They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 42

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

42. Acorn Jelly Lunch Boxes (4)

That loneliness germinated in countless forms. It twisted into hunger, lust, and the need for sleep.

– S-Seo-young, why are you consuming me…?

Kang Seo-young devoured those who had loved her. It was her way of soothing the ache of solitude.

The metallic taste of blood flooded her mouth. The fragile whimpers of a human losing breath clung stickily to her ears.

– Seo-young.
– Seo-young…

Why don’t you love me?
Why don’t you care for me?
Why won’t you,
Why?

Every human who stood beside me perished without exception. Their blood dried, their flesh grew cold, and in the end, not even their names remained. The sweet warmth that lingered on my lips faded in an instant.

Time flowed onward, and the world transformed.

– You’re… Kang Seo-young, aren’t you?
– …?
– Here…

The human pressed a strange scrap of paper into my hands, covered in writing.

[My gaze keeps drifting toward you.
I am not a bad person.
It’s just that my eyes are drawn to you in the strangest way,
and every single day I find myself waiting for you in this place.
Today as well… would you grant me the time to be captivated by you?]

The human dared to direct their gaze upon an Evil Spirit, unaware of how perilous such an act truly was.

– I don’t like it.
– …You don’t like it?
– No, I don’t like it.
– I understand….

For the first time, this human gave up. They didn’t cling to me like ordinary humans do.

That was the moment.

A feeling that could never be permitted surged up like water trapped in a deep well, rising madly to the surface.

– Why are you giving up?

I asked toward the back of the human turning away. The human paused, bewildered, and answered.

– …I thought I couldn’t force something on someone who said they didn’t want it.

To me, humans were merely sustenance to quench my thirst.

– …What is your name?

The human smiled, radiant with joy.

– I am….

I didn’t peer into the fathomless well within me, or rather, I didn’t want to. I had turned away, denying that what wept inside it could be me.

– Why were you there?
– I was just there.
– Just there. I was also just beside you.

But since meeting this human, I abandoned the life of an Evil Spirit. I no longer wished to devour their liver. I simply wanted to witness this human’s life alongside them.

– …Even if I die, I hope you will be happy.
– How weak.
– That weakness is enough, as long as it’s for you.

Why are humans such insignificant creatures? Death approaches even without devouring their liver.

– Truly. I am not happy.
– But surely there will come a day when you find happiness, won’t there?

Foolish human.

The human gazed at the sun rising beyond the seashore, leaned against my shoulder, and fell into a deep slumber. Their final breath seeped into my chest. Only then did I understand.

– Ah.

It was I who had learned emotion, drawing water from the depths of that well.

***

Humans are foolish,
Humans are affectionate,
Humans are wicked,
Humans are endlessly diverse.

For a thousand years, I watched them. Their desires and regrets, their love and hatred cycled like the seasons. And naturally, without even consuming their livers, I could continue to exist.

It was an era when city lights outnumbered the stars. People no longer feared the mountains, and stories of Evil Spirits became something they saw on media.

“Seo-young, the drama filming wraps tomorrow, doesn’t it?”
“Really?”
“Are you going?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’ll be right back—I need to take a call!”

The Manager stepped out of the car to answer a call when a white envelope suddenly fell at Kang Seo-young’s feet from thin air. A familiar red vinyl stamp was pressed in the center of the envelope.

[GS COMPANY
– Contract Renewal and Termination Notice]

A familiar exhaustion trickled down the back of her neck.

“Ah. So it’s finally here.”

Kang Seo-young slowly broke the seal of the envelope and examined the documents.

[The humans who were sacrificed to you have been reborn and are living freely.
And exactly one thousand years from now, you may die.
Will you die?
Yes/No]

Kang Seo-young had made only one good deed.

[Do not consume the liver.]

If she did not eat, she had asked that the humans she had killed be allowed to be reborn.

That promise had been fulfilled, and this notification informed her that the time for her own end had finally arrived.

“A time to die….”

Kang Seo-young traced the edge of the envelope with her fingertip. The question she had received countless times had come again.

“Yes.”

Who knew that the word death could sound so warm?

“Seo-young, will you go on the Director’s last day of filming?”
“If the Director asks me to go, then I have to go.”

But while death was warm, parting was unusually cold.

“Noona.”

The Manager looked up from the driver’s seat, pausing mid-motion as she gathered luggage.

“Ugh! When you call me noona like that, I get chills~!”
“I’m thinking about retiring.”

The Manager turned around and looked at Kang Seo-young. At sixty years old in human years, she had certainly had a long career.

“Retiring?”
“Yeah. I want to rest now.”
“Well….”

The Manager’s hands stilled as she was gathering her belongings. She turned around slowly but said nothing.

“Yes, Seo-young. Let’s just rest.”
“You and I both deserve a break.”

Laughter bloomed in the creases around the Manager’s weary eyes.

“Even if you rested for decades, I’d still be by your side.”

…How foolishly human. Another one had taken their place beside Kang Seo-young, offering their brief existence entirely—such reckless devotion.

“Mm.”

Humans truly understand nothing.

***

Kang Seo-young arrived at the Film Set, stepped out of the car, and pushed her sunglasses up. The air was thick with the peculiar bustle of a final day and a subtle melancholy.

Lighting stands were being dismantled one by one, and the crew members organized themselves to move on to their next projects.

“Hello, everyone.”

Kang Seo-young opened the trunk of the car and set a box down on the ground.

“What is this?”
“Since everyone’s worked hard on this final shoot, I brought acorn jelly lunch boxes. Have you all eaten yet?”
“No!”

Kang Seo-young let out a bright laugh.

“Perfect timing then.”

The acorn jelly lunch boxes arranged neatly on the table instantly captured the crew’s attention. The scent of sesame oil wafted subtly from the green lettuce and onions layered atop the jelly.

“Wait—did you make these yourself, Seo-young?”
“I made the acorn jelly, but I didn’t make the rest.”

Laughter erupted among the crew at her response.

“Kang Seo-young is the best!”

Kang Seo-young smiled shyly.

“Oh, it was nothing special.”

The Director approached from behind, carrying an enormous bouquet in his hands. Yellow freesias mingled with delicate baby’s breath—a warm, inviting palette that lifted the spirits.

“Kang Seo-young!”
“Director?”

The Director extended the bouquet with a smile.

“You’ve worked so hard, and I’m grateful you made everything perfect until the very end.”
“No, I shouldn’t be the one receiving this.”
“You should. Our staff pooled their money together to buy it.”

At those words, Kang Seo-young lifted her head and gazed at the surrounding staff members.

“Thank you so much.”

She accepted the bouquet and bowed her head. The staff members around her began applauding, and someone called out to take a photograph.

“Kang Seo-young, center stage!”

Standing in the center at the Director’s thoughtful suggestion, Kang Seo-young posed for the photograph. With each shutter click, the world seemed to pause for a fleeting moment.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

A thunderous wave of applause and cheers erupted from those around her. She stood there smiling, cradling the flowers in her arms—photographs that would vanish when she disappeared.

“Please enjoy the acorn jelly lunch boxes, everyone.”

The staff members went to the table and each took an acorn jelly lunch box, offering their thanks to Kang Seo-young.

“We’ll enjoy it!”
“Thank you for the meal!”

Bright voices of gratitude filled the air.

“Mmm! This tastes amazing!”
“The acorn jelly is so fresh!”
“These lunch boxes are incredibly delicious!”

In an instant, the film set transformed into a small festival. The aroma of perilla oil and soy sauce filled the air, replacing the scent of the lunch boxes.

That was when the business card fell to the ground the moment I finished distributing the last lunch box to the staff.

“Quite the quick hands.”

Business cards from Hyang-suk’s Side Dish Shop had been slipped between the lunch boxes. They were too crude to be called proper business cards. The traces of ballpoint pen pressed firmly into the paper were evident, with ink smudges bleeding at the edges of each letter.

“Director, I should be going now.”
“Oh, yes! Enjoy the lunch boxes!”

Kang Seo-young cradled the bouquet in her arms and bowed her head. After greeting the director, she climbed back into the car.

“Sigh…”

Seated in the driver’s seat, she rolled down the window halfway. Outside, the staff continued eating the lunch boxes, their laughter and the clinking of chopsticks filling her ears.

“Let’s go.”

In that moment, a gust of wind pushed a single petal through the car window. The petal descended onto her bouquet.

Click.

The car trembled slightly, and her form gradually faded away. Only the bouquet remained in its place, gently dissolving into the rays of sunlight.

***

“Haaaaaah…”

A languid yawn escaped my lips today. The shop was peaceful. Only the low hum of the refrigerator filled the silence.

After bustling about since morning, I was twice as exhausted as yesterday.

“I wonder if it went well.”

I murmured to myself, recalling the image of Kang Seo-young departing with the lunch box in hand. Just then, Lee Hae-ra entered the shop with a smile and checked the side dish refrigerator.

“…H-hello! Do you have any new side dishes?”

She appeared quite fatigued today, with dark circles settled beneath her eyes. She was also holding a document envelope and a pen—evidence of having written a cover letter. Lee Hae-ra shuffled toward the refrigerator with her familiar gait.

“What’s the occasion? Are you not eating braised beef today?”
“…Of course I have to buy the braised beef!”

As soon as I told Lee Hae-ra about the acorn jelly seasoning I had made that morning, her eyes lit up.

“Yes, I made it this morning, so it will taste even better.”
“Then I’ll buy more…!”
“In that case, the acorn jelly is on the house!”
“Then acorn jelly is on the house!”

Lee Hae-ra opened her eyes wide like a rabbit.

“No, but then wouldn’t the boss be left with nothing?”

Lee Hae-ra asked with a genuinely worried expression. I placed my hand on the counter and spoke.

“D-don’t say things like that to just anyone….”
“I don’t say it to just anyone.”
“I don’t do that with just anyone, you know?”

Lee Hae-ra inserted her card into the card terminal. After a short beep and the transaction was complete, I handed over the heavy bag of side dishes.

“Kang Seo-young?”
“Is this Kang Seo-young?”

Lee Hae-ra’s eyes sparkled as she accepted the envelope.

“Retiring?”
“Y-yes, so apparently fans are just crying about it! …Kang Seo-young, she delivered a lunch box and the photo she took is just, just spreading all over SNS.”
“A lunch box, you say?”
“What about a lunch box?”

Lee Hae-ra added, fidgeting with her smartphone as if excited.

“I-it’s a lunch box, sir! The Side Dish Shop bag is clearly visible in the photo!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————