What? Why’s she here?’
A guildmate any Korean would know by sight: Korea’s pride, a true hero.
Choi Yu-ra had appeared in the employee cafeteria.
High-rank hunters usually ate at the execs’ fancy dining hall. So why was the pinnacle of them all here?
‘Whoa, Choi Yu-ra in person? Five years here and first time seeing her.’
‘Same. Even as a girl, she’s stunning. That aloof aura...’
‘But why here? Meeting someone?’
The crowd parted like the Red Sea for her.
Everyone watched as she nodded politely and walked through—then spotted something odd.
‘A bundle?’
‘What’s that? Don’t tell me...’
She sat not too close, not too far from Lee Seo-yeon, unpacked it, and mysteries solved.
‘Lunchbox.’
‘Yep, lunchbox.’
Plain container, no frills.
Pop the lid: humble sides revealed.
Rolled omelet, cucumber kimchi, pork stir-fry, soy-marinated eggs, kimchi.
Unbelievable for a top hunter, but these were Millennium Guild elites.
They instantly got her game.
‘Showing off her lunch.’
‘Boyfriend-made? Jealous.’
Fancy spread? They’d assume takeout. But this screamed home-cooked.
No doubts. Everyone knew she was dating, so pure envy.
‘Saw him at that party. Cute-handsome guy made it himself? Salt in the wound.’
‘I’m begging my boyfriend for one next.’
‘Heh, my hubby used to too. Now it’s just leftovers...’
Those who knew Jun-hyuk’s face? Mind blown by the gap—pretty boy packing homemaker lunches. Jealous rage.
Married folks? Warm smiles reminiscing.
One thing united them: her image.
‘Thought she only cared about gates and training. Guess Choi Yu-ra’s human after all.’
‘Love changes people. Flaunting lunchboxes now. She’s different.’
That lip-twitching grin? No way she came just to eat!
Her polite-but-distant vibe? Shattered by one lunchbox.
*Snap!*
Choi Yu-ra snapped a pic before digging in, sent a message.
Lee Seo-yeon’s phone buzzed.
[Jun-hyuk made this lunchbox ^^ Bet it looks tasty? I’m eating it all. ^3^]
[Typo. Not ^3^, it’s ^3^.]
[Another typo. Lol. You get it?]
Lee Seo-yeon glared daggers the second she read it.
Choi Yu-ra met her eyes, as if waiting—and smirked.
‘That fucking bitch!’
Obvious mockery. But the instant Lee Seo-yeon clocked it, the smirk vanished, and she started eating.
‘J-Jun-hyuk made her lunchbox?!’
He’d cooked at home before, sure. But home meal vs. lunchbox? Worlds apart.
One’s for bragging—the power and purpose differed.
‘I want one too!’
Anime lunchbox scenes flooded her brain.
Childhood friend handing over extras on the walk to school.
Tsundere with bandaids on fingers, shoving “failure” batch with a huff, ears red.
Rooftop picnics building slow-burn feelings.
‘I want a lunchbox too!’
Every cliche hit her. She messaged Yoo Jun-hyuk instantly.
[Jun-hyuk! I have a wish. Can you grant just one?]
[What?]
[I wanna eat a lunchbox you made!]
Straight shot, no feint!
Reply soon after.
[Sorry, cafe opening soon, gonna be swamped. Can’t make any.]
Deep despair. She dropped her spoon.
＊＊＊
“Aw, she must’ve seen the lunch I made Yu-ra noona.”
Didn’t need eyes on to know.
Probably whipped it out near Seo-yeon and flexed.
Sorry, Seo-yeon, but no excuse—*I’m* legitimately slammed. Try for lunch next time.
“Interviews wrapped... Saturday opening it is.”
Carefully selected bunch—all solid. Smooth sailing.
“Cafe Hypnos.”
Chest puffed at the sign. No more rookie jitters—time to run this right.
‘Name too on-the-nose?’
Nah. Only Seo-yeon knows about my hypnosis skill.
And cafe names in English? Cafe law.
“Let’s do this.”
Time flew.
“Welcome!”
Cafe open at last.
One life goal kicking off.