BMBSD 18

There were only a few minutes left before nightfall, but the side dish shop was still packed with customers.

Oddly enough, they were asking more questions about everything except the food.

“Oh my! Mr. Owner, are the people moving the side dishes over there your new part-time workers?”

“Ah… they’re just acquaintances helping out for a little while!”

I only see an old scholar with a topknot and a GS Company employee who climbed out of my refrigerator.

But to ordinary human customers, they must have looked completely different.

“Hello, Mr. Owner.”

“Oh, Mr. Jong-hee! How were the seasoned bean sprouts you bought yesterday?”

“I ate them while working overtime. The bean sprouts were incredibly fresh and still had a satisfying crunch.”

“They were very… very delicious.”

Adjusting his glasses with one finger, Oh Jong-hee stood in front of the display refrigerator for quite a while before finally picking up a container of soy-braised beef.

“I’d like to try the soy-braised beef today.”

“But… why is it so cheap?”

I blinked.

200 grams of soy-braised beef for 3,500 won.

It was basically the normal price.

“It’s not cheap.”

“When you’re running a neighborhood business, you can’t be the only shop selling everything at unusually low prices.”

Selling cheaply online was one thing.

A neighborhood shop was different.

There were other side dish stores nearby. If mine alone sold everything far below everyone else’s prices, it would only ruin the local market.

A business should breathe steadily—

Like a heartbeat.

Slow, consistent, and lasting.

Selling everything cheaply wasn’t the answer.

“…It’s not cheap?”

“Didn’t you notice?”

As I carefully packed the side dishes into a paper bag, I smiled.

“Isn’t it because my cooking tastes so good that it feels cheap?”

“Oh…”

“That actually makes sense.”

“But…”

Oh Jong-hee frowned slightly.

“Why are those two people staring at me like that?”

I followed his gaze.

The God of Feng Shui and Lee Jutaek were both watching us without blinking.

‘Why are they staring like that?’

The God of Feng Shui stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm… The price for the soy-braised beef isn’t bad.”

Lee Jutaek nodded beside him.

“We should evaluate the taste too, shouldn’t we, God of Feng Shui?”

“Exactly.”

“We have the right to eat it as well.”

‘Since when do gods have eating rights?’

Oh Jong-hee glanced at the two of them with wide eyes.

His eyes were already large, but now they looked even bigger.

Accepting the paper bag, he nodded politely.

“Your relatives are… interesting people.”

I forced a smile.

“Y-Yes…”

“Please enjoy your meal.”

As soon as Oh Jong-hee left, the God of Feng Shui strode over.

“Now it’s our turn.”

“Seriously?”

“You’re actually going to sample the soy-braised beef?”

“Gods do not lie.”

‘You look like someone who lies all the time…’

I looked toward Haetae, who was lazily enjoying the warm sunlight on the floor.

Help me…

“If you don’t give it to them, they’ll keep bothering you until you do, nya.”

“When did you start taking their side?”

Giving side dishes to a god somehow felt like being judged.

The God of Feng Shui skillfully picked up a pair of chopsticks and waited.

I reluctantly took out the container of soy-braised beef I’d been saving for myself and placed it on the table.

“Oh…”

“As expected.”

“It certainly has class.”

He picked up a piece of meat, narrowed his eyes, placed it into his mouth, and slowly chewed.

“Mmm…”

That deep, thoughtful sound made me nervous for some reason.

‘This really feels like an evaluation.’

Unable to wait any longer, Lee Jutaek grabbed his chopsticks.

“I’ll have some too!”

He picked up both a piece of beef and a quail egg.

The moment he tasted them, his eyes sparkled.

“Our Team Leader Lee Yeo-ui would absolutely love this!”

“This is more than worthy of being placed on a ceremonial offering table.”

Listening to both of them praise my food made my ears turn warm.

“Ahem.”

Haetae, who had been quietly resting nearby, lazily opened one eye.

With a light tap of his chubby paw against the chopsticks…

A piece of soy-braised beef flew through the air in a perfect arc and landed directly inside his mouth.

Chewing contentedly, he said,

“It’s nice and salty.”

“I need rice, nya.”

“I figured.”

I’d already prepared a microwave bowl of rice.

After blowing on it to cool it down, I handed it over.

“Here.”

“As expected of you, nya.”

Watching Haetae happily eat his meal, I glanced at the wall clock.

It was almost closing time.

“I think we can start preparing for the ritual now.”

The God of Feng Shui and Lee Jutaek wiped the sauce from their mouths at the same time and stood up.

“Then let’s begin.”

“Let’s do it.”

“I’ll close the shop first!”

Closing a little early today wouldn’t hurt.

I flipped the Open sign to Closed and returned inside.

“We’ll begin.”

Meanwhile, Lee Jutaek pulled a scroll from inside his jacket and spread it across the floor.

Ancient patterns slowly glowed across the rough paper.

At the center appeared a design of mugunghwa flowers, clouds…

…and a small ceremonial table.

In an instant—

The atmosphere changed.

The temperature in the kitchen stayed the same.

But the sounds of passing cars and people talking outside disappeared completely.

The entire shop became so silent that even breathing sounded loud.

“The spiritual energy is awakening.”

The God of Feng Shui murmured quietly.

A ceremonial table decorated with mugunghwa flowers slowly rose from the scroll.

Smiling proudly, Lee Jutaek spoke—

Still with sauce around the corner of his mouth.

“It looks like you can place the side dishes on the ceremonial table now!”

I handed him a few tissues.

“What kind of dishes should I offer?”

“Whatever dishes you’re most confident in!”

“You’ve got soy sauce on your mouth.”

“Use these.”

“Th-Thank you.”

I walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.

“Seasoned spinach…”

“Seasoned aster greens…”

“Seasoned bean sprouts…”

“Why are they all seasoned vegetables?”

“Ah!”

“You startled me!”

The God of Feng Shui glanced over the dishes I’d taken out.

“Why only vegetable side dishes?”

“It’s still early after opening the shop.”

“I don’t make that many dishes yet.”

“Um… God of Feng Shui.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“You’re wondering about my name?”

“Yes.”

“Can I only call you ‘God of Feng Shui’?”

“Of course.”

“What else were you planning to call me?”

Taking a slow breath, I answered honestly.

“Humans have names…”

“So I thought I should call you by yours.”

The God of Feng Shui rested one hand on the sink and burst into hearty laughter.

“That’s right.”

“Humans have names.”

“From a human’s perspective, that’s perfectly natural.”

Still laughing, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

“But gods…”

“…have no names.”

“Why?”

His voice became quiet.

“For a god like me…”

“It is better not to have one.”

“If someone calls for help in the middle of the night…”

“…or in the depths of despair…”

“…it doesn’t have to be me who answers.”

“Another god can answer instead.”

“A name becomes a chain.”

“And gods reject those chains.”

For some reason…

That answer felt very fitting for a god.

“I like that.”

“If that’s what it means.”

The God of Feng Shui casually looked over the side dishes I’d prepared.

His expression softened.

He even licked his lower lip.

“They look delicious.”

Before I knew it, he’d already picked up his chopsticks again.

Just as he was about to steal another bite—

Tap.

I smacked the back of his hand.

“Please wait until they’re on the ceremonial table.”

“Gods are allowed to eat first.”

“Who says?”

He lazily pointed the chopsticks at himself.

“I do.”

‘What an impossible god.’

Swallowing my complaint, I carefully placed each side dish onto the ceremonial table.

“Everything’s ready.”

“Can we begin the ritual now?”

Lee Jutaek nodded after checking the offerings.

He respectfully placed one hand over the scroll and bowed.

“I will now begin the offering.”

The moment those words left his mouth…

The shop became so silent that it felt as if even the air had stopped moving.

Anxiously, I hugged Haetae tightly while watching.

From the tip of Lee Jutaek’s finger, mugunghwa flowers spread across the scroll.

Then—

Transparent hands slowly appeared above the ceremonial table.

They were the same ghostly hands I’d occasionally seen on the Praise Stickers before.

“Dear gods…”

“Please enjoy the meal!”

The translucent hands reached toward the soy-braised beef…

The seasoned vegetables…

The shredded radish…

One after another.

And just as if they’d been waiting for this moment—

Each piece of food quietly disappeared.

‘They’re eating it…!’

Without holding spoons or chopsticks…

The transparent fingers simply carried the food away.

The gods were truly accepting my cooking.

“You can’t see them…”

“But they really are eating.”

The God of Feng Shui smiled with satisfaction.

“They really like it?”

“Of course.”

“If you look closely…”

“…every transparent hand belongs to a different god.”

Following his advice, I narrowed my eyes.

Every hand had a different pattern.

Some looked like fish scales.

Others resembled rice stalks.

Others bore tiny cloud designs.

All unfamiliar…

Yet strangely familiar at the same time.

After removing his hand from the scroll, Lee Jutaek staggered backward and collapsed onto the floor with an exhausted smile.

“Haha…”

“I used too much energy.”

“My legs won’t move.”

“Would you like some water?”

“Oh!”

“I’d appreciate that very much!”

Haetae snorted from beside him.

“Hmph, nya.”

“You’re weak.”

“That’s harsh, Divine Beast.”

I poured him a paper cup of water.

“Why?”

“Our Divine Beast only ever tells the truth.”

“You two…”

“…get along like you’ve lived together for years.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Meanwhile…

The transparent hands moved toward the remaining dishes.

This time they actually began competing.

Hands bumped into one another while fighting over the soy-braised beef and shredded radish.

“Oh?”

The God of Feng Shui shook his head.

The frantic hands grabbing at the food looked like a full-scale brawl.

One hand finally managed to grab a piece of beef…

Only for another hand to seize it and pull it away.

In the struggle…

A single strand of shredded radish flew into the air.

And of all places…

“Ah.”

It landed with a slap—

Right on my cheek.

“Hahaha!”

“A human wearing shredded radish!”

“Goodness! Jigu!”

“A-Are you alright?! Hahaha!”

The God of Feng Shui and Lee Jutaek clutched their stomachs, laughing.

Peeling the shredded radish off my face, I glared at them.

“Would you two please be quiet?”

“Is Hyangsuk’s grandson alright, nya?”

“Haetae…”

“You’re the only one on my side.”

By the time the laughter died down…

The last of the food had disappeared from the ceremonial table.

One final transparent hand picked up the last bite of vegetables.

“It’s finished.”

The God of Feng Shui nodded.

Just as he’d said—

Only the empty ceremonial table remained.

“Now…”

“Give them a bow.”

“Me?”

“Of course.”

“Bow twice.”

“Pray that the gods will continue watching over you.”

Without really thinking, I pressed my hands together and bowed twice.

The moment I straightened up…

Something unexpected happened.

One transparent hand reached toward me.

It gently stroked my head.

It felt like nothing more than a passing breeze…

Yet it was warm…

And unbelievably gentle.

‘It’s a little frightening…

…but it feels nice.’

My heart pounded wildly.

“U-Um…”

“What should I do now?”

I froze where I stood, unsure how to react.

Lee Jutaek clapped his hands and laughed.

“It looks like the gods really enjoyed your cooking!”

“R-Really?”

Standing beside us, the God of Feng Shui rubbed his stomach with satisfaction.

“The gods…”

“…have very refined tastes too.”