CH 182

A female customer asked Kang Yu-Hwan, “Where's oppa today?”

‘Miss, just when did my son become your oppa?’

Kang Yu-Hwan inwardly groaned.

Since the cafe opened, he had been harassed by the constant complaints of female customers. This was perhaps an inevitable result after Kang Jin-Ho found a new part-time job that required his presence during the day. And his absence from the cafe was causing this kind of unwanted side effect.

'Should I have put on a public notice about this?'

Then again, which cafe in the world would advertise that one of their part-time workers was not coming to work? However, thinking that way was Kang Yu-Hwan's mistake. He shouldn't have been so lackadaisical about this situation. Half of the cafe would have been usually filled with female patrons, but now? They all pouted and walked away after hearing that Kang Jin-Ho wasn't coming to work here anymore.

Kang Yu-Hwan tried to convince the female customers. “Ladies, our coffee is one of the best in the business.”

“Uncle, we didn't come here to drink coffee, you know?”

That reply left Kang Yu-Hwan and Park Yu-Min in despair. They had been stuck inside the cafe since early dawn to roast the coffee beans and prepare themselves for another day of fruitful but hard work, after all!

'If you didn't come to a cafe to drink coffee, why did you come in the first plaaaace?!'

Kang Yu-Hwan oh-so desperately wanted to ask, but he couldn't do that. After all, he already knew the answer.

Park Yu-Min cautiously piped up after more female customers walked away. “Uncle, I think this... will negatively impact our sales.”

“Mm…” Kang Yu-Hwan rubbed his chin. The cafe was still more or less full, but it was definitely not as busy as before. Kang Yu-Hwan's expression hardened from determination. “Should I tell Jin-Ho to quit his part-time job and just work here full-time?”

“Uncle, weren't you the one who insisted that Jin-Ho needs to earn more life experience?”

“I must've lost my mind back then. Why did I say something that dumb...?” Kang Yu-Hwan groaned weakly.

Park Yu-Min barely managed to suppress his laughter. “And Eun-Yeong can't keep working here forever, too. You should start thinking about letting her return to her real job, Uncle. I'm sure she's done enough self-reflection by now.”

“Mm, you're right, Yu-Min. You're right, but...” Kang Yu-Hwan rubbed his chin, still unconvinced about something. “Honestly speaking, what I was unhappy about wasn't Eun-Yeong seeing some guy. No, it's about how Eun-Yeong couldn't manage her life beyond her idol schedule.”

“That makes sense,” said Park Yu-Min with a nod.

“I was already unhappy about letting a young girl work professionally without the family's supervision, you see? And the idea of her having no one to guide her and look after her just didn't sit well with me. That's why I'm still wondering what to do even now...”

“You're definitely right, Uncle. If only we had someone capable of driving away all those parasites who aren't interested in Eun-Yeong but still cling on to her... But finding someone like that isn't easy, you know?”

“Indeed. That is why I think—” Just before Kang Yu-Hwan could finish his sentence, a sharp cry suddenly exploded from the cafe.

“Why are you doing this?!”

Kang Yu-Hwan's eyes narrowed into a scary glare as he urgently turned his head to look. A man sitting at one of the tables was grabbing and pulling at Kang Eun-Yeong's arm.

“What do you mean, why? Because I like you, Miss Se-Ah~. I just wanted to hold your hand for a bit, so why are you being so difficult?”

“Let me go!”

“Yes, I'll do just that. But, let's take a selfie first, shall we?”

“We'll do that, so let me go first!”

“Hey, don't be so cold like that. I just want to be closer to you when we snap our selfie together~.”

Kang Se-Ah's male fans sitting nearby shot up to their feet. “Let her go, man!”

“What did you say?” The rude man got up and revealed his over 180 centimeters-tall frame. He glared at the crowd while spreading open his wide shoulders, causing everyone else to flinch nastily and stumble back. Some even avoided meeting the man's glare.

“Hah. What a bunch of losers.” The man roughly grabbing Kang Se-Ah's arm smirked derisively before shifting his attention back to her.

“Customer! You're not allowed to behave like that here!” Kang Yu-Hwan quickly rushed up to his daughter and tried to diffuse the situation, but the rude man couldn't be reasoned with.

“Eiii, f*cking hell! You really are playing f*cking hard to get, ain't ya! I just want a bloody selfie, so what the f*ck is your problem?! Should I just wreck this goddamn place first?!"

Park Yu-Min quickly whipped out his phone to call the police, but then, the cafe's exit was suddenly shoved open, and a large man rushed inside.

The new entrant to the scene yelled at the rude man, “Hey, you dipsh*t!”

When you're just trying to make great content at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

“Who the f*ck... O-oi?” The rude man turned his head in irritation, wondering which small fry was trying to piss him off this time, only to flinch and cower a little in surprise.

'What is up with that scary face?'

The rude man was confident of his own thuggish appearance, but the one stomping his way toward him possessed a much scarier countenance. This man had closely-cropped hair while his so-called business suit had this sleek sheen to it. And a flower-patterned Hawaiian shirt had taken up the place of the usual white dress shirt under the jacket. This was the unofficial attire of...

'...Hang on, is he a gang member?'

Even at a casual glance, this man exuded the vibe that screamed, 'yes, I've spent a few years in a place with bars on the doors and windows.' And such a man was now shooting a murderous glare at the rude man.

“Hey, you dipsh*t. Let her go, now!”

“…!” The rude man sneakily released Kang Eun-Yeong's arm.

But the 'gang member' wasn't done yet. “Listen here, you piece of sh*t! This ol' me is patiently waiting outside for my turn, yet a small fry like you dare to cause a scene inside and make me wait even longer?! Ah?! Should I just f*cking...!”

The 'gang member' suddenly raised his hand in a threatening manner. The rude man harassing Kang Eun-Yeong flinched fearfully for a second there.

“Bloomin' hell! The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off! So, you want a selfie? Sure, why don't you and I go outside and take one together? Come outside now, you little punk.”

The rude man stammered helplessly, “N-no, hang on. I was just...”

“Oh? You don't wanna come outside? Are you gonna walk outside on your two feet, or should I drag you outside? Choose the second option, and you ain't going home today, capiche?”

“I… I'll choose the first option...”

“F*cking small fry...!” The 'gang member' reached out and grabbed the scruff of the rude man, then began dragging the latter outside.

The rude man helplessly muttered, “H-how about you let me go, and we'll just talk...”

“What was that? You dipsh*t! Did you let her go when she asked ya? Shut the hell up and... Just come with me, you little punk. If only this place wasn't run by my friend's old man, I'd have ripped you apart right here and now! Don't worry, this hyung will find a nice little corner somewhere, so it won't get too embarrassing for you, okay? Open your mouth one more time, though, and I might change my mind, you hear?”

The rude man clamped his mouth shut and quietly followed after the 'gang member'. Once the cafe's door closed shut behind the two, Kang Yu-Hwan dazedly asked Park Yu-Min, “S-shouldn't we call the cops?”

Park Yu-Min barely suppressed his laughter while replying, “No, Uncle. It's fine. We don't have to report this.”

“But, that man looked like a gangster, didn't he?”

“He might be dressed like one, but he isn't a gangster, Uncle. He's actually a nice guy.”

“I-is that so?” Kang Yu-Hwan blinked his eyes in stupefaction. Park Yu-Min could be more trustworthy than Kang Jin-Ho in situations like this, so if he said it was okay, it probably was okay. “By the way, was he someone you know?”

“Ah, yes. He actually served together with Jin-Ho in the army, Uncle.”

“My son's... what?” Just before Kang Yu-Hwan could ask for more explanation, the cafe's door opened again, and the gang member-like man stepped back inside while dusting his hands.

Park Yu-Min waved at him. “Yeong-Gi! Over here!”

“Hey, man. So this was where you were! I was wondering where you went when I didn't find you at the orphanage.”

“Yeong-Gi, what's up with your clothes, though?” Park Yu-Min directed a strange gaze at Ju Yeong-Gi's attire.

“Heh, looks good on me, right? Listen here, okay? I might have been dressing casually lately, but if I wanted to, I can put on a good fashion show if I say so myself.”

“...Uhm, it's so outdated and uncool, though?”

Ju Yeong-Gi scowled unhappily. “Say what now?!”

Park Yu-Min held back his laughter and introduced Kang Yu-Hwan to Ju Yeong-Gi. “Hey, say hello. This is Jin-Ho's father.”

“Oh! Sir, how do you do!” Ju Yeong-Gi bowed forward ninety degrees and energetically greeted Kang Yu-Hwan. His voice was so loud that it rocked and echoed inside the cafe.

“A-ah, hello. You must be Jin-Ho's friend.”

“Yes, sir! My name is Ju Yeong-Gi, Jin-Ho's bestest best friend! I've heard a lot about you, sir.”

“I-I see. Thank you for coming, Yeong-Gi. Have a seat, let me get you a cup of coffee.”

“Thank you, sir!”

Judging from Ju Yeong-Gi's energetic, forthright attitude, his nature didn't seem bad, just as Park Yu-Min had mentioned. However, something about him still bugged Kang Yu-Hwan. This young man didn't quite seem to fit Kang Jin-Ho's style, so to speak. So, how did they even become friends?

“Excuse me...” Kang Eun-Yeong approached Ju Yeong-Gi and bowed her head. “Thank you for your help earlier.”

“No probs. Hey, you're Jin-Ho's sister, right? Don't you remember me? You saw me a couple of times when you came to visit Jin-Ho in the base.”

“Yes, I do remember seeing you back in the base.”

“Good. By the way, I thought you were an idol? Why are you waiting tables in this cafe?”

“Well…” Kang Eun-Yeong put on a cramped smile after getting a feeling that her oppa's friend was not really interested in her life as an idol.

Ju Yeong-Gi chuckled good-naturedly. “In any case, that creep won't show up here again, so you can relax. I talked to him nicely, you see?”

“Thank you so much, oppa.”

“No need to thank me. But I gotta tell you, the way you handled that was totally wrong. If you just yap like that, annoying flies like that idiot won't back down, you know? You gotta kick them in the nuts or slap the living sh*t out of them. Only then will they realize you're not a pushover and let you go.”

Kang Eun-Yeong nodded away. “Okay, I'll definitely remember that.”

“Tsk. Good.”

Park Yu-Min butted in before this advice-giving session went even further into weird territory. “O-okay, so! Were you looking for Jin-Ho?”

“Yeah. Why is it so hard to see the mug of that guy, Yu-Min? Don't tell me he's not here?”

“Ng. He was working here until yesterday. But not anymore.”

“Eiii. What a waste of time. Not much I can do, then. I'll just drink some coffee and give Jin-Ho a call later.”

Park Yu-Min tilted his head a little. “Why are you looking for Jin-Ho, anyway?”

“Well, it has been a while since I got discharged, so it's high time I get a job, right? But this is Seoul, you know? I don't know anyone here. But I didn't want to go back to my old lifestyle, you know what I mean? I wanted to hold a proper job that's not in the shadows, so I figured talking to Jin-Ho for advice might help.”

Kang Yu-Hwan quietly listened to the two men chatting away, then called out to Ju Yeong-Gi, “Hold on. You said your name is Yeong-Gi?”

“Ah, yes, sir! It's Ju Yeong-Gi.”

“Young man, are you interested in working as a manager?”

“I'm sorry?”

***

Ruuumble...

Kang Jin-Ho watched the suspended scaffold descending lower, then looked behind him while making a slightly stupefied face. He was greeted by the panoramic view of Seoul.

Some people would have commented, 'what a nice view this is!' However, if they knew where Kang Jin-Ho was, they probably wouldn't say that.

An older man, Kang Jin-Ho's new colleague, smirked and asked, “What's the matter? Scared?”

“...No, I'm not.” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head.

“It's okay, young man. Everyone's like you in the beginning. Even if people pretend to be fine and unaffected, getting a ride on this platform freezes them up real fast. They can't even move a finger afterward.”

“I'm really fine.”

“Really? Huh. I guess you're pretty good at hiding your expression, then. However, it's gonna be less scary than you think. You see, most people will get terrified when looking at a ten-meter drop below them. Increase that height, though? They start losing perspective. It no longer feels real to them.”

“I see,” Kang Jin-Ho replied disinterestedly, then peeked his head past the side of the scaffold he was riding on.

'Right, this is a rather unusual experience.'

Kang Jin-Ho knew what it was like to live as a cultivator. That still didn't prepare him for a job that involved dangling two hundred meters up in the air, though!

The older man chuckled and continued talking to Kang Jin-Ho, “Now normally, folks don't volunteer for a job like this. That makes you rather peculiar, young man.”

“I guess you could say that.” Kang Jin-Ho slowly nodded.

Whoooooosh-!

A powerful gust of wind whooshed past, causing the scaffold to rock from side to side.

“Aigoo~! Be careful there, young man! The winds get stronger the higher we are, you see!”

“...Oh.” Kang Jin-Ho cocked an eyebrow.

His new part-time job was to clean the windows of a high-rise building.

'For sure, this job is pretty unique. And it's... kind of fun, too.'

This job didn't require a lot of physical strength, but it was also not something anyone could experience at will.

Kang Jin-Ho's older colleague patted him on the back. “Do your best to acclimatize, young man. Later in the afternoon, you won't be riding on a large platform like this, but on an individual 'chair' called a bosun's chair to clean the windows by yourself, you see.”

“Understood. I'll do my best.”

“However, will this be really fine? Newbies are usually not allowed to do this kind of work, you see? But the supervisor said it's okay for some reason, and that's why you're here today.”

“Yes, I'll be alright.”

“My head will fly if you get into some kind of accident, so don’t be negligent and keep your wits about you, okay?”

“Yes, I will do that.” Kang Jin-Ho nodded, then got to work. He sprayed water on the windows and used a squeegee to wipe the surface clean.

'It might be an unusual experience, but it's not that difficult either.'

Other than the fact that one had to cling to the side of a skyscraper, the difficulty rating of this job wasn't all that high.

The older man tilted his head slightly. “Uh... Are you really okay?”

“Yes, I am.”

“That's weird. Most newbies are always this close to passing out the first time they get a ride on the platform, you know?”

Kang Jin-Ho's colleagues tilted their heads as if they couldn't quite figure it out.

Kang Jin-Ho flatly replied, “I have always been somewhat fearless.”

“That's not always a good thing, young man. Fearless people tend to get into accidents far easier, you know?”

Kang Jin-Ho was about to respond, but he suddenly turned his head and looked at the ground far below the scaffold.

The older man was taken aback. “What's the matter?”

“...It's nothing.” Kang Jin-Ho shook his head while making an unreadable expression.

***

“Wow, he sure has a sharp intuition, eh?” A suspicious-looking man stopped staring at the tall building with Kang Jin-Ho dangling to the side and hid within the nearby shadows.

He slowly shook his head and muttered, “Is this why the Crimson King is interested in that brat? He certainly doesn't seem like a small fry, but…”

An insidious grin slowly crept up on the face of the man in the shadows.

“It's no good to do something this dangerous when you're the man of the moment, you know. Kekeke...”

Sinister laughter capable of creeping out the listeners lazily leaked out of his mouth.