God-Given Business Genius

I took off my tightly pulled-down hat and brushed my hair back. I could clearly sense Kim Jong-chun tensing at my every move.

“Where did you get the broth from?”

“Ah, I brought some from In-cheol’s place.”

“You mean Boss Lee In-cheol?”

“Yeah. I called him out for some advice.”

I could guess without being told. Knowing Lee In-cheol’s personality, he probably scolded Kim Jong-chun harshly.

‘After struggling for so long, your worries must sound like spoiled complaints to him.’

Sure enough, Kim Jong-chun continued sheepishly:

“It was a real wake-up call. I’d completely forgotten my initial mindset. Back then, I’d worry about whether customers would enjoy the soup rice, even while making just one bowl.”

“…….”

“If a customer left some soup rice, I’d fret about it all night. What didn’t they like? Was it too salty? Or are they just light eaters? That’s how it was.”

“…….”

“If a regular who came once a week didn’t show up at their usual time, I’d worry if they’d gotten tired of it. That’s how I was then.”

Kim Jong-chun let out a bitter laugh.

“At some point, I stopped caring about such things.”

I can understand Kim Jong-chun’s situation to some extent.

Before my regression, I had tried hard to understand franchisees like him. Why people change every time, why people aren’t like iron and wear out.

I wondered if there was some structural problem, since it kept happening.

After pondering from various angles, my conclusion always ended up like this:

‘Business is a battle with oneself. Especially once you’re on track.’

That’s why I held Seo Beom-jun in high regard. Records are honest, and they only respond when you work diligently without tricks, even where others can’t see.

But how many people can do that?

When you think about it, it’s like practicing asceticism every day. If anyone could do it, wouldn’t everyone become a Buddha?

That’s not to say Kim Jong-chun did well, but I can understand intellectually. Understand.

I pulled up a nearby chair and sat down.

“Would you make me a bowl?”

“Huh?”

“Soup rice.”

The bone broth and meat broth were just starting to boil. Now would be a good time to make a delicious blended broth.

“Please make it yourself. …Just like when you first asked for permission to open the shop.”

As I finished speaking, Kim Jong-chun’s eyes widened and his mouth opened slightly.

“Ah…!”

His eyes soon grew moist, and he forced a smile, beaming brightly.

“Sure!”

Watching his busy back, I felt nostalgic.

‘I wasn’t really expecting this.’

Among problematic franchisees who wouldn’t listen despite repeated warnings, those who returned to their initial mindset no matter what you did were few and far between.

It was maybe one in hundreds or thousands.

So I had been mentally preparing to part ways with Kim Jong-chun. I thought it would end with him taking his shares and stepping down, or us buying him out.

Clunk.

“Here’s your Hapjae soup rice~”

I looked at the earthenware bowl Kim Jong-chun set down with a grin. Steam was rising, and the properly blended broth had a mouth-watering aroma.

“Thank you for the meal.”

I picked up the spoon and took a sip of the broth first.

Slurp.

“…H-how is it?”

I stared at Kim Jong-chun as he anxiously watched my reaction. Perhaps misinterpreting my gaze, Kim Jong-chun stammered:

“It’s been a while since I made it. But when I actually started cooking, my body seemed to remember somehow? Still, it might taste different to you…”

After rambling for a while, he finally closed his eyes tight and asked:

“Should I make it again?!”

Pfft.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hahaha. What do you mean, make it again? I can’t eat two bowls, you know?”

I took another big spoonful. A familiar yet never-tiring taste filled my mouth.

“It’s delicious.”

“…!”

“Your Spartan training from Boss Lee In-cheol hasn’t gone to waste. The seasoning is perfect, even though you say it’s been a while. It’s really delicious, you know?”

As I smiled brightly, Kim Jong-chun slumped against the wall, all strength seemingly leaving his body.

“Haaah. I’m saved…”

“Were you nervous?”

“Extremely!”

Kim Jong-chun fanned himself as he continued.

“You really know how to keep an adult on edge, don’t you? Huh? My heart’s all jittery. If I have a heart attack, you’ll call an ambulance for me, right?”

“Don’t joke about that.”

“I’m half serious.”

There’s no need to be that tense. Slurp. I kept eating the soup rice, muttering inwardly. It’s delicious.

“Ugh. My legs have gone weak. I can’t get up.”

“Try standing up properly. I can’t very well lift you up myself, can I?”

“Of course not. You’d fall over too.”

Kim Jong-chun barely managed to stand up, leaning against the wall. I could see his legs trembling.

He took one step at a time and finally sat down in the chair across from me.

“Whew. Now I feel like I can live.”

I stared intently at Kim Jong-chun’s face, then buried my head in the soup rice again as I continued speaking.

“I don’t completely trust you yet.”

“Huh?”

“Because it’s hard to change for the better, but easy to deteriorate.”

That’s an eternal truth.

It’s hard to have a “miracle morning,” but easy to fall asleep watching YouTube until dawn.

“I’m quite serious. Of course, I know you can’t trust me because of my past behavior, but…”

As Kim Jong-chun started to look dejected, I quickly clarified to avoid misunderstanding.

“I’m not doubting your current will or sincerity.”

“Then?”

“Of course you’re sincere now. But human will is like a grain of sand. When the waves come, it’s easily swept away.”

I looked at my reflection in the earthenware bowl as I continued.

“On that beach with countless waves, how many people can consistently maintain that will, not just for three days, but continuously?”

“…….”

“I’m not doubting you specifically. It’s just that it’s naturally difficult for most people.”

There were people who grasped my hands tightly and pleaded with tears. They said they could really change now, that they would swear before their ailing mother.

But that too is just a moment.

Resolve fades, and will weakens.

‘I’ve recalled unpleasant things.’

It wasn’t something I particularly wanted to remember. As I fell into deeper thought and pressed my lips tight, I heard the sound of Kim Jong-chun dragging his chair across from me.

“?”

What’s this? Is he angry?

I suppose he might be. After all, he’s just steeled his resolve to work hard, and here I am, pouring cold water on it.

I felt a pang of regret.

Realizing I’d been trapped in my past memories and said only rude things, I was about to apologize when I raised my head suddenly.

My eyes met Kim Jong-chun’s beaming face.

“Ah, come on. I thought you were going to say something else.”

Kim Jong-chun was looking at me with unwavering eyes.

“It’s natural for you to doubt. I’ve betrayed your trust once, after all. You can doubt me and test me as much as you want.”

I was at a loss for words.

“I’ll prove myself as many times as it takes.”

“…….”

“I won’t make such a mistake again. I did something really stupid. …Really.”

Kim Jong-chun’s eyes sank deep as if recalling something, then he shook it off and sent me a sparkling gaze.

Ah. Those eyes.

“Can’t you give me one more chance, Woo-yeon?”

Those bright, shining eyes.

I think I missed those eyes full of passion and enthusiasm.

“I should be the one asking.”

I found myself smiling broadly as I spoke.

“I hope you’ll be the exception.”

We clasped hands tightly and shook.

⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱⊰⋆⋅⭑⋅⋆⊱

Ding!

-Kim Jong-chun: Woo-yeon! Sending today’s early morning work check-in photo~ Have a great day, fighting~~^^!!

-(Photo of Kim Jong-chun smiling brightly in his chef’s uniform)

Pfft.

I swallowed the laughter that was about to burst out.

The check-in photos, continuing for several weeks now, were being sent to my phone without fail every day.

Should I say I could vividly feel his unwavering determination to show he wouldn’t change? I couldn’t help but feel warmth at his admirable effort.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

“!”

Startled, I looked up to find An Derek staring at me from the side.

“Ah. Just a nice message I received. I was looking at it again.”

“…Is that so?”

An Derek responded with an indifferent face. I really can’t tell what he’s thinking.

“The recording is about to start. You seem to have gotten used to broadcasting.”

“Haha, not really. ‘Raid the Refrigerator’ feels like my backyard now, but I still get nervous every time I go on other shows.”

“You seemed to do quite well on ‘Infinite Challenge’ for someone who says that.”

You watched that too? That’s unexpected. As I blinked in surprise, An Derek added as if making an excuse:

“Chef Bong forced me to watch it.”

“Ah, I see.”

I didn’t ask, though. Why is he acting like this?

I tilted my head, then threw out a casual comment to break the awkward silence.

“Do you have experience with this, Chef An? Being a mentor on a cooking competition program like this?”

“No.”

“Yet you don’t seem nervous at all. I’m a bit jittery at the thought of teaching cooking to others.”

It seems they specifically cast me and An Derek, probably because we provide entertainment value on ‘Raid the Refrigerator’.

I’m not even a professional chef, you know.

The PD here insisted that I and An Derek MUST appear together, so I agreed to participate for now, but I was quite unsure if this was the right place for me.

“Of course, we’re not official mentors, just short-term guests.”

That’s somewhat of a relief.

‘Still, it was worth participating despite everything.’

I flipped through the given broadcast script, muttering to myself.

In a corner, the logo for a program called “Master Chef Showdown 2” was stamped.

The title will be “Master Chef Showdown 2”. But now with Song Woo-yeon added to the mix.