They Told Me to Build Good Karma by Selling Side Dishes - Chapter 63

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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63. Kimchi-Making (8)

“While you’re at it, Ji-gu, go upstairs and change out of those wet pants.”
“They’re already soaked anyway, so I figured I’d just keep wearing them.”
“That makes sense too!”

Grandmother Myeong-ja readily agreed and disappeared into the Side Dish Shop. I watched her retreating figure blankly before a laugh escaped me.

“Meow.”

Hae-tae, who had been quietly perched on the wall watching us, descended silently. Red chili powder clung to the corners of his mouth. I immediately widened my eyes and asked.

“What? Hae-tae. Did you eat the kimchi I set aside for you?”
“Of course I did, meow?”

Hae-tae wagged his tail confidently, wearing a satisfied smile.

“At first bite, I was captivated by the crispness of the cabbage, then the spicy flavor bloomed on my tongue with a sharp kick, but later the refreshing coolness washed over it all—quite pleasant, wouldn’t you say?”
“…Do you know my palate that well, meow?”
“It seems I really do, meow?”
“Is there anyone in the world who finds kimchi-making kimchi unappetizing, meow?”

I wiped away the red chili powder clinging to Hae-tae’s mouth and asked.

“Should I save some braised pork too?”
“That’s obviously a must, meow! Braised pork is the golden rule with kimchi-making kimchi, meow!”
“Where did you even learn the phrase ‘golden rule’?”
“I learned it from watching dramas, meow.”

Hae-tae now climbed onto my head with familiar ease.

“I’ll keep watch from here, meow.”

I removed my rubber gloves and headed toward the Side Dish Shop. Voices drifted through the crack in the door where warm light spilled out.

“Should I take out this dish?”
“Yes! Let’s use a large bowl for serving!”
“If the owner finds out!”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it!”

It seemed countless things had happened in my absence. At the same time, the savory aroma of pork wafted through the air.

‘Ah… I’m hungry.’

“Ji-gu! Can I use this bowl?”
“Go ahead, use it however you like.”
“It looks expensive, are you sure?”
“Yes, it’s fine.”

I wasn’t sure of its value since I’d received it from a chef at my second restaurant job.

‘…I suppose they gave it to me to use in places like this.’

Grandmother Hyang-suk set down the bowl of boiled pork on the table.

“It’s cooked quite well, isn’t it?”

Steam rose gently from the perfectly cooked pork belly and front shoulder.

“Owner! I sliced this!”

Lee Hae-ra said proudly.

“Oh… you sliced it better than I could?”
“Owner, owner. Song Ae-hyuk and I set the utensils!”

Song Ae-rim also spoke proudly from beside her.

“That’s right, that’s right. You did well.”

The twins had already taken their seats, chopsticks in hand.

“Owner! Hurry! Sit down! We want to eat the kimchi we made!”
“…You’re right. Please sit.”

I settled into my seat with a smile.

“Come now, everyone worked hard, so once we eat this boiled beef, we’ll be done.”

Grandmother Myeong-ja pushed the plate of boiled beef to the center of the table as she spoke.

“Let’s taste it first.”

Why was everyone looking at me?

“Ji-gu, you try it first.”
“Me first?”
“Yes, you. You’re the owner here, after all.”
“Then I won’t refuse.”

I placed two perfectly cooked pieces of boiled beef on a spoon with my chopsticks, then laid a single strand of the freshly made kimchi on top and stuffed it all into my mouth at once.

The tender meat and seasoning melted softly while the crisp cabbage embraced it, dissolving on my tongue. Then the savory depth of the fermented seafood paste rose from beneath, filling my mouth completely.

“Boss? Your face just lit up….”
“…When you eat delicious food, your face naturally brightens.”

And as if they’d been waiting for this moment, all three of them simultaneously began wielding their chopsticks.

“Ahhhh… with rice too, my stomach feels so satisfied.”
“Ae-rim! Ae-hyuk! If you’d eaten this after finishing the kimchi-making, it wouldn’t have tasted this good!”
“…It’s incredibly delicious.”

Grandmother Myeong-ja stuffed both cheeks full of boiled beef like a chipmunk and slowly nodded in admiration.

“This is what kimchi-making is all about—you make kimchi for this taste. Ah, it’s even better when you eat it with the seasoned cabbage.”
“I added oysters inside as well, so please enjoy.”
“Oysters? Oysters! Lee Hae-ra took those!”

At that moment, Lee Hae-ra ate a strand of cabbage together with an oyster.

“…Oh, ohhh! The oyster is melting inside the kimchi!”
“Lee Hae-ra, you’re eating too fast again. Water.”
“Yes, yes! But my hands won’t stop…!”

Lee Hae-ra was eating oyster kimchi one after another, her eyes gleaming with genuine emotion. Even Song Ae-hyuk, who was usually quiet, began to speak more.

“…The combination of kimchi and oysters is really good.”
“Is that all?”
“…Yes, the salty flavor of the kimchi perfectly captures the fishy taste of the oysters—it feels like waves are crashing in my mouth.”

I should have bought more oysters.

“Ji-gu, this is the taste. Everyone will come to buy kimchi like this.”

Grandmother Myeong-ja tore off a strip of cabbage leaf, rolled it around the meat, and placed it in her mouth.

“Thank you for the compliment.”
“You’ll have to make kimchi next year too.”
“Next year?”

Song Ae-rim nodded vigorously.

“I’ll come back next year to help!”
“…Me too.”

I crossed my arms and smiled.

“The Twins too?”

Lee Hae-ra gripped her chopsticks tightly beside me and declared with conviction.

“I’ll… help with the kimchi-making next year too. I really like this.”
“Then we’ll prepare 3 kilograms of pork belly next year!”
“3 kilograms? Can you eat that much?”
“Yes! I could eat even more!”

Warm boiled pork, freshly made kimchi, and lively people filled the table. For the first time in a long while, it felt like home.

***

It was finished. But the cleaning had begun.

We washed the seasoning-stained basins, swept the backyard floor with water, removed and dried the rubber gloves, and only after some time was everything finally tidied up.

Stepping into the backyard, instead of the pungent kimchi-making aroma, a crisp winter breeze swept across my face.

‘Winter will be here soon.’

The sky today was already a deep, dark winter hue.

“Boss.”

Lee Hae-ra approached, her apron folded neatly.

“Oh, Lee Hae-ra.”
“Oh, today was really fun!”

Her cheeks were cold to the touch, but her expression looked bright.

“Wasn’t it exhausting today?”
“It was tiring, sure. But it felt good to spend time with people after so long.”
“Since you had a good time, come again next time.”

I exhaled deeply and let my arms hang at my sides. The lingering exhaustion from the kimchi-making washed over me all at once. Lee Hae-ra hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Um… you know, boss.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“I actually filmed a bit of the kimchi-making today. Your face won’t show, though!”

I blinked.

“A video? When did you film it?”

Lee Hae-ra nodded.

“I used to work in video production, so I filmed it out of habit.”
“Really? Could I see the video for a moment?”
“Yes, yes! Let me show you!”

The video Lee Hae-ra showed me was clean and well-composed. Hands mixing the kimchi seasoning, scenes of lifting and folding the cabbage, even moments of everyone cheering over the boiled pork. It was professional-grade work.

“…You filmed this really well.”

I was utterly astonished. Despite the Backyard being somewhat dim, the colors looked magnificent. Lee Hae-ra’s fingertips twitched as she spoke again.

“…Would it be alright if I uploaded this to YouTube Shorts?”
“YouTube Shorts?”

I couldn’t help but ask in surprise.

“Yes…! Those memories are precious too, and… I thought it might be good to upload it for the Side Dish Shop’s promotion….”

‘For the shop’s promotion, huh….’

Would people actually come after seeing a Shorts video? Unless it was a neighborhood restaurant, which it was.

“Would uploading this be good for you, Lee Hae-ra?”

Lee Hae-ra’s eyes widened.

“Well… perhaps… it could help with employment opportunities.”
“Then let’s do it. Go ahead and upload it.”

I nodded in approval.

“Really, truly!?”
“Yes. If it’s good for you, Lee Hae-ra, you can upload it. Just get permission from the Twins and Grandmother Myeong-ja who are in the remaining footage.”
“Yes, yes! You won’t regret this, boss!”
“Just take your time.”

Lee Hae-ra nodded repeatedly and hurried off to get permission from everyone around.

‘She seems to be getting approval quite smoothly, doesn’t she?’

Grandmother Myeong-ja and the Twins readily gave their consent.

“Ji-gu! Should I take the kimchi container with me?”
“Yes! Please take the one on that table!”

After setting down one kimchi container, Grandmother Myeong-ja approached me and pulled me into an embrace.

“You worked hard.”

I lifted the corners of my mouth without saying much.

“Thank you.”
“You’ve worked hard, truly.”
“You too, Grandmother.”

After that, the Twins bowed their heads while hoisting the kimchi containers high in both hands.

“Boss! Please let us help again next year! We can extend the menu with kimchi for a while!”
“…Thank you. I learned so much.”

Grandmother Myeong-ja patted my shoulder twice before stepping away from my embrace.

“Let’s go. Lee Hae-ra, come with us. I’ll give you a ride home.”
“Oh, yes!”

Lee Hae-ra retrieved her bag from the side dish shop and bowed respectfully.

“Thank you for the kimchi!”
“Get home safely!”
“Yes, yes! You rest too, boss!”

I waved from the shop entrance as they each took a kimchi container and headed home, their figures growing smaller and smaller beneath the streetlights until they faded from view like ants.

‘…It’s finally completely over.’

As I closed the door and stepped back inside, the shop fell into a silence so profound it felt suffocating.

“Hae-tae.”

Hae-tae approached my feet, shaking the moisture from his front paws.

“Did you eat the boiled beef earlier?”

I asked while cradling that gluttonous cat in my arms.

“Who do you think I am?”
“That’s what I thought.”

I flipped over the large basin I’d left in the backyard and smiled with satisfaction.

“Ji-gu.”

Hae-tae looked up at me, his eyes sparkling like the night sky.

“Now you’re not alone anymore, meow.”
“…You’re right. Tomorrow will be quite busy too, won’t it?”
“Tomorrow, there will probably be many customers coming to eat the kimchi-making kimchi, meow.”

Before I knew it, Hae-tae had rested his generous chin on the back of my hand.

“Let’s rest, meow.”
“Yes, we should rest.”

***

The next morning.

“Boss, would it taste good if I just soaked tofu in this kimchi broth?”
“Of course. It’s absolutely delicious.”
“Oh my, I could make kimchi stew with this!”

Across the counter, customers exchanged various stories about side dishes and kimchi-making. Each time a container of kimchi passed into a customer’s hands, I remembered how hard we’d worked through the night in the backyard.

‘It’s still rewarding though.’

“Boss.”
“Oh, the lawyer is here?”
“I’ve come to pick up the kimchi.”

Oh Jong-hee was smiling differently than usual. The moment I pulled out the container of kimchi I’d set aside, a fragrant kimchi aroma wafted out.

“I’ve been struggling with the smell since I was waiting earlier.”
“Kimchi smell can torment people like this, can’t it?”
“Absolutely. Because it’s that delicious.”
“Did you have a good time?”
“Yes. I’ve been mentally preparing myself since yesterday to receive this kimchi.”

I tilted my head in confusion.

“I’ve already prepared pork belly at home.”
“…Oh? It really does taste better when you eat it together with pork belly.
“Then, I’ll enjoy the meal. I’ll make it through this winter relying on your kimchi, boss.”

Oh Jong-hee bowed his head as he stepped out the door.

“Please take care on your way….”

Alone in the empty shop, I massaged my shoulders with my fists. I’d slept through the alarm and only woke when Hae-tae nagged me awake.

My entire body felt heavy. Especially my shoulders, lower back, and arms.

‘So this is what a body feels like after handling two hundred cabbages….’

I sank into the counter chair, pressing my lower back firmly against the backrest and tilting my head back.

‘Since I have tomorrow off anyway, I’ll just prepare a few side dishes today….’

Yesterday’s kimchi-making had drained all my energy. Today, organizing the leftover side dishes and preparing a simple soup and stir-fry should be enough.

‘But there are so many ingredients I need….’

Today marked the third day.

‘Maybe I should leave a note.’

I jotted down the necessary ingredients on a notepad and slid it deep into the bottom of the Refrigerator. Whenever I left it there, it was always taken, as if by promise.

But then.

‘…It’s so quiet?’

Today felt unusually silent. There was no note. Normally, I would have received a message by now….

That was when it happened.

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