Episode 23
23.
Sihu stroked his chin at Hwijun’s story.
“So you’re saying they offer to broadcast a good review and then demand a bribe?”
Reading Sihu’s expression, Hwijun continued.
“Yeah, but they can’t really do that to really famous places. Though even if they just say it’s not tasty, since they have a lot of subscribers, the damage becomes that much greater.”
“.......”
The shop [SeeYou], which Ganghun had built up and which Sihu had inherited.
Sihu couldn’t stand watching its reputation fall.
After thinking for a moment, Sihu called Hayun.
Ring ring ring-
Click-
-Oh, what’s this? You calling me?
“Hyung, did you schedule something with that [FactCheck] YouTuber?”
-Yeah, I told him to come in early before the shop opens next Tuesday.
“Is that so?”
-Why? Is something going on?
At Hayun’s question, Sihu glanced at Hwijun.
Hwijun was rubbing his eyes with the eggs and looking at the ceiling.
“No, I was just wondering if you’d scheduled it, so I called.”
-Really? Ah. Also, I looked into broth packaging container companies....
Sihu listened quietly to Hayun’s words.
“Hyung, then. How about asking customers to bring their own lunch containers and then packing the food for them?”
At Sihu’s words, Hayun’s surprised voice came through.
-What? Isn’t that a hassle?
“It is a hassle, but other than moving around a bit more than now, there’s nothing to it.”
-Is that so? But we’re already incredibly busy..., shouldn’t we hire someone?
At Hayun’s words, Sihu looked at Hwijun, who sat in front of him rubbing an egg.
Heh-
Seeing Sihu’s smile, Hwijun felt sweat trickle from his temple without realizing it.
‘.......’
“I’ll think about hiring someone for now.”
-Yeah, I have a lot of customers too, and I have to write, so it’s tough.
At Hayun’s words, Sihu felt a little sorry.
Because Hayun had been taking care of cleaning the hall and various other menial tasks.
“Yes, I’ll try to find someone as soon as possible.”
-Yeah, I’d appreciate that. Mr. Boss.
At Hayun’s jest, Sihu drew out his answer.
“Ye-s-”
As soon as Sihu put down his smartphone, Hwijun’s question came as if he’d been waiting.
“Is Woodpecker visiting the shop?”
“Yeah, the hyung I work with told him to come before the shop opens next Tuesday.”
Sihu looked at Hwijun and asked something he was curious about.
“What about school?”
“Me? I got into a university in Gyeonggi-do.”
“But what were you doing at Haran Market?”
“Ah, a request came in from a restaurant there, so I went, filmed the restaurant, ate the food, and chatted on livestream.”
“Really? You won’t be able to broadcast with that face for a while?”
At Sihu’s snickering words, Hwijun threw a punch into the air.
“Yeah, you crazy bastard. What if you hit my face?”
“I was only going for your H-line, but you dodged. That’s why I brought you home and gave you eggs.”
At Sihu’s words, Hwijun let out a long sigh.
“When I go to school, my classmates will have something to say now.”
Sihu spoke as if teasing him.
“You don’t have class today, right?”
“If I had class, would I be wandering around like this?”
At Hwijun’s words, Sihu smiled, his eyes curving into crescents.
“Want to be my food taster?”
***
“You crazy bastard. Stop feeding me. My stomach’s going to burst.”
Hwijun had eaten until his stomach truly felt like it would burst.
When Sihu had said he was settling a past grudge and beaten him in an empty lot, Hwijun had taken some of the hits out of guilt.
Because he knew how hard it must have been for him all that time.
Though he hadn’t told Sihu, he too had been ostracized in class during his third year of high school for saying the wrong thing.
That’s why he’d obediently taken the beating.
He knew how terrible the communication breakdown among adolescents could be.
Back then, Sihu’s face had crossed his mind.
But this bastard’s hands were heavy.
He’d dodged because he thought he’d die if he took any more hits.
Puhwak-
But he hadn’t known it would come flying at his face.
After hitting his face, Sihu’s expression was a sight to behold.
It was the first time he’d seen the person who threw the punch make such a face.
‘F*ck, he’s a mad dog, but he still has that gentle side.’
That was the assessment he’d made of Sihu.
Hwijun now realized that thought had been a mistake.
No matter how full he said he was, food kept coming out from somewhere.
Even when he said he was full, Sihu fed him saying, “This is the last one.”
And when he put down his spoon to rest, Sihu held out a plate saying, “Here’s the last one too.”
‘I kept eating because he kept saying it was the last one...’
Like some gym PT trainer saying,
“Alright, this is the last one. Really the last one. Just one more for the last time! You’re doing great, really the last one!” It felt like that.
The food Sihu made was truly delicious.
Because it was delicious, he kept eating.
It felt like his stomach would explode.
Eventually, the mere sight of food made him nauseous.
Hwijun covered his mouth and turned his head.
Seeing that, Sihu spoke while holding a tray.
“Hey—there are plenty of customers lining up at the shop to eat my food! You should know you’re lucky.”
At Sihu’s words, Hwijun raised both hands as if giving up.
“Just hit me instead. That’s better.”
“What a shame. This really is the last one.”
Thud-
What came down on the table was dessert.
Not Korean food, but ice cream.
It was ice cream topped with raspberries and grapes that looked delicious even at a glance.
Hwijun really wanted to stop eating.
But still, his hand automatically went to the spoon placed beside the ice cream bowl.
“Ugh—I’m full...”
Hwijun grumbled but still took a spoonful of the ice cream Sihu gave him.
Nyam-
At the soft sweetness melting on his tongue, Hwijun cursed without realizing it.
“Huh? F*ck—what is this? Is this ice cream?”
It was clearly ice cream to the eye.
It scooped softly with a spoon.
But when he put it in his mouth, it felt like shaved ice made by freezing milk and shaving it with a plane.
To Hwijun’s question.
“It is ice cream, but I froze milk and fruit juice and quickly shaved it with a plane. How’s the taste?”
“The taste is obviously good, but, huh?”
Hwijun stopped talking and tilted his head.
After eating the ice cream, the agonizing feeling that his stomach would burst disappeared.
And, funnily enough, he wanted to eat more of Sihu’s food.
Even he thought it was absurd.
“Hey, what did you do to this dessert? Did you put some powerful digestive medicine in it?”
Sihu shook his head.
“Are you listening to me with your ears shut? I told you I don’t put medicine in food.”
Sihu acted as if he would hit Hwijun with the tray.
“But really, my stomach feels better. Like I drank a whole bottle of powerful digestive medicine.”
With that, Hwijun began picking up the food remaining on his plate again and eating it.
Sihu’s eyes narrowed as he watched Hwijun.
What had been put in the shaved ice was the fruit ‘Apple Grape’ that grew in this world’s garden.
‘Do Apple Grapes aid digestion?’
Jjeop- jjeop- nyam nyam-
The sound of him continuously picking up and eating food was heard.
Sihu watched quietly.
“Hey, want to work part-time?”
“Part-time? If there’s a spot, of course I’d like it. I sometimes don’t have morning classes.”
At Hwijun’s words, Sihu formed a wicked smile.
***
A few days later.
Tuesday, 6:30 AM, the day the YouTuber was visiting.
After loading his hand truck with supplies and arriving at [SeeYou], Sihu saw a man standing awkwardly in front of the door.
Seeing him, Sihu acknowledged him.
“You came?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t know you’d tell me to come at dawn.”
“You said you had no classes today.”
At Sihu’s words, Hwijun nodded and felt a slight regret about his choice.
Hwijun, who had been completely won over while eating ice cream as Sihu talked about the part-time job.
He had shown Sihu his class schedule when asked.
Looking at the [SeeYou] sign, Hwijun let out a small sigh and looked at Sihu.
“This is where you work?”
“Yeah, let’s go in.”
The two entering the shop moved the supplies Sihu had brought to the kitchen.
Ding-a-ling-
Along with the sound of the shop door opening, Hayun’s greeting was heard.
“You’re early? Huh?”
Hayun looked at the man standing next to Sihu with a puzzled gaze.
Sihu introduced Hayun to Hwijun.
“This is the hyung who’s my school senior and in charge of hall service at this shop. And this is a middle school classmate who bullied me and got the shit beaten out of him by me.”
Hayun extended his hand to Hwijun and greeted him.
“I’m Ju Hayun. But you got beaten by Sihu?”
At Hayun’s question, Hwijun forced an awkward smile and shook his hand.
“Yes, I got beaten. I’m Yu Hwijun.”
The look in Hayun’s eyes as he looked at Hwijun changed subtly.
Before an awkward air could circulate between the two, Sihu clapped his hands.
“Shall we hurry a bit? There’s a lot of food to make. Ah, Hyung. Hwijun will be helping you starting today.”
“What? Don’t tell me he’s a part-timer?”
“Yes.”
Answering, Sihu quickly finished organizing the kitchen and began prepping ingredients.
Tadadadak-
Tang- taang-
Sseoggeok- sseoggeok-
While Hwijun was learning hall cleaning and the showcase from Hayun.
At the sounds coming from the kitchen, the two naturally turned their heads.
“The sound is nice, right?”
“Huh? Yes. Ah. Hyung-nim. Please lower your speech. I’m the same age as Sihu.”
At Hwijun’s words, Hayun smiled slyly.
“Shall I?”
“But Hyung-nim. Is everyone usually that fast when prepping ingredients?”
At Hwijun’s question, Hayun shook his head.
“No, only that guy is like that.”
Hayun cast a proud gaze toward the kitchen where Sihu was working.
Hwijun learned the work quickly.
He took notes one by one while learning the shop work from Hayun.
Seeing that, Hayun felt Hwijun was a bit impressive.
“But, did you really get that injury from Sihu?”
Hayun whispered to Hwijun as if he couldn’t believe it.
At Hwijun’s answer, Hayun’s eyes went round.
Thank you for reading.
────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────