Chapter 8
Grand Opening (2)
“This is a revolutionary sandwich for people worried about diabetes.”
I guess I can keep selling this from now on.
“Haetae. I’m going to put this salad inside the bread rolls.”
Haetae’s tail stood straight up in excitement.
“It’s going to be delicious~!”
“Why didn’t Hyangsuk ever make something like this for me, nya?”
“Because it was a menu only I could eat.”
I picked up the golden-brown bread rolls I had toasted earlier and sliced them open. The outside was crispy, while the inside was as soft as a cloud.
“How did Hyangsuk think of using bread rolls, nya?”
“When we didn’t have sandwich bread, Grandma used the bread rolls that I loved instead!”
I stuffed the toasted bread rolls with the prepared salad until they were overflowing.
“Done!”
I carefully placed the salad sandwich on a plate and set it in front of Haetae.
He buried his nose into it and sniffed.
“…Nyaaang!”
The rich smell of toasted bread mixed with the sweet and tangy aroma of the cabbage salad, making his tail tremble with excitement.
After licking his lips several times, Haetae opened his mouth wide and took a huge bite out of the sandwich, which was almost as big as a human fist.
How did all that food fit inside such a tiny face?
Is this the mystery of cats?
“It’s delicious, nyaaaaaa!”
His tail wagged happily and kept slapping my face.
“Wait, wait!”
“Nyaang.”
“Ah!”
I rubbed the side of my face after getting smacked by his tail.
Haetae lifted his head after finishing the sandwich and looked at me with his round eyes.
“It’s delicious, nya!”
“It is, right? First you bite through the crispy toasted bread, then the soft inside and crunchy salad burst together. Every bite has a different texture.”
“That’s right, nya! The texture is amazing!”
Haetae grabbed my arm with both front paws and shook it.
“Give me another one, nya!”
“I want to, but look at the time…”
“What time is it, nya?!”
The time?
It was already well past ten in the morning.
“It’s almost lunchtime.”
“Already, nya?”
“Yeah. Let’s eat later at lunch. More importantly… not a single customer has come. The shop is so empty, even the flies are lonely…”
When I worked at the restaurant, customers never stopped coming.
Looking at this quiet shop made me feel strangely lonely.
Just then, Haetae pointed outside with his chubby paw.
“Look outside, nya.”
“Hm? What is it?”
I followed his gaze.
Across the street, right in front of the shopping complex that was still being renovated for its grand opening, a large tour bus slowly came to a stop.
“Huh? Why is a tour bus here?”
“I don’t know, nya. But maybe we’ll get some customers.”
A moment later, as soon as the bus doors opened, an elderly woman stepped off.
She wore colorful hiking clothes and sunglasses, looking like a very stylish grandmother.
“Oh, it looks like a group of seniors went on a tour.”
I was about to think nothing of it when she suddenly turned around and started walking toward our shop.
Huh?
I quickly stood up to greet her.
“Customer’s here~!”
“Hello! Welcome to Hyangsuk’s Side Dish Shop. What side dishes are you looking for today?”
Her face was hidden behind large sunglasses and a flower-patterned mask.
She answered with a cheerful voice.
“That’s right. I’m here to buy some side dishes. Owner, when did your shop open?”
“We just opened today!”
“Today?! I came at the perfect time!”
When she said that, I instinctively glanced above her head to see if a More Info notification appeared.
She’s not a Good Deed customer.
The elderly woman set her bag down and slowly looked around the shop with her arms folded.
“Why does this shop look so dark?”
I carefully pointed at her sunglasses.
“Um… you’re wearing sunglasses.”
“Oh! That’s right!”
She took off both her sunglasses and her mask.
After studying my face carefully, she exclaimed,
“My goodness! You look exactly like our Hyangsuk! When did you grow up so much?”
Our Hyangsuk?
“You know my grandmother?”
“Well then, I should introduce myself.”
She laughed warmly.
“My name is Kim Myungja. I was Hyangsuk’s friend.”
For a moment, my mind went blank.
“My grandmother’s… friend?”
“You probably saw me once when you were very little. It’s only natural that you don’t remember. We were friends from our hometown, but we didn’t meet often. I had been away for several months, so I couldn’t even attend her funeral. I’m sorry.”
Ah…
So that’s why we had never met.
“No. Grandma would be happy just knowing you came.”
“You’ve grown into such a fine young man.”
Grandma Myungja gently patted my hair.
“Th-Thank you.”
Standing this close, I realized she wasn’t ordinary.
She looked slim, but her body was strong, and her hands and forearms were surprisingly muscular.
So she’s Grandma’s friend…
For some reason, her presence was overwhelming.
I found myself standing up straighter.
Somehow, I wanted to treat her even better.
“If there’s any side dish you ever need, just let me know. I’ll make it for you right away!”
Grandma Myungja waved both hands.
“Oh my, I’ve already received so much help from Hyangsuk. I’m the one who should help you. But… didn’t she tell you anything?”
She looked around the shop.
“What do you mean?”
“Before Hyangsuk passed away, she contacted me.”
“She did?”
“I thought she’d already told her granddaughter everything.”
“This is the first time I’ve heard about it…”
She smiled sadly.
“She probably wanted to tell you but never got the chance. She asked me if I could help take care of you. She worried that you’d feel lonely after returning to the neighborhood… that losing your grandmother would leave a huge empty space in your heart. She asked me to help fill just a little of that emptiness. She was also worried about the neighborhood giving you a hard time.”
“…Grandma really said that?”
“Of course. You know better than anyone how thoughtful and careful your grandmother was.”
Just how much warmth had Grandma left behind before she was gone?
“I know… Thank you so much for coming.”
I was grateful enough that she had remembered the promise she made to Grandma.
Grandma Myungja smiled proudly.
“See that shopping complex across the street?”
“Yes.”
“I’m opening a bakery there. We’ll be seeing each other often. My younger siblings were supposed to come too, but they were all busy, so I came first.”
“A bakery?”
“Yes, right over there.”
I looked across the street.
Workers were still hanging the new sign, with electrical wires scattered across the ground, while people busily carried display shelves inside.
“So that’s your shop?”
“Back in our hometown, Myungja Bakery was actually quite famous. Once it opens, I’ll bring you some bread.”
We chatted about her bakery for a while.
Then she clapped her hands.
“Jigu. Have you already made some side dishes? I’d like to take a look.”
“Yes! I have!”
I guided her to the display refrigerator.
“Here they are.”
She looked through the side dishes and nodded with admiration.
“Oh? They all look delicious.”
“Is there anything you like?”
“I loved everything your grandmother made. Whenever I came to this area, I’d buy some. Hyangsuk also sent me side dishes regularly. But after she became sick, I couldn’t eat them anymore… You have no idea how much I missed them.”
She tried to sound calm, but her voice trembled slightly.
Hearing that made my own eyes sting.
“My grandmother’s cooking really was amazing. Please choose whatever you’d like.”
She picked:
-
Seasoned bean sprouts
-
Spicy shredded radish
-
Seasoned aster greens
“If I take these home, I can make bibimbap. I’ll get to see whether Hyangsuk’s granddaughter inherited her cooking skills.”
“If you’re judging my cooking, you’ll need one more side dish. I’ll give you another one for free.”
Since she was Grandma’s friend, I thought giving her one extra dish would be fine.
But Grandma Myungja firmly shook her head.
“What are you talking about!”
“Huh?”
She raised her voice.
“Why do you think I came here? I came to help you, not to receive free things. And you must always accept payment from your first customer! That’s how more customers will keep coming one after another.”
Then she held out a white envelope.
Anyone could tell it was full of cash.
“No, that’s really not necessary. Just paying for the side dishes is enough…”
I refused repeatedly, but she firmly stuffed the envelope into my apron pocket.
“Hyangsuk helped all of us so much. We can’t pretend we don’t remember her kindness.”
Her voice was both warm and unwavering.
I bit my lower lip.
It felt like tears might spill out at any moment.
“Now it’s our turn to help you. You’re not alone anymore, Jigu.”
I lowered my head to hide the emotions welling up inside me.
“This isn’t only from us. It’s also proof that Hyangsuk is still by your side. So don’t feel burdened.”
“Thank you… Truly.”
“You don’t need to thank me. If you ever need anything, just call us. Understand?”
I slowly looked up at her.
Her face was filled with a warm, reassuring smile.
“We’ll take care of everything around here and spread the word throughout the neighborhood. Don’t worry.”
“Spread the word?”
She confidently patted her chest.
“You don’t know how powerful neighborhood gossip among housewives is. Before long, people will be lining up to buy your side dishes.”
“I was thinking about handing out flyers.”
“You won’t need flyers. In a neighborhood like this, word of mouth is the best advertisement.”
I nodded, my nose stinging.
For some reason, her confidence made me feel at ease.
Instead of running around awkwardly handing out flyers, it felt like she was telling me to spend my time harvesting better ingredients and making even better side dishes.
“I’ll pack these for you…!”
I quickly placed the side dishes into a black plastic bag.
For some reason, I couldn’t stop smiling.
“Thank you for coming today.”
“We all have to help each other, don’t we? What time do you open?”
“Every morning at eight!”
“Good, good. I’ll be going now.”
“Yes! Please get home safely!”
I walked her outside and saw her off.
As soon as I closed the shop door, I let out a long sigh.
Just then, Haetae peeked out from the kitchen.
“Did you accept it, nya?”
I gently touched the heavy envelope in my apron pocket.
“Yeah… I did.”
Haetae jumped onto the table.
“Why do you look so sad, nya?”
“Me?”
“Your face literally says, ‘I’m sad,’ nya.”
“It’s just… I wish Grandma could have seen all of this herself.”
“You mean Hyangsuk, nya?”
“Yeah. Grandma always used to tell me something.”
“What was it, nya?”
“She always said that good deeds come full circle. If you show kindness to others, one day that kindness will surely come back to you.”
As I slipped the envelope deeper into my apron pocket, I stood up.
“I guess all the blessings Grandma gave to others are finally coming back to me.”
“That’s a good thing, nya.”
“Yeah. So now I have to pass on just as much kindness as I’ve received.”
Haetae tilted his head.
“How are you going to do that, nya?”
“By making delicious side dishes. That’s what I’m best at, isn’t it, Haetae?”
“Ohh, that’s right, nya.”
Haetae tapped my arm with his left paw, asking me to pick him up.
Just as I lifted him—
Rattle! Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!
A loud, unsettling noise suddenly echoed from the kitchen.
It grew louder and louder.
I froze and looked at Haetae.
“That’s coming from the refrigerator, isn’t it?”
“I think so, nya.”
“Why does it sound different from last time?”
Confused and uneasy, I hurried toward the kitchen.
The moment I reached the refrigerator, the noise suddenly stopped.
Cold air filled the room.
An eerie tension spread through the entire kitchen.
The silence was suffocating.
