By Zephyria There are days when you wake up in the morning and feel inexplicably uneasy. Today was one of those days for Eui-jae.
Doesn’t everyone have days like that? Days when you wake up with a start, thinking, ‘I shouldn’t feel this refreshed…’ only to be greeted by the chirping of sparrows and the warm sunlight. Days when you fall out of bed as soon as you wake up, rush to get ready but end up running late, and then, to top it off, realize you haven’t laced up your brand-new shoes, so you’re crying as you thread the laces in front of the door. Days when you fall backward and break your nose.
Cha Eui-jae hadn’t felt such a bad omen in a long time. He took out his phone and called his AI assistant.
“Nexby, search today’s fortune.”
―Searching today’s fortune.
His AI assistant began to recite Cha Eui-jae’s fortune for the day in a monotone voice.
―Today is a day when you could be injured even by falling leaves, so you must be as careful and cautious as possible in everything you do. Dangerous elements that threaten you are scattered everywhere. Do not gloss over anything; check and double-check everything carefully.
“Is this today’s fortune or a murder warning…?”
Contrary to Eui-jae’s desire to lighten his mood even a little, Nexby continued to deliver an unsettling fortune.
―It would be best to spend today quietly and cautiously. There may be a welcome encounter in the afternoon, so why not go out for a while?
In short, it meant, “Your fortune is trash today.”
On most days when his S-class sharp intuition and fortune-telling aligned, things usually went as predicted. ‘Looks like I’m in for a rough day. I need to be careful…’ Eui-jae got up, stretched, and resolved.
But there was something Cha Eui-jae overlooked… Fate, no matter how much you try to be careful and prepare, will eventually find you.
Just like Lee Sa-young, who burst into this restaurant like a disaster today!
“Hello, Hyung.”
The low, relaxed voice was familiar. Perhaps because it had been a brief but memorable sound. Or perhaps because his first encounter with him had been so intense.
Eui-jae froze, holding the earthenware pot. He didn’t want to believe his ears, but there was no way an S-class sense of hearing could misidentify someone. Besides, the sight before him perfectly matched the image of that crazy brat in his mind.
The Gas mask, a head taller than everyone else, stood leaning casually with his hands in his pockets, looking this way.
“I received the letter you sent, Hyung.”
“…….”
“Hmm…. You’re wearing a different apron today.”
“…….”
“It suits you.”
The eyes that met his beyond the Gas mask lenses were as excited as a cat in front of a toy.
It wasn’t just Eui-jae who was shocked by Sa-young’s appearance. The moment the man in the Gas mask opened the door and entered, everyone in the restaurant slowly turned their heads toward the door, as if a slowing curse had been cast on the entire place.
And then, as if someone had pressed the pause button, everyone’s face froze. The Hunters, known for their strong personalities, were of one mind at this moment.
‘Why are you here…?’
Someone finally muttered in dismay.
“Fucking hell….”
‘Why is such a distinguished person gracing this humble place all of a sudden?’
‘Was he someone who ate out? He never eats out, does he? Isn’t he the type who doesn’t show up in crowded places in the first place?’
‘Okay, let’s say that crazy brat does eat out sometimes, but why here of all places!’
‘Is life a little boring for him? Why come to such a shabby restaurant? There are plenty of other expensive and nice places, aren’t there?’
If the temperature of the Hunters’ piercing and scorching gazes could be measured with an electronic thermometer, it would easily exceed 100 degrees Celsius. If you put a pot of water in the air, it would boil over and melt the pot.
And in the center of them, Cha Eui-jae stood dumbfounded, more horrified than anyone else but trying his best to maintain his composure.
[Trait Poker Face (B) is activated.]
Fortunately, he had a trait that helped him control his expression. There had never been a day he was more grateful for this fact. Eui-jae entrusted his expression to the trait and quickly scanned his surroundings to find the source of this problem. And then, a figure caught his eye….
“Shall we… go sit at that table over there? Haha.”
It was Bae Won-woo, who had entered the restaurant with a face ashen as death. He looked around nervously, with the face of someone who had committed an irreversible act, like spilling mala soup on a white carpet. As soon as Bae Won-woo appeared, the Hunters’ sharp gazes immediately turned toward him.
From the Hunters’ perspective, it was as if a meteorite spewing poisonous gas had suddenly fallen into a restaurant where they were enjoying their meal!
Sa-young, seemingly oblivious to the Hunters glaring at him or Bae Won-woo’s bitter expression, walked straight to the center of the Hanover Soup Restaurant. Just then, a Hunter who had finished three bowls of Hangover Soup in the very center of the restaurant was getting up from his seat. As he gasped and stepped back, Lee Sa-young sat down as confidently as if the spot were his reserved seat.
Eui-jae, who had been massaging his forehead at the appearance of the crazy brat who deserved to be chased out with a ladle, said,
“Sir, the table hasn’t been cleared yet. Would you like to sit somewhere else…?”
“No.”
Lee Sa-young crossed his long legs and casually replied, clasping his hands on his knee as if it were nothing.
“Please take your time cleaning it. I like this spot. I can see the TV well.”
“Ah, yes….”
What are you going to do watching that tiny CRT TV.
Eui-jae calmed himself down, repeating the phrase “The customer is king” in his mind. He had to defuse the situation and make it seem like nothing was happening. Because this wasn’t his restaurant. If a physical fight broke out, it wouldn’t be surprising if the entire street, let alone the restaurant, was blown away.
Showing any displeasure here would be like digging your own grave and climbing into the coffin. Besides, a Hanover Soup Restaurant employee who knew Lee Sa-young? His very existence was suspicious!
Cha Eui-jae had no choice but to clean the table where Lee Sa-young was sitting, then took out a pen and bill from his apron pocket. Lee Sa-young, who had been watching him intently, asked innocently.
“What’s on the menu here?”
Bae Won-woo looked at Lee Sa-young with a wronged expression. I told you everything before we came in, you crazy brat. There’s only Hangover Soup….
Eui-jae replied curtly.
“Hangover Soup.”
“Is that all you have?”
“Yes. We only have Hangover Soup.”
“Hey, I told you they only sell Hangover Soup here.”
Bae Won-woo interjected as if to stop him, but Sa-young deliberately looked around the old restaurant and continued to speak.
“Can you make a living with just Hangover Soup?”
“Sir.”
“Ah, you also sell rice and soju. But those aren’t meal items, are they?”
“If you’re going to complain about the side dishes, get out.”
“Ah, hahaha, we’ll just have two Hangover Soups, please.”
Bae Won-woo raised his voice a little louder than before to mediate. Eui-jae sighed deeply and scribbled a 2 roughly on the bill. Then, he stared silently at Bae Won-woo for three seconds.
Bae Won-woo. A regular customer who even had his autograph on the wall. He came almost every day for lunch and dinner, and he was a regular of regulars who emptied at least three bowls each time he came. Eui-jae didn’t want to blame anyone for the unwelcome reunion with the Gas mask, but for a moment, he wanted to turn the arrow toward him.
Perhaps sensing Eui-jae’s cold gaze, Bae Won-woo furtively avoided his eyes and stared at the table. And then, he gulped down the cold water.
‘…Just know that I’m being lenient because you’re a regular.’
Eui-jae thought he wanted to punch that Adam’s apple as he swallowed the water and headed to the kitchen. He knew that blaming anyone wouldn’t change the situation, but he couldn’t help but feel a surge of annoyance at the sudden appearance of a huge bomb.
‘Oh well, what’s done is done.’
After the day he escaped from the Rift and fell into the future eight years later, Eui-jae had become skilled at resignation. Glaring at Bae Won-woo wouldn’t make Lee Sa-young disappear, and even if he hated him, he was still a customer who paid for his meal. Eui-jae thought so and calmed himself down.
Okay. All set. Having finished his mind control, Eui-jae placed two bowls on the gas stove. He hoped that the crazy brat would at least behave himself quietly for the short time it took to cook the Hangover Soup.
And a moment later, what greeted the diligent part-timer Cha Eui-jae was the sight of a deserted Hanover Soup Restaurant.
To be precise, the tables around Lee Sa-young were empty in a circle. Crumpled bills were scattered haphazardly on the tables where customers had left, and some people were lingering in front of the counter, as if waiting for Cha Eui-jae to ring them up.
Amidst the chaos, only Lee Sa-young sat quietly.
‘Fucking hell, is he the eye of the storm?’
Panicked, Eui-jae looked out the door with the Hangover Soup in his hands. In the distance, he saw the backs of the customers who had been happily slurping Hangover Soup in the restaurant just a moment ago, running away in a hurry.
“Hey!”
“It was deliciousss―!!!”
Eui-jae, who had placed the Hangover Soup on the tray, chased after them at a brisk pace, but the Hunters answered loudly and disappeared in perfect order. They were so fast that they resembled people fleeing from Monsters in a Dungeon.
Dumbfounded, Eui-jae stared at the empty alley and turned his gaze. In front of the restaurant door, Hunters waiting for a seat to become available were clinging to the wall like barnacles.
Eui-jae pointed to the empty seats inside the restaurant and said,
“There are seats available. Come on in. I’ll clean them up for you quickly.”
However, they all waved their hands and shook their heads.
“It’s okay! I’m not that hungry.”
Grumble.
I don’t think your stomach agrees with you. But the will of the customer waiting in line number 1 was firm. He clenched his fist and shouted desperately.
“I can wait a little longer!”
If that’s what you want…. When Eui-jae looked at waiting number 2, the Hunter standing second in line was startled and took out his phone and put it to his ear. After hesitating for a moment, he spoke haltingly, as if reading from a textbook.
“Ah, that’s right! Team Leader, that was due today! Look at me, I forgot! Yes, I’ll be there soon!”
What is it. And he spoke in staccato until just now, but then he even showed off his skill of finishing the last part with a rap.
The second Hunter pretended to block the speaker and whispered to Eui-jae.
“Oh, I was in line, but! I think I should run Team Leader’s errand first. I’ve been so out of it lately that I keep forgetting… I’m okay, so please let someone else in first.”
However, the phone screen, which had turned back on due to the proximity sensor, showed the background image as it was, without a phone number entered. If you’re going to lie, at least put in the effort to press the numbers…. Eui-jae looked at waiting number 3 with cold eyes.
The third Hunter standing in line was expressionless and seemed quite calm even in this situation. Then I’ll take this customer. As Eui-jae thought so and looked at him, the Hunter opened his mouth.
“Can you call me when that crazy brat leaves? I’ll give you my number. 010…”
Cancel that. He wasn’t calm at all.
As an unprecedented situation of refusal to enter occurred, the suspicion that had been growing in Eui-jae’s mind turned into conviction. There was no doubt that that crazy brat had somehow found him with the ladle and apron he had seen that night and had come to cause trouble. After starting to work at the Hanover Soup Restaurant, Eui-jae, who had failed to refill a customer for the first time, went back into the restaurant, carrying the boiling earthenware pot, and headed to Lee Sa-young’s table.
Is interfering with business a crime I can report to 112? But what if the person causing the disturbance is a Hunter? If I call the Awakened Management Bureau, will they take him away?
“Sir.”
Eui-jae slammed the boiling Hangover Soup bowls on the table.
“Here are the two Hangover Soups you ordered.”
And even after finishing serving, he stood there without moving. Even if he was a concept person who had been consumed by his concept, he wouldn’t eat with a gas mask on, would he? Just as Eui-jae was glaring at Lee Sa-young with a suspicious look, wondering if he could see that shameless face,
A hand wearing a black glove reached for his face, and Sa-young slowly took off the Gas mask and placed it on the table. Purple eyes shone sharply beneath his slightly disheveled bangs. Their eyes met immediately, as if he had been watching Eui-jae the whole time.
“You’re going to make a hole in my face.”
Eui-jae couldn’t take his eyes off him for some reason. Just like that night when he first met Lee Sa-young in the alley.