Yellow Dandelion
"Manager Yeongjun! Strawberry latte is good with milk, but if you mix in a bit of whipped cream, it's even better. Since that person likes sweet things, try adding a pinch of salt to the coffee."
"Thank you. Boss."
Oh Yeongjun, 43 years old, was suddenly learning to work at the cafe. He bowed his head slightly in thanks for the tip given by the boss and quickly manipulated his watch to take a note.
[Strawberry Latte (with whipped cream added)] [Coffee (with a pinch of salt)]
This was his first time doing something like this in his life. At first, he was awkward with the atmosphere and even the terminology, but now he was gradually adapting and getting used to it.
'I still can't believe it.'
Oh Yeongjun looked at the friend he was learning the job with and lightly pinched his own cheek. The stinging pain was a clear sign of reality.
A month ago, when he accepted the man's offer, the work had progressed in an instant. Then, Manager Gang introduced a place to learn coffee while working, and he had come here since then.
"What are you doing? Did you write down what I told you?"
"Of course. I'll share it with you in a little while."
Even an F-rank hunter had been active until recently, and his body was better than that of an ordinary person, so the work wasn't too difficult.
But because of his age, or perhaps because he had always had a poor memory, his memory wasn't great, so taking notes was essential. Still, it was fortunate that he was learning with a friend, so he wasn't lonely.
"Did you see it yesterday? The deposit in the account."
The friend whispered in a small voice to Yeongjun's ear, as if someone might steal it.
"Of course I saw it."
In fact, while learning the cafe work, he half-believed that such good fortune had come to him. Even the friend had initially said something like that.
"Hey, you thin-eared guy. You suddenly said to work at the cafe? And with me?"
Thanks to the potion Oh Yeongjun bought from Palanggwi, he had survived, but the proposal this guy brought was too absurd to ignore.
But when he showed the contract and the company, Joseon Pharmaceutical, which makes products they use often, notarized it, only then did he believe and follow Yeongjun.
"Sigh... It's the first payday."
And when yesterday came, the remaining doubts were perfectly resolved. With such clear evidence, there was no one to doubt.
[August 23rd bank deposit record: 4,000,000 won]
Seeing the 4 million won stuck in the account, he realized that the good fortune had truly come to him. Just in case, he hadn't told his family about the job, but it had finally become reality.
And then, with footsteps as if flying home from work, he headed to the store he usually passed by.
"Excuse me, can I have that wallet?"
"Yes, customer."
It was a small handmade pouch embroidered with the yellow dandelion that his wife liked. He remembered the time when they passed by together and his wife stopped for a moment, unable to tear her eyes away.
"Ah... Why buy something like that. It's not my taste."
Even though he said that, having lived together for decades, Yeongjun couldn't miss the hidden regret in her expression. At that time, he hadn't been able to say he wanted to buy it for his son's university tuition, but now it was different.
"Are you giving it as a gift?"
"Yes, I'm going to give it to my wife."
His chest swelled, and words he hadn't even asked for came out smoothly. Yeongjun felt a bit embarrassed at the words that came out without him realizing, but the employee, as if used to such things, smiled instead.
"Your wife must be really happy to have met such a kind husband. Ah! Do you know the meaning of the yellow dandelion flower on this product?"
"The meaning? What does it mean?"
"It says it means happiness. Your wife will be really happy too."
At the employee's words, Yeongjun's words got stuck for a moment, he lowered his head, then smiled brightly.
"...Yes. Now we should be happy."
After telling his wife about the job along with the gift, they hugged each other and cried. Implicitly, they hadn't said it yet, but the hardships and years that had accumulated passed like a slideshow.
'I really have to work hard.'
The sudden good fortune seemed like it could blow away like the wind at any time. The opportunity had come, and now all that was left was to do his best.
"Manager, can I ask for a favor today too?"
"Today too?"
"It's fine."
When Yeongjun looked at the manager earnestly, the manager took out an electronic key from his pocket that could open and close the cafe door, as if he couldn't refuse.
"We'd be fine closing up too... but it's been how many days now. You should think about your body too."
From the manager's point of view, there was nothing bad about it. It was a request to open the cafe even at night so that Yeongjun could practice making drinks after the cafe's business hours ended.
"I'm a bit older, so it's hard to learn new things. I have to get used to it with my body."
"Sigh... You're amazing."
After all, a trustworthy acquaintance was vouching, providing ingredients and even a salary for education, but the more he watched, the more amazing it was. He was so impressed by the passion that he even taught the known know-how.
"Then, take care."
"Take care."
"Are you really okay? No matter how you look at it... aren't you overdoing it?"
"I'm really fine. Go in."
The end of work time came, but the lights in the cafe didn't go out. Yeongjun and his friend stayed in the cafe, memorizing the manufacturing methods they had learned so far and touching the machines to practice.
"This is how it was done... Ah, I forgot again. What was this?"
"That was also the one I noted yesterday. It's here. Come on!"
Now that the boss had recognized them, they occasionally made and sold drinks when customers came. So two middle-aged men passed through a hot night.
A month passed, and finally the fateful day arrived. Oh Yeongjun and his friend were heading to Guri-si, Gyeonggi-do, where he would work in the future.
"But isn't Guri-si a red zone? I heard there's nothing there."
The friend driving the car said while following the navigation.
"After all, he has plans."
"Yeah, what kind of person is that guy."
The two who received their second salary, Karen was someone who could do anything. Moreover, from a slight hint from Manager Gang, they were told that they were great awakened ones, their dream, so it was the perfect employer.
[Clang, clang]
Because of the gate, the road to Guri-si was a mess. The bumpy repaired roads everywhere made the car rock like a roller coaster, but their faith in Karen didn't waver.
"Ooh"
"Right..."
Indeed, their faith was rewarded. Most of Guri-si was in ruins, but only one place, near the area they would work, had smooth paved roads waiting.
Now, the navigation wasn't needed. Just follow the good places.
*creak*
The car stopped, and at the place they got out, they stared blankly at a building for a while. The new modern building didn't match the ruined city they had seen on the way here.
"Is this... right?"
If it was a cafe, there should be something attached to the building like "Cafe" or another name, but there was nothing. Checking the address, this was the right place?
"Here?"
While they were hesitating whether to call Manager Gang, a voice calling them came.
"Who..."
"Hello! It's our first time meeting in person!"
The friend didn't know who the person calling them was suddenly, but Oh Yeongjun, who had seen him once in hologram, recognized the man the moment he saw the silver hair. The friend followed suit in greeting, sensing it.
It looked like a strange scene of two middle-aged men bowing to a young man, but they had already heard from Manager Gang that the man in front of them was an older returnee than themselves.
"Kku-ing"
"A cat?"
The two who bowed their heads met eyes with the cat at their feet. Then the cat made a strange sound and raised its front paw as if greeting them.
'Strange cat. It looks like it's waving its hand like a person.'
"Since we have time to talk, you can say it."
"Understood. Master."
"Wha?"
The two suddenly stepped back when the cat spoke. Monster? But are there monsters that look like cats like this?
"This one is a spiritual beast. It won't harm you, so relax."
"Ah.. I understand. If Karen-ssi says so."
"Kku-ing, humans are welcome."
The two were still confused by the natural way the cat was speaking, but they tried to maintain their composure with faith in Karen. Of course, the fact that Samsaek's appearance was very cute also helped.
"Handshake? Humans do this when they first meet."
Samsaek extended his small front paw, and the two squatted down in turn and shook hands with him.
'Soft.'
The soft, plump, jelly-like touch of the cat's paw reached their palms, and the two's faces, which had been tense when they met their boss for the first time, relaxed a bit.
"Then, let's go in? Make one or two strawberry lattes slowly."
Unconsciously ordering only for himself, the cat's kick from the side changed the order quickly.
I gestured for them to go in. After all, I had already seen the inside, and since it was the first order, I as the boss shouldn't be there to make it easy.
"Understood."
Yeongjun quickly pulled his friend into the cafe. After opening the security door with their fingerprints set, sighs of admiration came out of their mouths.
"Wow... what is this..."
The floor was laid with coated wooden planks, and on the walls were vines and plants boasting beautiful flowers.
The plant's name was Rafflea, a gate-imported plant that absorbs mana to purify the air and releases a pleasant scent. The mana stones embedded in the ceiling provided mana to the plants and also served as lighting.
"Wow... I've never seen this before."
Of course, all the machines for making drinks were the latest models, from coffee machines to refrigerators and ice makers.
"Let's prepare to make them quickly."
Yeongjun, who had been wandering inside as if enchanted, suddenly snapped out of it and quickly prepared to make the drinks. Watching from outside, I entered the cafe when they were almost done.
"Two strawberry lattes."
[Slurp]
Feeling my gaze, the two looked at me with a hint of fear that their good fortune might end with one word from the man in front of them. Feeling their eyes, I took a sip and smiled faintly at them.
"It's delicious."
"Kku-ing"
Samsaek, who drank it with them, agreed. Well, then it's done.
"Passed. Please take care of the cafe from now on. You can decide the name by yourselves."
"Sob... Thank you."
With the two middle-aged men crying with joy behind me, I held the strawberry latte and left the cafe.
"Good deeds deserve good deeds."