A One-Star Boon and Bokseon Restaurant

Friday, 6 p.m.

I had faithfully put in my forty hours again this week.

Curiosity always got the better of me.

The moment I clocked out—

"Unlock ability!"

Huh? What's this supposed to be?

Delicious Meal?

One star. One-time use.

Ah... so the abilities don't all come out good, huh.

Is it telling me to go find a great restaurant all by myself... on a Friday night?

Ugh.

Whatever. I'll just save it for later.

The next day.

Saturday morning, moving day.

The autumn sky showed off, impossibly high and blue. My breath fogged white as I walked down the alley and stopped in front of the new building.

12, Macheon-ro 219-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul.

That address was my home now.

The ground floor was clean commercial space, and on the second floor sat a world entirely my own.

Built in 2018, the building still carried the scent of something new. The glass windows were crystal clear, and though the steel handles were cold to the touch, they gleamed.

"So this is really mine..."

The words slipped out on their own. Every time I'd passed this street, I used to wonder, would my life be different if I lived in a building like that?

And now, the owner of that building was me.

The truck driver and the movers bustled back and forth hauling boxes, and I stood there staring at the scene like some kind of director on set.

The inner hallway carried a mingling of fresh paint and warm wood. Each time I climbed the stairs to the second floor, the marble underfoot rang out short and firm.

When I opened the door, sunlight flooded through the full-length windows and spread all the way across the floor. A breeze drifted slowly past, and the curtains swayed gently.

The vast space—over 230 square meters—was completely empty, yet the emptiness felt strangely cozy. With every step across the floor, my heart pounded a little harder. There was a spaciousness and quiet I couldn't even have imagined in my old jeonse apartment.

When I flipped on the kitchen switch, soft lighting came on and the countertops gleamed. I opened a window and looked down—the people heading for the station just nearby, the snack shop, the convenience store, the café, all visible at a glance. Everything was close. Everything felt within reach.

I sat down on a box in the middle of the living room and looked up at the ceiling. Something heavy loosened somewhere in my chest and simply melted away.

The space before my eyes was now the new stage of my life.

Monday.

The moment I got to work—

"Time Pass."

Punch in, punch out. The workday done, I headed straight home. Maybe moving the day before had worn me out, because I washed up and crashed immediately.

Tuesday.

The real work began. Thanks to yesterday's me handling today's tasks with Time Pass, there was nothing left to do unless something unexpected came up. Between reading documents and browsing the internet, it was suddenly thirty minutes before lunch.

11:30 a.m.

The Daehan Bank Marketing Promotion Team group chat was in an uproar.

At that last message, the chat went quiet.

Team Leader Jeong.

He was famous for having an impossibly picky palate. Too salty, no. Too bland, no. Make it spicy and he'd complain it burned his tongue. He'd even grumble that there was too much broth.

"Lunch hour for office workers is not merely a time to eat. It is a time for recharging and communication, the core of workplace efficiency, and a precious period that deserves the utmost respect in modern corporate culture!"

That was Team Leader Jeong's Ode to Lunchtime. Not that he was wrong. But if he felt that strongly, he could pick the place himself. Instead, every single time, he made his subordinates choose the menu, ate his fill, and then found something to gripe about.

The ability that had dropped last Friday. This was exactly the moment to use it.

Now's the perfect time.

I thought to myself, then spoke.

"Use ability."

In an instant, restaurant information appeared in a holographic window.

"Bokseon Restaurant?"

A name I'd never heard before. And yet, I felt certain about it.

I rose from my seat and spoke up.

"Team Leader, there's a great spicy pork place nearby. Want to give it a try?"

Team Leader Jeong set down his coffee and raised an eyebrow.

"Spicy pork? If a place doesn't do it right, it reeks. You sure about this?"

"Taste it yourself and you'll see."

His expression stayed half-doubtful, but our team followed me out in the end.

I pulled up navigation and searched on foot. About a three-minute walk.

There wasn't a restaurant nearby I hadn't tried—so there was a reason this one was new to me.

Down a small alley. One shabby sign: Bokseon Restaurant. Steam fogged the windows, and bottles of ginseng liquor stood lined up by the door like decorations.

Team Leader Jeong opened the door and muttered, "The visuals are as plain as plain gets."

"Just trust me for once."

The moment we sat down, the proprietress beamed and called out, "Eight spicy pork, right? It's a little spicy!"

A moment later, a sizzle cracked across the griddle. Chili oil fragrance, sweet soy sauce, pork cooking over the flame. Glistening strips of meat coated in glossy sauce, steam rising in soft curls.

"Whoa... that smell. This is no joke," Assistant Manager Seo said, swallowing hard.

Team Leader Jeong picked up his chopsticks, lifted a single piece, and chewed in silence.

"Hmm...."

Then he stopped. A beat of stillness. Everyone watched his face nervously.

At last, a word fell from his mouth.

"This is... delicious."

His voice, a full octave higher. Only then did the anxious glances around the table relax. Chopsticks flew everywhere.

"Wow, he's right. Insane."

"This is pure rice-thief material."

"The marinade is absolutely killer."

I took a piece for myself too. The moment I bit down, the tip of my tongue melted. Sweet heat mingled with the rice, blooming into an almost blissful flavor. Juices seeped out, and a faint whisper of charred smokiness lingered at the end.

"Unbelievable...."

Team Leader Jeong was already polishing off his second bowl of rice. "Hey, Manager Kim! Lunch is here again tomorrow! We've got to work through the rest of the menu!"

The staff burst out laughing.

To think a place like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this was right by the office. It was a lunch that left everyone satisfied.

As we pushed through the door and stepped outside, warm air faintly laced ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with griddle smoke followed us out. That leisurely exit, slipping past the peak-hour crush—what a luxury. A pleasant fullness had spread across everyone's faces.

"Ahh... I'm stuffed. That was a proper gem of a place," Assistant Manager Seo said, loosening his belt a notch.

Team Leader Jeong patted his belly and grinned in satisfaction. "Feels like we've discovered a hidden treasure. Manager Kim, how does a guy even find a place like this?"

Every pair of eyes swung toward me at once. I glanced away and gave a casual shrug.

"Just... happened to pass by it, that's all."

I fudged it, just enough. "Well, good lunch today. You even found us a great restaurant, so—"

Team Leader Jeong pulled something gleaming from his business card holder. The staff sensed it instinctively.

The corporate card.

"Coffee's on me. Americano, latte—whatever you want, all of it!"

The words had barely landed before a collective gasp went up.

"Whoa, Team Leader, you're the best!"

"Number one! Our Team Leader Jeong!"

"Truly the shining star of the Marketing Promotion Team!"

Team Leader Jeong laughed heartily at the chorus and strode out in front.

On the way to the coffee franchise next to the convenience store, Assistant Manager Seo and Deputy Park clapped me on the shoulder.

"Manager Kim, you really nailed it today."

"Did I?"

"The Team ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Leader's mood is through the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠roof."

"Seriously. Looks like we won't have to worry about the lunch menu for a while."

Seeing the two of them so pleased stirred something warm in me. All I'd done was pick a lunch spot, after all. Yet somehow, it felt like a win.